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Wei Wuxian fell from a cliff. He closed his eyes and let darkness claim him. It was only in death that resentful energy released him from its hold. Without it clouding his mind, Wei Wuxian regretted his actions.
He had brought so much grief upon the people he loved. Almost everyone ended up dead. If only there had been a way to save them. Wei Wuxian’s soul jolted. There was a way! It wasn’t exactly what people called easy. Actually, it was practically impossible, but Wei Wuxian had been raised to attempt the impossible.
The notes of the guqin caressed the wind and opened the bridge to talk with the dead. Lan Wangji took a deep breath before formulating his question.
“Are you Wei Ying?”
“Yes.”
The affirmation unsettled him. Lan Wangji stood frozen, not knowing what to do. For a moment, he wondered if this soul truly belonged to Wei Wuxian. He couldn’t help to doubt even when Wangji knew spirits couldn’t lie to him.
The soul hovered over the guqin. Before Wangji could formulate his next question, Wei Wuxian plucked the strings: “I’m not at peace, Lan Zhan.”
Twice in the night, Lan Wangji was surprised by the development. This forwardness had Wei Wuxian written all over, but it felt slightly off. The other man never talked about his feelings so openly (at least, not with Wangji). He always hid them behind a smile, especially when they were painful. Thrilled by this sudden change, Wangji asked: “How can I help you?”
The answer he got, made him understand Wei Wuxian urgency.
“Save them.”
Lan Wangji followed Wei Wuxian’s instructions. He returned to the Burial Mounds and found the stack of papers where the other had told him: buried beside the Lotus pond. It only took one look to understand Wei Wuxian's plan.
The pattern was complicated and required a big amount of spiritual energy. Lan Wangji didn’t hesitate to draw it and pour his energy into the lines. This was what Wei Wuxian wanted from him. Before finishing it, Wangji took a moment to clear his mind. Scribbled in Wei Ying’s messy calligraphy there was a warning. If the caster wasn’t careful he could end up lost in his memories.
As the last strokes were traced, Lan Wangji remembered his arrival at Koi Tower. He and his brother were received by Jin Guangyao. After the customary greetings they were led to the main hall where Jiang Yanli was waiting. The array glowed, but Wangji didn’t notice. He was focused on getting every detail right. He remembered the scene. She stood there, with Jin Zixuan at her right and Jiang Cheng close. Lan Wangji had thought that the only one missing from that family portrait was Wei Wuxian.
Suddenly, the memory was no longer a memory, it was his reality. He was back in that place.
His head was inclined and his arms were outstretched; he was in the middle of a bow. Lan Wangji had to blink a few times to shake off the disorientation he felt. In front of him was Jiang Yanli.
It worked. Wei Wuxian did it, he managed to create an array to travel to the past. Lan Wangji was still processing what this meant when he observed Jin Zixuan leave the room. He was going to his death and Lan Wangji couldn’t allow that.
Without giving any explanation, Wangji unsheathed Bichen and flew towards Qiongqi Path. He arrived just in time to see Wei Wuxian being ambushed. The man was already commanding Wen Ning to act as his shield and sword when Wangji joined the fight.
Hanguang-Jun’s presence did change things. Jin Zixuan didn’t die, but Wei Wuxian was furious for being tricked. It was only because of Lan Wangji that Wei Wuxian put Chengqing down. The Jin cultivators returned to Koi Tower first. For a moment, Wei Wuxian was dubious of his next step. Finally he decided to continue, if only for his Shijie.
They didn’t speak during their short travel. Lan Wangji was so deep in thought wondering how things were going to change that he didn’t notice the unusual silence.
They arrived late. The presentation had already concluded. That didn’t stop Jiang Yanli from standing up. Wei Wuxian strode down the hall between the murmurs of the other guests. He bowed to his sister and presented his gift. To everyone's surprise, Yanli embraced him and then she led him towards the cradle where Jin Ling was currently sleeping.
Lan Wangji’s heart melted at the sight of Wei Ying cooing at the baby. During a wonderful instant, Lan Wangji felt at peace. Then Jin Guangshan opened his mouth and everything went south.
“Yiling Laozu,” he said, catching the attention of the room. “I want to believe in your change of heart, but it’s a difficult task when you keep causing harm to the members of my Sect.”
The expression on Wei Wuxian's face changed drastically. He straightened up and turned to face the Sect Leader.
