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Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze were poor but happy. They had a loving marriage and an adorable son.
They had planned for their son’s name to be Wei Wuxian or Wei Ying but through some accident by the almost deaf official their son’s name was registered as Wei Wuqian.
Such a bad omen for the couple’s newborn’s name did not discourage them. Cangse joked the parents were almost always broke anyway.
When their son was three, they went to a fortune-teller who was known for being accurate.
This fortune teller predicted some things about their son.
“First, he will grow to become a strong, handsome and smart cultivator.”
At this, the loving couple cheered. Wei Changze had hoped their son would grow to become like his mother. The boy already resembled his mother in looks so he believed the handsome part will come to pass, and the fortune teller’s words were an assurance for the rest.
“He will meet his fated person at 15,” the fortune-teller said.
Cangse Sanren squealed in delight. Her beautiful face lit up like the light of a full moon.
What mother wouldn’t want to hear about their children’s love life?
The couple was in very good cheer when the fortune teller delivered the next prediction.
“Third, he will make everyone he considers his family and enemies as poor.”
Upon hearing this their faces fell flat.
They were actually facing money problems right now. The donkey which carried their belongings had slipped on an apple and died. The villager who promised to pay them for their help in a hunt suddenly got robbed.
“Aiyaah what kind of an unlucky curse is this from the gods? Hmph! Money isn’t everything anyway!” ranted Cangse.
This was the path of a rogue cultivator anyway. To eschew of riches and wealth and offer help wherever help is needed.
“At least we have each other right?”
The loving couple hugged each other right in front of the fortune teller who felt very much like dog food at the moment but she shrugged. This was a better reaction than they cursing her for being the bearer of bad fortunes and insisting she made a mistake, as some of her in-denial clients had.
The toddler Wei Wuqian babbled, ignorant of the fates in store for him. At the moment he was just happy being showered by all the love of his presently small world as they cooed around him and told him how proud they already were of him, curse or no curse.
***
When Wei Wuqian was 5, Cangse Sanren and her husband died.
Father Wei’s last thought was on his son they left behind in an inn, ‘ I regret not leaving enough money for my son to support himself and not being able to see him grow up like his mother.’
For Cangse Sanren, she regretted not being able to see her son’s fated person but she died with relief on her mind, because of the fortune teller's prediction. “... at least… A-qian will not be alone... There is still that fated person… I leave him up to you.. whoever you are..’
***
Wei Wuqian waited in the inn his family had been staying. Unfortunately, the innkeeper kicked him out when the money his parents gave him ran out.
He waited for them on the streets of Yiling until he could no longer remember their faces. He thought of leaving countless times but where would a child like him go?
The next four years were harsh for Wei Wuqian. The dogs of Yiling were vicious. if they found Wei Wuqian straying to their territories they would snarl and bite at him.
Wei Wuqian was scared. In his hearts, he considered all dogs to be his enemies.
This was the second time his curse activated.
At the next moment, all the dogs which had bitten Wei Wuqian or stolen his food, or terrorized and scared him had their balls drop off and their fur shed. What is a dog’s wealth but their coat of fur to keep the wind from chilling their backs and their private parts to propagate their line. It’s not as if dogs understand human currency as wealth so the curse took away other things which are considered status among dogs.
***
When Jiang Fengmian came to Yiling to search for the child of Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze, he cried when he shouted Wei Wuqian and a boy with her eyes peeked up and smiled.
Maybe it was an automatic reflex of the boy to smile whenever his name was called, Jiang Fengmian’s eyes fogged. Wei Changze and Cangse must have taught the boy to be happy, given him enough fond feelings to associate with what was truthfully a dreadful name.
Because seeing the situation the boy had been, there was nothing to be happy about.
The boy was skinny, malnourished, scars and dirt covered his small body. His clothes were ragged.
And...
He was disturbed to find a pile of dog balls lying on the ground around the child and became worried if the rest had been eaten from desperation.
