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Chapter Text

Caiyi town, Gusu.

Lan Wangji walked listlessly through a crowded street. 

His complexion was gaunt, pale---almost bloodless. His steps were light, drifting silently against the current of passersby. His countenance coupled with his fluttering white robes, made him almost, appearing like a ghost. 

That connotation wasn't entirely wrong, perhaps.

After all, his life, Wei Ying, was nowhere to be found.

One of his hands was carrying an unconscious toddler wrapped in his outer robe, while the other one was carrying a jug of liquor, Tianzi Xiao. 

Faintly, the sound of people conversing from inside the tavern where he bought the liquor could still be heard;

"Rejoice! Wei WuXian has died!"

"That YiLing Laozu has died? Who's the Hero who could have killed him?"

"Who other than his shidi, Jiang Cheng, putting an end to his own relative for the greater good? Jiang Cheng led the Four Major Clans of YunmengJiang, LanlingJin, GusuLan, and QingheNie to destroy his den-Burial Mound."

"I must say, good riddance!"

"Well done, indeed! We finally eliminated this Scourge."

"That said, although Jiang Cheng was one of the main forces, he did not give Wei Wuxian the final blow. Because he cultivated the Ghost Path, Wei WuXian's powers had backfired and he was ripped to pieces."

"Hahahaha... That's karma! The ghost soldiers that he created are like unleashed dogs, biting everyone that they come across. It serves him right to be chewed to death!"

"But, if it weren't for Jiang Cheng making a plan,  aiming at Wei WuXian's weaknesses, the siege might not have succeeded. Should I remind you folks of the item that Wei WuXian possesses? Did you forget about the day that three thousand skilled cultivators were completely annihilated?"

"YinHuFu!"

Lan Wangji paused his steps. Fingers clutching tightly. Looking back at the crowds consisting of cultivators from various Sects, rogue cultivators, and mortals. 

It wasn't the first time Lan Wangji heard such a conversation. 

Less than one day since the successful siege in Burial Mound, the news of Wei Wuxian's downfall had already been spread far and wide across the cultivation world. 

From Gusu to Yiling, 

and back again from Yiling to Gusu, 

Lan Wangji had had enough of his share, listening to similar talks. 

Those people, every word they spilled, were like pins and needles being inserted into his heart. Over and over.

Every word reminded Lan Wangji,

...that he had failed to protect his beloved. 

...that Wei Ying was no longer in this world.

For a brief second, a bewitching voice whispered in his mind;

"The world is so big, yet it can't accommodate a single Wei Ying."

"What good it is, living in this kind of world...?"

"...Wouldn't it be better for you to destroy them, kill them, like how they pushed Wei Ying to the abyss of despair?"

"Lan Wangji, Shall the world be buried along with Wei Ying-,"

"...cold..."

It was not until the toddler in his arm let out a muffled whimper that Lan Wangji snapped back to reality. 

Looking down at the toddler, Wen Yuan, the only piece he could save of what's left of Wei Ying, Lan Wangji closed his eyes.

He hastened his pace, up to the mountain, to the Cloud Recesses he eventually still went back to.

Hejian, Qinghe.

Lan XiChen, "Mingjue-Xiong, I will have to stay at your place for the night. I am departing on the next morning, then meeting with Wangji."

Nie MingJue, "Where to?"

Lan XiChen, "To Jiangling"

Nie MingJue frowned, "Isn't Jiangling still in the hands of the Wen-dogs?"

Lan XiChen, "Not since a few days ago. Currently, it is in the hands of the YunmengJiang Sect."

A sect leader spoke, "Sect Leader Nie, I don't think you've heard yet. Yunmeng's sect Leader Jiang is quite powerful in the area."

Another person added, "How can he not be? Wei Wuxian alone can face millions, so who'd he be scared of? He can just sit in there controlling his area, unlike how we're always running for our lives. With such luck..."

Someone noticed that his words weren't in a good tone,

"Well, good thing that Zewu-Jun and Hanguang-Jun are helping everyone. Or else, I don't know how many sects and innocent commoners would fall into the hands of the Wen-dogs."

3 Months since the start of the Sunshot Campaign.

A week or so since Wei Wuxian rose from hell-on-earth, Burial Mound. 

A few days after Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu's death, and that fated meeting in the Supervisory Office, between Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Lan Wangji.

That night, at the battlefront in Qinghe, 

When the last Cultivator had just finished his words, regarding the latest situation of the Sunshot Campaign---suddenly the world became still.

It was as if the world had lost color for a moment, turning gray, before going back to normal in a blink of an eye

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds. 

4th-,

"This, what's going on? What the hell is happening...?"

The trembling voice from a Cultivator in the camp finally broke the eery silence. 

Once a person started, immediately after, as if a dam had been broken, thunderous voices; whispers, exclamations, even shrieks, were heard one after another. 

Regardless of the current reactions of the people present, there's something, no matter how unbelievable it was, but it was clear that apparently right now:

They were back in the past!

...They were, as incredulous as it sounded, but they had all been reborn, back in time, to the early days of Sunshot Campaign.

Just a breath before, they were still gathering in Jinlintai.

Chugging on good liquor, enjoying some troupes' dancing and singing performance, and savoring various Mountain and Sea delicacies---all while boasting and sharing the joy of victory against the Supreme Evil Venerable-Yiling Laozu.

So, who could tell them, why another breath later they suddenly opened their eyes and found themselves in this situation??

"Is this Yiling Laozu's? It must be his trick, right?" One of the cultivators started. 

"Is it his illusion? Damn that Wei Wuxian! As expected, he wouldn't just stay dead honestly!"

Another one couldn't help but chirped, "But, how? We have put the 20 Stone Beast, soul suppressing array, and even tried to mass summon his soul to put him down once and for all, if even after that he still..."

The Cultivator didn't finish his words, yet his alluded meaning had caused the remaining people to feel cold from the bottom of their hearts. 

Deep down inside there's indeed a deep-seated fear. How could that Wei Wuxian be so easy to kill? 

Yes. It was easy. The Siege in Burial Mound was laughably easy.

In the preparation prior, they need not do something. There were already YunmengJiang and LanlingJin who proposed and took the lead for the siege. 

Even when they arrived at Burial Mound, they needn't worry about them being blood bathed as they did in Nightless City before. After all, Sect Leader Jiang had cleverly chosen the time of the siege right after Yiling Laozu had just finished destroying the frightening YinHuFu. Aiming exactly when Wei Wuxian was at his weakest period, and when the man no longer had any dreadful weapon in his hand.

Entering Burial Mound was also rather easy, since the fierce corpses guarding the mountain foot apparently were ferocious to others but paid no heed to Sect Leader Jiang. With YunmengJiang and also LanlingJin leading to breach the barrier in front, the rest only need to follow behind. 

Fair enough, before Yiling Laozu played his infamous ChenQing for long, he had a backlash, torn apart by his ghost armies, leaving no scum behind.

After the Ghost Master died, then the remaining evil spirits were like headless chickens, ready to be exorcised and taken care of by the capable Lan Xiansheng-Lan Qiren from GusuLan, and the mighty ChifengZun-Nie Mingjue from QingheNie.

All that's left for the other Clans and Cultivators were killing those weak, women, and old folk---cough, those Wen-Dogs Army, and throwing them into the blood pool. 

That was it. 

For some people, it was almost like a walk in the park. 

How easy it was before, and how scared they were after, doubting the credibility of Wei Wuxian's death. So much uneasiness in their hearts that perhaps, every year they'd conduct soul summoning ceremony, without fail, even after 13 years had long passed.

At this time, currently, they immediately placed their hope on Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue who were present, hoping the 2 sect leaders would know something, or do anything. 

Lan Xichen, however, furrowed his eyebrows tightly. 

"Xichen?" Nie Mingjue looked at him, his gaze was similarly heavy. 

Both of them vaguely noticed. There was no trace or sign of all this being an illusion. 

If it was an illusion, then the clear-heart piece courtesy from Gusulan that Lan Xichen had immediately played just now, while it wouldn't stop the illusion, at least would make him aware of what's real and false.

But there's still nothing. No result. No response. 

Responding to Nie Mingjue's call earlier, was a wry smile from the Lan Sect Leader.

Nie Mingjue quickly made a decision, "For now, let's assess everyone's situation first!"

Lan Xichen nodded, before adding, "We have to check the situation outside as well, and the people who aren't here."

In this way, the panicking Cultivators in Hejian were temporarily appeased. 

Meanwhile, somewhere in the outskirt,  at the junction between Jiangling and the Northern region, under QishanWen Sect.

"---ould I do with them?"

A female ghost in red was talking to a young man in the middle of the night. 

The young man obviously had handsome features, yet the pale complexion and cold expression on his face made him appear to be more intimidating instead. 

Finding that the young man hadn't responded to her inquiry immediately, the female ghost called him again, "Gongzi? Do you hear me? Wei Gongzi?"

The young man, Wei Wuxian, had his gaze spaced out for a while. 

A few seconds later, when clarity seemed to be returning to his eyes, he heard the calling from the female ghost beside him. 

Blinking his eyes several times, he called her in return, slowly enunciating her name, "...Hong-Yi?"

---his voice hoarse, from lack of sleep and staying awake all night long. 

Hongyi, the female ghost, slithered closer to him. Her sharp, bloody red nails---tugged at his black robe, surprisingly gently. "Gongzi, I was asking you, what should this one do next with our new companions?"

At this time, Wei Wuxian had already started to take a look at his current situation. 

He was, currently, in a Burial complex. 

Rows after rows of graves were opened, and corpses were dug out---or now they were fierce corpses, standing obediently before him, growling quietly, waiting for his command. 

This was Sunshot Campaign. 

Back in those days when Wei Wuxian was still in his nightly adventures in the war, digging the graves. 

QishanWen ancestral graves to be exact. 

He wanted to wake their beloved ancestors from their sweet dream, and made those dead ancestors take a good look at what had become of their descendants;

'Look at what atrocity your good descendants have committed. See what kind of chaos and bloodbath your good descendants have caused.'

'People said, it's parents' and teachers' responsibility to teach their children and disciples a lesson when they're straying from the right path. Now, I shall wake up these very ancestors of yours, and let them teach you, QishanWen, a lesson of your own actions!'

...But that was a past long gone. 

Wei Wuxian, no, Yiling Laozu, who could still remember freshly the lingering feeling of his death in the past-future, the taste of his body being torn apart by 10,000 ghosts due to the backlash of his cultivation, 

---looking at these rows of fierce corpses, his heart was dull. 

Between Good and Evil, 

Foes or Friends, 

Wei Wuxian no longer knew anymore, the boundary between those concepts to him had long since blurred. 

___It's long since blurred, from the moment the Cultivation World had torn down the bridges after crossing, shunned him out like a plague after using him enough in the war. 

___Ever since the people who were supposed to be his former enemies, the Wen Clan, actually became like a close family during his days in Burial Mound instead.

___And eventually later, when his previous Ally of Justice, the Cultivation World, framed him, drove him into despair, and killed the people he wanted to protect...

But for this moment, what's clear was, he did not need these fierce corpses. 

He lifted ChenQing to his lip, guiding the fierce corpses in front of him. 

One by one the fierce corpses turned their body, and jumped back down to the still-opened graves. Oh, and they didn't forget to help each other to push the dirt mound beside their graves back covering their comrades' coffins.

The last fierce corpse who jumped down to the coffin didn't have anyone to cover the dirt back, so he looked at Wei Wuxian pitifully. 

"Hongyi, help return the dirt to the pit."

The last fierce corpse was satisfied, laying back and pulling his own coffin closed. 

After the last fierce corpse laid back down in the pit, Wei Wuxian changed the melody of ChenQing, from commanding the dead to playing "Rest". 

Hongyi numbly, using her well-manicured nails, clawed the soil back to the last opened grave. 

She raised her head, looking at Wei Wuxian. "Forgive Hongyi for her insolence, but, Gongzi, you...?" Her words trailed in the end, unable to utter her bewilderment.

Wei Wuxian never knew that a vicious ghost could actually make a dumbfounded expression. 

Yet right now, the look on Hongyi's ghastly face was almost comical.

She couldn't believe her eyes, looking at the fierce corpses her Master had spent hours, yes HOURS, to dig out and raise---only for her Master to send them back down to the pit!

"Gongzi, you, you wouldn't be digging graves at night---just to make a roll call, would you...?"

"Pfft! A roll call? Hahahahaha." Wei Wuxian bent down, clutching his stomach, and laughed out loud. 

Hongyi on the other hand was helpless. 

Her Master was actually laughing for a few minutes straight. 

Somehow the female ghost wondered, what's so funny about her words earlier?

For Wei Wuxian, the laughter that he let out just now was more than just feeling funny at Hongyi's words.

It's more like him, deliberately venting out his emotion. Brushing away the haze from coming back to life after such a horrible death.

The young adult in a teenager's body eventually shook his head lightly. Smiling, and patting her head briefly, he said, "Forget it. I just suddenly remember, I have a more urgent thing to do. Let us go, Hongyi."

"...Hongyi listens to Gongzi."

Yunmeng, Lotus Pier.

"A-Jie! A-Jie!"

Jiang Cheng, red-eyed, stormed in a rush to the pavilion where his sister's boudoir was located in their just-regained back-Lotus Pier.

There, just coming out from her chamber, hair down-the style used for unmarried girls---was his sister, Jiang Yanli.

Disregarding all propriety, Jiang Cheng threw himself into his sister's embrace. "Jie!"

Her body was warm. Alive. There's no bloody hole in her throat. Tears couldn't help but stream down Jiang Cheng's face. 

Jiang Yanli freed her hands with difficulty from the tight embrace her brother had suddenly given her. She raised her hand and touched the side of his face. Hesitantly she said, "A-Cheng, you, are you also..." 

"What's the matter, Jie? I am, what..." He paused.

Jiang Cheng loosened his grip, looking at his sister's face. Finding the complicated gaze in her eyes, he realized: His sister had also been reborn!

"Jie, you...? Do you, after, after that, Nightless City..." He swallowed his saliva unable to continue.

Jiang Yanli nodded and directly said, "Yes. I died, and for some reason the next time my consciousness returns, I'm here."

She suddenly pushed Jiang Cheng aside, looked around, and asked anxiously, "A-Xian? Where is he? A-Cheng, A-Xian what about him?"

The expression on Jiang Cheng's face contorted into a mix of resentment and fury.

With a low voice, he replied gloomily, "So what about him? Why are you still asking about him, Jie?" 

He was ready to lash out, to vent and berate Wei Wuxian. It was all because of him. Not only had his sister lost a husband, but even she herself died after, leaving only a parentless 1 month old-Jin Ling behind!

If it weren't for Wei Wuxian, insisting on saving those Wen-Dogs, would any of those tragedies happen? Would Jin Zixuan die in Wen Ning's hand? Would his sister die in Nightless City? 

Whether they'd meet a dead end or not, clearly, it has nothing to do with them. Wei Wuxian should have listened to him. He should have handed over those Wen-Dogs to LanlingJin instead of trying to be a Hero.

So what if the Wen Sibling saved them, healed their injuries, and hid them from Wen Chao's pursuit before? 

So what if Wen Ning helped them to take back his parents' bodies and gave them a proper cremation for their ashes to be put in their Ancestral Hall later? So what?!

However, in the next second, as if something clicked in his mind, the distorted expression on Jiang Cheng's face changed drastically. The corner of his mouth lifted upward in a strange smile. 

He was reborn. His older sister was also reborn back. 

And Wei Wuxian, that person must have been reborn as well!

'Very Good. Well well well, Wei-Wu-Xian.'

'---This time, I must drag you back to kneel on my parent's tablet and confess what kind of mess your heroic disease had put A-Jie into!'

Still on the same night, at the outskirt of Jiangling.

Wei Wuxian fluttered noiselessly, hiding within the shadow and darkness, closing into the nearby small town. 

He was about to enter one of the still brightly lit Taverns, when a flurry of white suddenly dropped in front of him. 

"Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian helped his forehead speechlessly. 

'Just how come, even after being reborn, how come my luck is still so bad?'

Why was it that the first person he encountered after rebirth had to be Lan Wangji!? The one and only person who had relentlessly chased him, wanting to drag him to the Cloud Recesses, and rehabilitate the old and confused-Laozu back to the right path.

Heaving a heavy breath, as he wasn't in the mood to quarrel right now, Wei Wuxian coldly greeted him, "Hanguang-Jun."

He hurriedly continued before Lan Wangji had the chance to speak,

"Listen! Right now I don't have time to, uh...you...?" The Yiling Laozu who was ready to fight like his tail was stepped on, suddenly flattered like a deflated porcupine.

"Lan Zhan? You, what happened with you?"

He had yet to take a good look at the other man before, so when he finally paid attention to Lan Wangji just now, he couldn't help but forget all of the prepared rhetoric he initially wanted to say.

Just like in the past, when he saw the red-eyed Lan Wangji punching a tree in Baifeng Mountain, the first reaction Wei Wuxian had upon noticing Lan Wangji's current embarrassed and disheveled appearance was---fussing over his well-being.

Without thinking further, Wei Wuxian approached the young Hanguang-Jun, closing the distance between them in two or three large strides. "What's the matter with you? Why are you covered in mud? Did you get ambushed on the way here? Did you get injured? Let me take a look."

When later Wei Wuxian remembered that Lan Wangji was supposed to dislike close contact, it was already too late. He was already clasping Lan Wangji's wrist in his palm. 

That being said, strangely enough, Lan Wangji didn't refuse his touch. While he did feel the other man's body tense slightly, but he didn't fling his hand away either, letting Wei Wuxian carefully check on his pulse. 

After a while, frowning, Wei Wuxian looked up, catching Lan Wangji's eyes, that apparently had been staring at his face, for who knew how long. 

"There isn't any injury." He said, letting go of Lan Wangji's wrist.

To his surprise, it was Lan Wangji who backhandedly clasped his palm back. 

His gaze moved downward, looking at their entwined fingers, he hummed softly in response, "Mnn."

"So, what happened with you? Why are you---,"

Wei Wuxian tried to pull his hand back, however, again, his movement was halted midway, as he finally noticed the mud not only staining Lan Wangji's pristine white robes, but upon closer look, his jade-like face was also caked in mud!

"---Just what in the world happened? Lan Zhan?"

"I fell." 