“How so? If I recall correctly I was the one being ambushed.”
“Jin Zixun only wanted to speak with you. It wouldn’t have been necessary if you hadn’t cursed him in the first place.”
“How many times do I have to repeat it: I didn’t do it.”
“You’re a liar! A filthy liar!” Jin Zixun yelled and took a step forward. “If not you, then who? Only you use such wicked tricks.”
The accusation made Wei Wuxian smile sardonically: “I guess you’re correct.”
It happened too fast. Jin Zixun swung his sword at the same time Wei Wuxian brought Chengqing to his lips, but before any sound could be heard, the blade pierced a body. Between the two men stood Jiang Yanli, her golden robes soaked red.
Wei Wuxian lost control of the resentful energy. Lan Wangji didn’t have enough time to get close to Wei Ying. The next thing he saw was Jin Zixun slicing his sword through Wei Wuxian’s chest.
“Are you at peace?”
“No.”
“What do you need?”
“We need to save her.”
Wei Wuxian’s soul didn't remember they already had this conversation. Once again, Wei Wuxian confided where he hid his most powerful array. And once again, Lan Wangji found himself evoking the same memory.
This time the disorientation he experimented was minimal. Lan Wangji didn’t wait for Jin Zixuan; he went immediately to seek Wei Wuxian. He managed to intercept him before he arrived at Qiongqi Path.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian greeted him. The salute didn’t carry its regular vivacity, instead it sounded a bit wary. “Did something happen to my Shijie?”
Not yet, Lan Wangji thought, but he couldn’t actually say that. Wei Wuxian was looking at him expectantly. Wangji needed to make a decision. Now, he was aware that even if they survived the attack in Qiongqi Path, another one awaited at Koi Tower.
“It is a trap,” Wangji said.
Wei Wuxian’s smile disappeared. At his left, Wen Ning reached for the talismans that hung from his neck, but he was stopped by Wei Wuxian.
“Lan Zhan, what should we do?”
“Go back. Do not fight here.”
If Wei Wuxian was disappointed by this response, he didn’t show it. He only nodded. The easy way in which he accepted this outcome was a bit unnerving. Lan Wangji didn’t question it, later they would have time to talk. The most pressuring matter was to keep everybody safe.
Before leaving, Wei Wuxian took out a small box and handed it to Lan Wangji:
“Give this to my Shijie.”
Lan Wangji received the gift and returned to Koi Tower. No one questioned his late arrival, most were intimidated to talk directly to him. For once, Lan Wangji was relieved this was the case. The main hall was oddly deserted. Surrounded by maids, Jiang Yanli was silently crying. He didn’t understand why, since he’d just stopped the tragedy from happening.
When Yanli spotted him, her expression eased a bit: “Hanguang-jun!” she exclaimed. “Hanguang-jun, you have to help A-Xian. They went to get him, they said his absence was--” She didn’t get to finish that sentence. In that moment, Jiang Cheng arrived and Yanli shifted her attention to him.
Jiang Cheng shook his head: “Everyone is dead.”
“Are you at peace?”
“No.”
It took Wei Wuxian two deaths to realize he was stuck in some kind of loop. And one more to understand that he was not alone. There was another person who seemed to remember everything. That person was none other than the Second Jade: Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian planned to wait for Lan Wangji at Qiongqin Path, but he was surprised when he woke up in the Burial Mounds. He walked around looking for a clue of the time. On what he called his desk, he found the beads he had been carving to make his nephew's gift. Judging by the state of the wood, there must be still four days til the party.
Interesting.
Wei Wuxian wondered about the reason for this change. Had karma decided he needed more time? His musings were interrupted by Wen Qing: she informed him that someone had activated the guards around the Burial Mounds.
With Chengqin in hand, Wei Wuxian went to find their unexpected visitor. Who, in retrospective, turned out not to be so unexpected. Waiting for him was Lan Wangji.
“Lan Zhan, what brings you here?” he asked. Wei Wuxian wanted to hear Lan Wangji acknowledge whatever was happening. Wei Wuxian hadn’t put it past resentful energy to play with his mind this way.
He needed to know this was real.
And so, when Lan Wangji didn’t immediately respond, Wei Wuxian began to worry. Had he read everything wrong? Was this an attack? No, Wangji wouldn’t do it this way.
