Chapter Text
The immortal realm was in an uproar over the Second Young Master Lan’s sudden marriage proposal to an unknown nine-tailed fox. Many maidens mourned their lost chances while the dragons at the Cloud Recesses scramble to prepare bridal gifts. They were definitely at a loss at how to prepare for… a male yin fox bride? Groom? Whatever the case, the rest of the clan jumped at the challenge, overjoyed at the idea of a new addition to the family.
In the mingshi, the main branch of the family were having tea, discussing their next decision. The elders had already agreed once they heard of Wei Wuxian’s cultivation level being on par with Lan Wangji. Now, the dragon was spending time with his very close relatives. Only Lan Qiren was absent, resting in bed to recover from a qi deviation.
“You are truly worthy of being my son. I was joking when I told you to find a cultivation partner, but you really did get one so soon. What next? If I ask for grandchildren, will I be seeing some dragon babies very soon?” Madam Lan teased.
“Mother!” Lan Wangji shouted, his ears reddening in response.
“Wangji, we approve of your engagement.” Qingheng-jun spoke. “However, it’s difficult for us to prepare the bridal gifts since we do not know very much about your proposed husband’s traditions. Please do go and find out what is expected of you.” He set the tea down after taking a sip. “I also hope that we get to know more about him too so that we can figure out if he can acclimatize to our area.”
Traditionally, once the engagement was set, the individuals who are to be married cannot see each other. However, different tribes and clans had different martial traditions, so the Gusu Lan dragons relaxed the rules. They bent the rules since they prioritised their members’ happiness with their fated one over tradition. It also did help that Qingheng-jun currently holds the position of the leader of the clan.
Since Wei Ying needed to go make some preparations to get Lan Wangji access into Yinhu, Lan Wangji too went back home to inform his family about their plans to marry. They loathed to part, but given their cultivation levels and status, they had to make arrangements with their families. While they might have enjoyed the idea of skipping off to their honeymoon and coming back, they still wanted their families to recognise their marriage and give their blessings.
“I agree. I do hope that the other side approves of us.” Lan Xichen said, smiling. “Congratulations on your engagement, Wangji.”
There had been cases where either their clan was too high in status for their partners, or their species were mortal enemies. Fortunately, the clan was much more lenient due to their focus on finding their fated one. Lan An was truly the eccentric one amongst the founders of the dragon clans. It was normal to see the occasional non-dragon Lan in the Cloud Recesses once in a while.
“I hope so too.” Lan Wangji smiled.
“Ah, I really want to meet that fox who has captured my son’s heart so thoroughly!” Madam Lan leaned on her husband. “He must be a good man!”
“By the way, how is Uncle?” The youngest dragon in the room asked, realising that his uncle was not present.
“Apparently, being in-laws to Cangse Sanren had dealt him a severe blow.” Qingheng-jun sipped his tea calmly, as though not affected or concerned. “It cannot be denied that he tried to find ways to protest this arrangement. Do not worry, he will recover. Just remember, he does have your well-being in mind, even if it differs from what you think.”
“Perhaps he might recover miraculously once the wedding was over. I can’t wait for his beard to be cut off when A-Ying marries in.” Madam Lan said.
“My dear wife, please behave.” Qingheng-jun sighed.
“I will once Zhanzhan transform into his child form again for me to pamper.” She immediately hugged Lan Wangji’s head from behind.
Lan Xichen and Lan Qingheng shook their heads, while Lan Wangji acquiesced. While most adults would balk at such childish action, meeting Wei Ying has made him more prone to being childish these days because it made not just him happy but Wei Ying happy too. In the future, Lan Wangji looked forward to spending more time with the fox. As his mother patted his head, the dragon found that he yearned for his partner’s fox tails more.
Lan Wangji waited at the entrance to Mount Yinhu. He stood ramrod straight as his robes billowed with the soft winds. It was fairly quiet, with some smaller animals running around. He filed the questions his family had for Wei Wuxian’s side of the family, pondering how to approach them. In front of him was a locked portal that only the Sanren tribe could access. It clearly showed that they wanted to be left alone. A brief glance told him that only a GrandImmortal could create it. It must have been created by Baoshan Sanren. He had heard of her. She was a famous yin fox who tamed the strong yang energies of the land after all, but was very reclusive.
“Lan Zhan!” A young voice shouted, and Lan Wangji turned to find a small cannon ball of fluff flying into his arms. “I missed you!” the fox rubbed his face on the dragon’s chest, hugging him tight.
“Wei Ying, while I am happy to see you as a child, please transform back.” Lan Wangji answered, caressing his husband-to-be’s fur and smooth tails.
The fox then lets go of him and immediately transforms back into his adult form. His arms coiled around the dragon’s waist and they pulled each other in for a deep and messy kiss. Lan Wangji carefully cradled Wei Wuxian’s head as he tasted the sweet mouth of his beloved cultivation partner. It felt like he had been in a desert for so long, and his husband was the water of a long lost oasis relieving his parched throat. They finally parted when Wei Wuxian tried to break free, and he panted.
