Chapter Text
Among the many things the people of the prosperous Xianle Kingdom are proud of, there is one that outshines all the flowing music, unmatched beauties or abundant gold the land has ever produced—namely, their Crown Prince, Xie Lian.
Although everyone knows this Crown Prince is an interesting one (because show me another young man, so handsome and skilled, who sets his heart on a cultivation path of the pure mind and body before getting a taste of his most virile years???), if you search the kingdom far and wide, there is not a single soul who can say a word against him. His Highness is such a person, beloved by all. Not only does he love and cherish his people, he wants them the best, helping the commoners of the world.
Aside from his own people holding him in high regard, after the Shangyuan Festival, when the young prince caught and saved a child from falling to his death and ruin the inviolable parade, the Heaven's attention turned towards him as well. Thus, he earned the title of "The God-Pleasing Crown Prince", becoming a legendary figure.
But this is not the only profound tale that is talked about when it comes to this Crown Prince. When his State Preceptor sent him to extend his studies, the prince stumbled upon a terrifying ghost at Yinian Bridge who had devoured countless humans. The two began to fight and in the end, the crown prince came out victorious. The fight was witnessed by none other than the Heavenly Emperor, who later was asked: what he thinks of this Crown Prince. He said, "That child's future is infinite."
And of course, as His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor wisely predicted: amongst thunderbolts and torrential rain, the Heavens shook and the young crown prince soon ascended... as the God of Flowers!
As the Flower God, Xie Lian's days in the Heavens aren’t too bad. His number of believers is of a popular martial god’s, and due to the excessive flower offerings, he has the most beautiful temples.
Bringing his friends, Feng Xing and Mu Qing, along as junior officials was a good decision. They often snipe at each other, but it reminds Xie Lian of the old days in the Palace or Taicang Mountain. As for forming friendships with other gods—he’s yet to do that, despite his best efforts of introducing himself scrupulously every chance he meets one of his new colleagues.
He also has a good relationship with the Heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu himself, sharing the same enthusiasm towards rare weapons. They often spar together, gush about and assess different fighting techniques. Xie Lian’s armory burnt down not long before he had ascended, so he happily takes all the unique and magical blades the emperor bestows upon him from his personal collection.
The Emperor even likes to teach him spells that require too much spiritual energy—something an average god just wouldn’t possess.
And that’s precisely the first time it happens…
One moment Xie Lian remembers focusing and shouting, “Soul-Shifting Spell!” and the next he knows something out of the ordinary is going on when he sees himself as an outsider, his body limply falling forward—from the corner of his eyes he sees the worried expression of Jun Wu and hears a “Xianle!” in a warning tone, before he feels his soul being pulled out of his core...
When Xie Lian comes to, his body aches all over, and he wonders if it's a result of the fall he just experienced. But when he tries to hop to his feet, he immediately realizes something is wrong. His legs are too short, his body too light, and half of his eyesight is shrouded behind some kind of gauze. In his failed attempt to jump up, he tumbles onto the hard ground, then he hears a cry.
No, he lets out a cry.
The sound is a bit high-pitched and surprised—as surprised as it can be when someone gets scared out of their bed, Xie Lian assumes. And that someone's body gets invaded, legs commanded by another.
The Soul-Shifting Spell worked.
Upon a closer inspection, Xie Lian admits he was wrong. The dark place indicates it's nighttime outside, yet there is no bed next to him, only a table with something on top.
Spiraled and paralyzed on the floor, he blinks his one good eye open, only to see a crudely made clay figure on a table, staring at him in mockery. No, the carved lines are more of a grimace of pity. Even though it looks a bit ugly, it's also quite charming. It's easy to guess how this little statue was made with sincerity: the sculptor, albeit lacking the skill, paid attention to the small details, conjuring a recognizable replica of the Flower Crowned God. Tiny flowers blooming under his barefooted steps, feet and hands adorned in anklets and bracelets, a sword sheathed and hanging on his waist, a blossoming branch in one hand, the other is carrying a real flower; snow-white, fragrant and rather dainty.
"Did you make this?" Xie Lian can't help but ask. Only after having said this, does he realize that the words he has spoken were in that child's voice, coming through his mouth.
The next thing he hears—and feels—is the staggering intake of breath, his one good eye widening almost painfully.
"Your Highness?" The whisper the young child lets out falters midway, it's uttered with complete disbelief.
