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Chapter Text

Past

He gathers his few things as soon as he arrives in Lotus Cave. Not before hearing Madam Yu's poisonous words, but soon after. He gets his clothes, some talisman papers and silver that would last him long enough. 

He kneels down ungracefully and writes a farewell letter to Jiang Yanli. And another for Sect Leader Jiang and his wife. He is succinct. He says goodbye and apologizes for not being sure if he will ever be able to repay everything they did for him and he apologizes for all the times he has let them down. This moment possibly is one of them.

He doesn't write one for Jiang Cheng, this one he hid among his clothes before leaving Cloud Recesses. He's probably already found it. It was too late, Wei Wuxian couldn't be stopped.

He gets up and looks around, chest tight, a sour taste in his mouth. What he sees it's a messy room he had the opportunity to call his own even though it had never really been his. A place where he could hide and be safe from the looks and words that pierced his back. His life hadn't been easy there but it had been better than in the streets. He was ready to leave now.

He squeezes the strap of the bag between his fingers, breathing a little too quickly. He was ready for this. Even though his heart was almost ripping through his chest, even though he had tears in his eyes and a tightness in the back of his throat. He was ready.

He peaks out the door and there is no one. It was not very late at night but Jiang Yanli wasn't feeling well so they were gathered around her quarters. He felt sick to his stomach for having to leave while she was feeling ill. But he knew if didn't leave now he would never leave. He was not that bold to leave after looking into her eyes or eating her soup. Her kind words would soothe him into staying. It had happened before, and it would happen again if he went to her. So he was leaving. He hoped she would be fine and he was leaving.

It was like he could hear everything as he stepped into the hallway. He could hear crickets in the gardens, frogs in the pond and an owl in a distant tree. All the familiar sounds as if to say that this was all he knew of the world. That this place and those sounds, and those smells had raised him. How can you leave?

He breathed the damp air, eyes burning. He walked fast to the part of the main complex that he knew was far away from all the people. The scent of lotus flowers was stronger there, making his vision blur with treacherous tears as he saw the wall that would lead him directly to the path he knew he would be safe if they came looking for him.

He climbed the wall easily. Eyes turned forward and forward only and without looking back he slipped out into the night. His feet thumped on the ground, and he immediately began to run.

The sky above his head and the ground beneath his feet were his only companions. His mind raced along with his feet. Back and forth.

His footsteps took him to the opposite side of the pier, where the entrance was and where, although it wasn't early in the night, there might still be vendors. They all knew him. They would all talk to him. All of them, those who made that almost home, a home.

His eyes began to sting again. He was hoping they would forgive him, someday. His brother and sister. His late parents. Mostly his parents, they had left too. There was a reason for that. Perhaps it was the same reason as his.

Maybe everything had become too suffocating for them. The sharp remarks. The poison. Love. Himself.

That's what he was going to try to find out by leaving.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

He was two days in. And he was once again thinking of reasons why people do what they do. He was thinking about why he had left, again. He had convinced himself, sitting at a table in some small village with not-so-good liquor, that he was thinking about it again and again not because he was sorry but because he was curious and eager to find out more. He always wanted to know more.

He kept thinking about his mom and the only memory he had of her. He was thinking about his dad and the only story he knew about a man powerful enough to be the right-hand man to a sect leader and powerful enough to leave all that behind. He was thinking he never got to know them or to hear about them because their names were banned to be mentioned in his presence. A constant punishment. A constant reminder that neither he nor his parents had place there.

He was thinking about Lan Qiren talking about him being just like his mother. He was thinking how surprised he felt when Lan Qiren spoke of his mother not with contempt but with something resembling longing. The exact moment he decided to leave. So, he left.

He took a breath, in and out, blinking slowly. In the woods around him, just the occasional traveler passing him, he relaxed his shoulders.

None of those thoughts borderline obsessive could change the situation he was in now.

Even if he couldn't stop thinking about it. He didn't want to go back. His heart was breaking into pieces, but he didn't want to return, and even if he did. Even if he gave up everything and decided to leave the past in the past and the dead to rest, as perhaps he should, he couldn't go back now.

Madam Yu would probably whip him until he couldn't walk. Again. Not because he had left but because he had come back.

Chapter Text

Present

“I am going down there.” Wei Wuxian said to Wen Qing one morning, over tea. She would make him drink all kind of horrible, bitter tea and he loved to drop on her decisions he had made without talking to her while drinking those horrible, bitter tea.

“So I've heard.” She looked pointedly at the teacup he had put down, not even halfway through.

“It's come this far. He's messing with things he doesn't know. Killing people and destroying lives completely simply because he can.”

“I know who he is.” She said softly. Wen Qing had fought tooth and nail to escape that sect, of course she knew.

“You all won't be in danger. He won't have the chance to figure out what got him.”

“Wei Ying. I'm not worried about that.“ She sighed tiredly. “I'm worried about you. All the people that will be there. And It's a big amount of resentment. A lot of people have died there. It could be overwhelming.”

“It won't be that bad. I can take care of it.” Stubbornly he took the teacup and took a sip, making a face.

“Don't act like a child when you have one.” She said smiling, a bit of sadness coming through it.

“He uses the pain of the dead without respect. And they don't want to be used for someone like that. The reason he's going crazy is because they're fighting his control. I do what I do with respect, they will come to me voluntarily so they can put to rest.”

Wen Qing stared at him, silently. At his eyes glowing faintly red. To her, Wei Ying was like a little brother, a reckless and intelligent one. If she could, she would make him stay. He would beg her and maybe she would eventually give in. But like this, he would go even if she was the one begging him not to.

“A-jie.”

“We will be fine. Don't worry about me. Or us.” she said, getting up and taking her teacup with her. “Finish your tea.”

“A-jie.” He whined, his eyes softening and a smile forming on his lips.

“Do you prefer my needles?"

“You have such bad attitude." He cringed while reaching for the teacup full of a colorless liquid.

“Brat.” She swapped at him, almost touching his shoulder. She could only hope that the same kindness he'd shown in welcoming them into his family wasn't the same kindness that would lead him to his own downfall.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Lan Wangji had blood running down his injured arm, a corpse had got him and he coud feel the poison running trough his vein. All the blood was all over him, staining his once impeccable clothes and the earth beneath him. He clung to the last thread of his strength.

The Sunshot Campaign was failing, they were dying more and more each day. They couldn't kill what was already dead, they could hardly fight those who were once living allies and now tried to kill their woen. It was like running in quicksand.

He swung Bichen toward a corpse rushing toward him, eyes white and face expressionless. Lan Wangji could see that that person was once a diciple from the Yunmeng Jiang sect.

They figured severing the head and then burning the corpse was the only thing they could do. So he cut the head and watched as the body hit the ground. He'd seen this scene countless times and still felt a great flow of anger rush through his body each time. How could one have so little respect for a life? He still couldn't find an answer for that.

“They keep coming like like wasps from a disturbed nest.” Nie Mingjue snarled right beside him. Lan Wangji could feel his energy all over the place. Maybe he should slow down before reaching qi deviation, but it was not like they had that option.

Suddenly, all the corpses came to the ground. Lan Wangji had to stop his sword mid attack, eyes widened, one could call it shock.

They hit the ground, more lifeless than before, like puppets having their strings cut. Slowly but surely, all bodies turned to ash and became one with the earth. Lan Wangji didn't have a word for what was happening in front of his eyes.

Once most of the corpses were gone, the resentment began to clear out and all the cultivators observing the war ground in awe finally felt the oppressing power that was not that before. It wasn't the Wen leader, it was something even more powerful

“Something is happening there!" A Nie disciple shouted at the top of his lungs, pointing at the Nightless City Palace.

The door opened, slowly. And someone came out, one hand on a sword and the other dragging a body out.

Wen Ruohan's body.

Silence took over the place, as if there was no one else there. It was possible to cut the tension in the air with the softer end of a brush. But the cause of Lan Wangji's silence and everyone else was not the same one.

The person dragging Wen Ruohan's body to the top of the stairs was Wei Ying. Former Yunmeng Jiang's head disciple.

Lan Wangji couldn't believe his eyes. Wei Ying was right there before him. Older, but still Wei Ying. Black and red robes hugged his slender body, his eyes not as soft and playfull as Lan Wangji remembered. His hair was so much longer, half pinned with a hairpin with two intricate little red flowers attached to it and two delicate short chains attached that had one black and one red stone at the end of it. The same ornament was also attached to a black flute on his waist. Lan Wangji didn't remember Wei Ying playing the flute in the time he spent with them.

There was not a hint of a smile on his lips. He looked disapproving of everything he laid his eyes on.

He was looking over the battlefield outside the Nightless Palace, a towering force. And everyone looked right back at him, most of them confused and scared face the power one required to do what he had just done.

They locked eyes and Lan Wangji felt like his whole body was burning up. Maybe it was blood loss and the poison or maybe it was the fact that he had dreamed about that face and that eyes almost every day for almost a decade.

“Wei Wuxian.” Jiang Cheng was powering through the disciples to get to the stairs.

“It's over,” It was the first thing Lan Wangji heard him say. A powerful and deep voice, it easily got across everyone present.

He pointed to the body, "Do as you please with this one.”

He gave a few steps back, eyeing Jiang Cheng who had just set foot at the first step of the stairs leading to him

“The people inside this palace who had not been marked by my seal pose no threat to any of you. You must let them go. The ones who have it are war criminals. Punish them as you see fit.”

Murmurs began to break as Wei Ying laid out the things he wanted them to do.

“Nephew.” His uncle walked up to him and touched his shoulder. He looked tired, but he didn't look hurt.

“I'm not hurt. Nor is my brother.”

“I am glad.” He said, looking away at Wei Wuxian in the distance. Lan Wangji couldn't identify what was going on in his uncle's mind.

“You all must regain your strength so we can decide what to do with the war spoils. Take care of your wounded and the village people who were victims of these unfortunate events.”

There were sounds of complaints, but Wei Ying's hard, serious gaze was enough to keep his request from being questioned.

“You can't ignore me.” Jiang Cheng finally got to him, he was clearly out of breath but one couldnt tell if it was tiredness or anger.

“Jiang Cheng, I'm doing no such a thing.” He extended his arm, palm towards Jiang Cheng as if to keep him at a distance. “You must have questions and I know–”

“You damn right I have questions.”

Lan Wangji was someone aloof. He had been hearing that since he could barely understand what that word meant. He valued taking measured action and believe one should not open their mouth to say something  unimportant to the situation. Every step he took was calculated. But not when Wei Ying was meters away. Not when he exuded immeasurable power and not when he had just saved them. Not when he had missed him like a person misses a lung.

He felt like he had flyed there. He didn't even know he had that amount of energy left but one minute he was far away and the other second he could see every expression of Wei Ying's face he couldn't before.

“Stop.” He put himself in between Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying.

“Lan Zhan.” His voice was so soft it made Lan Wangji want to recoil into himself until he couldn't be seen anymore.

“This is none of your business.” Jiang Cheng bit the answer out, his face disfigured in anger.

“Watch it. This is not the time or the place.” Wei Ying whispered, he put his hand on Lan Zhan's shoulder but bypassed him to look into Jiang Cheng eyes. “I know you are angry and that's okay but your don't want to out our dirty linen to everyone here, do you?"

That did it. Jiang Cheng liked to keep face. He would bottle his anger up until he could get Wei Wuxian by himself and that would buy him a few days.

“Fine. A-jie will love to know you are alive and still playing the hero after all this time.” Jiang Cheng turned his back on them and and walked down the stairs, passing some smaller sect leaders who were walking towards where Wei Ying and Lan Zhan were.

“Lan Zhan, will you forgive Jiang Cheng? Seems like he still has the same attitude as always.” Wei Ying smiled before turning all the way, so he would be able to look and talk to Lan Zhan before more people got to them. He let his hand slide softly from his shoulder ti his good arm, “Can I help you with your injured arm?” He asked, cheeks a bit red, both because of the effort and the shyness of being in front of Lan Zhan after so long.

“His actions are his own. Don't worry about it.” Lan Zhan felt the urge to trace Wei Ying's face. To memorize every bit that had changed with age and maturity. He wanted to feel with his fingers the fine lines around his eyes after so many years of sincere smiles. He wanted the time to ask all the questions he wanted an answer for. Where have you been? Have you been well? Why didn't you write? Are you staying now?

He didn't ask nor he did all those things he wanted to do. He just paid attention to the tension on his shoulders. The subtle straining around his mouth. His hand still firm on Lan Wangji's good arm. He looked tired. Whatever he had just performed had tired him out enough that he needed to lean lightly against that firm hold. Lan Wangji could tell he was begging for the fact to go unnoticed.

“I would appreciate it.” He breathed the answer out after what looked like ages but realistically had only been a few seconds.

“I appreciate the trust, before you wouldn't let me near your notebooks who would tell you would let me fix our arm.”

“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan narrowed his eyes, feeling heat behind the skin of his cheeks.

“You know I'm right!”

He fell silent after that. Letting go of one arm to focus on the injured one. Wei Wuxian closed his eyes for a few, not reaching to resentment even though it'd have been more effective. He was afraid that would spook Lan Zhan.

His hands emitted a soft blue light, entering the wound and healing the tissues that had been hurt earlier. There was infection spreading because of the corpse that had caused the injury. He took care of that too, burning through the poison like fire burns through parchment paper.

“You should feel a little better now.” He let his hands drop to his sides.

“I do.”

“That's good.”

“What you just did.” Leader Yao said, out of breath. “Do it to the others.”

It sounded so demanding, it made Zhan give him a look that made Leader Yao step back. Wei Ying giggled to himself. Everything had changed and nothing was as it was before, but some things were set in stone. Lan Zhan's distaste for poorly educated and entitled people was one of them.

“Huh, yes.” He cleared his throat before going on.  “I will teach you how to take care of the infection so your healers won't be overwhelmed.”

  ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

After Wei Wuxian taught them how to deal with the infection, it could be said that a task force was set up to take care of all the injured. Wei Wuxian withdrew inside the palace with some leaders in order to show them what he had found of spoils of war. He'd been clear that any object he deemed too dangerous should be destroyed by him and the leaders would be welcome to oversee it.

Sect leader Jin raised a complaint, which was soon shut down by Nie Mingjue, who had been nudging the other’s patience by saying that he had barely helped so far choosing to protect his interest only and that therefore he would not have an opinion on such matters.

Lan Qiren looked exhausted with the entire exchange. He pointed out that he wanted to understand more of the methods that would be used, but that he had no immediate objections to make. And Wei Ying was fairly surprised by his easygoing attitude since he knew Lan Qiren knew what kind of energy he was using and how contrary to its use he was. He looked at him curiously. who would know what was on the mind of someone who had lost so much.

He looked behind the three man, directly at Jiang Cheng. Who kept a scowl on his face and his mouth shut. He probably wanted to shout at him but was keeping his cool because what could be worse than losing face when being the youngest? The last thing he needed right now was for the other leaders to remember that he was at least 20 years younger than them. No matter how long he's been in his father's place, for elders, a young man is always a young man.

“Did you not know what was happening before today?” Leader Jin had questioned at the end of the meeting. A malicious look that made Wei Wuxian's hair stand.

“The disturbance caused by his misuse was not felt until a couple of weeks back.” Wei Wuxian narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit cornered.

“And you decided to act on it now because?” Nie Mingjue asked. Wei Wuxian couldn't tell what exactly was behind it. The man wouldn't be able to hide his dislike to save his life and that wasn't what he was expressing right now.

“First it seemed like you had it. Before he started using corpses I knew you had your losses but you seemed to be on the right track. Then he discovered he could do that and that angered the spirits more than one should.” He looked at the three older men, to whom he owed innate respect, but who in this matter were out of their depth. “We take care of our dead. But not everyone does that. They roam around, they have power one should not touch.”

“That's all you have? And we have to blindly believe you?” Jiang Cheng finally spoke. It felt like a stab aimed to hurt him.

“I saved you, didn't I?" His hairpin made a soft noise when he turned his head lightly to look in Jiang Cheng's eyes.

“Leader Jiang is right.” Leader Jin took the opportunity. “You disappeared for almost 10 years and then came back using the crooked path. We have no way of knowing your intentions.”

With one hand holding his sword neatly at his side, Wei Wuxian raised his free hand to support his cheek and tilt his head to the side, looking at the four leaders before him.

“Let's be clear. I want no part of your world." He was slowly getting annoyed by Leader Jin. “I came here because he was doing something he shouldn't and because I knew that I felt like it was my job to stop him from taking more innocent lives. So let's make it our last conversation about this.”

He straightened his stance and walked by them to the door of the room that was attached to the main hall. Before taking the final steps outside, he stopped beside leader Jin.

“I can feel it. Every time someone so much as tap resentment.” His voice was soft, just enough to make sure the leader would listen to him. He saw the hairs on the back of the man's neck rising. “Good.”

He walked out, directly to the main hall full of people eating and talking loudly. The first person he saw was Lan Zhan. There wasn't a drop of blood on him, which was good. He was stunning. It was hard to look away.

“Wei Ying.” He walked a bit urgently to him. “She is here and she is looking for you.”

He didn't know exactly why but he understood it immediately and he froze in place. He was torn. He wanted to seek her but he also wanted to hide. Wei Wuxian had fleed from Jiang Yanli once. Because she loved him and she would've him make stay simply by hugging him and making him feel like home.

“Do you want to go somewhere else first?” Lan Zhan touched his shoulders, grounding him.

“Yes, please.”

“Follow me.”

  ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

It occurred to him now, while standing on the roof with Lan Zhan by his side that Wen Qing might have said she was worried about all this being overwhelming not because of all the resentment but because of the Jiang siblings.

“How pathetic am I, Lan Zhan? Doing all this and I can't even face her.”

“Wei Ying is not pathetic. Family is hard.”

“It is but she is literally the only person who has always been on my side and now I'm avoiding her.”

“You have the right to take as much time as you need. Jiang Yanli is very reasonable. She will understand.”

“She is, isn't she? I guess she hasn't changed.”

“She didn't. She's been helping where she can. She's been learning and getting better at it too.”

“She was always very resilient.”

“Mn.” Lan Wangji agreed.

Silence fell between them, Wei Wuxian had plenty to think about. The situation invoked controversial feelings in him, it was weird to be back but it wasn't bad. He knew everyone there, and it seemed like not much had changed, It was like the whole structure was moving, but it kept going in the same direction.

He sighed and looked up, letting the clean air and night this place hadn't seen in a while wash over him. “I missed this.”

“What?” Lan Wangji looked at him intently.

“The smells and the night.” Wei Wuxian lowered his gaze so he could focus on Lan Zhan. He had missed the man too.

“Is it so different out there?”

“Yes. The constellations are different and cultivators are not something we see much.” He explained, “We give a place certain energy as cultivators. It can make one feel at ease or tensed up.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Nostalgic.” He smiled at Lan Zhan. This too was so different. Even though towards the end of the classes period Lan Zhan had warmed up a bit, this was completely different

“Lan Zhan.” He started again, feeling his heart racing up a bit.

“Wei Ying.” But it wasn't Lan Zhan voice and then his heart wasn't racing anymore, it felt like it had stopped.

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, “This is okay.”

On the ground, a bit away from the edge of the roof, was Jiang Yanli. Red cheeks and rapid breathing, eyes shining as she looked at him determinedly

Chapter Text

Past

Places retain memories. They tell a story of who was there and how long they had stayed. People leave marks, in places and people.

The day Wei Wuxian decided to leave was the day he discovered the mark his mother had left on Lan Qiren.

Lan Qiren tells him how loud his mother was, with concealed sadness and longing in his voice. How smart and how determined she was to be his friend or annoy him to qi deviation while trying, whatever happened first. “She would see soft and fragile spots on me but she never made fun of those. She was too kind.” He had told him, hands folded elegantly on his lap. Like a teacher telling a story to their students.

Watching Lan Qiren unfold his mother's character in front of him, so gently, when no one had ever done so had left Wei Wuxian speechless. He was finding affection in the most unexpected place and somehow that still made sense to him.

He tells him that his parents lived near the sea. That they were in the vicinity of the Jiang Sect that night because they were traveling, they did that a lot. “Your mom didn't know how to sit still. She wanted to see the world and she wanted you to experience it too.”

“The world is good, you just have to look carefully.” was something she had told him before leaving and never coming back. Lan Qiren didn't get to see her before Wei Wuxian was born or before she passed. His voice got heavy while he talked about it.

The story Lan Qiren knew about the night they died was the story Wei Wuxian himself knew: his mother went first, and he and his father were waiting for her as she told them to. She didn't come back when she said she would so his father made the decision to leave their son behind where he would be safe until they could come back for him. But they never did, And Wei Wuxian wandered around for 2 years until he was found.

Wei Wuxian couldn't get Lan Qiren's posture out of his mind. So rigid and set in stone, and somehow he could also see how his mother had gotten through it all.

 ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

He gets to the coastline at sunset time. The path took him to an average-size village at the base of a cliff by the sea, it was the most ordinary village he had seen so far. He was trying to connect the adventurous image he had of his parents to what appeared to be a pretty dull place to settle down.

He breathed in the air laden with salty air, taking it all in. He knew he was standing out with his clothing and the way he was holding himself. As he walked through the main road, he noticed all the staring was just curiosity and somehow familiarity. They were looking at him as if they knew who he was. As if they were seeing someone they hadn't seen in a long time.

He smiled and nodded with small movements as people walked past him and talked to each other about him, and not directly with him. They weren't very discreet. That, by itself, was a bit weird and it made him want to get out and protect his back. He searched for narrow streets that would take him off the main street and ended up on a wooden railing, still at the lower part of the cliff. The place already had sand brought by the wind and from there he could see that there was not even a single boat on the sea anymore.

He leaned his arms on the railing and leaned forward, taking another deep breath. Perhaps his parents walked these streets when they were empty and this village was even smaller. When everyone here used to know them as they all know each other now. Maybe they had taught a few of those parents' kids that he could hear playing around there.

“My nainai said you should look for the inn at the end of the main street.” A small and childish voice said behind him. He turned around to see a small boy with big eyes and hair neatly put together in a bun. His clothes were a pale shade of pink and he was holding a skew of some kind.

“And where is your nainai?” He asked back, kneeling in front of the child to be eye-to-eye with him.

“She is over there.”

“I see.” He looked past the boy, looking for an old lady nearby. She was all the way up the path along the railing, not really looking at them. “What is your name?”

“Li Yifeng.”

“Mine is Wei Wuxian.” He smiled softly at the child. “Tell your nainai I appreciate her advice and I will do as she says in a minute.”

“Okay, bye!” He turned his back to Wei Wuxian and ran away, as children do when they are done with something.

Wei Wuxian got back up, holding  Suibian close to his body, and followed the path the boy pointed to him.

The main street was fully lit with light coming from everywhere, especially from the merchants' stalls. A lady offered him fish on a skewer, and when he tried to pay for it she said he didn't have to.

He felt increasingly confused. Did he look that much like his parents? And even if he did, there were 17 years of distance between the child they may have known and the person he was now. How good must his parents have been to this place that even after all this time they treated their son, a stranger, so well?

“Young master.” A mature male voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Yes?”

“When you get to LanSe Inn, tell them your name. They are fairly new around here but that will help.”

“Uncle” He called, brow frowned. “Why-”

“Why do we seem to know you?” The middle-aged man completed the question. Wei Wuxian smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“We remember those who noticed us when no one else did.” He waved his hand, calling Wei Wuxian to approach his stall. “Almost 2 decades ago, a couple arrived here when the place was almost nothing, just a settlement. Back there, we had just arrived here and faced many difficulties until we managed to use the sea as a means of survival. Many of us drowned. The sea was unsettled and haunted.”

Wei Wuxian listened intently, eyes traveling between the man's face and his deft hands rearranging the steamed buns.

“Winter was near and we knew we couldn't get up and leave again, We're not exactly on the route of your people and we don't really understand all the things you can do either. We like our life outside of your affairs but we were getting desperate.” He replaced the last place it was missing a steamed bun, “Your mother was already pregnant with you. She was not a small woman but her belly was so big and round she seemed small. She was approaching full term and your dad wanted her to settle down. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the condition of this place but instead of trying to leave they decided to help.” His hands stopped and he completely focused on Wei Wuxian.

“They hunted down the water ghouls and in a few days, the fish came back. Your mom made us talismans that kept us warm and dry. Your dad was part of the manpower that finished everything before winter.”

Wei Wuxian stopped being a child very early on. Life hadn't been kind to him, but at that moment he was looking at that unnamed man as if he were an adult telling a fairytale and he, a small child listening to it.

“I was born here.”

“You were born a chubby, healthy baby. Your parents were completely in love with you.” The man smiled, gently, as one does to a child. “Half of the elders in this village held you in their arms. I was young back then, so I didn't because you were small and babies freaked me out a bit back then.”

