Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2(40)
The two once again descended through the long, rectangular, stony path. After two hundred steps or so, Xie Lian realized something.
“Good news, Lord Wind Master. This isn’t the same path we took the first time, even though they appear similar.”
Shi Qingxuan noticed it too. “You’re right. The first time we reached the stone wall after some two hundred steps, but not this time.”
Xie Lian said softly, “Looks like we’re on the right path this time.”
As soon as he spoke, they came to a stop.
Ahead of them in the darkness wafted the stench of blood. And accompanying that smell was the heavy breathing of a man.
The two didn’t move a muscle and said nothing. There was neither light, nor flames, yet the other party had already sensed their presence. Right after they stopped, a cold voice rang out.
“I have nothing to say,” spoke the deep voice of a man.
At the sound of that voice, Shi Qingxuan immediately ignited a palm torch.
Chapter 17:
Paradise to Ashes, the Second Coming of Fangxin
XIE LIAN DIDN’T EXPECT Shi Qingxuan to suddenly light a fire, and he didn’t even have time to stop him before it was too late. The flames were exceedingly bright and revealed the silhouette of a black-clad man.
The man in black had his head hung low against the stone wall at the end of the path. His face was white as a sheet, his black hair a mess, but underneath that unkempt appearance was an expression that shone with determination and a gaze like burning ice. Although he sat cross-legged without a trace of discomfort, the stench of blood was thick in the air. He was clearly gravely wounded and was obviously imprisoned here. His “I have nothing to say” was probably him mistaking them for interrogators.
Shi Qingxuan saw his face and cried, “It’s you!”
That man didn’t seem to expect guests and was taken aback—he looked as though he wanted to say “it’s you!” as well, but alas, he held back. Xie Lian calmed Ruoye, who was ready to attack.
“So you two know each other?”
After crossing so many hurdles and finally finding someone, Shi Qingxuan looked relieved. He was about to respond when the man cut in.
He said in a tone that left no room for dispute, “No.”
Shi Qingxuan raged at those words and pointed at him with his fan. “Is it so shameful to know me? What hurtful words, Ming-xiong! I’m your best friend!”
The man denied it resolutely. “I have no friends who would run around in that sort of attire.”
“…”
Shi Qingxuan was still in his tattered purple silk dress, truly…a shameful sight. Xie Lian wanted to laugh at the thought that there were really people in this world who would claim to be someone’s “best friend” to validate themselves. It was definitely Shi Qingxuan’s style. But “Ming-xiong”? If he remembered the five elemental masters correctly, the Earth Master’s name was Ming Yi.
Xie Lian spoke up. “Are you perhaps the Lord Earth Master?”
“It’s him. You’ve met before,” Shi Qingxuan replied.
Xie Lian looked Ming Yi over and wondered, “Have we?” He didn’t recall ever meeting such a character.
“You have,” Shi Qingxuan confirmed.
“We have not,” Ming Yi asserted.
“Yes, you have!” Shi Qingxuan said exasperatedly. “Before, at Banyue Pass! You guys didn’t forget that fast, did you?”
“…”
Seeing Ming Yi’s face go from ghastly pale to ashen grim, Xie Lian finally remembered! When they first met at Banyue Pass, wasn’t there a black-clad lady with Shi Qingxuan?
Hua Cheng had told him at the time that the black-clad person wasn’t the Water Master but was surely one of the five elemental masters. As expected, Shi Qingxuan was not only passionate about transforming into his own female form, he was also passionate about dragging others into doing the same. No wonder the black-clad lady looked extremely pissed off at the time, like she was disgusted. Recalling how Shi Qingxuan tried to wheedle him into “joining in the fun,” Xie Lian realized that it’d truly been a close call and was glad he didn’t give in.
“Lord Earth Master, are you the one who sent forth the Ascending Fire Dragon?” Xie Lian asked.
“I was,” Ming Yi answered.
They had found the right person. Xie Lian nodded and said, “Lord Earth Master is probably seriously wounded. We’d best make our escape now and talk later.”
Without any prompting, Shi Qingxuan knelt down and lifted Ming Yi onto his back. “Then let’s get out of here.”
The three retraced their steps, and Shi Qingxuan talked as he walked.
“I have to ask, Ming-xiong—aren’t you good at fighting? You were perfectly fine back at Banyue Pass, so how did you get beaten up this bad in a matter of days? How did you piss off that Crimson Rain Sought Flower?”
There was a bit of schadenfreude in his tone. Xie Lian mentally noted, He’s speaking as though he isn’t afraid of being punched. They are good friends indeed.
Ming Yi looked like he’d had enough of listening to Shi Qingxuan talk, and he spat, “Shut up!”
But this was also a question Xie Lian wanted the answer to, so he adjusted his wording: “Lord Earth Master, why would Hua Cheng give you trouble?”