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“LanZhan...let go…”
How could WeiYing ask it of him? How could he let WeiYing just fall?
WeiYing was smiling, but in a sad, broken way that did nothing to calm LanWangji’s inner turmoil. LanWangji’s grip was tight, desperate, but WeiYing was not gripping back.
Did WeiYing want to fall? Did he want to leave this world? Ah, but why wouldn’t he? In the eyes of the world, there was no WeiYing. Just the Yiling Patriarch. A once promising young cultivator who had already fallen.
“WeiWuXian!”
LanWangji watched in horror as WeiYing fell. And yet he was smiling, as though he was finally at peace, as though he thought he deserved this fate.
LanWangji felt otherwise.
“WeiYing!”
And LanWangji, who had always held himself with such restraint, who embodied the 3000 laws of Gusu Lan, who had never done anything impulsive in his life...lept.
He fell, arm still reaching out. Just a little bit more...
WeiYing’s eyes widened as LanWangji’s arms wrapped around him in midair.
Damn it LanZhan! He wanted to scream.
Instead, he could only cry. They were both going to die. The world will truly never forget nor forgive the Yiling Patriarch now.
A burst of determination cleared his mind momentarily. No. Not LanZhan. Not their precious HanGuangJun.
They were still falling, faster now with their combined weight. WeiYing summoned the last of his concentration and willed the surrounding resentful energy to heed him.
He could only hope that he was successful as darkness claimed him.
They were in a cave. LanWangji had somehow found one, had somehow managed to drag WeiYing’s body into it. Had somehow managed to set up a ward at the entrance.
He sat next to WeiYing’s prone figure now, breathing heavily.
It was amazing that they hadn’t shattered into a million pieces, amazing that while he could feel bruises on his back where he had cushioned both their falls, no bones were broken. Had that been WeiYing’s doing? Likewise, was this cave somehow also WeiYing’s doing?
He didn’t know. He hadn’t honestly expected to survive the fall, let alone the corpses and resentful spirits that had besieged them when they landed, drawn perhaps to the fallen Yiling Patriarch. But he would not let them have WeiYing.
And WeiYing...WeiYing was so still. It was unnatural. Just as it had been unnatural to see him so worn, so ready to give up. As though he had nothing worth living for anymore.
But there had been some regret. LanWangji had seen it. And maybe that was the reason he had jumped.
He didn’t like touching others. But...WeiYing had always been an exception.
“WeiYing?” He called softly, a hand on his wrist.
There was a pulse. Faint, but present.
“WeiYing?” He tried to assess his spiritual energy, but drew up short.
Well, WeiYing had just destroyed the Stygian Tiger Seal.
He brushed some errant hair away from WeiYing’s face.
What had he done? What was he to do next?
He had thought about taking WeiYing back to Cloud Recesses, to hide him. That desire was still there. But WeiYing wouldn’t be safe there. Not with the whole world wanting to find him and…
No. They could not have WeiYing. He wouldn’t let them.
He thought back to that evening not so long ago, the child’s arms around his leg, asking him to stay. Thought about WeiYing’s words then. They all had their paths to walk. WeiYing had chosen the single, lonely, wooden path. LanWangji had let him. Would it have mattered, he wondered, if he had stayed that night? If he had let himself speak his true thoughts and feelings?
Soulmate, WeiYing had called him. I would gladly die by your sword, WeiYing had said.
Maybe it hadn’t been WeiYing’s regret that had caused LanWangji to leap.
He took stock. He still had his Bichen and Wangji. WeiYing still had ChenQing. The cave was spacious and remarkably clean. There were no other entrances, no tunnels linked to it. He should find out where they were, but he was exhausted. Emotionally wrung from the day’s events.
So he sat and watched over WeiYing, only realizing that time had passed when his internal clock demanded that he sleep.
The ground was surprisingly even. He laid down next to WeiYing, their sleeves brushing, and let his mind and his body rest.
When he woke, he berated himself for being careless.
But WeiYing was as he had left him. So very still.
The situation felt familiar. Only WeiYing did not have a fever this time. And they weren’t waiting for rescue.
LanWangji hated to leave WeiYing, but practicality demanded it.
He carefully left the cave, keeping an eye and an ear out for trouble.
The landscape was not as he had expected. Where was the cliff? Should they not be in a gorge? Did he dare fly up on his sword and find out?
The woods beyond the small clearing were dense and forbidding, he could quickly become lost. And then who would protect WeiYing?
So he pulled out Bichen and lifted.
They were in the Burial Mounds. How had WeiYing managed it?
Beyond the trees, he saw evidence of a settlement, rough shelters and tilled land. And a little further, the mouth of the Demon Slaughtering Cave.
He flew and landed. Everything seemed undisturbed. As though people would emerge from the huts to tend to the fields at any time. But LanWangji knew better.
He went into the cave. There were still talismans scattered throughout the space, pieces of inventions that WeiYing had been working on laying haphazardly. He walked further. There was still the Blood Pool.
Everything was so quiet, so still.
Wait…
He walked towards the small sound, sword draw.
It was the child. His eyes were closed, his body curled up, his face flushed. He gave another whimper.
LanWangji sheathed Bichen and drew the child into his arms.
He lifted into the air again, his eyes widening as he saw movement on the path to the settlement. The weight of the child in his arms added to his urgency.
He returned to WeiYing and breathed a sigh of relief that he was as he had left him.
He placed the child next to WeiYing, tucking the blanket he had retrieved around both of them.
Then he went to the entrance of their temporary shelter, unsheathed Bichen, and waited.
Night fell. Everything stayed quiet.
LanWangji fought against a lifetime of conditioning to stay awake.
Morning came. Still all was quiet.
Taking a last glance at the still sleeping figures behind him, LanWangji made for the trees, sword still at the ready.
They had ransacked the place. There was the lingering smell of fire in the air.
LanWangji felt weary, not just because of his lack of rest. There was no sense to human hatred.
They must have been so disappointed to find that the Yiling Patriarch’s army consisted of turnips and radishes, that the so-called dangerous Wens had just been farmers.
It was not safe to linger.
He returned the way he came.
What was he to do with a child? Especially one that needed medical attention. WeiYing did too, come to that. His spiritual power was still dangerously low and his pulse still faint.
If only WenQing had lived…
He stopped that line of thought.
What would WeiYing do?
He remembered reading about a teleportation talisman. He had never used it before; knew only that it required much practice and a large amount of spiritual energy. No doubt WeiYing would be able to adapt it for his needs.
LanWangji gritted his teeth. He was not as creative as WeiYing, had always been too constrained by orthodoxy. But he would do what was necessary.
It took him a week. He stared at the radish in disbelief. But it was there on the cave’s floor, unharmed.
He looked at WeiYing, could almost hear his voice, almost hear his delighted laughter. “Ah LanZhan! Look at you!”
But WeiYing remained still and silent.
The first few days, LanWangji had been able to coax the child into eating some of the fruits from the trees and even a few bites of radishes. He dared not light a fire, for fear that they would be discovered.
The child had grown more lethargic and when LanWangji finally thought to check, was already burning with fever. He tried to pass spiritual energy to the child, but it didn’t seem to help.
He looked at the radish.
Again.
A garden hoe this time.
Again.
Now a basket containing more fruits and radishes he had managed to gather.