The dogs of Yiling notorious for attacking passerby for food were actually scared of a small child. He shuddered. They cowered at the other side of the street away from Wei Wuqian.
He sent a message ahead to Lotus Pier to have Jiang Cheng’s dogs sent away.
***
“Wow! This is my new home?” a shiny-eyed Wei Wuqian asked the man who claimed to know his parents.
Jiang Fengmian treated him nothing but kindness. After his son’s dogs were sent away, there had been a rough patch but in the end, Jiang Cheng and Cangse Sanren’s child got along and Jiang Yanli had taken to the boy.
“Consider what we have as yours A-qian,” Jiang Fengmian said.
Wei Wuqian thought, a person only says these things towards people whom they consider as family, and smiled.
“Then, can I call you Uncle Jiang?”
***
Wei Wuqian grew contented with this new family and considered them his maybe with the exception of Madame Yu.
Unfortunately, over the years, misfortunes befell the Jiang family. Their trading and boating businesses tanked and the lotus flowers in their farm wilted and left behind rotten seeds that can’t be used for another season.
Their debtors came banging on the Lotus Pier’s gate every day.
At their wit's end, the Jiang family consulted a traveling fortune teller.
It was the same fortune-teller who foretold Wei Wuqian’s fortunes. When she saw the same child she instantly understood why the Jiang family was facing a financial crisis.
She cannot lie lest lose her powers.
“He will grow to become a strong, handsome and smart cultivator.”
“His fated person he will meet at 15.”
“He will make everyone whom he considers his family and enemies as poor.”
The same reaction that took place years ago happened now. After the initial squealing and proud cheers was a dead silence before it was interrupted.
“That child has to go!” Madame Yu said. Her pink and lavender dress has faded over the years from the multiple washing.
“But mother..where would A-qian go,” Jiang Yanli wailed. Her robes were in slightly better condition than her mother’s because Madame Yu insisted she, an unmarried maiden, needed to present herself better.
Jiang Fengmian’s own clothes, once a deep and regal purple, were lilac from multiple washings.
His own son’s Yunmeng Jiang sect uniform was a hybrid between purple and lilac.
As for Wei Wuqian’s..never mind.
Rough-housing, hunting for pheasants, and swimming either for leisure or to hunt water ghouls, his deep purple robes faded to a point where people think it was more Gusulan’s white than Yunmeng Jiang’s uniform.
Jiang Fengmian did not want to see the child go back to the streets with nothing but dogs to eat. He kept trying to dissuade his wife from turning Wei Wuqian towards the streets.
“It’s either him or the entire family follows him shortly afterward!”
***
Despite Jiang Fengmian’s resistance, he eventually gave in when Wei Wuqian offered to leave Lotus Pier.
Wei Wuqian, knowing now of his curse and the predictions did not bear any resentment towards them. He had been living off their kindness for a long time.
Jiang Fengmian gave him a pouch of money and packages before he left. When he asked Wei Wuqian what he wanted as clothes for his farewell present Wei Wuqian asked for black robes so they can withstand multiple washing. White attracted too much dirt, and Wei Wuqian’s own faded sect uniform became dirty all too easily.
With black, he didn’t have to worry about dirt and blood showing against the fabric.
***
As the fortune teller predicted, Wei Wuqian grew up to become a handsome, smart and strong cultivator, and many sects invited him without knowing his curse.
He refused. It was enough he already caused the Jiang clan to become bankrupt. He didn’t want to curse another family.
One day he saved a bunch of Gusulan disciples. To thank him, they invited him back to the Cloud Recesses as a guest disciple. Even after being told of the curse, their sense of honor didn’t let them refuse.
“You’ll only stay as a guest. We won’t be adopting you.”
So Wei Wuqian accepted. He wanted to see how his former shidi was doing and how the Cloud Recesses look like. Many cultivators attested it was the most beautiful sect. Both its cultivators and the place.