"Huh? Did you fall? As in, falling from your sword?"

"Yes." Lan Wangji calmly explained, "Below me was a muddy rice field."

Wei Wuxian, "..."

The image of the peerless Hanguang-Jun diving face-first into the muddy rice field...was a bit too much to imagine. 

"Lan Zhan, oh, you..." The corner of Wei Wuxian's mouth twitched, he couldn't decide whether to laugh at his blunder or sympathize with his bad luck. 

However, a realization struck him. 

For a Cultivator of Lan Wangji's caliber, falling from a sword like an amateur was impossible. Unless, something else happened, something that could've disturbed his control over his spiritual energy or his sword. 

And yet, judging from the absence of injuries on his body, the disturbance shouldn't have come from an external factor. 

Wei Wuxian thought back to his own situation not long ago. Right before the moment of his rebirth, a blank moment seemed to be there for a brief second. 

His eyes narrowed. 

"Hanguang-Jun, will you let go of this Yiling Laozu's hand? Could it be, you're here to catch me? Are you going to restrain me and bring me back to be trialed?"

As expected.

Lan Wangji's pupils were dilated and his whole body was shaken. His hold on Wei Wuxian's hand inevitably fell off.

"Wei Ying! You...?" 

"Me? What's the matter with me? Why? Are you surprised? Honestly, I must say I'm surprised as well, Hanguang-Jun. To think that my poor ghost didn't go back alone,  fair enough, there's no way a good thing like a rebirth to be hoarded solely by myself."

Wei Wuxian smiled, putting a distance between the two of them. "Now, it's inauspicious to shed blood on a lucky day like this, I suppose. Let us both turn away, and pretend we don't see each other tonight, shall we?"

'Pretend not to see each other?'

'Turning his back away from this person??'

Lan Wangji's mind went blank.

The last time he had turned his back to Wei Ying, and instead of staying with him he had gone back to receive his punishment---the next time he heard was Wei Ying's death. 

"---ssible." 

Wei Wuxian, "Hmm?'

"It is impossible."

Wei Wuxian frowned in displeasure. "I said, Lan Wangji, why are you so stubborn? I've died once, is it not enough yet? Why can't you, even for the sake of our past relationship as old classmates, let me go for tonight? If you all want to besiege me for the second time, I don't mind, go and come kill me once again! But tonight, there's something I have to do first---, you! Lan Zhan what are you doing?!"

For the umpteenth time, Wei Wuxian had to cut his words midway, because Lan Wangji in front of him had suddenly dropped to his knees. 

The man, as if begging for amnesty, repeated the words over and over with a desperate look on his face, "Don't go, Wei Ying. Don't leave..."

Lan Wangji was obviously distraught. It was clear that his emotional state was anything but calm.

Wei Wuxian, "..."

'If I'm not mistaken, it was me who died terribly and in a despairing situation, right? So why did it look like Lan Zhan who was deeply traumatized instead??'

Actually, it was inevitable for Lan Wangji to be in this condition.

After all, for him, it was just yesterday that his heart had been forcibly gouged out from his chest, the moment he heard of Wei Ying's passing. 

It was just 3 months ago that he had almost faced death after the last 33rd discipline whip landed on his back.

He had no time yet to properly set his life back. There's not yet the 13 years of proper mourning and self-reflection. 

Lan Wangji, at this time, the wound in his heart, mind, and soul was still freshly opened. 

During this period, Lan Wangji wouldn't hesitate to kneel and kowtow to any kind of God or Deity, praying to get his beloved back to him. Not to mention, begging directly to the said beloved.

Good for him, because showing vulnerability was the correct move.

At the end of the day, when it came to Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian had always been soft-hearted, unable to get really angry and heartless toward him.

Just look back at their younger days, even if the other person had never given him any face, but he never held a grudge about it. Or even in the past Sunshot Campaign, despite how many times he had lost his temper to Lan Wangji, yet the next time they met, Wei Wuxian would still be able to throw flowers at him. 

Tonight as well, Wei Wuxian ended up relenting. 

"Fine. Fine. I won't go, I won't leave, okay? Now, get up quickly." Walking back to Lan Wangji's position, Wei Wuxian tried to pull him up, while muttering,  "Seriously, Lan Zhan, why are you like this? What's wrong with you?" 

Standing straight once again, Lan Wangji spoke, "Wei Ying, I..."

"What now?" Wei Wuxian replied offhandedly. 

Seizing Lan Wangji up and down, he shook his head, and said, "Forget it, Lan Zhan. Let's go find an Inn first. You're like this, if you were seen by others, won't you be reported to your Uncle for not being elegant?"

Lan Wangji's opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something. But the words he wanted to say remained stuck in his throat. In the end, he merely nodded, agreeing to Wei Wuxian's offer.

Later, as if afraid Wei Wuxian would leave when he didn't catch his response, Lan Wangji said, "Alright. Let's find an Inn."

He didn't stop at that, and emphasized once again, "Together."

---causing Wei Wuxian who was walking in front to almost trip himself.

'Just what the hell happens with Lan Zhan?! If it weren't for my confidence for I'll find any sign of possession, I think this Lan Zhan must have been possessed!'

'...Or could it be, the sequela of rebirth? His brain circuit hasn't been set back properly?'

Oh well.

Chapter Text

Jiangling.

It was past midnight. A middle-aged man with a pot belly was cracking on roasted pine nuts as he read his spring book collection with relish. Just right when it came to the good part; when the runaway princess was about to repay the Hero's kindness with her purity---the door of the inn opened with a bang.

"Oh, shit#$$%^&*jgs! Fuckkk! Who dares to ruin Laozi's moment—" The middle-aged man automatically cursed with foul language as he lifted his eyes from his treasure book to the entrance.

However, upon looking at the 2 people striding to the inn counter, 2 exceedingly tall young men both with exquisite facial features unique to aristocratic clans—his previous irritation disappeared instantly as brisk as summer rain. Replacing his scowl earlier was a flattering smile on his face as he stood up and greeted them,

"—Welcome, welcome, esteemed Guest! Please, how many rooms do you want?" 

The young man with err...muddy robes (?) though, as muddy as it was the quality of the clothes itself was no joke—tensed visibly as he heard the middle-aged man's question. His eyes inadvertently fluttered to the person in front of him. 

The other young man in black, however, took out a silver coin from his sleeve and put it on the counter. "Just 1 room and bath water, please. Oh, and send your best liquor to the room as well." He added later with a smirk.

"Absolutely! Please wait for a while, Gongzi!" The Inn owner gave him a wide grin.

He shouted a short instruction to the Xiao-er in the kitchen to boil bath water, and after receiving another incoherent cry as a reply, he politely invited the 2 guests, "Now, please two Gongzi, I'll escort you to the room."

Somehow, the Inn owner saw the muddy-robed young man look relieved as his black-robed companion said and paid the order.

'Oh, perhaps he doesn't have money and was relieved that his friend paid the rent for him.' The Inn owner idly thought as he showed them the way.

The two late-night guests, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, settled down in their room. 

Before leaving, the Inn owner asked them, "Aside from bath water and our best liquor, do you need anything else, Gongzi?"

Wei Wuxian glanced at Lan Wangji. "Lan Zhan, are you hungry? Want me to treat you to a meal?" He smiled slightly at the end of his words.

Instead of answering, Lan Wangji asked him back, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"

"I just want to drink." Wei Wuxian shook his head.

He didn't remember if he at this period had the habit of having his supper before venturing at night, nonetheless, his stomach didn't feel like it need any food supply anytime soon. Having said that, his head definitely, needed some liquor to soothe.

After hearing his answer, Lan Wangji looked back at the Inn Owner and politely thanked him. 

The two of them later sat down, facing each other across the low table in the middle of the room. 

Lan Wangji suddenly opened his mouth and spoke, "Have you noticed it?"

"What should I notice?" Wei Wuxian replied calmly.

"Our cultivation." Lan Wangji said. "It remained the same."

Wei Wuxian didn't look surprised at all. "You mean, your cultivation doesn't get reverted to when you're 18, but still the same as several years later?" 

Not long ago, when he was checking Lan Wangji's pulse for injuries, Wei Wuxian did notice that his cultivation was much higher than what Wei Wuxian remembered the young Hanguang-Jun should have. 

"Mnn."  Lan Wangji nodded, confirming his words.

"Well, do you think it's a good thing? Or do you think something might be amiss?"

Upon Wei Wuxian's question, Lan Wangji didn't need to think twice before answering, "It is a good thing."

His cultivation base that made him able to protect Wei Ying and injured the 33 elders who wanted to forcibly take him away—His cultivation base that was able to withstand the inhumane punishment of 33 discipline whips without dying—Now, in the far past, it was reassuring to have it retained. He could better protect his sweetheart this way.

Afterward, he carefully asked, "You...How about you?"

The corner of Wei Wuxian's lip curled upward. "What do you think?" He twirled ChenQing playfully in his palm, evoking a frown on Lan Wangji's face. "Want to try me out?"

"Wei Ying..." The other man's voice trembled.

"Don't give me that face, Hanguang-Jun. Please be at ease, I'm joking." He waved his hand. "Though, to answer your question, of course, mine as well." Wei Wuxian smiled at last. 

Honestly speaking, Wei Wuxian didn't lie. 

After all, so long as his soul was still the same, his Cultivation would still be the same, no matter what body he used, whether it's his 18 years-old body or 22 years-old one. Even in the case he used other people's body who hadn't cultivated, hadn't learned how to inedia and could even die from hunger—his cultivation would still be as strong as the last time he had, as long as his soul was the same. 

Putting aside how his own Cultivation worked out, it's indeed intriguing, for Lan Wangji to retain his cultivation base. After all, Spiritual Cultivators strengthen their core and enhanced their body, rather than their soul. So, when their body was changed, all the years of hard work to strengthen their Golden Core should also go back to the starting point. 

Yet, Lan Wangji's cultivation base remained the same.

As peculiar as it seemed, however, the phenomenon of rebirth itself was already too surreal. So, what could be more surprising? 

Nevertheless, fearing that Lan Wangji would ask things he might be unable to answer regarding their "spiritual cultivation", Wei Wuxian quickly changed the topic at hand,

"By the way, Lan Zhan, do you really not want to eat? I swear this time, I won't run away before paying! I have quite a lot of money on my own," Wei Wuxian shook his sleeve lightly. "You won't be the one to pay as I made you do in Yiling before." He joked. 

At this time, Wei WuXian (Wei With-no-Envy) hadn't officially become Wei WuQian (Wei With-no-Money).

It wasn't long after he regained Jiangling. The conquered Wen Supervisory Offices naturally wouldn't be just left alone after their Cultivators were wiped out. All the precious things (artifacts, weaponry, money, and other treasures) would be taken as spoils of war, for the conqueror. Otherwise, would they let those treasures be taken by petty thieves instead? Or worse, taken back by QishanWen to further "fund" their own war? Clearly, that's impossible.

Lan Wangji, on the other hand, lowered his eyes, remembering that day when he had met Wei Wuxian, the last time he met him being fine and well, in Yiling. 

His voice was soft as he replied, "Tomorrow."

"Huh?"

Lan Wangji looked up. "Treat me to a meal. Tomorrow." 

Wei Wuxian, "...." So you mean to say it's not only tonight, but even tomorrow you still won't let me go? 

Oh well.

A debt must be repaid. Kindness must be reciprocated. A drop of water better be returned with a gushing spring. 1 day husband-and-wife A hundred days of grace. Therefore 1 meals must be returned by A hundred meals!

"Fine! Tell me what you want to eat later, I shall pay for your meals in another 100 days!"

Lan Wangji's eyes crinkled in mirth and he said, "Mark your words."

Unfortunately, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. 

Wei Wuxian stood up, and opened the door wide, allowing the young Inn worker to carry several wooden buckets, filled with both hot and cold water inside. Soon, the wooden barrel behind the privacy screen was filled and ready for use. 

After the Inn worker sent both their bath water and liquors, Wei Wuxian walked back to sit at the low table, opening his first jar of liquor.

Noticing that Lan Wangji was still sitting in front of him, he raised an eyebrow.

"Lan Zhan, the bath is ready. Go wash and change your clothes. What are you waiting for?"

Lan Wangji, "You...,"

"Hmmm?" Wei Wuxian sniffed the opened jar, appreciating the mellow scent of rice wine. "What about me? What? Do you want to drink first with me before taking a bath?" 

Lan Wangji's breath hitched. "No, I...,"

"Hahaha. I was joking. Of course, I know what you want to say, drinking is forbidden, right?" Wei Wuxian laughed. "Don't worry, I won't force you to drink with me. Just hurry up and wash yourself. The mud from rice fields will be difficult to clean after it dried up."

Lan Wangji, "..." I have not said anything yet!

However, after considering his current disheveled and mud-covered appearance, Lan Wangji finally chose to take a bath first.

Whether he'd like to drink with Wei Ying or talk with Wei Ying, he could do it later, when his body had been washed clean and he'd be back as the pretty and fragrant Hanguang-Jun!

Wei Wuxian tilted his neck, allowing the liquid from the round earthen jar to be directly poured into his throat and gulped down.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that hit the right spot!" He hissed with satisfaction as he slammed the jar on the low table. 

"By the way, Lan Zhan, if you keep peeking at me every 3 seconds, I won't help you if the mud dried on your skin the longer you don't quickly wash it clean." 

Lan Wangji paused his movement. His hands were disrobing his current attire, but his eyes were indeed stuck to the other person in the room. 

Wei Wuxian looked at him, and asked, "Are you that afraid I'll leave once you divert your gaze from me?"

There was no answer from the other man, but a muffled hum and Lan Wangji's downcasted look was more than any reply. 

Wei Wuxian's thoughts were spiraling wildly in his mind. Naturally, he still hadn't forgotten how "weird" Hanguang-Jun had become due to...the sequela of rebirth? They hadn't talked properly about why he had such an anguished expression before, and of course, the abrupt knee-dropping Lan Wangji had done.

As he caressed his chin during his brief mulling, Wei Wuxian finally smiled.

"Okay! Then, how about I play some songs for you?" He waved ChenQing at him, and said, "You'll hear me playing my flute, so you'll know I'm still here, right?" 

Lan Wangji didn't immediately reply but stared at ChenQing in his hand with an indescribable look in his eyes. 

Catching Lan Wangji's reaction, Wei Wuxian was instead reminded that the other person seemed to dislike ChenQing, as he appeared like he was about to destroy this flute back then in Nightless City. 

The smile on Wei Wuxian's face faded. The good mood that he felt just now began to drop. 

However, perhaps the change of his emotion was too apparent, because Lan Wangji quickly spoke up, "Play it!"

Before Wei Wuxian said something else, he firmly elucidated, "I want to hear it. I want to hear you play ChenQing...for me." 

There was a short silence.

Wei Wuxian cast a deep look at him, catching his stare directly, as if he was searching for something, something in his gaze---just like back then when they met in Yiling, Wei Wuxian wanted to find if the look in Lan Wangji's eyes had changed similar to how others looked at him. 

It did change. 

Though, not to the way how others looked at the abominable-Yiling Laozu, but to something else. Something Wei Wuxian was unable to name. 

Heaving a sigh, Wei Wuxian eventually lifted ChenQing to his lip, muttering, "...As you wish then." 

—much to Lan Wangji's relief.

Soon, the atmosphere in the room returned to the previous tranquil. 

Lan Wangji was finally able to soak and wash his body calmly in the tub. Meanwhile, beyond the privacy screen, Wei Wuxian was blowing his flute lightly, playing some kind of popular folk songs. 

The tunes he blew started soft and light. The songs he chose to play was the ones from Jiangnan, with lingering and delicate tone. 

There were a lot of Jiangnan songs he knew and could play. Some of them were songs he had played to the maidens to make them happy, or it was those maidens who had taught him other new songs during their chats instead. 

After some songs were played, when he was searching in his memory for the next song, a familiar tune somehow came out. 

He had yet finished playing the 1st verse, but a sharp intake of breath and splashes of water was abruptly heard from the other part of the screen.

Therefore, after finishing the entire song, he called out, "Lan Zhan?"

"...Um."

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. You...," Lan Wangji paused. "Continue." He sighed almost inaudibly.

Wei Wuxian was about to lift his flute to his lip and continue to play, but suddenly stopped, and asked, "What? Are you familiar with the song I just played?"

"...Yes." Lan Wangji replied, somewhat nervous.

"Fair enough. Considering the style of its rhythm, that song is probably from Gusu, right? I seemed to hear it somewhere, I don't remember where. I just remember the tone. How about you, Lan Zhan?" 

"You? You don't remember...?" Lan Wangji faltered.

Afterward, huffing rather loudly, sounding like he was sulking—something Wei Wuxian didn't expect Lan Wangji could actually do—he said, "Your memory is really bad."

—and successfully leaving Wei Wuxian speechless.

"Well...I'm sorry for having a bad memory. What do you expect anyway? I have just been reborn not even a few hours ago, just like you, Hanguang-Jun. Maybe my head has yet been set back properly as well." He replied with nonsense. 

After that brief intervention, the owner of the flute seemed to grow excited, as the tunes later changed, into more and more-merrier, higher in tone, and louder in sound. 

Until----

Dong Dong Dong!

"FUCK!! Where is the Idiot who plays the flute in the middle of the night!? You don't sleep well at night, but want to wake up the whole street with your flute? Are you a lunatic?!"

Lan Wangji, "..."

The Idiot-Wei Wuxian, "......"

Of course.

If you play a flute late at night you're practically provoking your neighbors to smash your door! 

After spending years of playing ChenQing at night without being scolded (in the war and at Burial Mound), Wei Wuxian's sense of "normalcy" had been unknowingly skewed!

But it seemed like even Hanguang-Jun had also forgotten any "common sense" as well.

"...Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji called him tentatively from behind the screen. 

"Hmm?" 

When he got a reply from the other occupant in the room, Lan Wangji breathed out a sigh quietly. He hastened his pace of washing the mud off his body. 

The Inn room reverted into an awkward silence.

After getting a series of scolds previously, Wei Wuxian had to come out, bowing and apologizing several times to the angry "neighbors". As the last angry auntie shut her window back with a slam from the opposite of the street, Wei Wuxian finally was able to go back to the room.

He had to put down ChenQing and relieved it from its duty. Currently, he was chugging on his second jar of liquor. 

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji called him once again.