“Wei Ying, are you at peace?”
The question threw him out of balance. It sounded so off that Wei Wuxian wanted to laugh, but something inside him stopped him. This exchange felt familiar somehow.
“Why are--” It was then, when things clicked in Wei Wuxian's head. “Have we…? We had this conversation before.”
“I'm sorry, Lan Zhan,” he said once Lan Wangji had finished telling him about the time travel array. If Wei Wuxian had any doubts regarding Lan Wangji’s involvement in this madness, they were gone. He was pleased to know his new talisman worked, but this was overshadowed by the tragic event that required its activation. And there was also the fact Wei Wuxian, despite being dead, had dragged Lan Wangji with him. “This had nothing to do with you and I...” The words got stuck in his throat. It pained him to accept the truth; to know Lan Wangji was only doing this because he had to.
“Wei Ying, I want to help you.” It was the simple answer.
Of course, he wanted to help. The proper Hanguang-jun only wanted an honorable ending to this mess. Wei Wuxian sighed. He should be grateful. Who better than Lan Wangji to help him fix the situation? He plastered on a slightly less genuine smile and began to plot their course of action.
Solving Wei Wuxian’s problems was easier said than done. Even with their previous knowledge, the odds didn’t seem good. There were too many people at stake and not enough allies to rely on, and doing this without help was out of the question. Wei Wuxian needed someone who could vouch for him. It was the only way in which he could protect the Wen remnants. Otherwise, the Jin Sect would have them killed.
However, the more they talked, the more difficult Wei Wuxian saw making allies. Lan Wangji would stand by his side, but he couldn’t speak for his Sect. And while Shijie had once been a bridge between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, now she was married into the Jin Clan. The same Clan whose leader wanted Wei Wuxian head.
“This isn’t going to work, Lan Zhan.”
“I’ll speak to my brother,” Lan Wangji offered at the same time Wei Wuxian expressed his opinion.
That wouldn’t work. It didn’t matter how much Zewu-jun wanted to help them, Lan Qiren and the elders would never approve of this. They didn’t have any obligation towards Wei Wuxian. They weren’t family. The thought made Wei Wuxian laugh and say: “It would only work if I was part of their clan, and even then it would be hard to convince them.”
“I will do it.”
“Uhm?” Wei Wuxian asked, confused. He wasn’t entirely sure what Lan Wangji was proposing.
For a moment, Lan Wangji didn’t reply. His hands were clenched tightly and he was looking at the ground. Wei Wuxian was going to change the topic, when Lan Wangi finally spoke:
“I will marry you.” The determination in his voice made something warm bloom inside Wei Wuxian. Then, he realized what Lan Wangji had actually suggested.
“Are you serious, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Wangji gave a sharp nod.
The promise of a future together sounded very nice, indeed. Wei Wuxian could picture them; travelling together around the world, helping where they could, falling asleep and waking next to each other every night. He wanted that, to be with Lan Wangji, to be his cultivation partner.
“If this helps.”
Lan Wangji’s soft words brought Wei Wuxian back to the present. If this helps , Wangji said. Wei Wuxian let go of his daydreams and focused on the man in front of him. It was then that he noticed the rigid posture of his companion. Lan Wangji didn’t want this, didn’t want him . The realization struck Wei Wuxian like a whip. It left him feeling numb.
“You don’t have to.” Wei Wuxian hurried to say. He didn’t make the attempt to smile. Lan Wangji knew him so well, he would see through it. “I’m sure there’s another way.”
There was no other way.
And Wei Wuxian really outdid himself looking for alternatives. However, at the slightest possibility of something going wrong, Lan Wangji would cross it from their list. Well, apparently, Wangji didn’t want to go another round. Even the greatest Hanguang-jun had his limits. Wei Wuxian wasn’t eager to repeat the loop either. Dying and losing his loved ones wasn’t something he wanted to keep reliving.
So, Wei Wuxian ended up accepting Lan Wangji’s offer to marry. It was only an offer, so Wei Wuxian tried to lessen its importance. They could annul it later and Wangji could be free again. He was only doing Wei Wuxian a favour.
It was not that easy.
Lan Wangji returned with his brother, uncle and a dozen of elders. They all bore witness to their engagement. Okay, that complicated things a bit. But it also meant they finally got to see the people Wei Wuxian was protecting. After their little trip to Burial Mounds the Lan Sect was more inclined to take the Wen refugees.