***
“Jiang Cheng!” When Jiang Cheng heard noisy steps and his name being called he could only think of one person.
“Wei Wuqian? What are you doing here?”
“The Lans invited me here!”
“I interfered with their night hunt. But it’s okay! Since I saved someone and they thanked me.’
***
Jin Zixuan
When Jin Zixuan insulted Jiang Yanli Wei Wuqian and Jiang Cheng wanted to punch him.
“And what is wrong with my A-jie?” demanded Jiang Cheng.
“Ask yourself!”
“Why would I want anything to do with her and your impoverished family!”
Wei Wuqian had wanted to trash him for insulting Jiang Yanli and the Jiang family. But Jin Zixuan’s insult gave him an idea.
He held back Jiang Cheng from punching Jin Zixuan’s lights out, as tempting the idea was; and plastered a shit-eating grin that promised no good.
“Hey, gold peacock bastard!”
“You think your family is so rich? That you have enough? But is it really enough against me?”
“If you don’t take back your insult I’ll marry into your family! And we can become poor together!”
“Stay out of my family!” screamed Jin Zixuan. He had heard how Lotus Pier had almost gone bankrupt when Jiang sect had taken in Wei Wuqian. Even now, they were still paying off debts.
“Then call Miss Jiang Yanli the most beautiful and talented and wise woman you know and how lucky you are to have her as a fiancee.”
Jin Zixuan ground his teeth but he didn’t dare go against. If he made an enemy of Wei Wuqian then it would be his family and sect that would go bankrupt next!
“Maiden...Jiang..is..”
“Is?”
The room was heavily filled with the grounding sounds of teeth against teeth.“..the most beautiful…”
“And and? Go on.”
“..and talented…”
“Only? “
Grrr . “and wise woman”
“Don’t forget the second part!”
“Fuckin shut up okay!”
“ I’mluckytohaveherasmyfiancee,” Jin Zixuan speeded through the sentence. Are you happy now?”
“Very.” Wei Wuqian grinned. “But if you every insult Miss Jiang again don’t think I’ll let you off with just an apology. Two shiny black eyes sound nice, yes?
Jin Zixuan ground his teeth.
Afterward, Wei Wuqian and Jiang Cheng had a laugh over it.
“Did you see the face of that Jin Zixuan? With the redness, he looked like a roasted peacock!”
“How is the curse doing?” Jiang Cheng, his face more serious.
“Mmmm.. it comes in handy when I have enemies!”
They both knew Wei Wuqian did not go to another clan after he willingly left the Jiangs. The only way to know if the curse was still in effect is if any money-related problems appeared to Wei Wuqian’s enemies.
“But...who could hate me! I have no enemies Jiang Cheng,”
Jiang Cheng wanted to punch him.
***
There were no punches thrown this time so Wei Wuqian was not expelled. It didn’t mean, however; that Lan Qiren hadn’t wanted to kick the boy out, but because he had saved a few Lan disciples’ lives he only lectured Wei Wuqian for three hours.
Wei Wuqian continued to in the Cloud Recesses. Although people who had sisters tried to hide the fact around him, after hearing what Wei Wuqian said to Jin Zixuan.
Who knew the real extent of the poverty curse? Jiang family were still paying off debts.
***
When the exchange study finished, Jiang Fengmian went to collect his son and saw Wei Wuqian. His son had written to him how he had appeared at the Cloud Recesses months ago.
“Wei Wuqian I heard how you defended A-li several months ago,”
Jiang Cheng was jealous thinking his dad only came to take him back home to talk with Wei Wuqian but comforted himself. He was the real son! And Wei Wuqian was even disinherited! Then he felt bad and asked his father if they can treat Wei Wuqian and stay in Caiyi town for a while.
Jiang Fengmian smiled and patted his shoulder.
