Came Because of Our Song ✔️

Can't Believe I Am Late ~1

Was this a maze array? Or a dream spell ?

'I need to focus.' He tried to focus on his core but the energy was dormant, locked. With a sigh Lan Wangji gave up and continued to run, thinking about the possibilities of escape. If this was a spell or array and he was trapped in it, then everything he sensed was unreal. That would mean the men following him were also a figment of his imagination.

Only one way to find out.

At the next turn, he skidded to a halt, facing the men in black. They didn't disappear or stopped and Lan Wangji focused once again, only giving up when the blade came too near for comfort. A kick landed on his side and Lan Wangji stumbled. The pain was very real.

But how could it be? If this was a spell, shouldn't they be imaginary? Then why the pain?

"Remember, every array, curse or spell has a weak point, a centre, something it latches on. Just hit that place and you will find your way out."

A weak point. But where was the weak point? He needed to calm down, nervousness won't help him. His mind was playing tricks for sure but.....

'It's either our mind or the soul. But most importantly it's you, your conscience, who decides who makes the rules.'

Right. His mind. The next time the men lunged at him for an attack, Lan Zhan took a blow directly on his abdomen, the next one leaving a scratch on his knee after tearing through the fabric; but he stood still, chanting in his mind no, this was not true, this is all a farce, a dream, this is not the real world.

And then something changed.
It happened slowly, a shift in action, a change of scenery and direction. Instead of deadly blows, now the two attackers switched between still fatal but comparatively less life-threatening swipes. Three more turns and the blades were barely making contact with him.
After the sixth bump against a pillar, the surroundings cleared and Lan Wangji found himself standing at a large door. The attackers vanished and Lan Wangji breathed tiredly before opening the door, stepping past the threshold.

 Thank you, Wei Ying.

——*——

Opening his eyes, he gasped, feeling as if he had just resurfaced after a long dive. His senses registers the nearby surrounding slowly, still sluggish after breaking the dream spell.
But as soon as his eyes focus, Lan Wangji finds himself staring at an unconscious figure: slumped forward where he is tied to a pillar.

"Xiongzhang."

He didn't dare breath, worst case scenarios passing through his mind.
His brother was the best cultivator of their generation, surely he was just unconscious (probably, Lan Wangji really hoped he was).

On reflex, he tried to move towards his brother and then noticed that he too was bound to a wooden pillar in the middle of the room. Deity Binding ropes. This was the work of a cultivator.

Unable to move, Lan Wangji scanned the room, finding it bare except a few assortments lining the wall.
What kind of room was this? Just then, sounds of heavy boots resonated in the large room accompanied by a mocking voice.

A group of armed men, all wearing the royal insignia came in view and Lan Wangji ran his eyes on them, bemused.

"Lan Wangji...ah...Lan Wangji. We meet again." The source of voice comes near, the crowd of armed men sidestepping to let the person in.

A coward. Hiding behind his goons.

Footsteps come to  halt in front of him and Lan Wangji glares as the person comes in view. He should have listened to his gut feelings when it screamed at him to not come here.
Beside him, Lan Wangji hears more than see his brother opening his eyes. He sighed in relief.