He looked at the child. It would have to be enough.
LanXiChen refused to believe that his brother was gone. No bodies had been recovered.
He had gone to the Burial Mounds with JiangWanyin in hopes of finding some sign that his brother had been there.
The sight that had met him had been unexpected. It did not look to be the stronghold of an evil demon. It looked like a below average farming hamlet.
He did not condone its destruction even as he understood JiangWanyin’s frustration. And so he had done his best to stop them from completely torching the place.
He didn’t know if it was his words or the sight of the small collection of lotus blossoms that at last stayed JiangWanyin’s hand.
He returned to the Cloud Recesses. His duties demanded it.
“Sect Leader!”
He looked up sharply, Was it Wangji? Had there been some news?
The disciple’s eyes were so wide.
“What is it?” LanXiChen tried to stay calm, even as every muscle in his body tensed.
“A disturbance.”
“Where?”
“Jingshi.”
LanXiChen stood. It would be unseemly to run. But he thought the elders would forgive him
It was a child. A feverish child with a familiar forehead ribbon around his head and a jade token providing access to Cloud Recesses tucked into his shirt. Along with a note.
My son. Lan SiZhui.
An ironic name as Wangji had followed after his WeiYing.
But...it meant...it meant that somewhere, Wangji was still alive.
LanWangji held WeiYing’s hand in his. He couldn’t understand it. WeiYing should be awake by now.
It had taken another week for LanWangji to recover his full spiritual powers. It probably would have come back sooner but for his insistence on passing some to WeiYing everyday.
He had begun to mark the days on the walls of the caves. It’s been more than a month.
Still, WeiYing slept.
As he did everyday, LanWangji assessed WeiYing. His pulse was still the same. Faint but steady.
His spiritual energy...was still low.
Was it because of the resentment that surrounded them?
But...as impossible as it had seemed, WeiYing had been able to command the resentment.
LanWangji had had a lot of time to meditate, to think. And, setting aside all that he had been taught...WeiYing had just wanted to protect the Wen Remnants. LanWangji saw it clearer now. WeiYing had only ever used the Stygian Tiger Seal twice. Once in the final battle against WenRuohan and the second time...the second time against his own heartbreak as Jiang Yanli’s life had ended.
Was this the price WeiYing had to pay for it? What was the cost to his Golden Core?
LanWangji’s hold on WeiYing’s wrist suddenly tightened.
Of course. Why had he not thought to assess it before?
The answer came to mind at once. Because it was a forbidden thing to do. Even more sacrilegious than having someone touch his forehead ribbon without permission. One’s Golden Core was sacred.
LanWangji looked into WeiYing’s face. It had stayed expressionless all these days. Like WeiYing’s silence, it was wrong. So very wrong.
LanWangji set his jaw. He placed his hand on WeiYing’s chest, sent a rope of his own spiritual energy, followed it, and plunged.
There was nothing. Not a glimmer, not a shred. Just…nothing.
LanWangji came to himself with a gasp as his own spiritual energy fizzled with nothing to attach to. How was that possible?
He had exchanged swords with WeiYing, had fought and killed the XuanWu beast with WeiYing...he knew what WeiYing was capable of. This…
He took deep, calming breaths. Think. Think.
Lotus Pier had been attacked. WangLingJiao had led it. And...WenZhuliu had come to her aid.
But...if that was the case, wouldn’t JiangWanyin know? They had been together, surely? WeiYing would never abandon JiangWanyin. Who could give him the answers?
No one. WangLingJiao was dead. Wen Zhuliu was dead. JiangYanli was dead. JiangWanyin had looked at his foster brother with so much hatred.
No one but WeiYing could tell him.
“WeiYing?”
Of course he didn’t respond.
But if not to his voice then maybe…
He pulled out his guqin. It was not quite how Inquiry was meant to be used, but even he had grown tired of silence.
There were spirits around him. Full of ancient resentments. Of course there would be in a place like the Burial Mounds. It was almost too much.
WeiYing ? He called, over and over again.
There was no response. Was WeiYing hiding from him?
It took another two month. LanWangji was nothing if not persistent.
WeiYing?
LanZhan.
His hands froze above the strings. He had to be sure.
WeiYing?
Yes.
What happened to your Golden Core?
Spirits could not lie when summoned by Inquiry. Still WeiYing seemed to be resisting. LanWangji waited.
I gave it away.
Gave it away? To whom? Why? How? He had too many questions.
Was that why you started cultivating differently?
Yes.
Did WenChao actually drop you into the Burial Mounds?
Yes.
Did you have your Core at the time?
No.
So. Sometime after the fall of Lotus Pier then.
Why did you jump after me?
LanWangji stared at his guqin in shock. Had WeiYing just asked him a question? He wanted to laugh. Trust WeiYing to disobey the rules even in this case.
Because I am still your soulmate.
There was silence.
WeiYing?
The silence stayed.
It took another month for WeiYing to respond again.
WeiYing, are you there?
Yes.
Relief flooded LanWangji. He had tried to make a list of questions to ask WeiYing. There was so much he wanted to know. But he had never been very good with words. Inquiry preferred pointed, direct questions anyways. He had another idea, thought of a different way to get his answers.
Will you let me use Empathy?
No.
Will you let me use Empathy?
It’s dangerous.
Will you let me use Empathy?
You have no anchor.
Will you let me use Empathy?
Silence again.
But LanWangji was undaunted.
Another month passed.
Will you let me use Empathy?
Why?
LanWangji could have smiled.
Will you let me use Empathy?
Silence. Then…
Fine.
Who knew spirits could sound so petulant?
LanWangji held tightly to Bichen, it would have to serve as his anchor.
He saw. And felt. And was overwhelmed. He lost control.
The memories continued. Past the Core transplant, past the harnessing of resentful energy, past the events at QiongQi Pass...he saw and felt the anguish as JiangYanli fell, as JiangWanyin raised his sword. He was WeiYing.
“LanZhan...let go…”
And just as before, WeiYing wrenched himself from LanWangji’s grasp.
He came to awareness slowly.
“LanZhan.”
He blinked.
“You’re awake.”
WeiYing. He tried to sit up and felt a hand at his back to steady him.
He stared. WeiYing.
“How long?”
“Still asking questions, huh?”
And the sight of his smile, the sound of his voice...both so familiar…”WeiYing.”
“A month.”
“A month,” he repeated.
“Ah HanGuangJun. Can you imagine what people are saying? The Yiling Patriarch’s last evil act, pulling their lightbearer to his death.”
“Not dead.”
“I should be.”
“No.”
WeiYing just shook his head. “I deserve to be.”
“No.” LanWangji gripped his wrist tightly enough to bruise. “I saw...I...I felt.”
“You did, didn’t you?” WeiYing’s voice was so small, so subdued.
“Not your fault.”
“Of course it was my fault!” WeiYing wrenched himself away again. “JiangCheng said...I just had to be the hero, just had to speak my mind, just had to antagonize...I never bring anything but trouble.”
“No.” LanWangji reached for his wrist again. He will always reach for WeiYing. “WeiYing was trying to do good.”
“And see where that got me!” WeiYing sounded so bitter, but at least he wasn’t pulling away.
“WeiYing.”
“You should leave.”
“No.”