***
When it was time to go back to Lotus Pier Jiang Fengmian invited Wei Wuqian to come along as a guest disciple after hearing Gusulan had not experienced any monetary loss...yet. The relationship between Gusulan and Wei Wuqian could not be said to be good so how could he consider them as his family? He even said he’ll never marry into the Lan Clan after seeing their three thousand rules.
It seemed to work. On the day Wei Wuqian arrived they only lost three fishing boats.
When Yu Ziyuan saw the form of Wei Wuqian waving along with her husband and son on the returning boat she thought, “ Oh no not again .” She ordered her servants to watch if there had been any more losses and to ready the talismans to keep out their creditors.
“I’ve decided to invite Wei Wuqian as a guest disciple.”
Yu Ziyuan’s displeasure was only slightly abated by the fact that they don’t have to quasi-adopt Cangse Sanren’s son again.
“So, guest disciple is okay but not as a son,” Yu Ziyuan looked at Jiang Fengmian hard in the eyes.
Backed with no choice - he still had debts to pay after all- Jiang Fengmian relented.
***
Wei Wuqian stayed peacefully in Lotus Pier for a year. This time, the Jiang family only lost one other trading house.
Jiang Cheng’s dogs were sent away again. His father had told him how Wei Wuqian had survived on the streets by eating dogs, leaving everything but their balls. He consoled himself saying it would be just for a while. But a while became a year.
By then Jiang Cheng was tempted many times to call Wei Wuqian his brother but remembered the years when they had nothing but cold, sweaty rice and wilted lotus seeds to eat and the meat had been tough and hard to chew so he settled on calling Wei Wuqian as just a close friend instead.
***
When the missive came to send the sect’s best disciples to Qishanwen Wei Wuqian was the first offering to go.
“I can go and keep an eye on Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuqian wanted to thank this family for taking him a second time even if they had become poorer for each.
By this time, the Yunmeng Jiang gave up on purple and officially adopted lavender as their new sect color. Their uniforms resembled the pink lotuses Yunmeng was known for.
Nobody dared to say it was girly in front of Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Fengmian hesitated to see his son go and the child he almost considered as his - maybe that’s why they were still losing money - but had no choice.
Meanwhile, Yu Ziyuan was in glee seeing this child off. She will no longer have to see her husband dote on another woman’s child as if he were his own. She’s seen with her own eyes Wei Wuqian’s curse affect their targets, leaving no exceptions behind. The Wen sect won’t know what’ll hit them!
Jiang Yanli offered them pouches of lotus seeds and sweets. When it was collected by a Wen sect disciple, Wei Wuqian felt cross he considered him an enemy to his tummy.
The disciple who confiscated Wei Wuqian and Jiang Cheng’s pouches would later have an accident and fall off from their sword, requiring expensive treatment.
***
In Qishanwen, the food was so bland that Wei Wuqian cursed their chefs in his mind. The next day, Wen Ruohan was puzzled when all the chefs who had made the guest disciples’ food handed their resignation letters saying they were all experiencing money problems and have to find more profitable work by, say, becoming a cultivator.
Many of them died horrible deaths as live baits by the Qishanwen disciples.
***
“Lan Zhan Lan Zhan! Do you remember me?“ a rowdy boy went to Lan Wangji.
“Hmmm.”
During his stay in the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuqian had often pestered the second young master of Lan. He had never seen anyone so proper and serious, maybe except for the boy’s uncle but the nephew was so much more fun to tease.
There was something different about the other, Wei Wuqian noticed. When he finally did, he offered him a piggyback ride which was refused.
***
“Mianmian! May I have a sachet too?"
At first, she was annoyed but after finding out who was speaking she stiffened.
She had heard rumors of the Jiang sect going bankrupt from her fellow disciples and the servants’ children whom she still kept in touch after becoming a cultivator.
“There is one boy who you must not absolutely fall in love with nor make an enemy of.”
Strong, handsome, smart but cursed. These were the words they described Wei Wuqian.
