Red-Clad Ghost, the Burning of the Martial and Civil Temples

Red-Clad Ghost, the Burning of the Martial and Civil Temples
Volume 1
Chapter 12
Title
Chinese	红衣鬼火烧文武庙
Pinyin	Hóng Yī Guǐ Huǒshāo Wén Wǔmiào
Information
Release Date	27 June 2017
Navigation
← The Mountain’s Locked Ancient Temple, The Forest of Hanging Corpses III
Clothes Redder than Maple, Skin White as Snow →

Red-Clad Ghost, the Burning of the Martial and Civil Temples (红衣鬼火烧文武庙, Hóng Yī Guǐ Huǒshāo Wén Wǔmiào) is the 12th chapter of the Heaven Official's Blessing novel.

Summary

The Bandaged child's face is covered in burn scars, except beneath those lie small, distorted faces which are symptoms of the Human Face Disease. Xie Lian is so visibly disturbed by the sight that the boy runs off into the forest. After failing to chase him, Xie Lian returns to the temple where he finds Fu Yao and other deputy gods from Xuan Zhen Palace cleaning up the corpses from the forest.

Nan Feng returns as well and Xie Lian asks the two to help him find the child. He explains that the boy has the Human Face Disease, the plague that contributed greatly to the fall of the Xianle Kingdoom. Fu Yao and Nan Feng are shocked, but quickly assist the search for the child that they have concluded to be a ghost.

They're unsuccessful, so Xie Lian takes Xiao Ying's body down the mountain and entrusts someone with her burial before going to the teashop with the other two. The topic of General Pei Junior comes up and Fu Yao and Nan Feng explain that despite his calm demeanor, he ascended by slaughtering an entire city.

Xie Lian makes his way back to the Heavenly Capital to report to Ling Wen and request a search for the child. Following Ling Wen's advice, he enters the communication array shortly after. Feng Xin is complaining about Xuan Ji being locked up in his palace and demands for Pei Ming to come see her, but General Pei Junior rejects the idea.

Xie Lian mentions that he met someone affiliated with silver butterflies on Yu Jun Mountain who turns out to be a ghost named Hua Cheng.

Ling Wen tells him about the Four Great Calamities, as well as the fact that Hua Cheng is quite notorious in the realms with many stories and legends about him circulating. He possesses worshippers and his power is feared, and when he first appeared he posed a challenge against thirty-five Heavenly Officials.

Should he lose, he would offer up his ashes. Should the gods lose, they would step down from the heavens. In the end, thirty-three Heavenly Officials lost against Hua Cheng in battle and debate. They refused to fulfill their part of the deal, so Hua Cheng burned down all their temples in one night, forcing them to be erased from existence.

Only Mu Qing and Feng Xin had rejected this challenge in the first place, but even then Hua Cheng would pick fights with them. His butterflies left a frightening impression on the two, but Xie Lian thinks they're rather precious.

Characters

In order of appearance:

• Xie Lian
• Bandaged child
• Fu Yao
• Nan Feng
• Ling Wen
• Feng Xin (speaking)
• Pei Xiu (speaking)
• Mu Qing (speaking)