Chapter 80: Four Heavenly Kings Hidden on Darkened Walls

There really was a face. Perhaps the flames hadn't consumed it entirely, or maybe the melting paint had flowed down and shielded the image from ruin. Whatever the case, beneath the tip of Xie Lian's finger there was a chunk of an illustration depicting a human face. He began to carefully scratch away the solidified black material.

"Is Your Highness really that fascinated by some mural?" Pei Ming asked, holding his very swollen left hand.

"It's not fascination," Xie Lian replied. "But rather that I have a daring idea."

"Let's hear it," Pei Ming said.

"We've gotten a rare chance to enter Mount Tonglu territory. While we work to stop the rise of a new ghost king, perhaps we can also find out more about the position itself. For example, who created the role? What kind of power is supporting all of this? Perhaps we might even be able to destroy it in one sweep and rid the world of this disaster for good. We'd never have to worry about another ghost king being born."

"That really is a daring idea," Pei Ming said. "But if Hua-chengzhu never discovered anything while he was here, we'd probably only be wasting our time. I don't recommend trying it in our current circumstances."

Hua Cheng spoke up. "I didn't make any such discoveries because my talents are dull and my abilities limited. Besides, last time, I was too busy killing. The results will be different if gege takes the lead on this investigation."

"No, no, no. I'm the one whose abilities are limited. San Lang is much more capable than me," Xie Lian said.

"…" As if he couldn't listen anymore, Pei Ming tossed Pei Xiu over to Banyue and turned to walk outside. "I think I'm gonna go get some fresh air."

It was surprisingly easy for Xie Lian to chip off a few chunks of the black, hardened substance. He blinked.

"This can actually be…" The hard layer of charred material could actually be peeled off in large pieces!

In the short span of those few words, he had already peeled off a significant amount to reveal a human face about the size of a baby's fist.

The lines were simple, but the face's expression was lively, like it was chasing after something; the passion in the eyes was as clear as crystal. The hard black material seemed to have acted as a protective layer atop the mural proper, and the colors underneath were as vibrant as the day they'd first been painted.

Xie Lian turned his head. "San Lang, let's do this together…" Hua Cheng didn't move, but a field of shimmering silver light began to gleam in the darkness. Hundreds of silver butterflies silently appeared, then fluttered to rest on the blackened walls. Xie Lian heard small chipping sounds as they flitted their wings in unison. Innumerable small cracks crawled across the black walls, like a fracturing mask.

With a crumble, the black material covering the walls completely shattered, revealing the true image behind.

It was a giant, colorful mural!

Raising his head to look at the wall, Xie Lian felt chills.

The mural was divided into four levels. The highest level shimmered with golden light and was crowded with clouds, but no people were present.

On the second level, there was only one individual depicted: a handsome young man dressed in white. Golden light surrounded him; the artist had used the same gold paint as on the top level.

On the third level, four characters were depicted. Each of their faces, apparel, expressions, and gestures were different, and they were half the size of the white-clad young man on the second level.

The fourth level, which was the lowest, was covered with countless figures, and they were half the size of those on the third level. Each of their faces were exactly the same; their expressions were open and full of passion, worship, and rapture. The first face Xie Lian had discovered was one of these on the very bottom.

The lines of the mural were elegant and mature, and Xie Lian was stunned for a long time before he found his voice.

"San Lang, have you…ever seen this before?"

Hua Cheng's response was hesitant. "I traversed half of Mount Tonglu's domain and walked through almost every one of Wuyong's holy temples, but I swear I've never seen anything like this before."

Xie Lian came back to himself. "I don't think this mural is from two thousand years ago."

"There's no way it can be," Hua Cheng said. "Look at how well the colors have kept, as well as its overall condition. I'd say it's at most a hundred years old, or maybe even newer than that."

Which meant that this mural had been painted after the kingdom's destruction!

Xie Lian pointed at the highest level. "That level must be depicting the heavens, since the 'Law of Heaven' presides above all sentient beings."

Then he pointed at the second level. "This level must show the Crown Prince of Wuyong. Since this holy temple was made to worship him, he's naturally the main subject of the mural—which is also why he's the biggest figure in this painting and surrounded by the same color light as the heavens. He's only slightly below the 'Law of Heaven.'" Then he pointed to the fourth level. "The figures at the lowest level are the smallest, and all their faces are the same. They must be the people of Wuyong."

Finally, he pointed at the third level. "But who are these four?

Regardless of their poses or expressions, they're situated above the people of Wuyong and below the crown prince. That means they likely all have the same status. Ministers? Vassals? Or…" Hua Cheng took a few steps closer. "Gege, look, they also have a sheen of spiritual light on their bodies."

Sure enough, they did. The light radiating from the Crown Prince of Wuyong was so strong that it far outshone their spiritual light in comparison.

The answer dawned on Xie Lian. "They're heavenly officials the crown prince appointed after he ascended."

Which meant they were the same as Feng Xin and Mu Qing, once upon a time.

Xie Lian made a round of the great hall and confirmed it was only this wall facing the gates that hid secrets. The other three walls were thoroughly burnt from crust to core.

Who left this mural behind, and for whom was it left? What kind of message were they trying to communicate?

Xie Lian couldn't deduce much from just one painting. He hummed for a moment, then turned to Hua Cheng.

"As we continue on the road, let's pay more attention to the other holy Wuyong temples. I have a feeling that…there can't be only one mural like this."

Hua Cheng inclined his head. "I intend to."