“Goodness gracious, Lan Zhan, I miss you but you didn’t have to start off by such an intense makeout session in public! What if someone from my tribe saw us?” The fox grinned despite his flushed face.
Red is a good colour on you, truly. The dragon remarked inwardly. “It’s a way to declare that you are mine.” Lan Wangji said calmly.
“How bold of you, Hanguang-jun!” Wei Wuxian’s cheeks reddened further, almost like a lovestruck maiden.
“Did you not mention that this was a necessary tradition?” The dragon said, confused.
The fox stared at him with a bewildered look before he laughed. “That’s not how it works, Lan Zhan! I have to introduce you to my family, not the tribe!” He then pulled Lan Wangji through the portal, “To be honest I haven’t really told my mother yet because I wanted to surprise her, but my uncle knows already. He already gave his blessings!”
Stepping through the portal, the forest became more vibrant. The peach blossom forest stretched out as far as the eye can see. Small streams were pouring down, with many small animals seeking sustenance within the forest. While the Cloud Recesses had a colder air, Yinhu was somewhat warmer. Perhaps it is because it is not high up in the mountains… The grass beneath them was soft.
They followed a simple dirt path that led into a bustling small town, reminiscent of the small villages Lan Wangji saw on his travels to the Human Realm. What made this town different however were the inhabitants. Most of the inhabitants were in their human forms, with their fox ears and tails betraying their true nature. There were children playing in the streets or running to the river, their tails happily wagging behind them. For the adults, they were chatting or doing errands, tails trailing behind them instead.
Some mothers carried fox kits, and even young foxes could be found chasing each other. The fur colours varied, ranging from orange to white. They are so diverse, like the many ink brushes one can find in a study. Wei Wuxian however stuck out like a sore thumb with his black fur. The residents waved at him as he walked past them. It seems Wei Ying is beloved by the villagers. Lan Wangji smiled. Some however, stared at the dragon following Wei Wuxian instead. They pointed at him curiously, with the parents telling their children to quieten down or stop staring.
“Hello, Young Master Wei! Is that your new mate?” A middle aged mother with six tails asked.
“Yes, he is my handsome mate! You know Hanguang-jun, one of the Twin Jades of the Gusu Lan clan? That’s him!” Wei Wuxian introduced Lan Wangji, and suddenly all the attention zeroed in on the dragon.
Lan Wangji began to feel awkward and held Wei Wuxian’s hand tighter. It did not take long for a small crowd to form around them.
“Oh my! He’s so handsome!” The mother exclaimed, with one hand reaching out to wave as she carried her basket of fruits.
“He’s taken, sorry!” Wei Wuxian immediately used his tails to cover his husband-to-be.
Wait, can they even get this big? Lan Wangji felt the tails almost enveloping him. It feels very nice… The tails tightened their grip on him, as though they felt possessive of him too.
“Aw, Young Master Wei, we know he’s bonded to you but you don’t have to be so mean to deny us some nice eye candy!” Another young fox winked at Lan Wangji, and it gave the dragon some chills going up his back.
A child then pulled on Lan Wangji’s robes, and the dragon looked down to see a young fox with one small tail. “Hey mister dragon, can you give us a ride on you?” His small, doe eyes had a look of curiosity.
“Oh no, I am so sorry young master!” His mother immediately carried the child into her arms. “Please forgive my son for his insolence.”
“Sorry, no flying for anyone here! Plus, I need to introduce him to my family or else I can’t get married! Please excuse us!” Wei Wuxian immediately pulled Lan Wangji over protectively, and started running out of the crowd.
The villagers’ pleas to look at his husband-to-be faded behind them as they ran.
“W-Wei Ying…”
“Sorry, if you let the kids ride on you you would be here for weeks. Foxes are cunning, you know that? Only I can trick you!” Wei Wuxian declared.
Lan Wangji blinked in surprise. The trees calmly stood in the wind, with a light breeze gently blowing at them. It felt romantic . The silence grew uncomfortable enough that the fox began to blush. The dragon then chuckled at this sight.
“Wei Ying, are you jealous?” Lan Wangji teased, and the fox grew more abashed.
“A-Ah, Lan Zhan! Don’t tease me like this!” Wei Wuxian turned away from him, burying his face in his hands. Then, he recovered somewhat to look back at him. “I only wanted to show off my beautiful husband, who would have thought he would be so popular…” He pouted, his two hands clasped together.
“There will be no such person, because I already have you.”
Lan Wangji then pulled Wei Wuxian in and kissed him on the forehead. He could see his fox’s ears pointing up in surprise, before calming down by returning to its original position. How adorable…
Wei Wuxian immediately recovered from his surprise and spoke loudly. “Of course! You have to take responsibility for me after all! You won’t be so cruel to abandon me after you had your way with me!” He threw himself into Lan Wangji’s embrace.
“Mn. I am happy that Wei Ying staked his claim on me in front of everyone.” The dragon returned the hug.
