The trek to the gates of the Faceless City was long and steep. However this amount of walking would really only provide problems for the elderly. Children and young adults of moderate health should have been fine to traverse it.

Fu Ran wasn’t elderly, though. So why had he grown so tired?

Fu Ran could feel his hermit tendencies weighing on his body. Until now, he hadn't realized how out of shape he truly was. He was beginning to mentally praise Tian Han for digging up the graveyard earlier, because had he not, Fu Ran could imagine himself in an even worse state of being. Only about half of the mountain had been traversed when the strain on his thighs and calves became apparent.

He started to drag his feet more noticeably, and his eyes locked onto Tian Han’s when he heard a small chuckle. Damn you, Tyrant! Why do you look so excited!?

They were so close to the destination, yet the more tired Fu Ran was when he looked at Tian Han, the more those golden eyes lit up. He looked as though he was waiting for an order or a request to be given to him. How infuriating.

“Shizun, are you okay? Do you need a rest? I can carry--” Tian Han asked.

Feeling a sudden wave of inadequacies, Fu Ran shook his head and laughed shakily. Before that sentence could be finished, he interrupted, “Nonsense! What kind of Peak Master would be overexerted from such little exercise!”

Fu Ran really felt as though he was being played like a fool, again. His words went quiet, but his mind certainly didn’t.

How had I wasted so much time? He grit his teeth.

Some days Fu Ran wanted to just stay in bed and sleep the day away. Other days you couldn’t get him in bed for fear of what he might see.

There were weeks where his mind didn’t bother him with terrible dreams, but when his brain hit a turbulent period, he would go days on end without sleeping at all. This left heavy bags under his eyes that made him a pain to look at when anyone visited. It also turned his moon incredibly sour, so his words would unintentionally come out harsh and angry.

During times like this, the only way to force him to sleep, was to rid his room of distractions. Zhi Lao had taken it upon himself to remove all of his books, removed his papers and pens, and even laid down rules that stated Fu Ran was not to leave his bed at all until he slept.

During the last three years of solitude, those things were what brought him comforts. And in a single week's time, his own attitude had gotten them confiscated, and returned back into the library and records hall. Because Zhi Lao knew Fu Ran wouldn’t cross those walls, they were taken through those tall white barricades that were the outer wall of Xing Xing Pavilion’s Entrance Hall.

Those were some of the few times Fu Ran had truly disliked his martial brother.

Jinan had become a beacon in front of the group. The city lights had completely encompassed the entrance sign, almost as if it was daylight. The biggest difference was that the light had come from brightly colored lanterns, each with a flame in the center. This caused the lights to dance and sway just like the people that filled the streets.

There was a guard here, but the guard was happily talking with a woman, and paid no mind when the group walked past him. There was a small look of acknowledgement, but no movement to say anything or to speak to Fu Ran, Tian Han, and the children. The guard here, and the woman too, donned elegant masks.

They were gold and encrusted in gem around the edges. This was a staple piece to the Faceless City.

Just a few steps inside the city walls was all it took to marvel at the hustle and bustle. The streets were alive and the buildings were grand. There were endless shops on this mountain top, and there were Inn’s that towered over them. Particularly there was one large inn separated into two large buildings in the center of town.

Civilians were seen up on balconies by the dozens, smoking, laughing, and drinking who knows what. The streets were full of people shopping and living in extravagance unknown to the residents of An Xian Yun Peak. It was completely different compared to the small city of about 30 homes and shops down below.

The vibes felt almost homey in Bei Zangli, but here it could be read as predatory: Like there were unspeakable dealings happening in some of these darker alleys.

Lights were strung up every building, and lanterns on every food stall. People were touching shoulders and sharing close proximity air with everyone else. The smell of more adult entertainment lingered, making it clear as to why there weren’t many children wandering the streets. This was not a place for the faint of heart, and Fu Ran had never been a fan of alcoholic drinking, smoking, or being involved in any kind of night life anyways.

Jinan wasn’t a place one wanted to be without reason, and he was a good and pure master of An Xian Yun Peak, and he simply had no reason.

The clusters of people were so thick and suffocating, Fu Ran had to weave in and out of personal spaces. He only turned his head to occasionally check on the two children, despite having already given them the much needed talk on the way here.

The Faceless City, Jinan, was frightening only if you were alone or lost. So, the one order he made sure they understood was: do not leave his, or Tian Han’s side. Or else Fu Ran would be far too worried to let them wander without a leash.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Looking to his children, rather than his feet, Fu Ran moved by sheer instinct alone. To his distaste, he weaved his way right into the arms of a salesman, the likes of which plagued the streets.

Fu Ran yanked his head upward to see who had planted hands on his upper arms, and his eyes met with a handsome man with smooth dark hair and eyes. The mask could only hide so much, so his features were evidently pretty.

Bringing his face closer to Fu Ran's, the pretty man muttered sweetly, “Oh. Gege, you have gorgeous eyes, would you like to try something sweet?” The invasive man held onto one of Fu Ran’s arms, and his free hand was holding a small case of candies. With the positioning, he was forced to look at them. They sparkled, and glistened in the dancing lights of the nearby lanterns.

“No, I um…”

“The first one can be free for you,” the pretty salesman interrupted, his voice coming off as rich and intrigued, and his hand snaked behind Fu Ran’s back to block off easy escape routes. “You might even be dying to come back for more.”

Fu Ran went to take a step away, but clearly the back of his robes had been caught. He raised his hands up in front of his body hoping to build a barrier, and he opened his mouth to refuse the small treats. As soon as they parted, a marble-like piece pressed to his lips. Fu Ran’s eyes widened in shock.