"Why? What are you calling me for this time? Want me to play the flute again?" Wei Wuxian answered as he drank the rice wine.

Putting the second jar on the table, he began to complain, "No good, Lan Zhan. You know, which reborn people have shitty luck like me? I have just been reborn, and I have to be scolded by angry uncles and aunties in the middle of the night. You see, how miserable my luck is? I play the flute for you, bear the scoldings for you, coax those uncles and aunties for you. Hanguang-Jun, don't you think you have to take responsibility for dragging me into this?"

Obviously the one who offered to play the flute at first was Wei Wuxian, but in his words, it was Lan Wangji who forced him to do so. 

Even then, Lan Wangji didn't say anything and agreed with him instead. "Mnn."

"Um? What umm?"

Lan Wangji explained, "Yes. I will be responsible."

"Of course, you will!" Wei Wuxian was finally satisfied and smiled happily.

Perhaps, the liquor in this inn was well-brewed. Or perhaps the tension in his muscles had loosened —a tension that Wei Wuxian himself hadn't noticed being there since the moment of his rebirth—anyhow, Wei Wuxian wasn't at the slightest bit angry right now, to be honest.

On the contrary, the angry scolding from those uncles and aunts somehow made him happy instead.

After all, those uncles and aunties scolded him as another human being...

...not as a "scourge-incarnate" as he had received prior to his death in the past-future.

Hejian, Qinghe.

Looking back on what happened earlier;

After the panicking cultivators in Hejian were temporarily appeased, they immediately assessed the current situation at hand. They had scoured the entire town, noticing that the people around, and the environment they were in, couldn't be more than real.

As incredible as it sounds, there left only 1 truth: every cultivator here was reborn and retained their previous past-future memory.

Everyone. Both the Cultivators who died before the war ended, and also the Cultivators who were still alive after their "righteous siege against Yiling Laozu". Naturally, this was a pleasant surprise. After all, there were quite a lot of people who had lost their beloved during the war and during the blood bath in Nightless City. 

For example, just look at a 16 or 17-year-old disciple who was crying tears and snots, hugging his elder brother. 

"DaGeeeeeee, wohooooooo, DaGeee! You don't know how sad I am when that Wei Wuxian shot that arrow and killed you, wohooooooo~"

"There, there. Am I not here, now? God bless us brothers, so we can reunite again." Said the older brother.

These were the pair of cultivators who tried to kill Wei Wuxian in Nightless City but were killed back instead.

The older brother was the one who, when Wei Wuxian was still talking, had shot the arrow to his heart. Though, his archery was so bad that he missed his target. Wei Wuxian had returned his arrow back by throwing it right to his own heart.

While the younger brother was the one, who wanted to avenge his brother's "unjust death", by killing Wei Wuxian who had commanded his fierce corpses to stop under Jiang Yanli's plea. Unfortunately, he killed Jiang Yanli instead, and later was also "killed unjustly" by Wei Wuxian who had broken his neck with a hand grip.

Considering their "unjust deaths", it was impossible not to feel elated, knowing they were given a chance to live again.

At first, the Cultivators in Hejian thought it was an illusion attack from Yiling Laozu, however, they later discovered it wasn't just the Victors who were celebrating their Victory in Jinlintai who were back, but also everyone.

They even found out that their cultivation base didn't regress but remained as powerful as they were years later, so they soon discarded the early assumption.

If it were bad things, then it must be accounted to Wei Wuxian. But good thing...of course, they wouldn't let Wei Wuxian take the credit.

"It is God's blessing!" They cried out with glee.

"God sees our grief and misery and answers our Pray!"

"As expected, the Righteous will be rewarded!"

Those cultivators couldn't contain their jubilance. But it wasn't surprising, since even Nie Mingjue himself couldn't hide the thrill in his eyes. The hand caressing BaXia was responded with a deep humming from the Saber. 

He was back! With his future cultivation intact.

In the past, he was captured in Nightless City and was toyed with like a rag by Wen Ruohan. He was unable to kill the man who had caused his father's death and was humiliated instead. Now though, he couldn't wait to confront Wen Ruohan once again and make the man die under his hand!

Ruining this very moment of joy was, a rogue cultivator's meek interjection,

"That, that, we are all back here, then, wouldn't Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian must also be resurrected back alive?"

"...Uhh,"

"...That is,"

"Well...?"

A few mumbles from the people present, eyes darting around, hoping someone else would reply on behalf of them.

The atmosphere became embarrassing for a while. 

But not until Sect Leader Yao indignantly represented their voices, "So what if Wei Wuxian return to life? We have killed him once, he must think twice before he dares to oppose us again!" 

This declaration was immediately supported by several other people's agreements.

"Sect Leader Yao is wise!"

"Just a mere Evil Heretic, who does he think he is, wanting to be the enemy of the Hundreds Cultivation Clans!"

But at this time, a disciple from a small Sect in Gangquan hesitantly asked, 

"...You guys, it is, it's not about Wei Wuxian being our enemy, but, we are now, in Sunshot Campaign. Do you think Wei Wuxian is willing to join in the war with us, after, ummm..."

The disciple didn't continue his words out of embarrassment, but the others knew it, all the remaining words left unsaid.

Others, "....."

Uh. Oh. 

Now they finally realized the problem.

They were back in the past. Unfortunately, they were back in Sunshot Campaign. Worse of it, it's still at the beginning of the war.  

Somehow, the gratitude they felt toward whoever God who blessed them with this chance turned to complain instead. 

'You God can send us to the past, why didn't you send us to the end of the war? Right, for example, during when we have just conquered the iron barrel Nightless City, or even better when we were just dividing our Spoil of War?' 

Fortunately for them, Sect Leader Yao was back in town again, to save the day. 

He snorted. "Like I said, so what If Wei Wuxian helps us or not? Do you all think that the Sunshot Campaign was won solely due to Wei Wuxian? Don't make me laugh! Don't put too much credit to that guy!" 

Sect Leader Yao wasn't alone this time. Another person, Yi WeiChun, immediately joined him.

"That's right! The war was won because of our hard work together! The war was won using the flesh and blood of our fallen comrades! Our righteous war doesn't need an Evil Heretic like Wei Wuxian to win!!"

Yi WeiChun had his leg broken by Wei Wuxian in the past-future. He was caught red-handed by the person along with a group of other low-ranked cultivators as they huddled in the City Gate, talking about how terrible Wei Wuxian was, about how the Wen sibling deserved their death, and how they couldn't wait to do something if Wei Wuxian ever came out from his damned Mountain.

They did meet the said man...and were all beaten to the ground afterward. As Yi WeiChun cried injustice, complaining why Wei Wuxian bothered to care with them inferior cultivators,  Wei Wuxian had replied him with: "...Do I have to tolerate you, just because you're low-level cultivators? If you dare to say those things, you have to dare to shoulder the consequences. If you know that you are insignificant pieces of scum as filthy as ants, how come you didn't know to think before you speak?!"

It was humiliating. And he had come to hate Wei Wuxian so much for this very reason. 

Another soon followed suit,

"That's right! We need no vicious murderer like him, as he killed indiscriminately using our righteous battlefield as a cover! Just look at how many people has he indiscriminately killed in the past-future?" He paused, shaking his head with a grim look, indicating the further topic of Wei Wuxian's victims was too much to speak.

This person was one of the Cultivators who were present during the Banquet in Jinlintai when Wei Wuxian asked the whereabouts of Wen Ning. Back then, he was scared shitless as Wei Wuxian had lifted ChenQing, threatening to kill those Cultivators who previously were under QishanWen's wing before they defected, when they argued surname Wen deserved to die. 

Yes, he was scared numb at that time, as Wei Wuxian was seriously terrifying. However, later, as they successfully killed Wei Wuxian in the siege, his fear of Wei Wuxian was erased. Thinking, this guy who died so easily, was no more than that, after all. 

After the Cultivators one after another expressed their opinions, the voices grew louder and clearer. 

They had not only future memories but also future cultivation bases. They were determined, confident, and firm. Especially...looking at the head of the gathering, to the 3-Zuns who were all present. 

"Er-Ge, Da-Ge, I'm afraid this situation doesn't seem good." 

The person who had just spoken was Jin Guangyao. Facing him, were both Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue. Currently, the 3-Zuns were sitting together at the head of the gathering, though a little bit farther away from the other Cultivators.

That's right. During this period of war, Jin Guangyao was still under QingheNie, as Nie Mingjue appointed him to help take care of the aftermath of the war. He had yet gone back to LanlingJin, hadn't killed the superiors who stole his achievements, hadn't been discovered by Nie Mingjue, and hadn't tried his luck to infiltrate QishanWen.

"It depends." Nie Mingjue grunted.

Lan Xichen was silent.

The three people spoke with a low voice, and amidst the deafening discussion just now, the others didn't hear what they talked about. 

After the topic was brought to the 3 sworn brothers, the Cultivators began to sing praise, 

"Everyone, fear not! We have Chifeng-Zun, Zewu-Jun, and Lianfang-Zun on our side!" One person started. 

Another Cultivator agreed, "We have Chifeng-Zun who has led our war. We have Zewu-Jun who has helped many battlefronts. We also have Lianfang-Zun who has killed even Wen Ruohan!"

"We not only have the 3-Zuns, but we also have Hanguang-Jun!"

"That's right! What else do we need, when we all have our Just and Righteous Heroes on our side? We won't need any Crooked and Wicked people to win!"

Another person reminded, "Don't forget the Hero who has led us to besiege Yiling Laozu, we have Sect Leader Jiang too!"

"What are Wen-Dogs, what is Yiling Laozu, they all can come, we shan't be afraid!"

Someone else added, boosting the morale of the whole party even more, "We can make the Wen Clan like a bereaved Dog once, and we can do it twice, thrice, and many more!"

"Justice shall triumph!"

"The Sun must be shot down! Evil must be eradicated!"

Nie Mingjue was non-committal, his brain was filled with the burning desire to kill Wen Ruohan.

Jin Guangyao smiled amiably, without saying anything.

There was something else he thought in his head;

'If we all are reborn, why didn't you think that QishanWen might also be reborn? If we could have this blessing to retain our future cultivation base, why didn't you think QishanWen might also have it?' 

Those Wen Cultivators who survived till the end were all stronger than the next, tempered by the bloody war, just like them.

Should Jin Guangyao remind these people how they commenced the attack to break the last defense in Nightless City back then? An attack that needed Wei Wuxian to use YinHuFu for the first time, a horrifying weapon whose residual force could even affect the Cultivators who weren't intended for its attack---as Jin Guangshan once said, leaving a devastating aftermath. 

Right now, not only those battle-tempered Wen Cultivators were there, Wen Ruohan was there, even the shrimp-and-crab-generals within their ranks hadn't died yet!

'...So where did these people gain their confidence?' 

During the whole discussion, only Lan Xichen didn't say or give any reaction. 

The man was actually distracted, his mind was elsewhere. 

"Da-Ge, A-Yao, I think I'll take my leave first." Suddenly, Lan Xichen spoke.

Nie Mingjue glanced at him. "Right now? It's late at night. Why not wait until morning?"

Lan Xichen shook his head, his expression was somber. "I can't wait."

"Oh, you're going back to Gusu to rendezvous with Lan Xiansheng?" 

"Well, yes, I need to go back to the Cloud Recesses to check the situation there, also...I need to go to Jiangling to pick up Wangji first." His fingers clenched on Shuoyue, wishing to fly immediately. 

Nie Mingjue nodded in understanding. After all, the people clustered in Hejian right now were just a portion of them all. "Alright. Be careful." 

After bidding farewell to his 2 sworn brothers, Lan Xichen immediately flew to Jiangling, as fast as he could, as quickly as his spiritual power could control his sword. 

He had long been distracted once the other Cultivators started talking about Wei Wuxian, and ultimately,  when they also mentioned Hanguang-Jun, Lan Xichen felt like he wished to get on his sword and leave at that very moment. 

Why of course, because he finally realized something;

His younger brother was infatuated with Wei Wuxian. 

In the past-future, Wei Wuxian had died.

But now they were reborn.

Coincidentally, both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were in Jiangling right now.

Therefore,

What was he dawdling for in Qinghe, If he didn't find Lan Wangji immediately right now, the fresh Cabbage from his family farm would have rolled away to elope with the Pig outside!

There's no time to delay.

So what if he broke the rules of not sleeping at Haishi?

If Lan Xichen had to wait until morning to find Lan Wangji, by then not only would the raw rice have been cooked into porridge, even the Cabbage would have been stewed along with Pork! Or in other words: Everything will be way too late.

Halfway through his flight, Lan Xichen remembered, there was a "teleportation talisman" he could use to directly reach the battlefront in Jiangling.

But at this time he had already flown with his sword for several hours.

Lan Xichen, "..."

'There's a certain F word I shouldn't have said but really want to say right now.'

Chapter Text

"Wangji, you're here."

The moment Lan Xichen caught the sight of his younger brother descending from Bichen, he felt like an invisible hurdle had been lifted off of his heart. 

Not long ago, as he arrived in Jiangling at sunrise and couldn't find either Wei Wuxian or Lan Wangji on the battlefront, he had immediately sent an urgent message, a bit nervous and somewhat skeptical if the younger brother would still listen to his message and came to meet him. Fortunately, he did.

"Xiongzhang." Lan Wangji greeted him. "The situation in Qinghe?" He asked, verifying the content that Lan Xichen had sent him earlier. 

"As I have told you." Lan Xichen nodded. "And here, the Cultivators in Jiangling are in the same situation. Gusu and other regions most likely, ought to be in a similar status."

The two brothers inspected the newly built encampment for the battlefront in Jiangling, which had only been built not even a few days ago after being successfully taken from the Wen. There weren't many Cultivators here, as Jiangling would have been later in the middle or the later stage of the war. Currently, there were only a dozen or so Disciples who were recruited by Jiang Cheng in the first 3 months of the Sunshot Campaign, and another dozen Cultivators who came a few days ago following the news of victory in this region.

The euphoria of rebirth here wasn't as overwhelming as in Qinghe, Lan Xichen noted. Considering almost all the Cultivators present would join YunmengJiang in the future, the death rate during the Sunshot Campaign was significantly lower than in the other area. As a result, there were only a few of them who were rejoicing in the miracle of rebirth. 

After each confirming the general situation, Lan Xichen finally turned to ask him the thing he wanted to know the most, "Wangji, you, have you met, no, were you with...him?" 

There's no need to specify who Lan Xichen meant by him, both of them understood, it's Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji didn't evade either and said honestly, "Yes."

"Then, Wei-Gongzi now...how is he?"

At this question, Lan Wangji lowered his eyelid slightly. "Wei Ying is...fine."

Lan Xichen frowned. "Were you in an argument with him?"

Lan Wangji instantly denied it. "There is no argument."

"...That's reassuring to hear." Lan Xichen narrowed his eyes, though not the slightest bit impressed or convinced. He further asked, "Then, where is he right now? Did he tell you about his plan next?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "He has yet to decide it himself." 

"I see. Then, Wangji, your plan after is...?" 

Lan Wangji pressed his lip into a thin line, refusing to answer.

But, there's no need to voice it out. Because both already knew the answer, from the now-far-away future.

Just like Lan Qiren back then had languished over, whether it's reproach or punishment, Lan Wangji had had enough of it. Nothing could shake his decision anymore.

Be it keeping Wen Yuan whom he brought back in the past-future, or right now...matters regarding Wei Wuxian.

Lan Xichen sighed.

"Are you really sure about it, Wangji? Everything is not too late yet, for you. But Wei-Gongzi...he has already...At this rate, it'll be difficult for him."

Perhaps if a decade had long passed, and the heat of enmity between Yiling Laozu and the Hundreds of Cultivation Clans had subsided, Lan Xichen would have no qualms over his choice to be with Wei Wuxian. 

However, a few days hadn't passed yet since the siege in Burial Mound and no more than 3 months since the blood bath in Nightless City. Everyone's memories were still as fresh as they could be. Everyone's sentiment was still as deep as it was embedded.

Lan Xichen, "If you insist on, you...," you will be putting yourself in the same predicament as him.

"I am aware." Lan Wangji replied calmly. 

"...Even then?"

"Even then." Lan Wangji asserted once again.

Lan Xichen felt a deep frustration in his heart.

"Wangji, it isn't like I can't tolerate him. But Wei-Gongzi has committed a grave mistake. There was no use augmenting it. The fact lies out there, even if I want to excuse it but the proof remains glaring. Jin-Gongzi and other Cultivators in Jinlintai. Even in Nightless City, the massacre he caused couldn't be wiped off."

Right now, Lan Xichen appeared as if he was a decade older. The crease in his forehead coupled with his haggard countenance beguile his original age of early twenties.

"You are like this..." He lamented. "If you insist on being with him, what am I supposed to do? As your brother, what should I do?"

Lan Wangji was silent.

He knew that being with Wei Ying meant going against the Hundreds of Cultivation Clans. He had known about it. But he had long been prepared for it. No matter what the consequence he's willing to shoulder it along with Wei Ying.

However, just like back then he still tried to speak for the Wen sibling in their Trial, right now he still wished to speak for Wei Wuxian. 

And unlike others, he knew Lan Xichen would still listen to him.

"Xiongzhang, was it really Wei Ying who started killing people blindly? You and I did not know the exact situation in QiongqiDao, we shall not comment. Wen Qionglin's loss of control in Jinlintai, there was no proof it was instigated by Wei Ying."

What Lan Wangji knew was limited. That's why he couldn't say if what Wei Wuxian had done was absolutely right or wrong. 

Still, there was something he knew unquestionably.

"---However, the situation in Nightless City afterward...I am certain Xiongzhang knows it in your heart, was it Wei Ying who started the aggression, or was it, other people..."

Back then, Wei Wuxian was still talking back and forth with the Cultivators who gathered to join the oath of besieging Wei Wuxian and the Wen remnants, and yet;

Before Wei Wuxian could finish talking, he suddenly felt something at his throat. A dull ache came from his chest. He looked down to see a fletched arrow in the center of his chest. The head of the arrow was buried between two of his ribs.

He gazed toward the direction in which the arrow came from. The one who shot the arrow was a young cultivator with delicate features. Standing before a small sect's array, he was still maintaining the pose, his bowstring still vibrating.