WeiYing did not appear as though he had heard. “Go back to Gusu. They’d be overjoyed to have you return.”
“No.”
“LanWangj. Second Jade of Lan. HanGuangJun. You can tell them I died. They’d believe you.” WeiYing continued to speak.
“No.”
“Or I suppose you can’t tell them that. Lying is forbidden and all. Then just keep silent. Or send an army. I don’t know. I don’t care.”
“No.”
“They’d like that, won’t they? To capture the Yiling Patriarch once and for all? I’d let them. I won’t even move from here. I’ll wait.”
“No.”
“They can turn me into dust too. Just like they did to WenQing and WenNing. Then they can go back to their merry lives and feel so accomplished.”
“No.” LanWangji held WeiYing’s wrist again, “No.”
WeiYing opened his mouth to continue speaking and LanWangji had enough.
“No!”
WeiYing’s mouth was still open, but this time in shock, “you yelled.”
“Yes.” LanWangji’s voice was back to normal.
“LanZhan.”
“WeiYing. I will stay.”
“And do what?”
“Help you.”
“Help me? Do what? Plant radishes?”
“Yes.”
WeiYing laughed. “The great HanGuangJun, throwing away all his potential to become a farmer ?”
“Yes.” LanWangji said simply.
“Oh.”
“If WeiYing will teach me how.”
“I once put A-Yuan into one of these holes,” WeiYing had paused in tilling the ground for their new vegetable patch, “told him it’d help him grow taller. Told him that maybe I’d be able to grow some friends for him.”
“A-Yuan.”
“He was so young...”
“The child,” LanWangji realized.
“The least deserving of his fate.” WeiYing said softly.
“He lives.”
WeiYing looked at him in shock.
“I sent him to Brother.”
“You...how?”
“Teleportation array. Had to make adjustments.”
“You…” and WeiYing laughed, “ah, LanZhan! Ah HanGuangJun!”
And it was just as LanWangji had imagined it. He ducked his head to hide his smile.
Of course, it wasn’t just farming. With just the two of them, they really didn’t need all that much to subsist. WeiYing talked about the cultivation technique he had developed. LanWangji listened and found that he could actually contribute to the conversation. Music was the channel after all. Other times, WeiYing talked about his memories. Their shared memories now. A barrier had been broken, further demolished each time either of them woke from nightmares based on them. They also trained together. LanWangji felt that even if WeiYing could no longer cultivate with a sword, he should not lose his physical skills. WeiYing complained, pouted, called him mean, but he did not refuse. They were still surrounded by corpses and restless spirits.
Life was...simple. And LanWangji was...happy.
“LanZhan, play me a song?”
It wasn’t an unusual request, had become a bedtime ritual of sorts. They had found that the Songs of Clarity seemed to keep the nightmares at bay.
LanWangji began to play.
“No. That song.”
LanWangji looked at him questioningly.
“From the XuanWu cave.”
LanWangji’s heart started racing. Despite these months of living with each other, sleeping side by side, this last thing had remained unspoken.
“I remember...it was beautiful.”
LanWangji nodded and began to play.
The sound of ChenQing joining him almost made him pause. But he continued.
The silence that followed was heavy.
LanWangji expected WeiYing to ask for the song’s name again.
Instead, WeiYing asked, “what happened to your forehead ribbon?”
He had almost forgotten he didn’t have it anymore. “I gave it away.”
“Gave it away? To whom?”
“A-Yuan. Protection.”
“Oh.” WeiYing blinked and tilted his head, “it’s odd to see you without one.”
“No more need.”
WeiYing frowned thoughtfully, the same way he did when one of his inventions was giving him a particularly hard time.
“No more need for restraint.”
“LanZhan. Use your words. Details please.”
That also wasn’t new. WeiYing was smart enough to understand LanWangji’s meaning most of the time, but he still needed to remind LanWangji to explain some of his more complex thoughts.
LanWangji thought carefully. “The forehead ribbon is a reminder to regulate oneself. Cannot be easily taken off, should not be tied to others because…” he paused a moment to consider his next words, “can only let go of all restraint in the presence of one’s fated one.”
“Oh.”
LanWangji looked down at his guqin.
“LanZhan...the name of this song…”
“WangXian.” he answered softly.
There was no sound in reply for the longest time, but then he heard the rustle of cloth as WeiYing moved close. He felt a pressure on his forehead and looked up in surprise.
“It’s odd to see you without one,” WeiYing repeated, his voice just as soft, as he tied his usual red hair ribbon around LanWangji’s forehead.
“WeiYing…”
“Will you stay?”
“Will always stay with WeiYing.”
They had to venture to the nearest town. There were supplies they needed that they could not make or grow themselves.
LanWangji was worried they’d be recognized.
WeiYing had laughed.
“Look at us, HanGuangJun! Who would believe we are anything but radish farmers?”
LanWangji looked down at himself. He had long exchanged his white robes for the plain, more serviceable browns and blues that the previous tenants of the settlement had left. He had been surprised that the fire had left more intact than it had destroyed.
He met WeiYing’s wide grin with a small quirk of his own lips.
“We’ll wear some wide brimmed hats to complete the ensemble!”
“Mn.”
WeiYing read off the list he had made. “Anything else you can think of, LanZhan?”
“Potatoes.”
And WeiYing had smiled that special, soft smile he seemed to reserve just for LanWangji. “Right. Potatoes.”
Yiling town was bustling. It felt strange to be among other people again, after so long of just being in WeiYing’s company.
They still managed to draw quite the crowd.
“Ah A-Zhan,” WeiYing nudged his shoulder, “even dressed as a farmer, you are much too pretty.”
LanZhan flushed but politely handed radishes to yet another giggling young maiden.
“I think I’ll take some protective talismans next time,” WeiYing said thoughtfully on their return.
“WeiYing,” LanZhan said in warning.
“I’ve done it in the past and it didn’t draw much attention. It should give us a little bit more funds.”
“Don’t need much.” LanZhan insisted.
“Well no. But while I’m used to living without many luxuries, you have not been able to have any tea for almost a year!”
“WeiYing.”
WeiYing reached and held his hand, “We’re making a home, aren’t we?”
“WeiYing.”
“And! I would like to try growing peppers too! And those seeds are much more expensive.”
LanWangji made a little huff of amusement while WeiYing grinned widely.
LanWangji was quite content to continue as they were. When either of them felt a little too restless, they’d venture further into the Burial Mounds and ‘have a good old fashioned nighthunt and wack our way through some corpses,’ as WeiYing put it. There were certainly plenty of resentments around to help them keep up their skills.
They did occasionally hear news of the cultivation world, on their intermittent trips into town, but neither of them felt a need to interfere. Who would accept their help anyways?
“Well,” WeiYing muttered to him in a low voice as they sat enjoying a meal in one of the teahouses, “the return of HanGuangJun will always be welcomed.”
LanWangji just shook his head. “Too fussy.”
WeiYing grinned widely at the irony of his companion’s remark, “Ah, A-Zhan! I’m a bad influence on you. You’re starting to develop a sense of humor!”
“A-Ying is a bad influence,” LanWangji agreed easily enough.
And WeiYing laughed.
They wandered the streets; it was so freeing to be thought of as just two random strangers.
“Oooo. A-Zhan, look! Rabbits!”
“Oh yes, the plumpest!” The man told them, “perfect for stewing or red-roasting.”