A laugh escaped his parted lips. That felt surreal, he knew he would find something there. But this? This was part of the book of his life being filled all at once very quickly.

The man smiled back at him, pleased with the image he was seeing. The little kid he'd seen toddling around 17 years ago was all grown up, with features as familiar as everyone here imagined him to have.

“What is your name, Uncle?” He grabbed the man's hand.

“Sihung Lung.”

“Thank you, for this.” He sounded so genuine that the man's eyes widened a little.

“Was this the first time you've heard about your parents?”

“This way yes.” He let go of his hand. “I am glad I came.”

He was going to absorb all the knowledge about his parents that he could. Finally being able to know more about them brought a peace he had long ago stopped wishing for, thinking he would never have the right to have it.

“Now you go, child. Do as I told you and you will get a room for a good price.”

“Thank you.” He told him again before sighing happily and turning to continue on his way to the Inn.

The uncle watched Wei Wuxian go until he blended in with the other people walking down the street. He walked more easily, his shoulders visibly lighter than before. He sighed contentedly, turning his full attention to his stall.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The inn, like the rest of the village, was not very big. As soon as he entered the front door, he saw a few low tables scattered around, the resemblance of a restaurant and a counter near the entrance where a young lady was holding some sort of a book on top of it.

“Welcome to the LanSe Inn, Young Master.” She welcomed him brightly.

“Good night.” He smiled back at her “I would like a room for one, please.”

She nodded, holding out the book so he could write his information in, a record of patrons who came and went. The young lady saw his name before he could tell her as he had been instructed. Her eyes widened a little and she looked from him to the book and from the book to him several times.

“Mother!" She cocked her head to the side and called out to her mother.

Wei Wuxian laughed, everyone's reactions to him were starting to go from awkward to really funny.

“Why are you yelling me for?” An older woman appeared from a door behind the counter, he assumed it was the kitchen or storage room.

“Look.” She lifted the book with one hand and pointed out Wei Wuxian's name so the woman could find it easily.

“Oh.” She said as she read his name.

“It seems I'm very popular around here.” He said jokingly

“The son of Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze?”

“In flesh and blood.” He pinched his own cheeks and pointed at it, right in the reddening spot.

“Ha! You do sound like her.” She smiled, eyes shining a bit. “Or the stories I've heard about her. Anyway, come on, I will have you served warm local food.”

He was guided between the occupied tables and was placed at a table on the opposite side of the stairs leading to the second floor, next to a window that was just partially open.

None of the people sitting at the tables were really paying attention to them. And that was good, a change in the pace of the last few hours.

“Do you want something to drink?” She asked him, cordially.

“Yes, something strong, please.”

“I will send someone out with it. Hang in there.”

“Thank you!" He said, but she had already turned away and was walking towards the door she had come out of.

“Interesting little place, mom, dad.” He talked to himself, relaxing a bit.

He placed  Suibian against the wall, protected from the people there by his own body. He didn't think someone would try to steal it or something, but that would put his mind at ease. This place was a place for travelers and he also found it impossible for everyone there to harbor good feelings for his parents.

Not long after, a boy a good few years younger than him was walking towards his table. With a bottle of liquor on a tray.

“Good night, Young Master, my lady hopes you will like our liquor. It's called Three Flower Spirits, it's a bit sweet but very strong.”

“Thank you.” He nodded in appreciation, the boy poured the liquor carefully.

After reaching out to pour some of the drink onto the floor out by the window, he brought the glass back to the table and waited for some more to be poured in.

It was very fruity and floral when he tasted it. Even though he could tell it was very strong, it was still very good and refreshing. Something to match the place.

“My lady also asked me to make sure you like pork. She's preparing Char siu and it will be ready soon.” He asked politely before going back to the kitchen.

“Oh, it's been ages! I would like it with some noodles or rice, if possible!” his enthusiasm made the boy smile a little.

He sipped the liquor leisurely, lost in thought. He was feeling worry-free like never before. Of course, there was still a lot to discover and to learn and only the gods knew what that really meant for his life but he felt like he could do it at his own pace. This place was laced with part of his heritage and that made everything a lot better.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

After he had Charsiu with noodles the night before, Wei Wuxian had retired to his room after finishing two pitchers of liquor. The comfortable bed provided him with a quiet and peaceful night, when morning came he was ready to start his journey again.

He went downstairs after freshening up. The restaurant was practically empty, with only a small group of people having breakfast and chatting the morning away.

He asked for rice porridge for breakfast and tea the lady said he would love. He didn't love it but he felt like it would grow on him if he kept trying. He couldn't help but think that that kind of tea was Jiang Yanli's favorite kind, that made him a little sad and he wondered if she had gotten better. He hoped so.

Once he was done with that, he was getting ready to leave when the young girl who had welcomed him the night before came up to him with a written message someone had left him before he woke up.

“Nainai came by and told me to give you this.” She told him and gave him privacy to read it.

‘At the highest part of the cliff, you will find what you are looking for. The place where you were born.’

He looked around, no one was really paying attention to him, and even so, he felt like everyone could read his mind. As if it were an intrinsic part of the village, to know him.

Wei Wuxian walked out, right into the bustling main road. He could see things way more clearly. The sky was made of a blue he had never seen before. The East Sea was so big it was a bit overwhelming to look at for too long, he felt like ponds and rivers were way more welcoming than this, maybe because he could see where it ended.

The main street was mostly one-story buildings, their structures a mix of wood and stone with red doors and peaked roofs. He could see perfectly where the old meets the new. The village energy was strangely clean when normally places this far away from the main clans tended to have problems with hauntings.

He walked and walked, taking everything in. And the farther he walked, the more spaced out the buildings became, giving way to the undergrowth. The higher he got, the more boats at sea he could see, ordinary people working.

After a while there was only him, the vegetation, and the path that someone had formed there from walking that path so much. the silence was a little disconcerting. Wei Wuxian has always been loud for a reason, absolute silence was all he got after his parents died.

He rolled his shoulders to relax a bit. The vegetation opened up to an open space and that's where he saw it. His parent's house.

Wei Wuxian had known siheyuans, he knew they were composed of large buildings and back houses for servants and unmarried daughters. This one was different, even from afar he could tell it was small, with only three buildings, a sanheyuan.

It was a lonely sanheyuan on the top of the cliff,  there was nothing else there. Just an old residence surrounded by a wall made of stone, the sky, and the sea.

He took a breath, in and out before walking up the steep path to the red gate.  The sea air blew through his clothes, like a calming hand.

He stopped in front of the door for a few seconds before making the decision to tilt his head to look inside the place before entering.

“Oh, you've arrived.”  An old lady appeared a few steps from the door. Wei Wuxian looked around because he didn't know her, so maybe she was talking to someone else he didn't hear coming from behind him.

“I am talking to you, young man.”

“Yes?” He smiled, uncertain. He was doing that a lot lately.

“Come on in.” And he did as she told him to. He was also doing that a lot lately. Following elders around almost blindly.

He followed her into the small sanheyuan, which he could now see was very well maintained. The floor was made out of black wood, clean as it could get. He was in the middle of the courtyard, there was a building in front of him, one on the left and one on the right. Behind the lady, was the main house facing north, he could see a bit of the inside of it because the door was open. The ambient was separated by a screen, to one side was a low table under a closed window, with a blue tea set on top. On the other side, there was a bed to the far wall and another table with parchments and paints, a cushion on the floor, and a painting on the far east wall

The side house facing east also had the screen door open, Wei Wuxian managed to see a small kitchen in it, it didn't seem to have been used recently. Wei Wuxian couldn't tell what was on the one facing west.

“I gather you are Wei Ying, son of Cangse Sanren.”

“I..am.” The hairs on his neck stood up. That was so strange. Not like it has been until now; people down in the village had been overall nice and welcoming. This grandma had a different aura around her.

“I know.” She smiled at him, all white teeth. “This was their house.”

He looked at her, questions floating in his eyes. He knew that the house was his parents, maybe she had left him the message earlier that day? And if she hadn't, why was she there? No one had told him that someone was living there.

“And now it's yours.” She answered the question he was getting to. “I've been waiting a long time for you to get here. The place is old but in good shape.”

It looked like she was talking more to herself than to him, so he didn't answer her. He just followed her move around the place with his eyes. She pointed out to him the kitchen, the bedrooms, the storage room, and the washroom.

“The house is ready for you to live in.”

“Thank you, for taking care of it.”

“Your parents were good people.”

“So I've been told.”

“Good deeds are often repaid with good deeds. You must have noticed that too down there.”

“I did. I very much did.” He let his confusion go and smiled at her.

“Good. If you have questions, you can always ask us. We may have one thing or two to teach you.”

“I don't know what to do to repay such kindness.”

“Stay good, Wei Ying.”

Of course, his birth name was one of the things she knew. She was clearly close to his parents.

“What's your name, nainai?” He asked, gently

“Just call me that.” She nodded at him, gathering a pouch that was sitting on the clean floor.

“Now, since I'm blind I need you to help me down to the village.”

“You are blind?” He almost screamed, He couldn't contain himself.

“Oh, boy.” she laughed softly

Chapter Text

Present

“I will give you both privacy.” Lan Zhan told him

Wei Wuxian nodded, eyes fixed on her, who he hadn't seen in a long time. He lifted his hand, and let it slide lightly from Lan Zhan's shoulder to his back, letting him move away from his touch naturally. “Thank you, Lan Zhan.”

If he'd been looking, he would have seen what that gesture without thinking did to his company. The discreetly held breath and the gentle red that tinted Lan Wangji's ears. But he didn't and Lan Zhan left in silence, to the safety of his solitude.

“Come down!” She asked, with a smile in her voice. It made him come out of the frozen state he was in. He missed that gentle tone so much.

She saw he hesitated and he saw the fleeting hurt that was gone as fast as it came into her eyes. But he went down anyway, as he always has, he listened to her, accepted her request, and stopped right in front of her.

“You were never very good at hiding.” She smiled, eyes shining and expression as relaxed as it could be. She was a point of contrast in the dark environment, she softened everything around her.

But, what from up there he hadn't been able to see or hadn't paid attention to, he could see now. The straining around her eyes. Her clothes, layered in a mixture of golden yellow and lilac. Wei Wuxian knew what that meant, she had gotten married, as her mother had wished her to. His heart broke a bit, he had lost that.

“I suppose some things never change.” He focused on her delicate face once more, she was still the same person. That brought him some comfort.

“Not even after almost 10 years.”

“I do have a few crowfeet now ” He shrugged, he figured he could only try to be funny. He wanted to run away and towards her at the same time. He had missed her so much, her presence and kindness and sweet eyes.

“I can see them. I have a few of my own too.” She didn't, and neither did he, really. But time had passed for them, there was no longer the lightness in their faces that had walked with them before.

They looked at each other in silence, so many years that had kept them apart making conversation difficult. Jiang Yanli could see that no boy was standing in front of her, Wei Ying had an aura to him. The power that had won them the war they had been losing for years.

“Yanli-jie.” He tried, one hand reaching up to his hair and pulling a lotus pin he kept safe in between his main pins.

“Oh.” She gasped softly. She recognized that hair ornament, it was part of her own. “My sweet boy.”

She pulled him into a hug. Who cared, honestly? All those years and there was so much unsaid between them. They had shared so much. She just wanted this one more thing even if she had so many questions, this was the thing she wanted the most at the moment.

In the end, they never really talked about it, about all the times Wei Wuxian almost left but gave up because of her. It was like their little secret, to be shared with no one. Jiang Yanli knew she had the power to make him stay and she had used it many times. She had hugged him like this right now, made him soup, sang for him, and tended to his wounds. As young and unmarried girls used to be, she was powerless against her mother's wrath and her father's laid-back borderline neglectful personality but she could talk her brothers down from doing something they wouldn't be able to go back after started.

When he had left, that many years ago, she didn't feel angry, she was hurt. Hurt because he was gone. Hurt because she knew why he had left and hurt that he had to leave them without saying goodbye. All the reasons that had made him not a kid anymore.

She sniffled a little, breaking the embrace, she wanted to look at him. Jiang Yanli wanted to tell him that he didn't smell like home anymore, that now he smelled of the sea and medicinal tea. But she didn't, she was satisfied to just memorize his face all over again.

“You've grown.” She told him, eyes soft all over again.

“You've gotten married.” He smiled slyly, the wind blowing his long dark hair around him.

“Turns out he's as good as one can be.” She winked, getting a laugh out of him.

“Does he treat you well?”

“He does. He's not very good with words, but he's so gentle, A-Xian.”

“I'm glad for you. I really am.” He touched his forehead with hers, closing his eyes. She didn't smell like home anymore, and he supposed that was just fair but sad all the same.

“Will he ever not be so angry at me for making that choice for myself?” He backed away, letting her go, once again.

“He will come around. It took him some time, after you left, it was like watching someone relearn how to walk, like he was missing a limb. But he got stronger.” She brought her hands together in front of her body slowly, “A-Xian, not much changed regarding mother and father.”

“I'm sorry, I was hoping it would bring some good for him regarding that, too.”

“Nothing has ever changed because it was never your fault. Mother and father were like that because neither of them had what they wanted out of that relationship. And it fell on us, the blame and the responsibility to make them feel better.” Her expression was serious, her cheeks slightly flushed. “I could tell he was expecting more from father. It never changed, the way he looked at A-Cheng never came close to the way he looked at you. Because that was the parent he was and I know, and he knows, it's not your fault.”

Wei Wuxian knew that too, it took him a while to figure it out it was never about him but his parents and the relationship they had with Jiang Fengmian. But children carry their parents' history and life, and that was what they were doing right now. Jiang Yanli had married the person her parents had chosen on the day she was born; Jiang Cheng was the leader, as he should have been since he was born; And Wei Wuxian was somewhat a rogue cultivator, manipulating resentment, as it had been decided since the day his parents passed.

The sun went down, as it should be. And the night came, as it should have. And they were treading steps somewhat laid by their parents, as it usually is.

He smiled at her. the feeling of discomfort receding a little. Life was uncanny. He would take what he could. Since they were each on their own paths, they were unlikely to go back to the relationship they once had, but that was good too.

“You could come and visit me, once this is over. We could talk for a bit.” He took her hands gently. He wanted to once again give her that courtesy, he would answer any questions she had that he could answer and this chapter would be complete for good.

“I would be glad to see this place that made you so good.”

Wei Wuxian nodded at her, he wondered if she still has fragile health and if they should go in so she could rest and he could track Lan Zhan down to say goodnight.

"How about we go-”

“Yanli!” She saw them first, her husband and everyone else coming out of the place, spilling out like a procession. She smiled softly at Jin Jixuan, her husband had a heart of gold and she could see how uncomfortable he was to be in that position, by his father's side. They had become such close friends, in the past, she would have thought this was impossible.

“Here you are.” Leader Jin's voice rang around them, she watched as Wei Wuxian's expression changed completely.

“What could be so important that would bring all of our leaders out here?” He turned around, hands behind his back. Wei Wuxian could tell they were looking for a show. His eyes tracked Lan Zhan down and he was fairly close to him, and far from everyone that has just come out.

“We want more. More power of decision and more insight on all of...that” He started, pointing to Wei Wuxian, winning an eyebrow raise back when a few minor leaders agreed.

“Leader Jin told us you threatened him.” It wasn't accusatory, it was more of a question. And it came from Lan Qiren.

“A warning.” He corrected, idly. “You know how Leader Wen ended. I'm just worried.”

Nie Mingjue huffed at that, and Wei Wuxian had a hard time holding back his smile.

“This is outrageous. Who's to say he doesn't want to do what leader Wen did? Who knows how powerful he is and if he will actually destroy the artifacts he's found?"

“Leader Jin.” Wei Wuxian started again, not worried about his outburst. “Do you want us to finish here and go meddling around your private rooms in Jinlingtai?”

That drained the color from Jin's face but anger stayed. “You're up to something, can't you all see it?”

“I don't want to start anything here. but I sure have ways of telling how things will turn out.” He pointed out that before someone could agree or disagree with Leader Jin. “Listen, I taught you how to care for the wounded, I told you who to punish and I allowed you to be at the release ceremony. One more act of good faith and I might as well bare my neck to you.”

Jiang Yanli was tense, fists clenched. Some serious accusations were being thrown around here. She didn't like any of that, Jin Guangshan had a lot of weight to sway things his way.

She was looking intently at the poisonous exchange between Wei Wuxian and Jin Guangshan, he could feel her eyes steady on his face, like a hawk.

Jiang Yanli was no longer that useless and powerless young girl. She had married someone that would give her anything she asked for willingly. Of course, it wasn't like Wei Wuxian needed her to sort it out there, but she would use her weight around the house if needed. She didn't like her father-in-law very much and liked even less the way he was looking at her brother. As if he was an insect he wanted to squash as quickly as possible.

Her eyes moved around the people there, trying to find the only other person she cared about. Jiang Cheng was a few steps behind, tense like a bowstring but he didn't look lost. He seemed to be right where he wanted to be and it wasn't where she expected him to be

The situation brought her a memory, once, she held her two younger brothers tightly in her arms and told them "We must be together forever, the three of us." But now, look at them. Wei Wuxian was exiling such power that it made the hairs on her neck stand up. He wasn't really on someone's side, he was on his own his side. And Jiang Cheng, even if he was silent, that meant something and it wasn't something good. His stance could give fuel to whatever Jin Guangshan wanted to accomplish with his show. She wanted to call him and hold him by her side, to show them they were still siblings and that that still mattered. Even though they've been separated for years. 

“It's okay.” He said to Jiang Yanli's ears only, because it really was. Wei Wuxian looked at them. It was a little strange for him to be in that position. He has always been a part of that inner circle and at the same time, he hasn't. Now, he was glad he wasn't part of it at all, that somehow they had always looked at him as an outsider who was lucky to fall in the good graces of a powerful Sect Leader. Even 9 years later, his parents were still showing him that, despite everything, he had made the right choice.

“Okay!" He clapped his hands as if he was talking with children, “I am not scheming, and if you guys had let me talk before threatening me with silly sanctions. I would have had time to say that I think professor Lan should help me more closely with the artifacts. No one in here has a better moral compass and I'm sure he will take care of it if the day comes it happens again.”

“That's not the point.” Leader Yao barked in his annoying voice. The man was right behind leader Jin, along with leaders of smaller sects who refused to meet Wei Wuxian's eyes.

“We can't see the reason not to share the artifacts equally among the major sects." Leader Jin added on, eyes trained on everyone there, absorbing the reactions. Even though Wei Wuxian was doing the same thing, the difference between them was that he really only needed to be careful with Jin G, who was relying on numbers to try end make Wei Wuxian back down. Unfortunately for him, Wei Wuxian wasn't feeling very merciful.

“I'm afraid that won't be possible.” Wei Wuxian's eyes glowed just for a fraction of a second, “They shouldn't exist. They are used to control people, alive and dead, I don't see a reason for anyone to have them."

“This is horrendous!" Jin intervened once more, not bending. Wei Wuxian was feeling more and more like watching him breaking.

“Leader Jin, Young Master Wei. let's be reasonable.” Lan Xichen raised his hands, as to appease the situation. He hadn’t spoken a lot so far, but he was still a firm and confident presence beside Lan Qiren, as a direct heir usually is. His stand was so much like Lan Zhan's, it was actually reassuring.

“Wasn't the Yin Seal divided between the sects, and what happened? Isn't that the reason we're here?"

“You haven't been here in the last 9 years so watch your mouth.” Someone said, tone hard. It came from Jiang Cheng.

“Is this about all the people you lost?”

“Of course. You were hiding somewhere safe and we were dying out here. Some of us lost everything.” Jiang Cheng said, Zidian crackling softly around his right wrist.

“Shouldn't you be fighting to make sure this never happens again? Why are you people being so greedy regarding something that killed so many?” He clenched his fists, “I want no part of this artifact. I don't need them and neither do you.”

“I know you see me as an outsider, you are particularly good at that, but I was one of you once. And all I've done so far is help you." He opened his arms briefly. As if to say: look where we are, the enemy is dead, and the war has been won.

Wei Wuxian could see that the leaders were a little uncertain now. No matter how afraid they were feeling, they knew that Wei Wuxian was right and that he had shown nothing but cordiality so far. He had been harsh by calling them on their greed but he was certain it made the effect he wanted.

“I think this matter is more than finished.” Nie Mingjue finally said. “Leader Jin, you asked us to listen to you, and we did. Now it's time to be reasonable.”

“I agree. Wei Wuxian is one man, and he has helped us so far. Let's trust he is doing the right thing.” Lan Qiren ended by agreeing with Nie Mingjue.

Wei Wuxian nodded and turned to Jiang Yanli to say goodbye. She was smiling a small one at him.

“Good job,” she said to him, touching his shoulder.

“Stay safe.” He said and watched as she walked up to Jin Jixuan who welcomed her into his side, one arm firmly around her. Wei Wuxian was able to see the critical look that Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng exchanged, he knew they would have a long conversation. He didn't wish his presence to cause any of that but he also didn't really expect Jiang Cheng to act like he had ill intentions.

He turned to the leaders who were talking among themselves, deciding whether to retire or return to the abundance of food and drink that had been left in the main hall.

“Before you all go back to your activities. I would like to request a private conversation with the two heirs of the Nie and Jin's sects. It's been a while and I would like to catch up.”

“Father.” Someone Wei Wuxian had just felt the trace of his scheming but didn't really know stepped forward, approaching Jin Guangshan before he could say something to his request.

“What?” He snapped, turning his head to the small man by his side. They started a private conversation between the two and whatever it was that Jin heard, his shoulders relaxed and he nodded as if he agreed with something.

“My son, here. Had been helping us throughout the months before today and I wish him to be part of that conversation, as Jin Zixuan's right hand.” Jin Guangshan spoke loudly, causing a scowl from Nie Mingjue. 

“The answer is no.” He answered, voice lazy and laid back. His eyes wandered out, seeking for someone, “I want to talk to my former classmates. It's a nostalgic action, nothing more.”

“Care to share the subject of this conversation, at least?” Wei Wuxian felt that it wasn't exactly a request, it came from Nie Mingjue.

“The amazing lessons Professor Lan Qiren has given us in the past, of course.” Wei Wuxian answered, directly to Nie Mingjue, but got a side eye from Lan Qiren and Jiang Cheng, who of course spoke when not spoken to.

“That's ridiculous, he kicked you out most of the time.” 

“I still learned a lot.” Wei Wuxian smiled brightly like the last hour hadn't happened, “You can put on talismans to check on your heirs' well-being if it makes you feel better.”

“Let's do it this way, then.” Lan Xichen spoke again. “We're going to choose a room that everyone approves of, we're all going to check the security of the place so that all sides feel more comfortable. We pick one person each to carry out the checking.”

“I have no objections, just do it quickly.” Wei Wuxian waved his hands, eyes finally settling on Lan Zhan, who had been so silent during the whole exchange, “Would it be okay for Lan Zhan to represent you?”

“No problem whatsoever.” Lan Xichen answered, “Jin Guangshan, Nie Mingjue.”

“A-Yao will do it. He will also be close by.” Jin Guangshan finally agreed to something, even if he was clearly not happy with none of it.

“My head disciple will do it for me.” Nie Mingjue pitched in after talking briefly in a low voice with Nie Huaisang guarded by a fan the younger Nie carried around everywhere.

“I am glad this is over, then. I will go ahead, find me once you have it all done.” Wei Wuxian relaxed a bit, he waved his sword cheekily as a goodbye to Lan Zhan, who was looking at him the whole time.

He watched as everyone went back inside and he could finally breathe. Despite the side conversations, he can hear the dissatisfaction still present, the fact that he managed to shut Jin Guangshan down made him incredibly satisfied.

He looked up at the sky, the moon had already passed its peak. It was starting to get late. Wei Wuxian reached for his flute, which had been tucked away among his garments all along. Chenqing was warm but silent, its spirit had nothing to nudge Wei Wuxian's mind about even though he still had a lot of cleaning and releasing to do.

He brought the flute to his lips, starting to produce a rather peaceful melody. Wei Wuxian wasn't infusing any spiritual energy into the music, he just wanted to settle the night. He missed home, deeply. He missed the salty air and busy sea full of boats, the sounds of a full house and a thriving village.

“Wei Ying.” A voice came from behind without him realizing he was not alone anymore. He lowered Chenqing and tucked it securely into his sleeves.

“Hi, Lan Zhan!" He turned, excitedly, “Is it already done?"

"It's been thirty minutes.” 

“Oh? I might've lost myself in thoughts there.”

“Mn.” Lan Zhan nodded, hands behind his back, “I didn't know you played the flute.”

“You have to get to know me all over again, Lan Zhan! I can even do decent calligraphy now.”

“That would be an extraordinary feat.”

