Chapter Text
The sky turns dark, black clouds forms in the sky like a whirlpool. The vengeful spirits ready to escape and spread the human face disease to the people of yong’an.
Xie lian stares at the sky with a smile behind his half-smiling half-crying mask that white no face gave him. With fangxin in his hand also a present from white no face, he raised it to point at the sky and chant,
“Vengeful spirits of Xianle! Today, tonight, at this moment, we’ll avenge our kingdom and bring pain to the people of yong’an, may their souls never rest in peace!” The vengeful spirits shriek in excitement.
White no face happily watched xie lian from afar.
Everyone in the capital began to hurriedly run to their houses, screaming in fear.
The vengeful spirits plunge down, spreading everywhere. Everyone, with no exception started feeling itchy, like something is growing under their skin. Not long after, a man curls on the ground, screaming in fear louder than everyone. When he looked at the water, he screamed again in terror. His once, honestly average-looking face gets even uglier because there are more faces growing on his face! The faces on his face then began to shriek. Soon after, another shriek rose from another person, then another, and another but the shrieks by the vengeful spirits were over powered by a certain someone’s laugh.
The former god laughs maniacly, his chest hurting and the mask almost falling of his face. But his happiness was cut short when the a light shoots through the black cloud, a heavenly tribulation!
But xie Lian was more agasped when a being, an immortal being ascended down. The former god felt a chill down his spine when he saw the heavenly emperor himself.
Jun wu looks down on xie lian, his expression gentle and warm with a mix of sadness and guilt.
“Xianle, what have you done?” The older man cups the younger one’s face.
“Look at you, look around… did you do this?” Everyone around them is screaming, running and even trying to cut the small, ugly faces from their body.
Xie lian wants to respond but he can’t. Furthermore, what can he say? They stood there in silence for a few minutes. When xie lian finally had the courage to speak up, he was interrupted by the emperor.
“It’s okay, it’s fine. Everything will be fine” xie Lian's eyes widened in both shock and confusion.
Before xie lian could protest, Jun wu pulled xie lian close for an embrace. The older man pats and caresses the back of the younger one like a father would to his son, “shh, no need to talk anymore, silly child. If I say it’s fine, then it’s fine.” Xie Lian's tears threaten to fall. He couldn’t help but to feel warmth in Jun wu’s gesture of affection.
“Let’s go, Xianle.” He let xie lian go and took his hand, dragging him back to heaven. Xie lian can’t do anything besides following the older man obediently.
Unlike xie Lian's first ascension, he was brought immediately to the palace of divine might. Jun Wu have been awaiting his ascension and has already prepared xie lian a new set of garments and a position as his left hand man. It’s a shame Jun Wu couldn't build Xie Lian's palace closer to his but oh well.
Xie Lian, of course, has been very obedient. He follows the emperor everywhere but soon enough, he began to socialize and made a name for himself amongst the gods.
Everyday, xie lian would get praises from gods that used to look down at him. And the 33 gods he fought? Missing with no trace left behind. The gods’ temples, palaces, wealth, vanished in a single day. Then, after years, the heavenly bell rings again, a new god has ascended.
The newly ascended god looks to be around 16-17. His robes that resemble that of a soldier’s is black, tattered, ripped, and stained with blood. He stands out among the gods and goddesses surrounding him. The young man looked around, seemingly trying to find someone until he laid his eyes on xie lian.
“Welcome,” the prince welcomed him with a warm smile. The younger man looks up at him, eyes widened with a mix of nervousness, admiration, and a bit of fear.
“Your highness…” he mumbled, and the prince was taken aback.