Chapter Text
“...and here in Heaven, that’s what we call the ‘Gardens’.”
“Woah. What are those vines? Those seeds look –”
“Don’t go near them! They’re poisonous!”
“Poisonous? Why would there be poisonous flowers in Heaven?”
…
“...now that I think about it, Heaven’s pretty barren, right? There’s no plants anywhere, except for these poisonous ones.”
A tired sigh.
“So. About that. We consider it Heaven’s greatest mistake.”
“Mistake?”
“Have you heard about…the God of Flowers?”
“Xie Lian? Only rumors, though they sound ridiculous. Like how he married a Ghost King? I’ve heard he’s incredibly powerful, though.”
“Well, we have a different name for him here in Heaven…”
When Zhen Guang ascended as the new Martial God of the East, he had many expectations of Heaven. A beautiful utopia, full of powerful and righteous gods, under the watchful eye of the Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu. He imagined grand palaces and greenery, beautiful architecture and spaces to walk through. He imagined coming in and never wanting to leave, seeing the ideal world above.
Reality proved to be a lot different.
First off, Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu had apparently been defeated by the Crimson Rain Sought Flower at the behest of the God of Flowers Xie Lian. Though he had heard of the God of Flowers leaving Heaven to marry a Ghost King, and how his domain now holds poisonous flowers that can incapacitate gods, Zhen Guang didn’t realize just how much power he had over his now husband and the implications it had on Heaven.
Especially with its impression on the new gods.
Heaven did boast the architecture he expected, but it was…barren. There were clearly spots where there were supposed to be plants.
It looked almost…sterile.
Lifeless.
Without the plants.
He never realized how...sad things looked without plants.
Not to mention that Heaven will have to go to the mortal realm for any sort of herbal medicine, for teas or for spices. Anything that was attempted to be grown in Heaven would refuse to grow, suppressed by the God of Flowers – perhaps a curse placed upon the land.
How cruel. Such evil and greed in a supposedly minor god.
Already, Zhen Guang decided that he very much didn’t like Xie Lian.
“Are you ever going to remove the scary flowers?” Black Water asked through slurping his noodles. Xie Lian barely managed to catch Hua Cheng’s hand from smacking the other Ghost King for ‘daring to speak with his mouth full’.
Xie Lian shrugged. “They don’t want to go.”
He Xuan looked up at the god, curiously.
“I asked them if they wanted to leave.” Xie Lian explained, fingers subconsciously petting Hua Cheng’s head. The Ghost King closed his eyes and dropped his head to rest on Xie Lian’s shoulder. “They don’t want to go.”
“Keeping the gods in their place, more like.” Hua Cheng scoffed.
“I’ll be sure to let them know you approve.” Xie Lian laughed.
“Did you hear? The God of Flowers will be attending the meeting!”
“No way! He’s actually leaving Ghost City and returning? Do you think he’s moving back…?”
“I don’t think so. But General Pei Ming is reminding everyone to pay him utmost respect.”
Zhen Guang turned towards the other gods. “Is this about the territory dispute?”
In the vacuum absence of the former Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu, there needs to be a redistribution of land for the gods. What will be under whose protection, and under their guidance.
Most of the lands were transferred peacefully, without issue.
The others, not so much.
The gods nodded. “Yes, and General Pei Ming extended an invitation to the God of Flowers just in case he has any input.”
“And he’s actually coming.”
Zhen Guang frowned. From what he had heard, the God of Flowers has little to no command over the human realm. Perhaps one or two villages pray to him, and a spattering of small provinces, but besides the rumored legendary temple in Ghost City, his other temples are small and few.
Perhaps the God of Flowers is looking to expand his territory. Perhaps he’s looking to expand his influence. It would seem that his initial judgment was true.
No doubt he’ll be using his position and the threat of his husband to gain some ground to himself. He thought of approaching General Pei Ming and beseeching him to reconsider inviting the God of Flowers. A tyrant like that shouldn’t be given more power.