“You have such small faith, Lan Zhan.”

“Regarding your calligraphy?” Lan Zhan raised an eyebrow and Wei Wuxian felt like he could pass out. What a sight.

“If I prove it to you, what do I get?"

“Anything.”

“That could be a lot.” His heart was racing shamefully.

“I trust Wei Ying.”

“I-” Wei Wuxian started, “Well, I think about my prize then.”

“Take your time.” Lan Zhan said back to him, eyes fixed on the way Wei Wuxian's cheeks were getting red, “Do you wish to go now?”

“Yes, please.” He clung to the offer as if he were being saved from drowning. Wen Qing would laugh at him and he would never be able to forget about it. He was glad she was not there. 

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Lan Zhan accompanied him through the dark corridors. The place was quite oppressive, Wei Wuxian couldn't get used to the place even after he walked all this himself before.

“How was it after you left?” He asked, trying to make the walk easier on his nerves.

“Jin Guangshan was very vocal about his disapproval.” 

“He will live.” or not, Wei Wuxian wanted to add but didn't.

“Nie Mingjue was very positively adamant about your decisions regarding the spiritual artifacts. He thinks we owe you at least that.”

“Honestly, I'm relieved. He was a wild card to me.” He admitted it because it was the truth and Lan Zhan was someone he trusted. Nie Mingjue would be the first one to advocate for his death if he had doubts about Wei Wuxian's intentions.

“He is just, As long as you keep showing that you just want to help, he will not ostracize you.” Lan Zhan answered back with his deep serious voice.

“I suppose.” He side-eyed Lan Zhan, he wanted time alone with him. Not inside this place, but somewhere else. 

They arrived at a room that was deep inside the Nightless City Palace. “It's right there. We agreed they would be inside.”

“Thank you, Lan Zhan.”

“I made sure to check it twice. One before everyone and one after. The room will be safe for you as well.”

“I don't know how to thank you. You've been so helpful and understanding, I know I'm infringing at least five rules for your Sect just to be breathing and yet you are still here.”

“I have been watching Wei Ying, I can tell you can handle everything you are doing.” Lan Zhan raised his hand as if to touch Wei Wuxian on the wrist and asked permission with his eyes before doing so. Wei Wuxian nodded back, pulling his sleeve a little.

When Lan Wangji's fingers touched Wei Ying's skin it was like touching red hot, the heat rising through his fingers and up his arm, spreading from his shoulder to his torso until it dissipated in his golden core. His heart was beating fast. Lan Wangji could feel all the power at once, Wei Ying's golden core, bright and strong like a flaming consuming everything it could touch and resentment that reacted to his energy like the leaves react to the blowing of the wind. It was equally immense, but it was clearly being held in check by his golden core.

Lan Wangji let his wrist go and looked up to meet Wei Ying's eyes, “You achieved something amazing, Wei Ying.”

“You're not disgusted by it.”

“Wei Ying is respectful to the dead. You put them to rest. I see no reason to be disgusted by it.”

Wei Wuxian held to this feeling of teen love for years. He was never able to let this innocent love go and now he had Lan Zhan telling him he was not disgusted by him. He never thought this was possible, maybe nothing would come out of it but at least a friend he would have. And that friend being Lan Zhan made it a lot better.

“How long will you keep us waiting?" Nie Huaisang peeked out the door, looking at them with the eyes of someone who knows what's going on and would use it if he needed.

“I was about to go in.” Wei Wuxian tilted his head towards the door, “Lan Zhan, thank you.”

He nodded as an answer, "Be safe, Wei Ying.”

And Wei Wuxian watched as Lan Zhan turned his back at him and walked away.

“You can't help yourself, can you, brother Wei?” Nie Huaisang muttered, a knowing smile on his lips.

“Get inside.” Wei Wuxian muttered back, urging Nie Huaisang back into the room so could walk past the door.

The first thing he saw was a not-too-large table in the center of the room with 6 chairs, 2 at each side and 2 at either end. Jin Zixuan was sitting at the far head, serious expression and arms crossed.

“What is the matter?” Jin Zixuan asked, his tone showing how tense he was.

Wei Wuxian waited until Nie Huaisang sat on the left side before approaching the table to start the conversation.

“I'm going to ask you to trust me for the fact that you're married to someone I care about and owe a lot to. Believe that I have her best interest at heart.”

Wei Wuxian could see the uncertainty in Jin Zixuan's eyes, posture tight like a bowstring. He looked at Nie Huaisang, maybe sensing an answer.

“Well, he did punch you because of Lady Jiang. I think you can trust him.” Nie Huaisang muttered for the first time since they entered the room causing both Jin Zixuan and Wei Wuxian to roll their eyes.

“You have my attention.” He finally said.

“Your sect is corroded from within by greed and resentful energy. It starts with your father, and your newest found brother.”

“Yao-ge?" Huaisang almost shouted, “That's not like, impossible, but it's Yao-ge!”

“He's not too far gone, but he wants to be accepted and to have a place within your Sect and your father is using it to make him do things he shouldn't be doing.”

“I don't think a single person will disagree with you but what exactly do you want me to do?”

“First, find evidence for yourself.” Wei Wuxian reached inside his sleeve, “You have to start again. Once you become the Sect Leader.

“How do you suggest I do that? He has most of the counselors under his thumb.”

“Your mother will certainly help you with that.”

“The next time you get together after here, and I know you will because your father wants to ostracize me.” Wei Wuxian sounded bored, which put Jin Zixuan back on the edge again, “You will expose him. Use this talisman to show the markings the resentment energy left on him.  Nie Mingjue will likely do the rest.” He showed them what he had taken out of his sleeve.

Jin Zixuan was silent for a few seconds. Even though it was a fair strategy, it still felt like a coup.

“I don't want your favor or anything, I won't try to use this against you.” Wei Wuxian stated, “His father is corrupt, it's time for Lanling to experience something better.”

“I agree.” Jin Zixuan reached to get the talisman from Wei Wuxian's hands. 

“So, why am I here?” Nie Huaisang asked, waving his fan.

“I was getting there, Huaisang.” Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes, “Tell your brother to ask Lan Xichen to play for him. He will understand, and make sure Lan Xichen will do it by himself.”

“Besides the fact you sound like a matchmaker, we are already taking care of that.”

“You are incredibly annoying.” Wei Wuxian said, “It's not working, your brother is sicker than you think and he needs more help than he's getting right now.”

“I will make it happen.” Nie Huaisang's expression clouded over and he put his fan down. His sect dealt with resentment too, he supposed that was how Wei Wuxian knew about such an internal affair.

Wei Wuxian studied Nie Huaisang's face intently. People had the great flaw of underestimating him because he didn't use a saber and spent part of his time drawing. They didn't understand that Nie Huaisang had other weapons, often far more powerful than a man's saber. 

“How do you know all of this?” Jin Zixuan asked, intrigued. 

“Remember that class about nature cycles Teacher Lan Qiren gave us?”

"No, you are weird.” Nie Huaisang pointed out, voice still pretty much somber.

“He said that everything is interconnected. Every stage in birth, death, and rebirth. Spiritual energies renew themselves, they are part of a whole. They are the same and not the same at all.” Wei Wuxian explained, face softening, “I get to know everything resentment touches. You can't hide it from me.”

“And that's not creepy at all.” This caused Jin Zixuan to elbow Nie Huaisang, earning complaints.

“And you still get annoyed when people are resistant about the decisions you are making.” Nie Huaisang poked at him again, "Honestly, brother Wei, You have to learn to be more delicate when making demands.”

“I know they are scared but that's not the only reason that's why I couldn't care less about how they are feeling about my decisions.” Wei Wuxian cleared it up, “Trust me, I want to go home as much as you want to see me gone.”

“But you came back, you can't think they will let you be like this.” Jin Zixuan had a point and they all knew it.

“I want them to try to make me stay.” The smile Wei Wuxian gave them was soul-chilling, all the hairs on their necks stood up.

“See! That's what I'm talking about.” Nie Huaisang pointed out anyway.

Wei Wuxian laughed, a real laugh. He had forgotten how fun Nie Huaisang was.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Wei Wuxian went home after all that show Leader Jin put up the night before. After saying goodbye to Jiang Yanli, he debated a lot by himself about whether he would go to Lan Zhan or not.

Lan Zhan, who had once again given him and Jiang Yanli privacy, no questions asked. That had been by his side while most of the people there had looked at him with ingratitude, fear, and doubt. He took a deep breath, once, twice, and decided that he wanted Lan Zhan to see it. That Lan Zhan should be given the courtesy to know where he was. So he found Lan Zhan by tracking his qi energy, it was so strong and vivid, not easily missed.

Even before he reached Lan's Sect tents, which had been set up deeper in the forest, he saw Lan Zhan, looking directly at the path he had been walking along calmly. The moon cast its gray light on his imposing silhouette.

“Did you hear me coming, Lan Zhan?” He asked sheepishly, he knew Lan Zhan must have been listening to his surroundings enough to catch him.

“Wei Ying is hard to miss.” He answered, he looked so soft it made Wei Wuxian shiver inside out. He could tell that Lan Zhan was getting ready for bed, he was no longer wearing all the formal robe layers he wore during the day. His hair was partially down, with no elaborate ornaments that indicated his position in society.

“I guess I'm too loud even when I'm trying to be quiet.” Wei Wuxian smiled, eyes shining a bit.

“Mn.”

“Lan Zhan!" He protested, a laugh escaping him without permission.

“It is a fact.” A small smile came up, knocking the air out of Wei Wuxian's lungs.

“I'm going home, Lan Zhan.” He blurted out, eyes trained on every micro reaction Lan Zhan could have.

“Are you coming back?” Lan Zhan asked after a while.

“She won't let me miss the sunrise.”

He didn't say Wen Qing's name, he was not worried about his safety but he never would risk theirs. Not without their consent, not even for Lan Zhan.

“That is good but make sure to rest." He asked, as serious as ever, “The feat you accomplished today must have required a lot of you.”

“Oh, don't worry about me, Lan Zhan. I won't say no to a good night's sleep, but I'm fine.”

“Mn.”

Silence settled between them, only the night and the occasional noises coming from other nearby tents were heard. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was different. Previously, when they were young, the silence between them was strained as Wei Wuxian was always on Lan Zhan's nerves. Now, it was strangely comfortable, it was what he had secretly hoped it would be between him and Jiang Yanli. Of course, the story between them was vastly different. Lan Zhan had presented him with a clean slate, he wasn't asking or demanding. Wei Wuxian felt him warm and welcoming and that was incredibly soothing. He wanted to be seen by Lan Zhan, to be perceived by him.

“You didn't ask.”

“How you are coming back so fast?”

“Yes.”

“I decided that you would tell me if you wanted to.” He said matter of fact like one says the sky is blue and the earth is round. That was what made Wei Wuxian want to hide, not the welcoming sentiment but the blind trust after so long when Lan Zhan had no reason whatsoever to do so.

“I-I came here to tell you.” He stuttered briefly, “I wanted you to see this.” Wei Wuxian was holding his sword with his right hand, his left hand was free since his flute was safely hidden between his garments. 

He drew a sigil in the air with his left one and a portal opened before them, surprisingly cold and emanating a pale red color. It reminded Lan Wangji of the cold mornings he would walk into when leaving his quarters. He kept his face calm and expressionless, but his mind was racing like when he was a child and his uncle took it up to teach him something new and his young brain would drink all that knowledge like a person dying of thirst being offered water.

As it was, teleportation was an understandably difficult feat and everyone knew of the existence of those who could do it. To transport a couple of people, the user would have to give up an almost inhuman amount of spiritual energy. There were few records of people who could transport one person and even fewer of people who could transport more than one person.

“There is resentful energy everywhere. I understood that I could use my knowledge to switch energies from place to place.”

“I'm not surprised, Wei Ying was always exceptional in his studies even when he was messing around.”

“Lan Zhan." He dragged the name around, savoring every particle of it, feeling his cheeks blush shamefully.

Wei Wuxian felt like Lan Zhan was tracking every cell of blood moving around inside his skin, it felt like Lan could see him, inside out it was uncanny to have his undivided attention like that.

“You look surprisingly smug about making me shy.”.

“Wei Ying is never shy, so this is different.”

"Oh, heavens. Age made you comfortable, didn't it?"

“Distance made me comfortable.” Lan Wangji corrected him, eyes kind. He was hoping Wei Ying could see through him enough that it would make sense, that Lan Wangji wasn't asking all the questions he had because he was thrusting Wei Ying not to disappear again.

“Lan Zhan, I will be back tomorrow. To the ceremony. Like I said before, she won't let me sleep after the sunrises.” He clasped his hands in front of his body, locking his fingers together to keep them away from Lan Zhan because all he wanted was to touch every part of him. “When I go, you will feel the shift in the natural energy here with the resentful energy that will take my place. Don't worry too much. What comes from the earth comes back to the earth.”

"I believe in Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian felt like screaming, it was so sincere it made it unbearable.

“That means a lot to me.” He answered, sincerely. 

Chapter Text

Present

Wei Wuxian stepped out of the portal, energy seething behind him and disappearing into thin air. He was just down the path that would lead him to the doors of his house, From there he could see the small lanterns in their brackets, illuminating the stone stairs they had added to the place only recently.

They debated for ages about how much bigger the place should be and whether it would be a good idea for them financially. Wei Wuxian anonymously sold his creations to the major sects and even not selling but donating it to the smallest families, the profit was still enough to keep them worry-free according to Wen Ning. He was truly smart in keeping track of all the numbers around the house.

Wei Wuxian insisted on having a space to teach children basic martial arts and the four arts and Wen Qing wanted a bigger space for her medical practice so enlarging it made sense after a few conversations over tea. They made a point of keeping the original structure, just adding more buildings around it, like a siheyuan would be. His study now faced the cliff and sea directly. It was majestic and it gave him peace.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath the salty air filled his lungs, and his shoulders slumped in relief. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was really soothing. His house, on this small piece of land in this immensity of a nation. Wei Wuxian had missed it dearly.

He walked up the stairs, a light comfortable breeze rustling through his garments. There were some baskets at the top of the stairs, he peeked inside and saw a bunch of loquats. He smiled, it reminded him of childhood and leisure around lakes. The gate that separated the Wei manor from the rest of the world was partially open, even before entering, the main garden welcomed him,  it was the most loved part by the Wen elders.

There was no one else walking there, it was late and they had probably already retired to his living quarters. His light steps made their way along the cobbled path to the covered walkway that led to the main room that connected the entire place. The door instantly opened for him, triggered by a permissive talisman he had made himself a few years ago.

He had barely entered the premises and the doors had barely closed behind him when he heard hurried footsteps. His heart would know who they belonged to even if his mind had been torn down a million times

“Dad!" A child ran from a door on the farthest wall, a young man right behind him.

Wen Ning wore a bewildered expression on his face. Wei Wuxian guessed it was his turn to put the kid to sleep. He was notable at trying to skip his bedtime, just like his dad.

“A-Yuan!" Wen Ning called, slowing his steps once he saw who was there.

“Hey there, kiddo!" He picked the kid up and hugged him tightly. That was the smell of home and peace.

“Master Wei.” Wen Ning welcomed him home, a soft expression taking over.

“A-Ning." He looked him over, the young man was the same as yesterday. His hair was down, as always and he was wearing black robes with red undergarments, similar to his own.

“Help- I can't breathe -" The childish voice said between laughs before both adults could engage in a real conversation.

They laughed and Wei Wuxian let the child down. A-Yuan glued to his side instantly, burying his face in his dad's robes once more. “I missed you.”

He and Wen Ning exchanged looks and the same thought was communicated through it: it was late and they should make him sleep soon. Wei Wuxian nodded once, “I will take care of him. You must be tired, A-Ning, you should go and sleep as well.”

“I will take you up on that.” Wen Ning agreed, his hands resting together in front of him, “My sister is waiting for you in your study.”

“Of course.” He rested his hand on top of A-Yuan's head, “A lot of reporting to do.”

“I am sure you both will have an amazing time." Wen Ning's eyes sparkled a little at his soon-to-be talk about ceremonies and formal rituals.

“I see that you love my suffering.”

Wen Ning let a small laugh come out and denied, “Never, Master Wei.”

“Liar.” Wei Wuxian squinted at him, no heat to his words. The lights behind fluctuated a bit, he made a mental note to renew those talismans.

“A-Yuan, say bye to your Uncle. It's past your bedtime.” He nudged A-Yuan gently until the kid unglued from him and looked sheepishly at the other man.

“Bye, Uncle Ning.” His small voice reached them.

“Bye, big boy.” Wen Ning reached to pinch his cheeks.

He straightened his spine, “We all missed you today.” He murmured looking at Wei Wuxian one more time before bidding him goodnight and heading down the left corridor that would lead him to his quarters.

“Come here, kiddo.” He picked his son up, “Shall we?”

“Auntie is waiting for you?” He snuggled into Wei Wuxian's arms.

“Mhm, she totally is.” He kissed his head and walked out of the main room.

“Are we getting scolded?” A-Yuan spoke softly, voice sleepy. Eliciting a low chuckle from Wei Wuxian, that would be totally on character for them.

“You will sleep and maybe your old dad will get a scolding or two.”

“Uncle Four is old...dad's not old.” The kid mumbled into his neck and Wei Wuxian had to close his eyes to keep himself from laughing loudly.

“Ah, I missed you dearly today.”

“...me too”

His answers were getting more and more spaced out, even though he was fighting sleep, he was already falling asleep. Wei Wuxian held him tighter against him and let the silence accompany his walk to his study.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

When he stepped inside his study, all the energy his creations invoked welcomed him back. The air around the room smelled clean and a bit tight but it was still welcoming.

“Welcome back.” Wen Qing's voice reached them before his gaze found her. A-Yuan mumbled a little asleep in his arms, he settled and rocked him softly.

“Hi, A-Jie.” He walked up to her. She was sitting on the farthest part, in between a few books and low tables. One of the windows was open, he knew she liked the sounds and smell of the waves against the cliff as much as he did.

Wei Wuxian struggled to remove his cape while holding A-Yuan, being judged the entire time by Wen Qing for not disposing of it properly. He sat facing her, crossing his legs and setting A-Yuan there. Wen Qing was sitting upright, a book resting on her legs. Despite her serious expression, there was a certain delicacy in her image. Maybe it was her hair, it was down and framed her slander face with softness. Wei Wuxian noticed she was wearing her red robes with no outer black robes. She seemed to be in a good mood.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just quietly absorbing each other's company as they have done several times in that room, full of his parchments with rough sketches that only he could understand had been placed on one of the low shelves on the right side of the room. The light that bathed the room was a soft yellow, maintained by a spell Wei Wuxian himself created; it turned resentment into energy and it was very useful.

Wei Wuxian had discarded his cape on the floor by his side. He had missed his kid so much, he only wanted to hold him close and safe in his arms, he had no time to worry himself about the proper place for it. It had only been a day and he was sure that A-Yuan had already grown a few inches.

“Report time?” He joked waiting for her to dismiss him lightly.

“You are in one piece, I take that as a win.”  She looked him up and down as she said that, and he smiled at her again.

“How did today go?" He finally asked in a low voice so as not to disturb the sleeping child.

“Same as always. Uncle Four got his new alcohol batch done and he's waiting for you to try it.” Her eyes softened a bit, “Granny spent all day down the village, helping with the kids.”

“He aged that liquor for weeks now, I'm sure It's pretty strong.” He laughed softly, very delighted.

“Everyone was knocked out after a few glasses. I even have medicinal hangover tea I made in batches for tomorrow.” Wen Qing rolled her eyes. She didn't really like it when they drank, but she would give in sometimes. He assumed that the fact that he had to show himself after so many years was perhaps the reason.

“I can't wait to hear everything directly from them when this is over. Granny must have had a good time with the kids and A-Yuan.”

“He had a hard day today, playing down there certainly was of help.” She looked at the child sleeping peacefully on Wei Wuxian's chest.

“I hate that I had to leave him today.” he tightened his arms around the child, who complained a little in his sleep.

“He survived the day.”

“I almost didn't. Save for Lan Zhan, everyone there acted like I was taking a toy from them and not destroying dangerous objects.” He sighed, deeply. He was dreading the time he would have to get up and go there again.

“You know that's how they genuinely feel. Especially Leader Jin.” She had noticed the mention of Lan Wangji, but she wasn't going to touch that soft spot just right now. “I mean, the last few years I was there, they were really close, to say the least.”

“When you say close..”

“I mean close .”

“Oh, I don't want to think about it.”

“You asked.” She pointed it out, a rare smile playing on her lips.

“I have no common sense.” he tilted his head a bit and just looked at her. She was indeed his best friend and right hand, things worked a lot better simply because she was there by his side.

This whole conversation felt a bit like a report, as he had predicted. And in a way, it was. Wei Wuxian would entrust everything he had to Wen Qing but when she wasn't treating him like an insolent younger brother, she treated him with hierarchy. Like a Leader. Sometimes it felt like it was just to embarrass him, other times it was to be taken seriously.

“So, Lan Wangji.” She finally spoke again, about the forbidden topic.

“Lan Zhan was like breathing fresh air, I swear. He's so good, Qing-jie.”

She arched an eyebrow at him, “He could do anything and you would still praise him.”

“Wouldn't everyone? It's Lan Zhan!” He replied, making a face.

“You are not this dense.” She poked at him

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” He closed his eyes, totally relaxed and acting dumb.

“Sure.” She rolled her eyes once more. “Since that's how you want to go about this, let's talk business.”

“You are mean.” He whimpered a little, acting out.

“The ceremony is tomorrow, right?” Wen Qing asked, ignoring him, eyes going from Wei Wuxian to A-Yuan sleeping sprawled across his chest.

“Yes. I just want to get this over with.” He answered, cheek resting on the child's head

“I know, you should -”

“Please don't say ‘attire’ or ’ceremonial’.” Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, with a painfully dramatic expression.

“You should wear the ceremonial attire.” She raised an eyebrow, amused.

“Just kill me already.”

“You wish.”

“So many layers.” He complained

“It is a formal event. With you leading it.” She pointed it out.

“Teacher Lan could totally do it.”

“Absolutely not.”

“You just want to watch me suffer.”

“I want you to come back home for good.”

He looked at her, nodding. Wei Wuxian wanted to come back home too, even if his heart was getting tight when his thoughts wandered towards a tall, white figure.

“Take him to Wen Ning's room.” She told, getting up, “And leave a note so he won't wake up to nothing tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Good night, Wei Ying.” She raised her hand and waved at him before walking to the door.

“Good night, a-jie.”

Chapter Text

Past

Wen Qing hadn't been able to sleep that night so she had decided that she would tend to the fire. They didn't have much silver to go around. Wen Qing had taken out small amounts for months, just enough for them to get far enough away but they were moving even slower than she had predicted. She was so on edge it was hard not to analyze everything as a possible threat.

She could never tell if the few looks they got were from curiosity or a threat in disguise. Wen Qing knew that their chances of being recognized were low since they were wearing plain robes that looked nothing like the Wen Sect's robes but she was still haunted by the possibility of being chased by Wen dogs. 

"Don't you think we are far enough, dear?" Uncle Four had asked her one night, they were sitting around a fire that was keeping them warm. Wen Qing hadn't been able to sleep that night so she had decided that she would tend to the fire. Again.

“I don't think any place is too far from his madness.” She sighed, closing her eyes, “But we are reaching the limit of how far we can go.”

"Even though you're right, he never paid enough attention to us to mobilize any force whatsoever to get us back." His gentle words were soothing, as it usually was. Uncle Four was ever-present in her life, but especially after her parents passed away, he was the one with the gentle, calloused hands who taught her much of what she knew.

Uncle Four was a man who had spent most of his life helping out in the fields, he had very tanned skin from working always under the sun and expression lines that ran deep into his skin. He carried with him a wisdom that came from many years before Wen Qing was even born, and that offered a comfort that few other things could.

The sound of the fire crackling and the forest around them and nothing else was also indicative that Uncle Four was right. She took a deep breath, her eyes traveling to Wen Ning and Granny who were sleeping on either side of the toddler.

She had to find them a safe place where they could grow up and grow old in peace. She had seen rice paddies a few kilometers away, and the people working on them had said that if she went forward she would find a village where people would help her. If she chose to keep going up and not towards the coast, the cold could be a problem.

She stretched her legs out in front of her, letting the flame warm her feet. To the east, it would be. In the situation they were in, the cold could not be an option.

"Did you make your decision, dear?" 

"I did." She muttered under her breath, looking over her shoulder to where the rest of the family rested around the children. As if protecting the most precious part of them. "The coast is our best chance.."

"Alright. We leave early tomorrow, you should rest." He got up, patting her head before proceeding to join the others.

"Rest well." She said to no one pulling her legs and hugging them. Her chin resting on the tops of her knees, gaze fixed on the flames that danced in the occasional breeze.

