Chapter 39

"So," XingYing starts, laying on the hay bed. His hair was pulled up into a sloppy ponytail, mostly to get it out of his face. His legs were crossed, a book in his hand. However, it seemed XingYing wasn't reading the book, instead simply staring at the pages. "I am curious about something." Yao Wang looks up, interested. XingYing slowly closed his book.

"I've read the answer to this before. But I didn't believe it so much." XingYing stalls. Yao Wang slowly nods. "Ok…" XingYing continues. "And I didn't want to ask you because it seems like I'm desperate but I'm very much not-" Yao Wang held his hand up to XingYing's face, the boy instantly stopped talking. "Just say it."

"What exactly decides if someone should be a ghost, demon, or a god?"

Yao Wang laughed, shaking his head. He thought the question would be a lot more shocking. A lot more serious "What decides it? Like who?" Yao Wang asks. XingYing thinks for a minute, before eagerly nodding his head. He looked like a puppy THe ghost king, looking like a puppy. Fang Hai and Chen Guo would love to see that.

"Well, technically, the Royal Gods. Jing Mei and Tao Wu. I heard Chao Ju is being decided, so maybe him. But those two usually decided. There are rules that they have made themselves, but they can be broken based on certain situations." Yao Wang explains. XingYing slowly nodded. "So, let's say that someone stuck to all the rules, yet they ended in the Ghost Realm, is that possible?"

Yao Wang gave XingYing an annoyed look. "Are you talking about yourself?" Yao Wang asked. XingYing cackled, sarcastically laughing. "God no. I have done way too much to be considered heavenly." XingYing scoffs. Yao Wang smiled, turning to look over at XingYing. "Well, let's see." Yao Wang started, clearing his throat."

"Did you kill people?" Yao Wang asked, leaning back on the bed. They would have to sleep on the same bed, it was a mutual agreement. XingYing looked up at the ceiling. "Including when I was a ghost?" Yao Wang nodded his head. "Then yes," XingYing answered. Yao Wang didn't question him. The Ghost Realm seemed like a terrible place.

"Were you abstinent from alcohol?" Yao Wang questioned next. XingYing tipped his head back down, his bangs falling over his face, a small smirk visible. "I'm gonna take that as a yes." Yao Wang rolled his eyes. XingYing gasped, shaking his head. "How do you know that? I could have been!" XingYin defended himself. Yao Wang looked at XingYing neutrally. "Did you? Just answer the question."

"No, I wasn't," XingYing answered, laughing.

Yao Wang rolled his eyes, before thinking of a new question for his questionnaire. "Were you abstinent from any sexual activities?" Yao Wang asked maturely. XingYing looked back up at the ceiling. Yao Wang laid his hands in his lap, rolling his eyes once again. XingYing was a child, Yao Wang was beginning to learn. "Hello?" Yao Wang leaned over, waving his hand over XIngYing's face. The Ghost King looked back down at him.

"I will not answer that question," XingYing says defensively. Yao Wang hums, laying back down. "I understand. It's probably embarrassing for a ghost-like you-" XingYin glared at Yao Wang. "First off, my answer to your question is no. And second, you're a virgin?" XingYing smirks. Yao Wang barely glances at him before turning to his side, facing the wall. "Good night XingYing." XingYing laughs before getting comfortable himself.

"Good night Yao Wang."

⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆

Yao Wang woke up, the candle having been blown out long ago. XingYing's side of the bed was empty, the wool cover placed only on Yao Wang. The Heavenly Deity looked up, scanning the room for the ghost, but he was nowhere to be seen. Yao Wang frowned, slowly standing. As Yao Wang looked out the window he saw the ghostly figure, walking back across the field. The wind blew his black hair across his face, covering it. His black and red hanfu blew out as well.

He looked like he was falling, the world turned on it's side. Yao Wang went to the window, watching the man. It was the dead of night, yet he was walking backward in a lavender field. With each step his legs took, the plants around his footsteps darkened, dulling into a dead gray. He was killing the flowers. Watching them limp and fall in the moonlight.

XingYing didn't seem like he was happy though. The man's walk is powerful yet dark. Sadness killing the rows of lavender. Yao Wang, with a single breath, transformed into Hsien Lian. His clothing is going back to its original ways. His light brown hair turning darker, his eyes going blue. Long draping sleeves with layers of silk and satin.

Hsien Lian stepped out of the house, the cold wind blowing against his own drapes. Hsien Lian kept walking, following XingYing's trail of dead flowers. As his feet hit the ground, each one started to blossom. Beginning to stand once again The pale gray petals gained the purple pigment that allowed them to shine. A blue light combed through the cracks in the fertile soil, feeding into the plants like water.

Hsien Lian noticed the thing the ghost was holding. He wasn't looking at the dead lavender flowers on the ground. Instead, he was looking at a lavender flower, held in his hand. He was bare feet, his hanfu hiding most of his feet as he walked. Hsien Lian crouched down, untying the ribbon around his ankles, sliding off his satin shoes. Hsien Lian walked with that same pace at XingYing, healing the flowers XingYing had hurt.

XingYing had killed the flowers.

Hsien Lian was saving them.

Slowly, XingYing noticed Hsien Lian, his eyes gliding up Hsien Lian's body before looking into his eyes XingYing's red ones met Hsien Lian's blues. XingYing stopped in his footsteps. The world stopped around them. The wind broke, and the air seemed to freeze. Hsien Lian ran, as fast as he could. His steps, his aura, feeding the dead flowers.

He stopped right at XingYing, the ghost looking at him with a saddened face. He didn't bring up the fact that Yao Wang looked different. He didn't bring up the fact that Yao Wang healed the flowers.

He looks down at the flower, before back up at Hsien Lian. He smiled softly, handing the flower to Hsien Lian. As the flower's stem touched the god's fingertips, the flowers began to bloom. Magnificent shades of purples, pinks, and greens. Sparkling in the moonlight. Hsien Lian sighed, looking back up at XingYing. He lowers the flower to his side. "Let's go back to bed." XingYing whispers, grabbing Hsien Lian's free hand with his gloved one.

Hsien Lian drops the flower to the ground, before following.