Wei WuXian could tell the arrow tip was originally aiming for his heart, his vital region. Yet, because the archer wasn't skilled, the force of the arrow tip dwindled by midair to have missed the heart and shot into the ribcage.

Everyone around the person who shot the arrow had eyes wide open, staring with shock and even fear at the disciple who had done such a thing. Wei WuXian looked up. Darkness veiled his face. He pulled out the arrow and tossed it back hard. With a wail, the young cultivator who snuck an attack at him was hit right in the chest with the arrow he tossed back!

A boy next to him threw himself on top of him, "Brother! Brother!"

The sect's array was immediately thrown into chaos. The sect leader pointed at Wei WuXian with one shaking finger, "You... You... You are so cruel!"

With his right hand, Wei WuXian unhurriedly pressed the wound in his chest, temporarily ceasing the blood flow. His voice was indifferent, "What does cruel mean? If he dared shoot the arrow at me when I was off guard, he should've known what would be facing him if he failed. They call me the cultivator of the crooked path, anyways, so you can't possibly count on me to be generous and not bother with him, can you?"

Jin GuangShan ordered, "Set up the battle arrays, set up the battle arrays! We won't let him leave here alive no matter what!"

With the order, the stalemate was finally broken. Carrying swords and arrows, many disciples rushed toward the ceiling of the palace.

They finally attacked first!

With a bitter smile, Wei WuXian took up Chenqing from beside his waist and placed it at his lips. With the flute's sharp howl, pale hands broke through the dirt of the Nightless City plaza, one after another!

Lan Xichen was exalted as the Twin Jades of Lan along with Lan Wangji.

In terms of flawless memory and observation skills, he was no less than the younger Jade. 

What really happened in Nightless City back then, naturally, he remembered it. What started the chaos, who began the onslaught first, of course, he knew. 

But, just because he knew, that didn't mean he had no complaints.

"Wei-Gongzi didn't start it, but what he did later, can they be brushed off? Wangji, did you forget what he did? Back then, piecing together the two halves of YinHuFu, he started killing until he was satisfied. Even you, got yourself injured by his rampage. Don't you remember it? Do you want to deny the harm he had done to you?"

Lan Xichen vented what he felt in his heart in one go.

He wished Lan Wangji could understand his point.

Yet when he looked up, he saw the still unwavering posture of his younger brother.

The other person was unfazed as he talked, "I will not deny what Wei Ying did." He admitted. 

Knowing that Lan Xichen was agitated and unwilling to upset him further, Lan Wangji's voice was faint, "But Xiongzhang,  acknowledging his action, without recognizing the reason behind it, is rather unfair. In Nighthunting, there is a principle to first, do a thorough investigation. But in every incident from QiongqiDao to Jinlintai, was there any proper investigation aside from what LanlingJin had reported? I can not say with certainty if what he did was right or wrong. Because I do not know the full picture."

"...But, surely, Wei-Gongzi shouldn't have...he should have considered unrelated parties like you who were there but had to bear the atrocity of his action..." 

"In Nightless City...I went there to specifically find Wei Ying, after searching for him for days. But the other Cultivators, what did they attend for? Xiongzhang, will you tell me, what the gathering was about?"

Lan Xichen's lip quivered. The answer was on the tip of his tongue but unable to come out. 

'...It was a gathering, to join an oath, to besiege Wei Wuxian the next day. '

Indeed. Whether it was that night, or the next day, those people were still going to go against Wei Wuxian, regardless.

Ironically, Lan Xichen vaguely recalled what Wei Wuxian had said,

"If he wanted to kill me, he didn't have to think about whether it was a fatal blow or not, and if I died, it'd be my own bad luck. If I wanted to protect myself, however, I had to think about this and that not to harm, unable to take even a single strand of hair away from him? In conclusion, you all could pull a siege on me, but I'm not allowed to fight back, am I right?"

If an innocent and ignorant Cultivator wanted to be a Messenger of Justice and join the siege to kill Wei Wuxian without knowing anything, it was all good.

But if they died later as an outcome of their own choice, it became Wei Wuxian's fault.

Somehow, even Lan Xichen felt this logic was a bit embarrassing and unreasonable.

"Wangji...you really are...hha," Lan Xichen laughed lowly. 

Growing up, Lan Wangji had never once talked back against his Uncle and his older brother.

Yet he did it, for Wei Wuxian.

There was nothing Lan Xichen could say to dissuade his younger brother's decision anymore.

But, Why...the irritation inside his heart still couldn't be erased.

He couldn't understand. 

He really was, unable to comprehend. Why did his younger brother, who should be impeccable all his life, who should have a bright future ahead of him, why did he have to descend so lowly for another person?

Even talking back to him and contending to defend his own judgment no matter what.

Just for what had he done this, truly?

"Is it really worth it?" Lan Xichen's voice was low as he threw his question.

"Is this really worth it, Wangji? What you did for him, do you think any of it is worth it?" He continued, each word was as heavy as his current emotions. 

His Father back then. And now his younger Brother. Each one of them kept picking a choice Lan Xichen couldn't comprehend. It frustrated him.

His younger brother didn't hesitate to confront his family for Wei Wuxian. Willing to suffer an inhumane penalty because of it. Even now, he was ready to turn himself against the Hundreds Cultivation Clans for Wei Wuxian. 

But what about Wei Wuxian himself? Nothing. Let's not mention returning his younger brother's affection, that man did not even appreciate it one bit! 

Was it really worth it? Doing everything only for a "Get Lost!" in the end?

Upon his older brother's series of questions, Lan Wangji didn't directly give a response.

The two brothers spent some time staring at each other with no words in between. 

Nevertheless, the expression on Lan Wangji's face remained calm and steady. 

When later he eventually parted his mouth to speak, what Lan Wangji said instead was, "Xiongzhang, do you think it was worth it?"

"Why, if you ask me, I think it-,"

Lan Wangji cut him off, "---For Muqin, to experience the pain of pregnancy for 10 months...twice. For Muqin, to endure the agony of childbirth...twice. Only for Muqin, to meet her two children once a month. Do you think...it was worth it?"

"Huh?" Lan Xichen was caught off-guard.

He couldn't follow immediately when the topic was suddenly thrown far away into their long-dead Mother. "Why the sudden..?"

Lan Wangji repeated his question, "Xiongzhang, do you think it was worth it for her?"

"She...Muqin was, she was our Mother." Lan Xichen blinked. "Between families, naturally there aren't..." his words trailed off.

Why, indeed.

Lan Xichen suddenly realized, he had never positioned himself on his Mother's behalf.

When it came to the matter between his parents, all he had been thinking was from his Father's perspective. Wondering, if what Qingheng-Jun did back then, his choice, his action, was it the right thing to do or not. 

When it came to Lan Wangji, it was also inevitable that he put the same view on his case. 

But Lan Xichen forgot to wonder, if his Mother's choice, to accept his Father's hand, and later even conceived his children, not only once but twice in a row...was her choices, had been worth it for the woman?

At this time, Lan Wangji, still calmly, spoke, "Because Muqin was our Mother. Muqin loved us, her children." 

"...And between loved ones, there is no such thing as worth it or not worth it." He added.

"Similarly, Xiongzhang, Wei Ying is...my beloved, the person whom my heart delights." Lan Wangji's voice was incredibly soft as he expressed those words. "Toward Wei Ying, there has never been any calculation about gain or loss, worth it or not worth it."

"My choices are mine to decide. My decisions are not meant to expect anything from anyone. If one day," He paused, taking a deep breath, before finally saying, "If, there is a chance, for Wei Ying to return my feelings, I wish that comes neither from guilt nor gratitude." 

Lan Xichen had no words to refute.

Never once had he been aware of it.

All this while, he was judging his parents' and his younger brother's case, using the mindset of benefit and interest. With the calculation of gain and loss. Wondering if what his two closest relatives had done was right, after looking at the result. 

At the result of his Father and Mother, both suffered in confinement for decades. 

At the result of his younger brother, suffering such a deathly punishment, alone by himself.

However, for things as abstract as "love", when it was seen under the light of "interest", nothing seemed to be worth it.

Even the matter of conceiving and raising children, for a pair of husband and wife, must be such a huge loss when compared to the return rate they'd get.

Even so, he, Lan Xichen was...

Clutching his hand in a fist, he conveyed rather weakly, "But Wangji, I, I only wish for you not to be hurt..."

Remembering the sight of his younger brother's bloody appearance after the 33rd discipline whip landed on his back, Lan Xichen couldn't find it in himself to let him suffer such pain any more. 

"I really do not wish anything, only for you not to be harmed." He repeated helplessly.

There was still no apparent change in Lan Wangji's expression.

His glazed eyes stared directly into his older brother's darker ones. He sighed softly. Naturally, he knew that Lan Xichen had always been thinking about his well-being. 

His voice couldn't help but softened, less argumentative than he had previously. "Xiongzhang, please be at ease. Wei Ying will not hurt me."

Lan Xichen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Lan Wangji once again broke the rules and cut him off, reiterating, "The Hundreds Cultivation Clans can not hurt me either."

"You...," Lan Xichen repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, looking like he was to rebut.

But, ultimately, Lan Xichen closed his mouth and sighed, unable to utter anything. 

Not after he understood the words left unsaid by his younger brother. 

Despite being the very reason behind everything, Wei Wuxian had never intentionally and consciously inflicted any harm on Lan Wangji. 

The Hundreds Cultivation Clans couldn't hurt him either, considering his cultivation base. Even in the case of One against many, Lan Wangji would still be able to escape unscathed if he wanted to.

The ones who were able to hurt and harm Lan Wangji justifiably were only...his family.

Just like back then, when his elders, who, even after Lan Wangji clearly expressed the importance of Wei Wuxian to him, still they raised their swords to meet with Bichen.

In this second life, if one day Lan Wangji would ever be hurt and in pain,

presumably, it was again, because his family, despite knowing his affection,

---still they chose to attack his beloved, right under his nose.

The confrontation between the two brothers that morning was interrupted as Lan Xichen received several messages one after another. 

1 message was from Nie Mingjue, another one was a reply from Lan Qiren to the previous messages he had sent. Lastly, the other message was from...Jin Guangshan.

Lan Xichen faltered upon looking at the last message, glancing at his younger brother.

"Xiongzhang? Is something the matter?

Lan Xichen, "Nothing, Uncle has replied about the situation in Gusu, it's just like what we have predicted it to be. Also..."

He paused, hesitating for a while, before finally choosing to show Lan Wangji the last message.

"Sect Leader Jin...has proposed for Sunshot Campaign Alliance, to gather and discuss our next measure, requesting our presence in Jinlintai today, as soon as possible." Lan Xichen looked up, "Wangji, you...will you come with me, or...?"

Lan Wangji fell silent. But it wasn't long before he reacted, "I am going."

Lan Xichen raised his brows in surprise. "You will? Really?"

"Xiongzhang will go. Where should I go if I don't go with you?" Lan Wangji said calmly.

Lan Xichen, "...."

'Liar!'

'I wish you could be this sweet when you vehemently debated against me just now.'

Lanling, Jinlintai.

The last time the Golden Tower of LanlingJin had been filled to the brim with Cultivators from Hundreds of Clans was during the celebratory banquet. It was right after the fall of Nightless City, thus their definite victory against QishanWen.

Today, the same situation was repeated once again, though the atmosphere wasn't exactly as triumphant as the previous one. 

Some people were, still in high spirits and passionate. 

But most people, visibly or inwardly, were actually in apprehension. 

Apparently, a few hours had passed since last night, when the elation of rebirth was at its peak. Now, they started to realize how "bad" their situation was.

No matter what, repeating an entire journey---all over again---was not something to feel good at. After reaching level 100, they had to be beaten back to level 1, no one would feel happy about such a thing.

"Everyone, as per the last message I sent to all my compatriots, we are here today to decide our best course of action." Jin Guangshan, sitting at the head of the gathering, naturally took the lead to start. 

"Sect Leader Jin is wise!" 

"As expected of Sect Leader Jin! He has always been thinking about the fate of the Cultivation World!" 

The hall was buzzing with praise for a while. It was unknown whether the speaker was being sincere or not, if the ones who said them were pure unrelated third parties, or were actually LanlingJin insiders.

Those inconsequential chatters, however, passed like a mere breeze in Lan Wangji's ears. 

His deft fingers were slowly, rubbing the rim of his tea cup in a circular motion. It was as if such activity was more meaningful compared to focusing on others' compassionate speeches. 

He wasn't here to attend for such gibberish. He was here to learn about the current situation. After all, in such circumstances, blindly taking action while being ignorant was simply foolish. But more importantly..., he needed to figure out the Hundreds Cultivation Clans' stance against Wei Ying.

Never would he be stupid enough, to let himself be deprived of information like he did in the past-future. Leading him to miss the crucial news regarding the siege in Burial Mound. 

Humans evolved by learning from past mistakes. And so did Hanguang-Jun.

Luckily, Lan Wangji wasn't the only one who was impatient in this meeting. Nie Mingjue wasn't amused at the long-winded prattle either. His intention was clear; talk about how he would cleave those Wen-Dogs with his saber for the second time!

Nie Mingjue, "Let's get to the point quickly. What's the situation in QishanWen?"

Jin Guangshan readily answered, "My subordinates who are paying attention to their movements have noticed something. As of now, at least, dozens of Wen Supervisory Offices were reported to have some disturbance around Haishi, last night. Also, we have noticed some of their high-ranking Cultivators went back to the direction of Qishan in a hurry in the morning. At this point, we can assume that a similar thing happened to QishanWen."

Just like some water being dropped at boiling oil, the above news sparked an uproar among the Cultivators present the moment it was told. 

"Oh, God, they're also reborn back?" 

"What should we do? Why is God so unfair? Why must those vile villains get the same treatment? They don't deserve it!"

Some Cultivators who didn't lose any loved ones during the war couldn't help but mutter, "Why are we even in this situation actually? I don't want this kind of blessing."

Jin Guangshan merely smiled as he glimpsed at the various reactions within the Hall. His eyes were shining exceptionally bright.

If you ask him, then he'd say: such an otherworldly miracle wouldn't come for nothing.

Whether it was a blessing or not, it depend on how each person's ability to turn the situation around to ones that benefitted them.

For a second there, he was unable to quell his urge from laughing out loud in a thrill, as he remembered what things he had done. 

Unexpectedly, or perhaps not, the fastest person who adapted to this rebirth miracle was Jin Guangshan. The moment he had figured out the situation, he wasted no time and sent his subordinates to do several errands at once. 

First, monitoring QishanWen's movement. 

Afterward, immediately retrieved the Iron Sword at Xuanwu Cave, which at this juncture hadn't been forged by Wei Wuxian into YinHuFu.

Then, taking back the currently still-12-year-old local delinquent in Kuizhou, Xue Yang. 

Following after, he also hurriedly picked up the cheap son Jin Guangyao back to Jinlintai to assist him and Xue Yang. 

And lastly, persuaded his zombie son, ah scratch that, his legitimate son Jin Zixuan, to quickly bring his wife, Jiang Yanli, back to Jinlintai. 

No one was able to match him in regards to being energized and motivated even in this absurd circumstance of Mass Rebirth!

Back to the situation in the Hall.

Nie Mingjue clenched his saber tightly as he snorted. "It doesn't matter if they get reborn or not, we'll just need to kill them again."

Actually, this was indeed the most obvious solution. QishanWen surely wouldn't stop subjugating their sects even if they got reborn, no? At the end of the day, they still couldn't escape the fate of going back to war.

But the problem was, nobody would gladly go to war for a second time. Not when they had no guarantee to stay alive until the end. 

At this time, a Cultivator suddenly said, "Why don't we let Yiling Laozu attack QishanWen on our behalf? Just think of it as his atonement."

Once someone planted this idea, it was as if these people were given spider silk to climb from hell. Each of them scrambled to grab it and escaped from the current hellish situation. 

"I know right? Wei Wuxian can defeat thousands all by himself, with him there we will no longer shed the blood of our comrades!"

Someone else immediately added, "I agree! He has killed our 3,000 compatriots in Nightless City, even if he died once it won't be enough to repay his sin!"

"What? Isn't it 5,000? I heard he has killed that much!"

"No matter 3 or 5 thousands, what matters most is, Wei Wuxian should atone for his sin! It's really cheap for him to just die like that! He should repay the blood our loved ones have shed!"

The one who just spoke was Fang MengChen. He had lost his parents in the blood bath of Nightless City. Even if he was able to reunite with them due to this rebirth, but the blazing hatred inside his heart still couldn't be let go. 

A Cultivator in a white robe pointed out, "Look, didn't LanlingJin and YunmengJiang suffer the most because of him? Jin-Gongzi and his cousin were slain miserably by Wei Wuxian. Even young Madam Jin who's been kind to him had been killed as well."

Afterward, turning to look at Jiang Cheng who was sitting at the front, he said, "Sect Leader Jiang, shouldn't Wei Wuxian still be under your Sect right now? Don't you think he should repay what he owed to your sister and her husband?"

Jiang Cheng clenched his fist, replying in a tight voice, "What do you mean to say?"

The Cultivator simply told him, "I mean, if Wei Wuxian truly respects your sister, he should come and repay the debt of blood in his hand. We won't pursue his past crime anymore, all he needs to do is return the lives he took by saving our lives in the war against QishanWen this time around."

Once this statement was let out, in an instant it was responded by a wave of similar consensus from every corner of the Hall. 

"I think it is quite good."

"I think so too. It's a good bargain for Wei Wuxian's punishment, right?" 

"I still won't forgive him either way, but Wei Wuxian should really get his due retribution."

Another Justice Messenger also reminded, "Must be easy for him, right? Doesn't he have that loyal Dog under him, the Ghost General Wen Ning? His Dog has killed Jin-Gongzi, shouldn't he atone for his sin as well? Why not let his loyal Dog kill those WenDogs?"

"Hahahahaha! Killing WenDogs using a WenDog. There's nothing more befitting than this!"

A burst of laughter was heard after the other people present heard this.

Nothing could be more pleasing than the direction this meeting had turned into.

But Jin Guangshan didn't forget to remind them graciously, "Everyone, Wei Ying has been able to flaunt his arrogance before, because he had a YinHuFu in his hand. This time around, we can't let him make the same seal again. Otherwise, the result would be catastrophic just as we once had experienced." 

"Sect Leader Jin is right! We have to set some restrictions for him this time." 

