#like it's in my SOUL even when i'm completely like AWAY from mdzs like if i'm not really engaging with any content
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MDZS Rereading - Chapter 3 (Part Two) - The Prideful (Arrogance 6-10)
Manhua Chapters 13-26
Guess I should uh...
Chapter 3 Part One ; Chapter Two ; Chapter One
Oh boy this uh. Hey boys you don't notice anything wrong with that statue, do you? No? Alright just checking. I'm sure it's fine.
Alright now it's definitely not correct you guys.
"This Heavenly Maiden statue had once been an ordinary rock, but it
just so happened to resemble a person, so it had received centuries of worship that led it to gaining spiritual power. However, its greed was insatiable. One single, deviant whim gave it a mind to expedite the elevation of its spiritual powers by way of consuming souls. Offering the fulfillment of a wish in exchange for the devouring of a soul—it operated on the same terms as those wish-makers who offered their own souls up to be devoured. It was a fair trade, by all appearances. Everyone got what they wanted, which was why the needle of the Compass of Ill Winds did not move and the spirit-attraction flag summoned nothing. The treasured swords and talismans were all ineffective because the creature on Mount
Dafan wasn’t some nefarious being, but instead a god! This was a rogue god, raised up by centuries of worship, so to use devices made for attacking malicious spirits against it was the equivalent of attempting to extinguish fire with fire!"
I dunno, god or not, still seems pretty nefarious to me. Also with all the adaptations I always forget what's actually going on with the Heavenly Maiden. I still don't entirely know tbh. Is it important? Is it foreshadowing for Guanyin Temple? Who knows? Not me! What is this supposed to be, analysis of the story or something?
Ok but like the idea of someone asking a god for their husband to love them for the rest of their life and the god just killing him to cash in on that deal... Like fucked up monkey's paw situation but the monkey's paw eats you and your soul, and none of that shit was in the contract.
(I had a picture of the Heavenly Maiden eating people here but I was like. No I don't think so. I don't like it. I'm not going to subject anyone else to it if they don't want to see it. Just watch Attack on Titan. Same vibes.)
"Just then, clinking and clanking sounds resounded within the forest of Mount Dafan.
Clink clank, clink clank. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, the noise
came haltingly and reverberated in the deathly silent forest. It sounded like iron chains hitting each other, dragging on the ground. It was coming closer and closer, louder and louder.
For some reason, this sound was oppressively threatening. Even the
soul-eating Heavenly Maiden stopped her dance, her arms raised in the air as she stared blankly at the deep darkness from whence the sound came.
Wei Wuxian put away the flute and stared intently in the same
direction.
Although the ominous feeling was growing stronger and stronger,
since this creature was willing to answer his summons, then at least it was one that would obey him."
Best Boy Wen Ning! He's so cute? He's so cute! He's... The cutest corpse under the Yiling Patriarch!
"His face was pale and delicate, and as a matter of fact, he had a
certain easy and somewhat melancholic handsomeness."
Wei Wuxian's hotness scale returns: "Wen Ning: actually pretty hot, for a corpse. Most corpses? Would not, but Wen Ning can get it, probably." (Wen Ning: Wei-gongzi... What does any of that mean?)
"This melody was one that came to his mind naturally, gentle and
tranquil, a significant contrast to the strange, sharp sound from before."
You know that feeling when you accidentally play your love theme while demonically cultivating because you completely forgot that's your love theme? Yeah me neither. Wild.
"Yet unexpectedly, Lan Wangji’s eyes were locked firmly on him, and he’d never spared a single look Wen Ning’s way."
uNeXpEcTeDLy oh my god Wei Ying. I've got nothing.
"Seeing that nothing had happened to Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng was
greatly relieved. However, that relief soon turned into a furious reprimand: “Do you not have a signal flare on you?! Don’t you know to set one off when you run into those creatures?! What are you pretending to be so strong for? Get the hell over here!”
Jin Ling was angry at not having captured the soul-eating Heavenly
Maiden as well, and he yelled back, “Weren’t you the one who said I had to capture it at any cost?! That I couldn’t go back to you until I caught it?!”
Jiang Cheng really wanted to slap this stinking brat back to his
mother’s womb. But he had indeed said those things, and he couldn’t possibly eat his own words."
Jiang Cheng is the Uncle of all time.
"There was a certain current of unspeakable anticipation as they hoped the Lan and Jiang clans really would fall out. Things would be more interesting then."
Jianghu confirmed for messy bitches who love drama but like that's nothing new. We knew that. We *opened* on that.
