My Little Ghost

Volume 1.3.4 — The Transmission

“What happened?” a worried Meng Zhang asks as the two men wearing identical-looking robes in gray palette walk into a private booth of a teahouse.

After their breakfast and countless embraces under the guise of exchanging scents and temperatures, Ji Feng Huang brought Bai Bing Wen out of the palaces again, this time as the Crown Prince’s unofficial bed warmer. They just need to let the palace people think this way to get Ji Feng Huang an excuse to enter and exit Bai Bing Wen’s chamber without raising suspicion.

Even if Ji Feng Huang doesn’t really understand what it means.

This time, they were able to ride in the same car so Ji Feng Huang made sure to introduce him to a lot of things on their way here. Unfamiliar trees, unfamiliar demon beasts, and unfamiliar places. All of them named patiently by the very excited Ji Feng Huang despite his own alienation to this empire.

“I don’t know which of the Emperor’s ladies did it, but someone put a serpent’s mist on my bed,” Ji Feng Huang says with a pout, sitting beside Bai Bing Wen.

Ji Feng Huang has discussed this with Bai Bing Wen during their breakfast. The serpent’s mist is an extreme poison most effectively used for expecting women. Since Ji Feng Huang’s true form is not really a woman and he’s most definitely not pregnant, the poison did not do him much damage but it still affected his spiritual cognition since the poison also targets those with mage cultivating cores.

“Are we really about to talk about these things in this place right now?” Meng Zhang asks in a low voice, giving Bai Bing Wen a subtle once over.

Bai Bing Wen has long figured that Meng Zhang doesn’t like him that much. He also notices that Meng Zhang looks a bit different today with a simple set of white and bluish-green robes. He’s not wearing a flower crown, too, and his hair is set in a neat high ponytail. There’s a cloverleaf pendant made of jade hanging on his belt accessory that lit up when Bai Bing Wen and Ji Feng Huang entered the booth.

Hearing Ji Feng Huang’s short explanation, Meng Zhang takes another careful glance at Bai Bing Wen who’s just impassively sitting there with unreadable eyes and crossed arms. But Bai Bing Wen is also not taking his eyes off of Meng Zhang, readying himself in case the guy is not to be trusted.

“Give that to me,” Ji Feng Huang says in a low voice, taking Bai Bing Wen’s cup and taking a little sip. He clicks his tongue and slides the saucer on the table back in front of Bai Bing Wen. “It’s not poisoned,” he says with a small smile. He leans over and blows on it a little before Bai Bing Wen decides to rely on Ji Feng Huang’s words and takes a sip.

Now the tea’s temperature is just right.

“I take it that His Highness is already aware of the matter?” Meng Zhang butts in after clearing his throat, giving Ji Feng Huang a meaningful look.

Playing with the teacup in his hands, Ji Feng Huang suddenly takes a glance at Bai Bing Wen, too. Then he gives Meng Zhang an innocent look. “Which ‘his highness’?” he asks.

Meng Zhang looks as if he’s about to burst. “Can you really just carelessly talk like this in the presence of the Crown Prince?”

At this, Ji Feng Huang has probably realized what he’s missing. “Oh. The Crown Prince won’t tell them anything. He, too, doesn’t know much.”

Bai Bing Wen almost laughs at Ji Feng Huang’s innocently playful tone. He’s not doing it on purpose but it just naturally happens that his innocence can come off as sarcasm even if he’s not trying.

Meng Zhang scoffs a harsh breath, hitting the table with both of his hands. “You really have an insufferable disregard for your empire, don’t you? How can you just drag the Crown Prince of the Central Empire into this place, knowing you’ll be meeting with me and talking about the evil schemes of the members of his imperial family, no less!”

Ji Feng Huang closes his eyes in a tight shut, absorbing Meng Zhang’s reasonable chiding.

Bai Bing Wen sighs, uncrossing his arms. “Wait a second,” he tells both of them, standing up from his seat. He gives Ji Feng Huang a subtle hug from behind as he passes by the backrest of his seat to walk to the booth’s door.

Meng Zhang’s eyes are never leaving Bai Bing Wen. He especially narrows them with suspicion when he witnesses the closeness of the two. “What are you doing, Your Highness?” he asks with a bit of scorn.

Bai Bing Wen doesn’t answer right away. He does his usual enchantments and attaches a temporary talisman on the door, infusing it with his spiritual energy. When he looks back at them, just as the golden film of protective wall spreads throughout the booth, he sees Ji Feng Huang’s excited eyes sparkling in a bright blue glow.

“Beautiful,” Ji Feng Huang mumbles under his breath, admiring the eye-poking gold layer.

“I would rather we keep our conversations in secret than have myself explained to the people in the imperial palaces. We’ll never know if someone’s lurking outside and listening in,” Bai Bing Wen tells them.