"Yes, someone go and call Wei Wuxian here. Why isn't he here anyway in this time of crisis? Doesn't he always think he is a Hero? Insisting on protecting those 50 WenDogs back then? I think there isn't any kindness at all between them. He thought he's doing an act of justice, thinking himself to be impressive as he risked himself against everyone's condemnation." 

Everyone spoke as if Wei Wuxian was their Dog.

A Dog they could freely command.

But also a Dog they had to put a leash on before letting it bite their enemy, lest it chewed the hands that feed them. 

Jin Guangshan put on a helpless look as he turned to Jiang Cheng, "Sect Leader Jiang, do you know where Wei Ying is right now? Haven't you met him before coming here? Why didn't you go and find him?"

Jiang Cheng's face turned darker, as dark as the bottom of a pan. 

If he knew where Wei Wuxian was right now, he would have already dragged him to kneel on his parents' tablet in Lotus Pier! There's no need for others to command him to search for Wei Wuxian. He had already done so.

"My apologies, Wei Wuxian didn't go back to Lotus Pier at all. I have sent my people to find him before coming here, but there hasn't been any news yet." He replied gritting his teeth.

"Heh, he is probably too scared or ashamed to go back, right?" Sect Leader Yao sneered. "Why, he still knows shame, after all."  

"But what should we do now? If Wei Wuxian can't be found then..." Sect Leader Ouyang was rather anxious, thinking about the worst outcome. 

At this time, Jin Guangshan winked at his cheap son, giving him a signal to speak.

Jin Guangyao himself smiled in resignation.  "Everyone, please don't panic. If I'm not mistaken, I seem to remember that during this period, Hanguang-Jun should be in Jiangling. Also, I have heard that Hanguang-Jun often followed Wei Wuxian at night, to keep kindly warn him as Wei Wuxian was out digging other people's graves. So, I don't know if this time around Hanguang-Jun also..."

He didn't specify his words, but the way he looked at Lan Wangji with a questioning look, while throwing another embarrassed smile and powerless expression toward Lan Xichen, had clearly shown what he intended to say. 

Everyone followed his gaze and looked at Lan Wangji who hadn't spoken any words at all in this meeting.

Lan Xichen who sat beside him felt his heartbeat quickened. He couldn't help but worried that anyone had seen Lan Wangji taking Wei Wuxian away from Nightless City back then, and thus decided to hold him accountable here. 

Before Lan Wangji could say anything and aggravate the situation further, he immediately replied to save his younger brother from being put into a difficult situation,

"Wangji has indeed met with Wei-Gongzi. But he was unable to keep him." Smiling helplessly he added afterward, "It has always been like this. Back then Wangji and Wei-Gongzi often clashed as well during the war. And Wei-Gongzi has always been able to leave Wangji behind."

Fortunately, at this time, Jin Guangyao helped to ease the situation, "I see. Well, it can't be helped. After all, Wei-Gongzi himself has said, in Sunshot Campaign, let alone 3,000, he has even fought against 5,000 on his own. Hanguang-Jun is after all a single person, how can he be compared to thousands of army and hold Wei Wuxian?" 

Nie Mingjue spoke coldly, "What arrogance."

But these words had indeed alleviated the look thrown at Lan Wangji from other Cultivators. They could understand why Hanguang-Jun was unable to catch Wei Wuxian by himself. 

Meanwhile, Lan Xichen shot a gratified smile at his sworn brother for helping him speak, which was returned by another understanding smile from Jin Guangyao.

...forgetting that the one who put Lan Wangji at risk before was this very sworn brother.

"Wangji! Wangji, wait, where are you going?" 

Several hours had passed, and yet the meeting between the Hundreds Cultivation Clans was still going nowhere. They decided to take a break for a moment and enjoyed some meals and beverages. 

Lan Wangji immediately stood up and left the hall without even excusing himself. Lan Xichen who was about to discuss things with his two sworn brothers, had to apologize and postpone the discussion for a while to chase after his younger brother. 

"Wangji, you, won't you listen to me first, please do not be reckless." Lan Xichen hastened his pace, to catch up with Lan Wangji in front.

The one who was being chased didn't sway. The look in his eyes, as he replied to Lan Xichen was particularly peaceful, "What kind of reckless act does Xiongzhang think I might do?"

Lan Xichen paused. 

Yes, what kind of thing he thought Lan Wangji would do?

To be honest, Lan Xichen had been in constant trepidation in the meeting. Especially when they brought the topic to Wei Wuxian, he was afraid that Lan Wangji would be enraged, unsheathing Bichen, and decided to commit...another reckless thing. 

But to his surprise, Lan Wangji neither said a word nor did he react to anything. He was calm and serene. As if his soul had soared to the Ninth Heaven and achieved absolute harmony. 

"You..." He started. "...In any case, Wangji, please do not be in a hurry. It's just the beginning, nothing has been fixed yet. We can still talk about it. No, actually, I was about to discuss this, with DaGe and A-Yao. So, you, I hope you can restrain yourself, for the time being, Wangji, please..."

"Wangji understands." His younger brother nodded, but still didn't stop.

Lan Xichen laughed helplessly. "If you understand, then where do you still plan to go now?" 

"Gusu."

"Huh? Wait...You...you're going back to the Cloud Recesses?" Never expecting this answer, Lan Xichen stopped in surprise.

Lan Wangji, "Yes." He unsheathed Bichen and was ready to fly.

Nodding to his older brother, he leaped on the blade and finally excused himself, "Then, Wangji will go first, Xiongzhang."

"Oh...Oh! Alright, be careful. Please do tell Uncle that I will go back as soon as possible after settling the matters here." Lan Xichen was snapped back from his shock earlier and quickly sent him off. 

A few hours later, as he received another message from Lan Qiren, telling him that Lan Wangji did go back to the Cloud Recesses, he finally was able to breathe in relief.

Chapter Text

Wen Qing squatted by the stone bed. Gazing at Wei Wuxian's face, she suddenly reached out and flicked her finger against Wei WuXian’s forehead.

She put quite some strength into her flick. Wei WuXian frowned from the pain.

Seeing this, Wen Qing seemed to be in a much better mood. “I’ve said what I had to say, explained things, said farewell. Then, goodbye.”

Wei WuXian, “No…”

Wen Qing interrupted him, “I’ve never really said such things to you before. But now that it’s today, there are indeed a few things I should say. I really won’t get a chance to say them after this.”

Wei WuXian whispered, “… Shut up… Let me go…”

“I’m sorry. And, thank you.”

Wen Qing woke up with a jolt. 

Her heart was beating furiously and her breath was erratic. Cold sweats trickled downward from her temples, further dampening a portion of her hair, sticking rather uncomfortably on her face. 

She looked up blankly. 

In front of her was a partition screen, painted with the scenery of vast prairie commonly found in the Northern regions. It wasn't the rudimentary shack she'd been sleeping for more than a year. It wasn't the gloomy darkness of Fumo Cave in Burial Mound where she stayed last either.

Wen Qing lifted her trembling hands, rubbing her face roughly. 

Before she tried to figure out anything, the sound of commotion from outside interrupted her thoughts. Soon, footsteps were heard rushing to her private courtyard and hurried knockings on the door followed after.

"Maiden Wen! Maiden Wen!"

"A-Qing, A-Qing?"

"Jie, JieJie..."

One shout after another was cried out accompanying the rapid knocking. 

Wen Qing had no choice but to immediately drape an outer robe on top of her sleeping garments, and rushed to slide the front door of her private residence open. 

Standing and gasping for airs in the hallway were; her Uncles, Aunties, Granny, and....A-Ning, her A-Ning with a ruddy complexion, alive. Some of them were just like her, only wearing their inner robes with their hair down.

It seemed like, similar to Wen Qing, they'd been startled awake from sleeping or whatever they'd been doing.

There were countless words Wen Qing wanted to say, but in the end, all she could muster in between her choked breaths was, "Everyone...You...We're,"

The crease between her eyebrows deepened. Her eyes reddened, and water started to pool in her eye sockets, threatening to fall.

"...We, are we in a dream?" Her voice cracked, unable to withstand the surge of emotions.

Granny Wen sighed softly. She lifted her hand, caressing her granddaughter's cheek gently. Her other hand rested on her shoulder, clutching the young maiden with her jutted fingers. "A-Qing...If this is a dream, then this must be a good one." 

It was her smile, unfurling widely on her toothless mouth and her old wrinkled face, with her eyes filled with vicissitudes of life ─ that finally prompted the people present to collapse ungracefully on the wooden floor...weeping.

They didn't know if the tears discharged were out of dismay, grief, relief, exhilaration, or...perhaps everything.

Nevertheless, they sobbed,

they cried,

they howled, 

they bawled,

as if they're emptying their decades of unshed tears.

"Maiden Qing, we, what happen to us?" 

3 Shichen had passed since they were startled awake from a long nightmare. A nightmare in the form of their past life.

After a Shichen, whatever overwhelming emotions they felt earlier had calmed down at last. Another Shichen later was spent with Wen Qing dispatching the Cultivators in her branch to immediately scrap for news outside, and figuring out their current situation.

Finally, right now, 3 Shichen after they were "awake", several dozen people from Wen Qing's family branch gathered in the front hall of their residence in Yiling.

As the head of her family branch, Wen Qing was sitting in the center. Swiping her gaze past her other family members, she's glad to find familiar faces. The faces of those who couldn't make it out to follow the remaining 50s to Burial Mound. Those who died, from the torture in QiongqiDao. 

Wen Qing pursed her lip bitterly. 

Closing her eyes for a second, she started to speak, "Everyone. As we all already realized, this is an unusual incident. Bizarre as it sounds, miraculous as it seems, but, we are all back in the past. It isn't just us who gets this blessing of rebirth, but every Cultivator. Every person related to Cultivation Clans too, Cultivators or not."

She glanced at her Granny who hadn't cultivated all her life, as she grew older like mortals instead of living a long life with youthful visage, but was still reborn nonetheless. 

Before the sound of people gasping and murmurs started to go louder, Wen Qing quickly pointed out the obvious:

"To say it's a pure blessing is not right, however. We must remember. The position we are in. Right now." She punctuated her words heavily to remind them of their rather grave situation. 

The hall was engulfed in silence. 

The 3 Shichen before had been spent with them exchanging their recollections. Therefore, they knew what kind of bleak future they had. Consequently, they also realized, what kind of position they were in, right now. Squeezed in between the Hundreds of Cultivation Clans and their own Clan, QishanWen. 

To make all of her family members truly digest the words she'd implied earlier, Wen Qing began to explain, "Right now, in the situation where everyone is reborn, the position of our family branch is...precarious. Do you know why that is? It's because we, in the current circumstances, are not merely the side branch of Wen Clan. We're also Wen Remnants. The people who were closely tied with Wei Wuxian."

Wen Qing once again spared her glance to scan the people present briefly, before continuing, "---That means, neither our Wen Clan nor the Hundreds Cultivation Clans, will regard us normally."

A young Cousin of hers who died alongside Wen Ning in QiongqiDao reacted, "Maiden Qing, what do you mean by our Clan, QishanWen, can no longer see us normally? It isn't like we've betrayed our Clan. We even died along with the real Prisoners of War, when we, when our family shouldn't be categorized as War Criminals, since our family branch has never joined the war at all..." 

Once someone brought up their grievance, the others couldn't help but feel bitter as well. Especially those who couldn't make it alive, out of QiongqiDao. 

Someone else said, "At the end of the war, the Hundreds Cultivation Clans had recognized and clearly divided the remaining Wens. Those who'd joined the war were sent as Prisoners of War to the Labor Camps in QiongqiDao. The rest who were proven to have nothing to do with the War were left, driven to the corner in Qishan. If it wasn't for LanlingJin...," 

The words were cut midway, but the people inside the hall gritted their teeth with hatred in tandem. 

One of Wen Qing's cousins added in agreement, "Our family branch weren't considered as Prisoner of War. We were acknowledged as the Remnants of Wen Clan. We have the right to continue our life as Cultivators, as it'd been decided by the Hundreds Cultivation Clans. Back then, Qiongling and I, with several of our remaining Cultivators were even nighthunting for some time. It was until we'd gone investigating the Eight-Winged Bat King in GangQuan that we unluckily encountered LanlingJin's entourage..."

The other Cultivators being mentioned were nodding their heads. One of them spat hatefully, "If it wasn't for that, that Jin Zixun, who'd unreasonably arrested our whole family, and threw us to QiongqiDao, treating us as if we were Prisoner of War, we wouldn't have been-,"

"We wouldn't have been what?" Suddenly, a woman cut him off.

"Huh?"

A young lady, who'd died in QiongqiDao unable to withstand the torture, continued to interject, "...So what if we were captured unjustly, what could we do?" She sneered. "So what if LanlingJin had ignored the previous decision of dividing clearly between Prisoners of War and Clan Remnants? So what? In other people's eyes, we were still a Wen..."

A WenDog to be exact.

Even without her spelling it out loud, the other family members knew it in their hearts.

The young lady continued, her voice thick with sarcasm, "The reason they bothered to divide those who were partaking in the war and those who were innocents at the beginning, everyone knows it's a superficial courtesy. Just a way to make them seem decent, appearing righteous. Just to paint them as Virtuous, unlike the Abominable WenDog. But afterward, whether those who were proven innocent would be captured behind their back, whether we'd be tortured or killed, what did it matter with them? Even if other Clans, those supposedly Righteous Cultivators, knew about it, they'd just close one eye and open another eye."

What she said was indisputably what'd happened in their past-future. 

Even after Wei Wuxian had brought up Jin Zixun's action of using living humans as bait. Telling them how he'd unreasonably arrested the Wen Remnants, who were not Prisoners of War, just because Wen Ning had confronted him for using human baits, and because he'd failed to hunt the Eight-Winged Bat King in the end, ─ no one in Jinlintai back then batted a single eye. 

A WenDog was still A WenDog. Innocent or not.

So what did it matter if a WenDog came across an injustice?

The atmosphere inside the front hall of the Yiling Supervisory Office was filled with a depressive ambiance for a while. 

It's hard to cast away the despair and deep helplessness in their hearts. Right now, the look on everyone's face was downright, world-weary. No matter if they died in QiongqiDao, or died during the Siege, none of them had a good end. Not a single of them died in a way they deserved. 

Especially those who died in the Siege.

The Hundreds of Cultivation Clans claimed they'd incinerated all the Corpses in Burial Mound after the Siege. But in reality, it wasn't all of them. The 50s remnants of Wen Clan weren't included in the clean-up, but were thrown to the Blood Pool instead. 

For a human to be killed and thrown to a heavy Yin place such as Blood Pool, meant they were extremely Heinous, an Unpardonable Evil, the vile being who didn't just have to die but even their corpses and spirits didn't deserve to be properly sent to rest.

...But what kind of Heinous and Evil Being was Granny Wen?

The other men, women, old, young, and weak, of those 50s remnants-,

....just what kind of inexcusable depravity they'd done to deserve being labeled as Evil Beings?

If this kind of Mass Rebirth didn't happen out of nowhere, their spirits would be forever locked inside.

For another year. Another 10 years. Another 13 years. Or who knew how much longer it'd be? They'd be trapped and kept being nurtured by the Pool as Bloody Corpses, soaked heavily with Yin. 

Wen Qing sucked a deep breath, hanging her head low. Her hand was pressed on her forehead, massaging her temple. 

It wasn't like she couldn't understand the despair in everyone's heart. She wasn't even in the position to brag about her death to be prettier compared to others.

However, lingering in despondency wasn't good either. At least not, when they were in an emergency right now. If later they wanted to continue to wallow in depression, Wen Qing wouldn't prevent them from feeling so. But the key word was: Later!

She spoke, still massaging her temple, breaking the thick silence;

"What happened in the past...We couldn't help it." She paused for a moment, trying to find words to better convey her intention.

"...The world is like this. It isn't just filled with Justice, but also Evil. Just because we've lived without worry doesn't mean everyone must've lived in happiness. However, just because we've experienced despair, that doesn't mean the whole world is no good either. We'd indeed encountered vicious people. Regrettably, we'd also been forsaken by fate. But even then, I hope we wouldn't resent the world for it." Her hand's movement on her temple halted. 

"We had no good end. We'd unluckily met people with evil in their hearts. However,"

Lifting her head to look at her clansmen one by one, for the first time after their awakening, the young maiden finally plastered a smile on her face as she said;

"---However, amidst misfortunes, had we not encountered good people as well? Even when we're in the deep end, someone willingly extended a hand for us. The world isn't just black and white. It isn't just filled with mere Joy or Pain. Whatever past we've had, do not forget, but do not wallow. Let them be our lesson for the future. Just, don't put too many things in your heart..."

"Maiden Qing..."

"A-Qing..."

The people in the hall murmured in low voices. 

They closed their eyes, heaving out a deep sigh.

They were all reborn. Back to almost, the starting point.

Each with their own complicated circumstance in their past.

Whether they'd choose to be trapped in the past and sink deeper in resentment, or choose to embrace the past as introspection as they move forward-,

─was up to each individual. 

And Wen Qing's family branch chose,

...to climb out from their nightmare named past life. 

"A-Qing," The Fourth Uncle finally raised the previous matter they're discussing, "So, what do you think we should do right now? Should we go back to Qishan and seek asylum from the main branch?"

Wen Qing shook her head. "Don't go back to Qishan. It's risky."

Most of the other clansmen were actually thinking about going back to Qishan, since it was their most obvious choice. They were originally from Qishan. Hearing Wen Qing denying this option had caused quite a stir, and confusion within the people present. 

Even the Fourth Uncle couldn't help frowning in puzzlement. "Why must we be at risk in Qishan?"

Wen Qing sighed. "That's why I said earlier. Everyone, right now, we're not just a mere side branch of QishanWen. We're also Wen Remnants, who'd been tied closely with Wei Wuxian."

A Senior Cultivator in her family branch caught her implication. "Office Leader means...," He took a sharp breath. "...You mean, we were at risk of being used by either, or even both, QishanWen and Hundreds Cultivation Clans...?"

"Unfortunately." Wen Qing pressed her lip into a thin line somberly. "Currently, we are, may be regarded as Wei Wuxian's weakness. From both sides."

...Oh.

Oh!

Just like the Senior Cultivator earlier, the other clansmen got their breath hitched in their throats as realization sunken in. 