For a moment, she felt incredibly young and helpless. As if she had taken too much into her plate and at the same time, not enough. Wen Qing closed her eyes, letting the feeling run its course, after all, it didn't matter how she felt. There was no going back, there was only moving forward.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Wen Qing was so absorbed in her own thoughts and in the security, the foliage provided that she didn't notice when an unnatural silence took over the surroundings. 

Granny saw it first. Some kind of mist sitting around a young man kneeling on the ground that seemed to be in some state of trance. His hair was disheveled around him like someone's hand had gone through it and pulled it around.

The scene stopped her in her tracks. Wen Qing was by her side in a millisecond, her trained eyes taking it all in. She saw blood in front of him and all alarm bells went off in her head. He could be in danger or be dangerous, either way, whatever it was she hardly could get everyone to safety if something was to happen.

“Is that Wei Wuxian?” Wen Ning's voice reached her from the farthest in the group. He had Wen Yuan strapped to his back, sleeping soundly.

She squinted her eyes to see better, hands clenching and letting go of the sword nervously and repeatedly. He had a bit of dirt on his face and he was so disheveled it was hard to believe it was the same person from the classes all those years back.

She had heard that he had defected from the Jiang Sect years back and how they had such a hard time finding a head disciple as efficient and talented as he was. Rumors had that the sect leader and his lady had frequent arguments as the leader had the urge to seek out the young man and had done so without his wife's knowledge several times in the months that came.

Wen Qing didn't mind these gossips, but their union was always on people's lips, for one reason or another. Once or twice after she heard the news she had thought about Wei Wuxian due to the kindness and politeness he had treated her brother with all those years ago. Now, to see him like that felt like fate at the very least.

“We must help him.”

Wen Qing closed her eyes for a millisecond. She knew that even those without a golden core could feel the dark pull around Wei Wuxian, the heavy and oppressive air that made it difficult to breathe the closer they got to the man.

A gush of air cut through them, it was cold and sharp, nothing like the salty air they had started to feel by getting closer and closer to the coast, “I will wake him up. You guys step back, please.”

"Be careful, dear." Uncle Four tapped her on the shoulder before hushing everyone to give them both space.

With sharp and steady eyes she looked at Wei Wuxian and after a fraction of a second, he opened his eyes and looked back at her. All she saw was pitch-black emptiness keeping track of her every breath.

"What did you get yourself into.." She lifted her left hand and waved it back and forth, his eyes following her.

Judging by the color of his lips, she could tell he was cold and that to bring him back he would have to warm up a little. She nodded to herself, reaching for the needles she kept there. 

"I am trying to keep him alive. Would you let me?" She asked before reaching for him again. Raw energy as this one could be very unpredictable, but the fact that it was using his body as a vessel of some kind indicated that keeping the body alive was of interest.

Wen Qing judged that the resentment energy was hurting and healing Wei Wuxian at the same time, but it was failing to keep him at an ideal temperature. So it wasn't a surprise when his arm reached out to her, giving her access to the point she needed.

Her hands touched him, the cool and slightly clammy skin sending shivers through her entire body. It was rather obscure. She thought to herself, bending his arm to reveal the crease between his elbow and forearm. The LI-11 point revealed itself on the outside is his elbow to her, who stuck a needle in it. She let go of his arm carefully and proceeded to do the same with his other arm.

“Now we wait." And sat in the lotus position in front of him. She knew it wouldn't take much longer for him to warm up and wake up.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

His trance state was deeper than she had first thought, but not enough to worry her despite the longer than expected time for him to regain consciousness. Nearly half an hour had passed since she'd put the needles in him. She barely blinked, concentrating on every move he made, and little by little Wen Qing began to see the color return to his cheeks and the feeling of stillness left his surroundings. She could hear the birds again and that was a great sign, the amount of resentful energy had subsided enough for the animals to feel safe.

"We're almost there." She told her family, herself, and Wei Ying himself that even though she knew he wouldn't remember a single word that had been said there.

When his stillness went away completely and she was able to see his shoulders moving with deeper, more normal breaths instead of the shallow breaths of something barely alive she knew it was a matter of seconds now.

And she, as per usual, was right, less than a minute later his body was rocked by coughs as he gasped for air. Blood that had come out of his nose coated his lips, and with this hair all over the place, he seemed just like a haunting.

“Slowly.” Wen Qing said softly, frowning a bit.

He looked at her confused, she could see the exact moment the recognition came into his mind.

“How did you get in?” was the first thing he said to her.

“What do you mean?"

"I had a spell on." He breathed out, "for safety."

"Your trance must have weakened it. We had no problem walking in here."

"That's bad." He smiled awkwardly, taking one last deep breath before sitting down. 

"It is. Your golden core is restless."

"It's just doing its job." 

"You have to be careful, Wei Wuxian, whatever –"

"Maybe call them here?" He cut her off, a little uncomfortable. It had been years since he had seen her, and her concern was a little disconcerting.

"Is he okay?” A man emerged from behind a few trees just after Wei Wuxian finished speaking, a worried expression on his face.

“He is.” Her sharp eyes wandered from him to Wei Wuxian, sizing something up and then making her decision, "Uncle Four, you can come out now."

"That's good, dear." Relief was all over his voice as he turned his back on them to call the rest of the group out.

Wei Wuxian got up to greet them properly and then he saw about fifty people come out from behind the tree line that provided shelter for them. Most of the people there were middle-aged. Of those who were left, half were elderly and the other half consisted of children and teenagers.

He looked gingerly at Wen Qing. What had she gone through to get all these people out and get that far safely? He knew that she was valuable to Leader Wen, had it failed, it would have cost her and her entire family their lives.

"Hello." He said after shifting his admiring gaze from Wen Qing to the group, bowing to them. They bowed back, a bit flustered.

“We defected from the sect.” She said before anyone could reply to his greeting. Wei Wuxian looked back at her. Seeing fear and hope in her eyes. To make sure they were safe and to let him know they were no longer associated with them.

He had figured it out that far. It was a big group to just take out for a trip. They seemed a bit rough from the road but overall well.

He looked at her, eyes a little puzzled before softening, "Is anyone hurt?"

No's echoed from a few people. The man Wen Qing called Uncle Four still had a slightly apprehensive expression. Wei Wuxian wanted to change that.

“We are all well, Master Wei." Wen Ning surprised her sister by being the first to speak, his arms comfortably around the baby strapped in the sling to his body. 

Wei Wuxian smiled, it was good to see he was doing well after all those years. "That's good."

"No one came to harm. Everyone is just mostly tired." She looked at them, her gaze soft. Landing on Wen Ning, who had greeted Wei Wuxian with warmth.

"That's great." He nodded at her, raising his hand to finally clean the blood on his face, "If it's asylum you're looking for coming this far, maybe I can help."

“What do you want in return?" Her heartbeat picked up. Yes, they were considered far from the major sects, on the outskirts of the cultivation world and it would be ideal to have someone else looking out for them but there wasn't much they could offer.

“Nothing really but in the village, there are many children who need lessons and businesses that need help.” Wei Wuxian replied calmly. He knew that he could help them without asking for anything in return, but he also knew that one of the firmest teachings of a cultivator was not to be indebted to anyone. What he was offering was a way out, Wen Qing knew, something they could do without just to blunt their sense of duty to him.

"Won't you ask why we ran away?" She asked once more, still a bit tense.

"Maybe for the same reason as me. Maybe not. It does not matter to me. You need help and I can help. Let me help."

It occurred to her that he was probably the person people had been talking about a few villages ago. The person that would help those who crossed their path and lived on the edge of a cliff and had the whole village nearby like his own family.

And that is what she was about to say to him a few minutes ago. It was probably already of his knowledge. She drew her breath in at once. Thoughtful.

"I would be grateful for the rest of my life, but would you give me a moment with them first?"

"All the time you need. I will be just over there." He pointed to the trees opposite to them.

She kept her eyes on the long, lean figure as he backed away just enough to give them privacy. The midnight blue robes moved softly with his walk. He had a completely different energy than she remembered. Maybe it was the timing or maybe it was the age. She had a feeling she would soon find out.

“A-jie." Wen Ning called out to her as she started to turn toward them, making her quicken her pace towards them.

“Do we trust him?" One of the aunties asked her as soon as she got near them.

"I do." Wen Ning said, voice low and soft as always, but with a firmness underneath that wasn't exactly characteristic of him.

"He is loyal and fair." Wen Qing conceded easily because it was the truth.

"Can you call loyal someone who left his sect?" Granny asked, sharp and hanging on to traditions as elders do.

"We did, too." Uncle Gongjun spoke for the first time from behind the group of people.

"It's not loyalty I'm worried about." She intervened, she knew how these conversations could go on and that wasn't the point. “He's a powerful person and he can offer shelter, which we need right now. We don't have to stay forever. If it comes to a breaking point and it's not safe anymore we can find a way and leave.”

“But it's in our best interests to stay here for now." Wen Ning spoke again, "We've come this far. And I'm afraid it's the farthest we can get."

Silence took over because they knew it was the truth. Wei Wuxian, with his huge presence that was even a little overwhelming, had offered them a way out. They didn't have to trust him right away fully but they could accept the olive branch.

"So this is our final stop.” Granny agreed and an air of relief ravaged them.

Wen Ning smiled, satisfied. He didn't forget acts of kindness done to him, and he recognized selflessness when he saw it. Master Wei had both. His sister knew, despite a worry weighing on her shoulders and on her expression. He knew the reason they'd left their sect and she knew they had, by the means of the universe, stumbled upon it again. However, he was confident that a good future awaited them all.

"Shall we?" Wei Wuxian's voice rang through the clearing. Hands clasped and resting on his back; his timing impeccable.

"Yes, but we have one last thing to ask."

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

It turned out that the thing they had to ask for was nothing less than the deletion of the Wen surname.

As they walked at a moderate pace towards the village, Wei Wuxian couldn't imagine how painful such a choice must have been. A surname meant the past and the future. It was a legacy and a promise. Wen Ruohan had tainted theirs in such a manner they had chosen to leave it behind. To be eaten away by time.

"How did you manage this?" He couldn't stop himself before the question was out of his lips.

“I was no longer useful to him. It was only a matter of time before he decided that my family and I were a waste of space." Wen Qing answered after a few minutes, making a couple of them flinch at the thought.

"So I decided to erase our existence. One by one, I took my family members to nearby villages but not near enough where watchtowers would be present. Small, remote villages. Sects don't care about those. And they cared even less at that moment when Wen Ruohan was crushing every ounce of pride they had.

“At that moment I had already been taking small amounts of the silver that arrived with the soldiers from the sects. Just enough so that at the right time we could have enough to get to... Well, here. When there was only me and Wen Ning left there, I burned our family branch of every document I could find. And those that were an inheritance from the doctors in the family, I brought with us." She didn't look at him at all as she told the story. Focused on the vegetation that lost height and became more and more of an underbrush as they got close enough to the village that they could see the sea and the small fishing boats. It had been Wei Wuxian's idea that they walk closer to the cliff drop. He had said they would like the view. And it was indeed breathtaking. It was a bit of a climb to reach the village, but it was worth it.

While they only had eyes for the landscape, he only had eyes for them. He had taken courage in leaving - even if some would call it cowardice, it took more than fear to leave everything you knew behind - but they did something entirely bigger. They had left as a family. He was mesmerized.

The small bundle of a child in his arms stirred as they finally approached the gate. He had offered to carry the child when Wen Ning matched steps with him. He passed the bundle that was A-Yuan into his arms and they talked until the end of the walk. The child hadn't moved a single time until that moment.

"Hi, little guy. Things are about to get very intense but they are all good people." He said reassuringly, not just to the big-eyed child that looked at him with a curious look but to everyone else as well.

"Will they be okay with this?" Granny asked, walking more slowly side-by-side with a couple of women just behind him.

"They will welcome you like family if you let them." Wei Wuxian said, a smile in his voice as he saw a group of people gather at the entrance.

"They are here!"  

"Alright, everyone, slow down." He laughed softly, "Uncle, could you and the girls prepare some food and warm drinks for them? It's on me."

"Sure thing." 

"Mei-mei, I don't want to bring them up today. Could you arrange a place for them to rest, please?"

"We can split them between the inn and my house," Nainai said, walking towards them, cane in hand. She wore a burgundy robe and hairpins that swayed as she walked.

"Thank you." He told them before they went to arrange all of it needed for the rest of the day and night.

"Down," A-Yuan mumbled, kicking his feet a bit until Wei Wuxian caved and put him down. The kid ran up to Granny, who put her hand on top of his head carefully.

"You can follow us for the food," Uncle said, all good spirits as always. The girls had already run ahead to start heating the porridge and steeping the tea.

All eyes turned to Wen Qing, who was silently drinking during the entire interaction, "Of course. I will be just behind you guys."

“A-jie.” Wen Ning stayed behind, eyes full of questions. 

"We will just talk for a bit, A-Ning." He still looked torn even after her reply but decided to follow the rest of the family anyway, leaving only Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian, and Nainai behind.

"Hi, dear. How are you called?" Nainai finally asked after they were left alone.

"It's Wei Qing." She answered as someone who does small talk and it is telling the full truth.

"Same as his?" Nainai looked between the two, Her eyes far away, towards everything and nothing at all simultaneously.

"Oh, no. Mine means ‘to protect' or 'to guard'." Wen Qing answered easily. Wei Wuxian was once again shocked by her nerves of steel.

"And mine has one more stroke than hers." He went along, to make it more believable.

"I see. What a coincidence." She gave them a small smile and Wei Wuxian held back a sigh of relief. It was the same smile she got when she pushed vegetables his way as he passed the stall.

Wen Qing bowed his head to her, sticking to her silence.

"I gather you have a couple of things to talk with our Wei Ying, would you accept tea?" 

"I do but it can wait." She replied politely, her hands together and hidden inside her long sleeves.

"Come. You will have at least half an hour before the both of you are needed again."

"Nainai." Wei Wuxian called out to her as she slowly turned to walk in front of them. 

"It's important." That was all she said and he knew better than to argue.

The two of them trailed behind her, who would wave at the one or other person on the street who would look at them curiously. Wei Wuxian had basically been the last person to arrive and stay in the village in recent years. And they knew who he was from the start.

"It's over there." He pointed to a street that led off the main street and was home to small and humble residential buildings. Wei Wuxian was working on making them more comfortable since a couple of elders lived there.

"Here, come in. I will steep the tea and you can talk for a few minutes." She pushed open the door of the third building on the left. Inside it looked like a teahouse, and theoretically, it was one with its counter, shelves full of tea, and low tables. But she lived at the back of it and she refused to make it into a full house or in a full teahouse.

"I see where this is going." Wen Qing said, watching the place with attentive eyes.

"We will smooth things over, yes."

"So she knows what you've been up to." She said following his lead and sitting at one of the tables near the wall on the left.

"We don't know what she doesn't know." Wei Wuxian said in amusement, sitting in front of her.

"And she's not worried about you?"

"She has no reason to be worried." The smile remained but with a sharper edge.

"And about everyone else?" Wen Qing pressed on, testing the surroundings. So far, he hadn't been anything but stable, yet she would still be careful.

"They are safe. This place knows its people and those people know it back."

"It is an interesting place, I will give you that." She granted, for people like them, putting down roots was important. It gave meaning to the word 'home', you could go as far as you wanted and still have a place to come back to that would welcome you back. 

Her family was her place and her roots. Granny's soups, Uncle Four's callused hands, and her soft-spoken brother were all the reasons she had to come back.

"And you haven't seen the sun setting over the sea yet." 

She focused on him again. His face hadn't changed much, but it had undeniably matured. Like her, he had lost all the baby fat that lined his face and that made him look so young. Other than that he still looked like the same teenager who held the bow so gently in his hands and helped her brother shoot an arrow straight to the target. He still poured such simplicity as he had all those years ago.

"I have questions." She said all at once because even though they looked like the same person, they weren't.

"Here, kids." Lao Nainai said from behind her, the only noise she produced since she had left to make said tea.

Wen Qing watched Wei Wuxian say she didn't have to serve them and her answer when she shut him off before seeing her hands carefully place the tray on the edge of the table to begin serving them.

Tea was served in a traditional red copper teapot in small white teacups made out of porcelain. She carefully poured the liquid into their teacups, not a drop spilling onto the polished table.

"Thank you." They both said and bowed to her and she smiled at them before walking back into the backroom, giving them privacy.

"And you can ask." He finally answered her.

“What is happening here?” She asked, direct as always once she knew the elder was out of earshot.

“Science.” He smiled, winking at her. Wei Wuxian was feeling a lot better after drinking the horrible tea nainai always insisted on giving him.

“With resentment." Wen Qing laced her fingers together on top of the low table where nainai had served them tea.

Her eyes pierced through Wei Wuxian, assessing his every breath when he didn't answer and just looked back at her 

"Give me your wrist." She asked, or rather demanded after remaining in a deafening silence.

"Let me take these." A soft voice sounded from the side of the table. Lao nainai was there again, her eyes focused on nothing specifically but her hands knew where the teacups and teapot were and she took them swiftly.

"Be careful, nainai." Wei Wuxian craned his neck to watch the elder's footsteps as he extended his arm toward Wen Qing.

Her warm fingers wrapped around his wrist and she closed her eyes. She focused so that she could efficiently access his meridians with her own energy. She reached through each of them carefully and surely, she didn't want to risk unbalancing even one of them by inserting energy that wasn't necessary. 

Wei Wuxian wasn't sure why, but Wen Qing's QI energy brought calm and certainty as it moved through his meridian points. He noticed she made a bit of a face before her practiced fingers slipped from his wrist to his hand and turned it over to reveal his palm. With both of her hands, he watched as she accessed the meridian point of his heart.

"You have too much yin energy in your body right now. That's why you are not succeeding." She let go of his hand, opening her eyes and focusing on him again.

"I have been feeling restless these last few days." Wei Wuxian granted, adjusting himself on the cushion where he was sitting.

"What you want to do needs a clear mind and balanced QI. You need to increase your yang energy first." Wen Qing guided him seriously, he was helping her and she would help him back. She had a feeling he would do whatever he wanted, and she didn't want to impose anything so it was best to offer him the tools he needed to succeed. She had seen firsthand what carelessness with resentment energy caused, and she wouldn't let anyone else be at risk again. Much less if her family were around.

"Avoid overly spicy foods. If I remember right you even carried a hot sauce up and down in the old days. At least for a week, don't overuse it." She followed and he grumbled at that part, "Avoid eating raw food for a few days as well. I'm sure you can find jasmine and ginger tea, you should drink it every day before dinner for at least a week."

"Everything but spicy food, please." He whined at her, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"No, your body temperature is too low for that. Spicy food will make you sweat and lower it even more." She rolled her eyes at him, looking around for the lady who had served them.

"Alright." He pouted a little bit, "Lao nainai left. No one really finds her, she finds us."

"Well." She didn't know what else to say at the moment, so she decided it was time to go. "I will find my family now."

"I will accompany you." He got up after her, using his hands to make his clothes less messy. “I'm sure the locals have already welcomed them all.”

"They seemed very kind." She responded when he matched steps with her on the front steps. "How did you come across this place? It seems fairly hidden away."

"Maybe you can say it's my birthright." Wei Wuxian said, sounding a bit nostalgic, drawing her gaze, "Or a farewell gift from Teacher Lan, whichever you prefer."

"Lan Qiren?" Her eyes widened a bit, causing him to laugh.

"My exact reaction a while ago." He said as he waved to some kids who ran past them towards the ledge that overlooked the ocean, "He knew my parents. I guess he figured I needed to know more and here I am."

"If your parents were even just a little bit like you, I can see that based on your interactions with Lan Wangji." Wen Qing nodded more to herself than to him. She didn't see the way Wei Wuxian's eyes trailed to her at the mention of that name.

It was the first time he had heard Lan Zhan's name in years. In a few moments when he was submerged by his studies of resentment energy and all the feelings from long-forgotten spirits that now boiled down to anger would try to eat him whole he would question his very existence. 

"How is he?" He asked, making it sound nonchalant.

"He's alive. Which is a win." She sobered up fast, her expression clouding over, "Leader Wen has become a bit.. unreasonable. It's taking a toll in all of them."

"Oh." He bit the inside of his cheek, "We need to talk about that. These kinds of news don't get here easily."

"Of course. For now, they are keeping their head down so they are safe." Wen Qing knew it wasn't exactly a comfort, but being alive was something. In the circumstances they were in, it was the most they could ask for.

"That's for a closed-door moment." He ended the conversation when they reached a stall selling combs and hair clips made of jade that was located a few meters from the building that he knew her family was in.

When they closed the distance between them and the building, Wen Qing saw an open space with several tables that were occupied by several people, not just her family. Wen Ning saw her and waved, abandoning his bowl to catch up with her at the entrance.

"Master Wei. A-jie." He bowed to both of them before speaking again, "How was your talk?"

"Productive." Wei Wuxian said, looking at Wen Qing from the corner of his eye.

"That's good."

"Are you all eating well?" Wen Qing asked, her gaze traveling from her brother to the rest of her family.

"We are. This is really good, A-jie. They use this place to feed those who can't afford it. Everyone here is so kind."

She looked at Wei Wuxian, a bit surprised but not at the same time. No matter how big the surprise was, it still looked exactly in line with the person that Wei Wuxian was.

"We will have time to talk about all the bits and bolts of how the village works." He beamed, feeling proud, "But for now you should go in and eat as well."

"Thank you. I still don't know how to pay you back."

"When you see the gremlins we call children you may rethink every choice you've made until now.." He winked at her, eliciting a few giggles from the young girls who were putting some side dishes on the nearest table.

"They seem cute." Wen Ning mumbled to himself, waiting for his sister.

"That's what we want you to think so you will stay." He said it so seriously that a person who didn't know him would believe it.

"Funny guy, aren't you?" Wen Qing shook her head as she took steps towards her brother, who had a mild expression.

"It's my side job. Entertainment." He winked at her.

"I see it." was the answer he got and he didn't reply, happy to just watch the siblings sitting with their family. Wei Wuxian could see that they were still a little tense, and it made sense. But he was confident they would feel at ease soon.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The sun had already set a couple of hours ago and the Wen had already settled for the night. Wei Qing, however, was once again unable to close her eyes. She was still in awe of how everything happened earlier that day, from the encounter to the moment the young maiden offered them water to bathe. 

Before Wei Wuxian accompanied them to where they would spend the night, they had one more hot meal. She kept an eye on him the entire time and she realized that she hadn't seen him stop to eat once since they'd set foot in the village.

She had seen him be called to eat several times but he waved them off with a smile each time. From the way his response was received, she could tell it wasn't unusual. It had intrigued her. Was it a symptom of what he was doing or did he just not eat much? Perhaps he was looking anxious about their arrival despite dismissing the situation as another thing that happened every day to him.

Wen Qing had a feeling that it was no use asking. She sighed, lost in thoughts, putting her arm over her forehead slowly so it wouldn't sway her brother laying by her side. They had room to spread out, but as a result of the last few days, they were still sleeping almost on top of each other.

Although the elder Wei Wuxian called Nainai had suggested that they separated in two groups for more comfort, they decided to all stay together at the inn for a couple of reasons. They were still anxious about the whole situation and they didn't want to bother them about another small detail.

With her gaze focused on the vines on the wooden ceiling, she took a deep breath, once, twice, three times. She was so grateful for Wei Wuxian that her heart was so full that it barely seemed to be able to beat properly. But if they were to stay permanently, could they make this village a home? She hoped so, but in the back of her mind Wen Qing could tell that despite having solved one of her most pressing problems, some difficulties loomed over the horizon.

Chapter Text

Past  

A few weeks had passed since the Wen's arrival. Things in the village and Wei Wuxian's home had changed exponentially, for the better.

The next day after their arrival, Wei Wuxian took Wen Qing and Wen Ning to his house. He told them that his house was the only one on top of the cliff and that his only company as time went by was the wind and the muffled sounds of waves crashing below.

"I spend more time there in the village than here, if I'm being honest. It's been years but I'm still getting used to it." He muttered looking nowhere in particular, thinking about all the little things he still would find from his parents from time to time around the house.

"It's understandable." She replied, voice somber, "The spiritual energy here is strong. It's similar to the one in the village, but something about it..."

"I think it's particularly peaceful." Wen Ning said, right behind them. His voice was soft and quiet, as always.

He was looking directly at a piece of parchment displayed on the wall, it had "家和万事兴." in neat calligraphy on it.  “A peaceful family will prosper." Wen Ning tasted the words carefully on his tongue. 

Wei Wuxian smiled, fondly. He had found this and a few other decorative scrolls a few weeks after moving in. All were very similar, running script in black ink with ornate wooden frames. They were all ready to be hung on the walls, unfortunately, it was clear that fate had other plans for his parents.

