【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made in our parking garage for all new arrivals. We aim to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience!
All are invited to There Is No Tomorrow, a Phoenix Casino soiree to celebrate our beloved guests. The festivities will begin at 1800 hours on January 20th and end at 1800 hours on January 27th. Please look forward to 168 hours of delight.
In an effort to raise happiness and encourage better guest relationships, attendance is required. The house will assist guests that are too shy to appear of their own accord. Please note that black tie attire is mandatory. As always, we hope you enjoy your stay! 】
PARKING GARAGE
ANY CAR IN A STORM
PHOENIX CASINO HALL
WELCOME TO THE NEXT 168 HOURS
Phoenix Casino is a-flutter with activity and packed to the beak with guests. As a famously ever-changing space, the staff would be remiss if they didn't deck the crown jewel of the Golden Peacock out. The casino glitters from top to bottom, shining brighter than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals! Party-goers are shiny and glamorous with picture perfect makeup, fluttering gowns, and sharp suits. Card tables are packed and the slot machines are a-ringing as guests play, play, play! Prizes, luxury, booze, attractive people, it's the place that everyone wants to be at.
Those people being dragged inside by some invisible force...? Silly, they were so excited to come that their bodies moved before they realized what was happening. Those are struggles of joy and definitely not the casino's infamous ghost hands dragging unwilling guests to the party at the behest of the house. Look, they're literally hurling their bodies at the card tables with unrestrained glee!
All clocks indicating day hours and night hours have been removed from the casino. Once a guest has entered, their Watch will jam, making it impossible to keep track of the time. You don't need to worry about that tonight.
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's January event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention! If you would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header. This month we also have an ongoing ATP / EMP where players can connect. Please feel free to utilize this for all of your peafowl needs!
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
[ Xue Yang's own suit seems very likely forced upon him, and he's certainly making some sort of fashion statement with it. He 1) clearly isn't familiar with how to wear it, 2) doesn't like how itchy it is, and 3) doesn't care about walking around more or less half naked. So while his inner garments are sparing him from the worst on his legs and allowing him to wear that part correct (if a tad misshapen), the shirt and jacket are hanging open and practically off his shoulders, exposing most of his chest to the room. It also means the sleeves tend to drape over his hands, though not intentionally, for the moment obscuring a left hand that's missing a pinky.
He doesn't recognize who it is who just sat down next to him, but he's ready to roll (ha ha) with it: with Xue Yang's state of dress he's already had a few people approach him so far hoping for someone to easily get through a round with. (Whether or not it in fact proved easy was up to just how rough the dice were feeling.) There's even a conspicuous red mark on his nose from a prior round, though exactly what was done to him isn't entirely clear from its appearance.
He grins in return. ]
Winner's the one who finishes four first. The rest is easy to figure out.
[ The sides are rather self-explanatory even to the most prudish of newcomers, and Xue Yang's not about to be helpful when they can just jump right in. ]
Why, you interested in playing?
[ He reaches for the dice, but they're currently closer to Wei Wuxian so he can probably grab them first if he wants to. ]
[ You know what's weird? This guy seems shockingly familiar but Wei Wuxian just can't place him. There's just something about him though that makes Wei Wuxian feel almost certain that they've met before. Maybe he's another cultivator? But what would he be doing here? Eh, if that's the case, he'll probably recognize the name Wei Wuxian so whenever they introduce themselves, he'll keep a savvy eye out.
For now, he settles into the seat next to Xue Yang and lets him snag the dice first. He notes how sloppy he looks in the suit and well, he's not that much better in terms of carrying himself, but he did put his suit on properly. It wasn't too hard to figure out pants.
He takes a sip of his drink (alcohol, of course), setting it down on the table and taps his fingers against the surface, considering. ]
Why not? New people, new place, new experiences. I'm here for it all. Let's play.
[ Xue Yang snorts softly at that. Someone new here and jumping right in, huh? He'll certainly get it all, or at least a good portion of it, with that attitude. There's a lot to experience here, and perhaps trying for the entirety is a fool's errand, but it certainly means someone sufficiently adventurous won't run out of things to do. If that adventurousness holds up remains to be seen.
Wei Wuxian's confirmation is all Xue Yang needs, and with a throw of the dice, the game is on. He watches eagerly as they tumble across the table, and once they settle he gives a quick laugh as his gaze darts up to Wei Wuxian to gauge his reaction.
SUCK NIPPLE
It's not the worst, but it's still being thrown in the deep end. ]
Not a bad start.
[ That's all he says before he's reaching for Wei Wuxian's suit jacket. Someone who had any sense of seduction, or failing that, romance, would probably make some sort of production of this. A slow attempt at undressing, plenty of coy glances and teasing smirks, even some dirty talk.
Xue Yang is not that sort of person. Xue Yang has been given a target, and is more than ready to zero in on it without any extra flourish. Which also happens to mean the excess sleeves reaching past both hands are getting scrunched back so he can work. After all he has no particular reason not to reveal the stub of his pinky, a light gray clubs emblem on his left palm as if to further draw attention to the hand. ]
[ Wei Wuxian is still trying to place the mystery of where he knows this man from, when he sees the dice roll and the pick of what to do. He raises an eyebrow, very much aware that this is the deep end and he's about to get his nipple sucked on by a stranger. Except, is he a stranger? There's still that ruminating curiosity in him that burns which means he doesn't fight it as Xue Yang starts to push his jacket open.
