three poisons.

          “… Hm?” At first he doubts what—or rather, who he sees, yet his gaze remains fixed on the individual for a minute or so longer. Once they’re clearly in view and distinguishable at that, he chokes back his drink all at once, which causes him to cough slightly seconds after. To think, he had been also been present within this place; Wei Wuxian instantly begins to curse his luck inwardly while simultaneously wondering why it had to be him of all people. During the little time he had been here, he had learned people, even those who had known one another all throughout their lives, had still had discrepancies with their collective memories. It were as if they had come from two separate timelines within the same realm. It was fascinating really, though he hadn’t dwelt too much on that now however. All he had wished to know at the moment was how much Jiang Cheng remembered, yet in order to know that much he would have to alert his attention and make his presence known. His expression tenses with uneasiness as he begins to then picture how that would turn out, if he were to go along with it. Quickly concluding that the effort wasn’t worth it given what might happen, he decides that it’s best to slip out of the establishment as quietly as possible. It’s only when he decides as much that he becomes aware of his surroundings again, finally catching the worried words of the server who had been tending to his table. “Nope…! Everything is fine… uh, I’ll be heading off seeing as how it’s getting late… keep the change…!” Luckily arriving here during such a season more or less forced him to purchase suitable wear to help ward off the cold, one of which happened to be a stylized black cowl. 

          Recalling that he wore such a piece of clothing at the moment, he instantly reaches back to pull it over his head to further conceal himself as he initiates his attempt to exit the area without causing a scene.

jiang cheng / liansui !

he steps into a quiet cafe that currently hosts roughly about 4-5 people. the sect leader found himself enjoying this place, especially around this hour because there would be no one to bother him and those that did well --- while it is true that he long lost his ability to be social he did not find them to be unpleasant encounters. 

the waiter behind the bar notices him and flashes a smile, ‘’ the usual? ‘’ he questions and jiang cheng nods in response. at this point, he is still unaware of the man going through an internal crisis somewhere in a cosy corner in the cafe. he awaits his coffee (something he usually would not drink but the cafe offered it on the house once and he has been sold ever since). quite frankly he had begun to feel quite at home. he still carried the anger and bitterness inside of him true, but at the same time, the place had brought peace to his soul to the point where he thought he could let it all go and honestly that was perhaps the thing that did frighten him the most.

little did he know however that the peaceful life he had known here would soon come to an end. 

as he took the saucer and cup from the bar he made way to his usual spot, but he was distracted for a mere fraction of a second and ended up walking into the retreating stranger. the cup and saucer fall to the ground and jiang cheng lets a small hiss under his breath due to the hot liquid touching his skin. thankfully the liquid did not stain his clothes but that did not make him any less angry. ‘’ watch where you are going, ‘’  he snaps before noticing the other is wearing his black cowl in the most ridiculous way no wonder why the other didn’t see him. 

❝Not for long. And you can give me a hug or even a kiss after we’re back at the Cloud Recesses!❞ Wei Wuxian answered with a grim smile and drew Suibian from its sheath, though, his voice didn’t bother to hide the measure of bitterness that seeped into his tone. He was clearly troubled by the people who abducted his brother. The eldest disciple of Yunmeng Jiang never failed to let his mind travel ahead of his situation, allowing it to consider dozens of possibilities by the time Jiang Cheng’s ropes snapped into two. This series of an abduction—it couldn’t have been the work of someone as prominent as the Wen Sect, no, they would have known who the heirs of the other great sects would look like. They wouldn’t have abducted Jiang Cheng. The people responsible for them are, more than likely, just common criminals.

Human trafficking, perhaps.

He helped Jiang Cheng up after he was released and was prepared to leave, but the moment he stood up, the innocent, pitiful, hopeful faces around him caught him. Wei Wuxian found his steps slowing down until he is eventually staring back with an equally blank look. Of course, he had been so caught up with searching for Jiang Cheng, it hadn’t occurred to him what he should do with the other victims. Saving them all was quite a far-fetching idea, but if they were too late when the authorities came, then… Wei Wuxian bit his lip.

Before he knew what he was doing, he had walked towards the woman who sat the closest to Jiang Cheng and, in a flash of Suibian’s red glare, he cut her ropes before proceeding to the next victim. All these while, he hadn’t really realized that he was holding Jiang Cheng’s hand. Perhaps he was afraid that if he turned around, his brother would have gone missing again.

