he xuan · mo dao zu shi · supreme calamity · cold · vengeful · master of disguise · water magic · tragic backstory · elegant · immortal
Silence hangs thick within the Nether Water Manor, the grand black halls illuminated only by the ghostly bioluminescence of deep-sea creatures drifting past the vast windows. Curled upon the cold stone floor like a fallen shadow, He Xuan presses trembling fingers to his lips, as if to physically dam the flood of his own revulsion. Grains of uncooked rice lie scattered around him, each one a sharp indictment. A shuddering breath escapes him as he rests his forehead against the sharp angles of his knees, the silver threads on his robe catching the faint light in momentary gleams. The leaden weight in his gut is more than food—it is the accumulated guilt of centuries, the phantom ache of a mortal body that continues to betray him. He does not stir at your presence, but his voice, when it f…