They stood there under the trees for several moments, before they decided to finally move. When they walked past a river, the fox would talk about how he would catch fish in the river and do a lot of swimming. Indeed, there were fox kits playing happily in the water, making Lan Wangji try to imagine young Wei Ying amongst them. He wondered if he had met Wei Ying as a child, would they have spent a lot of time together?
Most children in famous cultivating clans were chaperoned by their parents if they met people outside of their clan. Some playmates or childhood friends ended up marrying each other in later life.
“Silly Lan Zhan, of course we would have if our parents arranged for us to meet.” Wei Wuxian laughed. “But I bet you must have stubbornly preferred to stay indoors, right?”
Lan Wangji did recall his mother trying to pry him out of the home to no avail, so he nodded.
“Well, we have plenty of time to make up for it! I’ll show you around after we meet my parents.”
Along the way to his natal home, the fox kept talking about his childhood. The dragon smiled as he listened. It was strange how he thought he would marry someone quiet, but Wei Ying’s happy voice was music to his ears. Wei Wuxian happily gave a brief tour of the famous Peach Blossom forest that Yinhu was known for. The pink flowers definitely fit Wei Ying. He wondered if the fox would be amenable to wearing pink sometime.
After walking past the forest, they finally got to the place where the foxes settled in. The foxes here did not live in luxurious homes. They preferred nature and lived in simple huts instead. Some did build sturdier homes and utilized basic carpentry like wooden beams and stone walls. The home was certainly almost the size of his jingshi, yet it felt homely and welcoming. Surrounding the home was a wooden fence with a wooden gate.
Wei Wuxian pushed open the gate, and they were greeted by the sight of a vegetable garden to the left. Tending to the garden stood a man who had white nine tails. Wei Wuxian looked almost like him, if it weren't for the white fox ears and silver eyes. He also looked older and wise, calmly watering the potatoes. In comparison, Wei Wuxian had more of a baby face.
“Dad, I brought my mate home!” Wei Ying waved, and the man looked up.
He smiled at Lan Wangji once he saw him. Wei Ying’s parents are powerful… Nine tails beget nine tails. Unlike Wei Ying, Wei Changze was a yang fox and his light purple robes contrasted against his pure white tails. The black fox scurried over to his father to hug him, beaming like the sunshine gently gracing all the plants in the world.
“A-Ying, you finally decided to come home?” He raised a brow, but still patted his son’s head anyway.
“Yep!” Wei Wuxian then broke off the hug and ran back to the dragon’s side. “This is the man I want to live with for the rest of my life. Lan Zhan, meet my father!”
“Greetings, High Immortal Wei Changze.” Lan Wangji greeted, bowing slightly with his hand slightly cupped.
“There’s no need for formalities.” Wei Changze insisted, waving his hand. “You must be the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan clan, Lan Wangji. I have heard many good things about you.” He looked at Lan Wangji from top to bottom.
“Of course, he is my chosen husband after all!” Wei Wuxian grabbed hold of Lan Wangji’s arm and leaned into him, almost trying to merge with him on the spot.
Wei Changze smiled at the sight. “For you to be able to win my son’s heart so easily, it must mean that you are fated. Ah, I should go call my wife over before I keep on ranting.” The older man said, and he entered the small house afterward.
Wei Ying’s father is more quiet. Perhaps Wei Ying takes after his mother more. Lan Wangji observed. They did not need to wait long as Wei Changze walked out of the door with a young woman with long, flowing hair.
“Hi mother! Do you miss me?” Wei Wuxian teased. “I brought my mate back with me!” He pulled Lan Wangji closer for a better look.
The dragon looked at the woman famously known as Cangse Sanren. She wore pale brown and white robes. She too had nine tails, the same colour as Wei Wuxian’s, with white tips at the ends. The black tails were large and contrasted against her pale coloured robes. She kept her hair up with a peach blossom pin, and had silver eyes. She differed from Wei Wuxian in the way she posed herself, exuding an aura of elegance. Her wisdom could be felt from her calm posture. She had a beautiful face with silver eyes and had a rounded chin compared to her husband.
Is this really the fearsome Cangse Sanren that my uncle is afraid of? Lan Wangji wondered in awe at her. From what his parents had told him, Cangse Sanren was a powerful yin fox immortal almost equal in power to his uncle, who had a higher cultivation level than his own father.
Her calm, wise image soon broke the moment she ran over to hug her son. “Of course, my dear son. I missed you!”
Lan Wangji blinked in surprise seeing her nearly toppling her own son over. Ah, I can see why uncle had a qi deviation. Such behaviour would be condemned in the Cloud Recesses. Here, it seemed that this behaviour was accepted and even encouraged. Cangse Sanren finally broke her hug and eyed Lan Wangji, almost as though she was sizing him up. Her stern expression soon gave way to a grin.
“Greetings, High Immortal Cangse Sanren.” Lan Wangji greeted her.
How could he have forgotten his manners? Cangse Sanren truly had a knack for throwing people off.