The Hundreds Cultivation Clans, might use them in a way so that Wei Wuxian would abide by their will.

And QishanWen...it's difficult to gauge what Wen Ruohan might do. He might not hurt them considering his close relationship with Wen Qing's father. But...that man was also someone who didn't bat an eye at the death of his 2 blood-related sons.

In any case, there's a high probability of him taking advantage of their family branch against Wei Wuxian ─ restraining his hands and feet ─ preventing him from doing anything or even using them to capture Wei Wuxian to Nightless City.

After all, in the past-future, the young man had been proven to desperately protect these remnants to his death.

Others knew, these people were important to him. Holding these people in their hands, meant putting a reign on Wei Wuxian's neck. Whatever path Wei Wuxian should go, depend on their manipulation. 

Either way, it was a dead end. 

Wen Qing told her clansmen carefully, "We can't defy the world, unable to turn the regime upside down. But at least, we should know how to protect ourselves well, so that we won't put him into a difficult situation..." 

A scene of the past fleeted through her mind.

─Of the face of a young man, who'd equated confidence into his very being, actually crumpled as he burst into tears, nothing but helplessness remained as he wept, "Is there someone who can tell me...what am I suppose to do?"

But nobody else was there.

There left only Wen Qing. 

And Wen Qing couldn't offer a good way, not when the young man who'd always been the one showing them ways, was at a loss himself.

So she could only bring her brother. Took responsibility. Strode to the guillotine. 

She didn't regret dying. 

Her only regret was her death had no meaning. 

It couldn't save her family. Couldn't alleviate his burden. It couldn't prevent people with Evil in their hearts to keep driving him to the abyss.

Wen Qing thought that it was enough. She wouldn't want to see the young man who didn't even cry when his future was dug out by her hand, actually bursting into tears for another time.

Shaking herself out of her recollections, she made a poor joke, "We're his weakness. As his weakness, we should have the awareness of Weak People."

A muffled laughter was heard from across the hall. 

Weak people indeed should have awareness of being a Weakling. 

Right now, It's important for them not to be a hindrance to whatever plan Wei Wuxian might have. Preventing others from using them against Wei Wuxian was the least thing they could do. They're weak. They're powerless in front of the Behemoth called QishanWen, or the Masses called Sunshot Campaign Party. If you couldn't help him, then you shouldn't be a drag.

Her Second Uncle spoke up, "Then...?"

Wen Qing smiled, her gaze was firm. "Then, we must stay away."

The Fourth Uncle laughed. "Hahahaha! Okay! It's decided! Let's all run away! Who cares about the war, who cares about Clan Honor and Loyalty, let us be selfish, and protect ourselves first!"

His wife shoved his back with annoyance. "Who said we're not loyal? Who said we're not honoring our Clan? We abide by Wen Mao's rules: All those who oppress others and do evil relying on the power of their Clan should be killed. Not only that, they should be beheaded for tens of thousands to revile so that those to come would beware. And so we've never joined any war, to honor our Ancestor's belief."

"Ah! That's it, that's right! As expected of my Wife~" Fourth Uncle cooed fondly. 

"Hmph." The middle-aged woman snorted, though, her lip couldn't help but rise, and her eyes were looking at her own husband with the same fondness. 

The other clansmen pretended not to see this old couple showing off their affection. 

She'd left her husband earlier in their past-future. Her health wasn't good, and she couldn't even stay longer than 2 days in QiongqiDao.

Being reunited once again was truly their lifetime blessing.

"Jie, how should I store this Herb?" 

Wen Qing was currently in her medical wards, packing her medical instruments and herbs inventory. Her younger brother was there to help her. Though, rather than pure assistance, it's his presence, having him near her that she considered as "Helping". 

Glancing briefly at the herbs in Wen Ning's hand, she instructed, "Don't directly put them into Qiankun bags. Store them first in smaller boxes. Give them enough spiritual energy before sealing the boxes."

"Oh. I understand." 

Wen Ning took out a set of small wooden boxes from the cabinets, arranging them neatly on a table. The young man carefully stored the herbs in each box, his hand aglow from transferring spiritual energy inside. 

"How's your cultivation?" Wen Qing found herself stopping what she was doing and instead set her focus on her brother's movement. 

"Huh?" Wen Ning looked up and smiled shyly. "Uh...just usual?" 

Wen Qing huffed out a chuckle. "That's not what I mean. Everyone seems to regain their latest Cultivation before death. But you..." Her words trailed off. 

Since Wen Ning was resurrected as a Sentient Fierce Corpse with enormous power, power not originating from Cultivation but Resentment brewed in his body instead,  Wen Qing couldn't be sure how his brother had changed. 

Wen Ning finished his second box of herbs and extended his hand to his sister. "Jie can help me check. But I think, what stays in me is my Spiritual Cultivation."

Taking Wen Ning's wrist and examining his pulse and Golden Core, eventually Wen Qing nodded in agreement. "You are right. There's nothing unusual about your Cultivation. But how about raw force?"

Back then, as Fierce Corpse, Wen Ning was able to go up and down the Mountain, carrying both goods and an adult man-Wei Wuxian, breaking mountain walls, or uprooting trees ─ with just a bare hand. 

Instead of answering, Wen Ning used his fist to hit a large stone pestle to grind herbs in the vicinity. 

He grimaced in pain.

The pestle remained aloof. 

Turning to look at his sister with a sheepish smile on his face, the answer was obvious. 

Wen Qing patted his head. "It's okay. At least you retain the ability not to stutter when you speak." 

"Oh!" Suddenly Wen Ning became excited. "But, but, Jie, there's still one characteristic of Ghost General that remains within me." 

Wen Qing smiled. "Really? Tell me, what is it?"

Grinning proudly, her brother said, "I can still sense Wei-Gongzi's presence and follows his trace!"

"..."

The smile on Wen Qing's face was frozen halfway. 

'What's the use of having the ability to trace Wei Wuxian? Were you going to be his stalker or something?'

Among all of the useful traits of Ghost General, what remained was the useless one!

God really was making a joke with them...

"A-Qing, do you think we should procure more supplies to add to the package?" Her Fourth Aunt poked her head into the medical hall. 

"That is-," Before Wen Qing had the time to answer her, another inquiry was heard from the hallway,

"Maiden Qing, I have finished readying the horses and carriages. Should we ready our Ships as well?" It was from the Senior Cultivator under her. 

"Well-,"

"Office Leader, should we start scouring the routes we may use in the journey?" Another subordinate of hers came in. 

Wen Qing, "..."

Looking at the people who were waiting for her to give them replies, she took a deep breath, feeling a bit overwhelmed. 

Perhaps because she'd been used to living in a simple community in Burial Mound without any need to be asked about "important decisions", well, if the decision of planting radish or potato was put aside, now that she regained her post as an Office Leader, as the Head of her family branch, it's a bit...just a little, overwhelming.

She replied carefully, "Second Aunt, there's no need to procure many supplies. It'd be a burden. Especially those that could be made or bought later. No need to secure any ship either, since our destination doesn't require any water transportation. Also, yes, let's scour the route first. Take a few of our men, do not wear our Clan Robes, and be careful." 

After the few people who came to ask her for further instruction went back to do their assignment, Wen Ning asked her, "Jie, aside from our personal belonging, what should I bring more?"

"Let's see...Just bring anything you deem important, A-Ning. That said, do you have something particular you want to bring? Some food you like perhaps, that can only be found here, but hard to get later?" 

"Food, huh...let's bring potato, shall we, Jie?" 

"Huh? But why potato?" 

"Wei-Gongzi is...he likes potatoes."

"...Oh. Fine then, bring some. What else?"

"Some wine would be good. Emperor Smile if possible." 

"Huh??? Why do we have to bring wine? And Emperor Smile is far in Gusu, it'll waste more time to procure it." Wen Qing started to grumble, "Besides, that Wei Wuxian really should quit drinking. He's drinking way too heavily. I've reminded him in the past but he never listens."

"Why bring wine? Of course, since Wei Wuxian likes wine! But no Emperor Smile is fine. Any local liquor works nicely too. Also, it's not the Cloud Recesses, there's no reason for Wei Wuxian to quit drinking! He'd told you so in the past as well."

"Ah! I haven't scolded him for using the last coins I have to drink outside back then! Oh well, forget it. We have money now. Let's see how I'll drown Wei Wuxian with the liquor he loves so much. Buy some in the tavern tomorrow."

"Drowning Wei Wuxian with his favorite wine huh...Great Idea! By the way, this roasted chestnut is delicious. Where did you get it? Bring some more of it. It's important, I guarantee."

"It's probably given by the patient in the afternoon, I don't really remember, but I seem to see more of it in the kitchen." 

"Hmm, is that so? Let's ask the patient tomorrow if they have more, we'll buy it and add it to the package list."

"Oh, okay."

"..."

"!?"

Wen Qing whipped her head quickly to look behind her.

There, sitting comfortably on the mat, munching on roasted chestnut, was Wei Wuxian. 

"You?!" Her mouth was agape. "How...When did you get in?"

The young man looked at her innocently. "When, do you ask? Just now. Didn't we have a good conversation just now?"

As for How he'd come in...well. Back then, he could even enter Jinlintai without an invitation to their banquet. In the hall filled with Skillful Cultivators, no one had noticed his presence, until he decided to speak and intercepted the wine being forced upon the Twin Jades. He's able to infiltrate into one of the Major Sect headquarters unnoticed, a small Supervisory Office like this was simply a walk in the garden.

Wen Qing, on the other hand, cast her glance at her brother, demanding, "Wen Ning?"

"Uh, Jie, that, when I said I can sense Wei-Gongzi's presence earlier, I was about to tell you. He's approaching here."

Wen Qing, "..."

Wei Wuxian greeted her. "Hey there, Wen Qing. It's nice to see you being so...lively." He smiled genuinely at the end of his words.

Chapter Text

Wen Qing put down the remaining herbs she was sorting out earlier. 

Facing Wei Wuxian on the other side of the room, she unexpectedly plopped down, kneeling with a thud on the wooden floor. Following her, Wen Ning knelt as well. 

"..." Somehow the scene of Lan Wangji kneeling on the road in Yunmeng last night was replayed inside Wei Wuxian's mind. "...Is it just me, or is there a custom I didn't know about that we have to greet people by kneeling now?" He doubtfully wondered.

Wen Qing said, "I'm sorry."

Wei Wuxian stopped his action of feeding a piece of chestnut into his mouth. He put down the chestnut into the bowl. Brushing the crumbs on his finger onto his lap, Wei Wuxian fixed his crossed leg-sitting into kneeling on his knees, just like Wen Qing and Wen Ning. 

"Well then." He said in return. 

Wen Ning pursed his lip. Looking at Wei Wuxian kneeling toward them as well, he began to kowtow instead. 

Wen Qing followed. 

And Wei Wuxian soon followed. 

The Wen SIbling kowtowed once, and Wei Wuxian kowtowed back once. 

The Wen Sibling added one more kowtow, and Wei Wuxian also added another one.

Soon, the situation was turned into a strange loop with 3 people stubbornly kneeling and kowtowing toward each other.

It was Wen Qing who finally stopped their silly antics. "There's no end to this. Let's just stop."

She pulled up her brother to sit normally.

Wei Wuxian laughed helplessly. "I wasn't the one who started it." He went back to crossing his leg on his seating mat. "Just talk normally like this, isn't it good?" He shrugged, picking up the uneaten chestnut earlier and throwing it into his mouth.

The chestnut had gone in a flash but Wei Wuxian didn't pick up another piece. He stared at the bowl of glistening golden chestnut and suddenly spoke instead, "That's right. Wen Qing, Wen Ning, there's indeed something I have to say." Both his voice and expression were mild yet somber. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect the others."

Wen Qing sighed. "What foolishness. How were you going to protect anyone when you're dying yourself?"

"It couldn't be helped. Walking on a crooked path, sooner or later would backfire. I died from a backlash. I'd lost control..." His voice became weaker at the end. 

"Gongzi, it's me." Wen Ning softly rebutted him.

His eyes were already red. In the past, as a Fierce Corpse, no matter how sorrowful he was, he couldn't even cry and shed any tears. But even then, when he was in extreme pain, his stiff facial muscle was distorted so much that people who saw him would know he was crying. Right now, this young man who had a delicate mind was even more prone to cry at every turn. 

He's already sobbing as he rambled, "It's Wen Ning. It's me who couldn't control myself in Jinlintai. It's me who'd caused more trouble to Wei Gongzi. Back then, even if Hanguang-Jun had helped to speak for Jie and me in the trial, but in the end, I still lost control and killed his Lan Disciples..." Tears were gushing out, drenching his youthful face. 

Wen Qing on his side couldn't help but felt distressed at the sight. She used her sleeves to wipe her brother's cheeks and eyes gently, "A-Ning..."

Wei Wuxian, however, was more surprised to hear Lan Wangji from Wen Ning's words. "Hanguang-Jun, Lan Zhan was...?" His words stopped halfway. 

Knowing Lan Wangji, it's really not a surprise that he'd try to get a trial as fair as possible. Although Lan WangJi looked as if he didn't care about anything, from Wei WuXian's past experiences with him, he absolutely couldn't stand wrongdoings, possibly even more than Nie Mingjue. Back then, the LanlingJin Sect had some dishonest ways of doing things, and Lan WangJi never bothered to be subtle about them.

'If anyone would bother to even help the Wen to get a fair trial...it'd only be Lan Zhan.' The corner of Wei Wuxian's lip curled upward at the thought. 

The past was a long-gone conclusion. But knowing that back then, when he thought he was left all alone, someone actually was still willing to stand on his side, it still made him feel...warm.

Having said that, he wouldn't let Wen Ning keep the blame on himself. 

"Wen Ning. Don't blame yourself. The nature of resentful energy is like this. Even I, would have a moment when I lost control over it. As a fierce corpse, it's even more difficult to control for you." Wei Wuxian waved his hand.

"Let's just forget it." He said afterward. "We've all died. And we've all returned to life. God gives us this second chance. We better use it well."

Taking another bite at the roasted chestnut, he finally asked, "By the look of it, you're planning to flee. So, where to go? Overseas? Dongying? Or the Southern Plain? I heard the mortals' fight over the throne there aren't as fierce as in the Central Plain."

"Not those places." Wen Qing shook her head.

"Oh, is it the Western Mountains then? The tall snowy peak? Haha, Are you going to start a secluded monk career? Should I shave my head bald if I want to go with you guys?" He joked.

"You really want to go with us?" Wen Qing looked at him in surprise. 

Wei Wuxian raised his brows. "Why? Am I not allowed? I thought you agreed to pack my favorite liquor not long ago."

"No, of course, you can, and honestly, A-Ning, and the others too, will be happy to hear you're joining us. But..." She hesitated.

---But this time there's no need for Wei Wuxian to tie himself into their family. There's no need for him to forsake his freedom for anyone. 

Wei Wuxian smiled. "I know. I plan to roam around myself. But...is it okay for me to know where you are, so that when I feel like going home, I'll have a place to return?" He asked softly.

The pair of siblings in front of him were taken aback. 

Wen Ning was about to cry once again from the overstimulation. Tremblingly he replied, nodding his head as if he's pounding rice cake, "Of course, You can! Gongzi, you can, definitely, come back to us, whenever you want to!"

Wen Qing snorted softly. "You better help us pack in this case."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhh?"

Later, mixed with his whine and protests, Wen Qing still dragged him outside, to join with the others and help packing. 

When he met with the others afterward, it wasn't a series of kowtows like he'd had with the Wen sibling before.

There wasn't much to say, nonetheless, the others smiled at him genuinely, and gave him a deep bow. It wasn't just the 50s Wen remnants, but also those who'd died in Qiongqi Path. After all, even if they'd never once met before, but their wife, or husband, parents, siblings, other relatives, and even children, were saved and protected by Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian reacted similarly with one deep bow in response.

It was then that a young adult woman with a delicate look on her face came to approach him. "Wei Gongzi." She greeted. "I need to say this directly to you. Thank you very much." 

"Lady Wen. No need, there's really no need to mention it." Wei Wuxian had never seen the woman among the Wen remnants, so she's probably a relative among those 50s Wen. 

The woman smiled kindly. Showing the baby in her arms, she said, "I heard from Granny and the others. You've been taking care of A-Yuan a lot."

"A-Yuan!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed. This time finally looked closer at the sleeping baby.

He couldn't help but marvel. It's almost 4 years in the past. The little Wen Yuan back then indeed, would still be an infant today! 

There's not much resemblance he could pick from the months-old infant. But it couldn't stop the fondness he felt at the thought that the tiny baby was that little Wen Yuan.

"I've heard from others. They said, A-Yuan liked to hug your leg, and you too, often carried him around. The others were busy with chores, and Granny was old. You've taken care of him a lot."

Her gaze was incredibly warm as she continued, "You noticed him when he accidentally ate the corpse dirt, and taught him not to. He had no playmate, so you often took him to play with you. He liked gnawing on your...ChenQing, but you never get mad at him. Wei Gongzi...when I and my husband couldn't be there, you were there. You had been acting like a father figure to our baby. We really thank you for this."

Wei Wuxian was a bit overwhelmed. He really wasn't used to being thanked by others. "No, you really don't have to...I mean, anyone would definitely do the same."

Lady Wen smiled, neither agreeing nor refuting. 

"After we heard about it, I talked with my husband. We think, Wei Gongzi, we hope you'll give A-Yuan his courtesy name and for him to honor you as his God Father." 

Wei Wuxian froze Upon the mention of "giving the courtesy name".

"A-Xian, won't you give him a courtesy name?" The scene of a long-gone past fleeted through his mind. Of a similarly gentle woman in red robes in Yiling. 

But the baby whom he gave a courtesy name to...ended up losing his parents in his 1-month-old celebration.

Wei Wuxian swallowed bitterly.

Lady Wen, however, noticed his strangeness as something else. She thought that Wei Wuxian might have felt troubled by abruptly being shoved into a role of a God Father. She couldn't help but regret her eagerness earlier.

"Wei Gongzi," She carefully called him. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable. I haven't considered your opinion well. Please don't mind it."

Wei Wuxian hurriedly waved his hand, "No! There's no need to apologize. I'm happy. I'm really glad I could be recognized as Xiao-Yuan's God Father. I really do." Wei Wuxian tried to sound as earnest as he could. "It's just...the matter of courtesy name," He paused.

