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“Have you heard the rumors recently?” A townsfolk whispered. “What is it?” There was a slight pause till the man continued his sentence. “The Yiling Patriarch is back.” “Yiling Patriarch? Wei Wuxian!?” The man exclaimed in the lowest voice he could possibly say.
A few tables in front of them the said Yiling Patriarch overheard their conversation, sipping a cup of tea. It has been 13 years since his death, and Wei Wuxian’s rep is still ruined. Not that being Reborn into Mo Xuanyu’s body was of any help. Mo Xuanyu’s reputation hasn’t been any good, and even his own name is still tarnished, being the enemy of the public.
“But it’s been 13 years since he died.” The man followed up. “Well who knows he’ll come back with a vengeance.” The other answered. Wei Wuxian, overhearing their conversation, stood up and left, leaving the money on the table as the two men just watched him leave.
Walking down the streets of the city with no place in mind, deciding to make a stop at one of the stalls. “Has ‘that person’ really come back?” He overheard another group of people gossiping. “Don’t know, but the ghost general has been summoned on Dafan mountain. Who could’ve called him other than the Yiling Patriarch.”
The rumors have been spreading fast in the cultivation world. Almost everyone knows about the ‘supposed’ return of the Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian. “That Wei Wuxian, hasn’t he made us suffer enough already?” Another spoke. “He was already killed by the clans in Burial Mounds thirteen years ago, now he’s back to cause us more trouble.”
Wei Ying sighed, leaving the scene as he continued walking around the city. “He has the guts to return, that Wei Wuxian.” He overheard again. “Who knows we’ll end up turning into his puppets this time.”
Every time, every single time, he’d always be hearing “Wei Wuxian” or “The Yiling Patriarch”, nothing good ever comes out of it. Every curse, every insult that comes out of their mouth, he had to bear. What’s done has been done. There’s no way of going back to the past. What only remains is his guilt, and regrets.
Spiraling through the ocean of guilt, Wei Wuxian formed his hand into a fist as he shouldered every slur he encountered. He never wished to go down a heretic path, he never wished for the deaths of many. He just wanted to save the innocent. But that on its own had a price to pay.
Everything. His cultivation, his relationships, his reputation. Even those who believed him, those who trusted him, they’re all gone. He’s left all alone, with no place in the world, no matter how big it is.
The darkness of his own thoughts consume him as the chaos behind him ensues. Maybe he did deserve to die after all. Maybe he truly was the villain trying to play the hero. After all, wasn’t he the one who caused almost every catastrophe that has happened?
Wei Wuxian shut his eyes and bit his lip as he continued on. Walking mindlessly on a dark windless tunnel that consumed him. Forgetting almost anything and everything that’s happening around him.
Everything was just a blur. He doesn’t know where to go, he doesn’t have a destination in mind, he’s just walking. Just being clouded in his own thoughts.
“Wei Ying.” A voice called out.
His eyes widened hearing that voice. Everything around him just started dissolving back to reality, coming back to his senses.
He stopped, as he saw the person in white robes standing in front of him. He chuckled lightly and sighed with relief. “Lan Zhan?”
“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji repeated as the two walked closer to each other pulling the other into an embrace.
Wei Wuxian slightly smiled in the arms of his soulmate, knowing that amidst the chaos, there is still someone who loves and cherishes him. That one ‘Wei Ying’ was enough to remind him he isn’t alone anymore.