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"Are you sure this will work?" Meng Yao asked. No -Jin Guangyao - he was a Jin now, even if his father treated him worse than the servants.
"Of course," Su She replied confidently, "this poison targets the golden core, causing debilitating pain and possibly death. But since it targets qi and not any physical organs, normal antidotes won't work on it. And anything that uses qi will make it actively worse."
"Is there an antidote? How well known is this core poison?" Jin Guangyao asked. If it was well known, it would be too risky. He made it a point to never use any poison he couldn't neutralize, in case of accident.
"There's an antidote to the poison itself, in this red bag, but it's only effective within 20 minutes. After that, you'd have to overcome the spell with some massive working of perfectly balanced positive and negative energy on a huge scale. Leveling mountains kind of scale. By which time, anyone with a core would probably be dead or catatonic. It's a rare poison, known only to the main branch Wens, fell out of favor when Wen Ruohan gained the Core Melting Hand. I found the recipe in one of the books you seized." Su She was being insufferably smug.
Jin Guangyao inclined his head, acknowledging the point. He would allow Su She to revel in his victory, he was still useful. The book, however, would have to be returned for safekeeping. Their meeting needed to end soon. Jin Guangyao still had a few things to put in place for the crowd hunt on Phoenix Mountain and only a few days were left.
=^•.•^=
Well, that went poorly. The crowd hunt ended in failure, between Wei Wuxian taking a third of the prey and Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun's inability to act their age. Once again, Jin Guangyao was stuck cleaning up the mess. Hopefully the banquet would go better. Jin Zixun would poison Wei Wuxian, Jin Guangshan would get the Stygian Tiger Seal, and Jin Guangyao would get to comfort Lan Xinchen as he grieved with his brother.
=^•.•^=
"Ah, you'll drink for Lan Wangji, but will you have a drink with me on your own behalf? You wouldn't want to insult the hospitality of the Jin, would you?" Jin Zixun asked, offering the poisoned cup.
Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow, "The wine is good, I'll have another drink. After we share this cup, perhaps you will tell me the location of Wen Quonglin, Wen Ning." He knocked back the wine in one gulp and set the cup back down. "Was that a new bottle? It tasted different than the first. No matter. Wen Ning, where is he? You encountered a bat king you couldn't handle, he tried to protect his people, no one has seen him since."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would you care about some Wen dogs anyway?" Zixun sneered.
"Wen Ning and his sister, Wen Qing, helped us during the war, we owe them a debt. Tell me where you've hidden the Dafan Wen. They're doctors, not soldiers, non combatants are to be treated gently." Wei Wuxian gripped his flute and tendrils of dark energy began to swirl around a suddenly white knuckled grip. "What...I don't..." He collapsed to the floor as a fog of resentful energy swirled around him.
Zixun rushed forward, intending to find and steal the Tiger Seal, but the energy slammed him against a pillar and engulfed him. Two other cultivators received the same treatment. From within the darkness, moans of pain could be heard.
Lan Wangji carefully sniffed the cup before picking it up in a fold of his sleeve to hand to his brother, "There is more than wine in this cup, Wei Ying may be poisoned. I will play Cleansing, you should begin investigating." Lan Xichen nodded, not touching the cup with his skin as he began examining it.
Lan Zhan manifested his guqin and started plucking the first notes of Cleansing. As the notes reverberated across the hall, an inhuman yowl like an injured cat rose from where Wei Ying writhed on the ground. Stilling the strings, Lan Zhan demanifested the guqin and ran to Wei Ying's side, unhindered by the resentful energy. In the misty darkness he could see Wei Ying curled up tight in pain, hands covering his face.
"Wei Ying, stay with me. You have been poisoned. Do not leave me behind." Lan Zhan pleaded.
"I fink poishon is the leasht of my worriesh, Lan Zhan." Wei Ying lisped, peeling one hand from his face. Lan Zhan tried not to startle at the fangs and red slitted eyes. Wei Ying tapped a fang with a black tipped claw, then ran his hand across his hair, pausing to gently rub one softly pointed ear. "Well, that'sh new." He said, getting the hang of talking around the fangs. A black tail flicked around Lan Zhan's leg. "Huh. I guess it's better than being a dog."
"Do not joke, Wei Ying." Lan Zhan sighed. "You screamed when I began to play Cleansing, what happened?"
"It felt like I was being torn apart, starting from where my core used to be... ah shit." Wei Ying tried frantically to sit up, Lan Zhan held him still, face truly frozen.
Lan Zhan grabbed Wei Ying's wrist, checking his meridians. "Your golden core is gone, Wei Ying, when?"
He shook his head, "Doesn't matter. Beginning of Sunshot. Let me up, Lan Zhan. I need to find Wen Ning, the Jin know where he is." Wei Ying groaned as Lan Zhan helped him to his feet and steadied him. Balance was somewhat different now, but the tail helped even if it did seem to move without direction. He watched it curl around Lan Zhan again. Just great, another appendage that gains a mind of its own around Lan Zhan. At least robes hid evidence of the first.
"Wei Wuxian! What's wrong with you? Are you poisoned, cursed? Damnit, answer me!" Jiang Cheng had gotten close enough to hear, the resentful energy that lashed out at everyone else only curling teasingly close when he approached. He couldn't see through the miasma and had a number of suspicions growing along with his anger. Wei Wuxian's core was gone since the beginning of Sunshot? Had he stolen his brother's only chance to regain it? Increasing guilt made him angrier. "Come out here before I break your legs!" he yelled.
