Chapter 67: To Ascend is Human; to Fall is Also Human (Part 2)
Xie Lian whipped up his head, "No."
He then repeated with severity, "Definitely not."
Guoshi nodded, "I had expected this response from you. So, we've put the weight of our consideration on the second method."
"Please enlighten me." Xie Lian said solemnly.
"The second method," Guoshi said, "Is to have Your Highness publicly repent before the people of Xian Le, ask the heavens for forgiveness, then face the wall in reflection for a month."
"Not possible." Xie Lian said calmly.
Guoshi was taken aback, "We're not really asking you to face the wall to reflect, you just have to look like you ar... ahem." He suddenly remembered they were before the statue of the Heavenly Martial Emperor and immediately corrected himself, "As long as you are sincere it will suffice."
Still, Xie Lian responded with, "No."
"And the reason?" Guoshi asked.
"Guoshi, when I descended the mountain today, do you know what I saw?" Xie Lian said, "Not only did the people at the royal capital not condemn the accident that happened during the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, they very much approved of it. This proves that the people of this kingdom all believe that the decision to save that child was right."
"If I were to do as you say, and be punished for something that was done right, what would they think? Doesn't this only tell everyone that to save a life, not only do we not obtain fortuitous merits but instead we'd be punished for sins? How should they think or act after that?"
"Whether if it's right or wrong isn't important." Guoshi said. "Only that you must choose between the two paths. Nothing is perfect in this world. Either that child shoulders this blame, or you do."
"Whether right or wrong is very important. If I must choose, then I choose the third path." Xie Lian replied.
Guoshi rubbed his forehead, "Um... Your Highness, excuse my boldness, but why do you care how they think? Today they think such a way, tomorrow they'll think another. There's no need for you to mind the small details, trust me, people will carry on doing what they need to do, and will not be touched by your actions nor take you for an example. It's best if we focus on serving what's above our heads."
Xie Lian was silent for a moment then spoke, "Guoshi, ever since I've entered the Huang Ji Pavilion to become a disciple here, the more I train, the more I've reflected, and there's actually something I've always thought but didn't dare to speak of."
"And what's that?" Guoshi asked.
"Is it really right for us to worship and prostrate before the gods like this?"
Guoshi was speechless for a moment. "If they don't worship the gods, then what are we to do? Go homeless? What, Your Highness thinks that the thousands and millions of devotees who come here to worship have the wrong beliefs?"
Xie Lian shook his head and chewed on his words. "The beliefs are not wrong. Only, this disciple doesn't think it right to prostrate."
He raised his head and pointed to the golden, scintillating, glorious and large statue of the Heavenly Martial Emperor, "When humans ascend they become gods. To humans, gods are elders, are teachers, are the everlasting light, but they are not our masters. In such regard, we should be full of thankfulness and also admiration, but never idol worship. Just like how at the Shang Yuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, the correct attitude should be of thankfulness, of joy, and not of fear, not begging to please, not of intimidation, and certainly not putting myself in a position of servitude."
Guoshi remained poised and silent, but the other three Deputy State Preceptors appeared to have become restless, turning their heads back.
Xie Lian continued, "An accident happened, it couldn't be helped. I am willing to offer a thousand lamps to brighten long nights; like moths to flames, I'm not afraid. But I refuse to bow my head for something I did right. Face the wall in reflection? What have I done wrong? What has anyone done wrong? Just like how Qi Rong committed evil, but Feng Xin who subdued the wrongdoer had to be punished: where's logic in all this? If the heavens have eyes, they would not convict me for this."
Guoshi looked away, "Then, Your Highness, let me ask you. If the heavens really do convict you? Will you apologize then?"
"If that should happen, then, the heavens are in the wrong. I am right. I will stand against the heavens and defy until the end."
Hearing this, Guoshi's face changed slightly and smiled, "Your Highness, you're pretty brave to say such words."
The other three Deputy State Preceptors watched him, wanting to speak but stopped themselves. Just then, a sudden huge alarm went off outside the hall, like the chiming of multiple bells at once. The four State Preceptors could no longer remain in their seats, and all rushed up at the same time, running towards the back of the hall.
Xie Lian followed closely behind. They traversed through the many buildings behind the the Great Martial Hall, and came before a black pagoda. The doors to that black pagoda were open, and countless wisps of dark smoke were whooshing out.
The Guoshi let out a despairing scream, "WHERE'S ZHU AN??! WHERE THE HELL DID HE GO! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN??!"
A number of trainee guards rushed over, the one leading was that Zhu-ShiXiong. "Guoshi!! I'm here! I don't know what happened, the door was locked but it suddenly opened on its own!"
Guoshi pulled at his hair, "QUICKLY! BRING ME A NEW SOUL-SEALING JAR!"
Xie Lian rushed straight inside. Within that black pagoda, the walls were covered in lattice sandalwood panels of varying sizes and shapes, stacked unevenly atop each other, and within each panel were various clay jars, porcelain vases, jaded boxes, etc. Each of those containers were originally securely placed, the red cover stoppers stuffed firmly in place, the openings sealed with yellow talisman with crimson spells, but now many were shattered, and many more continued to drop off the shelves themselves, and those not yet fallen were all swaying and vibrating.
