'Is this what death looks like? Fu Hua, even in my worst moments I remember you' the face that looked down at Xiao Lan was so familiar that he could recognise it in an instant. That face had been the one that had taught him love and sorrow.

It had been someone who had made him and broke him apart as well with a single action.

"Are you alright? Don't let your brain be tricked by the demonic miasma" the hallucination called back to Xiao Lan and even the voice sounded the same as his nightmares. This imitation had hit close to home and Xiao Lan was shaking.

His mind wanted him to cry, to hurt or to kill. His heart though, heart screamed at him to hold the other prisoner and not allow him to leave. Once betrayed, shame on Xiao Lan, twice betrayed? Xiao Lan would not give Fu Hua this chance.

But this was not really real, was it? Fu Hua was already dead and Xiao Lan was stuck in the demonic miasma which was messing up with his head. Maybe there was some truth to the fact that demonic miasma messed with one's head.

"Damn kid, hold yourself together. Why are all of you nobles such problematic creatures incapable of pulling your weight? Even your prince is like this and the emperor is a useless bastard" this imitation even spoke like Fu Hua.

Even if Fu Hua had been a slave, he had never shied away from complaining about things he had found disagreeable. Xiao Lan remembered just how much the other had suffered as a consequence.

But it had also been a trait Xiao Lan had adored about the other. Now the same trait haunted his memories and even in this illusion.

"Sorry kid but we need to move. Some idiot triggered this array and now we cannot stop it anymore. Once I take you out of here, I'll come back and deal with these things" Xiao Lan felt himself being picked up and he expected the illusion to break at any point.

Everyone knew that illusions could be broken once touched and were extremely volatile. Xiao Lan took a step back not wanting this illusion to break because there were questions he wanted to be answered.

Since Fu Hua was no longer around, his mind had to ask these questions of itself to satisfy Xiao Lan. But despite his best efforts, Xiao Lan felt himself being held on the shoulder of the other like a sack.

This was real?

How was this real? Who was this person? A prisoner? Fu Hua coming back from the dead to torment him more? Or was this another side effect of the demonic magic?

The chains dug into Xiao Lan screamed for him to realise that this was real. Those chains, he had seen them before on the highest level of prisoners who could not be killed since they were still useful.

These chains were a set of magical tools that cut off one's power and rendered them human. It was also a somewhat painful process for the prisoner to undergo. The person carrying him currently was no better than a dog on command.

Distantly, Xiao Lan could remember that these chains had not been used for a long time now since there had not been anyone important enough to use them on. But since the power humming inside those chains was real, this person was very much real as well.

A prisoner Xiao Lan had not known about? Who could it have been who had ordered this because his brother would have told him, right?

Xiao Lan would have been informed about this change right? Especially if this was Fu Hua who was being subjected to this ordeal.

"Stay here for now. I'll go back and deal with this mess and wow, you look really familiar" Fu Hua should have recognised him instantly but the smoke prevented him from having a clear look at Xiao Lan's face.

Distinctively, Xiao Lan felt panic take over him as he looked at that very familiar face and he blurted out the first excuse that came into his mind - the truth

"I'm Xiao Lan, can your eyes not even recognise me? Are you really Fu Hua? Weren't you supposed to be dead?" the excuse was too farfetched to be believed but Fu Hua had no real reason to recognise him or think of him as Xiao Lan.

"Xiao Lan's? You might be a carbon copy of him at this age. But you cannot obviously be Xiao Lan because he's way older than you and he hates me. If you were Xiao Lan then you would have gutted me" Xiao Lan calmed down instantly.

Since Fu Hua had ignored the first question he had not confirmed his identity to Xiao Lan at all. But Xiao Lan could tell that this was Fu Hua. An alive and well Fu Hua looked alright and not dead at all.

The other was alive for some reason and Xiao Lan had not been informed. It was obvious that something fishy was going on here without Xiao Lan's knowledge. He needed to get to the bottom of this and for that, he had to lie.

"You're right. I'm Xiao Ran, a cousin of the imperial mother from her side of the family and adopted by her after I was orphaned a few months back. People say I look like prince Xiao Lan and we can pass off as twins" that part was totally made up but this was how the official story was sold.

"I...see. Well Xiao Ran, I'm afraid you need to go back now. It's not safe here for a kid like you" Xiao Lan knew that fact but he also knew if he allowed Fu Hua to go now then he would never be able to see him again.

He needed to stay together with the other and only then can he punish Fu Hua for everything that happened. A flame had been ignited inside Xiao Lan and it was burning brightly.

"You are not leaving me here alone. If you don't take me with you then I'll march in there myself and you will be the one to blame" Xiao Lan knew how this game was played.

"Don't be like that. My 'master' would not like it if I got you tangled in messy situations" Xiao Lan felt his eyes narrow at the word 'master'. It had been sarcastic but there had been a depressing undertone to it.

The tone had also been very familiar to Xiao Lan who had known Fu Hua for forever now. It was a tone the other had used when he had been a slave owned by the academy but that had no longer been the case.

Xiao Lan had been the one who had freed the other and had given him the name 'Fu Hua' after all. Xiao Lan had been the one to love the other first and had persuaded the other to be with him after all.

Xiao Lan knew Fu Hua like that.

"Your 'master' would not mind if he knows what is good for him. Who is your master anyway?" Xiao Lan gently probed into the other's business. He had a plan to get the ownership of the other and he could forward it as soon as he knew who the 'master' was.

"I don't think a kid like you needs to know. Why are you being so stubborn again?" Fu Hua could not help but complain about it. It was just his luck to get stuck with stubborn people. Noble Lee was a verbal abuse machine and this kid seemed equally stubborn.

Why was Fu Hua always stuck with these stubborn ones?

"Fine. Come along if you want but please don't make things more difficult for me" Fu Hua was not above pleading for the other to behave. Behind them, the array let out another pulse of energy and finally broke apart.

The miasma disappeared for just a second to show a huge shadow underneath. Whatever the array had drawn forth looked far too powerful for normal people to handle. Fu Hua was not normal but he was locked in chains as well.

And he did not think that this kid would be able to do anything about that creature anytime soon.

But if they did not do anything then that creature would run a rampage in the surrounding areas. Ordinary people would die in abundance and this place would become a demonic swamp that would last for ages.

"W-what did you do? Y-You fiend. I knew you would not have changed your ways so easily. We will all die here because of you" Noble Lee had finally made it outside with his party and he looked to be in shock.

Then the shock turned into rage as soon as he saw Fu Hua. He looked ready to faint at any second but his tongue was as sharp as ever.

"Go and call for help. Take the kid with you too while I hold that thing back" Noble Lee did not look back, he bolted without the kid. The guards looked scared but they did try to approach Xiao Lan.

A glare sent them packing as well. Then it was only Xiao Lan and Fu Hua left there.