“Shall we, A-Zhan?”
LanWangji mentally calculated the money that they had at their disposal. They would be able to afford them...but...he sighed and shook his head, “wouldn’t be safe.”
He petted one of the rabbits regretfully.
“Ah, you’re right of course.” WeiYing looked a little crestfallen, but then he perked up, “oh look! Tanghulu! I haven’t had one in so long! Let’s go!”
LanWangji let himself be pulled and even took a bite of the sweet and sour treat at WeiYing’s insistence before handing it back.
“Too much?”
“Mn.”
He had learned to adjust to more flavor in his foods, but his taste buds will never be as extreme as WeiYing’s.
“More for me then!”
WeiYing kept up his stream of chatter as he darted from stall to stall, his hand never leaving LanWangji’s elbow.
“Oh!"
“A-Ying…”
They had stopped in front of what must have been a brothel.
“We won’t go in, just…” he pointed upwards, “flowers, A-Zhan.” WeiYing turned and plucked a petal from LanWangji’s hair, “so lovely.”
LanWangji could not help but smile back.
“Ah, A-Zhan, as lovely as a painting.”
LanWangji pulled them away before the ladies could accost them.
“So bashful, A-Zhan,” WeiYing teased him.
LanWangji thought back to a moment from their school days, “paint me.”
“Hmm?”
“Paint me, like you had, before.”
WeiYing had to think for a moment. “Ah, so you did like it!”
LanWangji could feel his ears growing warm, but he nodded, “Mn.”
“Alright then, we needed to buy more paper and ink anyways!”
They were playing their usual duet one night when they felt the wards trigger.
They crept through the trees and saw NieHuaiSang of all people wandering about the abandoned village.
“Wei xiong!” NieHuaiSang called out, “Wei xiong! You have to help me!”
WeiYing frowned.
“Please,” NeiHuaiSang looked heartbroken as he knelt in the dirt in front of the Demon Slaughtering Cave, “please.”
They looked at each other. This could very easily be a trap. They nodded at each other, they’d wait.
“It’s just me. I promise.” NieHuaiSang’s ever present fan was tucked in his belt. “It’s been sixteen years, Wei xiong. And I...I wouldn’t come here if I weren’t desperate. Please...please if you’re here...I have no-one else to turn to…”
NieHuaiSang wiped at his tears. “My da ge...we never recovered his body. I found an arm. He’s...someone dismembered him! I...just...I just want to find the rest of him. Please, Wei-xiong.”
NieHuaiSang continued to kneel and plead, “You know I’ve never been a very good cultivator, Wei-xiong. I can’t...I don’t know how to begin to look. Please. I...I’ll tell you everything.”
And he did. He told them all about what they had missed in their absence from the cultivation world, all about what he had uncovered of JinGuangYao’s crimes.
“But what can I do? How do I expose him? Wei-xiong...please. You always had such creative ideas. I need...I need your help. Please.”
“Do you believe him?” WeiYing whispered to LanWangji.
LanWangji was frowning, “will have to think.”
WeiYing nodded and they crept back to their home.
“We need more information.”
LanWangji nodded his agreement.
They both sat and thought through the memories.
“There was a second dizi!” They both said at the same time.
“Could it be…” WeiYing muttered.
“Framed,” LanWangji declared definitively in a voice of disgust.
“Then…”
“Speak to him. Together.”
“You’re certain?”
LanWangji nodded.
“Tomorrow. If he’s still there.”
LanWangji nodded again. NieHuaiSang would be safe from the plagues of the Burial Mounds as long as he stayed within the confines of the village.
NeiHuaiSang was still there, now seated tiredly on the ground.
“Sect Leader Nie.”
NieHuaiSang started.
“Long time no see, Sect Leader Nie. No, no, don’t get up.” WeiYing sat across from his former friend.
“I knew you hadn’t died.” NieHuaiSang shared.
“Mn.” WeiYing stared at him. “What brings Sect Leader Nie to such dangerous lands?”
“I need your help.”
“Oh? What can the Yiling Patriarch do for you? Does some foe need dismemberment? Does a minor Sect need to be wiped out? Whole villages made to disappear?”
“No. I never believed any of those rumors.”
“So you don’t believe I bathe in the blood of innocents and conduct horrific experiments in my Demon Slaughtering Cave?”
“No.”
“Hmm. And if I tell you it’s all true? That I’ve been walking these lands and spreading evil everywhere I go?”
“Then I’d treat it like the stories you used to tell to get out of trouble.”
WeiYing smiled cruelly, “Ah, Sect Leader Nie. I could easily smite you where you stand.”
“Wei-xiong. If you truly wanted to, you would have already.”
WeiYing looked at him consideringly, “Sect Leader Nie, you have become braver these many years.”
NeiHuaiSang inclined his head, “I was forced to change by circumstances, just as you were.”
“Tell me, what do you think happened all those years ago?”
“I think you were used. You were a weapon that became too powerful. So you had to be destroyed. But also a convenient scapegoat so that true crimes could be hidden.”
“You don’t think you’re being too fanciful?”
“No,” NeiHuaiSang said evenly.
“Why did you think I’d be here?”
“I asked around. People told me of two handsome young men who come to market with vegetables and talismans. One is polite but quiet while the other is always laughing. They always disappear quickly, leaving no traces. Always in the direction of the Burial Mounds. Sometimes, villagers nearby would be disturbed by corpses or spirits or curses, but someone always drives them away. All that is ever heard is the sound of a dizi, sometimes a guqin, all that is ever seen is a flash of red ribbon.”
“You have done your research.” WeiYing was impressed.
“You hid your tracks well. But I have been looking.”
“Just you?”
NieHuaiSang stared at his hands, “No. But it seems I have become a master of misdirection.”
“Why?”
NieHuaiSang met his eyes, “because I knew you would want to be left alone. Because the world did not deserve you. Because...because you were my friend.”
WeiYing’s expression softened. “Nie-xiong. Tell me about your brother.”
LanWangji brought them tea. He had been checking the perimeters, just to be safe. NeiHuaiSang had not lied. He really was alone.
NieHuaiSang did not seem surprised to see LanWangji, but his gaze did fixate on the red ribbon across the latter’s forehead.
“Congratulations are in order I see.”
WeiYing smiled at him. “Thank you.”
They decided to help. Though just with finding ChiFengZun’s body.
“We have no interest in politics, nor do we have any interest in returning to the cultivation world,” WeiYing told NieHuaiSang.
“I understand.”
“I fully trust you have the capability of destroying JinGuangYao quite well without us.”
“Is that a compliment, Wei xiong?”
“Hmm. What is a little compliment between friends?”
NeiHuaiSang smiled, and WeiYing saw a little bit of the old NieHuaiSang peak through.
“There is one thing…” NieHuaiSang looked at LanWangji, “ZeWuJun...he is close to JinGuangYao.”
LanWangji blinked at the mention of his brother. It was his only source of guilty all these years. WeiYing reached over and held his hand.
“Brother…” LanWangji said with just a slight pause, “brother is just. He will...he will not ignore evidence.”
“It will break his heart. Much as you did, HanGuangJun.”
WeiYing’s grip tightened.