He took it upon himself to hang the ones he liked the most. What Wen Ning had read was inside a previously empty room on the building facing on his left Wei Wuxian had just recently started using. His favorite one, "仁者爱人，人恒爱之。" He decided to keep it in his room. It meant "A benevolent person loves others, and others love them in return.", he thought of his parents whenever he looked at it.

He spoke and saw recognition in Wen Qing's eyes. The house stood as a testament to their legacy and kindness, its walls echoing with the whispers of old memories of long-gone moments lived in there.

"Would guys like to stay with me?" It wasn't a big house, but shyly, Wei Wuxian asked them. He was sure they could figure something out.

"We wouldn't like to impose anything." Wen Qing spoke after a moment of silence.

"You wouldn't be." He reassured them, reaching to touch Wen Ning on the shoulder. "Think of it as one more place you can stay and where you don't have to completely let go of your name for now. Especially for the kids."

He never stopped offering pieces of his life, Wen Qing realized, her gaze intent on him. Wei Wuxian would open his heart and his life if he believed it was the right thing to do. She looked away, taking a deep breath.

"It's not that I don't appreciate your offer. You've been a lifesaver for us already, and I can't thank you enough for that. But that would mean relying on you even more." And that was something she didn't want, Wen Qing had always been taught by her life in the Wen Sect that depending on people's kindness was dangerous. She didn't think Wei Wuxian would ever use it against them but it was engraved in her to try and keep people at arm's length.

Wei Wuxian met her gaze, his eyes warm. "I understand your concerns. I just want you to know it's an option, here or in the village you will be welcomed regardless"

Wen Qing's lips twitched into a faint smile. "You've already given us a clean slate, that's more than we could've asked for. We don't want to be a burden."

"I think the more the merrier." Wei Wuxian's eyes disappeared into half-moons as he smiled, "If you ever decide on it, just let me know."

"Master Wei, you are too kind." Wen Ning, who until then had been watching them in silence, finally spoke.

Wen Qing nodded, agreeing with her brother, her gaze moving to him. He was relaxed, calm expression and soft eyes trained on them. She could see it already, all the tension gone like it had never been there before. That was probably all she had wanted in recent years, safety, to look at her brother like that and not see the shadow of fear in his eyes.

"I'll discuss it with the others. It's a lot to consider, but your offer is generous, thank you." She finally spoke again, shifting her gaze back to Wei Wuxian, who had moved to look out the window.

Even though she could only see the side of his face it was just enough to see red color his lightly tanned skin after she finished speaking.

"Yah both of you, enough of that." He waved one of his hands half-heartedly at them.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The Wen kept themselves busy around the village, they helped where it was needed. Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing had been talking about making them feel comfortable. The locals weren't shy, so he knew it was more a matter of giving time to time.

A couple of weeks later, Wen Qing asked him what it was about that exchange on the day of their arrival where people seemed to already know they were coming. And the answer did not come immediately, she noticed how contemplative he got.

"It was probably Nainai. She knows about many things." Had been his answer, Wen Qing looked at him in puzzlement. Even if she was a cultivator and her hearing was sharpened by her lack of eyesight, it was hard to believe she was the one who warned everyone about them.

She didn't ask more about it though. She and her family were safe and far away from Leader Wen's delusional madness. Wen Qing couldn't put into words her gratitude, so she kept herself busy doing what she did best. Medicine.

Wen Qing wandered around the village's outskirts, taking note of plants and tree bark that she could use for medicinal purposes. She wanted to add xiancao to Wei Wuxian's diet and she was very pleased when she found a good number of it just a few meters off the village. After picking some leaves and putting them in the little bag she carried, she returned to the village with the names of the other medicinal plants she had found written on a piece of parchment. On another day, she would return with Wen Ning to collect and categorize everything she found. Granny would be happy for the diversity at such a close distance.

On her way back she couldn't help but notice again how relaxed everything felt. Of course, all her worries didn't disappear overnight, but it was different. To wake up calmly and not in a panic because there's the chance your entire family is gone. It was the peace that Wei Wuxian offered without hesitation and even though she knew he would extend that kind of kindness to her and never ask for anything back she couldn't not support him. Wen Qing knew that perhaps the path she was looking at and considering walking alongside Wei Wuxian could be complicated but the unwavering kindness and morals he made sure to uphold meant she couldn't give him her back.

She knew Wen Ning would do the same. Her brother was kind and polite to everyone, but his loyalty was reserved for the few. Wei Wuxian was one of them. And Wen Qing had a feeling that it was the right place for that trust to be placed.

She took a deep breath, taking her hands and pressing them against her cheeks. The pressure and scent of the plants she had gathered soothed her mind. She just had to take it one step at a time like she had done so far. Wen Qing looked up and took another deep breath. The sky was a clear blue, filled with clouds that appeared to have been partially swept away.

"Are you okay, dear?" A voice brought her back to reality. She lowered her head and saw the entrance to the village, one of the girls who had helped the day they arrived was there, looking at her curiously.

"Oh, yes." She responded, lowering her hands. "Returning from a walk. Thank you for asking."

"Of course." She smiled, her name was Huang Ting, Wen Qing suddenly remembered. She had small brown eyes, her skin was tanned from the sun, it made a nice contrast to the soft lavender-colored robe with a sash of the same shade she wore. "We're heading to the beach in a bit with the kids. Do you want to come?"

She thought about politely declining but heard a commotion just inside and it didn't take long to see a group of children coming towards them. Wen Ning was walking by their side, A-Yuan in his arms, who was smiling and kicking his feet trying to escape one of the kids that tried to tickle him.

"I would love to." Wen Qing gave a small smile and she smiled back at her.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

"I wrote down a lot of things over the years." Wen Qing mentioned a day a few weeks later as the two of them watched Wen Yuan collect shells as if they were gemstones. "The thing is, you're doing it right. The only problem was that your mind wasn't calm enough to make it through. Now that we've fixed that, you're ready to try and succeed."

"To be successful in what you are doing, mind and body need to be aligned and the golden core needs to be extremely strong, way above average. We know the second is already true and we have taken care of the first." Wen Qing drew patterns on the table as they talked.

"But it continues to overwhelm me very quickly when I notice my golden core has already burned through all the energy instead of making room for it in my body."

"That's why you keep absorbing it much faster than you should."

"I know, but I'm afraid I'll damage my meridians if I go too slow. And while I know I could do just fine without a golden core, I prefer it to be intact to keep the energy in line for the future."

"It's the balance we've been talking about. You'll know when you find the right speed."

“I've been doing this for the last almost four years. It's the only thing I need to fix before it works. And then I will be able to balance the energy of resentment with my own physical and spiritual energy. I will be able to use and clean every bit of resentment I find." 

“If done too slowly, it won't work. If done too fast and too much resentment is taken in, your body will burn through it in order to save you from what it thinks is harmful.” Wen Qing amended him, with a passive voice and serious expression.

"And it'll naturally try to overwhelm me." He muttered, "Like the day we first met. It felt like I was being ripped apart."

His eyes left A-Yuan and went to the horizon where the sky and sea merged into one. The refreshing, salty breeze blew between them.

"You were, in a way." She put her hands together in front of her, "That's what it does. It tries to consume you and drive you to madness."

"My golden core will take care of that, too."

"Your confidence is magnificent and frightening." She said, arching her eyebrow at him and he laughed brightly back at her.

"Accomplishing it is the only option I have." 

Wen Qing looked at him in awe. Out of everything he had done for them, there was something else about him that made her want to help. She felt like they had encapsulated years into weeks like their souls got bared and laid at each other's feet in the quiet moments they shared. She was no fool, though, what she didn't bother hiding with a facade of good nature he was a master at hiding with his smiles. It was like watching a person who had been forced into a small box that no longer fit, if it ever did, stretching out with no fear of backlash but struggling nonetheless.

It was not hard to place two and two together. Scars were not uncommon on cultivators, the life they lived was dangerous. But to leave scars that she could tell were old but would never completely disappear on a cultivator with his high cultivation level, the wound must have been inflicted multiple times. This was the kind of scar Wei Wuxian had on his back, probably inflicted by a strong spiritual tool.

So yes, she could tell, and that’s probably also why she felt this need deep down she had only ever felt with her brother. To be able to see him succeed was important. 

"Let's do one last thing." She spoke after a couple of minutes.

"Yes?"

"Seclusion."

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

More weeks went by. The village went about its routine, more quietly with Wei Wuxian's absence. The Wen has fully adapted, fully integrating into the established system in the village. Those who could farm did that. Those who had medicinal knowledge were ready to help. Wen Ning would gather the children and teach them calligraphy. Wen Qing helped by sharing her skills and learning with the villagers,

They all reported back to Nainai who helped them to settle down in the village while they didn't decide whether to move in with Wei Wuxian or not, his own request from before entering seclusion. Wen Qing was still in awe of her and her abilities. Her glossy eyes would move across their face without ever focusing but somehow she seemed to have better perception than them.

"What do you need to make the medicinal pouches for Wei Ying, dear?" She had asked a couple of days before Wei Wuxian was ready to come out of seclusion.

"Ginseng and Rhodiola.." She answered after a few seconds, looking up at the elder. Those were the two things she hadn't found in her wanderings. 

"That's just perfect. I have it in the back." Her soft but firm voice filled her teahouse. Wen Qing was spending a lot of time there in her preparations. 

"That's great." She smiled and bowed her head, "I will infuse them with spiritual energy to maximize their healing and grounding effects."

"It's good you are here. Last time he went by himself with his iron will and blind courage. I don't doubt for a second that he would have made it, but the consequences..." Nainai trailed off, her busy hands on the counter stopping slowly.

"I own him. He saved us." It was a simple and direct answer like it usually was.

"You've seen it. What it causes and you still have faith in him."

"He's.. different, to say the least."

"He is. Our Wei Ying has a heart of gold. I don't think he's learned to bend even though the world urges him to. It's always break and never bend when it comes to his morals."

"That's what makes him different, isn't it? His inability to ignore what he doesn't agree with simply because others say it's okay." Wen Qing replied, medicinal herbs and talismans forgotten.

"The cultivation world is treacherous, dear. My guess is that anywhere else his inability, like you called, would cost him his life sooner rather than later."

Wen Qing knew she was right. The great sects only did what they had to do within their territories. People from smaller villages like this one would disappear without anyone ever noticing their existence. It was never their problem until it crossed their borders. 

"However, we are here now. We help those we can help and life won't be so unbearable." Nainai leaned her open hands on the counter and smiled, the lines of time marking her face.

"Well, let me get the things you need so we can drink tea after you're done," Nainai spoke again before Wen Qing could say anything.

"Oh, do you need any help?" She made it as if to get up to follow her into the other room. 

"Don't worry, I will be right back." 

"Alright." Wen Qing watched as she went to the back to get what was needed.

Her gaze fell on the table and the herbs scattered in strategic groups. Wen Qing nibbled the inside of her cheek, contemplating the eldest words. In all the years since she started being Wen Ruohan's errand girl, helping someone other than for his own benefit had never been one of his demands. He was a master at turning his problems into other people's problems, she would go as far as to say he wasn't the only sect leader to do that, it was just that he was the worst and unfortunately the most powerful one. 

Her hands came together, the skin a bit dry against each other. She would like to do it differently. Maybe to atone for the bad things she did under his name by going to nearby villages and helping the physicians if they needed it. She was sure she could work something out with all the knowledge she had. Wen Qing nodded to herself, going back to arranging the little pouches in front of her, it was something to think about once things were in place again.

 ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Wei Wuxian came out of seclusion two days later. The first person who saw him was A-Yuan, the little boy was very pleased to see his gege again.

Right behind him, Wen Qing was standing with Wen Ning, who held a tray of ginseng tea. The three had gone up to his house to wait for him. The four o'clock sun was already down, leaving room for the ocean breeze to cool them down.

"It's so good to see you guys." Wei Wuxian whined, stretching his arms. The lack of sun from the last few weeks visible on his slightly paler skin.

"Gege." A-Yuan held out his arms for Wei Wuxian to pick him up off the ground.

"You are so cute, A-Yuan, Gege almost can't take it." He picked up the toddler, kissing his plump cheeks and making him laugh.

"How are you feeling, Master Wei?" Wen Ning asked, smile in his voice. Giving time to his sister to finish her assessment of him.

"Centered." He replied, halfway through turning A-Yuan upside down, his giggling filling the space between them.

"He just had snacks." Wen Qing finally spoke, expression softening.

"Oh no, we don't want that." He turned A-Yuan back up and made the toddler comfortable in his arms.

"Definitely not." Wen Ning walked up to him, posing the tray to Wei Wuxian.

"Already?" 

"Let's go inside first." Wen Qing shook her head, Her hand reaching up to gently touch A-Yuan's nose, who smiled at her and snuggled closer in Wei Wuxian's arms.

Wei Wuxian smiled cheekily at Wen Qing and nodded in agreement. With A-Yuan comfortably nestled in his arms, he followed Wen Qing and Wen Ning into the house. He admitted that even though the familiar surroundings of his home brought a sense of peace to him, he wanted nothing more than to get this over with and go down to the village. 

As they entered, the fragrance of incense he had lit just before walking out wafted through the air, it created an atmosphere similar to the ones of the cleansing ceremonies. Wei Wuxian led them to the room opposite the entrance, hurrying to open the window. He secured them open and moved to reactivate the talismans present on the paper lanterns, filling the room with a soft yellow light.

"Wen Ning, can you get two more cushions? They are just in the other room."  He turned his head to Wen Ning who promptly walked up and placed the tray of ginseng tea on the low table before going after the cushions.

Wen Qing had her unwavering attention on him and A-Yuan who from time to time poked his cheek and then proceeded to hide his face in his chest like it was the best hiding spot one could find as Wei Wuxian made a scene of searching for the culprit. It was so sweet and domestic Wei Wuxian felt like he could choke on the strange emotions unrevealing inside his chest.

"Here." Wen Ning appeared again, passing between them and depositing cushions that had seen better days right in front of the black and red cushion he assumed Wei Wuxian would sit on.

"Thank you." He said as he settled on a cushioned chair, careful not to disturb A-Yuan, who seemed quite content in his embrace. The toddler smiled as Wei Wuxian gently placed him between his folded legs, small hands reaching for the strands of black silky hair tickling him in the nose.

"Thank you, A-Ning." She touched her brother on the shoulder before taking her place next to the table where the tray with the tea was. The teapot still had light smoke coming out of it, warm from the heat talisman she had stuck to the bottom.

Wen Qing reached for the cup with one hand and with the other she took care of the long sleeve as tea etiquette demanded her to and poured a cup for Wei Wuxian, her movements graceful and precise. "Here, drink this." 

"Do you want me to get him, Master Wei?"

"There's no need, you will be careful, right, A-Yuan?" He looked down and A-Yuan nodded, lowering his baby hands.

"Careful." His small voice brought a smile to Wei Wuxian's lips.

"Good boy." He said as he reached for the teacup Wen Qing had moved in his direction. He brought the cup to his lips, and the aroma hit him first – it was earthy and grounding. The taste, he thought, was like a mix of earth and herbs. There was a bit of bitterness, like a subtle aftertaste, but it wasn't overwhelming.

"I assume everything has settled?" Wen Qing spoke again after Wei Wuxian put the cup down. He knew what she meant, have the whispers subsided? Have they stopped pushing?

"Yes. It feels like an afterthought for now." He stretched his right arm in front of her before she asked.

"Good." Her expression softened as she reached for his wrist, "Come closer, A-Ning, I want you to see this."

"See, A-Yuan? You have to be a good student like him." Wei Wuxian muttered to the toddler in a secretive voice, making A-Yuan look at them more closely, a small frown appearing between his eyebrows as if he could completely understand what was happening there. It made his baby face even more adorable, Wei Wuxian wanted to shower him with kisses.

"Master Wei.." Wen Ning muttered shyly, red coloring his cheeks as he got close to them.

"The three of you.." She asked for their attention affectionately, "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, Wei Wuxian, and relax as much as you can."

He was told, settling into his skin slowly.

"A-Ning, see what I'm doing here? You always have to feel the subtleties, the depth, and the rhythm of the pulse. The speed it's just one of the factors." Wen Qing had a teacher's voice that Wei Wuxian didn't know she had, it was extremely easy to focus on the tone and rhythm of her voice. "Do you remember how to find the three points?"

"I do." Wen Ning's soft voice filled the room, "First you should find the bone and move slightly to the inside of the wrist. The Cun position is closest to the hand, then there's the Guan position in the middle, and the Chi position at last." 

"Good job." Wei Wuxian felt her fingers disappear from his wrist for a few seconds and then a rougher hand replaced hers just as fast, "I've checked all three but my concerns were mainly on the Guan point. I was specifically looking for emotional distress." 

"It feels steady and balanced." Wen Ning answered the implied question with a thoughtful tone.

"It means the seclusion served its purpose."

"Are you planning on using the needles for a deeper assessment?" He asked after gently placing Wei Wuxian's hand back on top of A-Yuan.

"Not today." She folded her hands in her lap, "No need to tense up, Wei Wuxian."

"Ha, I'm not." He answered, opening his eyes lazily. Wei Wuxian knew she hadn't bought his excuse, he didn't care that much about it.

"Baby?" A-Yuan focused on Wei Wuxian again, who made a noise of mock offense at the word.

"I don't even have you on my side, A-Yuan? How will I survive this?" He said, voice getting a dramatic high pitch as he lowered his head so that his hair fell over A-Yuan and tickled his face.

The small giggles filled the soft-lit room, warning the three adults present. It was a very homily scene. Things were finally looking up, Wen Qing thought to herself.

This could be their lives. Everything was so new and young but neither of them could stop thinking of how good it felt. The conversation they had about moving in together all those weeks ago came flooding back to their minds.

Wei Wuxian really wanted to make this place a home filled with life and happiness. He wanted to expand it. It would take time and silver but it'd be comfortable and he would feel like he was serving his parents' house their original intent. To be lived in.

As the situation currently was, the Wen were all scattered around the village. None of them wanted to impose anything on anyone and had already started talking and planning temporary houses so they could give privacy back to their hosts. Granny had pulled Wen Qing aside a day before Wei Wuxian was supposed to come out of seclusion and said that it wasn't a bad idea for them to move in with Wei Wuxian, with all they were planning, but that for the elders the walk would be exhausting.

"Dear, we are old. We like to be useful while we still can." Granny had told her with a gentle smile. Color had completely returned to her cheeks, she even looked a little healthier and younger. "If you want to go, you should. You've done enough for your family, it's time you start doing what you want."

"And besides, we will be seeing each other every day." 

After that, Wen Qing gathered everyone together around supper time and told them about Wei Wuxian's proposal. The way some of them eyed each other caught her attention, the question was clear, why would he do that?

"I think Wei Wuxian is worried about all the changes we had to make and might think it'd be easier for everyone to adjust."

"That's very generous." One of her aunts said, she was rocking her son back and forth at a slow pace.

"We are not imposing this on anyone. Uncle Four told me the renovating on the old buildings just down the road from Nainai's tea house is going well." Wen Qing's voice was calm and soft, she knew the importance of having the freedom to build something for themselves and they were given that opportunity.

The village did not have a single leadership, Wei Wuxian had commented that major decisions were made together and discussed among the elders. It had worked for them during all these years and they had no plans on changing it but according to Nainai in recent years they tended more and more to follow Wei Wuxian's lead, he would give an opinion without much pretense, and when one least expected the decision was made accordingly.

Wei Wuxian had been the one to comment on the buildings he planned to fix and that if they didn't have a problem they could take care of it and slowly move in and it would be theirs since no one lived there and none of it was claimed. The decision had been taken on the same day.

"You know my opinion, dear." Granny smiled at her, patting Wen Ning's hand beside her.

Wen Qing waved at her. Granny was the wild card, her first reaction towards Wei Wuxian had just been polite, she was old and orthodox and she kept everyone in the village at arm's length for a couple of weeks. But then she started helping them dry the tea leaves that'd be served and sold the next day and washing and peeling vegetables for supper with her experienced hands and as soon as she could tell she had warmed up. She knew they would more or less follow her lead.

"And what's that, Granny?" One of her cousins asked, his skin was tanned from helping the fishermen in the sea for the last couple of weeks. His cheeks were already fuller, benefitting from abundant food and a safe environment.

"If you want to go, you should. Almost more than half of us are too old to come and go to the house so I think we should stay here and keep ourselves busy until our time comes." Easy as that, the elders spoke softly in agreement with her words. 

"And if even then we don't want to go?" 

"Oh, then it's alright. They said we can build our own homes. It was just an invitation."

"What about A-Yuan?" Wen Ning spoke once he noticed the direction the conversation was taking, "He grew extremely attached to Master Wei. He's very fussy about not being able to see him due to seclusion."

"Gege?" As if to confirm Wen Ning's words, said child raised his head at the mention of Wei Wuxian, eyes sparkling at the idea of being able to see him.

"Wei Wuxian will be delighted to know about this, he is also in love with A-Yuan." Wen Qing relaxed into her own skin, "We will revisit the idea in the future." 

And that had ended the matter for the moment. She was sure Wei Wuxian would understand and would be happy with spending time with A-Yuan for now. She'd go as far as to say it was a good house for two.

As Wen Ning tickled A-Yuan's feet and the toddler tried to move away from the touch but failed mid-giggles Wen Qing knew everything would work out just fine.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

"I'll go by myself. There's no need for either of you to accompany me. It's too dangerous. They're already familiar with me despite their harshness and their innate willingness to turn me into a mindless corpse. " His voice was low so as not to disturb A-Yuan, who was sleeping peacefully on his legs, a blanket thrown over him. The two were inseparable now. Where Wei Wuxian was, Wen Yuan would follow with his little toddler legs.

"But Master Wei, we can help you, right, a-jie?"

"He's right, A-Ning." Wen Qing said and drew a sigh of satisfaction from Wei Wuxian, "However, we won't give you more than five days at a time. If you're not back by the end of the fifth day, we'll go after you."

"Of course. That's reasonable." Wei Wuxian wasn't planning on being away for long. Continued exposure like that could tarnish and damage his golden core and that was literally the last thing he wanted.

"Is it today, then?" Wen Ning asked, feeling a bit defeated and worried.

"Yes, as soon as the sun finishes setting. It's a full moon and I don't want to miss that."

The four of them were spread around one of Nainai's tables, she had closed the tea house and gone to harvest radishes with Huang Ting and had not yet returned. Wei Wuxian suspected it was on purpose.

"Do you have everything you need?" Wen Qing asked, a bit of nervousness spilling into her voice. She knew he did, she had double-checked it herself but she couldn't help. This was the only thing she could do for him now.

"I do. They stand no chance against me." His smile made the knots in her stomach worse somehow.

Wei Wuxian could already feel the prickling of resentment on the back of his neck, he felt his golden core revolt against its call. Suibian was also a bit off that day, settling only once A-Yuan got his grubby toddler hands around it. Even the sword's spirit couldn't help but fall for the kid.

He adjusted the kid carefully, he was aware of the Wen siblings' attention focused on him yet he didn't say anything focused on organizing his own thoughts.

That he loved making new discoveries and overcoming obstacles was an understatement of the century. Wei Wuxian lived for that but he couldn't help but to think about the night his parents left and never returned. It was like a part of him wanted to claim this just because it took his parents.

Was it arrogance? Probably. Did he think anyone else could do it but him? Not really. He had a goal, it was clearly laid out in his mind. Wherever it went through his Golden Core would make him more powerful as he used it and then it'd go back to where it should always have been. It was a cleanse of sorts but with a forged agreement.

Wen Yuan stirred in his lap, eyelids fluttering as he started waking up.

"What?" Wei Wuxian looked up, "Sorry, I didn't catch what you said."

"I said, I believe it's time for his bath, Master Wei." Wen Ning gave him a small smile, understanding.

"Oh, of course. Here, take him."

Wen Ning got up and approached them, being watched by his sister. He reached for the toddler who had just started blinking at them.

"Come here, little one."

"Gege.." He babbled back at him.

"Listen, A-Yuan." Wei Wuxian gently handled him to put him sitting, bringing their foreheads closer until they touched. "Gege has to do something now. But I promise I will be back before you can miss me."

"Gege will go?"

"Mhm, but Gege will be back."

"Be back."

"Yes." Wei Wuxian closed his eyes and kissed his forehead.

"Bye bye. Be back, Gege." He waved his little hand at Wei Wuxian when Wen Ning finally picked him up.

"See you soon, Master Wei." Wen Ning said intently like it was the only option and outcome possible.

Wei Wuxian nodded it to him and watched them leave. His eyes moved back to Wen Qing, who hadn't moved an inch.

"Alive is best." She said, bringing her hands together tightly. It was a nervous habit he had noticed. "Remember that."