"So much is wrong with me, Jiang Cheng! But the answer to your questions is probably yes." The roiling darkness faded as Wei Wuxian stepped closer to his shidi, still supported by Lan Wangji. His pointed ears flicked back against the rising noise as the other cultivators were able to look at him. His tail curled close to his legs, ruby cat eyes too dilated for the dimness of the room and his claws piercing the cloth of Lan Wangji's sleeve as he fought the urge to hiss and claw out some of the staring eyes.
Trailing shadows, Wei Wuxian stalked to where Jin Zixun laid dazed by a pillar, "Where are my friends, little Jin? Tell me now." Wei Wuxian crouched before him, tail lashing. Zixun tried to bluster his way out, denying, but Wei Wuxian bared his fangs and slammed him against the pillar by the throat. Hissing at the would-be assasin, Wei Wuxian raised his voice, "I know you did this to me, either poison or curse - it doesn't matter. The Jin sought the life of a guest in their own hall, in front of everyone. You use prisoners for target practice and kidnap non-combatants. Having shot down the sun, do the Jin seek to replace the red sun with a golden one? Are you Wen Ruohan now, to do as you please and the world must bow or die?" His hand tightened, claws pricking skin but not drawing blood.
"You can't use your wicked tricks here!" Zixun wheezed angrily.
"Aiyah, always about me? What is your obsession, always causing trouble? Even in the war, I never violated guest right so blatantly. If I killed someone, they died, I didn't poison and curse them to a new shape. Fortunately for you, all I want is Wen Ning and the missing civilians. Tell me where they are, and I'll go. After all, if I wished to kill you, who here could stop me?" Wuxian smiled, showing his new fangs.
Jin Guangyao stepped forward, he couldn't allow Wei Wuxian to keep correctly questioning their motives. "Wei Wuxian, Jin Zixun was placed in charge of a resettlement camp at Quongqi path. Surely the ones you seek are there. Let us continue the banquet and we can have your friend brought here in the morning." He bowed.
Wei Wuxian dropped his prey, stalking over to Jin Guangyao. He crouched a little to meet the shorter cultivator's eyes, "You're hiding something. No, I don't think I can wait until morning. I think all the evidence would be gone and Wen Ning would surely be dead then, if he isn't already." Wei Wuxian's inhuman eyes seemed to search his soul, "Something is wrong with you, what have you been playing with?" Jin Guangyao stiffened, trying not to let his panic show. Wei Wuxian sniffed him, reaching out a clawed hand near his chest, "When did you encounter so much resentment, I hadn't heard that you night hunt?" Jin Guangyao flinched slightly as Wei Wuxian made a fist above his heart, claw tips barely brushing the fine brocade, slowly pulling darkness from him like an angry squid burrowed in his chest. He fell to his knees as his mind seemed clearer, thoughts of hatred less immediate, gasping what felt like his first clean breath in years.
Wei Wuxian cocked his head and poked the squirming ball of darkness with a claw, "Whatever you were doing for this to happen, you should stop. Hmm." He cupped his hands around the dark energy before abruptly clapping them together, dissipating the energy to fading wisps. "Good news, everyone! Now that I've been cursed or poisoned into this halfling shape, I can control and possibly destroy resentful energy even better!"
Jiang Cheng facepalmed where he stood in the crowd and Lan Wangji strode to Wei Ying's side.
"Wei Ying, resentful energy harms the soul and body. Let me help you." Lan Zhan pleaded.
"Not now, Lan Zhan, I need to go find Wen Ning. Wanna come with?" Wei Ying's bright smile transformed his fearsome visage closer to what he remembered, less like a tiger about to pounce.
Jin Guangshan stood from his throne, "Wei Wuxian. Your love of wicked tricks proves you to be untrustworthy. You must relinquish the Stygian Tiger Seal to steadier hands than yours. The Jin clan is most qualified to contain such danger." He held out a hand imperiously.
"Are you?" Wei Wuxian asked softly with a crooked smile, his tail beginning to lash angrily, "You believe you can control it, who has never met a vice he wouldn't embrace? I would trust it to my brother first, but he has enough worry already. The Lan are well versed in containment, but they too must rebuild. The Nie are known to all for their righteousness, but the resentment would agitate their sabers too greatly. No, though I would share my burden if I could, better to burn no hands but mine. I appreciate Sect Leader Jin's generous offer, but I must decline." Wei Wuxian gave a flourishing bow, just on the edge of mocking, before swirling around to stalk from the hall. Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng followed. Jin Zixuan met Jiang Yanli's eyes and received a nod, then left with several young cultivators hurrying after.
Jin Guangshan smiled tightly at the guests who remained, "Ah, youth, so impetuous."
Jin Guangyao gathered himself up, mask carefully in place. Is this the life his mother wanted for him? He ducked the wine hurled at his head. Jiang Yanli reached out, beckoning him to her side as Madam Jin glared at him. "How may this one assist the Lady Jiang?" He bowed deferentially, she had always been kind to him.
"My brothers and fiance have gone to rescue a friend, bringing most of the people I know with them. And yet, the one who likely poisoned my brother sits over there, sulking. Should he not be detained while the investigation proceeds?" She asked gently, with steely eyes. "Lan Xichen is questioning the servants now."