"He had been ranked fourth in looks and character among the young masters of the prominent clans. “Charming and cheerfully handsome,” the people had called him— and this hot-tempered Sect Leader Jiang had happened to be ranked fifth, defeated by one rank, so no one dared raise the subject with him."
Ah yes, the canonical hotness rating scale. Gotta love that we do have a canonical hotness rating scale. So there's precedent for Wei Wuxian immediately rating the hotness of whatever guys show up. He came with receipts! His sources are cited!
"Wei Wuxian continued, “Your kindness is too much, thank you. But
you’re also overthinking things. Even if I like men, I don’t like all men, and I definitely don’t just go home with any man who waves at me. I’m not interested in your type.”
Wei Wuxian was trying to disgust him on purpose. Jiang Cheng hated losing; no matter how nonsensical the competition, if someone were to say he wasn’t as good as so-and-so, he’d be so angry that he’d stop eating and drinking until he’d thought of a way to win against them. Sure enough, Jiang Cheng’s face darkened."
So his plan for Jiang Cheng trying to torture and probably kill him is to make him jealous that "Mo Xuanyu" doesn't want to fuck him. And this works somehow.
"Lan Wangji, on the other hand, could never tolerate such frivolous
and senseless jokes. Once he grew disgusted, he would definitely draw the line and keep his distance on his own. Disgusting both of them would be like killing two birds with one stone!"
At least this works distinctly less well.
Yeah, 'Mark Your Words' coming in as the next iconic scene.
I haven't said a whole lot on this part, but on the other hand, at least I didn't go off on the Nie Sect this time! You're safe for now Qinghe Nie!
Guess that means it's time for the Cute Lan roundup! (ft bonus Wen Ning!)
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It's Friday and we're here with another Author Spotlight!
It’s impossible for you to be in this corner of fandom and never have heard of Vir_Abelasan. She has written some of the most interesting Wangxian fics we have read, a shade darker than usual, but so engrossing. When we want to read something a little savory, we go back to this author.
She has written 49k words in 5 fics, and we can’t wait to see what else she will come up with.
Her fics:
It’s we that you are for - [explicit | 2.5k | LWJ/WWX/LXC pwp]
to be wielded by your hands (our post) - [mature | 3k | competence kink]
Visitations - [mature | 18k | wip | modern au - corporate espionage]
Like stones on an unseen board - [not rated | 11k | dark lan wangji]
Symmetry (our post) - [mature | 13k | dark sizhui]
Dee’s favourite: I love Symmetry but my favorite happens to be Like stones on an unseen board. I have a special fondness for dark LWJ who is just as devoted to WWX as canon LWJ is. This fic has the potential age difference and teacher-student relationship but they don’t really get together in it. I like that, I like how LWJ recognizes how Jiangs are dimming WWX’s light and does things to get WWX away from them, even if it involves manipulation and subtly widening the divide between the Jiangs and WWX. Dark in a way that eventually benefits WWX.
Ju’s favourite: Ohhh I loved Symmetry. I loved to see JC getting his just deserves by Sizhui. The fic is very dark, and in many moments I was completely blown away and so angry. I love when reading makes me feel things, and I felt a lot of things reading this one. But as dark as it gets in some points, it makes sense in the story. And then we get a happy ending that is so good and perfect. Made me cry.
The Interview:
Q. When did you start writing fics? Did you have fandoms before this one?
A. Somewhere around the early 2000s with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom, and BtVS was very prolific with crossover, which just led to more fandoms, mostly Western TV series. I wrote a lot of the Dragon Age trilogy afterwards, and a lot of Pacific Rim before finding MDZS.
Q. What made you start writing for MDZS?
A. Honestly at first I was here for the porn, because the Wangxian porn is bountiful and tender and exquisite. But then I read the novel and was enamored with how much more nuanced everything was, especially the many recurring themes and motifs related to social classes and personal vs familial/communal responsibilities, which as an Asian person you don't often get to dig into in the oftentimes Western-leaning fandom spheres.
Q. What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?
A. In the MDZS fandom it's Symmetry, because it's literally the fic I wanted to read upon completing MDZS but was not able to find. One of the saddest thing in canon for me is the lack of consequences for any of the gentry cultivators' actions in the past, and while it's realistic to the world building, I just really want an alternative where someone could go around an inherently broken system and make it so perpetrators actually pay for their crimes and less people in general becomes collateral.