The next step in their plan was to get Nie Mingjue’s support, and for that Wei Wuxian needed to destroy the Tiger Seal. He had to rely on Zewu-jun to convince Nie Mingjue to come to the Burial Mounds, but once he was there everything worked out fine.
Nie Mingjue was surprised by Wei Wuxian’s style of life. And even more when Wei Wuxian destroyed the Tiger Seal right before him. He eyed Chengqin warily, Wei Wuxian feared Nie Mingjue would ask for its destruction as well, but he simply said: “Can’t wait for the wedding” and then he left.
They moved to Cloud Recesses without any incident. Two days before the banquet, Jiang Cheng paid him a visit. Their reunion was by no means an easy one. Nothing involving Jiang Cheng was ever easy.
He was angry and he was very vocal about it: “I can’t believe you Wei Wuxian. Do I really have to find out through Nie Huaisang that you are marrying? And into the Lan Sect?” Once he had vented out his frustration, he accepted to back up the others sects.
If Wei Wuxian was honest, everything felt a bit surreal. Things were turning out fine. He had the support of three clans. There was only one obstacle left.
Wei Wuxian avoided Jin Zixun’s ambush by arriving at Koi Tower with the Gusu delegation. Their arrival caused a lot of confusion, which was their intention. They had tried to keep a low profile, to maintain the events the most close to the previous timeline. That way it would be easier to predict and to save everyone.
Jin Guangyao was the first to recover from the impression. He smiled politely and led them towards the main hall. He waited for the others to react to Wei Wuxian’s presence. Inside the palace, Wei Wuxian was received warmly by Jiang Yanli, which wasn’t unexpected. What did surprise everyone was the easy camaraderie that Nie Mingjue showed him.
The peaceful gathering was interrupted by Jin Guangshan.
“Yiling Laozu, you decided to show up.”
The words made Wei Wuxian tense. Unconsciously, he moved towards Lan Wangji’s side. This was the moment they had been waiting for, they knew this was inevitable: a confrontation with the Jin Sect. They had prepared for this: Wei Wuxian had destroyed the Tiger Seal, gained the support of the Nie Clan and assured the safety of the Wen refugees. Nothing could go wrong.
Jin Guangshan opened his mouth. Whatever he was planning to say was interrupted by a angry yell:
“Wei Wuxian!” Everyone looked at the entrance where Jin Zixun could be seen. The man advanced into the room and continued talking. “You think we’re going to forget everything you’ve done? That you can just walk here and do whatever you wish?”
Jin Zixun’s declarations earned a few nods from some cultivators of the minor sects. Wei Wuxian should say something, before this got out of hand. But Zixun didn’t stop.
“And don’t even pretend that you’ve changed. I have proof you still practice wicked tricks. You are trying to kill me!” At this the crowd gasped.
If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be standing here, Wei Wuxian thought. He wanted to say it, but Lan Wangji’s touch grounded him. So, Wei Wuxian limited himself to answer: “I haven’t done anything to you, even if we did have a fight the last time we met.”
The reminder made Jin Zixun look at Jiang Yanli. She was carrying Jin Ling, and the baby was beginning to stir from the noise going around. Yanli held Jin Zixun’s gaze and said:
“You were the one who attacked my brother. I think you still owe him an apology.”
Jin Zixun’s face contorted in a rictus. In two strides he was beside Jiang Yanli. He grabbed her by her arm and yelled: “It’s all your fault!”
The brusque movement woke up Jin Ling. The baby let out a cry. Everyone reached for their swords. He looked around and realized he had made a mistake. However, instead of letting her go, Jin Zixun secured his hold and pointed his sword at her neck. This action gained a chorus of yells.
“Let her go,” Wei Wuxian ordered. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“Lift the curse or...” the blade came closer to Jiang Yanli’s neck.
Wei Wuxian felt helpless. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They were supposed to have enough time to subdue Jin Guangshan’s doubts and then deal with Jin Zixun. Why did he have arrived so early? Wei Wuxian needed to think fast to save his Shijie.
There was only one thing that would make Jin Zixun listen.
“Let’s have a duel.” Lan Wangji had pronounced the words before Wei Wuxian could.
