Hua Chen

Hua Cheng couldn't stand Qi Rong, he despised him, not even for his childhood beatings, but because after the overthrow of Xie Lian, he began to create statues of him, but not ordinary ones, but kneeling ones, created only for wiping feet on him, spitting on him, and so on. His attitude toward Mu Qing and Feng Xin wasn't the best either. He regarded them with suspicion and a certain disdain, remembering how they had abandoned Xie Lian at the most crucial moment, even though they had previously been his comrades and comrades and had risen almost entirely thanks to the prince.

Hua Cheng was the mayor of a ghostly city, inhabited by all manner of evil spirits who respected and feared him. His residence, a large armory, and a temple of a thousand lanterns were located there. He also had an assistant—a messenger of the waning moon, always masked but actually a deposed celestial being who now served Hua Cheng.

There are only four recognized demons in this category: Hua Chen (Flower Gatherer in the Bloody Rain), He Xuan (Blackwater), Qi Rong (Green Lantern Wandering in the Night), and Faceless Bai (White Calamity or White-Cloaked Calamity). Hua Chen was personally acquainted with all of them. He Xuan is a blackwater, his domain is underwater (hence the name "black waters"). Hua Cheng maintains neutral relations with him, and neither of them meddles in each other's territory. He Xuan also owes Hua Cheng a huge debt, which he pays off in cash, and sometimes shelters Xie Lian instead. Qi Rong – Hua Cheng has known him since childhood. Qi Rong is Xie Lian's younger cousin, with a nasty personality. As a child, he was no better and often beat Hua Cheng, once even stuffing him in a sack and tying him to a cart, which he used to ride around the city. In fact, he wasn't even a Peerless Demon by strength now; the celestials classified him as such due to the number of problems he caused. Faceless Bai is the first unrivaled demon prince and the most powerful of them. It was because of him that the Xianle state was destroyed, he crushed Xie Lian's morale after the prince's first overthrow, he forced innocent people, in despair and anger, to stab Xie Lian countless times with his own sword, Fangxin, while Hua Cheng watched helplessly. Because of him, Xie Lian nearly repeated the fate of Xianle and nearly brought the disease of face-swinging to Yong'an. For Xie Lian, Hua Chen, and several other celestials, he was a living nightmare and a trauma. But this demon was exorcised by the heavenly sovereign, Jun Wu... but no one saw it.

Hua Cheng's true form is a manifestation of divine power, frozen in the form of a young man. Here is his portrait:

Age and build: He looks 17-18, but his youth conceals ancient strength. He's tall, with a slender, flexible figure, like a blade.

Face: Snow-white skin with a porcelain sheen, features impeccably sharp. The most captivating details are the scarlet eye (the color of dried blood) and the eye patch over the right eye, beneath which lies a void. This single eye contains an abyss of fire and scorching tenderness.

Hair: Long, jet-black, usually worn loose, it flutters in the wind like flames. A small braid is woven into the right side of the head, with a red ribbon and a coral bead woven into it, giving the Terrible Demon a slightly mischievous look.

Clothing: A luxurious red hanfu with wide sleeves, embroidered with gold thread and butterfly patterns. On the wrists were finely crafted silver vambraces: the metal was covered in patterns, its surface woven with maple leaves and butterflies intertwined with the grinning jaws of animals. Overall, the jewelry did not resemble the work of local craftsmen; it was clearly antique—perhaps brought from afar. Black leather boots hugged the slender legs tightly, and on the sides of the shafts were adorned with two silver chains that tinkled melodically with each step. From the silver belt hung a long, curved Emin scimitar—also silver. Voice: Low, but pleasant to the ear. Height: 190 cm.

He looked no older than sixteen or seventeen, exceptionally handsome, with skin whiter than snow and eyes brighter than the stars, yet there was an elusive wildness to his face. He wore clothes redder than maple leaves and a pair of expensive boots that hugged his slender calves. His dark hair was pulled back carelessly. His hands were graceful, slender, with long fingers. But it wasn't a pampered beauty, but one that concealed strength. He wore a jianxiu dress—a suit with narrow sleeves. Although he was dressed rather casually, his attire was clearly made of the highest quality material. Despite his joking tone, he had the air of a man in complete control of the situation. His voice was slightly deeper than that of boys of a similar age, and much more pleasant. A smile constantly crossed his face, but it was unclear from his tone whether he was being serious or teasing. Height 185 cm.

