𝗣𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 ━ MO DAO ZU SHI

CHAPTER THREE ━ OLD WOUNDS

with lan sizhui and lan jingyi assistance, they were able to set up a flag formation along the rooftops and wall eaves. the flags were known as spirit attraction flags. if it was stuck on a living person, it would end up attracting every dark spirit, vengeful ghost, fierce corpse, and all such manner of evil to attack that person.

besides being called a spirit attraction flag, it was also called a target flag which can be stuck on buildings. but just like sticking it on a person, there had to be living people within the building. this trick was created by yiling patriarch who was also known as wei wuxian. he was the very man hai-feng and lan wangji ended up losing thirteen years ago.

one would think that would be enough time to grieve, but they were highly mistaken. he could still remember the first time he met him. his mischievous laughter, that glint in his eyes that proved he was up to no good. the chaotic, yet loveable aura he gave off.

who would ever be able to forget such a thing? especially when it came to someone he had loved dearly. memories such as those could not be erased from his mind. he refused to forget about them. wouldn't that be the same thing as forgetting wei wuxian? the first man he's ever touched as well as the first man that's returned his touch besides lan wangji?

"ai-ting, are you alright? if you aren't feeling well, lan jingyi and i-"

hai-feng hadn't even noticed the two junior disciples had finished the final touches of the flag formation. lan jingyi had disappeared, most likely to double check their work and lan sizhui stood before him with a look of concern on his face.

"i'm just fine, don't worry. besides, lan wangji is trusting me to look out for the both of you. i tend to see my required duties fulfilled. why don't you head back inside and make sure everything is in place?"

lan sizhui looked as if he wanted to press the issue but decided against it and gave a curt nod before returning inside. once the young disciple of the gusu lan clan had shifted out of view, hai-feng's body decided to drop the facade. without warning, he doubled over as if he had been punched in the stomach.

he raised a hand to his mouth, containing the sounds of his coughing until they subsided. his hand came away with a small crimson stain in the center of his palm. as if hiding the evidence of his weak condition, hai-feng curled his hand into a fist and lowered his hand to his side. except, when he looked up, someone had been a witness to his coughing fit.

there stood mo xuanyu. now that his face was cleansed of the white powder from earlier, he was able to make out his face a lot more clearly. the male did have an attractive and graceful face, as for the reason why he hid it behind a white powdered mask was beyond hai-feng's knowledge. mo xuanyu briefly met his gaze before looking away in guilt of having witnessed something he shouldn't have.

he didn't say anything. instead, he simply made to walk passed him. it was only then did mo xuanyu decide to speak up and voice his concern just as lan sizhui had done.

"are you sure you're alright? it looked as if you coughed up bl-"

"i'm fine," hai-feng interrupted firing a small smile in his direction. "thank you for your concern. nightfall is steadily approaching. for your safety, please head back inside."

he made to walk away but was once again stopped as mo xuanyu came to quickly block his path.

"you shouldn't push yourself. you'll only worry the ones who care about you. your illness isn't commonly seen is it?"

hai-feng's eyebrows furrowed as he studied the male before him. he wouldn't call what he had an illness per say. just an old wound that bothered him from time to time. a wound that lan wangji took seriously. as long as he doesn't push himself too far tonight, he should be fine. then he can head back to gusu and take the required medicine. for now, he would just have to push through it. there were people counting on him and he didn't plan on letting them down.

"how-"

"ai-ting," lan jingyi suddenly dashed around the corner. he didn't bother to spare mo xuanyu a glance as he reported to him. "it's time."