The Temple of Guanyin (MDZS AU)✅

The Truth Unfurled

Furrowing his brow, he concentrated, and the misty, charcoal grey swathes folded into themselves, before blinding the temple with light.

The world around them melted away, leaving nothing but-

Warped walls surrounded them, dim and weathered. The air simply traced in flames, their edges blurring and soft against the harsh black of the room. The scent of roses, of incense and aphrodisiac attacked their senses, and hazily, they could make out was a single, ornate table,  seated with rows upon rows of women, clad scantily. Their robes either hung off them loosely, too loosely for any comfort, or clung onto them too tightly, or promiscuously for the lack of a better word. Every Cultivator dressed in mourning clothes averted their eyes, except for Lan Jingyi,  whose mouth was hanging wide open, only to have his eyes covered by Lan Sizhui. The man whose memories this was, was both terrified and terrifying, eyes flashing with mania and hatred. He wanted nothing more than to lash and lunge out at Wei Wuxian, but the talisman, so cleverly designed, kept him at bay. He would try to escape, but he knew that the Yiling Laozu's talisman was most likely virtually unbreakable.

Snapping his fingers, Wei Wuxian pointed to someone. Behind the tables lurked a familiar silhouette, that of none other than Meng Yao. As if on command, their eyes snapped open to where he pointed. Lan Xichen's eyes widened in horror, but at this point he'd seen so much of what his brother, his sworn brother, had done, that this didn't hurt him as much at it would have, or should have,  but the Juniors...they looked on in abrupt horror, as the dwarf splashed gasoline on the women, not seeming to care how unsightly it was , before lighting a match, and throwing it. 

The match took hold of the first woman, who carried such authority with her that one could only assume she was the owner of this brothel. Within seconds, she caught on fire, and excruciating screams could be hurt as the smell of singed flesh and smoke, only worsening as the fire spread,  and the whole world erupted in flames. Heat rolled off the brothel in throes, engulfing them in chaos of flame and smoke, and bone-chilling shrieks that tore out through the wall. As the unmistakable figure snuck out, the brothel before them dissipated, leaving behind ancient wooden frames and towering heights.

Unclean Realm. Home. Almost. he'd been here for so long, he knew the place like the back of his palm, but something called out to him here, even stronger than it did before. He didn't need to look to know what Meng Yao did. He could sense it, even here, as his former sworn brother played warped tunes to Nie Mingjue, could tell as he dealt him the final blow of resentment, simmering in the air. His resentment energy was not the same as Master Wei's. It was weaker, more sinister, but all he could think of was...

-Lan Huan's POV -

 So all they said was true. I mean, I knew all they said was true, but some small treacherous part of me still hoped even as evidence piled up. I wish some part of me wasn't so blind, so naive. Why is it that after all these years, I've never been able to find someone worth loving? Why is it that every time I love or trust someone, the person never turns out to be real? All I fall in love with are masks. I almost envy Wangji, now, looking at Meng Yao playing the flute- the altered tune to Da-Ge. The only person in the end, who was worth loving, was the one person I never protected. How stupid can I get?

 I don't dare to look at him, or Wangji, for that matter. I can't imagine how he'd look like now. Grinning widely in pride? Smiling at his success? I don't know. I don't want to know. How would Wangji look at me now? I loved, helped the person who plotted Wei-Gongzi's demise, trusted him more than I did Wangji. And what does that say about me? I'm as foolish as Father was. Maybe even more foolish. Ge's eyes furrowed in frustration, and the world around us seems to grow more charged by the minute. How did I not realize this? The atmosphere around us is simmering, and his magic licks me like flames, prickling, familiar. If only he were still here. But he isn't, and I almost laugh at that. I remember hating my father when I was a child. I hated his blind love, his blind loyalty to his clan, and to our mother, that shackled and bond her to that small hut that she hated being bound to. But I'm no different. Only worse. For as much as I complained about him,  I fell in love with a mask, with a façade, and I gave everything away.  Nie- Ge, 对不起。 真的，真的对不起。 让你失望了。 没相信你。 对不起。