“You must be the Second Young Master Lan everyone must have been talking about!” She walked over and grasped his hands. “Your reputation precedes you, and truly you are beautiful as the rumours say. So beautiful I am afraid that even Wei Ying might pale in comparison. I am so sorry if my Wei Ying is lacking in anything. Please forgive us and my son for his lack of ability.” She pleaded, almost feeling she had wronged the dragon.
“Hey!” Wei Wuxian protested. “He fell in love with me fair and square!”
“Wei Ying is talented and beautiful. He is worthy.” Lan Wangji answered without hesitation. “In fact, it is my honour to be able to meet him.”
“Wow, my son got a really good catch! Of course, this man can’t defeat my beloved husband after all. A-ze, look at him!” Cangse Sanren ran back to her husband and grabbed his arm.
“He seems good.” Wei Changze smiled.
Cangse Sanren then turned to her son. “Honestly I’m happy that you are finally attached after so long.” Her smile suddenly sharpened to a smug grin. “That said, you didn’t have to be in such a hurry to bond with your mate so quickly…”
“Mom!” The couple blushed.
“You thought you could hide it from me?” Cangse Sanren eyed him.
“High Immortal,” Lan Wangji interjected to rescue his husband-to-be from embarrassment, “I offer my apologies for our infraction.”
“You truly are a son worthy of Qingheng-jun. He and Madam Lan truly raised you well.” The female fox turned to face him. “Also, don’t call me that, you should be calling me Mother now that you have bonded with him.” The dragon nearly stumbled.
How relaxed is Wei Ying’s family?! Accepting as they are, even his family bawked at the idea of premarital sex, yet here was Cangse Sanren, completely fine with it. Wei Wuxian laughed.
“I… believe we had not completed the necessary marital rituals to be addressing you as such.” Lan Wangji could feel his ears reddening. Even his antlers must be burning.
“Oh, that’s dragons for you. Traditional to no end.” The female fox waved her hand and rolled her eyes. “In our tribe, we recognise couples as married once they have bonded. The wedding rituals can come later if necessary. Since my son deserves a grand wedding, we will do it as the dragons do. Is that a fair compromise, young dragon?” Cangse Sanren said with finality that the dragon could not protest.
“O-Of course.”
No wonder Uncle is terrified of her. He blinked.
“Do you mind if I call you Wangji?” The dragon shook his head, and the woman nodded in approval. “It is a good name. Did your uncle come up with it? Well, it is definitely a name he would come up with. He is quite the fuddy duddy after all. Speaking of which, how is he doing?” She spoke at such a rapid speed that Lan Wangji could not catch up.
“Yes, he did suggest the courtesy name, and my uncle is doing well.”
“Is that so?” She then turned to her son. “In that case, A-Ying, when you go to the Cloud Recesses, remember to cut off that man’s beard for me.” Cangse Sanren said, as though commanding her son to go to the frontlines of war.
“Okay!” Wei Wuxian cheerfully agreed and nodded.
Lan Wangji could see Wei Changze sighing behind her and pressing one of his palms onto his forehead in exasperation. I’m sorry Uncle. Lan Wangji prayed for him. Sure, he could stop Wei Ying, but when even his mother permitted it… Maybe uncle will finally find love? The hopeless romantic in the Lan dragon foolishly thought.
“By the way, A-Ying, your sister’s not in today. She’s probably frolicking in the village. Remember to take Wangji to go see her and tell her to come back for dinner.”
“Got it. We’ll be having dinner and meeting grandmother tomorrow, right?”
“Yes. We’ll be having a feast! Now go along, introduce Wangji to the best sights of our place before I do it for you!” Cangse Sanren teased.
“Okay, okay!” Wei Wuxian immediately scurried off, with Lan Wangji in hand.
“Ah, they’re so cute together. Just like we were, right, A-ze?” Cangse Sanren said, watching her son disappear with his mate.
“Indeed. Are you not concerned?”
“Just as we love once, the Gusu Lan dragons love only once. I think he complements our A-Ying very well, and I don’t mean just in the energy department, but in terms of personality too.” Cangse Sanren placed her hands on her hips. “A-Ying is already old enough to make decisions on his own anyway. Let’s go prepare dinner.” The older fox couple walked into their home after they could no longer see their son.
The dragon and fox held hands as they walked through the rest of the territory the Sanren tribe resided in. Some of the foxes practiced agriculture even though they had no reason to eat beyond a certain cultivation level. The youth spent most of their time training in the Peach Blossom Forest, sometimes exiting the territory under a senior’s guidance. Wei Wuxian then explained how he used to do that for his juniors before he got kicked out to go find his mate.
“Will you like to continue guiding juniors then?”
“I do enjoy guiding young disciples and training them. If the Cloud Recesses allow for it I’m also willing to care for them too.” Wei Wuxian smiled. “It’s been a long time since I guided someone.” He reminisced about those days.
They soon encountered another black fox on their way to the training grounds.
“I’m Wei Yuzhen, the upcoming Sanren! Nice to meet you brother-in-law!” The young female fox greeted them.
Wei Yuzhen looked exactly like Wei Ying, except for her hair which she tied in a ponytail, and her pink hanfu. She could pass for his identical twin if it weren't for her doe-like red eyes and smaller figure. Her tails numbered at seven instead of nine.
