My theory about how Qi Rong died.
Basically after Xie Lian’s family loses power and the Xianle kingdom falls… remember how Xie Lian got his parents out of there? Well the rest of the royal family would still be trapped in that kingdom and likely were all executed. Especially since as a ghost, Qi Rong still resembles a teen/young adult, I don’t think he got away. I think as this execution happened was when he fully came to hate his cousin. His cousin who did not save him, who did not save his kingdom, and abandoned him and the rest of his family. Yey
This is why I always draw him with scars around his neck. It think that's cool to mirror Xie Lian with. Especially since they're meant to look similar, Qi Rong does everything to look nothing like him but the scars reflect the shackles and what not just a reminder that he is Xie Lian's only remaining family.