Jin Guangyao turned to follow her glance, Lan Xichen was speaking to the wine steward, Zixun's poisoned cup encased in a talisman array. "Of course, Lady Jiang, I shall see to it immediately." He gestured to the guards and Su She. Jin Zixun started yelling and struggling as they dragged him away. Jin Guangyao bowed himself out to join the questioning, hoping to steer it properly.
=^•.•^=
The flock of cultivators caught up with Wei Wuxian as he spoke softly to a cloaked woman. His eyes widened in surprise as Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji strode forward.
"-to stay here? You're in no shape to walk to Qiongqi path." Lan Wangji heard Wei Wuxian saying.
"Me? Look at you! You're some kind of cat-person, and if you think I can't feel the extra resentful energy, you're very much mistaken. I'm going with, he might need me." Wen Qing stated with finality. Turning, she caught sight of the cultivators and sighed. "Or perhaps not. Honored Sect Leader Jiang, Second Young Master Lan, Heir Jin, other honored cultivators." She bowed low, as if she had no status.
Jiang Wanyin scowled and reached out to lift her up, "Wei Wuxian, what the hell do you think you're doing? You just painted a thousand targets on your back and then ran off! You just got poisoned or cursed or something and you're still running around!"
Lan Wangji stepped close to the half-man, half-cat, "Wei Wuxian, you should come to Gusu with me. Let me help you, please."
"Can't right now, Lan Zhan, daring rescue to commit. We need to get going, long walk to Qiongqi path." He smiled carelessly, but worry gleamed in his eyes.
Lan Wangji drew Bichen, Wei Wuxian's slit pupils dilated as he flinched and took a step away. "Mn. I will bring you. Jiang Wanyin will bring Wen Qing. We will go now." He stepped onto his sword and pulled a shocked Wei Wuxian onto it. The younger Twin Jade pulled Wei Ying firmly against him and they set off as Jiang Cheng awkwardly tried to help Wen Qing.
"What? Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying exclaimed but slumped against Lan Zhan's arm when struggling just made his hold more implacable.
"Wei Ying asked me to go. I wish to help." Lan Zhan said softly. They continued in silence, the rest of the cultivators a ways behind him. Wei Ying absently rubbed his face and ears against Lan Zhan's shoulder, smiling slyly as he noticed the short dark hairs that began to spread themselves across the once-pristine white cloth.
=^•.•^=
As they reached Qiongqi path, the fading light of the setting sun snuck through swiftly gathering clouds at an angle that made the crude huts and snarling faces of the guards seem lit by flames. Wei Wuxian's tail curled briefly around Lan Wangji's waist before he stepped off Bichen and onto the mud.
"We're here for Wen Qionglin and the Dafan Wens. Produce them quickly and we'll leave as quickly. I'd like to be done before it starts raining." Wei Wuxian's eyes seemed to glow red.
The guards began yelling insults just as the rest of the cultivators descended. Wei Wuxian turned to help Wen Qing down from his brother's sword as if assisting a great lady from a carriage.
"Who among these are yours, Doctor Wen? Civilians and noncombatants shouldn't be here." Jin Zixuan addressed her respectfully as his eyes lingered over the prisoners. He saw the peony branding iron and grabbed it before brandishing it to the guards, "Who authorized this?! We are Jin, what honor is to be had in torturing harmless civilians? I demand that you guards help find the Lady Wen's brother and then submit yourselves for punishment! What evil have you done?"
"But Sect Heir, we were given orders by your own cousin, in the Sect Leader's hand, that these Wen dogs were to be punished to the height of our abilities! Just following orders, Sect Heir!" The guard captain bowed, cowering from Jin Zixuan's fury.
"I rescind those orders. All of you here will assist me and these other cultivators in cleaning this place up." Jin Zixuan placed a hand briefly over his face before he joined the others in searching, helping the elderly and injured from the ground. The rapidly darkened sky was lit occasionally with brief flashes of light as they tried to organize an increasing crowd of dazed and trembling Wens.
A small stumble of movement caught Jiang Wanyin's eye at the corner of one of the furthest dilapidated huts. The increasingly outraged clan leader strode forward and crouched a small distance from the corner. Pushing back his feelings, he said nothing but held out an open hand. A tiny face peeked out again and he tried to smooth all anger from his face. "Purple brother is here to help A-Yuan?" a soft voice asked.
"Is that your name? A-Yuan? I am Jiang Wanyin, we are here to help you and your family here, yes." He reached his free hand slowly into the opposite sleeve, pulling out one of the osmanthus cakes his sister had given him. The child took the cake and began eating it one tiny bite at a time. Jiang Wanyin carefully stood, looking around for the boy's caretakers. Surely no one would leave a child alone in this place? He looked down again at the sudden weight on his leg.
"Thank you, purple brother!" A-Yuan beamed up with a crumb covered face from where he was firmly clamped to a muscular calf. Jiang Wanyin looked even more frantically around.
"A-Yuan! Let go of the Young Master!" An elderly woman hobbled forward and nearly tipped to the ground when she bowed. Jiang Wanyin tried to move forward to catch her, but the child stuck to his leg slowed him. "What have you been eating A-Yuan, you're covered in crumbs and getting the young master all dirty. I've told you not to trust anything the guards give you alone. Now let go and open up." She ordered as she hobbled forward and peeled the boy from his perch, sniffing at A-Yuan's breath, "Cake? Where would you have gotten cake from?" A-Yuan mumbled something and tried to grab Jiang Wanyin again.
