❝𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍'𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜...❞

❝𝙸 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝙼/𝚗.❞

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐮𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

M/n was harshly shoved in through the double doors, making everyone in Jing Yuan's office turn and look at him. Glares or just plain confusion was all that filled the room.

"Ah, M/n. It hasn't been 24 hours yet. I would've thought you were smart enough to evade capture for even a little longer. It looks like I'll be owing Fu Xuan."

"I would've been able to win against those cloud knights without lifting a finger."

"But that was not your intention. You came here for something else. Didn't you?"

"As smart as ever."

"And I didn't think you remembered me."

"I went to your induction before rebirth. I don't know how I remember my past, but I can promise you that whatever Feng did, it had nothing to do with me." M/n sighed and broke out of his ropes with ease, causing the people in the office to gasp and run out as M/n approached their general.

"All those years ago, Dan Feng was sentenced to exile for violating one of the 10 unpardonable sins. Am I to assume you don't know what those are." 

"No, I know, believe me. And obviously, I haven't been involved with him for some time now. I'm here to ask about what happened to him."

"That's really all that you wish to know?"

"That among many things Jing Yuan. I deserve that much after a thousand years."

"I agree. Yanqing, go retrieve the records." The boy nodded and hopped off the desk he was sitting on. He walked out of the room, leaving the two men to talk.

"You don't need the records. You remember the day."

"How could I forget? I just wanted it to be me and you talking. Yanqing is smart, so he'll realize soon enough that the records were burned."

"How long do you think we have?"

"We have about 30 minutes at most. What do you want to know, M/n?" Jing Yuan beckoned him closer so they could look out the window together.

"Where was he kept after exile?"

"Planning on seeing him?"

"Answer the question, General. I'm not in the mood for your games."

"He was kept in the Shackling Prison. Where you were for interrogation. However, he's not there anymore."

"Where is he now?"

"We don't know. All that I know is that we found an odd looking plant in his cell a week of his holding. One similar to what you came out from." M/n's breath hitched as he turned slowly to look at Jing Yuan. The man didn't bother to return the eye contact.

"So you're saying he went through rebirth? And in the incorrect conditions...?"

"Define incorrect."

"Well, for one, we're supposed to be comfortable. And in the waterscape. Not to mention that it was probably forced."

"Well, Scalegourge Waterscape has been gone for a while now. As well as the Vidyadhara race as a whole. You, and one more as I'm aware of, living in the Loufu."

"That means whoever that is...was bestowed the high-elder title. But the only person who could've done that would've been.."

"Dan Feng. You'd be correct."

"What happened to our people...?"

"I'm sure you can guess. You and the high elder are left, as far as I know." M/n breath hitched as he covered his mouth in shock. He had thought that maybe his love was still alive in the hell the Loufu called a prison. But hearing that filled him with sadness and pain unlike anything he's ever experienced.

"Ah, but M/n. You should know that he was exiled off of the Loufu. Where he went after that, I have no idea."

So there was a chance. Even with that somewhat relieving news, M/n couldn't help but release a huge sigh, letting all his previous stress escape out with that breath. Jing Yuan glanced over at him with an unreadable expression before patting M/n back. He tried to comfort him as best he could, considering the situation he was in.

"I have a proposal for you, M/n." The General began after a couple of moments went by.

"And that would be..?" M/n whispered, wiping away his tear stained face.

"Since you were never put on trial, you're technically free to go. You were never a convict ever. The only reason I put that bounty on your head was to talk to you. But Blade took you before I had the chance to in the Shackling Prison."

"You understood that I had questions, huh?"

"That, and to tell you about what happened the day that Dan Feng was captured." M/n turned to look at Jing Yuan, his expression a mix of confusion and surprise."

"So what does that have to do with the deal?"

"If you join me for a small amount of time, then I'll tell you everything I know. If you don't, I'll charge you for conspiracy with wanted criminals, and you'll be sent back to the shackling prison. I have no idea why Blade took you that day, but I assure you it won't happen again."

"So you're leaving me with no choice here?"

"M/n, you have a choice. And it's easy to see the right one. I have lost a lot of knights. They have all been Mara-Struck or killed by Mara-Struck. I need your power."

"Then, I agree to lend my assistance. As long as you tell me what happened. Right here and now."

"On that day, the day that we stormed Scalegourge Waterscape, our main intent was to search for Dan Feng and capture him. All of the soldiers were nowhere to be found, making it quite easy to even enter the waterscape."

"That's odd. There should be guards stationed everywhere."

"There wasn't. Instead, they were all towards the edge of the waterscape. Guarding Dan Feng. Dan Feng was guarding you. It had been at least three days since he had even left that spot as according to him."

"He was there when I first went through my rebirth. So he didn't move for three days.."

"He fought hard to keep you safe after our ranks had pushed through his. Going as far as to wipe out about a fourth of the party with a single blow. But once we got him restrained was when it seemed over.

"What do you mean it seemed over?"

"As soon as a group of soldiers touched your off looking cocoon, he was literally described in reports as feral. It was like he was acting on instinct. It took thirty minutes and ten men including myself to restrain him. That was when you were taken away."

M/n was put into a state of disbelief. Dan Feng fought to keep him of all people safe, even going as far as to take any available soldier to protect him. He purposely put the Waterscape in danger to protect HIM. One might've found that flattering, but M/n didn't. He swore on his life that once he found his love once again, he would beat some sense into him. Even if it was the last thing M/n did.

Jing Yuan could sense M/n practically seething, so he changed the subject.

"But, enough about that for now. For your first mission...you'll be acting as a guard for the Divination Commissioner."

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