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Long ago, there was a snake with scales of ivory and eyes of amber. This snake was an immortal that lived in the clouds where he spent the days flying and gliding. While his days were free of worry and pain, it was also free of joy. Eventually, he grew tired of soaring in the clouds alone and decided to go down to the mortal realm.
There, he met a monk who showed him kindness and humoured him. He learned the human tongue and watched them with interest. Eventually the monk he befriended started a cultivation sect and there he stayed to guard it.
“You said you had no name,” The monk said one day as he watched his disciples, “Why don’t I give you one?”
“Would like.” The snake replied, “Family?”
With a smile, the monk gave him his name, “Yes, you are now family. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, perhaps when I first met you even, how do you feel about the name Lan Wangji?”
“Like.”
And with that, the snake became part of the GusuLan sect.
.
Years passed and the monk was also ready to ascend but something treacherous happened.
The GusuLan sect had enemies, all sects that were growing had enemies but with the GusuLan sect growing rapidly, people were getting restless. And so, an assassin from a rival sect was sent to kill the founder.
It was night time, the sky is clear and the night is fairly cold. The snake was awake, feeling a stur of evil in the air. And so, the snake slithered to where his friend was sleeping in order to check up on him.
That’s when he hears the sound of a knife. Using his ability to fly, the snake flew and took the knife for itself before biting the hand of the intruder. With the intruder poisoned and the snake stabbed, they both knew they would perish. The intruder ran far away and doing so dropped the snake, leaving him in the hands of the monk.
“Lan Wangji!” The monk cried, “You saved me, why?”
“Family.” The snake replied as if it was as easy as breathing.
The Monk could not believe this. This snake was immortal, had many years to see mortal live and die with every rise of the sun and yet he would give it up because he was family? Touched by this gesture the monk said, “Lan Wangji… I’ll find a way to save you!”
“No need. Will come back.”
“How?”
“Human rebirth, will always be Lan with same eyes.”
With that the snake died and the man was left to mourn.
.
Years later the monk had a child and he noticed the child had bright amber eyes that resembled his long dead snake friend and he named the child ‘Lan Wangji’. As the child grew older he realised that his son was intelligent, calm and while he may not portray his emotions properly, he still felt deeply.
And that was how he found out that his son was the very same snake that saved his life. Filled with joy, the monk raised his son and passed on how he met the snake to his other children, and this is why ever generation in the GusuLan sect there would always be one child named Lan Wangji.
Unfortunately, all of the Lan Wangji died from protecting something, as if cursed by the fate of their predecessor. No matter how long they’ve lived or what they do, they always die like the snake.
.
Lan Wangji was the three hundredth and thirty-third incarnation of the snake and it was well known amongst his clan that he would die like those before him. Many lamented that and others prayed that he would live a lengthy life. Lan Qiren was one of those people.
For as long as he grew up, Lan Wangji was like the snake, silent with little words spoken, watching and elegant like the rolling clouds. But under Lan Qiren’s strict guidance, he taught the boy to follow the rules. His end goal was to try and prevent Lan Wangji from giving his life to protect something.
That plan fell to waste when Lan Wangji met Wei Wuxian.
.
When Lan Wangji first met Wei Wuxian he thought of a fox. At first, he was protecting the rules and Wei Wuxian from being disciplined too harshly.
Then afterwards, he felt…excited. It scared him, for years and years he never felt this much excitement in a long time, not after he was not able to see his mother, not after he was alone. The rush of battle against someone who matched him, who was so different to GusuLan, it reminds him of days when he flew through the clouds with no thought of rules and punishments that lined a wall.
That moment, the cycle started again and the protectiveness of the snake shifted to include the fox that ran through the fields.
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The ancestors of Cangse Sanren, were fox spirits. She never cared much for romantic tales but if she recalled it went along the lines of a cultivator who found a fox trapped and trying to escape.
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Long ago, a rogue cultivator had gone down the mountain her sect came from and on the way to the village nearby, she found a fox of pure black struggling to escape a trap. Compassionate, the cultivator released the fox and went about her day.
As time passed by, she found herself getting lonely and she wanted to make a friend, at that time another rogue cultivator had entered the town she was currently in and they began to talk. He introduced himself as Wuxian and she gave her own name.
They spoke of their hobbies and interests, their likes and dislikes and eventually they decided it would be easier to travel together. For years this went on and she figured they were very good friends enough to share anything without fear of judgement.
So she and her friend went to drink and her friend grew drunk.
“Heh,” Laughter stopped at her lips as he looked at her drunk companion. “Hey, do you like rabbits?”
“Rabbits are delicious!” He shouted with glee, apparently he was a loud and honest drunk which amused her to no end. So to keep the boredom at bay, she asked him whatever questions went through her head.
“And what about night hunting?” She grinned cheekily.
He nodded, resembling a branch that’s shaking during a stormy night. “I like it very much!”