And yet, Zhen Guang was curious. What kind of person could this God of Flowers be? How was a minor god able to rise the ranks to become known as the ‘God of Gods’, who brought the downfall of the former Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu?
Zhen Guang had always been someone who stood for justice, for what was right.
And he will not be cowed by some evil minor god.
If Heaven will not stand its ground, he will do it instead.
“Do you haaaaave to go?” Hua Cheng flopped across Xie Lian’s lap before the God could stand to get ready.
Xie Lian smiled and combed his fingers through his husband’s hair. “My temples are in some of the territories. I have to take care of them.”
“Let me rephrase,” Hua Cheng tilted his head to look at his God eye-to-eye, “is Gege okay with going back?”
This time, Xie Lian stayed quiet.
“...I have to go.” He murmured.
His hands were shaking.
Hua Cheng hummed. “Might this San Lang give a suggestion?”
Xie Lian arrived in a grand, red sedan carried by armed skeletons.
Zhen Guang watched as the skeletons lowered themselves respectfully to allow the God of Flowers to exit. Heaven held their breath when the first foot exited the red curtains, then the rest of him.
He was…
Zhen Guang felt his heart rate pick up, sweat form on his brow, hands turn clammy, cheeks flush hot.
He understood then and there how Xie Lian managed to get a Ghost King to turn a City into his temple.
The God of Flowers was the most beautiful being Zhen Guang had ever seen.
Unlike the other gods that wear fine armor, silks and jewels to showcase their status, Xie Lian wore a simple white robe. However, it showed quality, made of the highest quality of silks that sparkled under the sunlight even without any gems, embroidered finely with off-white and silver butterflies and petals.
What he lacked in jewels (minus a silver ring on his middle finger), he made up for in vines of flowers, multiple flowers in purples and pinks dotting the vines all over his body and all over his hair, cascading down elegantly. As he walked, flowers bloomed and disappeared in time with his movements. For a brief moment, color and life was breathed into Heaven, isolated on his person. He walked with the grace of a Prince, head held high and face passive and stoic.
On his shoulder was an exceptionally large red butterfly, lined with silver, decorated with patterns that look eerily like eyes.
All of Heaven froze with his arrival, and those unfortunate enough to come in behind him quickly skittered back in fear. They kept a distance from him and the red sedan as they tried to make their way to the Divine Palace.
Zhen Guang stayed on the side and he couldn’t look away from Xie Lian. He was looking for any crack, any semblance of evil intent behind that (admittedly) gorgeous facade and –
– and Xie Lian took three steps back.
The gods behind him scrambled back three steps in panic, tripping and falling all over themselves.
Xie Lian hid his smile behind dainty fingers and continued walking forward. Even the butterfly on his shoulder looked amused, fluttering up and down as if laughing.
That –
It was…
It was cute .
“What the hell…?” Zhen Guang shook his head, surprised at himself, before he slapped his own face.
Do not be tricked! This was the god that seduced a Ghost King! Do not fall for his charms!
He straightened himself up and followed.
The only god that ended up approaching Xie Lian was Shi Qingxuan, who just so happens to be the only god to have flowers in their palace. It was said that they were the only person Xie Lian considered a friend, something about them being friends due to their shared beauty as the Wind Master’s vanity was known throughout Heaven.
While all other gods kept a fearful distance, Shi Qingxuan easily skipped over. “Xie-xiong!” they exclaimed as they hooked arms with the other god. “I haven’t seen you in ages! I missed you so much, best friend!”
Xie Lian’s posture relaxed slightly, the polite look on his face made way for a smile. Some of the flowers in his hair changed, from the purples and pinks, a few yellow and red flowers sprouted. They look like the flowers found in Shi Qingxuan’s palace.
“We saw each other two days ago.” Xie Lian smiled as he picked one of the yellow flowers from his hair and tucked it onto the other god’s ear.
