Yet unexpectedly, no one in the spiritual communication array was listening to him. It was like something big had happened, and every heavenly official was blabbering noisily. Xie Lian heard Feng Xin yell, "Your Highness? DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? IT'S REALLY CHAOTIC HERE RIGHT NOW..."
Xie Lian raised his voice, "FENG XIN! I SAID, LING WEN WAS THE ONE WHO CREATED THE BROCADE IMMORTAL! SHE'S RUN AWAY WEARING IT, WATCH
OUT FOR HER!"
"WHAT?!" Feng Xin shouted, "THAT'S HAPPENED?!"
Xie Lian was about to expand on the details when the noise by his ear abruptly stopped, and nothing more could be heard. Taken aback, he tried calling again, "Everyone? Is everyone still there?"
He called a couple times but no one answered. Hua Cheng spoke up, "It's no use. The spiritual communication array of the Upper Court was set up by Ling Wen, she must've broken it up just now. It'll need to be rebuilt."
"Whatever shall we do then?" Xie Lian gaped. Usually when he communicated with the Upper Court, it was either through the spiritual communication array or through Ling Wen directly, or the Wind Master. He didn't know the verbal password of any of the other heavenly officials. Now that he could no longer depend on Ling Wen or the Wind Master, and the communication array was destroyed, what should he do?"
Hua Cheng seemed to see through his worries and said, "Don't worry, didn't gege already report the key issue? Not all the heavenly officials of the Upper Court are idiots, and Jun Wu is also in the Heavenly Court right now. It'll be fine once the message passes through."
Xie Lian thought that too and nodded. After his mad dash, they've already crossed through several mountains tops, leaving those masters far behind them, but it seemed they wouldn't be able to keep up with the Brocade Immortal and Quan Yizhen after all. Hua Cheng added, "If gege still wants to investigate the Brocade Immortal, you'll have to hurry."
However, Xie Lian shook his head. "That was before. Qi Ying's already chasing after Ling Wen, so right now we've got more important matters in our hands. San Lang is A-Ying sleeping?"
"I'm sorry gege but i put spell because he look like he's ready to burst to tears. "He stared intently at the Hua Cheng beside nodding his head, "Your form... it seems to have changed again."
Before when Hua Cheng was disguised as Yin Yu he was still in the appearance of twenty or twenty-two year old and it wasn't easy for Xie Lian to carry him. Even if he could it didn't look good. But now, Hua Cheng's body seemed to have shrunk in size, looking to be at most eleven or twelve, and Xie Lian wish have could just carry him and have him perch on his arm.
He ask for Hua Ying as Hua Cheng give the boy towards Xie Lian. Be that as it may, Hua Cheng's air of steady calm never changed. "It's a non issue. Changing form is only a temporary plan. After the whole thing is over my old self will return."
On that snow white face, a pair of deep, black eyes watched Xie Lian, and between his brows were still shadows of that handsome young man. It was clearly the face of a child, but his air and expression was the laid backness he always assumed.
Xie Lian watched him dazedly, not speaking a word.
Hua Cheng frowned slightly, "Your Highness, you..."
Suddenly, Xie Lian's other hand reached out and squeezed his cheek. This was so out of the blue, Hua Cheng widened his eyes as his face changed shape from the squishing, "...GEGE!"
Xie Lian laughed, " Shuutt... Hahahahahaha... Sorry San Lang, but you're too cute I can't help
myself, hahahaha..."
"..."
Xie Lian squished him tenderly as he said gently, "Then, San Lang, are you going to keep changing? Are you going to turn into a toddler of five or six? Or even better, a little baby lik A-Ying?"
Hearing his hopeful voice, Hua Cheng replied helplessly, "I'm afraid I will have to disappoint gege."
Xie Lian dropped his hand and grinned, "Nonsense. San Lang has never disappointed me. I'm really happy to have this chance to protect you."
However, Hua Cheng said glumly, "I'm not happy."
"How come?" Xie Lian asked.
Hua Cheng voice turned cold, "I.. hate looking like this!"
Xie Lian could detect a trace of loathing in his voice and was slightly taken aback. Hua Cheng lowered his head, "I don't want you to see me in such a helpless form, and I absolutely didn't want you to have to protect me!"
Maybe it was because Hua Cheng's age had diminished that even his emotions seemed to be rippling. Xie Lian felt his heart stir and hurriedly hugged him in his embrace, lightly patting his back as he laughed, "Then according to you, I might as well just die since you saw me in a mess so many times. Besides, it's not like you're completely useless right now, you're just temporarily storing your powers, that's all."
"..." Hua Cheng buried his face in his shoulder and grumbled in a muffled voice, "It's not the same. Your Highness, I have to be the strongest. I have to make myself stronger than anyone else. Only then can I..."
Although his voice was young and tender at the moment, there was still a faint trace of fatigue. Xie Lian soothed, "You've always been the strongest. But, you don't need to be every waking moment of every day. Just... think of this as giving me some face, and let me protect you this once. Please? Ok?"
It was a long time before Hua Cheng lifted his head from his hug, and he placed his hands on Xie Lian's shoulders, watching him, "Your Highness, wait for me."
"Alright, We'll wait for you." Xie Lian promised.
Hua Cheng assured again very seriously, "Give me a little time, I'll be back very soon."
Xie Lian smiled, "No rush. Go at your own pace."
The next day, the two came to a small town.
Xie Lian was holding Hua Cheng's hand, and the one adult holding a baby and one child strolled along the streets, chatting leisurely. Xie Lian asked, "With the reopening of Mount Tong'lu, all the preceding Ghost Kings are affected by the tremors. So does this mean that Black Water is the same?"
Hua Cheng had one hand courted behind his back as he held hands with Xie Lian with the other and replied, "Yes. But our situation's different, our training methods are different, so naturally our ways of resisting provocations are also different."
"For example?" Xie Lian asked, "How does he resist aggravation?"
"Hibernation, probably." Hua Cheng replied.
The words "Eat when hungry, sleep when full" appeared in Xie Lian's mind. He chuckle as a Man bump into him. Little Hua Ying who stay in the middle let out a small squeeze on Xie Lian hand.
"I'm sorry Madam.. It's my carelessness. "Say the man as he fixed his eyes on Hua Ying who wearing a little vail. "Such a cute baby... "
"Yuuuu Yuuu.. "Xie Lian who still glued to the call just now unaware that his son had already pulled his robe hidding his face on his A-Niang neck.
“This son of yours reminds me of Wei Ying.” Hua Cheng watched the man’s movements. A purple robe with fancy jewelry he was sure the man was no ordinary man.
“How do you know he’s Wei Ying?” Xie Lian’s question got the man’s full attention.
The man cheerfully touched Hua Ying's little hand before the little one pulled his hand back. "This Jiu jiu is your father's friend. Greetings,Wei Ying ..." Xie Lian froze before understanding everything. Forgetting that mortals could not to find out about them he grinned stiffly.
"I thing you were misunderstood. "Xie Lian pat Hua Ying head holding it closer to his chest.
"Huh.. "The man suddenly retreat his hand after seeing how the kid actually didn't like him. Hua Cheng stare at the man.
"What do you means, I'm Jiang Fengmian.. Yunmeng Jiang section leaders it's nice to meet you. "Xie Lian awkwardly smile as Jiang Fengmian walk closer.
"He's my son. "