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The battle at the nightless city after the death of Wen Ning and Wen Qing, was said to be the bloodiest in all of cultivation history. Surely one that Old Man Lan Qiren would elaborate in a lengthy lecture that would span several days. Even after surviving the onslaught of those 3000 cultivators, Wei Wuxian somehow managed to return to Yiling, his mind still numb from pain from losing his shijie.
He gripped the Stygian Tiger Seal close to his person and cursed. He screamed and yelled, trying to find release from the pain. It did not hurt any less. It did not stop the hurt at all. His crazed eyes glared at anyone who came close to him; even the remnants of the Wen Sect were not spared, not even young A-Yuan who was barely 3 years old. His appearance would have been synonymous to a demon king, his handsome features disfigured into an ugly scowl, contorted in hatred, anger and pain.
If his shijie was no longer in this world, then the world is not worth living for. He will fall and watch the world burn, together with himself.
The remaining Wen Sect knew that their time was close. When they witnessed how unstable, bloodied and battered Wei Wuxian was when he returned, they knew. Fourth Uncle knew the moment Wei Wuxian gained the ability to move again after being immobile for 3 days, his return will only bring with him sad news.
Even so, Grandma Wen and Fourth Uncle needed to find a place where A-Yuan would be safe.; or at least out of harm's way when the next siege were to happen. They hid him in a tree trunk, praying that he would be safe. At least, in this tree trunk, he may have a chance to survive; being together with them will only bring him certain death, a death that he does not deserve. He was just a child and he is innocent from the sins of his people. He does not know any better than the toys that were gifted to him.
They themselves are old, and have lived a long life. If giving this life of theirs could ease the anger of the cultivators that cursed at them for just having the surname Wen, then let their death bring the end of it. Their advanced age, having lived many more years as most people in this mundane world, understands that hatred cannot be paid with hatred. This would only cause an endless cycle of suffering. Perhaps with their death, Wei Wuxian will be pardoned for his crimes. After all, Wei Wuxian has done too much on their behalf. It is time to repay this debt.
When the siege came, Wei Wuxian did not give in as easily, his mind still clouded from the death of his shijie. He could only see red as he called upon corpses to fight for him and vent his anger on the people who killed the only person left that cares for him. He showed no mercy even to those who were of familiar faces. At least he was merciless and cruel, until Jiang Cheng showed himself. The two clashed, both angry and grieving for the sister that loved them both and was the motherly figure after they had lost their own. Even though Wen Ning was no longer his weapon- turned to ashes along with his sister, Wen Qing- Wei Wuxian still managed to keep up with Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng was ruthless and unyielding in his attack against his shixiong. Sandu in his left hand, Zidian in his right. He lunged with Sandu and compensated for any openings with Zidian. His fighting style represented the Yunmeng Jiang style perfectly, a flurry of steps and faints to confuse the enemy and throwing them off their balance; but when they struck down at their enemy, their cores were stable and strong, cleanly landing hits on their opponents, their arms moving down in swift motions, as if stroking down their hands in a manner similar to swimming in their lotus lakes.
Jiang Cheng fought hard, the Yunmeng Jiang manner of swordsmanship and techniques, fully integrated in his trained body; it mirrored the style in which Wei Wuxian manoeuvred in the exact same manner. Jiang Cheng knows that Wei Wuxian would be able to see through his moves. He knows that he should change his style to throw his shixiong off but he refuse to do so! He was the last remaining Jiang member left from the Jiang Clan. He will proudly take down his brother with the same style of swordsmanship that they both had learnt together. He will take Wei Wuxian back; back to Lotus Pier, to make him repent; to make him kneel in front of his parents’ cenotaph and beg for forgiveness for killing the last family he had left!
It was probably one of his most well fought battles outside of the Sunshot Campaign. Still, Wei Wuxian was able to parry most of his attacks, his senses heightened from the resentful energy that swirled around his body, creating almost a ghostly effect of a demon king that could destroy an entire sect with a wave of his hand. This made Jiang Cheng feel even more useless, feeling his brother still better between the two of them. Yet even in the midst of his fury, Jiang Cheng was still unconsciously avoiding fatal points, opting only to disable Wei Wuxian long enough to subdue him. Wei Wuxian was too mad to notice the manner of how Jiang Cheng fought, his mind had broken beyond repair.
