Absentia||Wangxian||MDZS

Desiderum

Desiderium: an ardent desire or longing especially: a feeling of loss or grief for something lost.

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Hanguang Jun arrives like he always does. When the battle is at its hardest, he comes down with his pristine white clothes, sword in hand, elegant, graceful, and... bloody?

Nobody notices.

They're too accustomed to comparing the great Hanguang Jun to an immortal that they forget he bleeds too.

It wasn't Lan Wangji's intention for anyone to notice his arrival anyway.

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He wakes up on his stomach. Light hitting the paper windows lightly. He never sleeps so late, why?-

Trying to get up is a mistake. His back screams in pain as the lashes pull the red skin and the bandages taint in red again. He breathes deeply, but it comes ragged and panting. His eyebrows tightly knitted together, he concentrates on both feeling the extent of his injuries and ignoring the pain they bring. The smell of medicine is strong and persistent he notices now that he's conscious. It makes him a little drowsy but inhaling it helps dull the throb on his back. He's ready to go back to sleep when he hears voices outside the Jingshi.

"Hey! running is forbidden." The voice is surprisingly close, loud, and clear. Lan Wangji wouldn't be surprised if they were guarding the Jingshi by the elders' orders.

"This disciple apologizes. *Lan Zongzhu and **Lan Xiansheng went to Nevernight. A rumor says Yiling Laozu is there. The elders commanded to send all the disciples they can."

Lan Wangji doesn't hear what they say next. His blood rushes to his ears and every nerve freezes. Wei Ying is facing the sects again?

He hears three sets of footsteps walk away. He only hopes there is no one outside as he puts on an exterior robe that weighs more heavily on him than it should and searches for Bichen.

By the time he gets to the door, the medicine is all gone, the light outside isn't as bright and his body feels sore.

But there is no one outside.

He takes one last look at what has been his home all these years. The memories it holds are precious to him. It makes him briefly consider what will happen once his Shufu and Xiongzhang realize he left the Jingshi.

He shakes his head, dispersing his thoughts. He pulls out his sword and with all the strength he can muster, rides Bichen all the way to Wei Ying.

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Hanguang Jun goes wherever the chaos is.

At first, it's easy to blend in with the Lan white. He didn't wear his ***guan nor brought his guqin. Just using a simple white ribbon holding half of his hair to keep it off his face. Raising his arms hurts a bit too much to be elaborate.

Bichen is sheathed as he looks around for black and red robes. Mostly no one pays him attention as he dodges both spiritual resentment and cultivators alike. His movements are just a fraction slower than usual, but it's enough to make him bump into some of them. Each jab makes him subtly stumble.

When he finally catches sight of messy black hair in a scarlet red ribbon, his back stings, and standing with his shoulders straight has become too difficult.