“Brother...brother had always encouraged me to do what I felt was right. He had...he had wanted me to befriend WeiYing. He had…”
“Had tried to help me,” WeiYing interjected, knowing LanWangji would be unable to complete his thought, “but I was foolish. I didn’t listen.” He turned towards his companion, “I wish I did.”
NieHuaiSang looked between them. “I am glad that neither of you have been alone.”
He handed WeiYing a purse, “it contains the spirit of da ge’s saber. It should help you.”
WeiYing took it with a nod.
“And it contains payment. For any incidentals along your way.”
WeiYing laughed, “how thoughtful of you.”
NieHuaiSang’s smile broadened, grew more genuine, “I remember how much you liked your wine, Wei xiong.”
WeiWuXiang handed him a talisman in return. “Should you have urgent updates, this will enable you to reach me. Likewise, it’ll alert you if we have made any discoveries.”
NieHuaiSang nodded. “Wei xiong...thank you.”
WeiYing smiled as he also stood, “I do not possess so many friendships that I would neglect to honor this one.”
NieHuaiSang bowed.
“This is just like old times!” WeiYing laughed as they left the Burial Mounds, “you, me, a search for something missing!”
“Mn,” LanWangji agreed.
“And I didn’t even have to follow you sneakily this time!”
LanWangji scoffed.
WeiYing just grinned at him, “Ah LanZhan. You can’t do that, I know your secret now. You liked having me tag along.”
“I did,” LanWangji admitted, “it proved useful.”
WeiYing giggled. “We do make a good team. The way NieHuaiSang had described it...all that is heard is the sound of a dizi, sometimes a guqin...all that is seen is a flash of red ribbon...so poetic!”
“As it should be.”
“Hm. Maybe someday people will know. HanGuangJun did not chase after the Yiling Patriarch because of a need to eliminate the world of evil. No, their story is a tale of love.”
LanWangji just smiled, “yes.”
WenYing laughed again and put ChenQing to his lips.
And so they continued to the familiar sound of their song.
“We’ve been here before, haven’t we?”
LanWangji nodded.
“It can’t be the same statue, can it?”
Said statue was rushing down the path, swatting cultivators out of its path.
“Well it’s certainly as angry as it had been back then. Really hope there are no possessed people this time though.”
They sprang into action, doing their best to keep the statue from hurting more people.
But even their combined powers did not seem to be enough. Almost reflexively, WeiYing started to play a particular tune, and to their surprise, a darkly clothed figure rose from the hills and subdued the statue.
“WenNing…”
“WeiYing.”
At LanWangji’s word of warning, WeiYing sent WenNing away again.
“He’s…”
WeiYing looked at his companion with such wide eyes.
LanWangji nodded, “I know. Should leave.”
Right.
The purple flash of Zidian interrupted them. It came flashing towards them again but LanWangji sent it back with a wave of power and narrowed eyes.
“JiangCheng…” WeiYing was staring at his former brother.
“How dare you!”
“Jiujiu!”
WeiYing stared at the young Jin Sect cultivator who was trying to restrain JiangCheng in shock. Was that…
“Han...HanGuangJun?”
There was a group of Lan cultivators. One of the youths approached them carefully.
“I....I am SiZhui. Lan SiZhui.”
LanWangji froze.
“A-Yuan?” WeiYing looked at the youth in disbelief.
The youth turned towards WeiYing, “Yes...and...you...you must be my other father.”
“Father...what...I…”
“Enough!” JiangCheng snarled, “You dare show your face now?!”
“Jiujiu! He saved my life!”
“JinLing! Don’t you know who this is?!”
“Who is he?”
JiangCheng was still staring at WeiYing, his expression thunderous, “WeiWuXian!”
He lifted his hand again.
“Do not!” LanWangji barked. “Do. Not.”
“And why shouldn’t I? Don’t you know what he is?”
“Yes.” LanWangji declared simply, “husband.”
That answer made JiangCheng pause.
“Husband?” The young cultivators whispered amongst themselves. They had been told that...that…
“Husband.” LanWangji said again, his hand firmly holding WeiYing’s in his.
JiangCheng scowled, “I don’t know what trickery this is...there is no way that…”
“There was no Baoshen Sanren.”
“LanZhan…”
LanWangji ignored WeiYing. “There was no Baoshen Sanren. What you have is WeiYing’s.”
“Not possible.”
“You can believe, or not believe.” LanWangji stated before he turned to go.
Their path was blocked by LanSiZhui, “HanGuangJun...will you...Uncle will want to know that you’re well.”
LanWangji turned towards his companion, “WeiYing?”
WeiYing nodded. “I’ve seen my brother,” his voice was subdued, tired, “it’s only fair that you should go see yours.”
“Together.” LanWangji said, squeezing his husband’s hand.
WeiYing did not answer but he did squeeze in return.
They walked in silence. LanWangji had never been more thankful for the Lan Sect rules against gossiping.
“SiZhui…” WeiYing had never liked the silence, “A-Yuan...what should I call you?”
“Whatever you wish...Wei qianbei.”
“I thought I was your other father?” WeiYing teased.
LanSiZhui flushed a little, “that was presumptuous of me. I apologize for my breach of etiquette.”
WeiYing smiled a little and LanWangji felt a little relieved. “Hmm. I don’t think I deserve to be called your father. How’s this...you used to call me Xian-gege.”
“Xian gege,” LanSiZhui repeated shyly.
“A-Yuan!” WeiYing beamed and threw an arm around the youth.
LanSiZhui looked very much alarmed.
“Ah you’ve grown so big! See, LanZhan, planting him in the ground like a radish totally worked!”
“Mn. But WeiYing never grew him friends.”
“He’s got friends! A nice boy like him? How can he not have friends?!” He turned towards the still embarrassed looking boy, “you have friends, right? You’re not going to make me a liar, are you?”
“Of course he’s got friends!” A voice broke out from among the group of Lan disciples, “SiZhui is not only the best cultivator in our generation but also the most modest, the kindest. Of course he’s got friends! And those who don’t want to be his friend are just jealous that he’s better than them!”
“Jingyi…” SiZhui protested.
“Jingyi…” WeiYing repeated, “your name doesn’t seem to suit you all that much.”
“It does not.” Jingyi admitted even as he walked closer to them. “Are you really SiZhui’s fathers?”
Someone else answered for them.
“Wangji.”
ZeWuJun stood at the gate to the Cloud Recesses.
“Xiongzhang.”
“Wangji.” ZeWuJun’s hands shook as he lifted his brother from his deep bow, his usual calm demeanor fracturing. He had to swallow before he said, “welcome home.”
They knelt before LanQiRen, who had been quiet for way too long.
“What is the meaning of that,” the older man at last demanded, pointing at the red ribbon still tied across LanWangji’s forehead, “you would mock our ways?”
“No. Wangji means to honor our ancestors. Wangji has found his fated one.”
“You…” LanQiRen stared at his nephew for a long moment before turning to WeiWuXian. “Your mother would be laughing in her grave.”
“Teacher Lan?” WeiYing’s voice revealed his surprise.
“This is her last prank on me.” LanQiRen stated. “Be gone from my sight! Both of you!”
LanWangji kowtowed again and WeiYing quickly followed suit.
LanSiZhui and ZeWuJun were both waiting for them in the Jingshi.
“Wangji...you look well.”
