54|Cannibal’s Nest Ghost King vs. Heavenly Officials

Xie Ren turned his head, looked at the drooping, kneeling stone statue not far away, and said, “Chi Rong was right about one thing. I am quite a failure.”

Hua Cheng said in a faint voice, “You believe in the words of a punk like Chi Rong. Apart from not being able to fight and run fast, what else does he have to show for it. He can’t even mix with a Jedi after more than eight hundred years, beating him is too dirty for his hands.”

Xie Ren pulled the corners of his mouth, thinking, “If he can’t die but can run fast, is he not like that too? He has been mixing for more than 800 years, but he has only become what he is now?

Originally, he was quite pleased to see that Lang Qianqiu, who had ascended as an Oriental Martial God and was ranked as a celestial official in the Heavenly Court, was still the same as before, still straightforward, and still dozing off in the boring assembly meetings. However, from this moment onward, I wonder how Lang Qianqiu will change in the future? He went to chase Qi Rong, and after chasing him, how will he come back to finish with him?

Xie Ren stood up and slowly walked over to the stone statue. Turning to the front of the statue, the face was indeed exactly the same as his, only it was carved with a weeping expression, full of tears, and the features were so distorted that it was hard to see. After staring at it for a while, Xie Ren sighed softly, put her hand on its head, and poured down a powerful force.

Moving his hand away again, two cracks crept up the stone statue’s cheeks, and with that, the weeping face shattered. The stone statue collapsed, turning into countless small stones that fell to the ground, never to be put back together again.

When Xie Ren turned around again, he was already the same gentle and calm face as before. He rubbed his brow and said, “Chi Rong is afraid that there are still quite a few living people hidden in this lair, I’ll go look for them and release all of these people.”

Hua Cheng also stood up and said, “Let’s go.”

Just now, a big mess, Chi Rong nest of green lamp little ghosts fled in all directions, did not escape the hiding in the dark, do not dare to come out. The two searched around, casually grabbed a few unlucky little ghosts, forced them to lead the way, and found several caves used to store “fresh ingredients”. A rough count, Qi Rong caught in the living ready to eat, actually no less than three hundred, either nearby villagers, or travelers passing through.

The two of them walked along the way, opening the cell doors along the way, releasing the trapped people. With these things on her hands, Xie Ren calmed down slightly, plus now that she was also free to chat with Hua Cheng for a few minutes, she thought for a moment, but still said, “By the way, Sanlang, there’s one thing that I still want to ask you about.”

Flower City said, “What?”

Xie Ren said, “How did you know that it was Qi Rong who was behind the Gilt Palace matter?”

Even if he didn’t know what Hua Cheng was trying to do by bringing him and Lang Qianqiu to the Green Ghost Lair in the beginning, he knew now. Hua Cheng’s purpose was to let Lang Qianqiu hear Chi Rong himself spill the beans on the inside of the Gilded Hall matter back then.

Xie Ren said: ”I am the Fangxin thing, Chi Rong is not know, if he knows, old long to pester. At first, although I found out that the old royal family of Xianle secretly made a lot of moves, but I didn’t know that the manipulator behind it was Qi Rong. Why do you know? How long ago did you know?”

“Not early.” Hua Cheng put his hands in the air and walked side by side with him, saying, “I have dealt with Chi Rong several times and know his details well. Chi Rong was a Xian Le person during his lifetime, extremely hateful to Yong An, and used to using the means of stirring up trouble and creating trouble. He was behind several major assassinations targeting royal nobles in Yongan, but has been hiding it well.”

Xie Ren shook his head and said, “It turns out that he had a previous record. Luckily he hid it well, if he hid it poorly and gave the people in the Heavenly Court the knowledge that he meddled in these earthly affairs, they would not have been able to spare him long ago.”

Hua Cheng said, “Blood-washing the Gilded Palace is very much in line with his usual style of behavior, so I have always thought that he was the one behind this, and that State Master Fang Xin was one of his people. However, Lang Qianqiu identified State Master Fangxin as you in the Upper Heavenly Court, so it is impossible for Fangxin and Chi Rong to be of the same faction.”

Xie Ren’s footsteps slowed slightly. It seemed that Hua Cheng was clearly not in the Heavenly Realm, yet he knew exactly what had happened at the Divine Martial Hall. Moreover, not only that, he was also very clear about the origins of Xie Ren and Chi Rong’s feud.

Hua Cheng added, ”But I am still inclined that the main instigator of this matter is Qi Rong, or at least he must have started it. The ordinary Xianle remnants, after Lang Qianqiu’s father ascended to the throne, their situation has improved greatly, and they are no longer thinking about revenge and restoration of their country all day long like before. The only ones who could possibly still think about things were the Immortal Bliss royal family. At that time, the only descendant of the Xianle royal family, there is only one Anle King left, if Qi Rong wants to urge who to rebel, it is bound to be him. It so happened that this person died of an inexplicable illness shortly after the Gilt Banquet, and he didn’t have any history of illness, so isn’t it obvious that this is fishy.”

Xie Ren nodded. Hua Cheng said, ”So he was more than likely killed, and the reason for his killing was related to the Gilt Banquet. The initial speculation is that it was done by the Yongan Imperial Clan, but if it was them, it is unreasonable to not see the Immortal Music Remnants implicated and suffering afterward. Thinking about it, I can only deduce the current conclusion.”

Xie Ren laughed a little and sighed, “The clues are so few, yet you were able to deduce eight | nine of them.”

Hua Cheng said, “It’s not difficult. It’s just a matter of knowing enough about the few people involved beforehand.”

Xie Ren said, “It is indeed all very well understood. However, there is a very important premise in your deduction that I don’t quite understand.”