They did not speak, only letting their fists talk. When Jiang Cheng realized that his shixiong did not use the sword gifted by his father to him, so he too had long discarded using Sandu when he saw that his shixiong did not intend to use Suibian either. In his fit of anger he didn't question it, chalking it off to his hubris. As they fought, Jiang Cheng gained the upper hand and struck Wei Wuxian with Zidian and at the same time Wei Wuxian managed to throw out talismans onto Jiang Cheng. They both flew back from the force of the attack.
From within Jiang Cheng's lapels, a Yunmeng Bell came rolling out onto the floor. It was tainted with a dark rusty iron colour, caked with dried blood. It was his sister’s -Shijie's- bell. When it fell, a soft tinkling rang. It should not be audible among the fight that ensued around them but Wei Wuxian heard it clearly, the light tinkling chimed as though could reverberate across a thousand li. And it brought him clarity of mind. His mind was no longer clouded. He could think clearly.
He stopped and looked around himself, seeing needless bloodshed and slaughtering. Blood flooded the ground in vile looking pools, the smell of iron and death hanging heavy around them. The battlefield run amok with corpses and cultivators from the four prominent sects. He felt himself tremble as he felt in his heart the lethargy that set in. He gripped his face and started to laugh maniacally. He was almost hysterical and Jiang Cheng could only narrow his almond shaped eyes at the insane person who could laugh at such situation.
"Jiang Cheng." he called out. Jiang Cheng could see Wei Wuxian eyes and they had never been clearer than when he first found him after he had recovered his golden core. It was the clearest he had seen and his gentle gaze felt like it could pierce his soul.
"I'm sorry. And thank you."
Jiang Cheng had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He rushed forward to grab Wei Wuxian but a corpse had stumbled in his pathway, most likely obeying the command of Wei Wuxian to obstruct his path. Jiang Cheng struck down the corpse with ease using Sandu.
“WEI WUXIAN! STOP!”
Jiang Cheng’s voice was drowned out by the fighting. Wei Wuxian turned around and walked away from where he stood; he could do it anywhere but he rather carry out his plan where his brother would not see him.
Jiang Cheng struggled against another corpse falling into his path, one after another. He yelled out his name again to only receive the same cold response as he watches his brother walk further and further. The fighting ahead of him was much more intense, Wei Wuxian calling corpses upon his wake to block any obstructing cultivators.
The young sect leader was too hasty in trying to reach his brother that he did not see the stray arrow that almost reached his throat. From behind him, a bright blue-coloured sword glare shot through the horde and broke the flying arrow. The fragments of wooden splinters flew apart, the metal tip grazing the fair neck of the young sect leader, leaving a long line that cut through the first layer of the skin, drawing blood onto his already stained violet robes. Despite that, Jiang Cheng did not even flinch.
“Sect Leader Jiang!” A voice calling for him could be heard rushing to his sides.
Lan Xichen gripped Shuoyue in his hands, the crystalline blade stained with blood from both the living and dead. He saw the anger and desperation in the younger sect leader’s eyes and needed to pull him aside. His mindless behaviour, a deviation from the usually cautious youth, would get him killed. And he cannot bear any more deaths on accounts of Wei Wuxian. Not after what his brother had gone through for him.
“Sect Leader Jiang! You need to calm down! You’ve lost your composure and senses! You will be in danger if this continues!”
Lan Xichen tried to reason with him, tugging his shoulder back to stop him from advancing further with one hand and fending off any enemies with the other. But, Jiang Cheng could not see anyone around him as he watched the black clothed youth, Stygian Tiger Seal in hand, move further and further from him.
“WEI YING!” He tried to pry the hands that held him back. “LET GO! LET ME GO!”
“Sect Leader Jiang!” Lan Xichen rarely raised his voice but desperate times called for desperate measures. However, it did not work. In fact, it just made Jiang Cheng struggle harder.
“LAN XICHEN! I TOLD YOU TO LET ME GO! WEI YING! WEI YING IS LEAVING!”
This time Lan Xichen tugged harder and shook his shoulder. “JIANG WANYIN! FIRST CALM DOWN!”
Being stared down by the esteemed Zewu-Jun - sparks of anger flying from the honey-coloured eyes that are usually much warmer - stopped the torrent of chaos that flooded his mind.
Almost immediately after that, Lan Xichen pushed Jiang Cheng aside and struck down the corpse that lurked behind Jiang Cheng. The push and the sight of the falling broken body of the corpse onto the ground, returned him his rationality. He recalls that he is in a siege, meant to subdue Wei Wuxian. He has no time to lose himself. If he were to die, there really will be no more Jiang in this world.