    ‘      sure,    `     now he wouldn’t really go through with that because such a thing would not happen in this life, or the next ten or so. still, he would take up on that offer of a hug later because he truly is grateful to see his brother. had it not been for him he would have to face this all on his own and he may not have been so lucky. hard work and determination can only bring you so far. not even he is so blind to think that he could face it all alone. 

in comparison when he first woke up he felt a lot better however his head was still throbbing and he could still feel the pain linger across his body. ( ‘ damn thugs ‘ ) he thinks while gritting his teeth slightly at the thought. as he did so his hand reached to where his sword should have been but it was not there. he needs to think of a way to get it back while also find a way to get all people to safety but his thoughts are interrupted when he feels his brother moving further away from him while maintaining a tight grip on his hand. he offers a squeeze, ‘’ i am not going anywhere go help them out, i will stay watch. ‘’ 

     ‘      hm ?     `     only now he notices the certain note on the ground surrounded by scrolls he never bothered picking up. how long it has been there he does not know but judging by the scrolls it must have been there for quite some time. taking out his phone ( that he by no means should have access to at this current age and time ) he flips through the menu before clicking on the qr app next to his travelling app. aligning his camera with the code he then begins to read the message. however, soon enough he finds himself balling his fist crumpling the note in his hand. had he been wearing zidian it would have caught fire no doubt. taking a deep breath he wants to yell his brother’s name but before he could he notice the other message appearing. 

the heir’s anger subsides again before letting out a brief sigh, allowing a smile to tug at the corner of his lips. 

@liansui​ /  ❤

     “ Wanyin-xiong, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if I’m your last hope, I’m afraid you’re doomed… ” Your expression melts into a sheepish smile as you unfurl your class notes between the two of you. You hope very much that you can help him fill in the blanks in his knowledge so that, perhaps, the upcoming exam won’t ruin both of you. It’s a bit of a long shot though, relying on you. You’ve taken these same classes year after year and you’ve never managed to pass even once.

Still, you want to do whatever you can for your friend. Despite his prickly exterior, you know that he’d do the same for you.

     “ But! It doesn’t hurt to try. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to retain all of this better than I can. ” Your notes aren’t exactly organized, but they aren’t so bad, as far as you know. You try your best to write down everything that you might be tested on but somehow, despite studying them almost constantly, you never seem to absorb anything from them. 

You’re starting to think that cultivation may not be the path meant for you.

But that’s not the case with Jiang Cheng. He’s ambitious, intelligent and talented. If anyone could gain any knowledge from your frantic scribbling, you assume it would be him.

     “ By the way… ” You open your fan with a flick of your wrist and use it to hide the majority of your face as you begin to pry. “ I heard Wei-xiong dragged you into something…hectic. There are plenty of rumors circulating but I figured you’d be a more reliable source on the subject. I assume he didn’t actually break his leg, right? ”

     you are very well aware of the fact that you are positively doomed but you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t being awfully stubborn about it. mostly because you cannot bear to lose face once again. after all, if you cannot even pass this year the title of ‘ the family disappointment ‘ would become more of a reality than it already is ( or at least in your mind it is ). ‘’ I know ‘’ you sigh in defeat. ‘’ still i have to try ‘’ 

gazing at the class notes between the two of them you cannot help but notice that the notes itself just scream ‘ nie huaisang ‘ they aren’t bad that is for certain but it cannot hurt to organize them a bit more. perhaps your notes are a bit too organized but it is certainly an improvement to how they used to be. spilling ink on your notes after making mistakes is definitely not the solution. still, any type of notes is better than having no notes at all. taking the ink brush you begin to copy the notes, sorting them by using the system you practically invented. as you do so you absentmindedly comment here and there about how you take notes in the hopes that the friend next to you may pick up a thing or two as well. you always want to remain on top but you never shy away from helping someone close to you either. 

Kadoc paused when the other handed him the book before nodding. “….Thanks.” He looked the other over before holding the book closer. “They really should provide ladders or something.” He commented, not that he would be able to use that easily with his hands. 

It is not often that she is overcome with the feeling to express herself through song. Whenever it does happen, though, she is sure to find someplace quiet and uninhabited so that she may not be disturbed. It seemed this time that she hadn’t been careful enough, however. Either he did not care to hide his presence or he was simply too careless in listening to her song, Azura notices him. When she finishes, she does not move from where she stands, only turns to look at him.

“…Thank you.” His compliment is well-received, though she’s surprised to have anyone been listening at all. “I must ask…” She starts, eyebrows raising. “Is it a habit of yours to spy on people without their knowledge? Or is it that you enjoyed it so much that you thought it inappropriate to interrupt me?”