Those soul-sealing containers each had a demon or ghost who once caused havoc sealed within, and such a black pagoda existed in every single temple of Mount Taicang, purposely utilizing the clean, saintly essence to keep them repressed. However, something happened that caused this sudden insurgence, and they've all escaped!
"It's too late!" Xie Lian shouted.
He immediately kicked the doors close. The steel lock that originally chained up the door had been broken by the resentful spirits, so Xie Lian unsheathed his sword, used the tip and drew out some characters, then plunged it down. He brought over two hundred swords with him when he entered the mountain, and he'd switch the one carried on his person almost everyday, and each was an incomparable, singular treasured sword. That sword, having slantingly plugged into the ground, sealed the door shut, and only the sounds of resentful spirits within rioting and roaring could be heard.
Once they left the black pagoda, they looked up and atop each of the summits, all the black pagodas behind each temple were filled with black clouds, and all the resentful spirits were rushing to the sky, flying towards a certain direction that was now heavy with smoke.
"What's over there? Why are they all flying over there?" Zhu An asked.
Guoshi yelled, "ARE YOU DUMB?! THAT'S THE XIAN LE PAVILION!"
The group ran like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, arrived that the Xian Le Summit. On top of Mount Taicang, heavy, thick smoke emerged from countless temples across numerous peaks rolled over to barrage, and formed an enormous swirl above the Xian Le Pavilion.
"What's going on in that Xian Le Pavilion of yours?! All the demons and ghosts are being lured over, what exactly did you put inside?" Guoshi demanded.
Xie Lian was bewildered too, "Nothing! Just..."
Just what? Xie Lian suddenly remembered: that small child!
Just then, Zhu-ShiXiong cried, "Guoshi, this is bad! His Highness' place is on fire!"
Sure enough, a corner of the Xian Le Pavilion was alight, flames bursting towards the sky, reflecting dark crimson in the black clouds above. Yet, at the foot of Mount Taicang, all those in the royal capital who hadn't gone to bed had no idea what was going on when they witnessed the scene from afar, and were excitedly dragging others to watch in awe: "Wow! The great immortals on the godly mountain are conducting a ceremony! What a show!"
Soon, the group of them arrived at the Xian Le Pavilion. Xie Lian didn't keep too many servants, and so a number of cultivators from the other summits had rushed over, desperately drawing well water trying to put out the fires. Xie Lian didn't see his two attendants, and immediately rushed inside. All the resentful spirits of the entire Mount Taicang had been gathered there, the Xian Le Pavilion was completely pitch black inside, nothing could be seen. Xie Lian sensed two silhouettes within the main hall and yelled, "FENG XIN! MU QING!"
The two had drawn a protection array so as to not let the evil spirits invade, holding on but just barely. Sure enough, Feng Xin's voice rang, "YOUR HIGHNESS, DON'T COME IN! THIS CHILD IS STRANGE, ALL THOSE SPIRITS WERE COMING FOR HIM!"
Only then did Xie Lian notice that behind the two silhouettes were another small shadow, seemingly to be kneeling on the floor, his head in his hands. He screamed, "IT'S NOT ME!!!"
After observing them for a moment, Xie Lian shouted, "Stop holding on. Let it go!"
Mu Qing cried back, "We can't let go! If we do, those things will go crazy! Let me find the most –"
Xie Lian cut him off, "NO FEAR. LET GO. NOW!"
Mu Qing gritted his teeth, and dropped his hands with Feng Xin at the same time. Sure enough, with the restraints off, those resentful spirits screeched and started going erratic.
However, in the next second, Xie Lian reached out, lightning fast, and choked a particular wisp of black smoke.
He didn't even look, and grabbed that black smoke with his bare hands, holding in his palm firmly. The moment he caught that one resentful spirit, all the crazed swarm of resentful spirits within the Xian Le Pavilion slowed down.
Outside, everyone silently nodded.
In a situation where a large swarm of resentful spirits gathered in the same place, they would usually follow the lead of the strongest one. Once that one is caught, without a leader, the spirits would lose direction. At that moment, Xie Lian immediately recognized the strongest one and choked it, not giving it any chance, and with only a squeeze, that one resentful spirit disintegrated into nothing in his palm.
Immediately after, the four State Preceptors raised their sleeves and called out, "Come back!"
That swarm of resentful spirits having lost its leader flew haphazardly around the Xian Le Pavilion like headless flies until finally they had no choice but to give up, and reluctantly returned to the seal within the Guoshis' sleeves. The other cultivators continued to put out the remaining fires, and only until the heavy smoke had gradually dispersed did Xie Lian see clearly the figures of the other three.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were half kneeled on the floor, still in shock. Behind them, that child was still holding his head, uttering not a word. The State Preceptors entered and spoke after only a look, "Where did that child come from? Feng Xin said all the resentful spirits were going after him? What's going on?"