“Lan-ergege, don’t tell me you prefer me female!” Wei Wuxian said, feigning an aghast expression and his sister laughed.
“Ge, maybe you should try wearing pink sometime! Also, even if he asks me, I’m not interested!” Wei Yuzhen spat out her tongue.
“You clearly don’t have good taste!” Wei Wuxian scolded. “Even if you want him, he’s mine!”
Her voice too was a little too shrill for Lan Wangji’s liking. Wei Ying’s muscles were nice and taut, as well as his butt… The dragon stopped himself before his thoughts ran wild about his partner’s body. Guess he was attracted to men after all.
“Wei Ying is Wei Ying, and you are you,” he said, not fazed.
“It’s now great that someone is here to suppress him. Please bully my brother more! He always bullies me.” The younger fox giggled.
“Is that so? Would you want to know how he bullies me in bed?” Wei Wuxian said excitedly, and the woman froze.
“On second thought, please enjoy your date. See you around!” Wei Yuzhen immediately ran off.
“Piss off and go do your training!” Wei Wuxian shouted. Then, he turned to the dragon. “Were you thinking dirty about me just now? I could see it in your eyes.” His eyes were filled with mirth and his tails waggled in front of the dragon.
“Shameless!” Lan Wangji’s ears reddened.
“Says the one who was having such thoughts in the first place! Maybe we can do one round before we go back?” The fox teased, and the dragon lifted him into his arms in a princess carry. “A-Ah! Wait! Lan Zhan! I was kidding! We’re in broad daylight, you can’t just—” Silenced by a kiss that could light a bonfire, they tangled in the grass and brought forth spring.
They soon returned after visiting the Peach Blossom Forest and the rest Yinhu had to offer. Cangse Sanren somehow shot an almost knowing gaze at them, but did not say anything as she hurried them into her home. Wei Yuzhen was already sitting at the table with Wei Changze.
“Wangji, I tried my best to cook something suitable for your palate. Some foxes do practice vegetarian diets so I asked them for advice. A-Ying also told me you liked rabbits, so don’t worry, no rabbits were harmed in the making of this dinner.” She happily said as the two got seated. “Since A-Ying likes to eat spicy food and even Yu’er is picky with her food, I always find it hard to cook for them whenever they are home. Please, have a taste of our wonderful food!” She passed over some dishes.
Right beside the dragon, Wei Wuxian began gobbling down the food. “Thanks mom!”
“Thank you for your hospitality.” The dragon found himself touched by Cangse Sanren’s care. “Wangji has enjoyed what Yinhu has to offer. The scenery in Yinhu is very beautiful, despite the name. The villagers were also very friendly too.”
“Yes, I understand that you caught the attention of all the villagers. I wonder whose fault it was.” Wei Wuxian flinched but he continued eating. “Don’t worry about that, I have already told them to stop bothering you. You seem to be a quiet person. Quite like my A-ze. It seems my son has inherited my well-refined taste in men.”
“Mother! Stop embarrassing me!”
“I hope Yu’er was not too disrespectful to you too.”
“Mother! I didn’t even do anything!” Wei Yuzhen protested.
A glare from the older nine-tailed fox silenced both of them immediately. It seems that Wei Ying’s mother can handle her children well. Both Wei siblings seem very mischievous.
“Wangji, there’s still someone you need to pay a visit too, so do rest earlier tonight. Tomorrow, we will be visiting my mother. I believe you have heard of Baoshan Sanren.” Cangse Sanren turned to Lan Wangji as she spoke.
“You are the grandson of Baoshan Sanren?” Lan Wangji widened his eyes in surprise as he turned to Wei Ying.
“Eh, it’s not something I want to brag about.” Wei Wuxian nervously scratched his head. “Grandmother forbade me from ever revealing that information to anyone but my spouse. Said something like ‘just because you are the grandson of a Grand Immortal it means nothing unless you work hard at your cultivation’. Can’t say I disagree with that!” Wei Wuxian grinned.
“I… was not expecting to visit a Grand Immortal. I would have prepared the necessary gifts.” The dragon said nervously.
“Don’t worry, this is more of an informal visit. Mother-in-law wants to see her grandson’s mate and she usually does not abide by the usual etiquette that most Grand Immortals follow.” Wei Changze reassured him.
“It’s just… rare for me.” The dragon meekly admitted.
Lan Wangji had Grand Immortals amongst his ancestors. They are hundreds of thousands, if not almost millions years old. The lifespan of immortals varied and depended on the cultivation level they were able to achieve. His ancestors are mostly in seclusion, never to leave unless major events happened. And those major events would always be tens of thousands of years apart, almost as rare as the rarest material in the Nine Realms. Even when major disasters shook the realm they may not show up, let alone festive events of their clans. They often preferred to seclude themselves from most of the world, and Baoshan Sanren was no exception.