“ Ages, Xie-xiong!” the Wind Master insisted.
The two continued on to the main building, everyone avoiding them. Their heads were ducked towards one another, speaking softly about whatever it is they speak about. Zhen Guang slowly started to follow behind, eyes lingering on the pink and purple flowers in the Flower God’s hair. He couldn’t look away.
Curious.
“Xie-xiong, what flowers are these?” Shi Qingxuan whispered, worriedly, as they approached the Heavenly hall. “I’ve never seen them before.”
Xie Lian lifted a section of purple and pink flowers with a wince. “Lavenders for distrust. Rhododendrons for danger. Begonias for beware.”
Shi Qingxuan hummed in pity. “It won’t be long. Then you can go back to Ghost City, yeah? Besides, you have me, and the Crimson Rain looking out for you.” They gestured to the butterfly. E-ming looked stiff on Xie Lian’s shoulder, alert. “He-xiong is also ready in my communication array, if you need extra help.”
Xie Lian had very few friends, but they were the best friends he could ask for.
“I know. Thank you.”
“...if that’s the case, then we have to settle the villages in between the two cities.” Pei Ming sighed over the map.
Zhen Guang kept looking over at Xie Lian, who was sitting in the back, in his own little space. The gods gave him a wide breadth, minus Shi Qingxuan who was nodding off to sleep when they weren’t talking to Xie Lian.
The God of Flowers was quietly playing with the large butterfly.
Zhen Guang fully expected him to strong-arm the gods into just giving him the territories, use his husband as leverage to gain control of the human realm, and spread his influence.
But no.
He just…sat quietly in the back, speaking to his friend, and playing with that creepy butterfly. He let the butterfly crawl along his fingers, made nests with his hair and arranged the flowers so that he could smother the butterfly with light kisses. It was adorable and endearing and get a hold of yourself Zhen Guang you are lowering your guard!
Except territory after territory passed hands and judgment and he just…sat there. Playing around with that butterfly.
That is, until…
“...there’s another temple, though it is quite run down. In Puqi Village, who could –”
“Puqi village is mine.”
All heads swiveled towards the God of Flowers, who now sat up straight, his voice calm and sure and rose above everyone else in the room. The butterfly was perched on the ring on his finger, wings spread with those eerie eye patterns facing the room.
“I saved that village from a famine over 800 years ago, and they still pray primarily to me. Jun Wu’s temple was only built as a token, but it has been long abandoned, hence why it’s ‘run down;’.” Xie Lian leaned back on his chair. “Puqi village is mine, and is not up for debate.”
Puqi village was a small, agricultural village, not even exceeding fifty people. By all intents and purposes, it would be a village easily written off, and as far as Zhen Guang could tell, it was only brought up because it was smack between two new territories.
“I understand, but it is still listed under the former –”
Faster than anyone could register, the large, red butterfly on Xie Lian’s shoulder flashed silver and charged forth, transforming into a silver scimitar with an eerie red eye, the blade tip aimed at the god’s throat. The room froze in shock and horror.
Zhen Guang shook.
The cursed scimitar E-ming?!
He instinctively looked around, just like the rest of the gods, looking for that dreaded Ghost King, looking for any evil aura, the Red Calamity.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” All eyes turned to Xie Lian, whose hair now bloomed red flowers up top. “Did I stutter?”
The sword chirped , eye narrowed.When the gods looked at Xie Lian, there were vines growing out of him, creating almost a protective canopy around him and the Wind Master. The gods briefly thought of the Gardens, of the poisonous flowers that continue to grow and thrive as a reminder of what the God of Flowers is capable of.
Distantly, Zhen Guang registered that the god that tried to argue with Xie Lian was pissing himself.
Shi Qingxuan watched lazily. “Xie-xiong just said that Puqi village was his. What part is so hard to understand?” They opened their fan. “Just leave it alone.”
