Chapter Text
One second, these highly skilled cultivators are fighting tens of monsters; the next second, they are surrounded by an army of corpses.
Jiang Cheng curses under his breath.
Lan Qiren orders the boys to be on alert.
Then they hear an eerie whistle commanding corpses to attack the monsters.
The whole group gape at the demonic cultivator: Lan Zhan.
"Where did he come from?" Jingyi mutters.
"Did he just use demonic cultivation?" Wen Ning asks confusedly.
"Is he walking?" Jin Zixuan asks.
All valid questions.
From inside the house, Wei Ying comes out playing Chenqing.
"He uses both hands!" Sizhui shouts happily.
With Chenqing melody, the corpses become stronger, and they manage to get the upper hand in the battle.
Lan Zhan approaches Sizhui and Jingyi. "You both did so great. I am proud of you. Now rest; let us help. Can we borrow your swords?"
Sizhui and Jingyi throw their swords at Lan Zhan.
"Uncle, maybe you should take the boys inside," Lan Zhan urges.
Lan Qiren looks at him weirdly before he ushers the boys inside the house.
Lan Zhan throws a sword at Wei Ying.
"You don't want me to play Chengqing?" his husband asks, pursing his lips. "I thought I played pretty well considering I am out of practice."
"Mn," his raises his eyebrow, eyes twinkle, a challenge.
Oh.
"You want to see who can kill more!"
"Sword only."
Wei Ying shows his biggest grin, exposing all his teeth in one big smile. “The winner gets to be princess-carried for a whole day!”
They have different fighting styles. While Lan Zhan is powerful, Wei Ying is agile. While Lan Zhan's movement is neat, Wei Ying's is all over the place. Both are calculated and deadly. It is obvious that their golden cores are above average.
With the help of the corpses, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng, Jin Zixuan, Wen Ning, and Rujin, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying lead their team to victory.
Once they win, everyone except for the powerful couple drops to the ground, exhausted. Wen Qing and Jiang Yanli immediately check for injuries.
"Did you just get your golden cores back?" Wen Qing asks disbelievingly.
"Yeah! And it's really great!" Wei Ying squeals. "Best of the best!"
“Those golden cores are superb,” compliments Jin Zixuan.
“Ah, nice hearing praise from you, Peacock in law.”
“Don’t get used to it!” he glares. Jiang Cheng's demeanor rubs off on him. Although Jiang Cheng himself looks very emotional.
“Congratulations,” Jiang Cheng says sincerely. “You two deserve them,” he says, tearing up and shaking. A ton of weight has been lifted from his chest and shoulders.
Wei Ying hugs him. “No need to feel guilty anymore, Brother.”
He nods and hugs Wei Ying back.
Jiang Yanli joins in on the hug. They stay that way for a while. When they separate, their eyes are wet but their hearts are light.
A-Qing runs and hugs Wei Ying. He throws her high in the air. Dad, I got what I wanted for my birthday! You and Father are okay!"
She seems a bit sad. "It's worth it, even if I never get any birthday presents ever again," she mumbles to herself.
Wei Ying pats his head. "No, this is a gift from heaven for your parents. You will always have presents from us."
Lan Zhan takes out a box from his sleeve. "For you."
A-Qing opens her eyes to see a beautiful necklace, with white and black pearls that shine translucent under the light.
She shrieks, "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Dad! It's pretty!"
Lan Zhan puts the necklace on her and then proceeds to give her a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Very pretty, A-Qing!" praises Jiang Yanli.
She giggles happily, "Yes! It's now time for my party! I am officially 10!"
"It seems that the monsters ruin our party venue. Madam Jin, do you want to go get some food with me?" Nie Huaisang asks.
"I can treat the wounds and clean up a bit here, too," Wen Qing offers.
Everybody thinks it's a great idea.
The party is a success. A-Qing keeps on insisting they call her Xiao Wang. She loves that name. She has been waiting for two years to have her courtesy name legalized.
"Wei Buwang, such a pretty name," Lan Zhan mutters to Xiao Wang, who is sitting on Wei Ying's lap.
"I love it, Father… I truly love it! Dad is good at naming things," she beams.
"Your Dad is awesome," Lan Zhan agrees.
Wei Ying thinks he is so adorable that he pecks his nose.
He looks around to enjoy his family.
Rujin is injured, but he is happily being spoiled by his fiancé. They might need to plan the wedding soon. Maybe Lan Zhan and he can return to Cloud Recesses for the wedding preparations. They do need to retrieve Bichen and Suibian anyway.