It's only as he notices the pinky that alarm goes off in his head. The last time he met someone with a missing pinky, well, it was Yi City and Xue Yang and that whole mess. His mind whirrs quickly, how can he get the name of this guy without seeming like a coward who doesn't want to play the game? What if he does know him? What if he is from his world? What if, what if, what if.
The shirt he's wearing under his jacket is a black dress shirt with a deep V, leaving most of his chest exposed when the shirt is pushed open. He'll lift his own hands to help the man as he starts unbuttoning, and then opts to casually make conversation as he does. ]
Are you going to introduce yourself before you get your mouth on my chest or are we ignoring those social niceties here?
[ That gets another sharp laugh, Xue Yang's hands not pausing an instant at the question. Any "social niceties" he has are tenuous, at most coaxed into him by Jin Guangyao at some point in the past, and life in the Golden Peacock hasn't exactly made any attempts to reinforce them. ]
You can do what you want, but I don't bother with shit like that and I get by just fine.
[ Sometimes self-introductions happen, and sometimes he walks away knowing someone only by face.
But for all that he's a selfish asshole, Xue Yang does know about going along with things to get what he wants. It just so happens that if that's annoying, he'll just as quickly turn around and try to get it by force instead. An introduction, though? That's easy enough, something he's done before as long as a certain daozhang isn't around to hear.
One of Wei Wuxian's nipples appears and Xue Yang is already leaning in for it. ]
But if it matters, my name's Xue Yang.
[ A moment later his lips are pressed around the dark nub of skin. ]
[ Xue Yang! It's Xue Yang! That boyish face, those canine teeth, the missing pinky. He should have put it all together. Sure, he looks a little different than when he last saw him but this is a different world, different rules, different customs altogether. Of course it's possible for Xue Yang to appear here, even after dying. He'd be a hypocrite to say death is the end of everything when he's the one walking around in a body that isn't his in the first place.
So, his mind whirrs, his body tenses, and when Xue Yang gets a mouth on his nipple — Wei Wuxian's reaction is to just burst into a little hysterical giggle, quickly covering his mouth with a hand and squirming in his seat. At least he has an excuse for this. ]
Ah, your mouth! That tickles.
[ And makes his body heat up in equal measure. He wonders a bit if Mo Xuanyu ever experienced something like this before — this body is a little oversensitive, in his opinion. It could barely take getting stabbed before and now, well, he shivers at the sensation of a tongue.
For now, he opts to let Xue Yang do what he wants. Even if he introduces himself, he wonders if Xue Yang will attack him or try and befriend him again. He doesn't know where his head's at and the guy's hard to predict. But they're both stuck here, aren't they? He really doesn't want to chance a fight, especially when he doesn't have Lan Wangji around to protect him.
So, if they could just agree to a truce while here... hopefully any lingering respect the guy might have for Wei Wuxian's abilities remains and he doesn't want to kill Wei Wuxian immediately. ]
[ Oblivious to Wei Wuxian's inner turmoil, Xue Yang continues diligently performing his task. Which, after a bit of introduction via a couple licks, involves appropriately sucking at the skin as instructed. It's not the sort of thing he's particularly into--Xue Yang isn't exactly one for foreplay--but there's something satisfying about getting those squirming reactions. So rather than just take a couple seconds and be done with it he spends a bit longer going back and forth between licking and sucking, drawing it out.
Finally he gets bored enough with doing so little that he pulls back, grin still on his face. There's the thought to escalate things but at least for the moment he has his eyes on the prize, and there's three more dice throws on his end to have fun with. ]
Your turn.
[ If his opponent thinks he has the nerve still after all that. ]
[ This entire experience is so strange, so surreal, that Wei Wuxian doesn't know exactly what to do about it other than just... go with it for now. He does squirm, his nipples sensitive (which makes him swear, why is Mo Xuanyu's body so sensitive?) and the licks and sucks Xue Yang lays on him has his face flushing, red creeping up from his collarbone and turning his face a rosy pink. He expects Xue Yang to be done quickly, to get bored easily, but the man remains longer than Wei Wuxian could predict and so, by the time he's done, Wei Wuxian is very off-kilter.
But then Xue Yang is baiting him, your turn he says and Wei Wuxian is immediately set on edge because damnit, he can't lose now. He was so brave going into this and just because it's Xue Yang he's playing with — no! He's going to do this! He's going to win!
So, he coughs politely, picks up the dice and shakes them in his hand a little before tossing them.
He gets a three and a seven. Kiss neck. That's... kind of tame, really! Not too bad. He can do that. ]
Alright, come here.
[ He's going to reach for Xue Yang's jacket lapels, in order to tug him in closer. ]
[ Xue Yang is quite content to lean in, but resists just enough that Wei Wuxian needs to give a bit of a tug. Still it's not long before he's close again, this time letting his own already-loose jacket fall further open instead of opening Wei Wuxian's.
Exposing more skin reveals faint scars littering his body: remnants of larger wounds that couldn't fully heal, or minor ones that weren't properly attended to the way they might have been if he'd been a proper sect disciple. Evidence of a life lived in hardship, and of one prone to trouble as well.
