bang! crash! the lightning flashed!! -- that's another story, nevermind, anyway!

[qingxinling]

Jiang Wanyin sweeps along the shores of the lake, glowering. This is not his beloved Lotus Pier. These waters are cold, foreign, uninviting. Clearly there's been some trap: he's been distracted by duty in this hunt, and when he followed the slight tug in his chest, he ended up getting pulled into unfamiliar territory.

No matter. He draws himself to full height, letting cool arrogance slip down his shoulders and suffuse him. Sandu is naked in one hand; Zidian crackles in the other. He can handle whatever monsters may arrive.

Comments

[qingxinling]

Jiang Wanyin crosses his arms. "Oh yeah?" he asks. "How the fuck would you know, then?"

The thing is... it's not a rude question! He's genuinely curious about how someone utterly unfamiliar with cultivation might judge such things! But the way the question comes out... well. That's another matter altogether.

[wickedwit]

"Well," Claudius says in measured, friendly tones, "keeping in mind that I am a world without cultivation sects, and therefore without spiritual weapons ... you've not put down your spiritual weapon since we started talking. I imagine that takes some skill to wield." It's crackling with purple lightning. It looks extraordinarily magical.

[protagonisthalo]

What?? Lan Wangji's boring husband can harvest energy from demons? They are from different worlds indeed—if any human had learned this power in Luo Binghe's world, it would have caused a war between the realms. And a massive headache for the Emperor.

Luo Binghe did not think he had anything to fear from either Lan Wangji or Wei Wuxian, who he doesn't recall having much of a spiritual aura at all—although perhaps that's because he gets his power from corpses and demons. And Lan Wangji is keeping this man in submission using his body?? There are stranger happenings in this mansion than Luo Binghe knew. He's still not afraid of either of them, of course, but he is shaken. As one of the only demons here, and an exceptionally powerful one too, he would be a natural target.

"I'll heed the warning," he says, "and your assistance will not be forgotten."

[qingxinling]

Slightly mollified, Jiang Wanyin makes Zidian crackle extra-hard with a burst of spiritual energy. Then he puts it away. "You know something about cultivation," he allows. Especially for a guy who claims to be from a world without it.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan laughs at him. "Take more than that, Sandu Shengshou, or it'll never work."

[qingxinling]

Jiang Wanyin bows.

[qingxinling]

Jiang Wanyin is pretty sure you're not supposed to inhale ma directly, but surely an immortal cultivator would know best. He takes another tiny inhale and then passes the censer back.

[wickedwit]

Claudius gives a smile of look, now we're talking like civilized people who don't walk around with weapons drawn. "I only like to learn about the people I meet," he says modestly. "When I know how much discipline a path like cultivation takes, I can better admire it. I'm sure you have many more admirable qualities for me to learn about, Jiang Wanyin."

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan takes another hit and circulates his qi again, but he does let himself sink down, a little, into the chair, in case Jiang Cheng needs the implicit permission to relax. "If there is an array," he says, handing the vape pen back, "it's like nothing I've ever seen." Mostly because Airplane didn't bother to write much array-type cultivation into PIDW, preferring monsters and demons and, of course, sex pollen over talismans and stuff. Doubtless whoever wrote the novel about Jiang Cheng was more serious and creative.

[wwx_isdead]

"Absolutely." Wei Wuxian manages a quick, genuine smile for Magnus. "Don't you worry about me! I just need to speak with Lan Zhan."

[lightbearinglord]

That's all the permission Lan Wangji needs. With one final assessing glance at Magnus, to satisfy himself that he is well, he bundles Wei Ying into his arms and makes for their bedchamber with haste.

[qingxinling]

Jiang Wanyin doesn't take the censor. He's very suspicious of this use of incense. "So," he grumbles, awaiting whatever clarity of thought is coming from this fucking weird use of ma. "You're telling me the Yiling Laozu, Wei Wuxian ended up in a different fucking world and isn't even making a nuisance of himself?"

[qingxinling]

Well, he's fucking filial, for one, unlike some people he could name. "What the fuck do you mean by that?" he demands.

[wickedwit]

Claudius reflects again on how well-suited Lan Wangji is to the art of composing burn books -- moreso than Claudius himself. Truly, there has never been a man more like a rotten loquat. In looks, fair-faced and appealing; in conversation, coarse and charmless.

A shame, but there's still some entertainment to be had. "The men of Yunmeng are bold, I see. Do you want to hear me say it?" His smile turns flirtatious as he takes Jiang Wanyin's arm. "I mean," he says, "I'm interested in you."

[qingxinling]

"I'm no cut-sleeve," Jiang Wanyin says, immediately. He stumbles over his words a little; his tongue feels weirdly thick in his mouth? Anyway, it doesn't count, with the Chief Cultivator, because the Chief Cultivator always dresses like a woman when they... whatever... and never asks Jiang Wanyin to look at or touch his prick, no matter what Jiang Wanyin... whatever!! He's no cut-sleeve. Obviously.

[wickedwit]

Claudius continues leaning on his arm, and smooths a hand down the sleeve of his robe. “I see thou art well-attired,” he says, rather than ask any clarifying question. He’ll ask Lan Wangji later what cut-sleeve means. “As befits a leader of his sect. A man who dresses with skill, they say¹, can show his skill in other ways.”

¹ Who says that, Claudius? Did you say that?

[peaklordshen]

"I've literally barely seen him," says Shen Yuan. "As far as I can tell all he does is tinker with talismans, drink, and have sex with his husband."

[qingxinling]

"That's so fucking weird. The Chief Cultivator will never believe it when I tell him Wei Wuxian doesn't have his nose in fucking everyone's business."

[qingxinling]

"You really don't like to get to the point, do you," Jiang Wanyin observes. He's decided to hell with politeness. It's not like he's going to stay here; he doesn't need to make any charade of diplomacy.

[wickedwit]

"You really are bold," Claudius says with a grin. Though as far as he's concerned, that's one of the more polite things Jiang Wanyin has said -- it's a true observation that Claudius is willfully twisting for the sake of provocation. "But if it's what thou wouldst prefer, I can tell thee a well-dressed man is a pleasure to watch undress. Or is that not pointed enough for thee? Wouldst thou have me whisper in thy ear all the things I'd do to thee after dispensing with thy fine raiment?"

[qingxinling]

"I don't know why the fuck you're talking like that," Jiang Wanyin says, feeling very much like he's the butt of some joke somewhere. Maybe Wei Wuxian has been doing nefarious things around here? Why else would a short guy with offensively short hair be saying things Nie Huaisang might when -- never mind!! "I told you I'm not a fucking cut-sleeve." He takes a step closer, trying to look menacing; the effect may seem more like a disgruntled pampered cat whose paw landed in a puddle.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan blinks. "Isn't Lan Wangji the Chief Cultivator?"

[wickedwit]

"Ay, and so I admired thy attire. Thou must be hungry for flattery." As Jiang Wanyin steps closer, Claudius closes the distance, insinuating himself against Jiang Wanyin's chest and caressing the collar of his robe. "Or art thou impatient?"

[qingxinling]

Okay, Jiang Wanyin has to laugh at that. It's a harsh, barking thing, but a laugh nonetheless. Actually, he finds it hard to make it stop? Fucking weird. "Lan Wangji? What the fuck? Of course it's not fucking Lan Wangji."

[qingxinling]

How the fuck could an obvious cut-sleeve not know what a cut-sleeve is? "What--" he says, frozen in shock.