"My sister had given me some cakes earlier, so I gave him one. I'm sure it won't ruin his dinner, Wen-qianbei." Jiang Wanyin was uncomfortable, his brow was beginning to furrow again.
"Very kind of you, young master. I wish that ruining his dinner was what I had to worry about," she said darkly.
"Granny! Granny have you seen A-Ning? I can't find him!" Wen Qing ran up to them, bowing hastily to Jiang Wanyin.
"No, child, I haven't seen him since this morning. The guards pulled him and some others down to the ... valley. Oh, no. A-Qing, don't go there, it's probably too late, let the others find him and bring him back for you." Granny reached out to hold Wen Qing's arms tightly as she pleaded.
"Where was this?" The shadows behind them revealed Wei Wuxian, tail lashing and ears back. Resentful energy curled from Chenqing, his fingers twirling it with a casualness that did not lessen the air of danger.
Dusk was well upon them now, and the air smelled strongly of rain. Wei Wuxian, Wen Qing, and several other cultivators continued searching the valley, ankle and sometimes knee deep in dark mud. The mood had become as dark as the sky, they were wading through dead bodies left strewn around an open field. Unburied, disrespected.
"A-NING! A-NING!" Wen Qing shrieked from where she had found her brother, impaled by a lure flag. The heavens opened a torrent of rain on her pain as the sky wept with her.
Wei Wuxian was suddenly at her side, clawed hands gentle on her shoulders as he knelt down to look more closely at his too-still friend. "He's not quite gone yet, but very close." Poison green flames sprung up around them, giving just enough light to work with. She began passing Wen Ning energy, straining to lift her brother from the ground. "Wait a moment, it's better to cut the wood piercing him before we move him. Lan Zhan, can you bring your sword?" Wei Wuxian called out.
Lan Wangji reached their side quickly from where he had been playing "Rest" for the fallen in the field. He glanced reprovingly from the eldritch lights to Wei Wuxian but unsheathed Bichen.
"Yes, I know, 'harms the mind and soul,' but we'll talk about that later. Could you cut the pole above and below Wen Ning? As close as you can without aggravating the wound. We may need help carrying him." Wei Wuxian grimaced, elongated canines gleaming in the dim light as the rain fell harder. "I hope there's somewhere dry to treat him."
Lan Zhan nodded and did so, leaving barely a fingers width of the flagpole on either side of the body. He silently handed Wei Ying his umbrella from his qiankun pouch before gathering Wen Ning in his arms. Nodding to Wen Qing, he followed carefully as she led him to the huts, keeping a small steady stream of energy flowing to Wen Ning to keep his flickering candle from going out.
=^•.•^=
Wei Wuxian paced unhappily outside the hut with Lan Zhan's umbrella as Wen Qing and some of the medically trained clan members tried to stabilize Wen Ning. Jiang Wanyin watched him silently under his own umbrella, brow furrowed, before stepping forward. "Where will we put them all? The rebuilding isn't done yet," he said gruffly.
Wei Wuxian stilled briefly before continuing his pacing, feet landing harder now, splashing in the mud. "Don't be ridiculous, Jiang Cheng, we can't bring Wens to Lotus Pier, your parents would rise up and kill me twice. No, we'll go to the Burial Mounds. I think I can make it safe enough, I lasted three months there by myself." Ears twitching, his tail lashed angrily up against Jiang Cheng's side.
Jiang Cheng grabbed Wei Wuxian's shoulders, making his brother face him, and shaking him sharply as he yelled, trying to get through. "Damnit, you're still my brother Wei Wuxian! You would leave me alone? This is no army here, it's all old people, maybe a handful of cultivators without a sword between them! There's a child here, what could he possibly be guilty of? This isn't what we fought for and I won't let you abandon me again." It was surely rain running down his face, his umbrella must be leaking.
Wei Wuxian blinked those red-slitted irises slowly at him from a still-familiar face, "You'll always be my brother, ChengCheng, but I can't lead these troubles to your door. Maybe it would be better for you to evict me from the sect." He turned his face away and closed his eyes, "Quick, punch me and we'll get all the Wens out of here, you can say you kicked me out." He peeked an eye open to see Zidian sparking and Jiang Cheng's face dark with fury. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself.
"Oh, I'm definitely going to punch you." Jiang Cheng growled, smacking the back of Wei Wuxian's head until those eerie cat eyes slitted open reproachfully, "I'm going to punch you for saying such stupid things! Trying to make me do everything by myself!" Wei Wuxian relaxed a little and then Jiang Cheng punched his shoulder, hard, "And who the fuck are you calling ChengCheng?"
"My beloved brother, of course!" Wei Wuxian jumped on him with a giant hug, tail wrapping around them both. He was rubbing their cheeks together and starting to purr when Jiang Cheng finally struggled enough to push him off.
"That's enough, I'm a Sect Leader. You can't be hanging all over me. Go bother Lan Wangji or something."
Wei Wuxian drooped sadly, "Can't. He's busy trying to help save Wen Ning."
Wen Qing's tired voice came from the just-opened door of the hut. "Well, he's stable for now. But I think it's a bad idea for us to go to Lotus Pier. There's going to be backlash about this. I hate to say it, but I think Yiling may be a good idea." Wen Qing leaned wearily against the doorframe, looking down as she carefully wiped her hands with a cloth.
