INARTICULATION (MLM/MxM/M4M ORIGINAL)

15: A Dance Between Devils Alike

"Xun Jie, a formidable warrior, possessed an unwavering determination that burned like wildfire. In battle, he wielded his great sword Baihu with unmatched grace and proficiency. His attacks were marked by unforgiving savagery, leaving his opponents at an unfair disadvantage, as if fate itself conspired to favor his every strike."

APPOINTED GENERAL FU QIANQIU

MEMENTO MORI

Questions were raised about how the situation had come to be. Wen Jingyi could only wonder how long Demon Lord Heng'e had been hiding in a skin like Shang Hou's, and how she had managed to create such a detailed vessel and complex character for herself.

He could only wonder since asking would insinuate that they knew of her identity. While it was tempting, he valued his life and body very much.

This was the second time they were caught connecting to a private communication array with Xun Jie, which had Fu Qianqiu banned from ever entering the prison without supervision from "Shang Hou" or at least two other trustworthy Daozhang of her lead militia. If he were to be caught a third time, he would be thrown into the cellar straight across from Wen Jingyi.

But that couldn't possibly have occurred if they had broken out, now, would it?

Heng'e had severely underestimated Fu Qianqiu's abilities. She may have only thought that knowing enough about Shang Hou and Dong Nan's government would lead to success in what she strived to achieve, not minding anything more than Fu Qianqiu's name and role in the crown princess' life.

So, she had forgotten all about Fu Qianqiu's spiritual device, Wangji. It was quite hilarious for both he and Wen Jingyi to think about, as it was just what the device had done to earn its name.

Fu Qianqiu was able to use his spiritual device, a tobacco pipe named Wangji, to blow the toxic fumes in the faces of his accompanying Daozhang. He hadn't been affected by the fumes, as he was the owner of the device.

The qilin engraved on the long bamboo stem matched the design of his robes. They were elegant beasts, and when anyone opposed Fu Qianqiu's self-proclaimed "elegance," it often ended in him using his spiritual device and brainwashing those fools into seeing his grace.

However, his most often uses of Wangji had been in attempts to truly alter one's memory. Fu Qianqiu last used the technique to get Xiao Rong to forget that he and Shang Hou had arrived in their world and altered her brain chemistry to be much less obsessed with the character of Xun Jie living in Wen Jingyi's apartment as per the latter's request.

Now, he had used the device to enter a brainless and mentally absent state. While the Daozhang had been rendered immobile, Fu Qianqiu had contacted Wen Jingyi and almost immediately formed a connection of consciousness in the array with Xun Jie.

"Xun Jie, where are you at the moment?" Wen Jingyi questioned. Within a minute, they had received a response.

"I could ask the two of you that same question. I'm in the main hall."

Shortly after, the ground had quaked. Items on the shelves inside cellars had begun rattling and items fell to the stone floor.

"What the hell are you doing up there?! An escape is supposed to be discreet, damn it!" Fu Qianqiu continued to curse as the Daozhang had begun regaining consciousness. Instead of using Wangji again, he socked them.

In the moment of chaos, Hai Ruan had created a shift in the iron bars for them and Wen Jingyi to leave their cells. Wen Jingyi had nearly forgotten about their existence for the time being, as he was too focused on trying to keep in touch with Xun Jie.