“Xiongzhang...I am...I apologize…”
ZeWuJun just shook his head, “there is no need for apologies between us. I...SiZhui has been a blessing.”
LanSiZhui’s cheeks were flushed again.
LanWangji’s eyes softened. “SiZhui…”
“HanGuangJun.”
“You...remember?”
“Some.” SiZhui admitted, “Uncle says I was very ill when I appeared. I get flashes sometimes...snippets. But when I heard ChenQing...I...I just knew.”
“You always did like to chew on it,” WeiYing shared.
“I…” If possible, LanSiZhui was blushing even more.
“Have you been...well?”
“Oh yes,” LanSiZhui seemed relieved at LanWangji’s question. “Uncle is...very patient. He has been most mindful of my education. He even showed me the rabbits!”
“Cloud Recesses does not allow pets,” LanWangji said wonderingly.
“Hm. They are not pets,” ZeWuJun said, a light returning to his eyes, “they are free to roam as they please.”
LanSiZhui smiled, “and we are allowed to feed them, as long as Great Uncle doesn’t see.”
“We must be kind to all life forms on the mountain.” ZeWuJun said approvingly.
LanWangji smiled.
“Wei gongzi…” ZeWuJun turned towards WeiYing.
“WuXian,” WeiYing said.
“Hmm?"
WeiYing took LanWangji’s hand in his, “You call LanZhan Wangji. You should call me WuXian.”
ZeWuJun’s gaze flickered briefly to the red ribbon, “WuXian then. Thank you for caring for Wangji all these years.”
“You don’t…” WeiYing seemed suddenly unsure of himself, “you don’t blame me?”
“Why would I when it is so obvious that Wangji is happy?”
“ZeWuJun…”
“If you do not mind...Wangji calls me xiongzhang.”
WeiYing looked like he would cry.
They departed Cloud Recesses to resume their journey. ZeWuJun, SiZhui, and Jingyi watching them from the gate.
“LanZhan...we have family.”
LanWangji turned back briefly before facing the road again, “yes. Yes we do.”
“LanZhan...was it wrong of us to stay away for so long?”
“Didn’t know if it would be safe.”
“For them or for us?”
“Both.”
WeiYing let out a shuddering breath before his usual cheerful demeanor returned, “Our little A-Yuan...the little radish has grown so well.”
“Yes. Brother has been an excellent caretaker.”
“But of course. He raised you, after all,” WeiYing told him earnestly.
It was LanWangji’s turn to let out a sigh.
“We’ll return.” WeiYing promised.
“Brother said...it is only fitting that I should return when...when he has learned such terrible things about his other brother.”
WeiYing glanced up briefly at the new cloud relief on LanWangji’s red ribbon. “He believes HuaiSang?”
LanWangji nodded. “He still does not believe JinGuangYao to be without his own reasons. He would like to give JinGuangYao an opportunity to explain himself.”
“As is the right thing to do,” WeiYing said quietly. It was an opportunity he had not been given.
LanWangji nodded again. “Yes.
“There is a more important reason for us to return,” WeiYing declared in a determinedly cheerful voice. “I really need to teach Jingyi how to break the rules more subtly!”
“WeiYing was never very subtle.”
“Only because you were always watching, just waiting for me to step a toe out of line so you can quote another rule at me!”
“Liked watching WeiYing.”
“LanZhan!”
“It was amusing.”
“And not annoying?”
“Only sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?! Ah, I obviously didn’t try hard enough then!”
“Can teach Jingyi.”
“Poor Teacher Lan.”
“Cloud Recesses could do with more laughter.”
“You have been corrupted!”
“Jingyi has a righteous heart. He should be encouraged to speak his mind and follow his conscience.”
“Ah LanZhan. So philosophical. I just want the children to know how to have fun!”
“Hmm. That is important as well.”
WeiYing laughed.
That night they stopped at an Inn.
“LanZhan...is that…”
“Mn.”
WeiYing took the bottles of Emperor’s Smile from LanWangji’s hand, “best husband. Really. LanZhan. Best husband in the world.”
LanWangji sat to enjoy his own tea.
“WeiYing.”
“Hmm?”
“WenNing.”
“Ah,” WeiYing set his cup down. “I never thought...it never occurred to me that…”
“Summon him.”
WeiYing stared at his cup. “First A-Yuan, now WenNing. I didn’t manage to get them all killed after all.”
“Summon him.”
WeiYing nodded.
They waited until the streets were quiet and dark. WenNing came.
LanWangji moved to cut the chains, but WeiYing stopped him.
“Something’s wrong.” He examined WenNing and then pulled two long nails from his head.
“Gongzi.” WenNing fell to his knees.
“Do get up,” WeiYing said.
“It’s my fault, gongzi. I…”
“No,” LanWangji said, “not your fault.”
“Lan er gongzi.” It was odd to see a fierce corpse looking so surprised.
LanWangji nodded at him and gestured with Bichen. The chains fell.
“See. Not your fault. You know LanZhan can’t lie. Now stand.” WeiYing said.
“Gongzi…”
“Up you get,” WeiYing physically dragged WenNing to his feet. “Both of us were treated like weapons. You were manipulated. We are trying to right the wrongs from years ago.”
“We?” WenNing looked between the two of them.
“We,” WeiYing said happily as he roped his arm around LanWangji’s.
WenNing smiled, “jiejie would have been so happy. She always suspected…”
“She what?!” WeiYing let go of LanWangji and put his hands on his own waist indignantly, “and she just kept it to herself?!”
“She said you wouldn’t have believed her.”
“Wen gu niang was always intelligent,” LanWangji commented.
“LanZhan! How can you take her side?”
“I cannot lie.” LanWangji intoned.
“LanZhan!”
WenNing’s smile widened at their interplay. Jiejie would have rolled her eyes, but jiejie would have been happy to see this outcome. Jiejie...he smile faded.
“WenNing?”
He looked up into WeiYing’s concerned eyes.
“Jiejie...they took jiejie away…”
“WenNing…"
“Not here,” LanWangji said, “room.”
“Right.” WeiYing nodded decisively, “come on WenNing.”
“What do you remember, WenNing?”
“Not much,” WenNing admitted. “Jiejie and I went to Carp Tower. Only Lan er gongzi and Luo guniang spoke on our behalf. But the others...they didn’t want to listen. Jiejie...jiejie looked resigned. They separated us and then...there had been a man. He had such a strange smile. And then...and then there was just darkness. Until I heard gongzi’s song. I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry, WenNing. I’m sorry I didn’t come looking for you sooner.”
“You couldn’t have known, gongzi.” WenNing protested.
“I should have known better than to trust JinGuangShan’s words. I should have…”
“WeiYing could not have known.”
“LanZhan...I hid. All these years, I hid like a coward…”
“No. We lived our lives.”
“LanZhan…”
“Gongzi...there is one thing…”
WeiYing blinked his eyes of tears that were about to come, “what is it?”
“A-Yuan. Jiejie had hid A-Yuan. In hopes that...in hopes that you would find him when you woke and...and…”
“I didn’t see him,” WeiYing admitted.
“Oh.”
“But LanZhan did.”
“Lan er gongzi?”
“He has been adopted into the Lan clan. He is Lan SiZhui now.”
“Oh! That’s...good. I’m glad.”
“We’ll take you to visit him,” WeiYing declared.