“Don’t worry Sect Leader Jiang. We will subdue Wei Wuxian and bring him to justice,” Lan Xichen spoke, staring at him with his familiar firm and gentle eyes. Jiang Cheng did not reply but merely nodded.
****************
Wei Wuxian walked away from Jiang Cheng. He will not let his brother watch him die. He has suffered too much in too little time. And it was all his fault. His shijie’s death broke him, drove him mad. But it also broke Jiang Cheng too and he knows how much it will torment Jiang Cheng if were to be the one who ended his life.
From within his lapels, he fished out the Stygian Tiger Seal. He stood still where he was, oddly spaced away from where the chaos ensued, and stared at the cursed object in his hands. It was his greatest advantage when taking revenge on the Wen Sect that took away his family and his home. It was also his greatest downfall when it caused others to fear and curse him. He did his best to stand by the Yunmeng Jiang motto to attempt the impossible. And he plans to hold on to that until the very end.
The resentful energy that exuded from this small trinket has caused too much death. It did not discriminate against who to end, including those close to him. He was the one who had enabled that. It cannot be controlled any longer. It has become too powerful. He cannot leave it in this world anymore. He has reached the end of his narrow plank.
With one last look from his spot, he only saw death, hatred, anger and grief. In his heart, he tried to seek out a person among the frenzied encounter but he did not find it. He did not find the beautiful stiff-looking cultivator, adorned in mourning clothes as white as snow and guqin strapped to his back. He did not find the cultivator whose features were like that of carved jade with light coloured glass for eyes, Bichen strapped to his waist. He did not find the cultivator who was the only one whom he deemed to be one of his closest companion. In the end, it did not matter how much strength or merits a person has done. In the end, no one stood by his side. In the end, he was alone.
When Wei Wuxian died, the backlash from the curse attacked his body. The resentful energy was absorbed through his skin feeling as though poison coursed through his veins. He could feel his soul being a torn apart. It hurts. It hurts worse than when his golden core was cut out from his body. Even amidst the pain, he did the one last thing he should have done ages ago.
He destroyed one half of the Stygian Tiger Seal.
****************
Wei Wuxian did not know what day, time or place he was at. He could only see the memories of his childhood burn in flames, as did Lotus Pier when the Wen invaded.
He recalls the anguish when he saw Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian ashes given to them by Wen Ning.
He recalls when he was thrown into Burial Mound, not long after his golden core was removed, with no place to hide from the corpses that roamed the hill. The resentful energy was too heavy, he could not breathe, could not rest, could not sleep.
He recalls the laugh that seemed maniacal when he finally found Wen Chao, enjoying the torture alongside his shidi.
He recalls the pained and disappointed look that Lan Wangji gave him each time they fought.
He recalls the pain of not being able to use Suibian, remembering his full potential he should have had.
He recalls how we was forced to part from the Jiang Clan, the people who were his family.
He recalls how he lost control and killed Jin Zixuan, widowing his shijie and making Jin Ling fatherless.
He recalls how he had caused the death of Jiang Yanli, the one person who cared and loved him.
He recalls how he had orphaned Jin Ling at the tender age of one month.
He could not be at peace. He had done too much wrong to make things right. He had done the things he deemed right only for things to go wrong. The memories tormented him. His heart was in turmoil.
He wanted to scream out but found that he had no voice. He wanted punch the ground but found that he had no limbs. He wanted to cry but found that he had no eyes. He was nothing but a soul trapped forever in primordial chaos.
“… You damn little brat! I hate you! I hate you more than anything else! Look at what our sect has gone through for your sake!”
Madam Yu’s voice cut through him forcing him to take the blame for the destruction of Lotus Pier.
“A-Li is still… is still… waiting for you to go to Koi Tower and attend A-ling’s full-month celebration…”
Jin Zixuan’s voice slowly faded as he lost control for this first time.
“…I’m sorry… It was all my fault… I’m sorry…”
Wen Ning’s voice stuttered as he accepted the wrongs done unto him
“I’ve never really said such things to you before. But now that it’s today, there are indeed a few things I should say. I really won’t get the chance to say them after this.”
Wen Qing’s voice shook slightly as she relayed her apology and gratitude, before she handed herself to Lanling Sect.
“A-Xian, you…you should stop first. Don’t…don’t…”
Jiang Yanli tried to stop him from hurting more people, her tender voice holding no animosity.
“You said you could control it?!”
Jiang Cheng’s voice drifted into his mind, reminding him of his mistakes.
“Wei Ying, for cultivating an evil path you would have to pay.”