Q. What’s your favourite type of fics to read?
A. Smut, because I'm just really bad at writing it. And oh, how the MDZS fandom delivers - Pure smut, sad smut, painstakingly tender smut, existential smut, it has everything! But Wangxian smut in particular is almost always a treat because there's just always that undercurrent of trust and having a person who's just for you in every sense of the word despite everything else happening. It's such a good, affirming feeling.
Q. What’s your favourite comment? Or type of comment?
A. Any comment is always a delight! From just incoherent screaming to details of which lines spoke to them the most, every comment is a reaction and stories are out there to create conversation in the first place.
Q. What motivates you to write?
A. Writing has always felt like problem solving to me, and fanfics in general has always been really interesting to write because there's the inherent conflict and problems written into canon, but also the matter of the fandom's perception of the source material to play with and solve.
Q. Who’s your favorite author?
A. There's so many fanfic authors throughout the years who are just amazing and hit a lot of very profound places a lot of published works didn't go to, so it's really hard to choose just a few. But thank you, every single fan author out there, you've really made a lot of people's days (and lives) better with your writing.
Q. What is your favorite trope to read and/or write?
A. I'm particularly fond of the trope of characters who are normally amicable or accommodating just going apeshit, both literally or figuratively. Because both in fandom and in real life, kindness and compromise in someone are often mistaken as a free pass for others around them to be terrible.
Q. Do you have any advice for new authors?
A. Write what you feel strongly about, I guess? And it's sometimes helpful to have an objective to the whole thing, for the times when it seems the story is going nowhere or you get stuck in a particular aspect of it. Sort of like a thesis statement, so whenever you fumble you have something to refocus on.
Q. What do you think is the most important element in writing? Plot, characterization, relationship?
A. Characterization carries you a long way since they're the vehicle to bringing the readers to where you intend them to be, but I also feel like structure helps a lot with stories too. Just the way you scaffold a narrative, like laying down the kind of path you want your readers to follow and experience along the way to the end.
~
Check out their stories on ao3 and remember…
Comments and kudos feed the author’s soul.
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Noise of Rain | Chapter 1
Sesskag
Endless Forlorness Made me Numb
A/N: so @fandomplethora and I were talking about Mo Dao Zu Shi AUs. And I was like "nooo, I'm not gonna work on my Sesskag version. I have too many WIPs already". You know, like a liar. So here's my MDZS au for Sesskag🤣 it happens during the course of the canon-timeline, I guess before Final Act. Sooo yeah. I hope you enjoy whatever the hell this is🤣🤣🤣
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Kagome watched with pursed lips as the last of the sun set over the horizon. Gilded rays fluttered over the earth, streaming across the trees and grass like rivers of fire. Warm. Beautifully and utterly warm. The dying sunlight drenched her skin, and she tilted her head back—trying to drink in it's comfort.
Trying to ignore the pressing cold digging its way into the edges of her senses.
Sunset's birth left a wake open for the creatures she'd come to dislike and maybe even hate. Soon she knew the faint pale wisps of the Soul Stealers would come into view. They would approach but never broach, as if taunting the unspoken agreement of distance. Time and time again, they teased the limits, dancing along the edge of her sights until she spun around. In the back of her mind she wondered if it would be worth it to just fork her spirit over to Kikyo. The undead priestess deserved a life, free from trickery or deceit. Something pure—
Only caught by the ascended.
After all, before her egregious turn to...what Kagome liked to think of as the emo rebellious phase, Kikyo had been rather fair and just. The death dealt to her an unfair blow by fate into the hands of a psycho spider demon.
But as the thought began to teeter close to the cusp of action, Sango's voice called her from their campsite and the idea dissipated.
Still.
That darkened patch in the back of her mind, the one that hid behind bright smiles and dazzling sapphire eyes, pulsed. It reached out and brushed against her reiki, causing the edges to crumble to dust, unreplenished. Not that Kagome knew.
It wasn't as if anyone were helping her cultivate her priestess powers. So if she felt a bit more fatigued or a little more drained, she blamed it on the fact that Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen in the camp. Although she hadn't expected to see him. With the Soul Stealers in close proximity, they always chimed his cue to leave.
The passing scenery is going to collapse—
Cold wrapped her mind and complete midnight gripped her reiki. She cried out for help but no one could hear.
They didn't need her. Just a jewel-shard detector. They didn't want her. Just a lesser reincarnation.
—along the obsequious side.
"Oi, Kagome," Inuyasha's voice drew her from her sleep-deprived autopilot. "Can't you pick up the pace?"