The next question that popped in her mind dulled her short lived amusement. Still, she was never one to ignore her curiosity and besides, they’ve been travelling together for years, what’s the worst that could happen? So with a beating heart, she asked her question. “And what about…me?”
“I love you a lot.” Was the answer, the grin on his face falling into a besotted smile, eyes turning into crescents.
“Love?” She murmured, a blush spreading on her cheeks. She had not thought about Dual Cultivation, found it too frivolous with too much poetry waxed about two becoming one.
But to think her companion loved her, “Why do you love me?” She blurted still trying to gain her bearing.
The day after that, her companion awoke to find them in a relationship and while he’s shocked, he’s also happy. Because of this, he told her his secret, he was actually the black fox she saved! Safe to say, the two were in a state of shock for a long while.
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Cangse Sanren found the tale funny. In the end, the two of them lived like they used to do, just with more love. They then died from rescuing people in a fire. Their last act was to held free a person that was stuck inside a house.
The tale was awfully romantic and it did set what she thought would be considered a cycle of trying to set free something and dying in the process. Her father had died free her from being kidnapped before telling her to run away. She was found and brought to Baoshan Sanren and the rest was history.
Or not after she met Wei Changze from below the mountain and suddenly, she understood why life seemed so much better down here.
And when she was raising her beloved Wei Ying, she told him the very same story.
On her death bed, she would see that apparently it was true and horribly hilarious that she dies trying to free people from a plight alongside her husband.
Little Wei Ying though would carry the weight of his courtesy name, Wuxian. He feared ran from dogs as if they were his predestined enemies for life and caused mischief while enjoying heavily spiced flavours. Many had seen the street child and whispered about fox spirits waiting to trick you to their children. He knew it, subconsciously, but he didn't care much to acknowledge it until he was picked up by Jiang Fengmian.
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Wei Wuxian always felt the story in the back of his mind. He knew that his mother must have fallen trying to free something and he settled himself to dying by such an ending as well. In fact, he was alright with it so long as the people he freed would be happy.
For years, he wondered who or what he would give his life to free. Perhaps it would be the YunmengJiang sect, after living a good life beside Jiang Cheng he would die valiantly for the sect that lovingly cared for him.
Then he met Lan Wangji and he wondered if it was something more than that.
And just like that, the fox met the snake. Two spirits trapped in a loop that fate had destined them for.
Perhaps, it is because of their fates that they gravitate towards each other. Either way, that chance meeting shifted the wheels and turned the sands of time.
.
It’s been years since the Sunshot Campaign and everything spiralled down from there. Lan Wangji isn’t sure what the actual cause for this is but all he knows is that everything is wrong and he cannot get himself to care about anything but Wei Wuxian.
Said man was in his arms, weak and pale as he glared up at Lan Wangji.
“Get lost.”
“Cannot.”
Qi flowed into Wei Wuxian and he noticed the black hole in the man’s body. There’s something wrong with the core. That realization clicked in his mind and everything fell into place. The fact he relied only on his demonic cultivation. The fact he never carried around Suibian. How he seemed to be hiding something.
It clicked and suddenly he can’t help but despair and continue pouring qi even if he knew it to be futile.
“Get lost.”
“No.”
The repeated words that spilled from Wei Wuxian’s mouth hurt him. How many times has he said that with a gleam in his eyes, wasting the precious breath he had left to shoo him away? Was he truly that despicable to Wei Wuxian? If so then… Even then, he’ll protect him.
Thirty three elders walk in, led by Lan Qiren, for a moment he recalls the fate of all the Lan Wangji’s before him. Is this it? Will he die protecting the man in his arms like a tragic love story that was woven to amuse nobles and commoner alike?
If this is how he dies, he doesn’t mind. With his guqin, he stops them from getting to Wei Wuxian, stops them from hurting him further than the world has already.
The body in his arms is cold and he knows Wei Wuxian is dead.
He tries anyway.
.
Thirteen years later and Wei Wuxian is alive once more. A mystery is solved and Jin Guangyao is dead. Lan Wangji and he elope before trouble could nip at their heels.
Wei Wuxian tells him of the story his mother passed down and how his ancestors had all apparently died freeing a person from something.
Lan Wangji is silent for a moment, not even humming.
Then he speaks. “In the GusuLan sect, those named Lan Wangji die protecting something.”
And it clicks.
“Lan Zhan, does that mean when I died I freed you from that fate? Because you protected me but you never died!” Wei Wuxian pointed out with glee and Lan Wangji dipped his head in response.
“Mm. You freed me from the cycle but still fulfilled yours.”
At the gloomy look on Lan Wangji’s face, he laughed and patted his cheek. “Lan Zhan, are you forgetting? I’m alive now, so we can be with each other forever!”
For a moment, Wei Wuxian thought he saw Lan Wangji smiling, as in actually smiling and not one of those micro-expressions he likes.
The following words explained it perfectly. “Mm. Every day is every day.”