The Black Dragon

Chapter 2

HeiLong ascended the winding stone staircase with careful precision, each step echoing in the stillness of the surrounding bamboo grove. As he walked, he ran his finger over the intricate design, feeling the cool metal and the raised edges of the clouds.

As he reached the top of the staircase, he paused to take in the frigid breeze that rustled the bamboo stalks around him. They swayed and bent their heads as if in fear of the approaching calamity. The shadows they cast flickered and danced on the ground below, adding a sense of movement to the otherwise still scene.

The sun was slowly retiring from its place in the sky, casting a warm glow on the clouds that were now a delicate shade of dusty pink. 

The wards granted his entry, not sensing anything wrong, and why would they? HeiLong hadn't just taken over Wangji's body; he had completely forced his soul out and taken hold of his golden core. For all purposes, he was now Wangji.

Immediately, he was greeted by a soft but baritone voice.

"Wangji, you're back."

HeiLong took in the other's appearance: it was almost exactly like the body he was inhabiting, but with a kinder demeanour. His eyebrows were a bit softer, and his mouth was a bit more upturned. He carried himself with a bit more of a regal air about him. They were siblings; that much was obvious; however, he looked like he had lived just that bit longer. Hm, was he the elder?

 Were you a Xiongzhang to my host or a Gege? Cloud Recesses' sterile aesthetics pointed to the more formal address, as did the casual use of the host's courtesy name instead of the closer birth name or an affectionate 'didi'.

"Xiongzhang." HeiLong nodded his head slightly, as would be proper from a younger sibling to an older one.

"How did things go with the fierce corpses?"

"Fine." He answered, patting himself on the back for guessing correctly. He refrained from allowing his self-satisfaction to appear on his face. This brother in front of him apparently did not expect his Wangji to express emotions outwardly.

"This situation is concerning. Did you find out the cause of the rise in fierce corpses yet?"

HeiLong shook his head, pretending to be dejected. He kept the facial expressions to a minimum: a slight tightening around the mouth and small frown lines between the eyes.

This is fun, he allowed. How can Wangji's brother not know that only a shell stands before him? Are they estranged?

"Mn, Shufu has lots of concerns regarding this." Xichen looked to be deep in thought.

"Xiongzhang?" HeiLong inclined his head. Do you have suspicions? Tell this didi everything.

"Ah, it's nothing. You've had a long day; you should probably head back to the Jingshi and rest."

"Mn." HeiLong bowed and left.

Jingshi? Silent place. According to geomancy rules, public quarters should be located in the West, so it can't be there. HeiLong took carefully calculated steps, adjusting well to Wangji's limbs.

 I just came from the North, so not that way.

So, he's Sect Leader Lan's younger brother's body; an heir to such a prosperous sect would have his living space somewhere nice. Somewhere with good feng shui and surrounded by tokens of good fortune, most likely in the East. East is auspicious, so I'll go there.

Jingshi is a quiet place. It should be secluded and quiet, obviously. Perhaps hidden behind some well-sculpted bushes or a tree.

Someone like him would definitely be a minimalist.

To his left, a splendid magnolia tree stood tall and dignified, serving as a majestic marker for the newly established pathway.

Magnolias symbolise serendipity and purity.

Hm, that might be it.   Heilong walked down the winding path, white robes swishing about in the slight breeze. 

It wasn't long before he came to a small residence with beige wood double sliding doors, with neat carved handles. The roof tiles were pitch black and almost glinted in the light, their smooth surfaces giving the appearance of little droplets of water. 

Nobody else had passed by yet.

A small cluster of white orchids was planted just outside the door.

"Righteousness, purity, elegance." HeiLong plucked a flower from the ground and examined it.

"How could I be wrong?"

HeiLong did not waste time and opened the doors. 

He took in the surroundings. Clean, tidy, minimalistic. Sandalwood incense filled his lungs, confirming his thoughts.

"Ah, looks like I was right. As always. These pompous sects do love their flower language."

"Ah, satin. How long has it been since I've lain on satin?" HeiLong sprawled across Wangji's bed like a cat, his nails digging into the sheets as he did.

"The great sects, huh? Well, you won't be great for long." 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

So, this marks chapter two. Initially, when I started this, I was working with three prompts that were mainly filled with semicolons and a million question marks. I was working from barely any ideas, and I left it on the shelf for ages. But it was only recently that I got some inspiration to finally piece it together and form a story. I know how it's going to end, and there are just some minor bits to fill in before I have a complete story. 

That's all for now.

Stay safe and stay fabulous.

Sincerely, Amethyst.