“Oh, I couldn’t…”
“Yes, you can. Right LanZhan?”
LanWangji briefly touched the new jade token at his waist, “Mn.”
“See.”
“Gongzi...Lan er gongzi...thank you.”
“WenNing…your sister can never be replaced. But...I hope you’ll accept us as your brothers?”
“Gongzi…”
“Is that a yes?” WeiYing asked with a smile.
WenNing nodded emphatically.
They watched as SongLan walked into the distance, the two swords crossed on his back.
LanWangji couldn’t express the emotions he felt at the sight. He settled for holding WeiYing’s hand tightly in his. If he hadn’t jumped that day...could that have been him? Forever doomed to walk alone?
“LanZhan. I’m here.”
He took a few calming breaths. Yes. WeiYing was with him. They had spent the past sixteen years together. Would get to spend so many more years together.
“Come on, the children are waiting.”
LanWangji nodded.
It had been a surprise to meet not only Lan disciples but also JinLing and OuYang ZiZhen in Yi City. But even though they seemed to be aware of WeiYing’s identity, none of them seemed to mind. It had been...interesting, to go off in search of the masked figure while leaving the children in WeiYing’s capable hands.
And from the way the children crowded around WeiYing now...it brought a smile to LanWangji’s face.
“HanGuangJun.” SiZhui had split away from the group and stood before him now.
“SiZhui.”
“Xian ge ge is a wonderful teacher.”
“Mn.”
“Do you think he’d come to Cloud Recesses and provide guest lectures?”
LanWangji blinked.
“There’ll be students from other Sects visiting in a few months. I just thought...if everyone could see him as we do...they’d realize that the Yiling Patriarch is really just...just Xian-gege.”
“SiZhui…”
LanSiZhui ducked his head, “I’d understand if he wouldn’t want to…”
“Why do you not ask him?”
“I...I meant to ask both of you, really.” He looked up shyly, “HanGuangJun’s reputation is...well...but...I’d like to get to know you too. Uncle says...uncle says this forehead ribbon I wear...that it had been yours. And I just…”
“SiZhui…” LanWangji swallowed the lump in this throat, “we’ll come.”
They sent the children on their way to help prepare a grave for A-Qing. It was a task they willingly volunteered for when all had been explained to them.
“And then back home, you hear me?!” WeiYing called after them, “and those of you who had gotten poisoned, don’t forget to have the healers check you!”
“Alright, mother hen!” JinLing called back.
“Mother hen…” WeiYing sputtered but he seemed oddly pleased.
The bag holding the saber spirit suddenly reacted.
“About time!” WeiYing exclaimed.
They thought they knew what to expect when they uncovered the casket. Still, it was a ghastly sight.
“Where is the head?” WeiYing asked superfluously.
“Call for Sect Leader Nie.”
NieHuaiSang arrived with ZeWuJun. They both looked at the body with grief on their faces.
“Wei xiong…”
“Oh you, come here.” WeiYing wrapped his friend into a hug.
NieHuaiSang froze for a moment before melting into it, tears streaming down his face. “Thank you for finding him…”
“We’re not done yet,” WeiYing told him quietly. “I promise. We’ll find it. And then you’ll bury him with honor.”
“Xiongzhang.”
“Wangji.”
The casket had been closed again, but ZeWuJun did not seem to be able to tear his eyes away.
LanWangji reached out hesitantly, but when ZeWuJun made no move to push him away, also gave his brother a hug. It was brief, but ZeWuJun breathed out and at last met his brother’s eyes.
“Will you anchor me?”
“Xiongzhang.”
“I...I need to know.”
LanWangji nodded. He understood that need to know. Still. “Xiongzhang. Something else.”
“Wangji? What is it?”
LanWangji opened another casket.
“SuShe?!”
LanWangji nodded. “He had come for XueYang, to take the Stygian Tiger Seal. WeiYing was able to stop him from teleporting away. And I…” his grip on Bichen tightened.
“Wangji...you did well.”
“I killed…”
“Wangji. You prevented him from using the Stygian Tiger Seal to hurt even more people.”
“WeiYing and I will destroy it.”
“I know you will.”
“LanZhan, just think, if you made a public return, you wouldn’t have to sneak around like this.”
“Not sneaking.”
“Right, I must say though, your teleportation array is genius.”
“WeiYing helped.”
“Just some fine-tuning. We might turn you into an inventor yet!”
“WeiYing is better.”
WeiYing beamed.
“Ready?”
In lieu of replying, WeiYing sat in the lotus position and closed his eyes.
A little paperman jumped up and caressed the cloud motif on LanWangji’s forehead.
“Be safe, WeiYing.”
The little paperman eventually returned and then went limp in LanWangji’s waiting hand.
“WeiYing?”
“It’s there.”
“Brother?”
“Notified.”
“Sect Leader Nie?”
“Aware.”
LanWangji sighed.
“Ah cheer up, LanZhan. They have it well in hand. Shall we?”
LanWangji nodded and in a flash of light, they disappeared from Carp Tower.
“It worked!” WeiYing laughed as they surveyed their garden together. “I can’t believe it worked!”
“Do not be lazy.”
“It’s not lazy.” WeiYing insisted even as he removed the preservation talisman. “I just didn’t want all of our hard work to go to waste while we went on our trip. The weeds would have surely choked all of our darlings.”
LanWangji huffed a laugh. Nonetheless, he agreed with his husband.
“LanZhan! You know what this means?”
“Hmmm?”
“We’ll be able to go on night-hunts further away! We’ll be able to travel the world if we wanted to! And our garden wouldn’t suffer at all!”
“Does WeiYing want to travel?” LanWangji asked curiously.
“Maybe? I think it was meeting SongLan again. It made me remember what I had thought, back when we first met them...how envious I was of their ability to just go freely where they wanted, without any ties nor responsibilities.”
“I thought the same.”
WeiYing beamed at him, “you did?”
LanWangji nodded, “Mn.”
“Then we will travel?”
“Promised Xiongzhang and SiZhui to return to Cloud Recesses.”
“And Nie xiong that we’d visit the Unclean Realm.” WeiYing added.
“Mn.”
“Then it’s decided!” WeiYing declared happily. “Whenever the mood strikes us, we’ll go see the world.”
“WeiYing.”
“Hmm?”
“Cloud Recesses. SiZhui asked if we’d like to teach at the guest lectures.”
“Teach?”
LanWangji nodded.
WeiYing looked thoughtful. “Would...would you like to?”
“I…”
“I should not steal you from ZeWuJun.” WeiYing said softly, “Should what he and HuaiSang have planned work...having you close will help him. Besides, we have hidden away from the world long enough.”
“Not been hiding.”
“Ah LanZhan. I kept away because I had nothing to miss. Except you of course. But you’ve been by my side all these years. This trip...our adventures...I’ve found...I have not cut off all ties.”
“We’ll go.”
“Yes,” WeiYing agreed, “we’ll go. If only to see how red Teacher Lan will turn!”
For now though, they easily settled back in their usual routine, before NieHuaiSang had disrupted them.
When, two months after their return, the wards triggered again, they looked at each other in surprise. They had provided communication talismans to both ZeWuJun and NeiHuaiSang. WenNing had also gone to Cloud Recesses at ZeWuJun’s insistence so that he could meet and spend time with A-Yuan. Who would be bothering them now?
