Hua Cheng/History

## Hua Cheng

* Real appearance
* As San Lang

* Manhua
* Donghua
* Novel
* Audio Drama

* Manhua
* Donghua
* Novel
* Audio Drama

## Mortal Life

### Childhood

During his early days, Hua Cheng was nicknamed *Hong Hong-er* by his mother after the birth defect that caused his right eye to be red.

Hong'er was born under the Star of Solitude which caused his fate to be turbulent and easily influenced into one of two extremes. At the same time as his birth, White No-Face dispersed his built-up misfortune in the Kiln. This misfortune then reached Hong'er and due to the fragile nature of his fate, he was filled with extreme misfortune.

It was not clear how he lived before meeting Xie Lian, but the Head Priest of Xianle explained that according to his luck his parents would either have died when he was young or abandoned him out of disgust; he would have faced all forms of abuse, inflict misfortune and death to all who came into contact with him, and would die before the age of 18. By his own admittance, his mother died before he was ten years old.

### Lantern Festival

When Hong'er was ten years old, he climbed the banisters during the God-pleasing Festival's Parade. He planned to jump and kill himself, thereby stopping the parade believed to be protecting the kingdom from disaster and dragging Xianle Kingdom down with him in a final act of revenge.

However, this plan was cut short when he saw Xie Lian who was carrying out a sword dance with Mu Qing during the procession. He was so dazed by the prince's beauty that he forgot about suicide and leaned forward on the banister to see more, causing him to fall. Xie Lian caught him and thus stopped the parade on the third round.

### Taicang Mountain

Their second meeting occurred when Qi Rong caught the boy, ordered a few people to beat him up, stuffed him into a gunny sack and tied him to the back of his golden carriage, dragging him across town in that manner.

Xie Lian, Mu Qing and Feng Xin coincidentally came across Qi Rong on their way to meet Mu Qing's mother and saved Hong'er.Xie Lian rushed to the royal infirmary and the medics were shocked that despite his five broken ribs, one broken leg and various injuries, the boy was conscious and can converse while sitting up.

After the situation calmed, Xie Lian offered to take Hong'er home, but Hong'er explained that there was a fight in his home and he was kicked out, he walked a long time and had nowhere to go. Since they can't leave him in the palace where Qi Rong could get to him again, Xie Lian took him to Taicang Mountain. However, Hong'er's misfortune caused all the evil spirits sealed away in the temple to escape and attack him. The Head Priest of Xianle divined Hong'er luck through astrology and, after finding out he was born under the Star of Solitude, demanded the child be thrown out as he would bring disaster and death to whatever he touched. Hong'er became inconsolable and attacked the Head Priest before Xie Lian caught him and he began to cry. Later, Hong Hong-er ran away from Taicang Mountain.

It was the last time they met before Xie Lian ascended as a god for the first time.

### First Ascension

Three years after the crown prince's first ascension, Hong'er regularly took care of and lived in an inconspicuous Crown Prince shrine. The god statue was supposed to hold a clay flower but it broke off, so Hong'er would tuck in a fresh white flower every day. As he was often thrown out of his home, Hong'er would oftentimes stay in the small Crown Prince shrine without anything to eat.

A group of kids came to taunt him, mocking him for being thrown out of his home and that his 'mom' would beat him again if he slept in the shrine. Hong'er became angry, shouting that 'that woman' is not his mother and began beating up the kids. He was quickly overwhelmed and Xie Lian stepped in, breaking the fight with a wave of spiritual energy.

Xie Lian, under a spell of invisibility mandated by the heaven, tried to make Hong'er eat the offering fruit but Hong'er would rather starve than to eat said offering. Xie Lian then left him a red umbrella. Hong'er realized that Xie Lian was there and desperately told Xie Lian about how he was living in agony, wishing every day to kill everyone and then himself, and asked the prince what he should live for. Xie Lian broke the heaven's rule to answer that Hong'er should live for him and make him the reason to live.

Invigorated by his words, Hong Hong-er ate the offering fruits and took the crimson umbrella.

### Xianle Civil War

After the Xianle Civil War broke out, many young people were conscripted into Xie Lian's army, including Hong Hong-er who was not yet fourteen at the time.

He was present during the declaration of Qi Rong's kidnapping and followed Xie Lian just be left behind on the gate. Still, he went to Beizi Hill where Qi Rong was kept and arrived just in time to help Xie Lian dispatching a group of binu.Xie Lian praised his sword technique and suggested he would fit a sabre better than a sword. Afterward, they cleansed the mountain together.