For a moment, Xie Lian doesn't know which one of them has suffered the greater shock – because how come this young child recognized him within his body?!
"Yes, it's me." He confirms. While the child is stunned, Xie Lian quickly glances over him(self)—threadbare, patched old clothes that are way too big on his scrawny body, half of his face hidden behind dirty rag-like bandages. Where the boy isn't covered, his skin is marred with green, purple and red bruises, which explains why every subtle movement causes Xie Lian sharp stings of pain.
Xie Lian's heart lurches at the thought of how much this child is good at hiding it, despite the fact that he can't be older than twelve or thirteen by appearance, suddenly reminding Xie Lian of another boy of such resilience who he hadn't seen in years... could it be...?
The memory flashes through his mind, and it's gone as soon as it comes when the boy falls forward, knees scraping the ground. Xie Lian flinches at the sudden pain—the boy flinches with him—but he quickly pushes himself up, roughly patting his robes and standing straight again as if nothing happened.
It takes Xie Lian a few moments to guess what was the cause. The slight dizziness, the gawking, unpleasant feeling inside the pit of his stomach... From inside this battered, mortal body, he gingerly says to the child, “You should eat.”
His words come out very thin, a bit strained, as if out of someone's throat who previously cried or screamed himself hoarse.
In front of his clay replica, a couple of offering plates are laid around, filled with assorted fruits and refreshments. The young child remains unmoving. Surely the food is a little dry, but it looks like this child has been starving, so why the hesitance...
"What's wrong?" Xie Lian asks, puzzled.
Under these strange circumstances, this should be answered in many ways and with even more questions. However, when the boy finally finds his voice, he says, "These are all Your Highness'.”
Xie Lian doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. How endearingly silly, he thinks, but when he replies, he pays attention to make his voice overly gentle. “Nonsense. Eat.”
Deciding that a little push won't hurt, he takes advantage of the situation and confidently strides forward, reaching for a big apple.
It's hard and heavy in the child's hands. Xie Lian, afraid that he's going to refuse him once again, settles in a sitting position in front of the altar table and cups the apple into his palms in encouragement, as if ready to take a bite.
His gesture must have shocked the boy because he just keeps staring at the fruit, turning it over and over in a daze.
He seems to be lost in thoughts and Xie Lian briefly wonders if the spell should expire soon because he suddenly starts to feel like morning dew on a warm summer day, fading out of his consciousness.
"Why does it matter?"
The boy slowly repeats with his head hanging low.
"Why does it matter if I eat or not?" His voice trembles, becoming almost inaudible, before turning into a bitter shout, "It doesn’t help that I wish I was dead!"
The outburst catches Xie Lian by surprise. So young, his voice is pleading yet full of unconcealed agony that's supposed to be uncharacteristic from the mouth of a child. Before he can answer, the tone shifts again, becoming reverent. "Your Highness, can I ask a question? What’s the meaning of staying here?”
Of course, Xie Lian understands this "here" shouldn't mean this inconspicuous little shrine.
“ I don't know the answer to your question," he says carefully. "But if you don’t know what to live for, then live for me."
The boy's breathing comes to a halt, fingers loosening around the apple, then tightening again.
That's when Xie Lian feels a strange pull from the inside, but he continues in a comforting manner, his voice solemn and confident. "If you feel there's no meaning to your life, then allow me to be that meaning." He feels the spiritual energy inside him burning to embers, he gets driven away rapidly.
The last thing he hears is that child's muttering, “It feels like I’m going crazy…”
“Oh, no, no, no!" With the last of his powers, Xie Lian attempts to calm him down. "Absolutely don’t go crazy! This is just a spell malfunctioning. There’s not going to be a next time! You can rest assured!”
The second time it happens, Xie Lian–embarrassingly enough–collapses in the middle of the Great Martial Hall, finding himself in one of his temples.
In one of his temples, within the body of a youth.
There's a set of incense sticks burning, he clasps his hands together in a prayer, standing before an enormous golden Flower Crowned God statue–no kneeling, no cushion, just like Xie Lian had asked for it. His mouth forms words Xie Lian has no intention to say, “... I could only find this. It's not much, forgive me, too tiny and not yet in full bloom…”
Xie Lian ponders for a moment: which would be the best way to draw attention to himself, or should he just let the spell run its course, lest he scare this person?