The two of them and Banyue, who was supporting Pei Xiu, left the holy temple. It was only then that Xie Lian remembered their other team member.

"Where's General Pei?"

Pei Ming had said that he needed some fresh air and went outside.

Even though they'd dallied in the great hall for a good while, he still hadn't come back. Xie Lian called out a few times but received no response.

"I hope he hasn't gotten lost at a time like this."

The four looked around the small, desolate town, but their search was fruitless. Furthermore, they couldn't use the spiritual communication array in Mount Tonglu. Just as Xie Lian was beginning to feel desperate, Hua Cheng spoke up.

"Gege, don't worry. I have a way."

He extended a hand. In his palm there was a tiny silver butterfly which started lightly flapping its wings. It flew around Xie Lian, circling him a few times. While Xie Lian thought it was charming, he didn't know how it could help.

"What…" Just then, he heard labored breathing. A few moments later, a man's voice came from the silver butterfly.

"I never thought I'd see you here," the man said.

Pei Ming!

Xie Lian looked at Hua Cheng, who snickered.

"Yesterday, I planted a silver butterfly on everyone."

Pei Xiu arduously raised his head. "…So, you can use, silver butterflies, to, monitor, everyone's movement, without them, noticing, you?

As expected, of Crimson Rain, Sought Flower."

"Don't speak if you don't know how to form sentences," Hua Cheng sniped.

"…" Xie Lian cupped the little silver butterfly in his palm and called out to it. "General Pei? Where are you? Who's in front of you?"

"I'm sorry, gege," Hua Cheng said. "You can only listen, not speak through it."

Xie Lian gave it a thought and acquiesced, "Fair enough."

If the listener's voice could pass through, then it could easily give its presence away to the other party, couldn't it?

Soon after, the frigid, exhausted voice of another young man spoke.

"Ol' Pei, a word of warning—you'd better not spew any ridiculous nonsense right now. Be careful, or I might start smacking you around."

Xie Lian's eyes widened at that voice.

It was the voice of Ling Wen's male form!

"I see!" Xie Lian exclaimed. "So the man in black who killed so many along the way…was Ling Wen in his male form."

"Is, it Ling Wen-qianbei, who took General, Pei away?" Pei Xiu asked.

"I don't know. I'm still listening," Xie Lian replied.

On the other end, Pei Ming said, "Noble Jie, why the temper?"

"Shut up," Ling Wen said. "I told you not to speak. I'm not the one with a temper, it's someone else. I'm warning you—I can't control my body right now, so I won't be responsible for any injuries you sustain by my hand."

"Who are you trying to scare? We're both in the same predicament;

we can't move a muscle," Pei Ming said.

Xie Lian looked up. "It's not Ling Wen who caught General Pei.

Someone else has trapped them somewhere." Then he pondered somberly, "They even suppressed the Brocade Immortal. Who could it be?"

"Are you still wearing…?" Pei Ming asked.

He didn't say it out loud, but everyone knew what he was referring to.

The Brocade Immortal!

"Yeah. He really doesn't like you, so watch what you say," Ling Wen replied.

"How would you know what he's thinking?" Pei Ming wondered.

"Honestly, I can't believe you. What's gotten into you, starting trouble like this? So audacious, going so far as to steal from the Temple of Divine Might. You broke your own golden bowl,2 and now you've come running to Mount Tonglu. What, did he tell you to do all this?"

"He didn't make me. I'm the one who wanted to come," Ling Wen said. "Ol' Pei, stop asking questions! He's getting mad. I can feel it."

Pei Ming shut up. After a while, Ling Wen puffed a light breath; it seemed that the Brocade Immortal had finally calmed down, so he picked up the conversation again.

"And what's with you, Ol' Pei? What are you doing, coming to Mount Tonglu? And were you stung by a million hornets on your left hand or what? That wound looks horrid."

Pei Ming's voice was extremely sullen and woeful. "Got off to a bad start…it's a long story. Little Pei isn't making my life easy either. I shouldn't have wound up in such pathetic circumstances, but who could've known I'd be jinxed the moment I arrived? If I weren't injured, do you think I'd let someone drag me to this hellish place? I didn't even see who it was."

Can't you specify which hellish place already? Xie Lian thought. Say whether you're in a cave or a house or what, so I'll at least know where to look.

It wasn't like there were no clues whatsoever, though. The Teleportation Array couldn't be used in Mount Tonglu, so Pei Ming mustn't have gone far. Their voices sounded somewhat hollow and echoed faintly, so they had to be somewhere spacious. And Xie Lian could vaguely hear the sound of water.

They hadn't run across any rivers or lakes along the way, and there weren't any buildings around that were more spacious than the nearby holy Wuyong temple. Therefore, there was only one place they could be— Underground!

But that didn't tell them much; this small town wasn't all that small.

They were underground, but where exactly?

"And what about you?" Pei Ming asked. "I hear you killed over a thousand nefarious creatures—everyone's terrified. Congratulations. Well, you can't be the number one civil god anymore, so why not change careers and join us martial gods? What manner of creature managed to bind you here?"

Ling Wen laughed bitterly. "I don't know what it was either. I accidentally clashed with Lord Rain Master and was dizzy afterward, so something took the chance to ambush me from behind. No need to ask me, it'll show itself sooner or later. Just remember not to expose your identity."

Just then, a third voice interrupted their conversation.

"Pei Ming, Nangong Jie, you nasty couple. You can stop your smug calculations. You think I don't know what's under your fake skins?!"