They followed a trail of blood to a cave full of fresh Yong'an civilian corpses being eaten by the binu. Among them was a young woman who still survived despite her organs spilling out. She cursed Xie Lian for killing her brother and father before infecting him with the Land of Tender.

Hong'er helped Xie Lian escape to a nearby cave and guarded the mouth. The Land of Tender's flowers turned into beautiful, naked women trying to entice Xie Lian who was ravaged by the lust brought on by the poison. But Hong Hong-er, protected by two lines of Xie Lian's blood on the ground, wouldn't let them pass. The fruits began to entice Hong'er instead but none worked until one of them presented itself in Xie Lian's naked form. The figures jeered that this was something he would never taste even after eight hundred years of yearning, enticing him to quench his thirst on the fruit instead. But he stood unwavering to protect Xie Lian until Mu Qing and Feng Xin came to fetch the prince.

Later, he was kicked out of the army by Mu Qing. He then followed Xie Lian until one day the prince noticed him and revealed that he was so impressed by Hong Hong-er's potential that he actually wanted to promote Hong-er and have him by his side.

After Xianle fell, Hong Hong-er lived in a dilapidated, run-down Flower Crowned Martial God's Temple and protected it from arson and damage. He still changed the statue's flower with fresher one every day.

## Afterlife

### Ghost Fire

Not much is known about how Hong-er actually died, but later he appeared as a ghost fire caught by a lantern merchant. The merchant explained that he caught the spirits on the battlefield, hinting that Hua Cheng died fighting.

Xie Lian used the last of his money to buy tens of the lanterns and let the spirits go, one of them being Hong-er. When Xie Lian asked why he didn't go to the cycle of reincarnation, Hong-er answered that he has to protect his beloved who still remains in the mortal realm. When Xie Lian said his beloved would feel sad knowing why he couldn't move on, Hong-er simply answered that he wouldn't let his beloved find out.

Hong-er in ghost fire form showed up in front of Xie Lian a few times to try and help the prince in his lowest moments. However, he was too weak to interact with the material world, much less touch Xie Lian.

His next notable appearance was when Xie Lian faced thirty-three gods. The gods wanted to cultivate in the place full of spiritual energy that Xie Lian was meditating in, causing a fight to break out between them. Hong-er in his spirit form was incredibly weak and could only watch as the prince was humiliated.

After that, Hong-er seemed to become stronger as he led hundreds of other ghost fires to try and stop Xie Lian from following White No-Face's invitation. However, he failed in stopping the prince and Xie Lian was trapped in a Crown Prince temple with one hundred commoners. White No-Face released a man with the Human Face Disease into the crowd and informed them that the only way to be safe from the curse was manslaughter. He then pointed out that Xie Lian was an immortal and thus can be killed indefinitely, granting the crowd immunity against the disease.

Hong-er was captured by White No-Face and forced to watch as the people killed Xie Lian one by one with Fang Xin until Xie Lian was "a mess of flesh that cannot even be called human".

Tortured by the sight of Xie Lian suffering lifetimes of pain and being too powerless to answer his God's cry for help, resentment and agony turned Hong-er from a mere ghost fire into a powerful malicious ghost. He caused a fire that killed everyone in the temple and wailed in front of the altar where Xie Lian's body laid.

### Wuming

After being reborn as an immensely powerful malicious ghost, Hong-er swore himself to Xie Lian's service, following him to assassinate the king of Yong'an. Because he had no name, Xie Lian began calling him Wuming (无名, *Wúmíng*, lit. Nameless). In the Throne Room, it was revealed that Lang Ying has intentionally infected himself with the Human Face Disease, planting the spirits of his wife and child in his chest. After thanking Xie Lian for the pearl he gave, Lang Ying died from the disease. Wuming proceeded to cut the corpse into hundreds of pieces to silence the faces that were still crying on his body.

When his Yong'an's crown prince, a boy also named Lang Ying, discovered the corpse, Wuming struck him unconscious and then burned the palace down under Xie Lian's command. Afterward, Xie Lian went to Lang-er Bay, planning to release the spirits in Fang Xin there and causing a second outbreak of Human Face Disease.

It's unknown where he was during the three days where Xie Lian laid in the streets of Yong'an as a test for the people to save him. Later on, when Xie Lian rediscovered his ideology to protect as many as he could, Wuming took Fang Xin from the prince and accepted the hundred of thousands resentful spirits in the sword into himself so that Xie Lian didn't have to, killing himself the second time in service of his God.

### The Kiln

After the second coming of Human Face Disease was avoided, Wu Ming's soul was scattered and broken. His devotion to Xie Lian allowed him to retain a sliver of consciousness and traveled to Tonglu Mountain during its opening to join in the slaughter.