“Puqi village is under Xie Lian, the God of Flowers, no dispute.” Pei Ming announced, but even though his voice boomed with authority, anyone would notice the sweat on his brow, how his hand shook slightly near his sword. “We’ll work around it.”
After a murmur of agreement, only then did the canopy of vines recede. Only then did E-ming fly back to Xie Lian, making a show of quickly slashing the air around him and the Wind Master as if to draw a line at who not to mess with, before transforming back into the red butterfly. Now that they had seen its true form, it was easy to tell that the circular patterns on his wings were to represent the eye of E-ming.
Zhen Guang adjusted himself. He may have pissed himself as well. From the uncomfortable adjustments of the other gods, they were doing the same.
Zhen Guang watched as Xie Lian stayed quiet the rest of the meeting, with Shi Qingxuan napping against his shoulder. The God of Flowers seemed so disinterested in all other proceedings, and continued playing with perhaps the deadliest butterfly in existence.
All he wanted was to keep Puqi Village, with no interest in expanding further.
Huh.
Xie Lian calmed himself down, watching the red columbines fade away as his anxiety faded. He’s glad nobody understood his language in Heaven, otherwise they would’ve known how scared he was.
‘San Lang, that was a bit much.’ Xie Lian shot over their communication array, but he was fighting to hide the smile on his face. ‘I think they peed themselves.’
He wanted to look cool and passive, but not cruel. However, E-ming was just so cute, and of course he would swoon over how loving his husband was being, he couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed.
‘It wasn’t.’ Hua Cheng’s cool voice calmed Xie Lian’s nerves, ‘it’s the care and love Gege deserves.’
At the end of the meeting, Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan parted ways with a hug, Zehn Guang followed him as he passed by his old domain. He didn’t enter, though. The deadly flowers that cowed the entirety of Heaven gently lowered themselves in his presence as if bowing.
“Are you sure you’re alright here?” Xie Lian gently brushed his hand along the vines, his brow furrowed. “You can leave, if you want. I will not make you stay here.”
Zhen Guang blinked, confused.
The flowers seemed to shake from side to side, as if saying no. Vines reached out and wrapped around Xie Lian’s wrist, who hummed.
“I see. Thank you, but if you ever wish to leave, you may.” He lifted his arm and kissed the vine, and power surged through the plant. The deadly flowers bloomed brighter and fuller. “San Lang says he’s proud of you.”
The plant may not have facial expressions but it seemed to preen.
That was…interesting.
Because it implies that Xie Lian wasn’t purposefully keeping the flowers alive here.
The flowers…wanted to stay?
For what purpose?
And who exactly was ‘San Lang’?
With that done, Xie Lian left. He went back to the entrance, climbed the red sedan, and was carried away.
Zhen Guang clenched his fist and followed.
“Are you sure you’re alright here? You can leave if you want. I will not make you stay.”
The Rosary Peas bristled.
‘We’ll stay!’ They chimed
‘Our God was hurt! They hurt our God!’
‘We’re here to remind them to never hurt you again.’
‘Stupid gods will forget if we’re not here.’
‘Besides, we can spy on Heaven for you!’
‘Please, let us take care of you!’
Xie Lian had forgotten how protective the plants were of him. He spent eight hundred years cut off from them, and the few hours he had his powers during festivals, the plants spent it being cheerful for him. Hua Cheng, who had been listening over the communication array, laughed.
‘I’m proud of those flowers. Good on them.’
Xie Lian’s entourage stopped at the entrance of the Ghost City, much to Zhen Guang’s surprise. He was fully expecting the God of Flowers to just enter with the entire sedan, but the skeleton carriers bent down right before the entrance to Ghost City, and Xie Lian stepped out.
He looked…
So different.
If Zhen Guang thought Xie Lian was beautiful in Heaven, it was nothing compared to now.