"Ha! I win!" Wei Wuxian crowed.
"Yes, moron. You win a group of refugees on a literally cursed mass grave. Lucky you." Jiang Wanyin said flatly, grinding his teeth.
"Still a win, let's get some transportation together." Wei Wuxian shot a sly, toothy grin before hurrying off. Jiang Wanyin and Wen Qing shared an eye roll in solidarity.
=^•.•^=
"Okay, I take it back, this is terrible." Wei Wuxian looked around his cursed mountain as the trees reached towards them with much too sharp branches, and found it suboptimal. His sleek black tail absently flicked yet another biting skull from their path as the Wens huddled and crept along behind him. He sighed, "Maybe it was the possession, maybe it was the trauma, but I don't remember it being this bad. Sorry everyone, I'm going to try something." He brought his flute to his lips and the light of the Stygian Tiger Seal glowed from his pouch in time with the music and the gleam of his ruby eyes as he played. The creeping branches shook and went still, the biting skulls rolled away out of sight, and spirit lights popped into existence to float in the air, creating a bobbing trail along the path forward. He couldn't help a slight shudder when the light from the Stygian Tiger Seal faded and he heard a whispered 'kitten' just on the edge of hearing. He stilled himself, flicked an ear and strode forward.
=^•.•^=
The resentment of the Burial Mounds pressed hard against Lan Zhan's mind. He had been called back to Gusu after helping settle the refugees. He kneeled in the courtyard for three days straight as the Lan Elders had lectured him and Lan Qiren interrogated him.
Wen Qing had been right about the fallout, many sects were angry that Wei Wuxian had 'corrupted' their young masters into staging a jailbreak and none of the clan leaders had listened to their youth who had described the same travesties occurring at the prison camp. No one cared that the surviving Wens there were elderly and noncombatants. They were Wens and deserved to die. Lan Zhan found himself highly disappointed in the unrighteousness and hypocrisy of the cultivation sects. After several weeks, the guards around his house became complacent with his unvarying schedule and he had escaped.
"What took you so long, Lan Zhan? I was expecting you to come back sooner or not at all." Wei Ying smirked from a lazy perch on a tree branch, slouched back with one leg dangling and tail curving sinuously beneath. Lan Zhan had not sensed him at all until he spoke.
"Yes. It was some time before I could escape. I apologize for keeping you waiting, Wei Ying." Lan Zhan replied, face raised calmly but eyes intent as he held up a hand to offer assistance down.
Wei Ying let himself fall forward in a lazy slide, right into arms as strong as steel. He blinked slowly from his new, warmer perch at his Lan Zhan. His tail curled a soft line around a firm waist, and he craned forward to rub his face and ears gently into Lan Zhan's neck, letting out a soft, hesitant purr when he wasn't pushed away.
Lan Zhan stood stiffly, but slowly raised one hand to rub behind an ink black velvet ear. The purr grew in volume and began to vibrate his chest. "Wei Ying," was all he could say, trying to convey his worry and care in those two words.
"Lan Zhan! That feels nice. The purring is new... but I like it!" Wei Ying straightened up abruptly and Lan Zhan felt cold at the absence. Warmth returned in a strong grip which began to tow him forward, "Come on, let me show you around! This is the ghost forest, watch out for the biting skulls. The trees don't act up so much since I started scratching them. Have you ever scratched a tree? It's really satisfying with claws." Lan Zhan hummed an occasional agreement or negation as Wei Ying chattered endlessly, showing him around until, "And this is the Demon Slaughtering Cave, where I sleep! Come on in, I'll show you the Blood Pool."
Lan Zhan dropped his hand to his sword, "Demon?"
"Hm? Oh, it's fine, there's usually no actual demons in here. Ta da!" Wei Ying waved his free arm as if showing off a fine piece of art instead of a cluttered, filthy, and drafty cave. It was the most dismal place Lan Zhan had seen since the Xuanwu's cave. Oh look, an actual Blood Pool, it was even worse. Staring at the thick, bright-hued liquid, a chill wind licked at his neck.
"Unacceptable. Where do you sleep?" Lan Zhan's even tone meant only his brother or Wei Ying could tell he was appalled.
Wei Ying waved a hand at a crumpled nest of threadbare blankets in the corner.
"No. We will go to town. Now." Lan Zhan could not bear to see his Wei Ying and these innocent people suffer for a moment longer. Just as well that he had brought as much money as he could, unsure whether he would return to Cloud Recesses. Perhaps he could find enough bedding for everyone, and he was willing to share with one particular person if needed. He chose not to examine that last thought too closely.
Wen Qing stifled a grin when she looked up from her work to see Lan Wangji towing a smiling Wei Wuxian out of the cave. Lan Wangji had a fat money bag in a white knuckled grip. Sugar daddy had arrived, even if she would only peripherally benefit. She blanked her face and waved them over with a no nonsense snap of her wrist, "Wei Wuxian, are you going to market? I have a list, divided into 'Need, Want, and I Wish'. Please stick to need first, and make sure to get the radish seeds."
Wei Wuxian pouted, "I still think potatoes are better, everyone around here grows radishes."