He tilts his head, exposing his neck as he smirks. It's an arrogant gesture, looking more as if he's inviting someone to try to slice it with a blade than go in for a kiss. But there's a surprising dearth of blades around and plenty of sex flowing freely, so there's not much opportunity for one over the other. ]
[ This guy. Wei Wuxian can't help but feel like he's being challenged in some way, maybe even mocked. It's an interesting thing because he's sure Xue Yang hasn't figured out who he is yet so he's approaching him, a stranger, with this kind of attitude. He's still going along with it, but if Wei Wuxian was a little more sensitive, he'd definitely have taken the bait and tried to push back on Xue Yang.
But no, he's just going to do what the game entails. He wants to win and he also wants to get a better read on Xue Yang and how he's doing here. He doesn't seem as fish out of water as Wei Wuxian feels so maybe he's been here for a while. After he died, perhaps? His curiosity is immense.
And then there's those scars. He knew Xue Yang lived a hard life, a rough one, but seeing the evidence of it is... hm. Should he feel sympathy? Pity? He doesn't know. He never really knew Xue Yang in the first place, just knew his actions and how despicable they were. He's unforgivable but that doesn't mean his life wasn't hard either.
(Though, granted, people would say that about him, wouldn't they?)
Ah — he's getting mired in thought. He focuses again and leans in, ducking his head to press his mouth to Xue Yang's throat, kissing it gently. He doesn't know how much he needs to kiss him for it to count, so he presses a few kisses against his throat, his adam's apple, across his collarbone. It didn't say suck, just kiss, so he keeps his kisses light for now. ]
[ It's just about as boring as Xue Yang was expecting, even with the taunt--there's no bite, not even a nip or even a lick. But that's not what he comments on first when Wei Wuxian pulls back. The snort he makes is derisive, but it's not the actions that he's directing it at. ]
Are you a cultivator?
[ He pauses for a moment as if expecting an answer, but continues before there's actually space to reply. ]
They're self-righteous hypocrites back where I'm from. Whining about social niceties and then acting too good for them yourself; you'd fit right in.
[ Not that he's going to demand his opponent's name; he honestly doesn't care. But it's the hypocrisy that pisses him off the most.
(He's certainly been here long enough to know that "cultivator" is a term worth explaining, at least.)
Xue Yang doesn't even bother to put his jacket back in place before he grabs the dice and throws them again.
He fucked up. He fucked up! He should have been more attentive, should have stopped thinking so much and instead given a name, even if it was a fake name. But no, he's been caught in this limbo of being unsure he could keep up the lie and not wanting Xue Yang to know who he is. If he's here for a long time, if he's here and gains a reputation for himself — eventually, Xue Yang will know Wei Wuxian is counted among the guests of this hotel. He can't hide from him for too long.
Shit, shit, shit.
And then he knows he's giving himself away too because his eyes widen at the question, caught off guard, and though he knows he should be asking what a cultivator is, that feels a little fruitless too. Ugh, Wei Wuxian doesn't really lie. He's too bold, too self-important, too secure in himself to come up with tales when he can just ... play chenqing or call in Lan Wangji if he's in danger. Neither of which he has here.
Ughhhhh.
So, he asks the most important question, revealing in turn that he knows exactly who Xue Yang is. ]
Are you going to kill me?
[ Despite that, he offers up his knee. What a stupid game. ]
[ His eyes narrow as his grin widens into a sneer. But there's a giveaway in the slight movement in his eyes as he studies this person, searching for something to spark his recognition. He doesn't forget the appearances of those who have wronged him, but it's true that there's a couple members of the Chang Clan whose faces he doesn't know just yet.
He definitely won't forget this man now. ]
Are you someone I should kill?
[ Because if he is, he's certain to die sooner or later. And now Xue Yang is curious just what his identity is.
He leans in closer as if studying the man, but suddenly his right hand moves--smack!--the strike not hard by cultivator standards but trying to knock his opponent off-balance and maybe even tip him from his chair. He's not expecting much of it, but wouldn't it be hilarious if it worked? ]
[ The answer is... about what he should have expected, he realizes. At least it confirms Xue Yang still doesn't recognize who he is and he wonders if it's because of the same reason he didn't recognize Xue Yang initially. Ah, he's going to need to give his name soon, or this paranoid asshole is going to become even more of a paranoid asshole. Phew. ]
I don't personally think I need to be kill—
[ But then Xue Yang slaps his knee and Wei Wuxian, in all his thinking, completely forgot about his low spiritual energy. Fuck's sake. This stupid body. So, even though the slap is something any cultivator could take, Wei Wuxian still doesn't have a golden core and is in the body of a cultivator who did not cultivate one. Stupid Mo Xuanyu. You're killing him here, literally.
Which means down he goes, surprise on his face at how hard the hit feels and how it tips him right over backwards. There's a yelp, he grabs for the table next to them but that doesn't help and suddenly, with a crash, he's on the floor in a messy pile of limbs.
In a very baby whine: ]
O-Owww. Unfaaaair.