Xie Lian’s whole demeanor changed. His posture was slightly slumped, relaxed, and he had a small smile on his face rather than the polite stoicness he kept up in Heaven. As soon as his feet touched the ground, it bloomed with a burst of flowers, big and bright and colorful. Even the trees and grass around them seemed to turn greener, brighter, with his presence.
Zhen Guang thought he understood what it meant for Xie Lian to be a God of Flowers.
He hadn’t even scratched the surface.
Even the flowers on his hair seemed different. In Heaven, though beautiful, the flowers were duller, stiff. Now, all the types of flowers seem to have changed, and they were soft and relaxed, swaying with the wind and with every slight movement on Xie Lian’s head.
Xie Lian held out a hand, and a vine grew and wrapped around his wrist. “Anything happen while I was gone? No?” The butterfly on his shoulder fluttered up and down. “Good, good. Come, E-ming. Let’s go home.”
The skeletons brought the sedan elsewhere, and Zhen Guang followed Xie Lian discreetly into the Ghost City. He was prepared to face a den of iniquity, sin and despair in every corner. He had heard the legends, had heard the stories –
– and none of it were true. Zhen Guang’s pace behind Xie Lian slowed as he took in the area around him. It looked so…normal. There were some things that were strange, of course. Potions and food he didn’t recognize, spattered with food that he did recognize, and of course the ghosts themselves were all different shapes, colors, and sizes.
If he didn’t know any better he would’ve thought he just went to a slightly eccentric village.
However, he immediately noticed that every single stall was lined with blooming vines. Over the canopies, up the walls, winding around the stalls. They were out of the way, but it was very clear that all the ghosts were told to leave them alone, because they visibly made way for the flowers, and nobody dared to pluck a single blossom.
The ghosts themselves turned to Xie Lian immediately as soon as the god passed. They waved and cheered and bowed, some even walking up to him to offer some crudely folded paper flowers, which Xie Lian laughed as he accepted. He greeted each ghost with a soft smile, allowed a few ghost flames to dance near him, and even summoned a few vines to help a merchant that was restocking.
Zhen Guang was baffled. The difference between Xie Lian in the Ghost City and Heaven was so stark. His attitude, his countenance, his reception .
Who was the real Xie Lian…?
The arrogant, prideful and stoic minor god that would threaten another at swordpoint?
The kind, gentle, happy god that took care of a city and their residents?
Zhen Guang had a sneaking suspicion that it was the latter, but did not want to admit it.
Because then the question becomes: what did Heaven do to dim such a bright soul?
“San Lang!”
Zhen Guang felt it even before he saw the Ghost King. The sense of dread that crawled up his skin, the suffocating, overwhelming power that dwarfed his whole existence. It was like walking into a volcano, being crushed in all sides by a suffocating heat.
It was only because he was a martial god did he manage to power through the aura and look for the culprit.
He’s ‘San Lang’?
The Crimson Rain Sought Flower, the Scourge of the Heavens, Hua Cheng, walked towards Xie Lian with a gentle smile on his face, hands behind his back. He was quite thin, but his height and aura made up for that, his presence drawing every eye. The ghosts scrambled to make way, cheered for him and bowed for him.
Xie Lian ran up to him and –
And –
Oh.
Oh.
The flowers on his hair completely change. From the tops of his head to the ends were purple and white flowers, and a crown of flowers grew across his head, full of red flowers, so bright and full that it put all other flowers to shame. Zhen Guang could only identify roses and tulips amongst them.
The vines all over Ghost City, though they were beautiful and full before, seemed to bloom brighter, the colors popping more and more.
Xie Lian, without fear and without faltering from the aura, jumped into Hua Cheng’s arms, giggling and smiling as Hua Cheng twirled him around. It drove home to Zhen Guang how short the God of Flowers was, being a full head shorter than the Ghost King.