Wen Qing rolled her eyes, "Yes, because the soil and the climate are all wrong for potatoes. Why would you want a luxury crop when we barely have shelter? Next, you'll want orange trees or mulberries. We can't afford to waste money on things that won't grow here. Besides, the east field is still filling itself with blood every few days. You need to look into that."
"Oh, still?" Wei Wuxian sounded exasperated rather than alarmed, "I told the ghosts to stop hanging out there, that's what the wailing fields are for. I'll take care of it when I get back."
A sudden grasping weight impacted Lan Wangji's leg and he glanced down with a bare twitch of his face. "Oh good, you can bring A-Yuan with you, do him some good to get some exercise." Wen Qing smiled down at the grubby child now firmly clamped around pristine Lan robes. Lan Wangji looked up and raised an eyebrow at Wei Wuxian.
"A-Yuan is mine," chirped Wei Ying, this earned a flat glare as Lan Zhan began internally panicking, "I bore him myself." Lan Zhan made a passable impression of a Jiang Cheng eyeroll with the sheer flood of, was it relief he felt? Lan Zhan picked up the boy with his opposite arm.
"Your appearance may bring comment." Lan Zhan said as Wei Ying's tail brushed against A-Yuan, who giggled.
"Mm, yeah. I have a talisman for that." Wei Ying responded absently as he patted the child's cheek with a curled hand as he tried to catch his fingers. He stuck a talisman to his own chest, reverting to his old appearance.
Lan Zhan felt a thrill of relief, "You have solved your curse?"
"Sadly, no. It just makes me look as I did," an invisible tail brushed over his arm, "It's all still there. Working on it, though."
Lan Zhan nodded resolutely, "I will help you."
Wei Ying threw an arm across his shoulders, "Thanks, Lan Zhan, I'm sure we'll solve it together!"
The tips of Lan Zhan's ears turned red and he shifted the wiggling A-Yuan to a better hold, "No need for thanks or apologies between us." Lan Zhan said as he walked forward.
=^•.•^=
Several vendors glared at the two men and their child as they wandered through the market. Somehow the happy one in black kept knocking things over with his hems, (it had to be his hems, right? They were watching his arms and legs and he never seemed to knock anything with his hands or feet, but things still fell everywhere he went.)
Wei Ying smelled something delicious and ran to the other end of the street. "Fish!" Grilled trout were lined up in a row, and he snatched one and began eating it with both hands.
The vendor narrowed his eyes, "Sir, you have to pay for them first, we don't offer free samples!"
Wei Ying growled under his breath and turned his shoulder away, "My fish! I don't have any money." He brought both seemingly normal hands up to clutch his freshly grilled prey, and stared defensively around until Lan Wangji caught his eye and began to walk over. An invisible tail lashed, knocking over a few grass butterflies from the neighboring stall.
"THIEF!" Yelled the vendor.
Wei Ying paused, before ripping another chunk of fish off with his teeth, "Teef? No, Lan Zhan is coming. He'll pay."
The nearby vendors saw a wealthy cultivator approaching with a child. Suddenly the prices doubled in their minds and ingratiating smiles appeared like turnip sprouts in the spring.
"Wei Ying." Lan Zhan said with reproach for taking things without paying, or possibly for not waiting for him. He carefully set A-Yuan on the ground, who toddled over to the toy stall, and took out his money. Lan Zhan paid the fish seller's asking price without haggling, though Wei Ying stopped chewing occasionally to try and talk it down.
The toy maker gently refused A-Yuan as he reached for the wooden swords, "Wait a moment, young sir, can't touch without paying first."
"Oh, hey, neat toys, aren't they?" Wei Ying picked A-Yuan back up from the ground, and nodded. "Which one's your favorite? The butterfly? Yeah, I like them too. Let's go back to Lan Zhan, we have shopping to get done. Fish?" He held the rest of his fish to the boy who slowly stuck his head forward and nibbled on it.
"Are you not going to buy the toy, Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan still had his money out.
"Not on the list. Looking is looking, buying is buying. We have other things to get."
Lan Zhan asked A-Yuan, "Which were you looking at? Hm." A too-skinny arm pointed, "One pair of grass butterflies and two wooden swords, please." Lan Zhan paid the vendor and handed over the toys.
A-Yuan's eyes were huge, "Thank you, Brother Rich!" He clutched the toys tightly and darted a fish-grease coated little mouth up to lay a messy kiss on Lan Zhan's cheek, who also got the treat of hearing a soft purr under Wei Ying's accompanying laughter.
They continued shopping, buying grass mats and bedding, cooking supplies, lumber, radish seeds ('yuck' was Wei Ying's contribution there, Lan Zhan quietly snuck in a small bag of potatoes and carrots), and finally cloth.
"A bolt of the undyed linen, one of the homespun, do you have more dark colors?" Wei Ying was fingering the samples, unseen claws occasionally catching the weave until the shopkeeper was considering asking him to leave, or at least give back the samples. Why were his hands so rough as to constantly snag, especially on the burlap? Was he ... kneading the fabric?
"Of course, in the silks." The shopkeeper did not bring out any of the more delicate fabric samples.
"What do you think, Lan Zhan? Enough for winter robes in black wool?" Wei Ying wanted to go shred a few bolts of imported silk to get the shopkeeper to stop looking at him that way. Plus, it would feel nice on his claws.