During the slaughter, Wu Ming stumbled upon a group of humans who were trapped in the mountain. Wu Ming protected them against all demonic beings until they were cornered. At that point, Wu Ming was so weak he was one hit away from dispersing completely. He originally planned to kill one of the humans to forge a weapon that saved the rest, but he changed his mind at the last minute and gouged out his own right eye to forge E-Ming. His soul was so unstable that this should have killed him but it had the exact opposite effect and woke up his consciousness completely.

After taking the humans to a safe place, he was faced with a Heavenly Calamity. However, he rejected the trial and thus refused to ascend to the Heavens.

In the ten years of his stay in Mount Tonglu, he deciphered and mastered the dead language of the ancient kingdom Wuyong and created the Cave of Ten Thousand Gods. At first, his carvings of Xie Lian's statue were not very good but he kept on filling the cave with statues for years until he created his biggest masterpiece; a gigantic Flower-Crowned Martial God out of the Kiln itself, carved during the two years he was trapped inside before finally managing to break out as a Supreme.

## Supreme

### Burning the Temples of Thirty-Three Gods in a Single Night

At one point in his time as a Supreme, Hua Cheng challenged 35 gods. 33 of them were those that chased away Xie Lian from the spiritual mountain, as well as Mu Qing and Feng Xin. If they won against him, he would give them his ashes to scatter. If he won, they would have to step down from Heaven. Mu Qing and Feng Xin both ignored the challenge, but the others took it on as they believed themselves to be superior. He fought the Martial Gods and debated against the Civil Gods, resulting in their utter defeat.

However, the gods refused to honor their agreement, pretending that the fight and the preceding agreement never took place. Hua Cheng decided to help them fulfill their promise by burning down the 33 gods' temples in the human realm. This act caused an uproar and Hua Cheng got the moniker "Heaven's Scourge".

Hua Cheng's revenge didn't end there. Every time their followers built a new temple, he would burn that to the ground as well. Without temples and their followers losing faith in them, the gods slowly lost power and faded away, never to return.

### Ghost City

During the 800 years between his death and Xie Lian's third ascension, Hua Cheng scoured the land to look for Xie Lian while establishing his power. He then created the Ghost City and became its ruler.

## Xie Lian's Third Ascension

### Ghost Bridegroom

One of Hua Cheng's butterflies flies by the teahouse that Xie Lian visits. The latter notices it and the butterfly even stops on his finger, though it quickly flies away again when Nan Feng and Fu Yao arrive.

Hua Cheng shows up in his true form after Xie Lian is left alone inside the sedan. He lifts the curtain and gives his hand to him. Xie Lian takes it and gets out, Hua Cheng then leads him to a Ming Guang temple while he holds an umbrella above them to be shielded from the pouring rain. Xie Lian was about to apprehend him with Ruoye but he shatters into silver butterflies.

### Puqi Village

Hua Cheng meets Xie Lian again in Puqi village on an ox cart. He disguises himself as San Lang, a young master who ran way from home. Hua Cheng talks to Xie Lian about Heavenly Officials, but their chat gets interrupted when the two of them find out it’s the ghost festival. Xie Lian protects him and the ox cart owner until they get out of the danger zone.

After that, Xie Lian tries to figure out if Hua Cheng is a ghost, but finds no flaws. Hua Cheng lies about having no home since he ran away from his home, so Xie Lian invites him to sleep at his shrine.

## Ghost City Investigation

Hua Cheng is found in the Ghost City when he bets against a human inside the Gambler's Den. However, he doesn’t reveal himself to the crowd and he’s hidden behind the red curtains. The human wins the first bet and has the promise that his business will flourish.

The man demands more from Hua Cheng. If he wins another bet with the dice he’d have all of his business competitors die. However, before they could bet again, the man is stopped by Lang Qianqiu in his mortal disguise. He then starts to shame Hua Cheng for owning such a place and says he has no humanity in him. Hua Cheng hints he knows Lang Qianqiu is a heavenly official. He then proceeds to lift Lang Qianqiu into the air and hangs it onto the ceiling. He declares if anyone wins against him then they can take him home.

## Green Ghost Qi Rong

After multiple events with Lang Qianqiu declaring a duel between him and Xie Lian after finding out about the said truth of what happened behind the Gilded Banquet Massacre, Hua Cheng takes this matter to his own hands and turned Lang Qianqiu into a budaoweng doll. Hua Cheng tells Xie Lian to bring the doll and follow him.

Xie Lian, curious about the place they were brought to, Hua Cheng quietly shushed him as several floating green ghost fires drifted over dressed in green. Hua Cheng disguised the three of them into fake skins as they silently followed the green ghosts into the Green Ghost Qi Rong's territory.