She was scared of making an enemy of his so she threw the perfume sachet and ran.
“Huh, that was weird. She was so hesitant at first to give me a sachet now she practically threw it at me.”
He didn’t know of his flirting skills actually worked or not but he shrugged and turned to Lan Zhan.
“Look! I got one Lan Zhan!”
“Shameless! “
***
Wei WuQian!
Wen Chao shouted his name. “You think I’m going to be afraid of a so-called curse by a gutter rat?”
“Well, you’re going to die here Wei Wuqian!”
Wei Wuqian and Lan Zhan were trapped in the cave. After devising a plan they managed to defeat the Xuanwu but their efforts to escape were thwarted when the Xuanwu’s covered the hole during its death throes.
“Why would they get me? I’m not part of their family. I’m just a guest disciple and orphan they picked from the roads.”
They were both stuck.
The chance of dying was high. Lan Zhan sang for Wei Wuqian when he asked and placed his head on his lap.
***
Help eventually came in the form of Jiang Cheng.
When Wei Wuqian came to he was back in Lotus Pier.
“Jiang Cheng?” His head was still groggy and the fever hadn’t been broken up yet, “you rescued me?”
“As if I’d let you die,” Jiang Cheng scoffed.
“What about Lan Zhan?”
“His sect came and got him.”
“Aah, I wish I could’ve spent more time with him.”
“You missed some great news while you were sick with a fever. Wen Chao is dead.” Jiang Cheng said viciously relishing the news.
After the Xuanwu incident, Wen Chao experienced a bout of money problems, causing the ho Wang LingJiao to leave him.
Because he was horny and didn’t have much money, he bought the cheapest prostitute, contracted STD and died. His cultivation was too low to counteract the virus, unlike a certain ho daddy.
As for Wang LingJiao, the guards discover her with the valuables she was escaping with and with no Wen Chao to verify that he had given them to her she was beaten up and put in the Sun Palace. Nobody has seen her since.
He was the one suppose to look after Jiang Cheng and now it’s the other way around! Wei Wuxian thought.
“Jiang Cheng sorry for causing trouble for your sect.”
With the death of Wen Ruohan’s son no doubt he will find some way to blame it on Wei Wuqian and by extension, Yunmengjiang.
Because Wei Wuqian had been their guest disciple Wen sect planned for repercussion and sent Zhuliu but along the way, he was mobbed by some cultivator-bandits and died without his belongings, his bag of money Wen Ruohan have given him for war supplies stolen.
***
When the people back at Lotus Pier heard of the news of how an army of Wens had to stop along the route to Yunmeng because their leader had been killed; they sighed a breath of relief. They realized they had been the next target. Yunmeng Jiang sect fortified their base and sent an alliance request to Qinghe Nie sect which was promptly accepted. War was heading to them regardless so they were better off prepared.
Wen Ruohan frowned when he heard his army had stopped along the route to Yunmeng, which had alerted the sect. And now Yunmeng and Qinghe were allies. He sent his other son to Yunmeng.
When the siege came, Yunmengjiang beat back the invasion with reinforcements sent by Qinghe Nie.
Their uniforms blended perfectly with the lotuses they were able to sneak behind and ambushed the invaders Wen Zhuliu’s party.
Wen Ruohan ‘formally’ declared war on Lotus Pier. Yunmengjiang was allied with Qinghe Nie sect and Gusulan joined soon after.
Lanlingjin stayed on the fence for a while. Qishanwen still had a hundred sects under their name. But on the other hand, had lost both of its heirs. They were ready to turn face as soon as Qishanwen was losing.
When Wei Wuqian declared the entire wen sect as his enemy, several defected and either joined another sector became ordinary people. Wen Qing, wise enough to believe the superstitions surrounding Wei Wuqian, left her sect and went into hiding with the cultivators under her.