"Yes. Three bolts of black wool. Three yards of red silk, two yards of black, two of the double woven blue, one white. Two rag bags." Lan Zhan held a sleeping A-Yuan against his shoulder, pulling out a qiankun pouch to stow the purchases. Without it, he would have needed a cart to haul everything. The shopkeeper gave him a strange look for buying such disparate qualities of cloth, both large amounts of cheap and sturdy fabrics and enough for a few robes in silk. Ah well, the silver spent the same.
=^•.•^=
Later, looking back on those hard yet strangely peaceful months, there were several moments that stood out in memory.
Lan Zhan startled awake, hand flying to Bichen when Wei Ying leapt up from the nest of mats and blankets next to him and began running laps around the cave, literally climbing the walls at a few points. It was the middle of the night! This happened several times a week, especially if Wei Ying had been sedentary or ill that day. Eventually he would stop and settle down to go back to sleep. Lan Zhan struggled to do the same.
Duing the day, the Wens - and Lan Zhan - stopped being surprised when they found Wei Ying asleep in a patch of sunlight. Sometimes he would be curled around a content A-Yuan while he napped. Although certainly Lan Zhan never seemed in much of a hurry to stop gazing at the odd sight.
If drunk Lan Zhan acted anything like Wei Ying with a cup of cat mint tea, the rule forbidding alcohol in Cloud Recesses was justified. A-Yuan thought it funny, Wen Ning was horrified but uninjured, fortunately for everyone's health. The passionate, fang-laden kiss had been nice, though.
Sometimes, when Lan Zhan was meditating or reading, Wei Ying would come over and just flop down on him. Across his book, over his lap, on his shoulders, a boneless sprawl of Wei Ying, happy and seeking affection. Lan Zhan would silently rub the amazingly soft fuzzy ears or scratch the langourously draped back, enjoying the eventual rumbling purr.
Once when they were shopping in the market without A-Yuan, a loose dog had approached. Wei Ying climbed an awning to escape, yelling "Lan Zhan! Dog! D-d-dooog! Save meee!" The dog had dared to growl at him before everyone around had felt a sudden chill, the dog yelped and fled a steely glare. Lan Zhan had reached up to place a gentle hand on a still-trembling shoulder, "Wei Ying, you are safe. I will protect you." Wei Ying opened an eye, "The dog is gone? No more?" Lan Zhan hummed agreement and Wei Ying climed down, wincing at the holes his invisible claws had left. Wei Ying made sure he passed the shopkeeper a few silver for damages, before Lan Zhan gave over enough to buy the shop. It was nice of his dear friend to be generous, but he needed to learn how to bargain.
As much as he loved fish, Wei Ying had developed a strong aversion to water. The exploding talismans were subsequently forbidden after a laughing Wei Ying and an embarrassed Lan Zhan fled the lake shore with an over-full net of stunned fish.
Lan Zhan l- ... he greatly enjoyed happy affectionate Wei Ying, but sometimes he was reminded of resentful energy's deep toll. Even a house cat is a predator, and riding a tiger is ill advised.
=^•.•^=
After a few months, a weatherproof box appeared at the foot of the Burial Mounds, just in front of the barrier. One of the patrolling corpses carried it to the settlement after failing to open the box. Wen Qing collected the box from the mail alcove, checking for traps and poison. Finding a few routine traps, she dismantled them, freeing the lock. The arrangement of the traps had reminded her of Nightless City, and she shivered. Her careful stance- using a needle to raise the lid- showed only a book and a note. "Jin Zixun was killed trying to escape custody. This book was among his effects. Kind Regards to Doctor Wen." No signature, nothing on the back. A slip of paper marked a page, "Lan Xichen found traces of this mixture in Wei Wuxian's cup. No treatment available at this time, antidote only useful within 20 minutes." The core death poison, fatal in cultivators. But Wei Wuxian had no core, and been changed instead. Something strange had clearly happened, and wasn't that just his kind of luck.
She resealed the box and went to find Wei Wuxian. He was back in the east field arguing with a number of dark shades, "No, this is supposed to be a planting field, we have this argument every other week! Listen, I can have Lan Zhan come over here or I can release you myself. If you're going to stick around I won't have you hurting these people under my protection." He glanced over and nodded to Wen Qing before turning back to the shades, twirling Chenqing, "We already set the wailing fields aside, go hang out there. You think I'll let you harm Wen Qing? No, my friends are off limits!" Dark smoke began drifting from the flute at which several shades disappeared into the mist.
She held out the box and opened it. He read the notes and the marked page, "So why am I a cat instead of dead? There's no reason I should have reacted this way."
Dark smoke twirled around the Stygian Tiger Seal as it floated out of his sleeve snapping the halves together. 'My kitten, Mine. Could work for anyone I choose, but this one can give me what I want soonest. Others can't take him if I don't want, be as fierce a creature as I. Mine.'
"Okay, apparently the Stygian Tiger Seal is possessive and changed the poison to bring me closer to its own nature. That's a little terrifying." Wei Wuxian said, both eyebrows raised and slit pupils dilated until the red was merely an ember glow around the edges of a seething abyss.
"Oh you think? Just a little? I'm getting Lan Wangji." Wen Qing snorted softly then walked quickly away, returning in short order with Lan Wangji. She had filled him in on the way.
"What is it that the Stygian Tiger Seal wants?" Lan Wangji asked.