"I will."

"Good."

The sun was almost completely gone by the time they finished talking Wei Wuxian laid out all his talisman and herb pouches once more before leaving. The herb's scent clung to the skin of his hand like a reminder.

Wen Qing walked him out of the village, people looked at them as they walked to the gate. They knew what Wei Wuxian was going out to do, it needn't be said, if you walked around or entered any house or business you would feel the scent of high-quality incense burning. The type the people used when they needed a wish to be granted.

Wei Wuxian stopped and took a deep breath before turning around to look at Wen Qing, "I leave them in your hands."

"I will do my best."

"I know." He smiled, his eyes disappearing in half moons. "See you soon, Qing-jie."

And as an invisible hand squeezed her heart enough that it was difficult to breathe, he left. Wen Qing watched his steps until she could no longer see him.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The moon cast a silvery glow over the secluded stretch of coastline where Wei Wuxian had chosen to perform the ritual. With meticulous care, he surveyed the surroundings, his mind calculating the perfect arrangements to ensure everyone's safety.

His fingers moved across talismans and charms, weaving intricate patterns of spiritual energy into the air. He positioned them strategically, hidden within the folds of nature, their power shielding the area from prying eyes.

Wei Wuxian traced his steps along the jagged rocks, returning to the procession the trees offered him, his keen eyes assessing his surroundings once more. Within the forest's depths, he stepped into the array laid out on the ground he had made previously. He sat cross-legged right in the middle, reaching for a few individual pouches of small herbal arrangements that helped one to keep the mind focused that Wen Qing had prepared for him.

Surrounding the array, Wei Wuxian scattered a few of the protective herbs, their fragrances mingling in the air. No one from the village would go there and the place was off any traveler's route but it still offered another layer of protection between him and the world. This was his decision and no one else was to come to harm but himself if something went wrong.

Finally, he inscribed the missing intricate symbols onto the ground to finalize the array, etching them with ink infused with his own spiritual energy. Each stroke was deliberate, imbuing the markings with a layer of spiritual energy that resonated with the energy of the ritual itself.

As he completed the preparations, a sense of weird tranquility settled over him. The spirits went quiet as in approval of his actions. He could feel all the ways he was failing on his last attempts. Neither body or his mind were ready before, but they were now, his golden core hummed in agreement inside him.

Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, the prickling sensation he had been feeling all day before this moment came back as a full-blown scratching sensation.  It was as if a thousand tiny needles were digging into his skin, causing him to shudder involuntarily. His fingers clenched into fists, nails biting into his palms as he struggled to maintain his composure.

A jumble of voices was heard when he finished speaking. They screamed at him, their words a chaotic cacophony that reverberated through his mind. Some voices were accusing, filled with anger and resentment, while others were mournful and desperate. All the quiet from minutes ago was immediately forgotten, drowned out by this overwhelming chorus of anguish.

This was definitely different from his previous attempt. This time he felt reality shift as though he were standing on the precipice of a chasm, teetering on the edge of something he couldn't fully grasp. The sensation of being pulled in conflicting directions, torn between his past and present, was disorienting. 

As the voices continued to assault him, Wei Wuxian struggled to make sense of it all. Focusing felt like an impossible task as if he were lost in a labyrinth with no way out.

"Something was taken from me," Wei Wuxian uttered, his voice strained, as he faced the personified child standing before him. But before he could grasp the full meaning of his words, the child transformed into a weeping woman, her presence overwhelming him.

Her figure seemed to writhe and contort, like a dark ghost rising from the depths of his subconscious. She moved with an unnatural grace, her long hair trailing behind her like a cloak. The very air around her crackled with unsettling energy, and her eyes pierced through his soul, a piercing gaze that left him feeling exposed and vulnerable. The woman's form held a haunting familiarity, like a distant memory on the verge of resurfacing. It was as if she represented a piece of his of a long gone past.

"Taken," the haunting voice resonated, causing the hairs on Wei Wuxian's body to stand on end. The sound surrounded him like an ominous melody. 

A shiver coursed through his being as the figure shifted once more, assuming the likeness of an older man resembling Jiang Fengmian. It spoke with a booming voice, "You would be ours. In this life and the next."

Wei Wuxian clenched his teeth, biting the inside of his cheek until the taste of blood filled his mouth. He raised his hand towards the figure, determination in his eyes. "Become mine instead."

"Petulant," the figure changed again, transforming into the likeness of Madam Yu. Purple sparkles emanated from Zidian around her wrist, crawling towards Wei Wuxian, the crackling sound compelling him to put distance between them. "Just a child. And a petulant one at that."

Wei Wuxian stood on the precipice of his physical and emotional existence, the ocean's expanse serving as a backdrop to his internal turmoil. He felt simultaneously close and distant from his home, his body, and his mind in a state of disarray. The weight of ancient anger bore down upon him.

His senses were disoriented, pushed, and pulled by the unseen forces that sought to teach him a lesson. The miasma enveloped him, threatening to consume his very essence. A voice echoed through his skin and bones, questioning his desires.

"Yes," Wei Wuxian gasped, uncertain if the response escaped his lips or merely resided within the confines of his own mind.

The voice, a merging of external and internal, resonated within him. It began with deep pain and he was no stranger to that, to pain. He knew the pain of hunger, the pain of having chunks of his skin and flesh ripped from him by feral dogs, he knew the burning, cutting pain of Zidian against his naked skin. But this pain was different, it defied whatever explanation he could come up with, it coursed through his body. Wei Wuxian writhed on the ground, enduring hours of agonizing torment. The instinct to escape, to flee from the searing pain, battled against the knowledge that survival required perseverance. It was the price of the bargain, a price he had to pay to claim what he thought was his.

After a moment, though, as he laid there, struggling to hold onto consciousness, he wished for some calm, a fleeting moment of relief. But the pain was relentless, unyielding, and it seemed to have no end. He gritted his teeth, his vision blurred by tears or by rain, he couldn't tell. Wei Wuxian choked on the taste of blood that invaded his mouth. The agony seemed to sear his very soul, threatening to consume him but even if backing out was an option, he wouldn't.

Wei Wuxian could feel his mind giving up on him as anxiety and panic welled up within himself. The small part of him that was still trying to stay focused on all the preparation they had done up to that point was struggling with the restlessness of his golden core. The searing agony that crushed him had become an all-encompassing nightmare, and doubt clawed at his resolve.

Was the power he sought worth this relentless suffering? Was he bound to die like this, by the same thing that had killed his parents? Was the sensation of his skin being ripped from him, inch by inch that felt like a gruesome descent into madness only the start? How long had he been there? He couldn't say. Was the sun still out? Was it night? Was he still a human being or just something that looked like one? All the questions gnawed at his core, and the resentment's oppressive atmosphere seemed to mock him.

His goals and desires flickered in his mind like fragile flames in a harsh wind. He had believed that this was the only way, the necessary sacrifice to attain what he thought he needed. But as the pain continued to assail him, he couldn't help but wonder if he had made a terrible mistake.

Focus.

A familiar but unidentifiable voice bore down on him, it grounded him enough to stop the string of doubts. He took deep breaths as if he had been underwater for hours on end. This would not break him. He knew all the pain because he had survived them all and he would survive this one too. 

The voice faded within him, it was something to keep him grounded even when a scream would escape his lips. A small thought appeared in the back of his mind, Wen Qing would be displeased if he remembered to mention that her herbal pouches hadn't worked like she had planned. Maybe he wouldn't mention it all. He could keep this for himself once it was done he mused with himself as all his once persistent doubts dissipated like morning mist under the sun's first rays.

Wei Wuxian's heart pounded in his chest, proof that he was alive even as the torment stretched on. In the midst of it all, he clung to that, he only had to keep breathing and when this was over it'd be only one more thing he won over. Just like the sky was above him and the ground was below he knew the pain would subside eventually.

And it did, though not completely. It settled within him, stretching the boundaries of his being, yet refraining from tearing his skin apart. As Wei Wuxian regained his bearings, he felt the coolness of the earth against his cheek, a reminder of his tenuous connection to the realm of the living. Resentment had settled around and within him, becoming an integral part of his being.

In that hazy moment of relief, Wei Wuxian's senses were dulled, and the world seemed to spin around him. He could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth and his limbs felt heavy, like he had gained extra weight he could carry. The lingering pain, though diminished, still clung to him like a persistent specter.

With each labored breath, he could feel the world slowly coming back into focus. The forest, with its towering trees and oppressive presence, no longer seemed as suffocating as it had moments before. The air was crisp and invigorating, carrying with it the scent of nature around him. Above, the leaves rustled with the wind, creating a symphony of sound. The world seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the next moment of raw power to unfold.

The dizziness began to recede, replaced by a growing sense of urgency to go back to the village. Wei Wuxian pushed himself up from the ground, his gaze sweeping across the landscape. The hues of the setting sun painted the sky in delicate shades of pink and orange, casting an ethereal view over everything. For a moment, the dead fell silent, their presence no longer clamoring for attention.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Wuxian absorbed the earthy and salty scent, grounding himself in the present. It felt as though he could sense everything around him with newfound clarity. Life and death, two intertwined facets of existence, resonated within him.

Wei Wuxian gently placed his hand on his abdomen, where his golden core resided. It burned bright, pulsating with a renewed intensity. The energy, now under his control, held the power to channel the anger and anguish of others, and in return, he would grant them liberation.

He had the power within him, bubbling just beneath the surface, ready to be tapped whenever needed. It was raw force fueled by the grievances and sorrows of countless souls. Wei Wuxian was now their harbinger.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

He made his way back to the village, in slow and contemplative steps. The resentment was a buzz in the back of his head, it wasn't overwhelming but it made its presence felt. There were no shouting voices at him, so he would consider it a victory for now.

There wasn't much sunlight available anymore, the sky was painted with the last colors of the sunset. He breathed in the sea air, even that felt more vivid as the resentment settled deeper inside him.

"Wei Wuxian!" Wen Ning's voice startled him back into reality. His eyes shot up to look at the man, "A-jie! I've found him!"

"Is everything okay? Why are you so pale?" Wei Wuxian hurried towards Wen Ning, a worried expression taking over his features. "Is everyone okay, Wen Ning?"

"J-just.." He stammered, his hands shaking slightly as he raised them to hold Wei Wuxian by the elbows. "A-jie!"

"Just tell me. What's wrong?" Wei Wuxian's grip on the other man's shoulders was as strong as iron.

"Nothing happened to the village." Wen Qing's breathless voice appeared behind him, causing him to let go of Wen Ning and turn to face her. "Wei Wuxian, your eyes..."

He blinked at her, "What?"

"They were red just a second ago, Master Wei." Wen Ning touched his shoulder.

"It's back to gray now." Wen Qing approached him, her breath was a bit calmer now. Dry branches cracked under her foot, with the silence between them and the rest of the sounds of the forest was the only thing there.

Wei Wuxian noticed her brow furrowed as she got a couple of steps closer to the two of them. Just then he also noticed she was wearing completely different robes from the last time he saw her.

"What day is it?" His voice was quiet when he asked.

"Xingqi wu. Late xún." Wen Qing's soft voice didn't feel soft at all.

"That's more than two weeks after I left.." He sighed, lowering his head. Wei Wuxian left around Mid Xún and he hadn't planned to stay until the end of it.

"We couldn't find you, Master Wei." Wen Ning said quietly, "We searched the outskirts of the village every day."

"It was like you had evaporated. Nainai would tell us to look in one direction and the most we would find were remnants of your energy."

"I wasn't aware that all this time had passed. It was morning and it was night. I guessed maybe a couple of days."

"For you, it distorted time, and for us, space." Wen Qing explained, voice somber. "Because of that, we should get going. Everyone is really worried. They wanted to come and search for you but we had no idea what we could encounter and they aren't cultivators so we settled that they wouldn't."

"They will be relieved that you're back safely." Wen Ning's Voice was fond.

"That's.. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be a burden." Wei Wuxian scratched his head awkwardly. Wen Qing snapped her head to look at him, "Don't look at me like that, Qing-jie."

"I can't help." There was a bite to her words. That was all he had been saying for the last few hours. As if he had a choice. As if it were an inconvenience to look for him, "We just wanted you to come back safe and sound."

"She's right, Master Wei." Wen Ning squeezed his shoulder before letting go, "We are just glad you are back."

Wei Wuxian didn't answer right away. He just looked at the two of them with a confused feeling squeezing his heart. When younger he had been called a major inconvenience for much, much less. He got punished for even less.

He bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes stinging a little. He wasn't very familiar with receiving understanding without punishment. It was odd but not at all bad.

"Here. Drink this before we go back." Wen Qing lifted a bottle of clear liquid, not commenting on his glossy eyes, "It's water. Slowly, please."

"Thank you." He said, for the water and for caring. That part he kept for himself.

He took a couple of sips slowly just then realizing how thirsty he was. Clearly, his golden core was no stranger to keeping his body alive in fasting but the aftermath was always a pain to deal with even if no one complained about it openly.

"A-Yuan will be especially content in seeing you, Master Wei." Wen Ning commented, stuttering completely gone. He was more calm now. It was good to see that Wei Wuxian was fine and that nothing alarming seemed to have happened to him.

"Oh, that little radish. I miss him, he's a good kid."

"He was really fussy these last couple of weeks. He grew attached to you pretty quickly." Wen Qing reached for the bottle and pointed the way with her head, prompting them to go.

"I'm that easy to fall in love with." He said, nodding to himself, eliciting a chuckle from Wen Ning at his side and an eye roll from Wen Qing.

"Both of you, start walking. The night will be long."

"Yes, ma'am." The two said at the same time, following behind her.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

The soft glow of lanterns that lined the cobbled path was welcoming as the three of them stepped into the village's main street all the tension remaining left their shoulders. The warm, flickering light danced on the faces of villagers as they moved about, casting all types of shadows on the walls of wooden buildings.

The evening air carried the aroma of freshly prepared food on the stalls that lined the street. Although they could feel a newfound tension that wasn't there before, the sound of laughter and chatter echoed through the narrow streets, intermingling with the chirping of crickets and frogs

A few kids had their faces illuminated by the soft glow of paper lanterns, played games, and ran through the streets, their giggles echoing in the night. Wei Wuxian could tell one of them was one of the Wen kids, he was glad they were settled in.

Wei Wuxian knew every single one of the vendors who were there that night. Zhou Ming had an array of traditional handicrafts. Exquisitely embroidered fabrics, delicate fans adorned with intricate paintings, and even jade hairpins.

Uncle Sihung was just beside him, selling baozi that Wei Wuxian could admit he was obsessed with even if he didn't have chili oil to put on top. The older man's face was serious and there was tightness around his eyes.

The place where Li Xuan usually was was empty and he guessed she was probably traveling for the herbs she would sell there.

There were many others there, a few stalls from the recent years since he had moved here. Wei Wuxian loved spending his time down there, helping out and sometimes just enjoying the nightlife.

Time seemed to stop as they were noticed. The tension he had felt before slowly melted away.

"They found him." Uncle Sihung said, relief lacing his words and expression. He covered the tray of red bean paste baozi he had just placed on the stall and walked towards them. "A-Hao, please go fetch Nainai."

The young man standing beside the stall nodded and hurried off towards the side streets that would lead to where Nainai lived.

"Are you okay, boy?" A couple of grannies were faster than Sihung Lung and questioned Wei Wuxian with worried expressions.

"I am sorry for worrying you all." He replied, a little shy bowing his head to them.

"Nonsense. We are glad you are back." One of them patted him on the back and smiled warmly at him.

"Thank you for finding him, kids." The other said before they went on their way. Out of the corner of his eye, Wei Wuxian saw the Wen siblings bowing to the ladies.

"What a way to move things around here, kiddo." Uncle Sihung put one of his hands on his shoulder. He smelled like sweet sticky rice and red bean paste. It was strangely comforting.

"It's quite my style..." He said, smiling a little awkwardly, lifting his hand to scratch the tip of his nose.

"It's a relief you are back." The man squeezed his shoulder before dropping his hand to rest beside him. "You have to let people fussy around you for a couple of days. Especially the older ones, it was really hard to keep them from going after you."

Uncle Sihung's voice wasn't accusatory at all. On the contrary, there was a smile in his voice. All the tightness of his expression was gone.

"I will pay visits to them soon, staying out this long was not my intention."

"Of course not, they know that. Just be good and accept their pampering. Once Lady Wei clears you up to drink you'll have a stash of new licor to try."

"I can't wait." His eyes gleamed, his lively voice making Wen Ning smile.

"I'm really happy to see you back, kid."

"I'm happy to be back too, Uncle."

"Now, you three, go. Do what you have to do and rest, the three of you." He stepped to the side, "You've worked hard."

They nodded and bowed to him before he went back to his stall, stance a bit more relaxed than before.

"See, Master Wei?" Wen Ning didn't need to elaborate, all three of them knew what he meant.

None of the people who knew more or less what he had gone out to do asked him how it went. They were simply grateful that he had returned safely and in one piece. Those who didn't know exactly what cultivators did were there and whispered about it out of innocent curiosity.

This village has never been and never will be a place where cultivators are highly known. They were commoners who went about their lives and dealt with death and resentment the way they knew how. His parents died a long time ago and left enough knowledge to not let resentment take over the place as it did when they first arrived there. Wei Wuxian had been working hard for the past few years to update the faded talismans with better and more efficient ones. He had improved their fishing nets and even took care of water ghosts from nearby villages that sooner rather than later would turn into a bigger problem.

He cared deeply for this little place in the world that these simple people had carved out for themselves. He was happy that he could fit in there and that now the Wen could fit in too.

And for what seemed like hours, he walked slowly through the streets and waved and spoke to several people who were glad to see he was back. He was a bit tired and hungry, he wouldn't deny it but it wasn't bad enough that he would ignore them. Even back then in Lotus Pier, he would take forever to carry out a simple task because he would stop and speak with every vendor and Granny he would meet.

Wen Ning, however, was not with them anymore, he had gone to talk to Granny and Uncle Four as they approached the infirmary. Wen Qing had asked him to go there and let them know that Wei Wuxian would see them and A-Yuan the following day since she wanted to check on him alone and make him rest for the night.

Nanai was at the door of the infirmary, MeiMei beside her.

"He's right there, Nainai." She said, turning her body slightly towards Wei Wuxian.

"Nainai!" He quickened his pace towards her, stopping right in front of the elder and taking her hand gently after bowing deeply.

"Welcome back, A-Ying." Her rough hands ruffled his hair as if he was a kid. "Did everything go well?"

"Aside from losing track of time, yes." He smiled, eyes focused on her serious expression.

"The road ahead is long but you've already started." She said, even though she couldn't see hai beaming expression she knew what an inventor and revolutionary he was. And how that path would change the world around them for the better.

"You will check on him now, dear?" She addressed Wen Qing, turning her head slightly to the left.

"Yes, ma'am." She promptly responded, hands clasped in front of her body.

"Go ahead then."

"You should rest, Nainai." Wei Wuxian intervened, even though he knew it would be somewhat futile.

"Once you're done." She answered simply, sitting on a chair that someone had provided from somewhere, "Dear."

"Come inside, Wei Ying." Wen Qing asked him after Nainai spoke.

"Glad to see you well, Master Wei." MeiMei smiled at the two, making room for them to enter the infirmary.

It was nothing more than a small one-store building divided into three with paper partitions: A small part where people could wait, a part where they were attended to, and the last section where hygiene was carried out and things were stored.

Before the arrival of the Wens, the village had only relied on an elderly physician and two apprentices to care for the sick. Though the number of patients was typically small it was still a matter of making do with what they had.

It was starting to get late but people were still on the street. Their collective relief at Wei Ying's return was palpable, he had already been checked out by at least ten different people. Wen Qing still wanted to check him herself.

"I appreciate that you all want to know if I'm okay. But please go home and rest." He asked and bowed deeply to the people who had gathered as he greeted Nainai before going inside to meet Wen Qing.

"You heard the boy," Nainai clapped her hands, encouraging everyone to leave. Though she remained seated, her gesture urged the villagers to take their leave and find some rest.

Inside, Wen Qing asked Wei Wuxian to sit down and strip his torso so that she could check him more efficiently.

"No needles?" He pleaded as he peeled off his layers, "Please."

"Not yet." She answered and rolled her eyes when he pouted.

Wen Qing rubbed her hands together to warm them up before touching him, "Your arm, please." She requested taking his pulse, gently channeling a small amount of spirit energy to check the condition of his meridians. They felt slightly dilated but overall functioning well. When her energy reached his golden core, it burned through it instantly. It was even stronger and brighter than before.

Wen Qing could feel the resentment energy present along with the golden core, but it was inconspicuous. She pursed her lips before deciding to go around Wei Wuxian to be able to see his back

"Oh." The small sound came out before she could stop it.

"What's wrong?" Wei Wuxian asked, turning his head to the side.

"Just a moment." She left him sitting there and went in search of something.

"Wen Qing?" He called after her, debating whether or not he should get up and go after her.

"I'm right here." She appeared again. In her hand was an average-looking object, a mirror with a dark wood frame.

"What's that for?"

"Take a look." She murmured, moving behind him and positioning the mirror at the height of his back.

Wei Wuxian turned his head to look over his shoulder again. His eyes widened when he saw a completely black snake adorning his back imposingly. The perfectly laid out form slithered along his spine, not large in size but just as striking.

"Can you feel the resentment energy well?" She asked after a few seconds, lowering the mirror.

"Yes," he responded quietly, his voice tinged with bemusement.

"I couldn't just now. It was very faint. Like it was coming from somewhere else."

"It marked me." Wei Wuxian mused aloud.

"I will touch your back now." Wen Qing warned, waiting for his nod of approval.

Her fingers hovered over the black figure, and for half a second uncertainty took over. Not long enough to make it noticeable. With a deep breath she touched him, and a jolt coursed through her. Pure energy hummed under her fingers, "There it is."

It was like nothing she had seen or felt before. It was so raw. The faint energy she had felt around and mixed with Wei Wuxian's golden core now felt like the entire ocean. Immense.

"It just needed to carve out a place for itself. It didn't change or hurt anything within you. Your golden core is keeping it tame." She was once again impressed. How many experiments had she seen Leader Wen fail before he could muster even a hint of resentment? Countless. How many lives had he taken in the process? Nightless City would need cleansing ten times over before its energy would be anything other than oppressing. 

And Wei Wuxian had done it. The new path ahead was his. And she knew of at least one other person other than Leader Wen who would feel entitled to this. Who would feel threatened and lash out. The thought was unnerving, She closed her eyes for a few seconds, holding her breath until the pressure in her head became uncomfortable. They'd never know, the sects were too tangled in their politics to even fathom a place like this existed she told herself.

"I feel that. Although they are quiet they are not out of reach. It feels like I could summon them right here." He looked down at his hands, opening and closing his fingers as if testing his own strength. Wei Wuxian chewed on his bottom lip, an idea taking his thoughts all at once.

He remembered all the music theory books in the Cloud Recesses library where he spent hours on end copying rules he could recite backward if would happen someone asked. Between one session and another, he managed to steal a look or two at the books.

It wasn't anything in-depth about the Lan Sect's internal musical technique but some paragraphs talked about attracting and repelling. If Lan Wangji used his to soothe Wei Wuxian figured he could use it to call upon them if needed. "Ah, that sounds solid."

"What?" Her voice sounded a bit confused behind him.

"Oh, nothing! Just an idea." Wei Wuxian turned his head a bit to smile in her general direction, "Sorry, got sidetracked there. Go on, please."

"Alright, let's wrap this up." She began, pulling his layers up and laying them on his shoulders bringing his attention fully back to her, "Here's what I think. It made itself like a source point within you. I think that whenever you draw energy from the resentment around you it'll recognize you because of it. It'll give you power and then your golden core will give it back to its place."

"So that's how it goes back to the natural cycle. It'll use me as a filter."

"Mutualism." She intertwined her fingers, thoughtfully, "One should listen to the haunting and fulfill their wishes in order to help them but we both know fulfilling wishes is not always possible. To liberate those far gone is also our job."

"I know. And a marking is a low price to pay in order to be able to do that easily." Wei Wuxian shifted his gaze from her to his robes, carefully re-layering them, "I have a feeling it'll get bigger as I use it."

"From what we saw, it has the potential to do so. To grow as you grow into it. But I'm fairly confident that once that happens it'll stop growing too."

"We have a lot of work to do then."

"Tomorrow. Today you will rest." She raised her hand when she saw he would protest, "An induced coma does not constitute rest."

Chapter Text

Present

The sky was still dark when Wei Wuxian woke up the next day, his limbs tangled in his bed sheets. He felt like nuzzling right back into the soft linen sheets on his bed when the thought of getting up and wrestling himself into his formal attire.