"That's the child who had fallen from the city wall during the Shang Yuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession."
The State Preceptors were taken aback. Guoshi demanded, "Why did you bring him here?"
Xie Lian shook his head, not wanting to explain, and instead asked Feng Xin, "What did he do to attract all the resentful spirits of the black pagodas?"
One of Feng Xin's arms was still in a sling, and he rose to his feet, "I don't know what he did! But once he entered the mountain, soon after coming inside the Xian Le Pavilion, all those black things suddenly flew over from all over the peaks and broke in, swarming around him, gathering more by the minute, and we couldn't get out."
Xie Lian looked around at the walls and pillars burnt to crisps inside the pavilion, "Then what's with the fire?"
Mu Qing, whose face was covered in soot, said, "We couldn't leave so we had to draw an array to defend. Those resentful spirits kindled the candlelight and burnt the curtains, hoping to force us out."
"Thank goodness Your Highness came swiftly and immediately seized their vitals! Otherwise if it kept burning we'll all be dead along with the array!"
Hearing his words, Mu Qing closed his eyes and lowered his head. On the side, the Guoshi had already surrounded that young child, observing him closely.
"Guoshi, is there anything the matter with that child?"
If there was anything the matter, such as being possessed by ghosts, Xie Lian should've been able to recognize it immediately. After having trained at the Huang Ji Pavilion for a number of years, he had worked on his sight especially, and very few things could deceive his eyes. Yet he couldn't see anything off with this child. The Guoshi shook his head, seeming to have seen nothing either, and asked, "What's your birth date, month, year, and time?"
Hong Hong-Er seemed to be guarded against everyone, tensed with hostility, and would only stare at him, not speaking. Xie Lian encouraged gently, "Just tell him. Guoshi only wants to tell your fortune for your own good."
The moment he spoke, Hong Hong-Er obediently told the time of his birth in a low voice. Guoshi knitted his brows and started calculating with his fingers. The people around watched him, talking in low voices, and saw his expression grow dimmer and dimmer. Xie Lian watched, and became more and more solemn too.
Guoshi looked to be no more than a tender thirty-something young man, but Xie Lian knew better than most just how powerful his teacher was to be able to rule over the Royal Holy Pavilion. The number one Guoshi of Xian Le, Mei Nian Qin was famed throughout the land for his fortune telling. Xie Lian learned the art of the sword and of spells from the Deputy State Preceptors, but never learned the art of fortune telling from the Guoshi himself, only because Guoshi told him it's an art of the streets, the golden stature of Crown Prince had no need for such tricks. Plus Xie Lian himself wasn't interested, so he never tried. However, whenever Guoshi worked his art, there were never wrongs.
A while later, more and more cold sweat was rolling down the forehead of Guoshi, and he mumbled, "No wonder... no wonder... no wonder he ruined the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession; that the spirits of the black pagodas grew excited from sensing him; that the Xian Le Pavilion was burnt too... This... This... This is truly..."
"Truly what?" Xie Lian asked.
Guoshi wiped his sweat and suddenly backed a meter away, "Your Highness, you really picked up something you shouldn't have up the mountain! That small child is toxic! His sign is borne of the most ominous star, the Star of Solitude*, destined to bring misfortune and destruction, the kind that evil loves the most. Whoever touches him will have misfortune befall upon them, whoever gets close will lose their lives!"
Before he even finished, there was a loud scream, and Hong Hong-Er leapt to his feet, running towards Guoshi to headbutt him.
His voice was tender, but his screams were filled with rage, as if his heart was filled to the brim with unspeakable pain and anguish, making many shiver. That young child was covered in injuries, yet he yanked and struck like a red-eyed rabid dog, violent and aggressive. The Deputy Guoshi blocked Hong Hong-Er and Guoshi backed away, yelling, "MAKE HIM LEAVE THE MOUNTAIN, HURRY! Don't touch him, I mean it! That fortune is too toxic, don't touch him!"
The Deputy Guoshi hurriedly moved aside, and Mu Qing and Feng Xin didn't know whether to act. Seeing that everyone was avoiding him like he was a poisonous snake, that child was shaken and started thrashing even harder, biting and screaming, "I'm not! I'M NOT!! I'M NOT!!!!"
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped him around the waist, encircling his small form. A voice came from above his head, "You're not. I know you're not. Don't cry, now. I know you're not."
That young child pressed his lips closed tightly, grabbing on to that pair of snow-white sleeves around his waist with a death grip, forced himself to hold back for a long time but in the end he still couldn't. A stream of tears suddenly rolled down from that round, black eye, and he burst out crying.
Xie Lian embraced him from behind and reiterated firmly, "It not you. It's not your fault."
______________________________________________________________________________________
●[天煞孤星] The Star of Solitude - People with this sign in fortune are said to bring the greatest misfortune to those around them, while they themselves are fine, which is why it's called the Star of Solitude. This sign can be nullified with the meeting of a saviour.
On a separate note, Sha Po Lang is the other great sign of misfortune along with the Star of Solitude, and the two signs are the most unfortunate in Chinese fortune telling.