The sun had sunk halfway down the horizon by the time he reached the end. Wei Wuxian had finished walking the alley for more than fifty times, but it frustrated him that he had found nothing odd with it. It couldn’t be, could it? He swore from the bottom of his heart that he did see someone being kidnapped. After a moment of thought, he unsheathes Suibian from his waist and begins clicking the blade on the bricks, ears pressed against the walls and listening for any signs of a hollowed out tune.

He found it in a matter of minutes. There was a loud breaking sound of a spiritual blade against clay—-the hole, to his surprise, was even larger than he had imagined. He dislodged the bricks one by one, revealing an opening in the wall and then pushes it apart without a moment more of hesitation. And there he was—Jiang Cheng laying unconscious with a black sack over his head. Wei Wuxian’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of his shiditied up and lying in a position that reminded him of a dead fish. The fact that he had investigated an entire day had flown over his head without his realization. Wasn’t Jiang Cheng just at the restaurant the last time he had seen him?

❝Jiang Cheng…!!!!❞ a very panicked Wei Wuxian flew across the rundown place. He tore the sack off his head and pressed his lungs to restore any air lost while he was kept in the stuffy, unventilated place. 

     he felt like he got hit by a hammer but it’s likely the after effect of the alcohol talking. ( ‘ i really should quit drinking. ‘ ) he thinks once again while rubbing the back of his head though he knows very well that he won’t do that. with his vision still blurred he tries to regain his focus, running a hand through his hair he turns to the source of whispering only to meet the gaze of several startled women and even children. one of the younger women hesitantly asks, ‘ a-are you alright ? ‘ no doubt he looks like an absolute disaster.  ‘’ i’ve seen better days, ‘’  though he could do without the headache, the wounds itself didn’t bother him all that much. after all he has survived his mother’s training on a regular basis.

but it wasn’t like the other knew that and instead out of concern ( and likely her profession ) she takes his hand and binds it with her handkerchief. jiang cheng wanted to tell her that it wasn’t necessary but seeing the genuine concern in her eyes only made him mutter a quiet thank you.

scanning the area around him looking for a clue where they could be. resting the back of his head against the wall behind him he closes his eyes and tries to focus. focus on the sounds around him in order to pinpoint where he is. he hears the sound of water, but that does not tell him anything they are in a river town after all. he tries again, following the sound of the waves once again he hears people working, specifically, carrying heavy objects.  ( ‘ the pier ? ‘ ) he wonders. 

he turns towards the woman from earlier again.  ‘’ how long have you been here ? ‘’ it’s a good place to start. knowing so will allow him to calculate how much time he has left to either plan his escape or find a way to contact his brother. apparently she has been held here for about 2 days or so. according to what she has gathered so far they ship about ever three days or so to prevent the hideout from getting too crowded. 

jiang cheng starts calculating his chances, he doesn’t have his sword and with the current state he is in he won’t be able to fight off all the lackeys. ‘’ tch. ‘’ clicking with his tongue he tries to stand up but winces almost immediately due to the wounds from his earlier encounter. thankfully the other was quick to catch him which gave him the perfect opportunity to slip something in her hand. ‘ a bell? ‘ she questions quietly.  ‘’ take this with you, ‘’ he explains to her.  ‘’ when they take you away drop it somewhere without them noticing. people will come to rescue you. ‘’ if his brother won’t be able to find him then at least he will be able to help these people because that’s the type of person he is after all.

had he been made aware of this before he got involuntarily involved he may have ignored it, after all it is none of their business on how the gusulan sect deals with such things in their own territory. however the moment one of those traffickers hit him, things got a little too personal.

@liansui

Hoo hoo! Hoo hoo!

          Quite out of the blue, his feathery companion had taken flight suddenly. Soaring towards the heavens and circling once, twice and then a third time above his owner’s head before swooping Earthbound again. Only this time, Who didn’t land on his usual human perch, instead appropriating himself a brand new roosting spot atop the shoulder of a nearby young man. A sheepish smile unfurled along his lips as Masaki approached him, tone ever so slightly steeped in apology for the inconvenience his Snowy Owl may have caused.

❝How strange, he usually hides from people he doesn’t know.❞

❝Have you found a better perch than me, Who?❞

Hoooo!

@liansui

Kadoc starred up at the book he wanted to grab, one about Oriental mythologies, with a frown. It was just out of reach and his bandaged hands weren’t very good at grabbing. But, despite this, he got on his tip toes and attempted to grab the book.