Her brow twitched and she tried to find a good reason to not "Sit" him then and there. But her chest heaved and the exhaustion washed over her, and she acquiesced. Today was neither the time nor the place. As their group moved forward in the direction of the next Shikon jewel piece when the hanyou had picked up scents of Sesshomaru traveling their direction. In a bout of stubbornness, he refused to change course. Insistent that if his half-brother wanted to fight, then he wouldn't shy away.
Kagome's brow rose as Sesshomaru’s own little group met up with theirs.
Rin perched happily on Ah-Un's back, Jaken in tow, and the proud daiyoukai at the front—the little quartet brushed passed them as if they weren't there. Other than the pleasant wave and hello Rin shouted in their direction, it was almost like they didn't exist.
Almost.
As they continued on, Kagome shivered as the sensation of Sesshomaru’s youki swept over them. It probed with an innocent inquisition that was disarming. She wondered why he was searching to change the hidden. But in the moment that she detected his power, it eased away and left them.
"What an asshole, he probably just came around to show-off," Inuyasha huffed.
Kagome wondered if that was the case. The full youkai had been searching for something. But what?
She felt herself going to the dark spot in her mind, wondering if she took hold of it and reached out—would Sesshomaru’s presence return? Was this darkness, this strange thing, was this what he looked for? Kagome felt half inclined to try. She wanted him to turn around.
To notice that she felt…
Miroku called out that he noticed a dark aura from the north, something suspicious and chilling.
Kagome sighed and supposed that it didn't matter how she felt. Hitching her backpack onto her shoulders, she closed her eyes and sifted for that familiar feeling of the sacred jewel. While she wasn't sure, something stirred her heart in the direction the monk had pointed to.
With a triumph smile, she hopped up to the front next to the half-demon. "I'm not 100% sure, but I think there's a shard in that direction."
That pleased Inuyasha enough. "Alright! Let's get a move on then."
They made camp a couple miles out from wherever they were headed next. A heavy dread had covered the little campsite, the nearby evil seeping close enough to have everyone on edge. Inuyasha and Miroku both kept a vigilant watch neither one comfortable to rest. Sango helped keep Shippo and Kirara calm enough to doze into a restless sleep. Kagome stared off into the distance. The Soul Stealers were in the opposite direction of the unholy aura; wandering, looking.
But unlike the previous night where they had toyed with the notion of trying to take her spirit again, their movements differed. Unorganized and haphazard—the ghostly creatures meandered in confusion.
Heart pounding against her chest, Kagome couldn't help the small smile wiggling its way onto her face. In her mind's eye, she cupped the darkness more. After all, it had swallowed her reiki whole, hiding it from even Miroku's detection.
It protected the treasure by throwing away the guidance everyone depended on.
The middle of the night sung out to her and she awoke on a cold sweat. Someone was crying. But everyone had fallen asleep. Miroku and Inuyasha seemed fitfully sleeping at best, while Sango and Shippo curled in for warmth against Kirara's warm side. The fire-cat however, glanced at her with worried large eyes.
Kagome hoisted the holy bow and arrows onto her shoulder. She gave an appeasing pet the demon's nose.
"Don't worry, I'm just going to investigate," she murmured gently. "Something's off. And I want to make sure we don't walk into a trap later."
Kirara gave a low growl but she did not move otherwise.
Kagome smiled and snuck forward. The morning had yet to start, so the air felt frigid and moist. Dew just barely started to accumulate on dark forest and heavy grass. Pushing her way through the underbrush, the inner compass in her chest pointed the direction she needed. Not to mention the voice she'd heard began to cry louder. Words still weren't quite comprehensible but the sentiment was there.
The forest started to scar away, replaced by shale and growing rigid crags. Heavy mist permeated the area more. Kagome drew her bow and crouched low, still persisting. The crying started to take on a form.
Noise of rain. It wept. Noise of rain your footsteps cry.
And suddenly just like that, Kagome spun around, arrow ready to shoot. Naturally, Naraku stood behind her—his arms behind his back, his face pensive.
"Kagome," he greeted, voice heavy and hesitate.
Her brow cocked. "Naraku. What do you want?"
Noise of rain—
"What are you doing here so far from your watchdog?" He asked, still nothing but curiosity and even perplexity radiating off of him.
—your footsteps cry.
"Something called me," she whispered.
The spider hanyou's crimson eyes narrowed and he walked away. "Follow me."
As they trekked, the mist began to seep with a type of miasma, but for some reason... It didn't hurt her. Shady, inky tendrils looped slow through the air as they trudged upwards, following the rise of the mountains.