"It partakes part of a tiger's nature. When I forged it from the Xuanwu's sword, all it wanted was pain and death. I was able to temper some of the cruelty out, but it still wants death, it just wants to play with its food a little more and sleeps more often. It's not tame, but it won't bite me so much if I feed it. It has apparently claimed me as its kitten now and that's why the cat extras instead of a poison killing me slowly." Wei Wuxian made petting motions at the floating seal with a clawed hand.
Lan Wangji had a faint worried expression on his face, which meant he was nearly mad with concern, "Would Cleansing still cause Wei Ying pain?"
"Probably. Anything with spiritual energy would, but that's the poison rather than the Seal." Wei Wuxian was nonchalant.
"Could the Seal be liberated?" Lan Wangji asked.
'A heart for a heart, a lifetime of hopes and loves for the lives and hatred that forged me. Would your mate sacrifice for me what you have?' The Seal brushed against Lan Wangji's face leaving a scratch that healed instantly.
"It said it would take an equal sacrifice to what forged it and called you my mate." Wei Wuxian laughed nervously, "Obviously it is powerful and dark but delusional, who would bother to sacrifice that much for me?"
Lan Wangji placed his hand on his sword, "Would Bichen do?"
"Not really, right idea, but it would have to be someone. Or something that isn't a weapon or at least not only a weapon." Wei Wuxian said absently, before pausing in his movement to look up at his friend, "Wait, Lan Zhan, you can't give up your sword for me!"
"Can. Would if it helped." He manifested his guqin, making Wei Ying hiss at the prickle of spiritual energy. "Take Wangji."
"This is all very touching but we're not ready for this yet," Wen Qing said, exasperated. "We are going to have to create a containment array first and possibly evacuate everyone else. When the energies release, it could level the entire Burial Mounds and the pain would be unbearable, you would have to be conscious the whole time."
"Ah, just like old times then." Wei Wuxian said wryly and walked away, eyes still wide and claws tapping against each other restlessly.
=^•.•^=
Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian spent some time arguing over seals and energy requirements for containment array, as Lan Wangji added the occasional comment or suggestion from his experiences or memories of the Cloud Recesses' library.
They had a brief bright spot in the gloom when Wei Wuxian's siblings visited before his sister's wedding.
Lan Zhan watched Jiang Yanli stroke Wei Ying's ears as he lay against her shoulder. A-Yuan was napping in her lap, having enjoyed a bowl of lotus root and pork rib soup. Wei Ying blinked contentedly, as Jiang Wanyin argued with Wen Qing. He turned suddenly to where Nie Huaisang sat on his other side, empty bowl still in hand. "Why have you joined us?"
"Oh, I just came along as an impartial observer. My brother stayed in town to ask the villagers about what you have been doing. I don't know why the word of the young cultivators that had been at Quongqi path is insufficient but the rumors are painting this place as a den of iniquity. Sounded more interesting than saber practice." Nie Huaisang leaned close to Lan Wangji, grinning, and whispered, "So, where is Wei Wuxian hiding his harem of dark consorts? Eh? You can tell me." He nudged Lan Wangji's shoulder before freezing at the look he recieved from those golden eyes and with an "Eep! I don't know anything, I really don't!" hid behind a rapidly fluttering fan.
Lan Wangji followed him with a lizard stare then turned away, "Ridiculous."
"I can take a few at time, but a mass exodus would draw attention." Jiang Wanyin said forcefully. Jiang Yanli shushed him when A-Yuan stirred. "Sorry, sister," the strong Sect Leader whispered.
"That's what I've been saying, A-Ning and A-Yuan should go with Granny and a few others at the beginning. Get the most vulnerable out first." Wen Qing kept her voice down, but it was no less powerful.
"But I want to stay with you, sister," Wen Ning argued.
Wen Qing placed her hand against her brother's cheek as her eyes shimmered, "And I wish you could, but I need you safe now. Protect Granny and little A-Yuan."
A small number of refugees joined the Jiang group when they left, the rest waving until they were out of sight. Wen Qing allowed herself a single shuddering breath before getting back to work.
Eventually, the Burial Mounds were empty of all but Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. Wen Qing had left to wait at the foot of the mountain. They knelt facing each other in their own circles within the larger array.
Wei Ying played his flute as Lan Zhan played his guqin. Their duet drifted down the mountain for an hour until a pain rose that was so great Wei Ying couldn't maintain his breathing to play. Lan Zhan continued playing with a determined expression as blood-tinged tears left tracks down jade-white cheeks. Wei Ying howled and writhed in pain out of reach. Lan Zhan threw an arm over his face when his guqin shattered into light. The darkness of the Stygian Tiger Seal wrapped itself against the light, each struggling to overcome the other until everything suddenly clicked into balance before the night exploded into indigo light, scrubby trees flattening in a perfect ring around them. Sudden silence fell on the clearing and Lan Zhan realized Wei Ying had gone silent.
Wei Ying blinked the spots from his eyes and took a deep breath. Lan Zhan was staring at him from outside the circle. Wei Ying began patting himself down, muttering as he went.
"Okay, tail gone," he poked at his teeth with his thumb, "fangs gone, good." He concentrated briefly, "still terrified of dogs, but I knew I wouldn't be that lucky. The resentful energy is less immediate, so I guess that's good." He held up his hands, "claws are gone, wait a minute..." He met Lan Zhan's horrified eyes, "Why am I blue? Wen Qing!"