[ In that moment, he really misses Lan Wangji, who would absolutely help him up off the floor and rub his head better if he whined enough. ]
[ Xue Yang bursts into laughter as he watches the man go down and then whine about it. That was in fact exactly as hilarious as he thought it would be. ]
What was that? Are you even a cultivator? [ Xue Yang sits back and crosses his arms, then gives Wei Wuxian a small nudge with the toe of his boot. ] Of course it's not fair. It's because life's not fair that I kill people. If everything were fair, why would any of them need to make up for a mistake worth more than their lives? They just wouldn't have done whatever they did in the first place.
[ He goes to kick a bit harder the second time. ]
Are you gonna keep going, or do I get another turn?
[ Well. At least he made Xue Yang laugh, though what he says next is kind of. Uh. Hm. Yeah. Part of him wants to argue, to point out the hypocrisy in Xue Yang's words but he's also well enough aware that Xue Yang knows the hypocrisy but doesn't care. So, he just winces at the second kick and shifts to push himself off the ground. ]
I'm going, I'm going. Just — give me a second.
[ Lifting himself up off the ground along with his chair, he stands up and straightens out his clothes before sitting back down. Alright, back to the game. Less talk about killing people. He picks up the dice and rolls them.
First one is fondle and Wei Wuxian is grimacing already when the second lands on chest. Okay, not the worst combo in the world and he can manage it. ]
Okay. C'mere.
[ He's reaching out with his hands, jerking his chin towards Xue Yang's chest. ]
— And, well. You really don't remember me, right? No clue who I am? [ . . . ] I'm not a Chang, so you don't need to get revenge on me.
Xue Yang's eyes narrow, but he doesn't otherwise seem to react right away. His jacket is still off from before so he moves forward to put the two of them within arm's reach, giving Wei Wuxian all the access he needs.
That's when he suddenly reaches out to try to grab Wei Wuxian by the jaw so he can lean in and study his face closer. ]
Fine. Who are you? Since you want me to ask so bad.
[ He really doesn't know who this is. He doesn't recognize their appearance, and their attitude is just as unfamiliar. Is this guy like that Julieta woman, someone who somehow knows him without him having ever met them? He'd have no hesitation talking about the Chang Clan with someone he met here, so it's not like this person needs to know him from back where he's from. ]
[ He's not expecting his jaw to be grabbed and jerks back instinctively, but Xue Yang's grip is too firm for him to pull away and so, he's pulled in. At the same time, his hands land on Xue Yang's chest, just pressing against him for now because his mind is whirring and he's trying to think of any route to safety right now.
He's kind of trapped himself, hasn't he?
Okay, okay. Time to give up the gambit and just see what happens. Pull the trigger. Do the thing. He squirms a little, looking away from Xue Yang for a moment before back to him, sighing. ]
Wei Wuxian. I'm Wei Wuxian.
[ And now he waits to see if Xue Yang has a reaction to that name or not. This is really the worst predicament he could've put himself in, he realizes. He sure fucking hopes he survives this. ]
[ A reaction there is. Xue Yang's pupils immediately dilate at the name as he looks the face over a second time.
Jin Guangyao, rather intentionally (though much to Xue Yang's dismay), had kept Xue Yang solidly separated from actually meeting Wei Wuxian. He'd sneaked a few glimpses of him from across courtyards or adjacent buildings those few times they'd both been at Jinlintai, but it was never long enough to study him, and certainly never close enough to hold a conversation. He knew all about him; of course he did; he'd deeply studied his techniques in life and his notes in death. Jin Guangyao delivered any scrap of information that might have proved useful for whatever Xue Yang was tinkering with at the time.
But he couldn't claim he'd ever be able to recognize Wei Wuxian's face. ]
Prove it.
[ Despite the bite in the words there's excitement in his voice; a hint of something that he can't suppress betraying that he wants it to be true. How would Wei Wuxian prove it? That's not Xue Yang's problem. Wei Wuxian is clever, clever enough that if this is truly him he'd surely be able to come up with something. This is definitely not at all an unreasonable expectation on Xue Yang's part. ]
[ Prove it, he says, and Wei Wuxian lets out a very put upon sigh because god, this is just like him to ask Wei Wuxian to prove it, isn't it? Everyone thinks he can do such crazy feats of magic and he is!! Just!! Some guy!! But fine, he knows well enough to know there's one thing he can do to probably prove it. He just hopes it's enough for Xue Yang to believe him.
So, he whistles. It's a low, steady melody, simple even, and after he's done it seems like nothing might happen. But eventually, there's a few gasps from the people around them, a flickering lightbulb above them, and the dark wisp of a ghost that envelops them. The features of it aren't distinct, but the ghostly hands that extend from the black wisp reach out for Wei Wuxian and pull him back sharply from Xue Yang's grip, forcing the other man to let him go in the process.
The ghost picks up Wei Wuxian gently then and sets him back on his seat, easy as it pleases. It lingers for a moment, a faint ghostly giggle that sounds so faraway and Wei Wuxian doesn't seem to be surprised by any of this. ]
Thank you, you can go now.
[ And then more laughter before the dark wisp disappears, leaving them back in the brightly lit gambling hall once again. The light above them stops flickering.
Wei Wuxian takes a moment to straighten his clothes and then looks at Xue Yang. ]
[ Honestly, the ghost doesn't even need to appear for it to be enough.