Hua Cheng lifted Xie Lian’s hand, and Zhen Guang noticed a vine lined with white flowers on the Ghost King’s middle finger, pressing against the silver ring on Xie Lian’s. E-ming fluttered over to Hua Cheng’s waist and reformed into a scimitar.
Crimson Rain brought the flower god’s hand to his lips, kissing his knuckles. “Welcome home, Gege.”
“I’m home, San Lang.”
Zhen Guang stayed in the shadows as he watched them.
Xie Lian was talking, hands gesturing around as he talked to the Ghost King. Hua Cheng’s eyes never left Xie Lian, and he looked as if he was giving the god his full attention, hands occasionally darting out to fix a blossom in his hair, or to readjust the flower crown, or to take Xie Lian’s hand and press kisses along his fingers, responding in kind.
Zhen Guang had grown up with his parents hiding their affection for one another. He knows his parents love each other very much, but they never showed it in public. “I need to keep my image as a strong king,” his father would say, “and I cannot have my image ruined by doting on my wife.”
But Hua Cheng didn’t seem to care about that. He smiled, and laughed, and softened his whole body around Xie Lian, the love so clear in his expression. Every move around Xie Lian was gentle, and yet, he instinctively moved his body as if to protect him. A hand hovered over his scimitar whenever someone got too close, his body would turn towards the closest sign of danger, even as his eyes never left Xie Lian. When he spoke to the god, Zhen Guang could feel the whispers of devotion, as if every word spoken to Xie Lian was a subconscious prayer.
He didn’t care that he was being spied on by the ghosts. He didn’t care that he was putting his reputation on the line.
And Xie Lian was so happy . The vines around Ghost City bloomed brighter, the flowers in his hair were so big, and the red flowers in the crown were oriented towards Hua Cheng.
As the couple finally decided to move away, heading towards “The Gardens”, Zhen Guang prepared himself to follow when he was stopped by a silver butterfly.
“What –”
The silver butterfly picked him up, like he weighed nothing, and lifted him up, up, and away, back outside the city. It dropped him unceremoniously outside the city, alongside multiple other random people, each of them shaking in fear.
The butterflies merged together and formed an avatar of Hua Cheng –
No.
Not just Hua Cheng.
This was the Crimson Rain Sought Flower. His face was stern and hard, lips turned down in a severe frown, his body tense and ready for a fight. Though just an avatar, Zhen Guang could feel its power, choking their divinity as if it was nothing.
“My Kingdom is one of revelry and vice, and I usually allow you scum to play as long as you follow my rules.” The avatar sounded eerily calm. “However, my God was sad today. Heavenly Officials from here on are banned until my God allows you to return.”
Heavenly officials…?
Zhen Guang looked at the others, whose faces contorted to guilt.
…oh.
“H-hang on!” One of the officials tried to protest, “w-we did nothing to your god this time –”
And in a blink of an eye, he exploded into a rain of blood.
Zhen Guang may have pissed himself twice now in a single day.
“Leave.” The copy radiated power. It cowed them all to the ground. It was clear:
They stood no chance to fight an avatar, let alone the actual Ghost King.
None of them wished to court danger. Slowly, they all stood and made their way out, like a parade of shame as they shed their disguises and headed back to the Heavenly Realm.
When he got back to Heaven, the first thing Zhen Guang did was approach one of the older officials.
“What really happened with Xie Lian?”
Hua Cheng relaxed as the gods went away without a fuss. He waved away the clone, allowing it to disappear in a flurry of silver butterflies.
“Hm?” Xie Lian looked back up at Hua Cheng. “What’s wrong, San Lang?”
“Nothing.” Hua Cheng leaned down to kiss his God’s temple. “Just making sure some flies stayed away from you.”
Xie Lian blinked, and Hua Cheng could see the moment Xie Lian extended his consciousness to the flowers around the Ghost City. The way his God’s eyes glazed over slightly.
“Really?” Xie Lian huffed when his consciousness returned, but his lips were twitching up with a smile.
