Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

The Pursuit of Knowledge, Part Seventeen

A/N: Last week, there was actually a double-chapter update. So before the Meng Xingyao chapter was another chapter focusing on Wei Wuxian. I'm sorry, I should've put a note on the newest update so everyone knew. 😅
So from now on, every time there's a double-chapter update, I'll put notes on both chapters.

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Four Days Before Leaving Gusu...

"Come on, you dumb talisman! Fucking work already!"

Wei Wuxian glared down at his latest attempt at a communication talisman.

"I don't think calling it dumb is going to help, Wei Ying."

"Chun-ge," Wei Wuxian whined. "The talisman's just an object. It doesn't have feelings!"

Pan Wukun laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

Their other project, the voice recording talisman, was still unsuccessful, which didn't help Wei Wuxian feel better.

Wei Wuxian, Pan Wukun, and Lan Wangji made adjustments to their talismans' runes.

Wei Wuxian took deep breaths and rubbed his hands together. "Okay! Let's try again!"

Pan Wukun ran to a spot not too far away from where Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian stood.

Time to test the talisman and its distance capabilities.

Pan Wukun channeled qi into the talisman and transmitted her thoughts into it.

Upon use, the talisman was instantly consumed in a burst of spiritual energy.

Before Wei Wuxian could respond, Pan Wukun collapsed. "Don't use it, Wei Ying! It exhausts you!" she shouted.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji rushed over to her.

"Chun-ge!"

"Pan Chun!"

Wei Wuxian supported Pan Wukun's back with his hands and helped her lean against him. "Are you all right, Chun-ge?"

Pan Wukun groaned. "I'm fine, Wei Ying. Just a bit tired. Just as we expected, using instant communication talismans saps a lot of energy. Did anything happen on your end, Wei Ying?"

Wei Wuxian took out the receiving talisman. "The talisman grew warm and I felt the energy running through it."

"Quick! Copy the runes down! We can't risk forgetting what they look like after you use the receiving talisman!" Pan Wukun said.

"Right!" Wei Wuxian did as Pan Wukun asked. Then he used the corresponding talisman. "Whoa! Your thoughts just entered my head, Chun-ge!"

Lan Wangji and Pan Wukun watched Wei Wuxian cautiously just in case he collapsed. To their relief, he didn't.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Hot pancakes, Chun-ge? Are you so hungry that you thought of them?"

Pan Wukun rubbed her belly. "Yes, especially now that I'm totally exhausted." Her face turned thoughtful. "So only the sender, the one who transmits their thoughts into the talisman, gets exhausted."

Pan Wukun, Wei Wuxian, and Lan Wangji discussed things and finally understood how the instant communication talismans worked.

The sender and the receiver each had to carry a single talisman from a pair that had identical corresponding runes. The communication path could go both ways with either person, not strictly one way.

The sender transmitted their thoughts into the talisman like a jade slip. Then the recipient felt their corresponding talisman grow warm with pulsing energy. The recipient would use the talisman when they were ready. Pan Wukun couldn't help but think that it was similar to how people received notifications for text messages and chose to read them when they were ready.