Flower City said, “Which one?”

Xie Ren said, “Why are you so convinced that the Gilt Banquet, must have been moved by Chi Rong first?”

Flower City said, “I’m not believing that it must have been him, I’m just believing that it must not have been you.”

At those words, Xie Ren restrained her smile.

After a moment of silence, he asked, “Why?”

Hua Cheng said, “If you admit that you bloodied the Gilt Banquet and used other reasons, then it is possible that you did do it, I believe it. However, while the Lord of Yong’an was diligent in his administration and won the hearts of the people, Lang Qianqiu said that the reason you told him at the time was that you ‘couldn’t see them sitting in this position’.”

He said, “That is indeed a pretty standard usurper’s declaration. But if it comes from you, it’s a poor attempt at self-flagellation.”

Hearing the word “self-flagellation”, Xie Ren laughed silently and said, “Self-flagellation? Have you never thought that I might really feel that way in my heart? Perhaps there are a few hints of resentment hidden in the depths of my heart?”

Flower City said, “So what if you want to? You won’t do that.”

Xie Ren closed his mouth tightly. Only after a long time did he say, “Sanlang, actually, I’m not what you think I am.”

“You–” he closed his eyes and shook his head, as if he didn’t know whether to say it or not. Hua Cheng said, “There’s no harm in you saying it.”

Hesitating for a while, Xie Ren still said, “I do think that it’s better for people in this world not to have too much hope in anyone.”

Hua Cheng let out an “Oh” and said, “What do you mean by ‘holding out too much hope’?”

Xie Ren said, “Don’t imagine someone too well. If you don’t cross paths for the rest of your life and look at an illusory shadow from afar, it’s fine. But if one gets to know each other, and gradually gets to know each other, one day, one will eventually realize that this person is different from what one imagined, or even the complete opposite. At that time, it will be very disappointing.”

Flower City, however, said, “Not necessarily. I don’t care if others are disappointed or not. But for some people, someone’s existence in this world is hope in itself.”

Although his words did not specify “some people” is who, “someone” and who, the tone is also flat, as if just a casual refutation, Xie Ren’s heart is suddenly a float, floating.

He paused, unable to speak for a while. A little while later, he suddenly said, “Sanlang, what are you really?”

Flower City also stopped and looked back at him.

Xie Ren locked eyes with him and said seriously, “You know who Qi Rong is and are clear about his details. You know who I am and know how to draw the Prince Yue Shen diagram. You know me like the back of your hand. You know a lot. Maybe even more.”

Flower City raised an eyebrow, “Wouldn’t I know a lot all the time?”

Xie Ren shook his head, “It’s not the same.”

He rested his left hand on his right elbow and rubbed his right hand on his jaw, slightly out of breath, saying, “I always have a feeling that you are a deceased person of mine. Should have known me from a long time ago, maybe when I first ascended, no, maybe even earlier. But …… again, I really don’t remember when I have seen a character like you before.”

If you’ve seen a character like Flower City, you’ll never forget it again. Xie Ren has never lost his memory after breaking his head, so if he has seen him before, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t remember.

Xie Ren stared at him, slightly confused, “Who exactly are you? Have I seen you before?”

Hua Cheng did not answer, but only smiled faintly. Xie Ren immediately reacted that this question was really extremely inappropriate.

The real name of a ghost is usually a secret, unless it is a patient like Chi Rong who cannot be guessed by common sense, otherwise there is no reason to casually inform the others.

He hurriedly said, “I’m sorry, don’t worry about it, I’m just asking off the top of my head. You don’t really have to answer me, it doesn’t matter who you are.”

It was at this moment that Hua Cheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. Xie Ren sensed something and looked back. Only to hear a clamor coming from a cave not far behind them, a bright woman’s voice said, “I told you, transforming into a female phase is not only stronger in magic power, but even better in hand! You still won’t, how about see, this time vote right!!!”

It was precisely Shi Qingxuan’s voice. Xie Ren said offhandedly, “Master Feng!”

Sure enough, a white-clothed female crown ran out from within that cave, and once she saw Xie Ren, her eyes lit up as she said, “Found it, His Highness the Crown Prince is here!”

However, she then looked at Hua Cheng behind Xie Ren, and her face instantly changed, jumping back and holding the Wind Master Fan across her body. Before Xie Ren could say anything, at this time, another man’s voice came from within the cave, saying, “Have you found it? How is it?”

A footstep approached and the silhouette flashed out, it was actually Feng Xin. He held a black longbow in his left hand, and as soon as he saw Hua Cheng, he immediately pulled back the silver-white bowstring and went into an alert stance. Hua Cheng snorted without making any comment. Xie Ren was busy saying, “Let’s have a talk, collect your weapons first.”

The four of them met narrowly within the lair of the Green Ghost, two by two. Feng Xin pulled the bowstring to full strength, a ray of spiritual light condensed between his right hand into the shape of a feathered arrow, aiming at Flower City. He took the lead and spoke in a deep voice, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, come here first.”

Feng Xin’s bow was gifted by Jun Wu and is called the Wind God Bow, which is an extremely headache-inducing magic treasure. Xie Ren was afraid that he would really release an arrow and dodged in front of Hua Cheng, but who knows, Hua Cheng pulled him behind him and Xie Ren was pulled back again.

At this pull, the incoming duo were both startled. Shi Qingxuan immediately raised his hand, ”Flower City! Blood Rain Scouting Flower! You you you, you don’t mess around. Your Extreme Bliss Place, it was accidentally burned, if you have any grievances, discuss them, we can compensate you in the Heavenly Court. The Emperor is not so bad that he can’t afford to pay. Release His Highness the Crown Prince, everything is fine.”