At least I get to see Lan Zhan. The thought popped into his head, making his cheeks flush red. He felt sixteen again when every cell in his body ached for every bit of attention Lan Zhan would give him.

In light of all the things he had to accomplish and the sect leaders he had to deal with, his first thought being Lan Zhan was like being back in the Lan library again. The world could be crashing around him but at least he had an unmoving force to focus on.

Even if he didn't know that at the time.

Wei Wuxian pushed himself up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. The wooden floor was cool under his feet, a refreshing contrast to the warmth of his bedding. He stretched again, arms reaching high above his head, before walking over to the small washbasin in the corner of the room. Splashing his face with cold water, he felt the last remnants of sleep wash away.

After finishing his morning hygiene, Wei Wuxian went about finding and putting on the robes he reserved for such occasions. The robe in question consisted of layers of fabric in a deep blue. The robe was wide on the shoulders and had voluminous sleeves with delicate waves embroidered on the edges that draped elegantly. Underneath the robe, at the collar and hem, it was possible to see a layer of red fabric that made for a striking contrast to the dark blue of the outer layer. Around his waist, a thick, light-colored sash held everything in place.

He grimaced a bit after putting his flute in place, reaching for Suibian that waited patiently on its stand. That particular robe always seemed to restrict enough movement to make him constantly think about it. Up his sleeve, he put a punch with talismans ready and paper to improvise if it was needed.

Once he was fully ready, Wei Wuxian stepped out of his room and into the courtyard. The manor was still and silent, with only the soft sound of the waves breaking the silence. He breathed in deeply, the chill morning air filling his lungs.

The sky was still dark enough for him to be sure no one there would bump into him in the hallways. Even if he wished he'd see a-Yuan before leaving, it was best to wait until he was back, he had left a butterfly message for him that would reveal itself when he woke up. The kid had always loved those.

When he reached the main hall, anticipating the doors leading to the staircase, he came face to face with Wen Qing, ready in her day robes. She held some scrolls in her arms.

“Sneaking out?”

“Qing-jie, I'm not capable of such a thing.” Wei Wuxian smiled innocently at her.

“Give me some credit, will you?” She said, looking at him unimpressed, Wei Wuxian knew she would have thumped him if she could.

“I didn't want to wake you guys up.” He scratched his cheek with his free hand, a soft smile on his lips.

“I know.” Her expression softened at him. “Come back in one piece.” 

“I wouldn't come back any other way.” Despite the smile, his tone was serious.

“Good.” Wen Qing nodded at him, “I have those to organize before my class so I should get going.”

“Go easy on them, a-jie! Bye!” He waved at her before heading towards the door, laughing a little at the sideways look she gave him.

Wen Qing stood there in silence for a couple of minutes after the door opened and closed. She would make sure to have some medicinal teas ready when he returned, Nainai would have everything she didn't have ready to use. She headed to a door on the right, opposite the exit, making mental notes of what she needed to do after her classes on basic medical care for the older kids, Wen Yuan included.

On the other side, Wei Wuxian walked through the main gate, stepping onto the stone stairs that led to the path the opposite way of the cliff drop. The view was breathtaking, as always. The ocean stretched endlessly behind him and the sky above was full of deep blues and purples, slowly giving way to the first hints of pink and orange as the sun prepared to rise. The faint light bathed everything his eyes could land on while lost in thoughts of anticipation. With each step he went down, the less of the village and from the white smoke that came out of some buildings he could see.

One of these buildings was the tea house where Nainai lived, he would be able to point out exactly where it was even if he couldn't get a clear view of the village the same way she could get there without the aid of her blind eyes. It had been some time since he had last seen her, he thought to himself, for an old and blind grandma she was always up to something. They were similar in that way, too.

The people in the village knew he was up to something, but they would wait until he volunteered the information. As the years passed, the residents once again just adapted to what that type of cultivation meant. They weren't cultivators and they trusted him so most of the time he was just a person they liked.

The villagers were early risers, especially the fishermen. If he looked at the ocean he would be able to see several boats out in the ocean. He made a mental note to find out if he could take A-Yuan on a boat one of these days, his son would love it.

When his feet finally touched the ground, the reality that he was about to finish his business over there caught up to him. At the same time as he was eager for this whole mess to be finished, he had been ignoring what it meant, that he'd be finished with Lan Zhan too and that they'd be both back to their lives.

“Maybe I could go by the village, Uncle would certainly have some good advice..” He thought to himself.

Reaching a spot where the path widened slightly, Wei Wuxian paused. If he continued forward he would end up in the village and be late and this would reach Wen Qing's ears and he would probably have to deal with her getting on his case for not being punctual. He pondered for a bit, weighing his options. As it was he would probably stop and talk to whoever wanted to talk to him and reinforce whatever talisman needed to be reinforced and just like that he'd be completely sidetracked and would certainly not get the advice he wanted.

Wei Wuxian sighed and took a moment to feel embarrassed for himself. What was he doing? Was seeing Lan Zhan just once enough to make him lose focus like this? What was he thinking would happen anyway, good advice or not, they belonged to different worlds. This was his home and Lan Zhan had to rebuild his. 

He closed his eyes, an invisible and familiar hand tightening around his heart, “Get a grip.” He said half-heartedly as he opened his eyes and straightened his posture.

He took a deep breath and focused, drawing a sigil in the air with his right hand. The air around him shimmered, and a portal began to form, emanating a soft red light. Wei Wuxian took one last look at the tranquil scene before stepping through the portal, the trees protecting the Lan tents coming into view.

Wei Wuxian had traveled through portals countless times since the first time he ever thought about the possibility, yet each time always carried an interesting sensation. The moment he stepped into it, his muscles tensed involuntarily, bracing for an impact that would never come.

Wen Qing would never fail to tell him how she disliked the way a prickling at the nape of the neck would start, a warning that the transition was imminent. Your skin would tingle with an electric charge that would make every hair in your body stand.

The passage was over in an instant. One moment he was in one place, the next he was somewhere entirely different. His senses struggled a bit to catch up with the abrupt change, his body feeling heavy and solid, proof of how unfocused he was. 

Wei Wuxian gave himself a couple of seconds to stead his body against the change of atmosphere, the salty air gone and changed into something more flat. He took a deep breath, feeling his heart race as if he'd just run a great distance. His skin still tingled, the aftereffects of the portal's energy lingering like the memory of a strong wind. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the new surroundings.

And just like that, he felt fine again. The effects could be different sometimes but to him, most of the time he’d feel normal almost instantly. He wouldn't think it was strange if other people were left a little shaken with the residual energy though, he had been through this many other times, and his body was used to it.

Wei Wuxian began to walk, his steps crunching softly on the dew-covered leaves. The sun shone softly as Wei Wuxian made his way leisurely towards the clearing the Lan Sect had set their camp on. He took another deep breath, the earthy scents drifted calmly across the air, melding perfectly with the faint humming sounds of the forest. As the wispy strands of morning fog enveloped him, Lan Zhan's familiar presence began to stir within his senses, tugging at emotions he had been trying to keep away from his thoughts for far too long.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian called out, his voice carrying a mix of warmth and underlying uncertainty.

He turned at the sound, his eyes meeting Wei Wuxian's with a quiet intensity. For him, not even all those years ago he could understand how Lan Zhan was mistaken as someone who showed no emotions. His golden eyes were so deep and full of intent he felt Lan Zhan could tell everything he wanted by just looking at someone.

"Wei Ying." His soft voice reached for Wei Wuxian before his eyes could fully identify him among the trees.

When Lan Zhan fully entered Wei Wuxian's vision he could see that he was already ready for the ceremony. His posture is as straight and composed as ever. The elegant lines of his body were covered in white mourning robes for the people lost until that moment. The delicate cloud patterns that marked the Lan Clan were almost invisible to the eye. The robes were layered, the outermost one had long sleeves and had no visible patterns. His long pendant of jade and silk blue tassel was hanging from his waist and clanged together with every subtle movement.

Wei Wuxian took hesitant steps forward, hand tightly around his sword, his eyes never leaving Lan Zhan's steady gaze. "I'm back," he started, the words feeling a bit inadequate to express all he wanted to say but felt like he couldn't.

Lan Zhan nodded in acknowledgment, a faint hint of a smile gracing his lips. "Wei Ying is early," he replied, his tone firm but soothing to Wei Wuxian's ears.

"A novelty, huh?" Wei Wuxian tried a playful tone.

"I did not doubt that you would arrive at the right time since Wei Ying stated that were his plans the night before." Lan Zhan blinked at him, golden eyes refusing to go anywhere else as he spoke matter-of-factly. As if his word was all Lan Zhan needed to believe he'd do as he said.

Wei Wuxian felt the heat building up in the back of his neck. Would Lan Zhan keep giving him unwelding trust in the face of everything that was still left unsaid? 

"I mean, yes, but you know, back then.." Wei Wuxian tried to say, getting lost in his words, noticing as Lan Zhan's expression softened again, "Lan Zhan why do you look so pleased?"

"It is rare for Wei Ying not to have an answer. This is also a novelty." There it was, the hint of a smile again.

"Are you having fun, Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian had an accusatory tone that bore no heat to it.

"Hanguang-Jun." A Lan Sect disciple called before his steps had stopped, preventing Lan Zhan from answering the question, "I am sorry to interrupt but Zewu-Jun requests your presence." 

"One should introduce themselves appropriately," Lan Zhan's tone wasn't of scolding, it was just as if he was reading a rule. Firm and direct.

"I apologize." Wei Wuxian watched as red filled the disciple's cheeks before he bowed again, "Hanguang-Jun. Master Wei."

"Inform my brother I will go to him in just a moment." He said, turning his back to Wei Wuxian so he could look at the young man properly.

"If it's not time-sensitive, catch your breath, kid." 

The red in the disciples' cheeks deepened. He was young, even assuming he was sixteen could be too much. Wei Wuxian could tell he was nervous to be there, although they trained daily and the prospect of having to go and fight for what they believed was right was not new, that disciple was barely a teen, he was supposed to be doing whatever the Lan Sect counted as mischief and not fighting in a war. 

The disciple bowed again, not sure what to do then. Hanguang-Jun was intimidating in a way that made his brain stop working.

"Yes. I will take my leave now." He bowed again, Lan Zhan nodded at him, putting one of his hands behind his back as he watched the disciple walk away.

“He looks very young.” 

“He is certainly not one day older than fifteen.” Lan Zhan turned to him again, “As the months went on we had no choice but to start pulling in our youngest.”

“I'm sorry, Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian couldn't help but look away. Not just the Lan Sect, but all the sects there would take years to fill their ranks again to where they were at their peak. Countless lives were lost there, and not just lost but violated by Wen Ruohan.

“I fail to see where this would fall on Wei Ying’s shoulders.” 

“If I had stepped in earlier maybe the outcome would've been different.” 

“Wei Ying, there is no reason to dwell on what it could've been.” Lan Zhan muttered softly, eyes so understanding towards him that Wei Wuxian didn't know what to do with himself. “We shall move forward now that we can and the only reason we're able to do so is because you intervened when you did.”

“I know you're right.” Wei Wuxian conceded, eyes searching for something else other than Lan Zhan’s.

Lan Zhan remained motionless, eyes fixed on Wei Wuxian in a way that even if he wasn't looking into his eyes the weight of his gaze was so heavy that it was difficult not to move and even more difficult to keep the same train of thought.

“Say, Lan Zhan, do people know you're this understanding?” He looked up, cheeks slightly blushed this time. He decided he should change the focus or he would combust right then and there.

“I am reasonable but I do not know how that shows to people.” His expression softened, accepting the change of subject. Wei Wuxian sighed lightly, glad he had let that particular subject go for now. Although he already had prior knowledge of what he was like, many years had already passed and the circumstances were extraordinary. 

“Ah, Lan Zhan, you must drive people insane.” Wei Wuxian smiled, tugging at his sleeve.

“Brother would probably know how to answer that better than I would.”

“I have my doubts, Lan Zhan.” 

“You can ask me then.”

Heat rose to the back of Wei Wuxia's neck again, throwing him off balance and without an immediate response.

"Will you wait for me here? I have to go to my brother now." Lan Zhan spoke to him again looking bemused after not receiving an answer.

"Right here if that's where you want me to stay." Wei Wuxian found it in himself to say and then smiled, the nod he gave Lan Zhan making the jade in his hairpin clank against one another gently. 

This time, unlike the night before, Wei Wuxian saw as red-colored Lan Zhan's ears.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

After they met again, they walked slowly to the place where the ceremony was taking place. Although the Lan tents were further away from the rest, it wasn't that far from where the final confrontation had taken place, so the walking there couldn't have taken more than fifteen minutes in total.

For every minute until the moment they both entered Nightless City, Lan Wangji had his hands resting on his back, always a couple of steps behind Wei Wuxian, who excitedly talked the distance away.

It was not intentional, to stay a little behind. But he got himself distracted every time Wei Wuxian smiled. 

When Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan entered the grounds of the Nightless City, the strong scent of incense overcame them. The Scorching Sun Palace stood eerily silent. Its impressive halls and sprawling courtyards, which had once stood under Wen Ruohan's ironhand, were now empty and steeped in an oppressive darkness. According to Lan Zhan, everyone Wei Wuxian had marked with his seal had been checked personally by Leader Nie and was under interrogation to determine what the appropriate punishment would be.

"Uncle has been observing all the cleansing ritual preparations." Lan Zhan started breaking the silence, his uncle had a profound knowledge of spiritual rites and rituals and as expected was extremely diligent with the preparations for the ceremony ahead of them.

Wei Wuxian looked at him, somehow knowing this was Lan Zhan's way of saying nothing had been tampered with. The fact he was being taken care of again by him brought yet again a strange sense of comfort and warmth to his heart, “Thank you, Lan Zhan.” 

“Of course.”

Wei Wuxian wondered if perhaps Lan Zhan could hear his heart from where he was, it was so loud to his ears.

“Brother made it known to me that you might encounter resistance when it comes to the swords.” Lan Zhan continued gently, “Most agree with you, but it is customary to keep the swords after an event like this.” 

“I figured,” Wei Wuxian said, sobering. “I hope the other valuable things will be enough to placate them.” 

“We are about to find out. Look.” 

In his little personal bubble, Wei Wuxian had missed that the leaders had gathered in the front yard. His grip became tighter around Suibian, he grew distracted with Lan Zhan by his side, he really needed to get a grip. 

They walked towards them and saw that Leader Jin was the one speaking to the other leaders, Lan Xichen included, he had a guarded expression.

"We must keep the swords. They are objects normally kept as spoils of war." Jin Guangshan started after a moment of analyzing what was on the large flat stone altar, a tight hand around his sword and a blaze expression he was having difficulty keeping in place.

"The sword spirits are on the verge of becoming vengeful." Wei Wuxian answered as a counterpoint, his eyes traveling to settle on Leader Nie, his saber snug against his back. Nie Mingjue knew what he meant by that look.

"It isn't safe. We either have them released as we plan to or permanently sealed and either way no one will ever use these swords again." Nie Mingjue spoke up. There was no point in disagreeing on that, Jin Guangshan was simply greedy and stuck in his personal ambitions. Letting spirits of weapons touch resentment as a way of strengthening them or by shedding innocent blood was undeniably dangerous to the one who wielded it but it had even higher risks once that wielder died. 

"That's not unreasonable, father." Jin Zixuan called for his father's attention, "Have it as a-Yao suggested. The scrolls he found were of your interest, weren't they?" 

Wei Wuxian suppressed a cheeky smile. The Palace was of absurd proportions, it would take weeks for them to be able to catalog everything that was in every hole and crack in that place. However, the scrolls mentioned were theoretical scrolls on ways to attract vengeful spirits, they weren't exactly out in the open but Wei Wuxian had made sure they looked conspicuous enough to catch the attention of those who were in fact roaming through the Palace before everyone else had agreed to.

Perhaps Sect Leader Jin refused to accept that he didn't call the arrows because he had planned to go in at the last moment with full force to resolve the situation before Leader Wen decimated them all and that way he could get around the fact that he had cowardly backed out in the initial months of the campaign, leaving the other fronts made up of the other sects helpless, causing irreparable losses.

But because that didn't happen, now, his allies could remember their losses that could have been avoided if Jin Guangshan had done as agreed. Like that, leaders of smaller sects were afraid to simply bow their heads and nod. Even silver and gold couldn't pay your way out of grief.

That didn't mean they were comfortable with Wei Wuxian's presence, it was the opposite, the discomfort was palpable and only increased the longer he was between them. As things stood he wouldn't doubt that he was being placed in the same category as Leader Jin, the only difference was that one of them was pretending to have decency. 

“We have other types of spoils to share among us, Leader Jin.” Lan Xichen began, placatingly. Wei Wuxian didn't know what the conversation between him and Lan Zhan had been about, but the slight sign of fatigue that was beginning to appear in his demeanor, the prognosis wasn't good. 

“Sect Leader Lan has spoken, I believe I have nothing more to add.” Wei Wuxian said, waving his hands nonchalantly toward Leader Jin.

Jin Zixuan narrowed his eyes in his direction, Nie Huisang was right. Wei Wuxian liked to antagonize his opponents. He wasn't sure how his father hadn't completely lost it yet. His composure was probably the biggest indicator that he was up to something.

“Lan Zhan and I will look at the preparations. I trust Leader Lan to keep everyone civil.” Wei Wuxian clung to one of the long sleeves of Lan Wangji's white robe and tugged lightly in the direction he wanted to go.

When Lan Zhan followed without protest, a few heads turned in their direction, one in particular had a venomous look very familiar to Wei Wuxian, who kept walking away oblivious to that.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Just like Lan Zhan had said, the courtyard had been meticulously prepared for the ritual. Symbols of protection and purification were drawn on the ground, forming intricate circular patterns that connected at the center. The incense burners were filled with sandalwood and sage, were placed at strategic points around the front yard, and were meant to ward off evil spirits and cleanse the surroundings. The powdered incense made out of dragon’s blood was burning steadily more closely to the table but against all the resentment that had sipped into that piece of land, the incense by itself only registered as a minor inconvenience. 

“Oh.” The sound fell softly from his lips as everything assaulted his senses, “It is a bit overwhelming, isn't it Lan Zhan?”

“It is certainly oppressing.”

“It's good that we are taking care of it. Of course, it seems like a drop in the big ocean of what needs to be done here, but it's a start.*

“Certainly.” He agreed with him, “What Leader Wen did will still resonate for generations but one can only begin reconstruction if the foundation is prepared correctly.”

He sounded like a teacher explaining an important subject. Wei Wuxian wondered if this was what Lan Zhan wanted to do now that this was about to end, too. He bet the students would love him.

“I believe we are almost ready.”

Lan Zhan nodded in his direction before shifting his gaze to his uncle next to the altar as he gave the last directions before they started. His flute was firmly attached to his belt, the Jade ornament glistening against the sunlight.

“Do you need anything?” He turned to Wei Wuxian again, looking serene.

“Can you hold this for me, Lan Zhan? You're the only person I trust here.” Wei Wuxian asked softly, lifting Suibian to him. It was true that he used his flute much more frequently in recent years, but in situations like this one – where he was the outsider – he couldn't let go of his sword. 

“Of course.” Lan Zhan replied simply, taking Suibian from his hands carefully. The sword was slightly warm when compared to his own, that was normally cold to the touch. He looked up, it made sense that even his sword was somewhat comforting.

“Thank you, Lan Zhan.”

“Be careful, Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji said, a conflicted look in his eyes as he looked to the side to meet his eyes. He wanted to raise his hand and reach for him even if it was only to untangle the jade pin from Wei Ying’s dark long hair but he didn’t.

“This will be over before you think, Lan Zhan, and then you shall have a drink with me.” He jokingly bumped shoulders with Lan Zhan, winking at him sheepishly. 

Lan Wangji nodded and silently watched as Wei Wuxian walked towards the altar. He felt as if there was a hand gripped tightly around his neck. It wasn't just concern about their safety, but rather that this was the last thing Wei Ying had committed to doing before leaving.

He owed them nothing. Nothing could make him stay and Lan Wangji, with all his knowledge about so many things, didn't know what to do with that fact. All those years ago they had few moments in each other's company to say that they were much more than recent friends who understood each other when no one else did and yet it felt like so much more now and then.

A familiar weight of being watched pulled him from his own thoughts. When he looked for who was looking at him, he found his older brother, eyes soft but inquiring. He shook his head minimally, looking away again to the others present, stirring his thoughts to the matter at hand.

The Sect Leaders watched closely, exchanging hesitant glances, as Wei Wuxian stood in the center of the front yard, where the altar had been placed. Carefully laid out in front of him were two jade disks, a brass incense burner, tassels made with different stones, an amulet, and Leader Wen's and his son's swords.

Each of the objects exuded a different type of darkness. They called out to those who got too close, messing with the senses and confusing the mind. They were not objects made to carry what they did, resentment had stuck to them in the absence of anything else to anchor to.

"We will begin by creating a barrier around the front yard," Lan Qiren moved to stand beside Wei Wuxian, holding a jade flute, “As to ensure that no active resentful energy can escape during the cleansing,” he said, his tone instructional, he was a teacher after all.

“I am once again reaching for our agreement.” Wei Wuxian quietly whispered to himself as he nodded, taking a deep breath as he felt his Golden Core steer. He reached for Chenqing, the flute vibrated slightly when he touched it, the familiar surge of spiritual energy flowing through him. The spiritual tool didn't have the ability to offer any kind of real human emotion but the way it settled in his hands was the same way it settled when Wei Wuxian was about to deal with large amounts of energy, whatever kind it was: like it was happy.

The Gusu Lan Grandmaster started slowly but confidently, the notes he produced with Tianwen resonating with a different aspect of the invocation. The cultivators, mainly composed of Lan disciples, were seated in a circle around the front yard, holding their musical instruments. Slowly, a faint glow began to emanate from the symbols drawn on the ground, spreading outward until it formed a shimmering barrier that encircled them.

The air inside the front yard grew still, charged with a palpable energy. Wei Wuxian could feel the resentful energy grow angrier as he grew tenser. He glanced at Lan Wangji, who stood with his guqin, poised to assist if needed. Their eyes met briefly, and for a moment, the bite the resentful energy had on his Golden Core ceased to be. 

With the barrier in place, Wei Wuxian lowered Chenqing and turned his attention to the objects on the altar, feeling the resentful energy pulsing through them. He wondered what he would see if he touched it and tried to connect himself on a deeper level with all the energy contained there.

He brought his flute to his lips again and started to play intently to cleanse them. On the other side of the altar Lan Qiren continued to play the flute, the haunting and unknown melody focused on keeping the barrier strong and in place.

As the melody started to penetrate the objects, dark tendrils of resentment rose from it, twisting and writhing as they were drawn into the symbols on the ground. Wei Wuxian poured his spiritual energy into the objects, liberating it back to where it belonged. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, but he maintained his focus, determined to get it over with.

The artifacts resisted a surge of stubborn darkness, causing Wei Wuxian to press harder, determination etched on his face. ‘It's fighting back fiercely, ’ he thought to himself, his hand starting to tremble slightly. There was no doubt about the atrocities carried out there, Wei Wuxian could smell the metallic smell of blood and the heavy smell of desperation etched into every corner.

The difference between their cultivation methods was as clear as the morning sun in the sky. Wei Wuxian's unconventional approach and the traditional cultivation techniques of Lan Qiren clashed before it worked consistently. The air was charged with their efforts, Wei Wuxian could feel the snake in his spine, satisfied as the darkness began to wane in front of its pressure.

Shadows flickered at the edges of the front yard, the resentment still engrained in the soil reacting to the objects on the altar. The problem with those objects was exactly that, Wei Wuxian hadn't taken enough time to study them, however, he knew by the way the air stilled around them that they were objects that could continue absorbing energy due to the circumstances they were acquired in. He couldn't risk ordinary cultivators coming into contact with them so he intensified his efforts, drawing on every ounce of his spiritual energy. 

Lan Wangji, who was outside the circle, automatically took a step forward, feeling the air become more energized. He began to play his guqin, the soothing notes adding another layer of protection to them. Wei Wuxian glanced at him, gratitude and something deeper reflected in his eyes.

The voices finally appeared then. Familiar voices and strange voices mixed in his head. They were trying to drown out the melodies of Lan Zhan and the other disciples' instruments. He hoped the barrier contained all of that within. The familiar voices told him everyone wasn't hearing from the same people. For him, it was the voice that appeared frequently in his nightmares when he was a child. The same voice spirits would taunt him with when they weren't up for peaceful release, there were days like that too. 

For him, it was Madam Yu. He wouldn't know but of Lan Qiren it was his brother’s and Lan Zhan’s was his mother's.

“Whatever it is, ignore it.” He lowered Chenqing for a brief moment, a firm voice resonating among the cultivators. He lifted the flute to his lips again quickly as the resentment pushed against him for that brief moment he let it go.