Only immediate family members were allowed to meet these Grand Immortals. Lan Wangji could only count on visiting them on one hand, and the last time he met one of them was over twenty thousand years ago. For the Lans, several tedious traditions must be adhered prior to meeting the Grand Immortals of their clan. Not to mention, Baoshan Sanren was a Venerated Grand Immortal, one who would be recorded in their history books and remembered by the realms. He could not help but be nervous. What if he disappoints her?
“Relax, Grandmother won’t do anything to you. She’s apparently good friends with Grand Immortal Lan Yi.” Wei Wuxian patted him on the shoulder.
“Wangji, just treat it as meeting an esteemed elder. No need for formalities.” Cangse Sanren said, calming Lan Wangji down.
“If she has deemed you worthy to enter our lands, then it means you are trustworthy enough.” Wei Changze said, smiling.
“Don’t worry, you’ll find that our Grandmother is very welcoming. Looking at you, I think she’ll even be more pleased to know that a quiet member is joining the family.” Wei Yuzhen added. “As we all know, she’s been worried that Ge will be single for life.”
“Hey!” Wei Wuxian shouted.
“No fighting at the table.” Cangse Sanren sternly warned, and they quietened down. “Don’t worry too much about it, Wangji. Just be yourself.” She added with a smile.
“I thank you for your guidance, High Immortal…” The older fox glared at him, “mother.” Lan Wangji said nervously.
They then had a nice lively dinner. Lan Wangji felt as though he was at home even though he was not with his family in the Cloud Recesses. The dinner was much more noisy since they did not follow the rule of no speaking during consumption of food. Wei Wuxian and Wei Yuzhen would even fight for certain portions of food. Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze laughed, used to this. Lan Wangji would then peel the prawns for Wei Wuxian, making the other three people at the table gobsmacked at the public display of affection.
“Just you wait, once I get out and find my mate, he’ll be better than yours!” Wei Yuzhen declared.
“Hahaha, challenge accepted, my dear little sister!” Wei Wuxian teased.
After finishing their meal, Lan Wangji wanted to help clear the plates, only to get rejected by both Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze. Before Lan Wangji could insist, he froze at the sight of the Higher Immortals using their fox tails to pick up the plates.
“You are a guest! We can’t make you do these things.” She swatted him off with a hand as she entered the kitchen.
“Exactly, Wangji. Do not worry.” Wei Changze added.
It did not take long for the dragon to realise why. The sight of two nine-tailed foxes cleaning up was quite the scene. At the basin, Cangse Sanren washed the plates by hand. Then, her tails acted as extra limbs, some dipping into the basin to pick the plates and others to pick cutlery. Wei Changze used his tails to hold many plates and cutlery at once as he slowly dried each one using a cloth with his hands. Amazingly, their tails never tangled with each other, showing their cohesive teamwork.
“Okay.” Lan Wangji paused. I wonder if Wei Ying could do that with his tails too… He shook his head. “Then may I request something instead?”
“Ah, go on, I’m listening.” Cangse Sanren grew interested as she washed the dishes. “What is it that you have to come to us behind A-Ying’s back?”
“May you teach me how to make Wei Ying’s favourite food? I worry that the palate of the Cloud Recesses may not suit him.”
All eighteen tails halted their movements at that moment and the two foxes looked at the dragon in surprise. They then smiled.
“Why of course we will be willing to teach you!” Cangse Sanren excitedly said, her tails then continuing to help her do the dishes. “In fact, I do worry about that too since I did stay at the Cloud Recesses for a period of time. The food is very healthy but too bland. I recall that A-Ying loathed the food when he was studying there briefly to get access to the Cloud Pavilion. So I’ll be happy to teach you.”
“He is very fortunate to marry such a considerate man as you.” Wei Changze said. “We can teach you in the next few days whenever you are free.”
“Thank you for your guidance.” Lan Wangji bowed.
“No need for formalities! Remember what you are supposed to call me?” Cangse Sanren glared at the dragon.”
“Thank you… Mother.” He blushed.
“Mom, stop bullying him!” Wei Wuxian intervened and jumped in, probably after chatting with his sister. “It’s okay, she never lets us siblings do the dishes ever since I blew up the kitchen by accident last time.” He reassured the dragon.
“What do you mean we?! You clearly just wanted to experiment on the stove!” Wei Yuzhen angrily scolded.
“Calm down, no one is getting bullied, and I didn’t ban you, A-Ying.” Cangse Sanren interjected. “I’m just telling him all of your weaknesses for him to bully you.” She teased.
“Mom!”
“Go to bed now.” The older female fox ordered. “That includes you, Yu’er.”
The younger female fox obliged. The dragon soon found himself being led by his beautiful fox into his bedroom. The bedroom was fairly clean, with a study table, wardrobe and a bed large enough for two. The study table sat in front of a window, allowing light to come in during the day time. Despite the simple designs, Lan Wangji noticed a beautifully carved calligraphy set on the table.
“Welcome to my room! I bet you didn’t expect it to be this clean, right?” Wei Wuxian smiled, his tails wiggling behind him in excitement. “Just kidding. I haven’t been back in a long time since the Lunar New Year. Normally it’ll be very messy with papers all over the place. And oh, the bed’s still the same.” The fox laid down on the bed and spread out his limbs.