Jin Zixun looked at Lan Wangji, sneered and returned his gaze towards Wei Wuxian. “You’re going to let Hanguang-jun fight for you. I thought you were the great Yiling Laozu, but you’re just a coward.”
“The only coward here is you,” Jiang Yanli said. She took advantage of Jin Zixun’s momentary surprise to stab his thigh with one of her hair needles. He yelled out in pain and took a step backwards. This allowed Yanli to stumble into Wei Wuxian’s arms.
Wei Wuxian hugged his sister and his nephew. He was vaguely aware of what was happening around them. He heard someone say, Arrest him! and then two other people joined their embrace. It must have been Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng. When he looked up, he caught Lan Wangji’s eyes. He too was relieved.
It was over.
Wei Wuxian still couldn’t believe it. They had managed to save everybody.
After Jin Zixun was arrested, the celebration was interrupted. Everyone retired to their assigned chambers. Wei Wuxian spent some time talking with his siblings. The conversation reminded Wei Wuxian about a very important matter: his engagement. Jiang Yanli congratulated him and wished him a happy marriage. She was the best sister. Wei Wuxian had smiled and wondered how he was going to solve this.
The thing was, Wei Wuxian hadn’t planned on living long. Don’t misunderstand him, he didn’t want to die, but he’d thought that maybe that was the price he had to pay for saving his loved ones. And so, he had gone to Koi Tower decided to sacrifice himself.
But here he was unharmed. He was still very much alive and engaged to Lan Wangji. Oh, what he was going to do now? Wei Wuxian actually wanted to marry him, but it wouldn’t be fair to Wangji, who had helped him enough. Wei Wuxian sighed tirely. It seemed he had caused another problem for them. He needed to talk with Lan Wangji.
He went to Lan Wangji’s room. He didn’t want to have this conversation, but if he didn’t do it now, he wasn’t going to get any sleep. He knocked on the door and waited. It didn’t take long for Wangji to open and let him in.
Wei Wuxian had practiced his speech (sort of). He was going to tell Lan Zhan how grateful he was for his help, but that it wasn’t necessary to carry on with the marriage. Wei Wuxian hadn’t thought this through too much, and yet he knew it was what he had to do: to set Wangji free from this promise. However, all these words abandoned Wei Wuxian’s head when he was sitting in front of Wangji.
In that moment Wei Wuxian could only think one thing: I want to spend my life with you . That was why Wei Wuxian blurted the next words: “Marry me.”
Something flickered in Lan Wangji’s eyes and he answered: “Yes, we have to marry.”
If this helps , Wangji had said days before. The echo of the other conversation made Wei Wuxian shake his head.
“No?” Wangji asked, fist closed tightly.
“No! I mean, yes, ugh, Lan Zhan, why can’t I--”
Wei Wuxian could feel Lan Wangji’s intense gaze on him. Great, he had opened his big mouth and now he was going to confess his feelings. Suddenly the importance of the situation registered in Wei Wuxian’s mind. Wow, so he was really going to do this. He counted till three and tried again.
“Of course I want to marry you, Lan Zhan. I mean, have you seen yourself? You’re a fine gentleman: so brave, kind, and noble. And you always are by my side, even when you didn’t understand the things I did. What I’m trying to say is … I really like like you.”
Wei Wuxian felt his face heat. He covered it with his hands. Oh, my, that was the lamest confession. ‘I really like like you.’ What was he? A five year old? Lan Zhan deserved a more articulated declaration of love. This was embarrassing and Lan Wangji still hadn’t said anything in return.
He peered through his hands and asked softly: “Lan Zhan?”
The other man was so still, Wei Wuxian wondered if he was breathing. He waited, but got no answer. Right, Wei Wuxian should have known better than to hope for reciprocation. Wei Wuxian lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t--You probably only wanted to help save everybody. Sorry for saying weird things and--”
“Wei Ying, look at me,” Lan Wangji said and Wei Wuxian obliged. He was a big boy and he was going to face this, even if the pity on Wangji’s face broke his heart. But he didn’t see pity, on the contrary, Lan Wangji was glowing. “Wei Ying, I want to marry you.”
The wedding was held four months later. Lan Qiren suggested a longer engagement. But neither of the grooms wanted to wait. With some help from Lan Xichen, the date was set.
Surrounded by their family and friends, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji bowed three times and proclaimed their love to the world. But more importantly, they pledged their loyalty to each other.