The faint red that took the place of his gray eyes glowed fiercely as he pushed against the vengeful energy that reached for him. He was aware of the blood that was slowly dripping from his nose, effort pulling him in just as much. Memories of spiritual weapons against the soft skin of his back and rabid dogs blurred his vision.

Wei Wuxian felt angry at what such intensity meant, Wen Ruohan's atrocities continued to surprise him, knowing that the man's stupidity was different than feeling it in his own skin. His Golden Core burned silently and powerfully within him as he played and resentment tried to stretch its hands toward him.

The pain of countless lives lost to violent deaths is strong enough to knock down someone less prepared. He hoped that whatever punishment Wen Ruohan would face after his death would be enough for him to never consider such cruelty again.

After what felt like an eternity, the dark energy started to slowly give in and dissipate. The screaming voices lost force and he could see relief appear on the faces of the surrounding cultivators. He could imagine what they were thinking, that something of this magnitude should never happen again. Wei Wuxian agreed with them on a very intimate level.

The same way the ritual started it ended. The front yard was bathed in the late morning light, and the oppressive darkness lifted. The objects on the altar had no pull to them anymore, the swords, though, still felt heavy to Wei Wuxian, like they would always carry that heaviness with them. Wei Wuxian would make sure they would be sealed and stored away for a long time.

He and Lan Zhan locked eyes at the same time he started to wipe the blood that covered his lips. The metallic taste in the back of his throat wasn't as unfamiliar as he'd like it to be.

“I'm okay.” Wei Wuxian muttered to Lan Zhan when he saw the other man start to walk in his direction.

As the familiar snake settled into his skin once more, his hands automatically went to his abdomen. His Golden Core was restless and he felt the weariness creeping into him, but nothing had changed inside him. He sighed in relief. He had no doubts that he would be able to deal with those objects, after all, resentment was resentment, and would go back to the same place after being dealt with, but he was still human.

"You have done well," Lan Qiren stepped forward, his stern expression softened with approval.

“So did you, Teacher Lan.” He conceded, placing his flute back on his belt, “Intriguing how musical cultivation works with it, right?”

Lan Qiren’s mouth twitched a bit, disapproving at the way Wei Wuxian seemed to beam at him. It seemed like his fascination with testing new things hadn't changed one bit.

“One should still be careful.” He said simply, “I will have myself checked by a healer. You both should do the same.” Lan Qiren finished, looking at him once more, his nephew finally approached as he began to walk away from Wei Wuxian and the altar.

Wei Wuxian watched as the Teacher walked away from them. He wondered if this was how he dealt with his mother's scheming, One hand with white knuckles from the effort as he held the rules that governed his sect and his life and the other reaching for the new that came from accepting? It was a shame all he could do was wonder.

Only then did those around them seem to understand that the ritual had been completed and the tension in the air started to dissipate. The Lan disciples remained seated, their distinguished instruments resting respectfully on their knees, relief was clear on their faces, but so was exhaustion.

Lan Xichen and the other leaders checked on them first, offering to call their respective healers if necessary. Wei Wuxian could tell that they were still uncertain. Those in golden robes took longer to approach, the usual hostility visible in their footsteps.

“Is Wei Ying doing well?” Lan Zhan spoke as he stopped at his side, guqin no longer visible.

"Little stubborn things, Lan Zhan! They had nothing on me though," Wei Wuxian said loudly, leaning towards him, his cheeks tinted with a soft red.

“I am glad. Wei Ying is very talented.” He smiled small and softly, his shoulders relaxing a bit.

“Thank you for your support, Lan Zhan. It wasn't as complicated because I knew you had my back,” he said back, his voice barely above a whisper now.

Lan Wangji's eyes softened, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips again. "Wei Ying can count on me," he replied, his voice equally soft. He raised his hand to hand Suibian to him, their fingers slightly brushing together.

Wei Wuxian was taken back again with his pure sincerity. The red in his cheeks became deeper. Part of him wanted to run through a portal and never be seen again and the other part wanted to hold Lan Zhan by the hand and take him with him.

“Say, Lan Zhan. Can this one request a private meeting with you in a few hours?” The words tumbled out of his lips before his brain could process what the plan was.

“Of course.”

“What an honor.” He said jokingly, smiling at him as nervousness chewed at his insides.

“I say the same.” 

“Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian whined, It was enormously difficult when he spoke like that, as if it were obvious and expected.

“I think you'd like to know they are all walking towards you now.* Lan Zhan said instead, “I believe all the disciples that needed assistance were moved inside.”

“Jin Guangshan included?” He asked before turning to the group that walked towards them.

“First in line.” 

“Maybe I should disappear now.”

“That would be more troublesome than if you stayed.”

“Troublesome sounds better than dealing with him.”

“I must agree.”

Wei Wuxian coughed to hide a laugh, straightening his posture to face the leaders, they weren't Lan Zhan after all. All they needed was an opening.

To his surprise, the sect leaders, though wary, finally acknowledged the efficacy of his plans. Even Jin Guangshan appeared to have decided to regroup before going after Wei Wuxian again. He was not bothered by him or his scheming but he'd keep an eye out for Laling's future. He would expect news soon enough.

"Your methods may be unorthodox, but for now, they have yielded results." Leader Yao stepped forward, a hint of begrudging acceptance in his voice.

“That was terrifying.” Nie Huaisang chimed in, his expression hidden away by his decorated paper fan, “It should certainly be taken into account, right, Da-ge?”

“There's no denying it. What we saw here today was proof enough that these objects should indeed be released.” Nie Mingjue's gaze shifted from repression towards Nie Huisang to 'I dare you to disagree' towards Jin Guangshan

Jin Guangshan looked at him like he was wishing he could serve the head of the man right there and then. Wei Wuxian didn't think he'd dare to speak, but he did it anyway.

“This is nothing but his duty as a rogue cultivator, isn't it?” He refused to look away first, “A user of the crooked path should do whatever is necessary to prove that they have not been completely corrupted and be at service when needed.”

Wei Wuxian would have to admit that the man's arrogance and stupid confidence were to be admired. Was he really suggesting he should accept to be used by the sects just to stay in their good grace? He leveled him with an unimpressed look, the man was trying too hard to hit a cord. 

“One should not take the other by guarantee.” Lan Zhan spoke before anyone else had the chance, “Leader Jin should know when to express gratitude when a favor is done for him.”

“Wangji.” Lan Xichen intervened mildly, his eyes pleading. He knew there were at least a handful of rules being broken by Jin Guangshan, but he also knew exactly what his younger brother was doing and it was not in favor of maintaining the good costumes.

“Do not dirty your name for someone like him, Hanguang-jun.” Jiang Cheng spoke for the first time, he had remained silent among the small group in purple robes that accompanied him.

“I've repeated myself enough so I'm not going to bother answering either of you.” Wei Wuxian touched Lan Zhan's forearm and stepped forward, a smile on his lips.

“Don't mind them, Brother Wei. They had to sit out and they aren't dealing well with that.”

“Huisang.” Leader Nie's deep voice scolded Huisang once more. If he had looked back he would have seen his head disciple fighting a smile and that would've annoyed him further since everyone inside his sect seemed to spoil his little brother rotten.

“What? They are not being reasonable.”

“And one would argue that's an important characteristic for a leader.”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian couldn't help but laugh this time, “Don't embarrass them like this.” 

“It is only the truth.”

“We are far gone if you're all impressed by his little act.” Jin Guangshan spat, red in the face with his anger.

“Father, please.” 

“Are you reprimanding me?” His badly disguised anger was now directed at Meng Yao.

“No, I'm just–” He took a step back unconsciously.

“Leader Jin.” Lan Xichen quickly intervened, his heart racing a little in his chest, “Today should be a day for celebration.”

Silence followed the sound of his voice and Sect Leader Ouyang thought to himself that mixing with the major sects like this wasn't doing his health any good.

“Heavens. Leader Lan is right. You don't have to thank me and to show my good faith, yet again, I'll refrain from partaking in the celebration.” Wei Wuxian waved his hands, it was a good way to escape them. He wanted a moment to meditate and clear his mind.

Eyes on him, he touched Lan Zhan's shoulder, a silent exchange asking him to find him later, and headed inside the Palace. 

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

And Lan Wangji did find him among the pillars of the main hall hours later. All the tension had left his shoulders and his sword was nowhere in sight. Wei Ying was back in his black robes, the long sleeves of his outer robe were also of a midnight blue adorned with wave paintings visible only when the fabric moved. His long black hair was loose and framed his face softly, with no intricate headpiece this time.

His breath caught in his throat, Wei Ying’s was stunning. He had yet to realize Lan Wangji was carefully observing him and the way his shoulders moved as he took a deep breath. 

One of his hands played absentmindedly with the tassel on his flute. Lan Wangji debated for a second whether or not he should go to him, the noise of the celebration behind him. It was long enough for Wei Ying to notice him and the smile he gave Lan Wangji would've knocked him out of his feet in another moment.

“Lan Zhan!” He exclaimed quickly walking towards him, “I was not sure I should mingle after all that so I couldn't find you!”

“You found me now.”

“You found me first didn't you, why not approach?”

“Wei Ying seemed to be deep in thought.”

“I would rather talk to you, Lan Zhan.”

There it was, the red at the tip of his ears again, Wei Wuxian smiled delightedly. His golden eyes didn't falter though, always locked with Wei Wuxian’s eyes.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian started again, his voice soft but tinged with a playful lilt. "Don't you believe me?"

"I do," He replied, his tone even, though there was a hint of warmth in his gaze.

"What if everyone is right about me and I'm here to eat your children and scheme against good morale?"

“Then Wei Ying  is not very good at planning.” 

Wei Wuxian chuckled, using Lan Zhan's arm for support, “Lan Zhan, do you think people know how funny you are?”

“It’s reserved to the few.” 

It was Wei Wuxian’s turn to be taken back. Would he have enough time to get used to the simplistic way in which he spoke to him?

“I feel privileged.”

A subtle lift of Lan Zhan's eyebrow was his only outward reaction, but Wei Wuxian caught the faintest hint of a smile.

“Are you feeling alright?” Lan Zhan asked him, conveniently changing the subject.

“Good as new.” He reassured him, “Meditation does wonders even if I don't like to sit still.” 

“It does. Helps the mind and the body greatly.” 

“It was. A-jie is always nagging me about it back home.” 

When the words “a-jie” and "home" escaped his lips, his heart skipped a beat. To bring the subject up was to be open to receive questions about it. He still didn't want to talk about the Wens like that but he wouldn't have the heart to lie to Lan Zhan either.

Lan Zhan probably saw the way panic briefly showed in his eyes because he didn't ask further, he simply nodded at him and asked him if he had eaten something instead.

Such empathy from him would have easily sent Wei Wuxian into panic again if he hadn't jumped at that opportunity to ramble on about the lack of spicy foods as if his life depended on it. 

“Have you tried the liqueur?” Lan Zhan surprised him when he spoke.

“Wouldn't they simply try to poison me, Lan Zhan?” He laughed at the disapproving look he received, red blushing his cheeks.

“I can arrange it for you.” 

“Hm..” Wei Wuxian blushed and tilted his head back as he studied him, looking for a way to keep Lan Zhan there. “I’m watching you, Lan Zhan. I don’t think you’re as innocent as you claim to be.”

“I have never once claimed that.”

Wei Wuxian’s laugh is completely genuine as he turns back around.

“Maybe not verbally.”

“I don’t know what that means.” Lan Zhan smothered his outer robe out of no real wrinkles, it was a habit he had, Wei Wuxian had noticed.

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan..” Wei Wuxian shook his index finger at him, a playful tone lacing his voice.

“Wei Ying is sidestepping the subject.”

Just like it had happened during the day, their private conversation was suddenly interrupted and he was saved from Lan Zhan’s intent by the arrival of a junior disciple from the Lan Sect, his expression anxious. 

"Hanguang-jun, there is an urgent matter that requires your attention."

"I must attend to this. Will you be alright?" Lan Zhan's expression clouded over as he turned to Wei Wuxian. 

"Don’t mind me, Lan Zhan, go handle your sect business. I'll be fine. I'll just take a walk and get some fresh air."

"Stay out of trouble." He chose to say, his playful tone for Wei Wuxian's ears only, his gaze lingered on Wei Ying.

"I promise to not eat any children." He raised three fingers as he laughed softly, his eyes warm.

As Lan Wangji followed the disciple out of the hall, Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to slip away from the hall. The air outside was cool and refreshing, a welcome contrast to the stuffy atmosphere of the hall. 

He pushed the imposing doors open, letting the fresh breeze touch him. The smell had started to completely clear out and the orange from the setting sun was soothing.

The last moments of sunset light spilled over them, night once again preparing to envelop these lands. It was calming, Wei Wuxian couldn't deny it. Not calm like Lotus Pier once was and not calm like his village was, but calm like the moment right after a violent storm. It was starting to wear on his nerves again.

Most of them were gathered in the main hall of the palace, tables full of food and drinks once again lined up with a walkway in the middle. And he knew it was customary to celebrate like this when the hard part was over but the fact the place still needed cleansing made the hair in his arms stand.

Wei Wuxian felt eyes on his back as he stood and walked toward the exit for fresh air. Lan Zhan had left his side for a few seconds, his sect needing his assistance once again. He was sure he had picked up something about forbidden books and musical cultivation from the disciple who came to fetch him. Maybe he could ask about it to Lan Zhan later.

“All the talking is a bit much, isn't it?” A woman in yellow robes with red details approached him, clearly part of the Jin sect. She was surely familiar.

“And I like loud.” He prompted, because he did but this was just a tad too uncomfortable for him.

“You don't remember me, do you?” She asked, a smile in her voice.

“Oh, have we met?” He really looked at her this time, “I'm sorry but nothing is coming to mind right now.”

“It has been years..” she conceded, “During the two nights before classes in Gusu. The Wen Sect was in the city as well. At one of the restaurants, the girlfriend of one of their heirs was looking for trouble and you helped us out.”

“MianMian!” His face lit up, a small laugh escaping his lips.

“That's me.” 

“So are you still Jin Zixuan's faithful squire?" He asked and she scratched her cheek lightly as she nodded. She knew his feelings towards her friend back in the day and she couldn't exactly blame him.

“I'm glad, then I can have hope someone is helping the peacock out and my sister is not left to do all the job alone.” 

“You have nothing to worry about, he won't let her step on the ground, so much passion does he feel for her. Back then he was just too dense.”

“He still feels particularly dense.” He muttered but the look she gave him made him raise his hands in surrender.

They fell into an easy conversation, Wei Wuxian drinking in every little piece of information he could about the life Jiang Yanli was living after so many years. He himself didn't offer many details about his life to her, keeping what really mattered unknown as it should be. 

"You've changed," Mianmian observed after a few moments of silence, her tone thoughtful. "There's a calmness about you now that wasn't there all those years ago."

"I have a good life." He shrugged, his smile a bit more subdued. He didn't know exactly how much she knew, but she was smart so she knew what he meant by that. Wei Wuxian was under the impression that everyone who had paid enough attention to his relationship with the Jiang Sect could understand what he meant by that.

"I'm glad." She nodded, her expression understanding.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. They turned to see Lan Wangji making his way towards them, his expression a mix of relief and mild exasperation.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian greeted with a grin. "Done with your sect matters?"

“Yes,” Lan Wangji nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at Wei Wuxian. “I see you've found good company."

"Just catching up. Someone had to tell me the gossip since you don't gossip, Lan Zhan." Wei Wuxian smiled sheepishly, gesturing to Mianmian

"Hanguang-jun, it's good to see you well." Mianmian bowed politely, her smile warm.

“Likewise.” He returned the bow, his expression courteous. 

The three of them stood together for a moment, the peacefulness of the twilight a good contrast to the event inside. Mianmian excused herself after a while, leaving Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji alone once more.

"She seems well," Lan Wangji observed, his tone thoughtful.

Wei Wuxian nodded, his eyes following Mianmian's retreating figure. "Yes, she does. It's good to see that she's thriving."

They returned inside, the silence between them comfortable and companionable. Wei Wuxian felt a sense of contentment settle over him, the presence of Lan Wangji a steady and reassuring constant.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

“Is everything alright?” Lan Zhan asked him softly. They had moved away from the celebrations once again, walking alone and slowly towards the Lan Sect's tents, specifically the tent where he was staying. He couldn't deny the growing curiosity he felt within himself as only their footsteps and the forest were the only ones responsible for the sounds around them, it was the quietest Wei Ying had been since his return.

“I requested a meeting earlier, didn't I, Lan Zhan?”

“You did.” He replied softly “Does Wei Ying desire to have it now?” 

“I have something to show you.” Wei Wuxian's voice resonated between them. His eyes wandered around the inside of the tent, but he refused to stop at Lan Zhan, standing beside him.

“Let's go inside.” Lan Zhan suggested, completing the distance between his tent and them. He pulled the fabric that was the door, inviting Wei Wuxian to enter silently. 

The interior of the tent looked like the outside of a Lan Sect accommodations would be. The soft, ambient light was provided by simply designed lanterns, their glow casting a warm light over the interior. Lan Zhan’s personal tent was meticulously organized to serve both as a living space and a meeting space if needed; he was the second heir of the sect after all. 

There was a small wooden table to the side with scrolls nearly arranged on top of it. To the right, a low, lacquered wooden platform served as a bed, covered with white bedding. A small chest at the foot of the bed probably contained personal belongings and spare robes.

The simplicity of it all was both proof of the hard war they had fought and the simplicity and commitment to non-ostentatiousness that the Lan sect had.

“You can show me anything.” Lan Zhan's confident tone sent a shiver down Wei Wuxian's back.

“I won't be mad if you change your mind.” Wei Wuxian turned his back to Lan Zhan, breath shaky.

“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan called, like his name started with love and devotion. 

“Just look at me, Lan Zhan.” He answered, his slander fingers undoing the front of his robes. He got the outer dark blue robe undone, and then the red undergarment. He took a deep breath, and let the clothes fall from his arms and get caught around his waist, secured by the sash.

All he heard from Lan Zhan was silence. Not even his breathing could be heard. He turned his head a little, just trying to gauge the reaction that might come from there.

What Lan Zhan was seeing was a scar that looked like ink carved into his skin. A blackened scar that resembled a snake if looked carefully at. Usually, Wei Wuxian, alone with himself, found it a little ironic. Of course, they had given him a scar that would have a resemblance to death. The dead had a sense of humor.

But in front of Lan Zhan, righteous and book text Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian could only think about how his body and his skin were carefully made by his parents and how honorable it was to preserve it in the form created by them.

“Can I touch it?” Lan Zhan's deep voice broke the silence.

“What?" Wei Wuxian's voice rose a few octaves, “Uh, yes, of course.”

Lan Zhan walked over to him, stopping in front of Wei Ying's back. He could see everything, every inch of him; the normal old scars and that black scar that covered his back. He lifted his hand, hesitating a bit before touching the lightly tanned skin. 

He saw it when his touch made Wei Ying shiver and tense up. The skin where the snake sat against his fingertips was soft like it had always made part of Wei Ying.

“It starts here.” Wei Wuxian said with a little uncertainty, Lan Zhan's touch making it difficult to concentrate. He raised his hand and placed his fingers where he knew the snake would start, at his shoulder blade, “It scatters just where my tailbone is.” 

“Was it painful?”

“They marked me up. When I first understood how to use their energy to my advantage.” Wei Wuxian started explaining before being prompted to do so, “It didn't hurt, exactly. It was like an itch or like getting too close to a flame. It came and it ended really fast.”

He didn't go into the detail that he spent days being pulled in different directions as if they wanted to see him break into different pieces. Nor about the hallucinations either. Maybe one day he would touch the subject. It was not today though.

“it can have a variety of meanings.” Lan Zhan finally said something that made Wei Wuxian want to hide inside himself. He was already walking the crooked path and now Lan Zhan knew he'd have that on his skin forever too.

“Sense of humor.” He answered back, tilting his head in a way that made his lashes cast soft shadows on his cheeks.

“It also means how hard you've fought, Wei Ying.” Those words came as if blown, gentle air touching the base of Wei Wuxian's neck. Lan Zhan had come even closer. Was he able to tell his mind was starting to spiral a little bit even if he couldn't see his face completely from there?

“Aren't you disgusted, Lan Zhan?” His voice was small and uncertain. 

“I could never feel disgusted by Wei Ying.” 

That knocked the breath out of Wei Wuxian's lungs.

“Lan Zhan, you don't know –”

“I know Wei Ying is good.”

At that Wei Wuxian finally turned to him, his bare chest rising and falling rapidly with his nervous breaths. They locked eyes, this close he could see every detail of Lan Zhan’s face, from the way the ribbon sat on his forehead to his golden eyes and the perfect shape of his lips.

This close, with Lan Zhan's warm breath touching his face, he couldn't ignore any of the thoughts about him that tried to dominate his mind, nor could he escape the desire to reach for all the small possibilities in between them.

“Wei Ying is good,” Lan said again, eyes firm but voice soft. His hands were gentle and barely touched his skin as he pulled the layers of the robe so that they rested on his shoulders.

“Lan Zhan.” He was pleading, softly. “I wanted you to know how deeply this is ingrained in me.” 

“This changes nothing.” He went on and Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, the sandalwood scent making it even harder for him to think. He was so close.

“Lan Zhan..” he started again, his name a plea on his lips, any other words caught in his throat, tangled in the mess it was all the thoughts inside his head. "I care so deeply about you, Lan Zhan."

"And I care for you, Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan’s eyes bore into his, deep and unwavering.“I have thought of you every day since you left. Even when I did not know if you were alive or dead, my heart remained with you.”

His heart missed another beat, the charged air around them making his skin shiver. What he had tried so hard to avoid thinking about was now there, open in front of him. The realization that Lan Zhan had thought of him during his absence was more than he had the capacity to fully comprehend at once.

Such gentle eyes waited patiently on him, his eyelids only fluttered slightly to close when Wei Wuxian’s own trembling hand reached up to gently touch his cheek. Wei Wuxian's heart pounded in his chest, each beat a reminder of the risk he was about to take. He took another step closer, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from Lan Zhan's body.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian's voice was barely above a whisper now, "There's something I've wanted to do... for a long time."

“What is it?" Lan Zhan's breath hitched, and he opened his eyes again.

Wei Wuxian hesitated, the weight of his feelings threatening to overwhelm him. But even he wanted, which he didn't, he had come too far to turn back now. He closed the distance between them, their lips brushing in a tentative, feather-light kiss. It was hesitant, a question as much as a declaration, each of them feeling their way through the novelty of The situation.

Wei Wuxian's hand fell from Lan Zhan’s cheek in favor of resting on his shoulder. It was the encouragement Lan Zhan needed, because he wrapped his hands around Wei Wuxian's waist, pulling towards him. 

When their tongues touched, Wei Wuxian knew a soft moan escaped his lips but he didn't feel embarrassed about it. Their bodies were pressed together with such force they could feel each other's muscles under all their layers upon layers of robes. So strong, so firm and so intense. 

At first, Lan Zhan tasted like something forbidden, bitter tea and danger, and then he tasted like it was right. Like he wasn't made for anything other than to fit in his arms 

When he deepens the kiss, pressing against Lan Zhan, he feels like he's about to explode, that his emotions are pushing the limit of his sanity, just like Lan Zhan who seems to no longer have his so well-curated control. He pulls him closer and Wei Wuxian complies. 

He felt like he would follow forever if Lan Zhan wants him to, consequences be damned.

Time seemed to stand still for them. Giving them grace as they poured their hearts into that kiss.

When they finally broke apart, their foreheads resting against each other, both of them were breathless, their hearts pounding in their ears like they had been underwater for far too long, and finally broke the superfície.

“Everything in my life has changed since we met so many years ago, but this, the desire to feel this remains the same, Lan Zhan..” Wei Wuxian murmured, lost in those golden eyes, so intense and so full of feelings, his hands coming to rest together with Lan Zhan's in the middle of them.

“Our hearts are the same.” Lan Wangji said wanting to convey that his feelings were reciprocated. Wei Ying smiled a precious smile at him, eyes glimmering in the low light of the tent.

Lan Wangji was aware that their situation was not simple and that whatever decision Wei Ying would make after this would be a life-altering decision and even he, so adamant about his own ways was ready to accept it in favor of having this one moment of showing Wei Ying that he was seen and so deeply cared for.

“Hanguang-Jun! Hanguang-Jun!” A hurried voice reached them, cutting through the silence. The fragile bubble that surrounded them was broken, bringing them back to reality.

“Yes?” Lan Zhan asked without breaking eye contact with Wei Wuxian as he tried to even his breathing. He was glad people were content with only interrupting them and not barging in places or they'd have a fun situation in their hands right now.

"Jin Guangshan has died!" The disciple said breathlessly.