"I found this place, yet it confounds even me." Naraku drawled, dark hair wavering. "There is some type of life. But it refuses to interact."
"Can you blame it?" Kagome bit back.
He chuckled darkly.
They reached the peak.
Below them an infinite spiral of darkness. Except this time not one voice cried out to her. They all whispered and unfurled. They all heard her.
They reached for her.
"What's down there?" She murmured.
"As far as I can tell, these are burial mounds." Naraku hummed. "Any one place you dig, there are bound to be bones."
The darkness over her reiki swelled. Kagome trembled.
"The miasma here is not my doing," Naraku continued. "It's not poisonous. Just resentful. It's quite the odd place."
She reached out her hand and the voices smiled. "You are wanted here. Please help us here. This is the end of all lies."
"I don't think it's resentful," she whispered.
"Interesting theory," Naraku's voice curved and drawled. "Would you like to test that?"
Before she could ask what he meant, his foot collided into her back. She screamed as her body tottered over the edge. Loafers slipped, hands grasped air, and her body tumbled into the abyss' embrace.
Weak and limp she couldn't move her limbs. Every fiber, every bone, everything must have shattered at the impact's drop. Her lungs heaved painfully. The voices giggled and suddenly they were no longer begging but controlling. They grabbed at her, trying to tear her apart and reach for the reiki within her soul.
Yet that darkness from earlier, the darkness that had appeared one day and started to grow the next…
She imagined Inuyasha looking mournfully around his surroundings, wondering where she abandoned him—just like his first lover...
Her mother and brother called out for her endlessly. Their worried tones climbing and climbing but never finding the ears they wanted…
Sesshomaru’s youki poked and prodded, searching, searching, searching for her…
Her darkness consumed every part of her reiki, like a wildfire over a bonfire, it ignited a flash that had her toes digging into the ground and her will sending her to stand.
Her aura spread and she clenched her jaw, commanding the voices to quiet.
#sesskag#sesshomaru x kagome#sesshomaru#kagome higurashi#multichapter#au: mo dao zu shi#in case you guys were wondering the song is NoiseofRain sung by Takanori Nishikawa
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• MDZS ONESHOT FANFICTION • MODERN X ANCIENT AU •
Two worlds apart, Xiao Zhan meets a mysterious man in his dream, Lan Wanji. Who is this man wearing an ancient costume?
Two worlds apart, Lan Wanji saw Wei Wuxian inside of a bizarre man's clothing. Is it Wei Ying? Why does he look exactly like Wei Ying?
Two souls separated from different eras, bonded by unknown incense burner.
Art by: 陆离-popo
https://m.weibo.cn/u/1974871217?uid=1974871217&luicode=10000011&lfid=1076037266317551
for wattpad link, visit: https://my.w.tt/qs7X83uah8
•••
Inside the Cloud Recess Pavilion, disciples of Gusu Lan Sect often hear Lan Wanji's inquiry. It is like a morning ritual for Lan Wanji to play his guqin, every day for 10 years, without skipping any day. Many of the disciples know the notes he's playing. It is a solemn melody full of agony and longingness. In Gusu Lan Sect, it is forbidden to talk about the person behind their back. But it is rumored that song is dedicated to his long lost lover. As to know whether it is true or not, no one dares to ask.
Today is a different day. It is Wei Wuxian's birthday. Lan Wangji places his guqin on the table and stares outside the window. It is autumn now, the Ginko trees outside fills the whole pathway with its yellow leaves. He strums the strings on his hands and plays the tune he composed years ago. When the one who heard it was still here, beside him in the cold and desolate cave, asking what's the title of the song.
Wangxian, he said. But that person can no longer hear it.
Lan Wangji turns his head up in the sky as he plucks the chords out of his guqin. Begging the heavens to answer his most ardent prayer.
"Wei Ying, where are you?"
Lan Sizhui turns his head towards the melody he's hearing. Although it is faintly heard, he notices a different melody from what Lan Wangji usually plays.
"Jingyi, have you heard that melody? It is different from what Hanguang-jun usually plays."
Lan Jingyi shook his head. He's struggling to reply as the long tips of his headband were on his lips while doing a handstand, copying all of the sect rules. "Focus on your work and stop distracting me. If we are caught loafing around, we won't be able to have our dinner."
---
"Zhanzhan, are you dizzy again?"
Xiao Zhan turned his head and shook it. "Just a simple headache." Xiao Zhan presses his temples and massage in between his eyebrows. He shakes his head the continues to rummage inside the garage sale.