For some reason, the image of Lan Wangji attentively looking after Wen Yuan as they ate in Yiling back then popped into his mind. Unknowingly making him smile.

"I have a bad sense of naming. There's someone I know who can give good advice for courtesy names, however. Is it okay for me to give his courtesy name later?"

Lady Wen beamed brightly. "My husband and I will definitely be looking forward to it!"

Speaking about Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian remembered how they'd parted ways a few hours before in Yunmeng.

Once Lan Wangji finished taking his bath and changing into a new set of robes, Wei Wuxian immediately stood up.

"Are you done cleaning yourself? Great! Now, Hanguang-Jun, can I finally go?"

"Where do you want to go?" Lan Wangji proceeded to ask.

"You're so persistent. Fine. I'll just say it. Where, of course, isn't that obvious, I need to go to Lotus Pier. I need to...make sure Shijie is there." 

Lan Wangji carefully inquired, "Are you planning to go back to YunmengJiang?"

Wei Wuxian didn't reply. He just smiled and said, "Who knows?"

"I will go with you." 

Wei Wuxian frowned. "To Lotus Pier?"

"Yes." Lan Wangji nodded firmly.

Wei Wuxian stayed silent for a while, as if considering something. In the end, he shrugged. "Suit yourself." 

Later, as they walked out of the Inn, Wei Wuxian turned his head and smiled playfully. "I didn't bring my sword."

A lie. Suibian was inside a Qiankun bag in his sleeve. Even if he had no Golden Core and couldn't operate his sword for long, he still had spiritual energy, and Suibian still could be of use during his nightly adventure.

But still, he shamelessly demanded, "So, Hanguang-Jun, won't you give me a ride on your Bichen?"

There's no answer from the other person. But Lan Wangji simply unsheathed his Spiritual Sword, wrapped his arm around Wei Wuxian's waist, and took him to fly. 

"Oh..." Wei Wuxian reacted dumbly.

They soon arrived around Lotus Pier.

Wei Wuxian told him not to directly disembark at the main gate and went straight through the hidden paths at the back instead. 

Lan Wangji had shot him a questioning look for a second, but never asked him anything. Choosing to follow behind him silently.

When it came to sneaking around in Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian knew the best path. He'd been used to it, in his years of avoiding Madam Yu as much as he could. Otherwise, even his mere sight might have ignited her irritation somehow. If he's lucky then it's a kneeling in the ancestral hall, if unlucky, then, a lash of Zidian that is.

After walking for a while, scuttling silently behind the buildings, suddenly Wei Wuxian stopped his advance. 

Lan Wangji ceased as well, looking at Wei Wuxian, and later turning his gaze to the direction where Wei Wuxian was currently looking at. 

In the opposite direction, at the main courtyard in Lotus Pier, it was brightly lit. Some people were sitting, and some others were moving around. 

Among the people who're sitting were Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Yanli, and...Jin Zixuan. 

Unlike Lan Xichen who forgot to use a teleportation talisman, the rich LanlingJin didn't hesitate to use one in an emergency. Consequently, the moment Jin Zixuan woke up, he'd been kicked out, packaged to Lotus Pier directly by his father.

"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji called him softly.

Wei Wuxian glanced at him. There's not much expression in his eyes. He looked back one more time to the smiling, undoubtedly alive and well-Jiang Yanli. Finally, he tugged at Lan Wangji's sleeves, motioning him to leave. 

This time, after walking out from the perimeter of Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian didn't stop his pace. In fact, they're almost sprinting, using their martial arts to speed-running noiselessly. It was only after they're far enough that they stopped.

If one were traveling using the Yangtze River, there would be some mountains in the background. And here at the bottom of those mountains, they were currently stopping.

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji eventually asked him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"I am, Lan Zhan." He replied, his words sounded gentler than usual. "I couldn't be more happier, knowing Shiji-, Maiden Jiang, is finally looking fine, and happy once again."

The last time he saw the woman, she was staring blankly at her husband's coffin. Wei Wuxian couldn't bear such a sight anymore. And next time afterward---Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, reluctant to recall the bloody appearance of her...dead body.

"Are you fine with this?" Lan Wangji asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not want to greet her?"

Wei Wuxian faltered. 

Did he not want to greet Jiang Yanli? To hear her voice once again? God knew how much he wished for that! But just because he wanted to, it didn't mean he could just do it.

Just like back then, did he not want to celebrate her wedding? Didn't he want to send her off on her happiest day? Didn't he want to congratulate her on the birth of Jin Ling? But in the end, he was unable to do any of those.

Reality made him realize that there were things that you better not do, even if you could've done it and even wanted it badly.

In the past, he'd stupidly thought he could still maintain a good relationship on both ends. He thought he could protect the Wen well, without actually breaking up any contact with Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. But his affection for Jiang Yanli had ended up being used to hurt the people he wanted to protect. And later, his affection for the Wen Sibling was also used to push Jiang Yanli into harm to contain him. 

He could control his own actions. He could keep his intention remain clear and pure.  

But he forgot. 

He's unable to control others' actions. He couldn't dictate their intention. He couldn't prevent people from harboring any Evil thoughts in their hearts.

"Lan Zhan," After a moment, Wei Wuxian started to speak. "I, actually I don't know what should I do, or where should I go before. All I think about was seeing Shijie. Now that I've seen her, I finally know what I should do."

Lan Wangji gazed at him quietly. "What do you want to do?" 

Wei Wuxian, "I want to quit the Cultivation World." He peered at Lan Wangji's face, wanting to see his reaction. When he found nothing, it was him who became shocked. "Lan Zhan! Aren't you surprised? Don't you have something to say?"

"I..." Lan Wangji blinked. "I do not know what you were expecting me to say."

Honestly, he didn't know what Lan Wangji should say as well. Was it preaching to him? Telling him to go receive his punishment? 

But if he thought so, Lan Wangji would've dragged him to the trial stage long before. Why bother to wait until now? 

He tried to make it clear, "I mean, I will not go back to YunmengJiang. I won't be participating in the war. I will get myself out of this mess, leave the hell out of this place, and find myself some good place to play. Do you understand?"

There's finally some ripple in Lan Wangji's eyes. He responded slowly, "You, you want to leave Yunmeng?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "Not just Yunmeng. I won't even continue to live in the Central Plain."

Lan Wangji fell silent. 

But it wasn't long until he spoke up, "I will go with you."

"Huh??"

Lan Wangji, "Where do you plan to go, I will go."

"Is it to supervise me? Making sure that I won't do any bad thing? You sure are still persevering at your preaching about my cultivation, don't you?" He looked at Lan Wangji suspiciously.

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Not to supervise. Not to denounce. Wei Ying, I want to go because I want to accompany you."

"What about your family? Hanguang-Jun, don't you have your responsibility as a Second Young Master of Lan?"

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Is it okay for you to leave YunmengJiang on their own fate?" Lan Wangji asked him back.

Wei Wuxian, "I am different from you. I am just a disciple. I don't have any obligation to the Clan. The kindness of nurturing...I have returned them. The debt of revenge for the death of my Master and Martial Siblings, I have avenged them. The Sect ground that once lost, I have recovered them back. Jiang Cheng, I believe he's strong and capable enough to protect YunmengJiang. And Shijie...she too, will have both Jiang Cheng and...Jin Zixuan, to protect her."

He halted for a moment, before continuing to speak, albeit with his voice lowered, "Actually, if I were to be there, I may expose Shijie in danger once again. Right now, a lot of people wish to get my head. I'm afraid...just like back then, some people intended to kill me, but it's Shijie who had to accidentally be harmed..."

"But you, you're different! Lan Zhan, you...you couldn't possibly leave your Uncle and your Older Brother, can you?"

Lan Wangji replied, "I can." 

"Why?? Wait, Lan Zhan, did something happen between you and your family? Is everything okay?" Wei Wuxian suddenly recalled how strange Lan Wangji had become. And it finally dawned on him, that something, something really might have happened with Lan Wangji! 

Lan Wangji pursed his lip. His fingers hidden behind his long sleeve trembled slightly. Faintly he felt, the ghostly feeling of the discipline whips falling onto his back and the excruciating pain after. 

"Wei Ying. You said, you have faith in Jiang Wanyin, and you believe Maiden Jiang to be well if you are not around. I do think so. I think Xiongzhang is more than capable. My Uncle too, has always been a competent person. Without Lan Wangji, Gusulan will not fall."

Lan Wangji stopped, looking at Wei Wuxian seriously. "As for responsibility...We have all been reborn. Just like all the demerits in the past life can not be erased, all the merits I have done should not be forgotten as well." 

He added calmly later, "Naturally if others are willing to let go of any grudges, I will also be willing to contribute from the start all over again."

But it was impossible. For others to pretend nothing happened.

Lan Wangji loved his family, his clan, and his sect. If he could, he wished to live peacefully, with his beloved in his arms, and his family around him. 

But people couldn't have it good on both ends. There's a time when you need to choose. His Sect was bound to join the Hundreds Cultivation Clans. And the other Clans were bound to stand opposite Wei Wuxian.

Jin Guangyao was right. Lan Wangji was a single person. He couldn't compare to thousands of armies. His words had never been heard in the past when Hundreds of Cultivation Clans had been determined to do something. 

Lan Wangji had made his choice long before in the past-future. 

There'd be no more indecision.

It was this unquestionable determination that Wei Wuxian saw in his eyes. He felt like nothing could shake Lan Wangji right now. In the end, he could only respond with, 

"...Fine then. You can follow me. But not tonight. I need to go somewhere else. You too, Lan Zhan, won't you see your family one last time? If later, later after you meet them you still want to follow me, let's meet again tomorrow at Zishi. In the inn we rented before."

It was how Lan Wangji parted ways with Wei Wuxian that night.

Gusu, the Cloud Recesses.

It was Haishi. 

The Residents in the Cloud Recesses were no longer allowed to roam around outside. The only exceptions were the patrolling disciples.

A large part of the Cloud Recesses was still in repair after being burnt around half a year ago. Something that a lot of people lamented about. For a place that was comparable to paradise on earth, the pride of the Gusulan Sect, to be burnt and ravaged. 

The Jingshi and a lot of private buildings of the Clan surprisingly had survived without any scratch from the fire. The focus of Wen Xu's arson was, first the Library Pavillion, and inevitably the other Sect's official buildings around. The Clan's other private residence itself, however, had been built in a more remote part of the Mountain, far from the front courtyards for privacy. Therefore, fortunately, had made it through the fire. 

This was also why Nie Mingjue chose to send Nie Huaisang to the Cloud Recesses during the Sunshot Campaign instead of leaving him in the unscathed Unclean Realm. Otherwise, if the whole Gusulan sect was burned to poverty, Nie Mingjue wouldn't have a face to bother them with Nie Huaisang. 

Lan Wangji spared another look at his Jingshi for one last time. It hadn't been long since he lived in his own private courtyard. But when he thought of a home, then this was his home. 

There's a time in the past when he wished to show the Jingshi to Wei Wuxian. Wishing the person to be willing to live, even in the other compartment, with him here. Hoping this residence of his to be able to shelter and protect his beloved from anything. That's how meaningful the Jingshi was to him, Lan Wangji. 

To him, before, Home was the Jingshi. But Home should also be a place where his heart stayed at peace. Right now it's clear that the Jingshi couldn't give any peace to his heart. 

Home is where the heart is. 

So there's no shred of reluctance or nostalgia on his face as he turned around, and walked away. 

Maneuvering through the Cloud Recesses without bumping into any other disciples or cultivators was easy. For years Lan Wangji had been on the duty of night patrols. He'd been successfully catching even the Master of Sneaking-Wei Wuxian. 

As he's approaching the side entrance of the Cloud Recesses, the speed of his walk decreased. Eventually, he stopped just near the small gate. 

Suddenly he opened his mouth and spoke up calmly, "Come out."

For a while, there's no sound or response from anywhere. Only a rustling of bamboo leaves and the wheezing of the night wind were heard. 

Lan Wangji unsheathed Bichen and in one swift move, shot the sword at some part of the building. Following his action, a shriek was finally heard.

"Ahhh! Don't! Stop it! Don't stab me! Hanguang-Jun, Hanguang-Jun, it's me, it's me!" 

Bichen was hovering in the air. The icy blue sword glare shone at the face of the person creeping around at the small gap between buildings. It's Nie Huaisang. 

"Uh, Hanguang-Jun, can you, um, put your sword away, first?" He grimaced, looking at Bichen that's a hair's breadth away from his neck. 

There's no noticeable change in Lan Wangji's expression. He stared at the other party unhurriedly,  neither responding nor putting his sword down. In the end, it's Nie Huaisang who gave up and started to speak.

"Hanguang-Jun, I really didn't mean to sneak around in the Cloud Recesses. I was just...hungry, and wondering if there's some leftover Bun or something in the kitchen. I really didn't intend to leave the Cloud Recesses and sneak outside. If you want to punish, at least leave the discipline rulers aside, and just give me some rules to copy. Or actually, I wish you don't have to punish me at all, after all, I'm no longer a student here, but a guest..." The last sentence was muttered under his breath rather than said loudly. 

Peeking at the owner of the sword that for some reason refused to budge from its position, Nie Huaisang was faced with still expressionless-Lan Wangji. 

"Hanguang-Jun?" He called hesitantly. 

"Go on."

"Huh?" 

Lan Wangji, "Go on and make some commotion."

"Why would I?" Nie Huaisang looked bewildered. "I mean, I'm not that wimp to cry just from being caught breaking the rules. Even if it's been years since I last copy any Gusulan Rules, but still...Hanguang-Jun, am I really that squeamish in your eyes?" His face was scrunched up in helplessness.

Lan Wangji, however, replied, "Did you not plan to make a commotion and attract someone over here?"

For a split second, the helpless expression on Nie Huaisang's showed a sign to crack. 

"Han-Hanguang-Jun, what are you talking about? I don't know what you mean by attracting someone over?" Nie Huaisang looked around slightly, careful not to behead himself on Bichen. "Or were you here to meet someone? Is it inconvenient for me to be here? Then, then, I should go back immediately, if I must be punished then I'll ask you for the punishment tomorrow, yes I guess, can I go now, Hanguang-Jun?"

<<By casually wondering if Lan Wangji was waiting for someone or not, he's leading Lan Wangji to spill what he's about to do.>>

<<By casually mentioning about punishment, he's gauging whether Lan Wangji was going to leave or stay until tomorrow to collect any punishment.>>

Lan Wangji quietly watched Nie Huaisang's performance in front of him. Wordlessly letting him blabber from North to East. A pity that it needed 2 hands for a clap to produce a sound. With zero response or reaction from Lan Wangji, the situation could only become awkward, and what Nie Huaisang said couldn't help but sound more and more like an excuse. Nie Huaisang soon realized this and wisely chose to shut his mouth.

After a while, Lan Wangji finally summoned Bichen back to his sheath, much to the Second Young Master Nie''s relief.

"Nie Huaisang." He called the other person's name. His gaze still didn't show any emotion. "You will not find Wei Ying's whereabouts from me. I do not know where he is currently."

"Hanguang-Jun, I really think you've misunderstood me here." Nie Huaisang laughed bitterly. "I really don't know what are you implying, and why are you suddenly mentioning, uh, Wei-Gongzi?"

As if he didn't listen to what Nie Huaisang was expressing, Lan Wangji continued to say, "Were you not thinking about how to keep both Wei Ying and me for the war?" 

"No!" Nie Huaisang hastily waved his hands. "Oh! Wait, I mean, yes,   Isn't it obvious? Everyone knows that Hanguang-Jun is one of the pivotal forces in the Sunshot Campaign. If it's me though, I know nothing about the war and I don't want to pretend to be smart and foolishly join in it either. All this Mass Rebirth thing has made me feel so dizzy. I just hope everything settles quickly and I can play around freely. I even wish the next time I woke up the war has ended." 

<<By mentioning how crucial he was in the war, he's reminding Lan Wangji of the consequence of his absence, planting the seed of hesitation.>>

Lan Wangji nodded in understanding.

He was indeed convinced. Understood that his impression of this former classmate of his was not wrong. 

Just like Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji never thought Nie Huaisang was a mere good for nothing. It's not to the point of expecting him to be someone who Pretended to be a Pig to eat the Tiger, but he knew that Nie Huaisang wasn't as hopeless as others judged him as. He never looked down on this Nie's Second Young Master, he simply had no interest.

"In the past Sunshot Campaign, Chifeng-Zun was the leader who took the lead in the war. Being at the forefront meaning bearing more of the brunt, as he was later caught in Nightless City. There was once Lianfang-Zun who assassinated Wen Ruohan and saved Chifeng-Zun's life among the Nie Cultivators who were caught." Lan Wangji depicted what happened in the past-future calmly, as if merely telling a historical event to the younger generations in class. 

He said, "I understand. Nie Huaisang, you want to find a way to avoid Chifeng-Zun facing all the brunt of the war." 

"Wait a minute, Hanguang-Jun! I-,"

Lan Wangji, however, no longer paid him any heed. He'd already turned his heels and started to boldly come out of the Cloud Recesses, regardless of Nie Huaisang still chattering behind him. 

Before disappearing into the dark mountainside of Gusulan Sect ground, Lan Wangji spoke, without turning his head, "What do you plan to do, neither will I criticize you over it, nor will I persuade you not to. Nie er-Gongzi is not the only one who has the same thought."

Lan Wangji fluttered down the mountain noiselessly. 

However, even after he mounted his sword and left the perimeter of GusuLan mountains, he heard no racket or any Cultivator rushing over to stop him. 

Nie Huaisang who was left behind in the Cloud Recesses,  could only smile wryly. 

What else could he do? Shouting out and waking the whole Gusulan up to catch Hanguang-Jun from running away? 

He could not. 

Not when the other party had been so straightforward in disclosing his intention. It'd be better if Lan Wangji became upset or at least exhibit any sign of panic. That way, Nie Huaisang would have a way to take advantage of the situation. But Lan Wangji didn't give any leeway. He looked like he no longer had anything he's worried about. 

Nie Huaisang didn't lie when he said he's dizzy from this sudden Mass rebirth. It wasn't a lie either to say he hope it's all a dream and the next time he woke up he'd be back to his carefree days. No one could blame him. After all, he didn't lose somebody important, and neither did he have any regret he wanted to fix in the past. But saying so in front of Lan Wangji was a suicide. It's the same as declaring, it's better for Wei Wuxian to just continue to die in the future. While he wouldn't be killed for it, but Lan Wangji's impression of him would fall to rock bottom. 

