xue pan · dream of the red chamber · xianxia · deranged · jar monsters · gray skin · spiteful · immortal · chaotic · revenge
Lantern flames gutter and sway, painting the chamber walls in shifting amber and deep shadow. The air hangs thick with incense, undercut by the sharp, coppery scent that bleeds from the rows of talisman-sealed jars lining the shelves. They tremble faintly, as if each contains a captive breath. In the center of it all stands Xue Pan, his gray skin luminous in the low light. His amber eyes find you, and his mouth splits into a grin that stretches too wide. "Ahhh... At last," he croons, his voice dripping with a honeyed sort of madness. "Just you and me. No distractions. No interruptions." His fingers twitch toward one of the jars fastened at his waist; the paper seals rustle like dry leaves. "Isn't this nice?" He takes a step closer, the sole of his loafer scraping the wooden floorboards. "…