Almost every demonic cultivator uses a flute, and it's for a very simple reason: they have no goddamn clue what they're doing. When Wei Wuxian appeared he turned the cultivation world on its head with Chenqing, and dozens of cultivators looking to follow in his footsteps sought to imitate his techniques. They took up the flute and copied his playing, and a few of them even managed a bit of success with it. But that was all the were doing: copying. If they tried something other than a flute they failed, and if they tried a different song, they failed.
This noise? This tune, whistled with purpose? This is not a copycat technique. As one of the few people who understands the fundamentals that Wei Wuxian was the first to uncover, Xue Yang is immediately certain that this is someone with mastery of those fundamentals.
If this isn't Wei Wuxian, then there's a third person in the same tier as the two of them.
Xue Yang watches as resentful energy is bent and commands, and a ghost obeys its call dutifully. It's not exactly the form he recognizes, but he's long gotten used to things being different here, ghosts included. He watches, gaze intense enough to burn through as he takes in every detail of the resulting movement. At the question his expression breaks into a grin wide enough to split his face, prominent canines revealing themselves. There's no Jin Guangyao around to interfere. ]
The Yin Tiger Tally. How did you refine it?
[ He's all but forgotten about their game of dirty dice for the moment. ]
[ Honestly, it doesn't make much sense to Wei Wuxian. The desire people have to copy him, to take his work and do more with it. It's all just... stuff to him, not work of renown or something worthy of worship. All his copycats are just that, copycats. He's proud of his skill, knows he's better than Xue Chonghai and Wen Ruohan or any of the other demonic cultivators out there.
But he's also not looking to take on disciples, to teach people what he's learned and to spread his work. His cultivation was an act of necessity, not a desire for power. He'd much rather be known for his more helpful inventions, like the Compass of Ill Winds, perhaps. Something like that.
So, when Xue Yang immediately asks him about the Yin Tiger Tally, Wei Wuxian makes a face. No, don't like that. ]
Sorry, kid, that's a secret I'm taking to my grave.
[ Hm. Wait. ]
— Which doesn't mean you're allowed to kill me for it. My ghost isn't giving up the details either.
Yeah, I know. You already did. [ Quick pause. ] Did you know your demonic cultivation kills you? [ Anyway, moving on. Anyone who deals with demonic cultivation knows that it will probably be the death of them sooner rather than later; Wei Wuxian shouldn't be too surprised, right?
The more Xue Yang talks the more animated he gets, clearly eager to finally get the chance to talk shop (and with his idol of all people). ]
I've already figured out most of how it works. It harnesses the yin energy that's seeped into the earth from battles and wars to raise fierce corpses without the user needing to channel any resentful energy themselves, right? And then it uses the collective consciousness of a tally to assert mass control and raise aggression. Anyone can use it because its two halves each serve as the other's master, so as long as they're together it'll activate.
The metal it's forged from has strong yin properties, but there's something particular in the refining process that made the Yin Tiger Tally even more powerful than normal. That part is all you need to tell me.
[ His demonic cultivation kills him? No, he kills him! It was suicide! Though, eh, okay, maybe it was the demonic cultivation that led him there so Xue Yang isn't exactly wrong...
Unless he means in general? That he'll eventually die again because of it? Wei Wuxian just gives him a narrow eyed look and tries to figure it out. ]
Alright.
[ Aaaanyway. Moving on, yes! He listens to the guy babble a bit and feels a little sick to his stomach because yes, that's all... correct. And he knew that Xue Yang was smart about these kind of things already but, like, fml.
Wei Wuxian sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose tiredly. ]
Good job, I guess. For figuring out that much. [ Ugh. ] But I'm not helping you the rest of the way. The Yin Tiger Tally shouldn't have even been created in the first place, better to leave it in the past than drag it to the present.
[ He McFucked up making that thing and he's not going to let Xue Yang of all people change his mind on this. ]
No, you will. [ The reply is straightforward. Not insistent, not argumentative, just a simple statement of a fact. ] It's just the refining process. You'll tell me that much.
[ Why is he so confident? Because that's how he is. ]
I'll tell you what I've been working on, too. There aren't many corpses here to experiment with but there's lots of ghosts, and other materials too. I've already found some things that work differently in this place.
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
3, slides in here
He doesn't recognize who it is who just sat down next to him, but he's ready to roll (ha ha) with it: with Xue Yang's state of dress he's already had a few people approach him so far hoping for someone to easily get through a round with. (Whether or not it in fact proved easy was up to just how rough the dice were feeling.) There's even a conspicuous red mark on his nose from a prior round, though exactly what was done to him isn't entirely clear from its appearance.
He grins in return. ]
Winner's the one who finishes four first. The rest is easy to figure out.
[ The sides are rather self-explanatory even to the most prudish of newcomers, and Xue Yang's not about to be helpful when they can just jump right in. ]
Why, you interested in playing?
[ He reaches for the dice, but they're currently closer to Wei Wuxian so he can probably grab them first if he wants to. ]
yessssssssssssss!!!
For now, he settles into the seat next to Xue Yang and lets him snag the dice first. He notes how sloppy he looks in the suit and well, he's not that much better in terms of carrying himself, but he did put his suit on properly. It wasn't too hard to figure out pants.
He takes a sip of his drink (alcohol, of course), setting it down on the table and taps his fingers against the surface, considering. ]
Why not? New people, new place, new experiences. I'm here for it all. Let's play.
