Learning Diabolism

༒Xue Yang is not welcome༒

A sinister laugh came from behind them, as "Xiao Xingchen" stood up, he had a mocking smile on his face. It took exactly one snap of his fingers and Song Lan was free to move once again. Which also meant that every disciple in the room drew their weapons.

However, Wei Wuxian stopped them: "None of you are any kind of a match for Song Lan."

"Why do I feel like this is the reason everyone was summoned here," whispered Wan Yunque with a dark expression.

"That is indeed true, darling," laughed the man with a cloth over his eyes and he smiled wickedly, "I must say, your cooking skills aren't half bad, even after years of neglect."

At hearing that proclamation, Wan Yunque and Song Anyue froze in their spots, with Wei Wuxian also being taken aback slightly.

"Now, now, adults talk adult stuff, the kids can wait outside," smirked "Xiao Xingchen" and he opened the door for everyone to leave.

"Go ahead," motioned Wei Wuxian, it was better this way, "the dust should have settled by now, so don't move around too much, you could stir it up accidentally, and hold your breaths while outside."

At first everyone was still hesitant, but a particularly unfriendly growl from Song Lan had the first few venturing outside and the rest followed. The room slowly emptied, until it was just Lan Sizhui and the girls left. The boy had a worried expression on his face, he nudged each of them slightly but they stayed glued to the ground. After 3 tries, he looked to Wei Wuxian for help.

"It's okay, go," smiled the man, it was kind of fake, but someone who didn't know him well wouldn't be able to tell, "we'll be fine."

Lan Sizhui gave a last look before going outside too: "I know."

The "Xiao Xingchen" was still standing motionless with that same grin as before, only after the disciples of other sects were gone did he speak up again.

"Missed me?" the question was clearly aimed at Wan Yunque.

"Not at all," answered the girl truthfully, her expression was dark, a frown uglying her usually pretty features.

It seemed like the two were about to have an argument of sorts, but they were interrupted by Song Anyue, who decided this to be the perfect moment to walk right in between them. She appeared calm on the outside, but if anyone took care to look at her eyes, they would see a raging storm. There was lightning lashing at everything she saw behind those eyelashes. If there was ever a gaze that could kill, this was it.

Even "Xiao Xingchen" (barely) visibly shook, when he saw the expression.

"I SAID," stopped her the man, as he untied the cloth that covered his eyes and tore the mask he wore on the bottom half of his face down, revealing the image of a man, much older than when Wan Yunque last saw him.

He was still handsome and pretty, with those piercing eyes and a cocky grin, but the eyes looked much older, not wiser, just older. He looked a little tired and a little less desperate and crazy than 13 years ago, but that was probably just a mask. To Wan Yunque he looked like a lesser man.

"Adults stay," he finished.

"With the curtesy of someone I know," Song Anyue's voice was sharp and ice cold, while also eerily stoic, "that does not include me, nor A-Lu."

"Ha ha ha," laughed Xue Yang, and Wan Yunque once again noted: his laugh turned even more psychotic than last time, but now the desperation in there was only an undertone, tho an easily noticeable one, "I'll make an exception."

As he finished that, he drew his sword and aimed it a Song Anyue's neck.

"There's no need, I'd very much like to get out of here, your wheely face is too ugly to look at," replied Song Anyue and grabbed the swords edge by her free hand.