“It is a nice room.” Lan Wangji moved to sit on the bed. Though it was somehow hard with thin beddings, the dragon figured the foxes had enough fur in their tails to keep themselves warm.
“Much more humble than yours I bet! You have to show me your room when I go to the Cloud Recesses.” Wei Wuxian pushed himself up to sit straight beside the dragon. “Is it bigger than this room?”
“Mn. It is much bigger.” He then pointed at the calligraphy set on the desk. “May I ask who gave you that calligraphy set? It looks beautiful.” Lan Wangji looked at it with curiosity.
“Ah, that was from my uncle. He saw how I was always coming up with new talismans and gave me a scholar’s calligraphy set when I reached the age of majority. You’ll see him tomorrow too!” Seeing the dragon not very enthusiastic as he was, he put a comforting pat on his shoulder. “Lan Zhan, are you worried?”
“A little.” Lan Wangji admitted. “I do not get opportunities to meet Grand Immortals often, Wei Ying.”
“Don’t worry too much about it! My grandmother is a nice person and she greatly respects the Gusu Lan clan. Plus, you’re marrying me, not her! Just be yourself. Would it make you feel better if you slept on my tails?” Wei Wuxian offered.
The dragon nodded, and his husband produced his huge nine tails, flattening them on the bed. Lan Wangji then hugged his husband to sleep, comforted by the soft tails engulfing him.
After a good sleep, the foxes plus one dragon woke up early and started walking closer to the mountain. Mount Yinhu was apparently named after the yin foxes who resided there, but it was a contradictory name considering its history. Before Baoshan Sanren had settled down here, it had been a place brimming with extremely strong yang energies. Then, Baoshan Sanren appeared, and tamed the yang energy to reasonable levels with her yin energy cultivation.
She was a renowned prodigious fox who had been expelled from her tribe in the Demon Realm, and came to Yinhu after a perilous journey. The realms had been at war back then, and after the Grand Realm War ended, she made Mount Yinhu her new home, and welcomed stray foxes. Thus, she was granted the title of Baoshan Sanren, where she protected the yang energy of the mountain from destroying the forests surrounding it.
They soon arrived at the foot of the mountain. Intense spiritual energy emanarated from their surroundings in waves. Visiting a Venerated Grand Immortal is not something to be taken lightly. The Wei family however seemed completely calm, as though they were visiting relatives on a normal day. It seemed that Baoshan Sanren allowed her close family members to see her on a more frequent basis with half the formalities observed by the Lans.
“Baoshan Sanren will see you now.” The servant bowed to them, before opening the door.
They entered the cave. The cave was sparsely furnished, with some simple wooden furniture scattered about. Lan Wangji does find that they were being led to a simple living room with a throne with two plain wooden benches placed at the sides. Upon entering the room, Lan Wangji blinked at the sight. It’s very plain, very unlike Grand Immortal Lan Yi’s residence. But what made it more shocking was the presence of other immortals.
Baoshan Sanren sat on a simple yet grand throne. Her nine tails were out in full force, and they were the same colour as Wei Wuxian’s, Cangse Sanren’s and Wei Yuzhen’s. It seems the true bloodline runs through Cangse Sanren rather than Wei Changze. Then Lan Wangji remembered A-Qing who also had black tails. Wei Ying’s bloodline is not so simple…
“Oh, Uncle, you’re here!” Wei Yuzhen called out.
Sitting on the left of Baoshan Sanren was a handsome man with nine black tails dressed in white along with another man with nine white tails who was dressed in black. The former smiled with shining silver eyes while the other had a stern expression. They looked rather dashing and complemented each other. A young girl dressed in green sat between them, and her eyes widened when she saw Lan Wangji.
“Wait, you’re that—”
“A-Qing.” The young man with white tails sternly spoke. “If you want to speak up, wait until everyone else has taken their seats.” The man with the white tails scolded.
A-Qing pouted while the Wei family took their seats. Lan Wangji then found Wei Wuxian pulling him to stand in front of Baoshan Sanren.
“Didi, I’m surprised to see you here.” Cangse Sanren greeted.
“How can I possibly miss the chance to meet A-Ying’s mate? Especially when he praised him so much the moment he dropped A-Qing home last time.” Xiao Xingchen grinned.
“Well then, we should make our introductions.” Baoshan Sanren spoke. “The young dragon must be very anxious after all.” She smiled.
Lan Wangji waited for the family members to make their greetings, before he spoke in turn.
“Greetings, Grand Immortal Baoshan Sanren.” Lan Wangji spoke, bowing with the utmost courtesy. “Greetings to High Immortal Xiao Xingchen, and High Immortal Song Zichen. My name is Lan Zhan, courtesy Wangji, the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan clan.” He did the same for them.
Xiao Xingchen was Cangse Sanren’s younger brother, and Song Zichen was from the famous Baixue clan. They were rather low-key but Lan Wangji had heard of them. In their youth, they used to travel the human realm to deliver justice. They decided to settle down in Yinhu after a near death encounter. Their daughter, A-Qing, was born 12,000 years ago.