I promise this was rng--
Wei Wuxian's confirmation is all Xue Yang needs, and with a throw of the dice, the game is on. He watches eagerly as they tumble across the table, and once they settle he gives a quick laugh as his gaze darts up to Wei Wuxian to gauge his reaction.
SUCK
NIPPLE
It's not the worst, but it's still being thrown in the deep end. ]
Not a bad start.
[ That's all he says before he's reaching for Wei Wuxian's suit jacket. Someone who had any sense of seduction, or failing that, romance, would probably make some sort of production of this. A slow attempt at undressing, plenty of coy glances and teasing smirks, even some dirty talk.
Xue Yang is not that sort of person. Xue Yang has been given a target, and is more than ready to zero in on it without any extra flourish. Which also happens to mean the excess sleeves reaching past both hands are getting scrunched back so he can work. After all he has no particular reason not to reveal the stub of his pinky, a light gray clubs emblem on his left palm as if to further draw attention to the hand. ]
oh my GOD LMFAO
It's only as he notices the pinky that alarm goes off in his head. The last time he met someone with a missing pinky, well, it was Yi City and Xue Yang and that whole mess. His mind whirrs quickly, how can he get the name of this guy without seeming like a coward who doesn't want to play the game? What if he does know him? What if he is from his world? What if, what if, what if.
The shirt he's wearing under his jacket is a black dress shirt with a deep V, leaving most of his chest exposed when the shirt is pushed open. He'll lift his own hands to help the man as he starts unbuttoning, and then opts to casually make conversation as he does. ]
Are you going to introduce yourself before you get your mouth on my chest or are we ignoring those social niceties here?
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You can do what you want, but I don't bother with shit like that and I get by just fine.
[ Sometimes self-introductions happen, and sometimes he walks away knowing someone only by face.
But for all that he's a selfish asshole, Xue Yang does know about going along with things to get what he wants. It just so happens that if that's annoying, he'll just as quickly turn around and try to get it by force instead. An introduction, though? That's easy enough, something he's done before as long as a certain daozhang isn't around to hear.
One of Wei Wuxian's nipples appears and Xue Yang is already leaning in for it. ]
But if it matters, my name's Xue Yang.
[ A moment later his lips are pressed around the dark nub of skin. ]
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So, his mind whirrs, his body tenses, and when Xue Yang gets a mouth on his nipple — Wei Wuxian's reaction is to just burst into a little hysterical giggle, quickly covering his mouth with a hand and squirming in his seat. At least he has an excuse for this. ]
Ah, your mouth! That tickles.
[ And makes his body heat up in equal measure. He wonders a bit if Mo Xuanyu ever experienced something like this before — this body is a little oversensitive, in his opinion. It could barely take getting stabbed before and now, well, he shivers at the sensation of a tongue.
For now, he opts to let Xue Yang do what he wants. Even if he introduces himself, he wonders if Xue Yang will attack him or try and befriend him again. He doesn't know where his head's at and the guy's hard to predict. But they're both stuck here, aren't they? He really doesn't want to chance a fight, especially when he doesn't have Lan Wangji around to protect him.
So, if they could just agree to a truce while here... hopefully any lingering respect the guy might have for Wei Wuxian's abilities remains and he doesn't want to kill Wei Wuxian immediately. ]
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Finally he gets bored enough with doing so little that he pulls back, grin still on his face. There's the thought to escalate things but at least for the moment he has his eyes on the prize, and there's three more dice throws on his end to have fun with. ]
Your turn.
[ If his opponent thinks he has the nerve still after all that. ]
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But then Xue Yang is baiting him, your turn he says and Wei Wuxian is immediately set on edge because damnit, he can't lose now. He was so brave going into this and just because it's Xue Yang he's playing with — no! He's going to do this! He's going to win!
So, he coughs politely, picks up the dice and shakes them in his hand a little before tossing them.
He gets a three and a seven. Kiss neck. That's... kind of tame, really! Not too bad. He can do that. ]
Alright, come here.
[ He's going to reach for Xue Yang's jacket lapels, in order to tug him in closer. ]
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Exposing more skin reveals faint scars littering his body: remnants of larger wounds that couldn't fully heal, or minor ones that weren't properly attended to the way they might have been if he'd been a proper sect disciple. Evidence of a life lived in hardship, and of one prone to trouble as well.
He tilts his head, exposing his neck as he smirks. It's an arrogant gesture, looking more as if he's inviting someone to try to slice it with a blade than go in for a kiss. But there's a surprising dearth of blades around and plenty of sex flowing freely, so there's not much opportunity for one over the other. ]
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But no, he's just going to do what the game entails. He wants to win and he also wants to get a better read on Xue Yang and how he's doing here. He doesn't seem as fish out of water as Wei Wuxian feels so maybe he's been here for a while. After he died, perhaps? His curiosity is immense.
And then there's those scars. He knew Xue Yang lived a hard life, a rough one, but seeing the evidence of it is... hm. Should he feel sympathy? Pity? He doesn't know. He never really knew Xue Yang in the first place, just knew his actions and how despicable they were. He's unforgivable but that doesn't mean his life wasn't hard either.
(Though, granted, people would say that about him, wouldn't they?)