He is very well read, knows a lot of information, and has a knack for storing it. He has a strong talent for painting and sculpture (as he spent the 800 years he waited and searched for Xie Lian, painting his portraits, carving frescoes, and creating sculptures). He is adept at everyday tasks, such as chopping wood, cleaning, repairing, and so on, which is demonstrated by his assistance in restoring the dilapidated building where Xie Lian established his temple and home. He is also the only one who can eat Xie Lian's food and even praise it, although anyone who tries it might not only spit it out, but also faint and suffer the consequences for half a day. Despite all his virtues, Hua Chen's handwriting is terrible; it would be impossible to decipher what he wrote, so he tries to avoid it.

Tumbler Transformation: Hua Cheng could "seal" a person into the form of a tumbler toy, and in this form, the person could do little or break the spell. All the enchanted could do was watch, listen, and rock (Qi Rong also managed to curse, although other tumblers had never been observed to be able to speak). The magical technique of transforming a person into a tumbler toy was truly mischievous and perfectly reflected Hua Cheng's style. However, breaking the spell was extremely difficult. Nevertheless, over time, it weakened and wore off on its own. Changes in appearance: Hua Cheng never showed his true form in public, changing his appearance so frequently that even the residents of Ghost City didn't know what he really looked like. Even when he didn't change his appearance, he made up for it by changing outfits: "Hua Cheng, meanwhile, watching everything from the sidelines, became so bored that he changed back to red, then back to black, and finally back to white. Almost every time Xie Lian turned and looked at the Demon Prince, he instantly transformed, changing something in his hairstyle, jewelry, shoes, and other details."

Spiritual Powers: He possesses a vast reserve of spiritual power and can share it without compromising his own strength. In addition to his own powers, like the celestials, he is worshipped by followers who feed off his power.[2] With his spiritual powers, he can perform a variety of actions: A Thousand-Li Journey: With a pair of dice, he can open doors to various locations. While casting a real spell requires a flat surface, considerable time, precision, and a significant expenditure of spiritual energy, dice can be used instantly, anywhere, and the caster's energy is not expended at all. The number rolled on the dice foretells impending danger. Most doors opened with the dice lead to random locations with predetermined properties (for example, a four leads to the place the caster fears most). However, there are exceptions to this rule—the dice are specially enchanted so that no matter what number the unlucky Xie Lian rolls, if he wants to see Hua Cheng at the moment of the roll, the door that opens will lead to him, wherever he is.[6] Hua Cheng himself seems to be able to open doors anywhere at will, without even requiring the dice to land on the surface and display a number (he would throw them in the water[7] or catch them in his hand and squeeze them in his fist[8]). It is unknown whether there is only one pair of dice that Hua Cheng can magically return to himself, wherever they may be, or whether he enchants any dice that come his way.

Swordsmanship: He possesses incredibly high combat skills, surpassing even the best of the war gods—he fought Nan Feng and Mu Qing simultaneously without any difficulty, and in his clash with Lang Qianqiu, Xie Lian, who was blocking their blows, noted that the heavy sword Taihua left only a crack on the one Xie Lian was using, while Hua Cheng's strike shattered his artifact. His fighting style was always characterized by ease, even a certain carelessness; he played rather than fought. Demon: Hua Cheng exists in the afterlife, the incarnate soul of a deceased person. His heart doesn't beat, he doesn't breathe, and he doesn't need food or sleep (though he can eat and sleep). He also can't die unless his ashes are scattered or his death wish is fulfilled. If his strength is exhausted, he can temporarily disembody, but eventually regenerates. Unrivaled Rank: Demons of this rank are capable of destroying nations and causing suffering, turning the mortal realm into chaos. Although Hua Cheng was not known for his slaughter of peoples, he inflicted terrible damage on the Heavens—defeating 33 celestials, engaging in combat with the gods of war and in a verbal duel with the gods of literature. He then destroyed all their temples in a single night, and they, deprived of their followers and powers, sank into oblivion. Hua Cheng's luck transcends reason. He can control his luck like a spiritual force, using it to his advantage and even lending it to others. The Mysterious Phantom Carriage: Hua Cheng's personal vehicle, which he allowed no one else to ride. A palanquin of incomparable beauty, carried by four gigantic golden skeletons, who emitted comical sighs as they ran.

