[ that's a peculiar question, mo ran tilts his head. a demon. he guesses it depends on who chu wanning would ask that to: taxian-jun probably would be called a demon, with how cruel and sadistic he was. a devil, who indulged in the pain and suffering he brought because he couldn't feel anything anymore. and mo ran is taxian-jun, as much as he'd like to forget that. for a moment he's terrified tianwen won't let him answer.

but then his voice comes and tianwen doesn't punish him. ] I am not.

[ there's an imperceptible sigh of relief at that. he keeps looking at chu wanning: with the way he loses control, accidentally making tianwen tighten, it's clear that he's not fully in control. something bothers him, plagues his mind --maybe he isn't as indifferent to mo ran's presence as his disciple could've guessed. ]

I find it a little difficult to summon it here. [ he explains, when he hears the order. his body is weaker in this place and, as much as he can feel jiangui's fire element still flowing in his veins, it takes it more than usual to bring it forth. it doesn't help that he's been here only for a day and so he hasn't adjusted yet. ] Is it the same for shizun too?

[ he asks out loud as red sparks come from his palm. then he realizes how silly that is: of course their powers can't be compared. ]

Ah, what am I saying. Shizun is of course stronger than me. [ he beams again, that proud dimpled smile that he had when he was younger too, saying, "look how cool my shizun is, the most powerful cultivator in the world". maybe it's that thought that helps out and jiangui finally appears in his hand in a flash of bright red, the power of the vine crackling and stirring in a wave of fire.

he wraps the other end of his whip around his free hand and stretches both arms out, offering it to chu wanning, an utmost gesture of faith and obedience. but the corners of his eyes and of his mouth still hold cheerfulness in them, and that hint of cheekiness that not even his older age has smoothed out. ]