heaven officials blessing: Long ai edited

to ghost city.4

"My sister is right." Brother countered. placing a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, ghost kings and potential ghost queens are notorious, but that doesn't mean you can pin the blame on them for any crime without evidence."

Shi Qing Xuan had his eyes closed and fanned himself while the others gave off looks our way.

"that's enough." Jun Wu spoke up loud. His booming voice echoed throughout the hall, and I just looked around, completely bored at this point. "General Pei Xue from Mingguang Temple will soon be exiled."

"...understood." Pei Ming said as all of us bowed. I did it with much less effort than before. "However, the wounds on the clone's body are indeed from the scimitar E'ming; thus, I ask the heavenly emperor to conduct an in-depth investigation."

"That isn't why he called us, so he will look into this later, General Minguan." I spoke low and sour.

"Exactly Xiamei." Jun Wu was calm and collected. "Let's end it here for today. Xianle twin heirs, I ask you both to stay."

And with that, everyone dispersed. going back to their everyday duties, sitting around doing absolutely nothing, or going to the human realm. I stood beside the flower sword, facing those leaving at an angle. He and I looked back to see Mu Qing walk by without sending a glance our way.

"Your Highness." Mu Yoong Yoong bowed to him in respect before turning to me. "General Xie."

I nodded to her. brother looked surprised. He isn't used to people giving him respect anymore. Once Mu Qing was away from us, Feng Xin stopped beside Feng Ling.

"General Xie, your Highness." She greeted him the same way Mu Yoong Yoong did. Feng Xin gave up on trying to talk and left. I stood while his daughter sighed. She gave a weak smile before following her father.

"your -" Shi Qing Xuen was interrupted by Pei after he hit their shoulder before passing by.

"Qing Xuan, for the sake of your brother, can you stop making a fuss?" Pei practically gave them an order.

"You don't rule over them." I said, making them both turn and face me. Qing Xuen smiled, while Pei glared. "You two should probably get going; the Emperor doesn't enjoy being delayed much."

"Till next time, twin heirs of Xianle." Shi Qing Xuen gave a nod before leaving. Pei mumbled under his breath. The last person in the palace aside from his brother, the heavenly emperor, was a sleeping QianQiu. I sighed before my brother went to wake him up. Then he was on his way out. Once no one was around, the doors closed.

"Xianle, Xiame." The emperor descended the stairs that led to his throne. "Crimson rain sought flowers, and the blood whip—what exactly happened?"

He approached us, not long before my brother fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry" was the first word that came out of his mouth. I kneeled beside him with my hand on his upper arm.

"Xianle." I sent a dirty look up to Jun Wu. He knows why I hate it here. He knows how the heavenly realm took me away from my brother for eight hundred years. I stood my brother back up and swatted away Jun Wu's hand. He didn't look all too fazed. "Do you recognize your wrongs? Tell me what you did wrong."

I shot him a glare and held a flower sword close by his arm. I refuse to lose my brother again. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"neverminded. come with me." He walked away toward another hall. I reluctantly followed behind, brother. "You've both grown up. Xianle, when you and your sister descended 800 years ago, I remember telling you both to make sure to correspond with me regularly and to not roll about in the mud alone. yet you both went 800 years with no communication, all while tormenting yourselves as much as possible."

"My brother preferred to handle things himself; meanwhile, you know why I didn't contact you, especially when I was separated from Flower Sword." I said it with ice in my voice. I felt my brother's gaze on me for a moment. I hadn't realized it, but I had stepped between Jun Wu and Xie Lian.

"I understand you have lost faith in many officials here, Xiamei." Jun Wu said. his voice deep as it boomed. "Though, Xianle, you have seemed to have more faith in them than expected. and if your apology was for the past, then forget it."

"You mean when he stabbed you?" I asked with no sign of concern. "Then it's unfortunate I missed that."

"snow lotus-"

"She has a right to be angry, Xianle." Jun Wu cut off the flower sword.

"Look forward with interest, not stare back with fear." I said as we continued.  I use this phrase very often, for a stranger or people I know. I do my best to live by that. "Besides, you think we are needed. I would like to know what for so we can leave."

I heard Jun Wu hum as he walked ahead of us.

"Xianle is no more than a scrap god." Brother said from behind. I slowed to walk beside him. "How am I needed? I just hope to not cause trouble."

"You are more than just a scrap god, flower sword." I said this as I rubbed his wrist. He would do this for me when I was angry and felt useless. "For one, you are my big brother."

"Why so self-deprecating, Xianle?" Jun Wu asked. I gave him a side glare. He knows damn well why. "After returning, you handled both situations well. Except, when you and Xiamei descended this time, did you provoke someone extraordinary?"

brother looked at him with a surprised expression.

"eh?"

"Pardon?"

"Glorious Emperor, I swear I didn't do anything." Flower Sword defended himself while Jun Wu kept his eyes on us with a half-turn.

"We ran into someone I met in the past; he and my brother spent a few days getting to know one another before we went to Banyue Pass." I explained while stepping before the flower sword to protect him. "It's not that odd."

"Not that odd. someone you met. a devastating ghost king." Jun Wu began to walk ahead again. "twin heirs of Xianle. What do you think would have happened had you two said that before the entire heavenly court? None of them would have believed you."

"But it's the truth; if they don't believe us because of our status, then fine." I said as my eyes refused to look at Jun Wu anymore.

"Regardless, thank you. heavenly emperor."

"Naturally," we made our way up some steps. "I know that the two of you wouldn't collude with the ghost realm."

"You mean, brother wouldn't?" is left unsaid in my heart.

"However." Oh great, here it comes. "If you do have a good relationship with the crimson rain-stained flower and the blood-whip, it may actually make this difficult to entrust you both with."

"What task?" Brother asked. We followed Jun Wu up more stairs.

"Seven days ago, a dragon made of raging fire rushed towards the sky deep in the western mountains." I looked up at the wall. Golden-colored paint created the image of a dragon. "It burned for an entire two-incense time before it went out."

"I'll guess many people witnessed this, no?" I asked.

"Yes, all were left unharmed," he said with his hands behind his back. "Do you know what that means?"

"This fiery dragon is a spell of the heavens." The flower sword began to explain. even though all here know what it means: "although strong with flames, they are only ever used to reveal the dragon's form and not cause harm."

"So an official used the last of their power to call for help." I countered. "So you want us to go and search for this official? fine. I need to make a trip to Ghost City anyway. crimson rain and the blood-whip have some information I asked of them."

"It seems like you hold a close friendship with these two."

"You didn't call everyone here just for Banyue Pass, did you?" i asked. my arms folded across my chest.

"No, I also called everyone here to check which heavenly official is missing." Jun Wu said. I know who it is, but I can't say anything until I talk to Honger and A-Yoong.