Ah — he's getting mired in thought. He focuses again and leans in, ducking his head to press his mouth to Xue Yang's throat, kissing it gently. He doesn't know how much he needs to kiss him for it to count, so he presses a few kisses against his throat, his adam's apple, across his collarbone. It didn't say suck, just kiss, so he keeps his kisses light for now. ]
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Are you a cultivator?
[ He pauses for a moment as if expecting an answer, but continues before there's actually space to reply. ]
They're self-righteous hypocrites back where I'm from. Whining about social niceties and then acting too good for them yourself; you'd fit right in.
[ Not that he's going to demand his opponent's name; he honestly doesn't care. But it's the hypocrisy that pisses him off the most.
(He's certainly been here long enough to know that "cultivator" is a term worth explaining, at least.)
Xue Yang doesn't even bother to put his jacket back in place before he grabs the dice and throws them again.
SLAP
KNEE ]
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He fucked up. He fucked up! He should have been more attentive, should have stopped thinking so much and instead given a name, even if it was a fake name. But no, he's been caught in this limbo of being unsure he could keep up the lie and not wanting Xue Yang to know who he is. If he's here for a long time, if he's here and gains a reputation for himself — eventually, Xue Yang will know Wei Wuxian is counted among the guests of this hotel. He can't hide from him for too long.
Shit, shit, shit.
And then he knows he's giving himself away too because his eyes widen at the question, caught off guard, and though he knows he should be asking what a cultivator is, that feels a little fruitless too. Ugh, Wei Wuxian doesn't really lie. He's too bold, too self-important, too secure in himself to come up with tales when he can just ... play chenqing or call in Lan Wangji if he's in danger. Neither of which he has here.
Ughhhhh.
So, he asks the most important question, revealing in turn that he knows exactly who Xue Yang is. ]
Are you going to kill me?
[ Despite that, he offers up his knee. What a stupid game. ]
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He definitely won't forget this man now. ]
Are you someone I should kill?
[ Because if he is, he's certain to die sooner or later. And now Xue Yang is curious just what his identity is.
He leans in closer as if studying the man, but suddenly his right hand moves--smack!--the strike not hard by cultivator standards but trying to knock his opponent off-balance and maybe even tip him from his chair. He's not expecting much of it, but wouldn't it be hilarious if it worked? ]
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I don't personally think I need to be kill—
[ But then Xue Yang slaps his knee and Wei Wuxian, in all his thinking, completely forgot about his low spiritual energy. Fuck's sake. This stupid body. So, even though the slap is something any cultivator could take, Wei Wuxian still doesn't have a golden core and is in the body of a cultivator who did not cultivate one. Stupid Mo Xuanyu. You're killing him here, literally.
Which means down he goes, surprise on his face at how hard the hit feels and how it tips him right over backwards. There's a yelp, he grabs for the table next to them but that doesn't help and suddenly, with a crash, he's on the floor in a messy pile of limbs.
In a very baby whine: ]
O-Owww. Unfaaaair.
[ In that moment, he really misses Lan Wangji, who would absolutely help him up off the floor and rub his head better if he whined enough. ]
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What was that? Are you even a cultivator? [ Xue Yang sits back and crosses his arms, then gives Wei Wuxian a small nudge with the toe of his boot. ] Of course it's not fair. It's because life's not fair that I kill people. If everything were fair, why would any of them need to make up for a mistake worth more than their lives? They just wouldn't have done whatever they did in the first place.
[ He goes to kick a bit harder the second time. ]
Are you gonna keep going, or do I get another turn?
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I'm going, I'm going. Just — give me a second.
[ Lifting himself up off the ground along with his chair, he stands up and straightens out his clothes before sitting back down. Alright, back to the game. Less talk about killing people. He picks up the dice and rolls them.
First one is fondle and Wei Wuxian is grimacing already when the second lands on chest. Okay, not the worst combo in the world and he can manage it. ]
Okay. C'mere.
[ He's reaching out with his hands, jerking his chin towards Xue Yang's chest. ]
— And, well. You really don't remember me, right? No clue who I am? [ . . . ] I'm not a Chang, so you don't need to get revenge on me.
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Xue Yang's eyes narrow, but he doesn't otherwise seem to react right away. His jacket is still off from before so he moves forward to put the two of them within arm's reach, giving Wei Wuxian all the access he needs.
That's when he suddenly reaches out to try to grab Wei Wuxian by the jaw so he can lean in and study his face closer. ]
Fine. Who are you? Since you want me to ask so bad.
[ He really doesn't know who this is. He doesn't recognize their appearance, and their attitude is just as unfamiliar. Is this guy like that Julieta woman, someone who somehow knows him without him having ever met them? He'd have no hesitation talking about the Chang Clan with someone he met here, so it's not like this person needs to know him from back where he's from. ]
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He's kind of trapped himself, hasn't he?
Okay, okay. Time to give up the gambit and just see what happens. Pull the trigger. Do the thing. He squirms a little, looking away from Xue Yang for a moment before back to him, sighing. ]
Wei Wuxian. I'm Wei Wuxian.