"Flower Seeker in the Bloody Rain" is an address to Hua Cheng as an unrivaled demon. The address alludes to the event that made him famous. One day, Hua Cheng carved out another demon's lair, and the entire mountain was drenched in a bloody rain. As he left, he saw a lone flower by the side of the road, sadly drooping to the ground, and he covered it with his umbrella to protect it from the drops. Unrivaled Demon King is Hua Chen's title, recognized by the celestials. The Head of the City of Hua / The Mayor of Hua is an address to him by the city's residents. Sanlang is the pseudonym Hua Chen used to introduce himself to Xie Lian during their first meeting (not counting the fact that they had previously been in a heated exchange). Wuming, Nameless - the nickname given by Xie Lian to the summoned ghost of the deceased soldier (Hua Cheng). Young Master Hua, Xiao Hua, Little Flower - the address of the people of Water Chestnut Village, as Xie Lian called Sanlang his younger brother who ran away from home and came to stay at his shrine. Honghun'er is Hua Cheng's late mother's nickname (a diminutive form of the name).

However, he soon died and became a ghost, refusing to leave the mortal world out of a desire to protect the prince. Having witnessed the brutal torture of Xie Lian being pierced hundreds of times with a sword, experiencing excruciating pain from his inability to protect him and anger at the people who allowed themselves to do such a thing, he incarnated as a demon. This later manifests itself in his mental anguish when Xie Lian is injured, his vengeance against anyone and anything that hurt him (for example, by exploding the scorpion snake that bit him), and his protection of the prince becoming a kind of instinct.

His mother died young, his father disliked and despised him, his stepmother could beat him within an inch of his life, and strangers constantly beat him because his right eye was red. Everyone found this frightening, and one day he was beaten so brutally that he considered suicide. Furthermore, he was extremely selfish and rather childish, so when he heard that a Heaven Worship Ceremony was coming up (which, if performed incorrectly, would bring disaster to the entire country), he deliberately chose that day to disrupt the ceremony. But upon seeing Xie Lian performing the role of a warrior, he was so absorbed in his gazing that he walked too close to the edge and fell completely by accident, only to be saved by the prince. Enchanted by his beauty and captivated by the kindness and care he received, he developed a deep affection for the prince, and after his ascension, he began to worship him sincerely, although his affection so closely resembled spirit possession that it frightened those around him. However, his life did not get better and one day, feeling the presence of a deity in the idol temple where he was hiding from people and the rain, he prayed: "I feel terribly bad! Every day I regret that I can't die, every day I want to kill everyone in this world, and then myself! My life is unbearable! <…> Why did I even come into this world? What is the meaning of human life?" Suddenly a soft, velvety voice cut through the silence: "I don't know the answer to your question. <…> If you don't know what to live for, live for me. If you don't see the point, make me that point for a while. Let me be your reason to live on." From then on, he quietly followed Xie Lian, doing his utmost to help and protect him. Even when all his followers turned their backs on the prince after losing the war with Yong'an, Honghun'er remained the only one to defend his last temple and worship him, personally painting his portrait.

His only exception in all respects was His Highness Xie Lian. He was the only one Hua Cheng treated with kindness, care, and the utmost respect. He was willing to do whatever the prince desired, but at the same time, he never interfered with his own free will. Even if it meant danger, Hua Cheng would always follow him and protect him. As a sign of his love and trust, he left Xie Lian his ashes in the form of a ring, as he himself put it in the form of Sanlang—having entrusted his ashes to a chosen person, he cared nothing about what the person did with them: keep them, destroy them, or just toss them around for fun. He also couldn't help but follow Xie Lian's desire to protect the common people. Even after becoming a powerful demon, he still didn't attack the common people, but he was renowned for his reprisals against demons (mostly Qi Rong's minions) and his attacks on the celestials. The only people whose deaths could be attributed to him were despotic princes whose tyranny had reached its limits, and Hua Cheng sent his messengers to them. Even when dealing with the 33 celestials, he only burned their temples, leaving their followers unharmed. Although Hua Cheng is canonically one of the most beautiful people in the novel, due to childhood bullying for his heterochromia, he long considered himself ugly. Later, he began to doubt this, and over time, his self-image changed, but in front of the person he loved most in the world, he still instinctively belittled himself, was afraid to show his true self, and sometimes tried to beg for compliments. Moreover, he loved and respected him so much that at first he was even afraid to touch Xie Lian, for fear of becoming too excited and doing something wrong. Later, he did not allow himself to touch the object of his adoration if he made a mistake (for example, did not protect His Highness properly) - this is how he punished himself.