Sizhui is talking to Wen Ning about combining Wen’s fighting style with Lan’s. He has a problem balancing the two and is in a heated discussion with his uncle.
A-Qing, their princess, is happy with her gifts. She gets a complete set of new trick talismans from Jingyi (he is Wei Ying’s best student), a homemade doll from Sizhui, a dizi from Lan Xichen and Rujin, several joke books from Nie Huaisang, a beautiful pink robe set from the Jins, and a purple one from the Jiangs, and a Gusu Lan charm from Lan Qiren to put on her waist sash.
Wen Qing and Jiang Yanli are discussing how to wean the twins now that they are almost 2 years old.
Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan are trying to separate Jingyi and Jin Ling from a fight.
Nie Huaisang is being scolded by Lan Qiren about something. He looks miserable.
Another disaster was diverted. And now they enjoy their family.
"Like what you see?" Lan Zhan pulls him closer. Warmth envelopes him. He has never been happier.
"Best life ever," he says, touching his forehead with his husband's.
He wishes that his peace will last forever this time.
One can wish, right?
***
It's late when everyone leaves for the inn. The house is quiet. A-Qing is sleeping in her room while Wen Qing and the twins sleep in Rujin's room. The kids are too sleepy and cranky for the trip to the inn, and everybody is too tired to take care of them.
Nie Huaisang stays behind.
"Got something to confess?" Wei Ying probes.
"How did you know?"
"Too obvious, Nie-Xiong," Wei Ying smirks.
He remembers those 7 years when he was miserable in the bottom of the pit because he missed Lan Zhan. Nie Huaisang almost always came at the right time.
Either with a jar of Emperor's Smile that night when he told the sad story of a fierce corpse and his lover's soul, which Wei Ying knew about, but was hoping that he managed to change their fates the second time around.
Or with news of something fishy around Koi Tower, which led Wei Ying to find a bullied Mo Xuanyu when he went to check on it.
Or with a request to help him get a really valuable fan that led Wei Ying to bump into a 4-year-old named A-Qing.
Or with a book of old fairy tales that had a story about a two headed beast conveniently left with Wei Ying's belongings after a late night drinking session.
"I always suspected you knew about the time travel. I know for sure Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren, the Jiangs, and the Wens didn't tell you, but you asked me once whether I faced the elders 'before' for Lan Zhan's hand. You slipped."
"Or did I?" He responds smugly.
Wei Ying grins, "What was your wish?"
"I wish to erase the Nie blade curse without diminishing the Nie's greatness."
"You didn't ask for your brother to live?"
"Everybody gets only one wish; only you and Hanguang-Jun got three."
“Why is that?”
“I might have said something….” he winks.
Wei Ying chuckles, "So you chose to save the future generation of the Nie Sect."
"I paid with a private loss and the knowledge about you two. And because of it, you indirectly saved my brother by stopping Jin Guangyao."
Lan Zhan gapes at him. Wei Ying agrees. This man's brain is really scary.
Nie Huaisang bows at them. "I apologize for making your life miserable. I hope that the fact that it has a happy ending will enable you to forgive me."
Lan Zhan bows back. Wei Ying knows that Lan Zhan feels he owes Nie Huaisang too much. For being the mastermind behind Wei Ying's resurrection in the before and behind the return of their golden cores.
Wei Ying knows better, Nie Huaisang didn't do it for free. They don't owe him anything.
"I'll go now. Here, something for you, as my thanks," he slips something into Wei Ying's hand.
When he has left, Wei Ying opens his palm.
It's two very complicated ancient yellow talismans, the exact same one the beast gave them for creating the time bubble.
"That Mr. Headshaker just tops himself. He gave us two of the exact same talismans so we can use one right away and spare the other to copy when needed."
"Mn," Lan Zhan takes his husband in a princess carry; suddenly, "I lost," he says.
Wei Ying grabs the borrowed swords before pointing to the door. "Better to do it outside then, on a bigger playground."
"Mn. Wei Ying is always right."
"Of course I am always right. Having one arm and one leg really sucks for this activity!"
"Was it not good for Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan stops, frowning.
"It was always good. But it could be much better. It has never been with us both having golden cores. Don't hold out! I challenge you!" Wei Ying says, lighting the ancient talisman.
They are in the heat of passion, Lan Zhan is nibbling at his shoulder, creating marks all over his body while balancing on their borrowed swords!
These golden cores of theirs are really something else!
It is then that Wei Ying notices.
"Lan Zhan, do they look bigger to you?"
It takes them a whole week to finally leave the bubble.
After all, what good are golden cores if not to practice inedia and dual cultivation with your cultivation partner?
Now with the most amazing sex they could ever have?