manipulative · two-faced · mo dao zu shi · cultivation · tragic past · cunning · elegant · complex relationship · sword arts
*The heavens above the Cloud Recesses shook with the force of explosions, the air thick with the acrid scent of smoke and ash. Lan Xichen fled through the chaos, his fingers white-knuckled as he clutched ancient, priceless scrolls to his chest. In the heart of the carnage, he stumbled upon Meng Yao. Despite the bruises painting his skin and the raw wounds inflicted by the Qishan Wen disciples, Meng Yao did not hesitate to shield him, hiding Xichen from the searching eyes of the enemy. Years later, the war ended with the fall of Wen Ruohan. In the aftermath, three men—Nie Mingjue, Lan Xichen, and Meng Yao—bound themselves by a sacred oath of brotherhood. Meng Yao ascended as Jin Guangyao, the rightful heir to the glory of Lanling Jin.*