What pulls him out of his thoughts is the gaze the youth forces on the tiny green flower bud placed at the Flower Crown God statue’s feet, as if that would be the center of his vast attention. Once bloomed, it's going to be the same kind of flower as the small and tacky but sincere clay figure once held… how many years ago?
It’s needless to say this is the same boy from before, the bandage covering half of Xie Lian's sight is a clear indication. Now he's definitely taller, even with his head bowed down. Xie Lian can tell his growth spurt is certainly not unremarkable. His height must be not the only thing that had changed, given he's worshiping The Flower God in Huangji temple–Xie Lian doesn't agree how believers of the lower status can’t enter the more grandiose ones, but it's a tradition he knows will be hard to forgo. However, the explosive need the boy conveys his thoughts with, is the same.
“...if it's not too much… Your Highness, can you make this bud bloom? Right now it's not befitting of the one true god, the only god… and this is why, Your Highness, I’ll be working harder. Please, grant me the strength to work harder... I want the power to… to become invincible!”
Hearing this, Xie Lian can't help but chuckle lightly.
The youth’s breathing has already been a bit rapid, but now it reduces to a few, delicate intake of breath; the heart that has been beating with a vigorous rhythm against his rib cage, nearly stops.
“Oh, no, no!” Xie Lian hurries to say, and the words leave a strange tremor in his throat. “Don't stop because of me! I… I didn't mean to interrupt! Or listen in! ...Or laugh.”
He must have done the wrong thing because a faint hotness in his ears creeps up to his cheeks, neither belonging to him. He decides to ignore it out of courtesy, and just to do something, he takes a few steps ahead.
“Don't feel embarrassed. It's perfectly fine, what you said was very right. Which young man doesn't fantasize about power or ‘becoming invincible’?”
“...”
Xie Lian heard the prayer–he still missed a good half of it– but it was intended for him in the first place, so how come his words evoke a certain shyness from the boy? It’s not like they're sharing the same mind, only the same body. Thus, there's no logical explanation of why Xie Lian feels the mortification as his own.
“Were you talking about this?” he asks, twirling the stem of the flower bud gently between his–the teenager’s–fingers. It rubs against the callouses, marking a hard life Xie Lian doesn't dare dwell upon.
After some time, Xie Lian's head bows forward a few times in a haste that cools the blush on his ears–the youth nodded.
"Thank you for your flower, I like it very much." In hopes of soothing the boy's nerves, Xie Lian beams. It's a strange distortion, pulling facial muscles into a shape he certainly doesn't wear often. After some debate, Xie Lian adds, "...did you need help with this? When I return to my own body, I can fulfill your wish. It's not yet the right season for it to be in full bloom, but I can make one or two exceptions.”
Xie Lian purposefully ignores how Feng Xin and Mu Qing would react if they were to hear him just now. It's just a single flower, after all.
“Your Highness, thank you.” The youth answers, then, stammers. “You… you’ve come back…”
Xie Lian hums as an answer, not wanting to tell him it was out of his intentions, “En. We meet again.”
His hands travel up to feel the youth’s cheeks and forehead... It is strangely hot. Has the boy got a fever?
The hands suddenly stop mid-actions, dropping down. Even though Xie Lian is not there with him, the boy casts his eyes away, “I-It's like this because I came from training!”
“Training?” Xie Lian asks back, quickly giving himself a once-over. How did he not notice before? The boy is wearing simple armor. “Ah, military training?”
“Ah, yes sir.” The young soldier quickly says, a habit he must have taken up in the army indeed.
“No need to call me sir, I'm not your general.” Xie Lian teases, then squints his single eye in jovial admiration. “You must have excellent skills if they took you in so early.”
Oh, Xie Lian thinks, it seems I’ve already forgotten what it's like to be in a mortal body, has it always been this hot?
“I…” the youth seem to be at a loss for words, “... not entirely. Ever since the situation with the Yong'an refugees, they accept anyone.”
“What did you say?” Xie Lian’s thoughts abruptly come to a halt. “What Yong'an refugees?”
The young soldier pulls his back taut, straightening himself at the sudden change in Xie Lian's presence.
“Yes! There's a drought in Yong'an and many people… Has… Hasn't anyone told Your Highness?”
Even though the young soldier stands readily without moving a muscle, the whole world spins with Xie Lian. “Xianle is in conflict with Yong’an???”
...Of course, no one expected help from the God of Flowers.