“What is this?” Meng Zhang asks, looking around them. “This color. . .”

“It’s the color of his core,” Ji Feng Huang says, still in awe.

When Bai Bing Wen moves to go back to his seat, Ji Feng Huang looks up at him, as if expecting something. “What?” he mouths, pausing in his steps.

Ji Feng Huang’s face turns red, shaking his head. “Nothing,” he blurts out, looking back at the table.

Bai Bing Wen smiles to himself, tickling Ji Feng Huang’s ear before sitting back to his seat.

Meng Zhang stares at them with confusion. “What did you do? How is it possible that I cannot extend my aura outside of this booth?”

“It’s a protective wall made by Xiao Bing,” Ji Feng Huang says proudly. “No one can hear or see us while we’re inside. As long as no one disturbs the protective film.”

“Who’s Xiao Bing?”  Meng Zhang asks, now even more confused.

Ji Feng Huang can only frown a little. He’s pretty sure he’s already introduced the two to each other prior to this meeting. “How come you don’t remember?” he mumbles more to himself than to Meng Zhang.

When he realizes that he’s introduced Bai Bing Wen to Meng Zhang as the Crown Prince of the Central Empire, his eyes widen and he looks up at Bai Bing Wen.

“I am, Your Highness,” Bai Bing Wen answers meaningfully for Ji Feng Huang.

He gives Meng Zhang a bit of time to absorb the information before he goes on.

“My name is Bai Bing Wen, and I know you’re the Crown Prince of the Eastern Empire.”

At this, Meng Zhang’s eyes glow in bluish-green color, as his aura expands within the room. Probably on instinct, he summons his spiritual weapon—a scepter made of green vines with a glowing bluish-green orb at the tip, pointing the glowing end towards Bai Bing Wen.

As if already half-expecting this outcome, Ji Feng Huang summons Frostbite, too, shielding Bai Bing Wen. Two strong contrasting auras clash within the small booth, causing everything around them to collapse.

Not only the protective wall is ruined, but the booth itself and all those right next to it all c***k and fall.

Everyone in the teahouse witnessing this looks at the three of them standing in the midst of the chaos. The two aren’t fighting but they’re standing in a fierce bottleneck with both their spiritual weapons emitting oppressive auras around them. In the modern world, when fights like this break out, people who are less powerful would automatically run away and call for help while those who can would try their best to stop the fight.

But of course, this is a different world.

Surprised of the people’s interest, Bai Bing Wen can only glare at the onlookers, especially those who seem to be inciting the two cultivators to fight some more. They are probably excited of duels in this world since everyone has dantians and the ability to cultivate. Fighting, just like what Ji Feng Huang has mentioned in passing on their way here, is the most popular form of entertainment.

“What are you doing?” Meng Zhang seethes, glaring at Ji Feng Huang.

In a rare occasion of being actually fierce, Ji Feng Huang glares back. “You hurt him, I get hurt twice as much. Lower your weapon and take your aura back.”

“Why? Why is the oppression affecting you? Are you under his spell or something? Are you even the true Ji Feng Huang?”

“What are you saying, Xiao Zhang? Remove your aura right now or so help me, I’ll have to hurt you.”

“I don’t trust you. How do I know it’s you?”

“You’re a ninth level special martial cultivator, for heaven’s sake. How is anyone going to just simply put you under illusions?!”

“That’s exactly what an impostor would say to convince me,” Meng Zhang says through gritted teeth, infusing more spiritual energy into his scepter.

Ji Feng Huang almost loses his balance, probably not expecting Meng Zhang to get fiercer. Bai Bing Wen quickly whispers a few spells, blowing his spiritual energy towards Ji Feng Huang. Golden characters appear in the air, surrounding Ji Feng Huang and forming a thick layer of protection.

Temporary getting blinded by the harsh golden light, Bai Bing Wen throws a binding talisman in Meng Zhang’s way. Unlike Ji Feng Huang who easily gets caught off guard and distracted, Meng Zhang has never lowered his guards against Bai Bing Wen so he’s quick to dodge the binding talisman. He probably would have used more martial arts skills if not for the limited space of the teahouse.

Noticing that Bai Bing Wen is not only standing by and observing but also making things difficult for him, Meng Zhang points the glowing end of his scepter towards Bai Bing Wen once more.

Prepared of the predicted attack, Bai Bing Wen activates his protective array, throwing another temporary talisman. He can see Ji Feng Huang from the corner of his eye, standing on his feet and infusing more spiritual energy into Frostbite, his nose scrunched up in frustration.

“Meng,” Bai Bing Wen mumbles to himself.

Meng Zhang frowns a little, probably hearing what Bai Bing Wen has just said with his high cultivation and all, before dodging the talisman flying his way unsuccessfully. He groans frustratedly when it starts raining golden bullets with annoying jingles after his scepter hits the talisman.