Mei Hui grabs an incense burner and places it on top of the table. "I'll give this to you, you just need to buy some calming oil and place it inside. It will help you with your headache."
It is an old ceramic incense burner with intricate design holes where the smoke goes out. Using the tip of his finger, he touches the incense burner, he felt the electricity flow on his fingers and immediately remove his finger away.
Mei Hui laughs, "It has not been used for a while, why do you react as if you're scalded?" She immediately stuffs the incense burner in a paper bag and shoves it to Xiao Zhan. "Use it well."
It's almost midnight when Xiao Zhan finished his portfolio. He's a dedicated and hard-working student. It is his last semester in university, so he just needs to endure countless sleepless nights before he graduates. That's why he often caught a headache because of a lack of sleep.
He stretches his whole body to ease those tensed muscles from prolonged sitting, suddenly caught a glimpse of an incense burner from earlier. He already bought a lavender-scented incense oil to help him sleep tonight. It doesn't matter if he wakes up late tomorrow since it is the weekend.
After he lits up the incense burner, Xiao Zhan finally rewarded himself under the quilt as he snuggles his body into the soft mattress under him, ready to meet his deep slumber.
Bright noonday welcomes Xiao Zhan in his dream while walking in a pathway covered with yellow leaves. Although the sun is on its peak, he didn't feel any heat in the air. A sense of familiarity envelopes his body as he takes long strides in this place. Maybe he's already been here before?
At the end of the path, there is a small hut located in the middle. There is a man inside the hut, wearing a long white dress with clouds design on his lapels, a white headband on his forehead, and a guqin on his lap. Xiao Zhan feels like he's on an ancient drama, Who is this man wearing an ancient costume?
As soon as Lan Wanji sets his gaze on the man under the tree, his heart skips a beat.
Lan Wangji knows deep in his heart that this man is certainly Wei Wuxian. He exactly looks like Wei Wuxian, but his hair is short and wears bizarre clothes that he never saw in his life. Is it Wei Ying? Why does he look exactly like Wei Ying? His heart starts to waver, but it didn't stop him from going outside of the hut.
"Wei Ying?"
When Lan Wanji was a meter close to Wei Wuxian, he disappeared. A glimpse of Wei Wuxian vanished in thin air, all of a sudden Wangji wakes up from the dream. Tears start to fall from his eyes when he opened his eyes.
Xiao Zhan fell from his bed and wakes up. He turns his face to the large mirror in front of him, and tears start to roll down from his face. He didn't know why he is crying, maybe he dreamt of something sad but he can no longer remember.
—-
After that hellish exam, Xiao Zhan finally can rest peacefully on his bed. Just as he walks out, Mei Hui invites him for a couple of drinks with their friends as they successfully finished their final exams. Just a couple of requirements to make and they will graduate a few months from now. Although Xiao Zhan doesn't like to socialize, he agreed. He didn't know why but he's in a good mood and a couple of drinks won't be a bad idea.
They enjoy good hotpot meat and a couple of drinks. This place is full of students that also came from finishing their exams. From different departments, although they did not know each other, as they sang their alma mater's hymn, they unite as one. Some cried and some drank as they sang their final song. Eventually, someone plays a graduation song and everyone must state their name, age, and department after that take a one-shot of alcohol. They can also add witty remarks if they want to.
All of the students are on their high spirits with an alcohol-induced body, so everyone is willing to do this nonsense.
After their friends and Mei Hui introduced themselves, it is now Xiao Zhan's turn. Xiao Zhan is a bit tipsy now but can manage to stand up. "Hello everyone, my name is Xiao Zhan, 24 years old, from the modern international art design department. For the future of Chongqing university, Gānbēi!"
Everyone also raised their cups and drink. Xiao Zhan slightly slipped from the corner of his chair. Luckily, someone grabs his arms to find his balance.
"Thank you," Xiao Zhan didn't shot a glance at the person as he drops his head on the table. That last shot knocked him out.
He didn't know how he managed to go back to his bed. Xiao Zhan can hear Mei Hui's voice and some strange yet familiar voice of a man. He tries to open his eyes, but all he can see is their shadow. The last thing he saw is Mei Hui putting something on his incense burner then he passed out.
---
Lan Wanji strums his guqin inside the hut. He solemnly plays the notes while picturing Wei Wuxian in his mind.
Once again, Xiao Zhan goes back to the last scene on his dream, but this time he heard an ancient guqin plays. Like he was calling from the past. He followed the sound until he saw that man again playing his guqin while softly whispered the word, Wei Ying.