Instantly Wen sect suffered a debilitating defeat. There were failed crops in the lands under the Wens. The peasants revolted, and the price of goods sharply went up. If it weren’t for inerdia half the cultivators in Qishan would have starved to death.
Because the Wen sect had no more money they begin to buy inferior quality goods. During a bout of torture session, one of the screws got loose and ricochet into Wen Ruohan’s head. Wen Ruohan became the first sect leader to die from a subpar torture device made with cheap materials.
***
Nie Mingjue and Meng Yao looked stunned at the decapitated sect leader.
And began fighting on who or rather who should not get the credit.
“Please let me get Da-ge! I won’t be accepted into my sect if I bring nothing back.”
“What credit? You piece of lying scum!“
“You were just going to kill me like you killed the rest of my men! And now you say you’ve switched sides?“
“No, I swear! I was going to interfere. And brother Xichen knew of my switching sides.”
Nie Mingjue celebrated and wanted to tell the truth to the world of how Wen Ruohan died in such a pathetic way. But Meng Yao was against such an uninspiring ending.
“At least there was a fight, that we did the killing blow and not because of some faulty tools.” He wanted to make use of Wen Ruohan’s death. There were only two of them as witnesses. If only Nie Mingjue would agree they could be heroes instead of just bystanders to Wen Ruohan’s death.
“Do you want me the one to land you the killing blow instead?!“
***
And thus, that was how the Wens was defeated. Through the power of (mis)economics and a terrifying curse. However, the winning cultivators were not happy with such an anticlimactic end so they embellished the truth.
They said they had to face off tens of thousands of Wens when the actual truth was there had only been a few thousands. The other thousands have already deserted, defected or recovering from the curse.
“What does it matter? At least we won,” Wei Wuqian said.
There were nary any Wens left in the sect, the smarter or more peaceful ones having already left when Wei Wuqian declared the sect his enemy.
Wei Wuqian had learned about demonic cultivation, but because the war had been rather one-sided against the curse, he didn’t need to resort to it much.
They toasted the star of the campaign.
Usually, people would have jumped at the chance of having a talented cultivator join their sect. But nobody dared to approach Wei Wuqian with invites and offers of marriages or adoptions. Even the smaller sects steered clear. But at the same time, nobody wanted to become his enemy so they tried to bribe his friendship with money and gifts.
***
Baifeng Mountain
With his status as a hero, Wei Wuqian was invited to the hunt in Baifeng Mountain. He made short work of the ghouls with his high cultivation.
When he rested on a tree, he felt a movement. Instantly someone pressed onto him and he felt warm lips descend on his.
His breath felt like it was being taken away and he became weak-kneed from the passionate kiss. And then it was over.
He regretted not knowing who the shy maiden was. Someone who didn’t mind Wei Wuqian’s reputation, he sorely wanted to meet her!
But maybe she was aware of his reputation and curse, and that’s why she left her identity unknown.
Sigh, it was no use thinking about this.
When he walked a short distance he heard the sound of tree trunk being smashed and saw Lan Zhan punching a tree.
What is he doing? He bounded towards Lan Zhan.
“Lan Zhan! What did that tree ever do to you? “ Lan Zhan looked at him then turned away.
And I thought we were friends, Wei Wuqian pouted. Suddenly only curious because of the kiss he had received he asked Lan Zhan, “Have you ever kissed anyone?”
Lan Zhan seemed determined not to answer.
He couldn't imagine such a frigid person to.
“Hmm well... Nobody would want to.” Because of the curse. And if they do, they ran away. Not that I can blame them. My existence is a curse.
“I’d want to,” Lan Zhan’s face was startled upon realizing, and his ears flush red.
“Lan Zhan….”
“Was it you who kissed me?!” Wei Wuqian did not believe it.
Wei Wuqian’s voice carried too loudly with the wind, so Lan Zhan tried to silence him by instinct. By kissing him.
