Yanwei looked around the inside of the tower. From the outside it looked like it was made of metal but truly, it was made of glass panels that almost seemed to be closing in on him.
Yanwei tried to remain calm, taking deep breaths but he couldn't shake that feeling off.
What the hell is going on... It feels like I'm.. I'm being watched.
He snapped his head around but he was just met by a myriad of mirrors.
Damn it.. I'm paranoid...
He saw a small, transparent chair in the corner with a few people dressed in a black uniform with 'The Smog Auction' written in small letters across their chest, a sign of them being workers.
Yanwei cautiously walked towards them, putting a small smile on his face before he spoke.
"Uh hello. I'm Wanmei's friend, I was told my group would be here?"
One of the workers, a young female with short black hair turned to look at Yanwei. An unnervingly calm and friendly smile on her face.
"Ah, they have left. They asked us to inform you of the fact that you belong to Lord Wanmei now."
Yanwei's eyes widened to the size of saucers as he took a few steps back from the workers.
"Oh um.. I see.. Well, where's.. Wanmei?"
All of the worker's head turned, and turned before quickly. it was completely upside down. Their eyes immediately turned red and her skin almost seemed to melt off of their skull.
"He's in your heart!" Each one of them yelled in unison, their voices shrieking and like steel getting dragged across steel.
Yanwei narrowed his eyes, drawing his sword before slashing at the workers. All of them shattering like mirrors and falling to the ground but despite that. A mocking sense of dread washed over Yanwei.
Shit... I fell for that guys trap... I was too oblivious.
He slowly turned around. Sheathing his sword, looking towards where he entered and started walking towards it, the sound of the auction still going strong.
Good.. I can sneak out-
His thoughts got cut off, he walked through the door. The world itself seemed to change as he was transported to a maze of mirrors, every one of them reflecting him or at least.... A version of him.
Some had smiles he didn't recognize, some had bloody red eyes.
Some didn't have eyes at all. Instead having empty sockets, veins and arteries visible inside them.
They were all beaten, bloody. Bruised like they had just gone through the worst of torture, apart from that, on each of their foreheads was... A smile, burnt and stitched on there.
Yanwei looked around, taking a deep breath, his eyes wide and his heart beating like war drums inside of his hears. Every beat reverberating off the mirrors.
Beat. Beat. Beat. Beat...
Until the silence was broken, a mirror shattered as the 'Yanwei' behind it lunged forward, tackling the real one to the ground as it whispered.
"Be ready to be owned."
Yanwei headbutted the fake version in the nose, again. It shattered like glass, leaving only its laughing self on the ground.
"I'll break each and every one of you."
Yanwei muttered under his breath as he stood up, his eyes glowing golden before he drew his sword once more. The blade getting coated in white flames.
All of the mirrors shattered as each, twisted and mangled version of Yanwei ran towards him, some on all fours like animals while some ran like mad men, froth in their mouth.
The real Yanwei cleaved and slashed at them, every swing of his sword made a large wave of fire come out of it, burning all of the 'yanwei' to near ashes but no matter how much they were vaporized..
They kept coming back.
They were all whispering, muttering, some in hoarse and choked voices, but it was clear what they were saying.
"Wanmei is perfect.. Wanmei is ours... We are Wanmei's..."
Yanwei just scoffed as he took in a deep breath, sheathing his sword and closing his eyes.
The fake ones took this as him giving up as they lunged and grasped at him, dragging him to the ground and piling down on him. Pinning him onto the ground.
But not for long.
Light started leaking out from the cracks in them piling on top of him as the maze was enveloped in light, like a small sun had just formed inside of the realm.
The fake Yanwei's were destroyed, not even ashes left of them as the real Yanwei stood tall, his body coated in white flames and a black aura that pulsated and spiraled across his body.
"Where are you. Wanmei?"
He muttered under his breath, his eyes glowing white and his hair now much, much longer. Reaching the ground and now having changed color turning white and golden at the edges.
"I'm right here. My precious."
Wanmei stood far away from him, wearing a black, long ceremonial robe and a white, porcelain mask with a blue smile painted across it. His hair now purple and so are his eyes.
"You are strong. That is the Prince of the Heavenly Flames right? Isn't that a high level technique.. You're nearly at the Master level huh?"
Wanmei asked in a casual tone, rubbing the chin of his mask in a mockingly contemplative fashion.
"Had you stayed in the Demonic Sect, I'm sure you would have surpassed the likes of Ruoxue and Jinhai-"
He was interrupted, Yanwei was already in front of him, arm reeled back and coated in flames that glowed like a sun.
"Don't utter their names."
He said just before punching Wanmei in the face who was sent flying through the maze. Mirrors shattering left and right as he hurtled through them.
"Ow.."
Wanmei said mockingly, standing up from the ground completely unharmed as the shards of glass rose from the black ground of the maze and flew towards Yanwei.
Yanwei remained calm, the glass melting before it even touched his body, the white flames roaring and rising towards the white 'sky' of the maze in the shape of a dragon.
"I'll end this quick, you don't deserve to fight me."
Yanwei stated bluntly putting his hand forward, palm opened up and glowing. Yanwei's flames turned from white to golden and so did his eyes.
"Heavenly Surge of The Dragon."
Yanwei muttered under his breath, his voice layered and almost otherworldy.
The dragon also turned golden, its eyes turning white before it let out a beastly roar flying towards Wanmei who stood silently, but for a moment, Yanwei was sure.
The painted smile on his face grew into a full blown grin.
Wanmei opened up his arms, willingly taking the blunt force of the attack. The maze shattered, the sky falling like glass downwards.
For a moment, Yanwei thought he had won and turned off the Prince Of Heavenly Flames technique, his hair going back to its usual length and his Qi settling down.
"Now... Lets go and search for the real Jinshen. I'm starting to think he's really ali-"
Before he could speak another word. He noticed something.
The glass falling down from the sky bore Wanmei's face.
The glass shifted and turned into a small tornado, spiraling around as the maze reappeared, like nothing had ever happened.
And there, stood Wanmei, completely unharmed.
"Pretty technique. Very flashy and effective for imperfect beings but.."
He trailed off, tapping his temple, chuckling as he did so.
"I"m perfect."