Hua Cheng was charismatic and intelligent, he cared little for others and mainly acted in his own interests. No one could ever understand the true meaning of Hua Cheng's actions. He was cruel, but not bloodthirsty, caustic and arrogant, although rightfully so, since he was one of the most powerful beings, he did not hesitate to make caustic and even offensive remarks about both celestials and other demons. In addition, he collected dirt on many celestials, making them afraid not only of his strength, but also of the disclosure of dirty secrets. Many also often had to turn to Hua Cheng for help, ask him for assistance in some matters, since he had considerable influence in the human world and even had followers. Hua Cheng was so powerful and influential that Jun Wu himself avoided confrontations with him, and even if the demon attacked, he could not order any of the celestials to punish him. It is likely that Hua Cheng was the only one who could curse and insult the Lord without fear of any retribution.

Hua Cheng's name was likely fictitious, his appearance an illusion. He appeared to others as a capricious, eccentric youth, to others as a gallant, handsome man, and still others claimed to have met a seductive girl. In short, he could look anything. All that was known for certain about him was that he wore red clothes, was surrounded by silver butterflies, and most often appeared where there was the smell of blood. He was often called "Flower Picker in the Bloody Rain", "General Hua", etc. Xie Lian was always addressed by Hua Chen as "gege" or "Your Highness." In heaven, all the officials feared him, terrified by the mere mention of him. Rumors also circulated that Hua Cheng had once become a celestial being, but had voluntarily left the heavens and become a demon. During a heavenly worship ceremony, Xie Lian rescued the fallen Hua Cheng. After the ceremony, it was discovered that one of the prince's earrings was missing. This lost earring later turned up as a decoration on Hua Cheng the demon's braid. Few paid attention to this detail of his true appearance, and only Mu Qing, deeply affected by the earring's story, recognized it upon seeing it in person. However, how Hua Cheng came into possession of it remains unknown.

Temple of a Thousand Lanterns (after the founding of the Ghost Town)

"A couple of days ago, we celebrated Mid-Autumn, and I thought Gege might want to take part in that ridiculous game they organize every year, so I came up with this idea. I just wanted Gege to have a little fun at the feast, to dispel his boredom." Hua Cheng had built an entire temple for Xie Lian, but kept it hidden from everyone until he decided to please him. As Xie Lian had requested at the very beginning of his divine journey, the temple lacked kneeling cushions.

A child of ten, he looked no more than seven or eight, small and very thin. His head was carelessly bandaged, revealing a large, black left eye. It so happened that whenever he encountered Xie Lian, when he wasn't bandaged, he was beaten or covered in blood, so his right eye was never visible. In fact, he had heterochromia—one black eye, the other red. Because of this, he was constantly bullied and beaten. Although the novella never states this directly, the red eye on Emin's scimitar hints at it. Three years after Xie Lian's ascension, Honghun'er looked 12 or 13 years old. He wore old, dirty clothes, and his face was hidden by equally dirty bandages. Under the bandages, his face was covered in bruises and abrasions—the marks of repeated beatings. Despite his small stature, he possessed more than his share of strength. By the time the war with Yong'an began, he had quickly and dramatically grown taller. Although he was not yet 14, he looked 15 or 16. At some point in his childhood, he had gotten a tattoo (the novella doesn't specify on which arm; in the manhua, it's on his left forearm; in the donghua, on his right) with incomprehensible symbols that remained unknown for a long time. It turned out to be Xie Lian's name, but due to his hopelessly terrible handwriting, no one could decipher it for a long time. When, after death, the young man became a ghost and regained flesh, he appeared as a young man in neat black warrior attire. He appeared to be around 16 or 17 years old, quite tall, taller than Xie Lian, but still retaining a certain youthful immaturity. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a long scimitar hung from his belt. He wore a white mask, and on the mask was a crooked smile.