“The path not only damage your body, but your heart as well.”
“Some things you cannot be able to control at all.”
Lan Wangji’s voice can be heard reminding him of the consequences of demonic cultivation.
He wanted to shout out how he did not have a choice. He never did! To uphold his beliefs and protect those that he cared for, he did what he had to do.
The torture continued for what seemed like forever, never an end in sight. He just wants to close his eyes and rest. He does not want to heed the soul-summoning rituals that they performed or the Inquiries that they played. There is nothing in the world of living that he wants anymore. His death should have cleared his debts of blood. He does not want to go back to living anymore. Death was better suited for him. The mortal world has no place for him, not after all the sufferings he went through and wrongs that he committed.
He is just tired.
****************
‘Wei Ying’
From within the chaos, Wei Wuxian hears a voice. It was deep and alluring, sounding like that of a note played from a guqin. Wei Wuxian would have shook his head if he could, denying that someone would call him in such a gentle and loving tone.
‘Wei Ying’
There it was again. Was this another Inquiry? He refused to answer any. He was still too broken to have the strength to be forced to reply. Somehow, Wei Wuxian snorted (if he had a nose he would).
‘You can’t make me answer if I my soul is this weak’
Wei Wuxian tried to ignore and the Inquiry stopped. He was glad that the Inquirer had stopped but also a bit lonely, because he loved the voice that spoke his name. It reminded him of someone but could not recall who.
After a certain amount of time, he heard the same voice call him.
‘Wei Ying’
And Wei Wuxian would ignore until he stopped.
However, this voice continues to call him. The deep, melodious voice rings out for a few times before stopping. It stops for a while before the voice calls out again. Sometimes the voice asks where is Wei Ying. Sometime the voice asks if Wei Ying can hear him. But always the voice will start by call for Wei Ying.
Wei Wuxian never answers any of the questions nor the calls for his name. He does not want to hear about the living world. He does not want to go back.
‘Leave me alone.’
Wei Wuxian wants to be left alone. He does not want to find comfort in the voice that calls for him. The deep and charming voice calls his name in such a gentle manner, so full of affection that Wei Wuxian finds himself snorting in doubt. There is no one in this world that would want to be associated with him, let alone call him in such a tender tone. There is no one that world who want him.
The voice did not stop calling out for him. In spite of himself, Wei Wuxian found comfort in the voice that called for him. It was almost like how his mother would call him, gentle, loving and affectionate. It reminded him of Jiang Fengmian would call out to him when he first brought him back to Lotus Pier.
In the midst of primordial chaos, this voice that called out to him brought him small comforts that made the suffering a little bit more bearable. It offered just a small peace of mind to the nightmares that plagued him. He was sure the owner of this voice would be a peerless beauty that only comes once in a blue moon, a voice so deep and alluring that anyone would swoon just hearing it.
Wei Wuxian knew someone like that when he was alive but he could not remember what his name was nor how he looked like. But he does know that this person would surely not miss him. They left on such a bad note it would not be a surprised that person would be disgusted to know that Wei Wuxian regarded him highly.
It does not matter anymore. He was dead. He could not change that fact. He tried to block out the nightmares and focus on the voice that called him when he felt himself being pulled away. He could no longer hear the voice. Not just the voice that calls him, he could not even hear the voices that tortured him. It was as if he was abruptly pulled far away, his haunting memories flying past him. He could only manage a glance at the weak soul of a youth that passed him by before he was suddenly thrown into a pitch black darkness.
He would miss that voice that called out ‘Wei Ying’.
****************
Wei Wuxian received a kick just as he opened his eyes.
A voice thundered besides his ear, “Stop playing dead!”
Yes, Wei Wuxian has been reincarnated. He has no memories during those 13 years of his death.
Wei Wuxian did what he had to grant the wish of the body offerer whose name was Mo Xuanyu, saving the Lan juniors as well and meeting his martial nephew Jin Ling and his shidi, Jiang Cheng. To top it off, he had the misfortune to meet the esteemed Hanguang-Jun who he did not get along in his days when he was the Yiling Patriach.
When Lan Wangji instructed the juniors, he had a deep and alluring voice, a melodious voice that will not say more than necessary. Wei Wuxian could find himself liking this voice a lot. It sounded extremely familiar and gentle.
A peerless beauty that appeared once in a blue moon, with a voice so beautiful that anyone would swoon when they hear it.
Something in his chest felt warm and comforted, his eyes wanting to tear up. Wei Wuxian did not know why but this voice gave him peace of mind.