Bai Bing Wen runs to Ji Feng Huang’s side with a playful smile. He helps the smaller guy fix his now crooked headband and ruined hairstyle. “You alright, little ghostie?”

“He’s pissing me off,” Ji Feng Huang answers, running towards the still troubled Meng Zhang.

The bullet rain talisman is not as powerful as any other talismans that Bai Bing Wen’s family usually makes, but it’s still just as annoying at the most inconvenient moments of a duel. He’s never really tried to use this on humans while in a battle, but it’s one heck of a prank whenever they played with these as kids. A child’s trick in Bai Bing Wen’s world, but a guaranteed hate-provoking sorcery in this. The bullet rain usually lasts for thirty minutes and when it’s done raining, the metal-like material produced by the talisman would turn into a gooey substance that would stick onto the victim’s clothes, keeping them stuck on the ground. If Meng Zhang doesn’t find a way to escape this, he would probably become a victim of that, too.

But then again, there’s Ji Feng Huang who just couldn’t wait but get back at his friend for pushing him too far. He attacks Meng Zhang, not minding the raining bullets, and swings his Frostbite against the scepter. Frostbite forms an armor made of ice around Ji Feng Huang’s body and when the bullet rain hits the frost, they turn into golden specks of dust, mingling with the blue sparkles blowing out of Frostbite whenever Ji Feng Huang swings it.

“You’re still not taking your aura back?!” Ji Feng Huang screams. His face is absolutely murderous when he swings Frostbite once more.

Meng Zhang is starting to get troubled trying to shield his face from the metallic golden bullets while trying to fight Ji Feng Huang’s sword. “What is this sorcery?!” he replies instead, annoyed, forming vines above his head to protect himself.

“You’re courting death!” Ji Feng Huang yells, ruining the protective vines.

Meng Zhang, about a head taller than the adorable Ji Feng Huang, simply produces more of his vines and forms a wall in between them, one that is taller than Ji Feng Huang. He also produces more to pull on Ji Feng Huang’s feet. This way, he deals with the bullet rain first then chances a glare towards Bai Bing Wen who’s now just leaning his back against a wall with golden characters surrounding him in the air, arms crossed.

“Stop this,” Meng Zhang complains. Even with the vines trying to cover his head, the bullet rain follows him underneath.

“I don’t take orders from a stranger,” Bai Bing Wen answers, walking towards Ji Feng Huang who’s desperately cutting through the thick vines that keep growing more wherever Frostbite breaks them. “Here.” He taps the smaller guy’s shoulder.

Ji Feng Huang pauses to look at Bai Bing Wen. When he notices that Bai Bing Wen is holding a piece of parchment with glowing golden characters on it, he calms a little, thinking that this is probably going to be another one of Bai Bing Wen’s useful sorceries.

Attaching the parchment on the growing vines, Bai Bing Wen pulls Ji Feng Huang by his waist away from the wall. “Careful,” he says against his ear. Then he reactivates his protective array with Ji Feng Huang inside it as they watch the vines explode in a few seconds.

Ji Feng Huang gasps in surprise. “You need to teach me that,” he says excitedly, looking up over his shoulder. When he notices that Bai Bing Wen is still holding him by the waist from behind him, he clears his throat and turns to face the taller guy. “Where are your hands touching, Your Highness?”

Bai Bing Wen raises his hands in surrender and steps back a little. He gives Ji Feng Huang an innocent smile before the smaller guy runs back to his friend who’s now trying to remove the golden gooey substance sticking onto his clothes.

“What is this?” Meng Zhang complains once more. He looks around to examine the whole place and seeing that this has already gone too far, he chooses not to hold back anymore.

Bai Bing Wen almost falls on his knees after briefly feeling the oppressive aura of a ninth level cultivator, if not for his strong protective array.

Meng Zhang’s eyes are glowing bluish green while he releases his spiritual energy all over his body, trying to get rid of the sticky liquid. Luckily for him, and probably because of his high cultivation, the golden liquid melts and turns to golden dust. But by the time he’s gotten rid of all the liquid, the three of them notice that everyone in the teahouse is watching them with interested eyes.

“Would an impostor spare you like this after all the trouble you have caused?” Ji Feng Huang says, glaring at Meng Zhang.

Meng Zhang instinctively looks on his left and notices an icicle threatening to pierce his most sensitive meridian. Without his true form, his protective scales also wouldn’t protect him.

Bai Bing Wen can only slap his forehead. So much for being discreet. He walks towards Ji Feng Huang and massages the smaller guy’s shoulder. “Let’s go somewhere else. We’ve already attracted so much unwanted attention here.”

At this, the three of them finally agree on one thing.