“I have heard of you. You are indeed handsome as the rumours say.” Xiao Xingchen spoke up.
“Innately talented as well.” Song Zichen added. “Truly, a match for our A-Ying. A-Ying has been quite the boisterous child, it is hard to imagine him settling down with a Gusu Lan dragon of all people. We almost could not believe it until today.”
“Uncle! You don’t have to tease me like this.” Wei Wuxian protested. “Grandmother, can you stop them from bullying me?”
“A-Ying, I’m sure I don’t need to anymore.” Baoshan Sanren chuckled. “It is a pleasure to meet my grandson’s mate. I hope he is not giving you much trouble.” The older woman spoke.
“Wei Ying is not trouble. Rather, he is my destined soulmate.” Lan Wangji replied smoothly as he looked at the fox with adoring eyes.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian blushed.
Everyone else in the room smiled, brimming with mirth at the comment.
“Well, you're not wrong about that. I can foresee great grandchildren in the upcoming future... Probably four of them.” Baoshan Sanren added, and Lan Wangji widened his eyes at this.
“Grandmother!” Wei Wuxian whined.
“Is that true, mother? Oh dear, I can’t wait!” Cangse Sanren excitedly clapped.
Lan Wangji froze where he stood. Four? Most High Immortals could dream of having more than two children! He turned to stare at Wei Ying, bewildered. He can even carry? The ability for men to carry children depended on one’s bloodline, and whether they had received such a blessing from the Goddess of Fertility. Those not fortunate to be born with the ability had to do a very special task for her.
“Calm down, it’s not like you will have four children very soon.” Baoshan Sanren noticed the dragon’s unease. “For us immortals, children don’t fall from the trees after all.”
Snapped out of his train of thoughts, Lan Wangji replied, “I only worry for Wei Ying’s health. Giving birth is not easy.”
“Lan-ergege!” Wei Wuxian hugged him. “Stop saying things that will make my heart flutter too much!”
“How thoughtful of you.” Baoshan Sanren smiled. “We can leave A-Ying in your safe hands then. Welcome to the family.”
Xiao Xingchen, Song Zichen, Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren all nodded in approval.
“So… are you not going to tell them the part of how you met?” A-Qing then broke the silence. “The part where you transformed into a child and went to the Demon Realm pretending you got lost there?”
“Wait, that happened? Ge, why have you not told us the juicy details!” Wei Yuzhen jumped in.
Cangse Sanren and Baoshan Sanren resisted the urge to laugh. Lan Wangji sighed.
“A-Qing…” Xiao Xingchen said, exasperated. “Forgive my daughter for her rudeness, Hanguang-jun.”
“No, it is all right.” Lan Wangji replied. “It is my pleasure to meet your daughter, and I apologise for my rudeness as well.”
“Oh wow, that is one kind of a love story if I heard one!” Cangse Sanren finally laughed. “Qiren must be dying in his grave if he truly knew how it came to be.”
“Let us not tease them anymore.” Baoshan Sanren raised her hand, and everyone kept quiet. “Young dragon Lan Wangji, I have a favour to ask of you. If Lan An or Lan Yi is still around, do help pass a message over to them on my behalf. I hope they have been doing well.”
“Yes, they were doing well last time I saw them.” Lan Wangji responded earnestly, then paused. “I am not sure if this lowly one is worthy to be your messenger.” He looked down.
“You are very humble. Do not worry, it is not a major matter I wish to communicate. I will give you the letter when you are due to leave.”
“Understood. I will deliver the message to the best of my ability.” Lan Wangji bowed.
“I give you and A-Ying my blessing for a prosperous marriage ahead.” She smiled.
“Thank you, Venerated Ancestor.”
They continued to chat and Lan Wangji learnt more about Wei Wuxian’s family. The family too discussed other important matters for the marriage to work out.
“I’ll personally drop by the Cloud Recesses with A-ze to discuss the final details once the Gusu Lan clan reaches out to us. We will host one wedding celebration here and have A-Ying marry over. For now, we will wait for Wangji to inform his clan and make the necessary preparations.”
“A-Ying, you better behave while you are there. Make a good first impression to Wangji’s elders.” Song Zichen added.
“Of course, I’ll be good!” Wei Wuxian grinned.
“You have a mate now, so you can’t be too willful as you used to be.” Xiao Xingchen smiled.
They then had a lively meal afterwards. Lan Wangji enjoyed watching Wei Wuxian’s small, extended family eat. It felt like a reunion dinner before the Lunar New Year. I hope I can make the Cloud Recesses as welcoming as here for Wei Ying. The dragon decided in his mind.
“See, Lan Zhan? It wasn’t so bad after all!” Wei Wuxian grinned as they walked down the mountains. “Grandmother even likes you.”
“Mn. Wei Ying, I’m glad that we are so blessed and loved by our families.” Lan Wangji smiled at his husband-to-be, before pulling him into a deep kiss.