It was JinLing.
“WeiWuXian!” he called out, a scowl so reminiscent of JiangCheng on his face. “WeiWuXian! You get out here right now!”
“No manners,” WeiYing muttered, “no matter what I’m still his elder.”
When he received no reply, JinLing stamped his foot, “WeiWuXian! You owe me an explanation!”
“Such temper,” WeiYing added, “so obvious that JiangCheng raised him.”
“You left a mess, you need to clean it up!” JinLing continued to shout. “I’ve lost my xiaoshushu and jiujiu has been more surly than usual ever since Mout Dafan. You get out here right now!”
LanWangji nudged WeiYing, “should go.”
“Betrayed!”
“He is your nephew.”
WeiYing looked at JinLing. It had been...nice...in a strange way, to interact with his Shijie’s child. He had seen, back in Yi City, JinLing’s loneliness. And of course his A-Yuan had picked up on it as well and had tried to include the Jin heir. But JinLing and Jingyi were like oil and water. It had been amusing to watch the two of them argue. It had reminded him so much of himself and JiangCheng.
“I’m not leaving until you show your face!” JinLing crossed his arms.
“So stubborn…” but there was a hint of fondness in WeiYing’s voice.
Just as he was about to leave the shelter of the trees, however, someone descended from the sky.
“JinLing!”
“Jiujiu.”
“Is this how a Sect Leader ought to behave? You get back to Carp Tower this minute.”
“No.”
“Do you want me to break your legs?!”
“No.” JinLing tilted his chin and the look of arrogance was so reminiscent of JinZiXuan that WeiYing felt his breath catch.
“Then get back on your sword and…”
“No! WeiWuXian is family. He’s innocent! Xiaoshushu confessed his role in Father’s death. Sect Leader Nie also explained that WeiWuXian was just used as a scapegoat by grandfather. He’s not some evil monster! I don’t know what your problem with him is!”
“My problem with him…” JiangCheng sputtered.
“Go.” LanWangji said again.
“We don’t need any of our wards. Just their shouting will keep even the nastiest of the spirits away.” WeiYing muttered. Still, he walked out from the safety of the trees.
“Who in the world taught you your manners?” He called out, and both JinLing and JiangCheng froze. “JinLing, JinLing, JinLing, I am still your elder. And I saved your life! Is this really how you’re going to treat me? Calling my name like that, so disrespectful.”
“I’m not calling you uncle.”
“I never expected you to. A-Yuan calls me Xian-gege, how about you do the same?”
JinLin scowled.
“Well?”
“WeiWuXian. Stop bullying my nephew.”
“Bullying…” WeiYing turned towards JinLing, “am I bullying you?”
JinLing was still scowling but shook his head.
“See! If anything, the two of you are bullying me! Dropping by unannounced, no respect at all.”
“You really...live here?” JinLing looked around them and sniffed.
“I’m the Yiling Patriarch, of course I live here!”
“With HanGuangJun?” JinLing asked.
“Where else is my husband supposed to live if not with me?”
“You’re really married?”
WeiYing wanted to laugh; the child was fighting so hard to hide his genuine curiosity. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t,” JinLing answered quickly, “just wanted to confirm the rumors.”
“What rumors?”
JinLing rolled his eyes, “oh heavens, do you live beneath a rock? There’s been plays about the romance between HanGuangJun and Yiling Patriarch. Even a poem!”
“A what?”
JinLing scoffed, “something about a dizi and a guqin and a red ribbon.”
“Do you know the rest of this poem?”
“Of course not! I’ve just heard fragments!”
WeiYing made a sound of disappointment, “And I had so hoped to share it with LanZhan!”
“Shameless!”
WeiYing looked at JiangCheng at last. “How can it be shameless if we’re married?”
JiangCheng scowled, “Were there witnesses? Did you bow to your parents? Asked for your Sect Leaders’ permissions?”
He didn’t wait for any answers. “No. No you did not. You just up and...up and disappeared for sixteen years. And then you just...had the audacity to show up and be…married! To LanWangji of all people!”
“ZeWuJun gave us his blessings.”
JiangCheng’s scowl deepened. “Of course he did. But I will not. Not until you bow before Father's and Mother's tablets properly!”
WeiYing’s eyes widened, “JiangCheng…”
“I will not have people say that those of YunMeng Jiang do not know proper conduct!”
“YunMeng Jiang…”
“Well?”
“JiangCheng…”
“Are you coming or not?!”
“To...to...where?” WeiYing sounded frightened.
“To Lotus Pier! Where else?”
WeiYing stared and then, without warning, threw his arms around his brother, “JiangCheng!”
“What are you doing?! You get off me this second! LanWangji! You come and fetch your husband!”
“JiangCheng…” WeiYing had released his brother.
JiangCheng looked horrified at the signs of tears on his face. “You idiot! Why didn’t you just tell me?!”
“I...I didn’t want you to hate me.”
“Hate you? You idiot!”
JinLing looked between his two uncles and smirked.
LanWangji looked down at the youth, “You’ve been speaking with Sect Leader Nie.”
JinLing flushed.
LanWangji just gave him a nod, “he is a smart man.”
Turning away from JinLing’s startled expression, he turned towards WeiYing and JiangCheng. “Sect Leader Jiang, would you care for some tea?”
“Sect Leader Nie.”
“HanGuangJun.”
“Welcome to Cloud Recesses. Brother is expecting you.”
NieHuaiSang nodded and followed him on the path, “is His Excellency well?”
“Mn. It helps for him to undo the harms of his predecessor. And to find that not all he did had been evil.”
NieHuaiSang gave a little sigh.
“He was your brother too,” LanWangji said softly.
NieHuaiSang hid his face behind his fan.
The sound of cheers, subdued though they were in the Cloud Recesses, met them as they passed the training yard.
They paused to see WeiYing keeping a running commentary as two teams of students threw an object between them.
“Is that a radish?!” NieHuaiSang almost dropped his fan in shock.
“Mn.” LanWangji nodded, “the goal I believe is for the student in the middle to catch it and for the others to keep him from it. No swords allowed. WeiYing thought lessons should focus on the body as well as the mind.”
NieHuaiSang hid his smile behind his fan again. “Wei Xiong had always been creative.”
“Mn.” LanWangji agreed again before adding, “Sect Leader Nie is indeed a careful planner. To use future generations to challenge old beliefs.”
“I don’t know what HanGuangJun refers to.”
LanWangji’s expression softened as he watched WeiYing. “Yi City. It was no coincidence.”
NieHuaiSang remained quiet.
“Thank you.” LanWangji said after a pause.
NieHuaiSang could not hide all his surprise. “How…”
“The poem.”
NieHuaiSang ducked his head.
LanWangji allowed himself a small smile. “Shall we, Sect Leader Nie? Our brother is waiting.”
NieHuaiSang gave a brief nod of his head, but his eyes were shining. “We shall, HanGuangJun.”
They still did not care for politics. Nor did they fully rejoin the cultivation world. Though others looked for them, they never attended cultivation conferences.
Still, their presence was felt. Where chaos was, you’ll be able to hear a dizi and a guqin sound, sometimes alone, sometimes surrounded by a gaggle of young cultivators from different Sects. But always, always bound to each other by a ribbon of red.