## Black Water Demon Xuan

Black Water Demon Xuan, also known as He Xuan, is one of the four supreme ghost Kings. He became a ghost king because of his great resentment for Shi Wudu and Shi Qingxuan. Shi Wudu (Lord Water Master) who is the older brother (哥哥) of Shi Qingxuan (Lord Wind Master) knew that his little brother was going to suffer a terrible fate/life and it just so happened that He Xuan had the same name among other things that would enable Shi Wudu to switch the fates of the two. Had the fates not been switched, Shi Qingxuan would have suffered the fate that He Xuan suffered in his place. While He Xuan suffered greatly, Shi Qingxuan ascended as a Lord Wind Master and lived greatly. He Xuan's resentment for Shi Qingxuan lead him to infiltrating Heaven as different people, one including the Earth Master Ming Yi, who was also Shi Qingxuan's self proclaimed best friend (Ming-xiong). Later in the story, when Shi Qingxuan and Shi Wudu are trapped in Black Water Demon's territory and lair, He Xuan angrily explains why he is who he is. He Xuan loses his temper and gives the brothers two options. Because neither of the options were beneficial to the party of brothers, Shi Wudu goes crazy leading to He Xuan decapitating him in front of Shi Qingxuan. Shi Qingxuan is later seen as a mortal begger lacking an arm and leg (Ol' Feng / 风 = wind). Unfortunately, Xie Lian had seen all of the above occur because he had used a soul shifting spell to attempt to help them get out.

Later, a bunch of heavenly officials, Xie Lian, and Hua Cheng stumble into Black Water Demon Xuan's territory fighting against Jun Wu/White Calamity and Xie Lian becomes worried about what He Xuan would do. However, Hua Cheng states that He Xuan owes him a lot of money, that He Xuan is one of the least wealthy ghost supremes/kings. However much money He Xuan owed was enough for Hua Cheng to take advantage of fighting in his territory and Xie Lian using the bone dragons in He Xuan's territory as a giant bone whip.

Hua Cheng does not seem to have an exactly clear history relating to He Xuan, however in the first book, He Xuan is disguised as the female version of Lord Earth Master/Ming Yi. In the donghua, they clearly recognize each other.

## References

2. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 219: The White Emperor Sets Life and Death Riddles in Secret
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 66: To Ascend is Human; to Fall is Also Human
4. ↑ MXTX Interview - TGCF Questions (Translation)
5. ↑ Novel, Volume 1, Chapter 1: Heaven Official's Blessing
6. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 58: On the Martial Deity Avenue; An Awe-Inspiring First Impression II
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 63: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red With Desire IV
8. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 64: Lost Red Pearl; Inadvertent Eyes Red With Desire V
9. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 67: To Ascend is Human; To Fall is also Human II
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 68: To Ascend is Human; To Fall is also Human III
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 73: To Meet You in the Mortal Realm; To Find Flowers Beneath the Rain
12. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 74: Praying for Rain; The Rain Master Lends the Rain Hat
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 79: Upon Beizi Hill; Crown PrinceFalls into Devil's Nest
14. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 78: Quell Yong'an; Crown Prince Enters the Battle
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 80: Land of Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire
16. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 81: Land of Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 82: Land of Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire II
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Novel, Book 2, Chapter 83: Land of Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire III
19. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 88: Vow to Never Forger, Never!
20. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 186: Lantern Night; Penny for a Wandering Soul
21. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 186: Thirty-Three Heavenly Officials Fight over Auspicious Land II
22. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 188: Cold White Ghost; Warm Words Confounding the Crown Prince II
23. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 189: Cold White Ghost; Warm Words Confounding the Crown Prince III
24. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 190: Heart Pierced By a Hundred Swords; Savage Ghost Takes Form
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Novel, Book 4, Chapter 192: White Clothed Ghost Appoints Black Warrior as General II
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Novel, Book 4, Chapter 193: White Clothed Ghost Appoints Black Warrior as General
27. ↑ Novel, Book 4, Chapter 198: Man in Abyss Receives a Bamboo Hat in the Rain III
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 237: Blood Sought Flower; Vicious Battle Against White No-Face II
29. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 12: A Ghost in Red Sets Fire Upon the Military and Civil Temples
30. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 3: Scrap-Collecting Immortal’s Third Ascension to Godhood II
31. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 8: The Ghost Takes a Bride, the Crown Prince Mounts the Bridal Sedan III
32. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 13: Clothes Redder than Maple, Skin White as Snow
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Novel, Book 1, Chapter 36: Admiring the Flower through Red Clouds; A Heart Full of Sympathy