[ And now he waits to see if Xue Yang has a reaction to that name or not. This is really the worst predicament he could've put himself in, he realizes. He sure fucking hopes he survives this. ]
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Jin Guangyao, rather intentionally (though much to Xue Yang's dismay), had kept Xue Yang solidly separated from actually meeting Wei Wuxian. He'd sneaked a few glimpses of him from across courtyards or adjacent buildings those few times they'd both been at Jinlintai, but it was never long enough to study him, and certainly never close enough to hold a conversation. He knew all about him; of course he did; he'd deeply studied his techniques in life and his notes in death. Jin Guangyao delivered any scrap of information that might have proved useful for whatever Xue Yang was tinkering with at the time.
But he couldn't claim he'd ever be able to recognize Wei Wuxian's face. ]
Prove it.
[ Despite the bite in the words there's excitement in his voice; a hint of something that he can't suppress betraying that he wants it to be true. How would Wei Wuxian prove it? That's not Xue Yang's problem. Wei Wuxian is clever, clever enough that if this is truly him he'd surely be able to come up with something. This is definitely not at all an unreasonable expectation on Xue Yang's part. ]
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So, he whistles. It's a low, steady melody, simple even, and after he's done it seems like nothing might happen. But eventually, there's a few gasps from the people around them, a flickering lightbulb above them, and the dark wisp of a ghost that envelops them. The features of it aren't distinct, but the ghostly hands that extend from the black wisp reach out for Wei Wuxian and pull him back sharply from Xue Yang's grip, forcing the other man to let him go in the process.
The ghost picks up Wei Wuxian gently then and sets him back on his seat, easy as it pleases. It lingers for a moment, a faint ghostly giggle that sounds so faraway and Wei Wuxian doesn't seem to be surprised by any of this. ]
Thank you, you can go now.
[ And then more laughter before the dark wisp disappears, leaving them back in the brightly lit gambling hall once again. The light above them stops flickering.
Wei Wuxian takes a moment to straighten his clothes and then looks at Xue Yang. ]
Is that enough for you?
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Almost every demonic cultivator uses a flute, and it's for a very simple reason: they have no goddamn clue what they're doing. When Wei Wuxian appeared he turned the cultivation world on its head with Chenqing, and dozens of cultivators looking to follow in his footsteps sought to imitate his techniques. They took up the flute and copied his playing, and a few of them even managed a bit of success with it. But that was all the were doing: copying. If they tried something other than a flute they failed, and if they tried a different song, they failed.
This noise? This tune, whistled with purpose? This is not a copycat technique. As one of the few people who understands the fundamentals that Wei Wuxian was the first to uncover, Xue Yang is immediately certain that this is someone with mastery of those fundamentals.
If this isn't Wei Wuxian, then there's a third person in the same tier as the two of them.
Xue Yang watches as resentful energy is bent and commands, and a ghost obeys its call dutifully. It's not exactly the form he recognizes, but he's long gotten used to things being different here, ghosts included. He watches, gaze intense enough to burn through as he takes in every detail of the resulting movement. At the question his expression breaks into a grin wide enough to split his face, prominent canines revealing themselves. There's no Jin Guangyao around to interfere. ]
The Yin Tiger Tally. How did you refine it?
[ He's all but forgotten about their game of dirty dice for the moment. ]
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But he's also not looking to take on disciples, to teach people what he's learned and to spread his work. His cultivation was an act of necessity, not a desire for power. He'd much rather be known for his more helpful inventions, like the Compass of Ill Winds, perhaps. Something like that.
So, when Xue Yang immediately asks him about the Yin Tiger Tally, Wei Wuxian makes a face. No, don't like that. ]
Sorry, kid, that's a secret I'm taking to my grave.
[ Hm. Wait. ]
— Which doesn't mean you're allowed to kill me for it. My ghost isn't giving up the details either.
makes up a bunch of stuff lol
The more Xue Yang talks the more animated he gets, clearly eager to finally get the chance to talk shop (and with his idol of all people). ]
I've already figured out most of how it works. It harnesses the yin energy that's seeped into the earth from battles and wars to raise fierce corpses without the user needing to channel any resentful energy themselves, right? And then it uses the collective consciousness of a tally to assert mass control and raise aggression. Anyone can use it because its two halves each serve as the other's master, so as long as they're together it'll activate.
The metal it's forged from has strong yin properties, but there's something particular in the refining process that made the Yin Tiger Tally even more powerful than normal. That part is all you need to tell me.
[ Look at how much he already knows! :D ]
fair bc it's not like we'll ever know
Unless he means in general? That he'll eventually die again because of it? Wei Wuxian just gives him a narrow eyed look and tries to figure it out. ]
Alright.
[ Aaaanyway. Moving on, yes! He listens to the guy babble a bit and feels a little sick to his stomach because yes, that's all... correct. And he knew that Xue Yang was smart about these kind of things already but, like, fml.
Wei Wuxian sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose tiredly. ]
Good job, I guess. For figuring out that much. [ Ugh. ] But I'm not helping you the rest of the way. The Yin Tiger Tally shouldn't have even been created in the first place, better to leave it in the past than drag it to the present.
[ He McFucked up making that thing and he's not going to let Xue Yang of all people change his mind on this. ]
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[ Why is he so confident? Because that's how he is. ]
I'll tell you what I've been working on, too. There aren't many corpses here to experiment with but there's lots of ghosts, and other materials too. I've already found some things that work differently in this place.
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rng why
oh my GOD
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where was my notif, dw!!!!
wow dw trying to cockblock us
indeed 😔
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