"Wei Ying?"
Lan Wangji suddenly stops playing. When he opened his eyes, he saw that bizarre man that looks like Wei Wuxian.
"Wei Ying!" Lan Wanji immediately stands up and reached his hand to the man.
Xiao Zhan panicked and raised his two hands, "So... Sorry. I.. I am not Wei Ying."
Lan Wangji stepped back.
"I'm afraid you recognized the wrong person."
Lan Wanji's eyebrows furrowed. He hides his face from the man with his hand, I am wrong.
Xiao Zhan saw the man's sorrowful face, he felt guilty. "That person... I mean Wei Ying, is he your friend?"
Lan Wanji pressed this thin lips, "He is..."
Lan Wanji didn't finish his sentence when Xiao Zhan interrupts him, "Oh, you also have that incense burner?"
Lan Wanji picks up the incense burner, "You also have the same kind?"
Xiao Zhan nods.
Now Lan Wanji finally understands the situation, "The incense burner brought you into my dreams, I was calling for his spirit and you came here. You don't belong in this world, that's why I don't recognize your clothing."
Xiao Zhan quickly lift the hem of his clothes, "In your dream? Is it kind of magic?"
Lan Wanji slightly smiles. He explained that incense burner they both use is an ancient treasure, maybe it was passed down for generations. Lan Wanji didn't know it is capable of meeting two souls from a different era, until now. What bothers him is that he met Wei Wuxian from the other world, is it really him or not?.
Lan Wangji, "What's your name?"
Xiao Zhan, "My name is Xiao Zhan, you?"
"Lan Zhan." Lan Wanji didn't know why he easily gave his birth name.
Xiao Zhan chuckled, "Lan Zhan? I'm Xiao Zhan, we're both Zhanzhan."
Lan Zhan saw Xiao Zhan's bright smile. In a split second, he looked like Wei Wuxian from where they were young. His sweet smile that can brighten up any gloomy day. A smile that completely conquered his heart. They stayed there for a couple of hours, asking about their world, how people live from Wanji's time, how different is Xiao Zhan's generation.
"Lan Zhan."
Lan Wangji's heart pounded so hard when he hears his name.
Xiao Zhan, "I'm glad to see you. Even if it's a dream, I can feel we're both knew each other. The next time we see each other, teach me how to play that some from earlier."
Lan Wanji, "Mn."
Xiao Zhan, "See you in my dreams."
---
It continues for three weeks. Xiao Zhan always meets Lan Wangji on his dream. He learned that Lan Zhan's real name is Lan Wanji. That he's a cultivator in Gusu Lan Sect and people call him Hanguang-jun. He also has a brother that looks like him. He also learned about Wei Ying called Wei Wuxian by his real name. Also a cultivator like him.
Even if there are so many things to comply with their graduation, Xiao Zhan manages to sleep whenever he can. That's why among their group, he's the only one who looks fresh while everyone carries a black bag underneath their eyes.
Mei Hui, on the other hand, noticed something unusual from Xiao Zhan. Unlike last month which he really looked like a dead fish, now he looks vibrant even his skin looks plumper than hers. Envy rose from her, he never saw Xiao Zhan this happy before. From the looks of it, people might see it as the excitement from the graduation, but in her eyes, it feels like he's in love.
Mei Hui, "Zhanzhan, you look so happy these past few days. Are you dating someone?"
Suddenly, Lan Wanji's face crossed his mind. Xiao Zhan slightly smiles in a fraction of second, but it did not escape from Mei Hui's eyes.
"Nope, I don't have time to date someone, " Xiao Zhan nonchalantly said.
Mei Hui didn't bother to dig deeper from his personal life and focused on other things. She just silently wished that when one day, when she falls for the other person too, she'll glow brighter too just like him.
Each day they're getting closer to his graduation, each day Xiao Zhan almost perfected Lan Wanji's melody score using a flute. Though he only plays on his dream, Xiao Zhan silently wished he could play it in real life too. So the next day, Xiao Zhan bought a Dizi (Chinese Flute) from a shop referred by Mei Hui. He wants to test his conjecture to play the flute just like what he plays in his dream. Although it wasn't as good as what he did on his dream, he's still happy that he remembered all of the notes.
Xiao Zhan wants to play the melody after his graduation.
—--
Lan Wanji waits for Xiao Zhan to appear in his dream. He noticed a man wearing a black coat and a hat. That man walks towards him while waving his hand. His heart nearly escapes from his chest. It is pounding so loud and hurts each time it pumps blood. He didn't know if he was hallucinating as he saw Wei Wuxian in front of him.