“Was I wrong?” Hua Cheng challenged.
“...no.” Xie Lian tilted his head to rest against his husband’s shoulder. “No, you weren’t. Thank you. Give me about a week before letting them back in.”
“Take your time.” Hua Cheng carded a hand gently through his husband’s hair, avoiding the blossoms. “Weeks, months, years. They can wait until you’re ready.”
It was several months before Zheng Guang saw Xie Lian again. Even though it was spread through the gods that the Ghost City was once again open to the Heavenly Officials that wanted to gamble their money away, Zhen Guang was shame-faced enough to never return.
Especially after learning everything.
To General Pei Ming’s credit, he kept the records of Heaven’s sin against Xie Lian out in public. A reminder, or perhaps even a warning, to the dangers of pride and greed.
Heaven created its greatest villain.
And Zhen Guang couldn’t even blame Xie Lian for choosing that path.
There was another dispute – this time, it had to do with two warring gods. They wanted input on how to resolve the dispute peacefully, and Xie Lian was invited because he has a temple in one of the villages.
Just like before, Xie Lian entered in a sedan carried by skeletons, had stiff and dull flowers in his hair, and a large red butterfly on his shoulder. Like before, his expression was completely blank.
This time, Zhen Guang understood. This was not a display of rebelliousness and power. It was a reminder that Xie Lian chose the Ghost Realm over Heaven. That he has the strength and protection of The Red Calamity. That he was never putting his guard down again, lest he be imprisoned wrongfully once more.
This time, instead of watching, Zhen Guang slowly approached Xie Lian and bowed. The flower god looked at him, surprised, but he immediately took a step back. The butterfly flew in front of the god, stiff and threatening.
“My name is Zhen Guang. The new martial god of the east. I never introduced myself to you.” He kept his tone pleasant, kept his head slightly tilted down, his hands behind his back and away from his weapons.
“And…?” Xie Lian raised a brow. It broke Zhen Guang’s heart that he was so wary .
“And I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for what happened to you.” He tilted his head down, and bowed lower. “You didn’t deserve that. And I’m glad you found justice, even if it was…far too late. I don’t expect you to…forgive Heaven. But. I do hope that we can make things right.”
He couldn’t imagine. Eight hundred years…
Eight hundred years of isolation, of being suppressed by two cursed shackles, his domain as empty as the Heavens are now, except as a flower god, he must have felt the emptiness much more strongly…
Xie Lian was quiet and then Zhen Guang saw a hand wave lightly in his field of vision, telling him to get up.
Zhen Guang looked up, and Xie Lian had a pleasant smile on his face. It was still tight and small, compared to the wide and happy smiles he had in Ghost City, but it was a start.
He’s so beautiful .
“You’re right.” Xie Lian’s voice was soft, and gentle. “I would never feel comfortable here in Heaven ever again. But, if Heaven continues to gain gods like you, I may one day forgive them. Enough to not cause a scene every time I have to come over.”
The butterfly settled back on Xie Lian’s shoulder.
Zhen Guang bowed one more time, and stepped back and away. Before he could turn, however, Xie Lian called out.
“By the way, my husband – Hua Cheng – said to tell you something like ‘don’t try coming back’? I don’t quite understand why –”
Ah.
Zhen Guang flushed, bowed again, and scurried away.
Nope, he was not going to get in between that.
It was just a crush, anyway.
It will fade in time.
Zhen Guang shuddered. He could feel the spooky butterfly staring at him from behind.
Hopefully soon.
“Gege is too charming.” Hua Cheng sighed, and E-ming telepathically crooned in response. He watched the entire exchange through E-ming’s eye. It would have been sweet if it were not for the clear signs that the new god had a crush on Xie Lian.
Really.
“Perhaps I should visit with him next time.” He waved his hand, and the dice toppled back to his favor, to the agonized wail of the gambler before him echoing in the den. “Yes, that would be fun.”