It’s only later with Wei Wuqian pressed against the tree he had punched he realized he could have used the silencing spell.
***
QiongQi Path
Wei Wuqian was happy he was invited to Jin Rulan’s one-month celebration even with the lack of blood ties and official connection to Yunmengjiang sect.
However, along the way, he was ambushed.
“You! You’re the one who placed a curse on me!” Jin Zixun said.
“I did not, why would I? You think I’m bored enough to curse random people huh, Jin Jixun? “
“It’s Jin Zixun - you! How dare you?! You’re just a child of a servant and something picked from the roads!”
‘Do you really want to make an enemy of me?” Even standing alone Wei Wuqian looked intimidating. There was redness in his eyes which Jin Zixun associated with the curse and he gulped. He suddenly thought back to how the Wens had died due to money problems.
Even if you were going to die it was better to be rich than poor, he thought.
Jin Zixun believed he was not in the wrong, however, but reluctantly apologized. It was such an insincere apology that nobody believed it.
***
Jin Guangshan heard of the ambush at QiongQi Path.
Not wanting the entire Jin sect to be the enemy of Wei Wuqian he disinherited his nephew, Jin Zixun and kicked him out. If he were to pick his money or the nephew who won’t become sect heir anyway he’d choose money.
Jin Zixun, without the support of his big boss pimp uncle, became poor and had to find work where his hundred holes were put to good use.
Every one of the hundred of cultivators who were under Jin Zixun that day also became inexplicably poor.
Wei Wuqin, after the ambush, was cautious to go to the Koi Tower until Jiang Cheng came to fetch him. Jin Zixuan had offered to go but it was too much to have the heir of Lanlingjin fetch a guest disciple... Still, Jiang Yanli had been touched.
When everyone heard what happened to Jin Zixun and his men they reacted.
In the first place, wasn’t Wei Wuqian just the son of a servant who even made his own sect bankrupt? And now his curse made the cousin-in-law of the family’s daughter to have such an end. It didn’t matter to those who really disliked Wei Wuqian that it was Jin Zixun who first antagonized him.
No, they tried to make the incident as a good reason why they should act against Wei Wuqian.
Envy and fear of Wei Wuqian were growing. Eventually, it will have to be them or Wei Wuqian who has to go. So they decided to nip this threat at the bud. The cultivators, thinking the only way to get rid of the fear is to kill him, took inspiration from Jin Zixun and ambushed him.
If Wei Wuqian is to be killed before he could see them then he will not be able to identify them as his enemy.
Strength in numbers against a common threat.
***
When Lan Wangji heard of the ambush of Wei Wuqian he hurried on his bichen and flew straight to Wei Wuqian.
After hearing his loved one being ambushed for the second time, enough was enough. Lan Wangji swore to be by Wei Wuqian’s side.
However, Wei Wuqian was still badly injured by the siege so Lan Wangji tended to him.
It was when he was tending to Wei Wuqian when the Lan elders discovered them.
“Uncle, I want to make Wei Wuqian my cultivation partner.” And then he tied his white ribbon around Wei Wuqian’s wrist.
“If you’re worried about the curse I offer to be disowned.”
“Wangji! Don’t you dare!” He didn’t specify which of the two he forbade but both options were horrible to Lan Qiren. It was a toss-up of which one was the worse.
Lan Xichen was conflicted. He wanted his brother to be happy but was aware of the curse. In the end, he chose his brother’s happiness. Money was not the be-all and end-all of the world anyway.
That was the sort of thinking a young master would have. Later, when the curse affects the Lan clan he’d think mayhaps money had been more important than he’d thought it had been.
***
“You are so funny, Lan Zhan. You hated me yet why are you staying by my side? Even going against all these cultivators. Don’t you think that I’m in the wrong for mercilessly killing their loved ones?
“Keep quiet. You are losing blood,” Lan Zhan said and kept pouring spiritual energy into Wei Wuqian.