"Lan Zhan!"
Wei Wuxian smiled at him and began to press his mouth towards the flute that almost looks like Chengqing and plays Wangxian. Lan Wangji's world stopped right in front of him. His eyes only glare at the man in front of him. Maybe he's delusional but if he can only wish to live inside his dream, he's willing to give up everything just to be with him. Only with him.
"Lan Zhan, what is the name of the song?" Wei Wuxian asked.
Now, Lan Wanji can say the words that he wanted to say a long time ago, "Wangxian."
"Wangxian..."
Lan Wanji noticed some changes from Wei Wuxian's face and quickly turn his body away from him. He grabs his shoulder only to see Xiao Zhan's bloodshot eyes. Lan Wanji quickly retracts his hand that was resting on Xiao Zhan's shoulder. He just imagines him as Wei Wuxian.
Xiao Zhan, who wears graduation clothes just to play the melody he's been practicing for weeks in front of Lan Wangji as a surprise was defeated by Lan Wanji's past lover. He never knew that the song was named after their combined name.
He silently clenches his flute as he speaks, "Is this song... For that person, you called Wei Ying?"
"Yes."
"But you've been waiting for him for 13 years now. How can you sure you'll find him again?"
"I don't know."
Xiao Zhan swallowed the invisible lump he feels on his throat. He quickly suppresses his sour feeling and said, "Lan Zhan, I... I like you."
Lan Wangji remained stoic. He takes 3 steps away from Xiao Zhan and looks into the sky and closes his eyes. Xiao Zhan's personality is somehow the same as Wei Wuxian, but Xiao Zhan isn't Wei Wuxian.
"I've been waiting for him for more than a decade now, how much more if I wait another year for him?"
Xiao Zhan just received an indirect rejection from Lan Wanji's rhetorical question. He silently accepts it as he twists his feet against the ground.
"What you are wearing?"
"Oh this, I just graduated from the University."
Lan Wangji pats his head, "Congratulations."
Xiao Zhan paid him with a smile too, "I wished to receive that same kind of love like you have for Wei Wuxian."
Xiao Zhan, "I don't want anyone if it's not you."
Lan Zhan, "You're still young Xiao Zhan. I can't accompany you in your world nor you can in my world. I have my life in Cloud Recess, you also have your life in your world. Maybe he's waiting for me somewhere in the underworld and there are people waiting for you there. We can only move forward with our life. We can't be stuck in a dream no matter how much we wanted to. So this will be the last time we'll see each other."
Xiao Zhan finally broke down, tears came falling down from his face as his body slowly fades away.
Xiao Zhan, "I'll never get to see you again?"
Lan Wanji, "If you're Wei Wuxian's spirit from another world, maybe you'll meet me there too if fate allows."
After that, there is only an empty dream.
Maybe Lan Wangji was right, or maybe he's not. Maybe he is Wei Wuxian in his past life, or maybe not. In any case, whether he hopes for another Lan Wanji in his world or not, if fate allows it will happen.
Three years had passed, Xiao Zhan never saw Lan Wangji again. Being consumed by his work, he no longer thinks about him. After his encounter with the incense burner, he never used it again. He sometimes dreams about Lan Wangji until he can no longer remember his face. He even dreamt of himself wearing wuxia clothes but never really know what he did there.
One thing is for certain, he still plays Wangxian.
Xiao Zhan fiddled the flute in his hand, smiling at the thought of that dream under the ginkgo tree. That yellow leaves that are slowly covered the road. He didn't know why but he felt like playing the song in his flute.
As he blows his breath, the melody starts to play.
Whether if it's 16 years or hundred years, Lan Wangji still waits for Wei Wuxian. Until the day comes when he hears Wangxian in the air. It is played roughly but he can still recognize the notes. He quickly followed the melody and saw a ridiculous man playing his bamboo flute with makeup on his face. Now he certainly knows, he came back.
He grabs that man's wrist and stares directly at him.
Wei Ying, you came back. It is you. I found you.
Xiao Zhan stops playing his flute when he notices a man in front of him calling out his name, who looks exactly like a man he's familiar with.
'Maybe you'll meet me there too if fate allows.'
It is no longer a maybe. Lan Zhan, I found you.
"You're Xiao Zhan, right?"
"Yes, I am. And you are?"
"Wang Yibo..."
Whether in this life or your life, we are destined to belong to each other no matter where we are.
•••
NaverGirl
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