Chapter Six: “Whispers Across Realms”

A week had passed since Hua Cheng's birthday, yet the air in Ghost City pulsed with a new kind of energy. Lanterns burned a little brighter, and shadows seemed to sway more eagerly in the alleys. Rumors—sweet, scandalous, and impossible—drifted through saloons, teahouses, and even the silent halls of the Red Palace.

"Did you hear? The Ghost King has claimed the Crown Prince's heart… and more."

"They say Xie Lian rides with San Lang at midnight, hand in hand."

"I saw them together at the old bridge. He looked… different. Blessed, even."

Where once the pairing of a god and a ghost had been scarcely whispered, now it was the subject of every tongue. Some spoke in awe; others in outrage. But all spoke.

Ghost City's Eye

That evening, Xie Lian arrived at the palace gates to a flurry of commotion. Servants scurried past, wide-eyed and giggling. Guards exchanged knowing glances. As he passed under the crimson arch, a young servant bowed so low his forehead nearly grazed the stone.

"Your Highness," she murmured, voice trembling, "the city… it hums with your name."

Xie Lian offered a small, composed smile, but his heart fluttered. Even here—his home—he could not escape the new reality of being seen not just as a deity but as someone's beloved.

In the courtyard, Hua Cheng awaited him by the koi pond, crimson cloak trailing behind him like a dark wave. He rose as Xie Lian approached, eyes alight with mischief and pride.

"Do you feel it, gege? All the whispers?" Hua Cheng teased, stepping close enough that Xie Lian caught the faint scent of sandalwood and moonlight.

Xie Lian's cheeks warmed. "I think the entire city knows before I do."

Hua Cheng laughed softly, looping an arm around his waist. "Let them know. Let them see that gods and ghosts can love without shame."

Heavenly Intrigue

Meanwhile, high in the Cloud Recesses, news traveled slower but with heavier steps. At the Ministry of Affairs, Chang Xi and Ling Wen stood over a scroll burned with fresh seals.

"Xie Lian…has been seen consorting with the Ghost King?" Chang Xi's brow furrowed as he read the account from his couriers. "This is unprecedented."

Ling Wen tapped the scroll, voice low. "Rumors say they share more than words. That Xie Lian's been… claimed."

Chang Xi's lips thinned. "We cannot have a deified prince entangled in the affairs of a malevolent spirit—no matter how charismatic. The Heavenly Court will not stand for it."

With a final nod, they summoned their authority: a formal notice would be dispatched, demanding Xie Lian return to his duties—or face censure.

Confrontations and Confessions

That night, Xie Lian found the official decree waiting on his desk in the palace. The fine script glowed like frost on white jade:

"By imperial command, Crown Prince Xie Lian is to cease all liaison with the phantom Hua Cheng and resume his celestial responsibilities without delay. Failure to comply will be considered an affront to heavenly order."

Xie Lian's heart pounded. He traced the characters with trembling fingers before crumpling the scroll and tucking it into his sleeve.

Hua Cheng appeared at the window moments later, sensing his turmoil. Soft moonlight gilded his silhouette as he slipped inside.

"Trouble from above?" Hua Cheng murmured, sliding close until his hand rested on Xie Lian's cheek.

Xie Lian leaned into the touch, voice fierce despite his pale lips. "They demand I cast you aside. That I return to being… untouchable."

Hua Cheng's crimson eye darkened, and he pressed a gentle kiss to Xie Lian's palm. "Let them demand. You belong to me, gege—ghost realm, heavenly court, or mortal realm be damned."

Xie Lian closed his eyes, drawing strength from Hua Cheng's unwavering devotion. "Then we face them together."

A Promise Across Worlds

The next dawn rose on a city and a kingdom poised on a razor's edge. In Ghost City, lanterns still burned bright in solidarity. In Heaven, couriers prepared for a reckoning.

But in the quiet chamber high above both realms, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng stood hand in hand, unshaken.

"I will not hide," Xie Lian vowed, voice steady as the morning sun. "Not in Heaven, not in Ghost City, not anywhere."

Hua Cheng's smile was fierce and tender all at once. "'Then let the world see us, gege. Gods and ghosts—together at last."

Their fingers intertwined, and the bonds between realms trembled… but did not break.

To be continued.