Lan Wangji kept tending to Wei Wuqian even when he tells him to leave, saying he’d only be a curse and a dark mark on Lan Wangji’s otherwise pristine record.
“I would even make you poor,” Wei Wuqian said.
“A Gusulan sect member must live simply.”
***
All those who went against Wei Wuqian died after undergoing extreme poverty if they didn’t during their failed ambush. Their estate holdings failed, their swords were stolen or pawned, houses burned with them and their belongings, they became unable to afford medicine. The thing connecting them was ‘they became poor and died’. By this time, Wei Wuqian had no more enemies and life became more peaceful or as peaceful it could be for a guy called Wei Wuqian.
Meanwhile, the second jade of Lan had eloped with Wei Wuqian. The two had gotten closer and after a drunken night, the rice has been cooked. Lan Zhan took responsibility and eloped with Wei Wuqian.
To save his family from the poverty curse Lan Wangji had cut ties with them although he still visits them from time to time.
***
“At least we have something to eat.”
They held hands. It would have been a sweet and wholesome moment except the both were buck naked as the day they were born. Sitting on the rock. Earlier, Wei Wuqian had gambled away their clothes. And Lan Zhan had been too drunk he also offered his own clothes in a bid to get back Wei Wuqian’s shirt. He hadn't wanted the other people to see his wife naked. In the end, they both lost their clothes. Only the white clan ribbon still tied around Wei Wuqian’s wrist was left. They even lost their hair ties and accessories. It was just as well they had long hair so they could walk around, their hair falling down to cover their nudity, like a pair of lady Godivas.
However, Lan Zhan was drunk and didn’t remember anything of last night, so he panicked, thinking he had taken advantage of Wei Wuqian.
“Haha. No.”
“We just gambled away our clothes. “
“You tried to get mine back but ending up losing yours, Lan Zhan.”
“But this was your first time gambling so it’s expected,”
Lan Zhan frowned at his failure of bringing back his wife’s clothes.
“Sorry I got you involved and you ended up naked with me.”
“No need.”
“Huh?”
“To apologize.”
Au contraire, the fact that Lan Zhan was affected by Wei Wuqian’s curse meant they reached a stage in their relationship that Wei Wuqian considered him as a family. Husband, his mind stealthily supplied and he fought back a blush.
“Just as you said. There’s no need to say ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ between the two of us.”
“As long as we have each other.”
“Lan Zhan, you’re the best!” Wei Wuqian leaped into his arms, but without the obstacle of their clothes as barriers between their bodies certain body parts ended up touching each other.
……
……
……
One kind cultivator gave the pair of buck naked cultivators clothes. She hid her hands in front of her face but peeked through her fingers.
You don’t see eye candy like this every day! She reasoned.
***
Wei Wuqian and Lan Zhan became cultivation partners and became the cultivation world’s prime example of “to be poor but to be happy and in love.”
Wei Wuqian said out of the blue, “Hey, Lan Zhan why don’t you give me your money, so the curse doesn’t affect it?”
Anyone else would have accused Wei Wuqian of being a gold digger but Lan Zhan just handed his pouch, a familiar pink sachet. No questions asked.
Unfortunately, Wei Wuqian’s memory was not so awful yet that he could recall where he’d last seen this pouch.
“Wait isn’t this from Mianmi- ?” And Lan Zhan instantly silenced him with a kiss.
***
In this arrangement, the couple discovered they were able to keep the money as long as it’s not in Lan Wangji’s hands and he’s ‘given’ it to Wei Ying. So in other words, Wei Wuqian is the rich one. For once.
This was fine for Lan Zhan. Everything of his is Wei Wuqian’s. Like a husband who gives their salary to their wife upon arriving home. The notion appealed to the romantic Lan gene in him.
“Haha! Does this make me the sugar daddy now?"
“Shameless!" shouted Lan Qiren. He never got over how Wei Wuqian had stolen his prized student.
Never.