The ball of sugar hit his tongue and sat there. There was a sweet, subtle taste to it, and another light flavor of something floral. He didn’t have much time to linger on the concerning hint beneath the sweetness, because it was hard to identify with the other profiles overpowering it. Generally, it was nice. He really loved sweets, after all.

Fu Ran felt a different body press up against his back, and an arm hook around his shoulder. Tian Han’s voice presented itself, so he didn’t have to look to know who it was. “That will be enough, we aren't interested.” The words sounded threatening, more reminiscent of the tyrant emperor he knew, so Fu Ran shuddered.

“Oh, but me and Gege were talking, please don’t mind us,” the pretty salesman said, not wanting to remove his hold on Fu Ran’s robes. The salesman’s eyelashes fluttered for just a moment, confused, before suddenly his eyes widened in shock.

The salesman's tone had taken on a stutter, and in a panic he said, “Sorry, sorry!” He nearly stumbled backwards, bumping into some women walking close behind him, before he completely vanished into the sea of people.

What kind of intimidation tactics does the Tyrant Emperor have to make someone turn tail so quickly? Fu Ran thought nervously.

The scent of burnt wood and honey was right up against his cheek, and the closeness caused discomfort. So he felt the need to voice, with sincerity, his condition. “Tian Han, I don’t need aid,” Fu Ran clarified.

His shoulder was tugged with no vocal response and he was moved away from the growing crowd, into a tight alleyway. Nervous that he was being led away from his children, he looked. However, Tian Han stood in his view, so instead he shot a vexed gaze at the taller man.

Tian Han’s hand, nearest his face, brushed against his lips and opened palm up. Gold and black sleeves connected to the hand. The demanding action wasn’t accompanied by words at first, so the tension Fu Ran felt only grew.

“Spit it out,” Tian Han said, sternly after a few moments with no response. Fu Ran felt a twinge of anger, the emotion showed on his brow despite the mask covering it.

He decided to not waste the energy concealing his rage and to instead show it fully. “And why would I do that?” Fu Ran’s words came out a little funny because of the hard candy in his cheek. He swirled it into the other cheek and was half tempted to chomp down. He wasn’t being childish or defiant for no reason, but Tian Han’s words were so unnecessarily rude, that even his own terror of the tyrant emperor couldn’t beat out his obstinate actions.

What an atrocious command! Very fitting of a horrid man! Fu Ran wanted to voice this, but before he could open his mouth to chastise, a hand covered his lips.

“Don’t make a scene.” A nose pressed to the side of his head, and soft lips were far too close to his ear.

Fu Ran jumped when a wave of goosebumps crawled from his neck to his wrists. It was only meant to be a whisper, but this did not alleviate any of his bodily reactions to the sensation. This scene is too familiar! He screamed internally.

Fu Ran wanted to yell at him, nothing but hateful words and curses! However, cold chills distracted his brain.

Tian Han, you tyrant! When I get a moment to, I-

Tian Han opened his mouth to speak, the whispered words tickled the bangs of hair right by Fu Ran’s ear, stunning him silent. “Spit it out. It's a drug,” Tian Han said.

Fu Ran tensed up and his eyes were wide beneath the mask. He obviously couldn’t say much with a firm hand plastered over his mouth, but he was also trying to process this.

His mind changed its tune upon hearing the word drug. Of course I will but- move your hand first! Fu Ran was already about to tear off the hands covering his lips, but the tyrant didn’t give him enough time to do so.

“Do I need to pry it out, Shizun? I’d rather you not be poisoned within minutes of entering Jinan,” Tian Han demanded, again.

Fu Ran wore a look of disbelief. No matter how one was to phrase it, that was a clear threat! He was thoughts away from pulling Shi Wei Ji out to slice the man in two, but a soft voice of worry made him rethink that choice.

“Poison? Is Shizun going to be okay?” Lin An asked.

Of course she was right behind Tian Han, right where they were told to stay. However, with his disciples in risk of seeing this pathetic scene, Fu Ran’s wrist came in contact with Tian Han’s hand, knocking it away in a single strike. How dare this Tyrant act a fool in front of my students. Fu Ran’s brow lowered and his mouth was drawn into a line.

Fu Ran brought his hand up to his mouth, and he spit out the, “candy,” into his own palm. The outside had already started to dissolve away. Squishing the pearl in between his fingers, the insides shown were filled with a dusty powder. Some of it had already reacted with his saliva, and had become congealed. He kneeled to the ground before he took out his water satchel and rinsed his mouth. The candy shouldn’t have been on his tongue long enough to cause any effects. He hoped.

The white and gold mask had been used to push up and hold Fu Ran’s bangs out of his eyes, and he coughed up any remnants of substance before he scowled at Tian Han. He couldn’t read the expression one bit. A near solid white mask obscured his eyebrows, along with any squinting that might have shown otherwise. Not a single intention could be gathered from the tyrant’s amber eyes.

I despise gold.

The feeling of unease didn’t vanish at all until Meng Xiao walked over and tugged down the mask down over his Shizun’s eyes. “Drugged?” he asked, a small smirk forming.

“I’m fine,” Fu Ran didn’t give Tian Han time to answer. “Don't worry about this Shizun. He will be more careful now, promise.” He stood up and dusted some of the droplets of water off of the black robes he wore. The remaining wetness stained his lips and some of his chin until he raised a hand to wipe it away.

It was not a respectful look to have even his own disciples making sure he was safe. In what situation would a Peak Master be unsafe in a normal city? Fu Ran admittedly could have used his blade when he was fearful. However, he did not desire to use Shi Wei Ji on civilians or fellow peak members.

He had properly adjusted his mask before standing as normal.

“Let’s go.”