He did want to keep both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in the war. But to his defense, he wouldn't just use them while they're useful, and just like a scumbag man, he'd pull his pants and refuse to acknowledge anyone after the deed was done. Of course he'd never do that.

He'd make Wei Wuxian, though not fully accepted, but would have a place in the Cultivation World. Or at least, not living a life where everyone was after his head and planning a siege against him. Probably helped him to clear his reputation a little bit, etc. 

Nie Huaisang thought it's okay to drag Wei Wuxian back to be the Hero of the Sunshot Campaign in return of,  while not accepted but at least would be tolerated by other Cultivators. That should've been a good enough deal, no? After what he had done in the past-future. 

It's what he intended to accomplish previously. Before Lan Wangji forcefully laid his thoughts bare. Before Lan Wangji forcefully ripped down all the hypocrisy in his plan.

He wanted to drag Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji back to take care of others' messes due to this Mass rebirth, but do the two of them willing to go back at all? 

He thought he's doing everyone good, giving each other fair treatment, but in the end, the ones who must take a step back, who'd acquiesce the most, would definitely be Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

At the end of the day, Nie Huaisang was no different than other Scumbags. Just like Lan Wangji said, He's not the only one who has this thought. 

It'd be fine if no one boldly pointed out his hypocrisy. Nie Huaisang would pretend he's still a good man who's different from those Scumbags.

But right now, when everything had been laid bare, his conscience wouldn't be able to do it.

'So be it.' Nie Huaisang sighed inwardly.

He'd try to come out of his comfort zone and stop expecting others to take care of his own problem.

He'd lived long enough being sheltered under his older brother's wing. He'd lived long enough constantly hiding behind the people around him. Living with the concept of; if anyone could go forward then he'd rather stay behind. 

However, Time waits for no one. QishanWen too, they waited for no one. If he didn't hurry and break his cocoon, it'd be way too late.

Even if he wanted to cry later, he would have no corner to cry into!

It was midnight. 

Wei Wuxian walked steadily in the darkest hour, slithered within the deep shadow and long quiet road on the outskirt of Yunmeng. 

As if repeating what happened the night before, there, on the sidewalk, under the sparse light flickered in the deep darkness, a white-robbed figure was standing motionless with his head hung low. Looking down at his feet, one of his pristine white boots was rolling a pebble absentmindedly.

It was Lan Wangji. 

Wei Wuxian stopped his pace a dozen meters away, silently observing the person in front of him. Neither this low-spirit appearance of his nor the visibly brightened mood he had later as he called, "Lan Zhan." ---sit right within him. 

Actually, even this rendezvous in the middle of the night still hadn't sat right in his mind. Why did he insist on following him? And why did Wei Wuxian agree to meet him back here again? 

Before coming back here to meet with Lan Wangji, it wasn't like Wei Wuxian hadn't entertained the thought of simply patting his butt and ignoring his promise of meeting Lan Wangji here. He couldn't even figure out Lan Wangji's intention, or if the man was truly sober when he insisted on it. Perhaps it's just like what he'd jokingly wondered if the other man's head hadn't settled well after rebirth, so when his head had finally cooled down he'd realize what ridiculous thing he'd put himself into.

That said, Wei Wuxian still went to their rendezvous point. Even just to make sure and see if Lan Wangji was there. 

"Wei Ying. You are here." He uttered as a greeting.

"I am here." Wei Wuxian smiled. "Why, Lan Zhan, I told you to wait in the Inn we rented last night. Why are you standing outside in the middle of the night instead? Have I made you wait for a long time?"

"No." Lan Wangji replied with no hesitation. 

Wei Wuxian laughed. They promised to meet at Zishi. But now it's already way past midnight. Someone serious like Lan Wangji would never be tardy. So, he must've been here for hours.  "Hanguang-Jun, lying is forbidden. You've been waiting for hours, didn't you?" He punctured his lies.

Lan Wangji didn't look embarrassed at all and indifferently replied, "You ask if I have waited for a long time. I do not think it is a long time."

Compared to the possibility of a lifetime without Wei Ying, a few hours was nothing---was what he didn't say outright. 

Wei Wuxian snorted in response. Soon his playful gait turned serious as he asked, "Are you really sure this is what you want? Let me ask you one more time, why do you have to follow me at all costs? Lan Zhan, you have your own family. There's no reason for you to leave them in this precarious time."

Lan Wangji looked at him in silence. His glassy-like eyes made his gaze appear even fainter. 

Unexpectedly, instead of answering Wei Wuxian's questions, he took out Qiankun bags from his sleeve. Rummaging inside them for a while, he pulled out the things inside and revealed the contents a little but not fully taken them out.

"I have brought my Guqin table and Sword stance." 

Wei Wuxian, "Huh?"

"My bookcase and the books I have collected on my own."

"Wait, wait a minute,"

Lan Wangji continued, "The bed I use to sleep in my chamber."

"Bed?!"

"My clothes compartments and all the robes I have."

"My collections of Incense Burner."

"The wood powder I have in stock for incense."

"My collections of brushes and ink sets."

"My collections of brush washer."

"My tea sets and my own stock for tea."

"As well as other sundries I own." He said, wrapping up the introduction for the items he'd pocketed into the Qiankun bags.

Speaking of which, Bichen and Wangji-Qin weren't included since they were part of his body. Additionally, he didn't say he'd also emptied his saving, both coins and bills, jewelry, and other precious treasures, for fear of scaring Wei Wuxian. But it's too late for Wei Wuxian to not be shocked in reality.

"..."

For some reason, Wei Wuxian had a feeling as if he'd led the good girl from a respectable family to elope with the poor scholar outside (him). Wei Wuxian thought that it must be his imagination messing up with his mind!

He managed to react with difficulty, "You...Lan Zhan, you really are...well prepared."

Lan Wangji simply nodded. "I am."

Wei Wuxian, "..." That's not a compliment, you know?

Later, to alleviate the embarrassment, he coughed and started to speak, "Uh, okay, I understand. So, you really have thought this through, didn't you? For you to show me this resolution of yours...?" He peeked at the other man. 

Lan Wangji hummed in acquiescence, "Mn."

"That's right, that's good. So..." His words faltered. The next time he spoke, his voice was noticeably lowered. "Lan Zhan, I told you last night. I will not participate in any war. I have told you my reasons. You, asking you about your decision one more time will just be an insensibility to your wish. I won't say more, I just hope you won't regret your choice." 

"I will not regret any of my choices." Lan Wangji replied calmly.  

"So you really want to go with me?"

"I do."

"No matter where I'd like to go?"

"Wherever you want to go. Whatever you want to do. I want to accompany."

"..."

There was a brief silence between them. 

The only sound being heard was the creaking of tree branches, and the high-pitch ringing from the band of crickets and grasshoppers in the bushes. 

Sometime later, it was Wei Wuxian who broke the silence.

"Hahhhh..." he exhaled loudly.

Without warning, Wei Wuxian suddenly squatted on the ground, hugging his knees and hiding his face in between.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji was surprised, and subconsciously knelt on the ground on one knee following his motion. 

Wei Wuxian was laughing. His voice muffled, buried within his sleeves.

"...You, each one of you is just..." The hands clutching on the fabric of his robes tightened.

"...Lan Zhan, don't you think, I really am blessed?"

He'd indeed met countless scumbags. It's true that the world had left no place for him previously. 

But Wei Wuxian thought, realized, still, how blessed he was. To be able to meet good people along the way. 

Humans are complex creatures. 

They're not just filled with boundless kindness or evil, but also other emotions. 

Jiang Yanli. She who finally married the person she loved after overcoming many difficulties. How happy she was for the birth of Jin Ling and how devastated she's after. He knew that it's impossible for her to just forgive him for killing her husband. It's impossible for her not to have any complaints in her heart. But still, when she saw someone was about to harm him, her choice was to push him away from it. 

Wen Qing. She loved her younger brother more than her life. It's impossible for her not to feel anything. 'Your Shijie's in-laws are Scums, You are the one who'd lost control. But why must Wen Ning bear the burnt of it? When all he did was protect you from your beloved Shijie's Scumbags In law.' She could've blamed Wei Wuxian for it. He wouldn't even be able to refute if she'd ever accused him. But still, she chose to bring the brother she loved most, to the guillotine. 

And right now Lan Wangji...Lan Zhan...

Wei Wuxian had always thought Jiang Cheng would be on his side while Lan Wangji was on the side opposite him. He could never have imagined for things to turn out so differently.

"...Why are you all so good to me?" He muttered softly in the end.

Lan Wangji looked at the man in front of him silently. 

The man was tall. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Lan Wangji. His build wasn't small either. 

However, right now, hugging his own knees as he sat unceremoniously on the ground...the man appeared to be exceptionally small.

Incredibly so.

Compared to the boundless world, the myriads of life, and the mightiness of fate, human beings are indeed, like dust. 

Gently, he put his palm on Wei Wuxian's shoulder blade, looking like he was embracing the other man. His movement hesitated for a moment, but in the end, his gaze became firm. His hands started to circle in motion, massaging Wei Wuxian's back. 

After a while, he could feel the tight muscle on the other man's back loosened.

Lan Wangji didn't lift his hand away but changed into patting his back soothingly.

He said, "Wei Ying. You are kind."

Wei Wuxian reflexively lifted his head.

There was only a few inches of distance between his face and Lan Wangji's. His pupils were enlarged, as he repeated what Lan Wangji had said, "Me?...Kind?"

Lan Wangji looked straight at him. "You are."

He felt the breath from Lan Wangji's opened mouth land warmly on his face. He could even see the long eyelashes of the other person fluttering, casting shadows on his upper cheeks. Each flutter seemed to send a tingling sensation, brushing softly on his heart.

Lan Wangji's voice was gentle but remained clear.

"Wei Ying treats others with sincerity. It is only natural for others to treat you sincerely in return."

Wei Wuxian had always been treating Jiang Yanli sincerely. Protecting her honor as if it's his own. The fondness he felt toward Jiang Yanli went further to even her son, Jin Ling, whom he'd never met. Toward Wen Qing, he'd treated her likewise, sincerely. He could've dumped them on the street after rescuing those useless weaklings. He could even refuse to help and Wen Qing would be powerless to sue. But he chose to repay their kindness. Chose to protect her family as if it were his own.

When Wei Wuxian treated the people around him, he'd always treated them wholeheartedly. He'd never wavered in between. Toward the people he cared about, he'd always given them all his sincerity. It's impossible for people not to feel them. And if they were as sincere as him, it is natural for them to reciprocate his goodwill.

Wei Wuxian stared at Lan Wangji blankly. 

He stayed that way for rather a long time. 

Lan Wangji didn't move either. He selfishly wanted to cherish this moment, when he'd been permitted to be in close contact with his beloved, for a while longer...just for a little more. 

At last, Wei Wuxian blinked once, twice, and several more. 

There's a smile that couldn't be stopped from unfurling on his face.

A sudden surge of unknown emotion, filled his heart to the brim, urging him to laugh loudly with mirth. 

"Lan Zhan." He called out.

"Hm?"

"Tell me, why are you so good?" He grinned, from ear to ear.

There were a lot of consolation words people could say. Thousands of kind words for people to pacify others. Lan Wangji was a taciturn person. He couldn't speak a lot of words to convey his meaning. But he chose well. 

He wanted Wei Wuxian to know, that not all his goodwill ended up in vain. Just like Wei Wuxian remembered their kindness, others too, appreciated his goodness.

Wei Wuxian thought, 'For others, this chance of rebirth was a miracle.'

'...But to me, meeting Lan Zhan in every life, is what a miracle is!'

*

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Extra Scene:

"By the way, Lan Zhan. Do you know? Your massage technique is truly satisfactory."

"..." Lan Wangji's hands that were still patting Wei Wuxian's back couldn't help but stiffen. 

Wei Wuxian looked at him teasingly. "I won't mind getting some more massage service."

Just when Wei Wuxian thought he'd hear "ridiculous", "nonsense", or "no" just like what Lan Wangji used to say in the past, what he heard instead was;

"Later."

"Huh?"

Lan Wangji gave him a deep look. "It is inconvenient on the road. Later, I will do it."

Wei Wuxian, "...Seriously?"

Chapter Text

The tallest point in the entire Nightless City was the Palace of Sun and Flames. Before the magnificent Palace was a very large plaza, with 3 poles that stood aloof, bearing the blazing red of QishanWen's sect emblem. 

Tonight, however, the large plaza was destined to be washed with blood. 

Under the 3 Flags hanging high in the sky was a makeshift yet well-prepared dais. A man who looked like he's in his twenties sat down, looking at the sight of rows of people kneeling in front of him, with a hint of a smile on his lip. 

On his lap was an opened book, the Quintessence of the Wen Sect. 

"Tell me," He started to speak, and threw a question calmly, "What is the punishment for anyone who insults the famous Cultivators of QishanWen?"

A Senior Cultivator, high in ranking at that, judging from the difference shown in his robes, stepped forward with his hands behind his back, bowing slightly to the man sitting on the dais. "Replying to Sect Leader Wen, the punishment for those who dare to speak an insult for the famous Cultivator of QishanWen is; Execution."

The man, Sect Leader Wen, Wen Ruohan, looked up. "That's right. Then, for those who dare to insult QishanWen's famous Cultivators as WenDog, what do you think we should do with them?"

One of the people who were kneeling at the plaza hastily spoke up, "Sect Leader Wen, we've never said such a thing! We swore we'd never uttered such words! We beg Sect Leader When to be merciful and please believe us!"

Wen Ruohan hummed for a while, still with no apparent emotion on his face. "Is that so?" He smiled. "But why, I heard my Dear Vassal Sects were very much enthusiastic in defecting after my death in the past life? Were you not joining with them, condemning my QishanWen as WenDogs?" 

It was a whole day just after the entire Cultivation World woke up in the long-gone past. 

The first thing Wen Ruohan did after sorting out the situation briefly was to catch back all of those smaller Clans who at this point were still enjoying the glory under the wing of QishanWen Sect.

Apparently, in the past-future, those Clans readily joined the Sunshot Campaign Party after the downfall of QishanWen. At that time, the powerful Cultivators from QishanWen Clan had almost been emptied, as they fell on the cruel battlefield. And ultimately after Wen Ruohan's death, without any more influential Cultivators holding the Gigantic Sect steady, the defeat was imminent. There's no use staying under such a sect.

Wen Ruohan might have needed to postpone his next action against the Sunshot Campaign Coalition under several considerations, but he wouldn't need to wait to drag back these deserters to Nightless City. 

Therefore, in the morning after the night of Mass Rebirth, when the other Clans were going to LanlingJin for the "fruitless discussion", QishanWen also had their own agenda. Before these Vassal Clans had the time to do anything, some of them actually were in the middle of packing their belonging for their escapade, unfortunately, they'd been surrounded by QishanWen Cultivators. QishanWen Sect proceeded to "politely" invite those Clans to visit The Palace of Sun and Flame.

That said, it's only at night that Wen Ruohan finally graced them with his arrival. Before his appearance, they'd been left dried up like rows of sardines in the large plaza all day.

Responding to Wen Ruohan's accusation earlier, one of the Sect Leaders from the Vassal Clans kowtowed, banging his head in a loud thud at the ground. "Sect Leader Wen, we had no other choice! It's LanlingJin! It's them who'd threatened us to leave QishanWen. They forced us to join their sect so that they could replace QIshanWen to rule the Cultivation World!"

"What Sect Leader Wu said is true. Sect Leader Wen, everything we did was under LanlingJin's command! We really had no choice, they threatened us with the life of our loved ones. Sect Leader Wen, please be merciful!" Another Sect Leader immediately added. 

Once this plea came out, an echo of; "Sect Leader Wen, please be merciful! Sect Leader Wen is wise!" were soon followed one after another, together with more kowtows.

Wen Ruohan laughed lightly. "Do not kowtow. Lift your heads. It couldn't be helped, after all. You all had no choice. You have to preserve your life and your loved ones. Right. I understand. Life is important. Nothing is more important than our life. I, have also finally realized how much I should value my own well-being, after dying once. Truthfully, I can understand you for defecting from my QishanWen..."

The Cultivators below lifted their heads at Wen Ruohan's permission. Hearing his words afterward had further brightened their eyes. 

However, 

"---But that's not what I want to ask of you." Wen Ruohan frowned in displeasure.

Gone was the genial look that he had just now.

"Have you not heard what I said? My Dear Vassal Clans, you've pleaded your loyalty upon QishanWen and declared yourself to protect its honor as if it's your honor. In essence, you're all my beloved children, just like my other Clan members. It saddened me that my beloved family members do not know how to be filial, and insult our great Cultivators as WenDog."

It turned out, the relief these Clans felt was so short-lived, it didn't even last for a few breaths. 

Soon, they're back to kowtowing and howling for mercy once again.

"Sect Leader Wen, we've never spoken anything aside from the glory of QishanWen!"

"Please believe us, in our heart, our loyalty has always been placed to the Eternal Sun of Qishan!"

"Please be merciful, Sect Leader Wen, the only ones who dared to insult our Mighty Ancestors with such words are those rebellious Clans outside!"

Wen Ruohan raised his eyebrows. "Really? But these are only your one-sided words. Where's the evidence?"

"H-Huh? Evidence?" One of the Sect Leaders couldn't quite catch up. 

Wen Ruohan, "Yes. Evidence. Did you not say you've never insulted our Great Ancestors? So bring up your evidence."

"B-But, why do we have to present evidence? Shouldn't it..." shouldn't it be them QishanWen who suddenly accused them of such wrongdoing who first presented a piece of evidence? 

Wen Ruohan shook his head, as if in lament. The expression of 'these people are impossible to reason with' was written all over his face.

"Now, you're unable to present any evidence and resort to quibble. We can't have that, can we? I think, you have insulted our ancestors. And that's enough for evidence." The corner of his lip curled upwards wickedly. "Let's start the punishment."

The Cultivators below were unarmed, and their cultivation had been sealed from the moment they're herded here. It's more than a piece of cake for the Wen Cultivators to start putting them in place, ready for what would come next. 

Wen Ruohan went down from the dais, standing at the plaza, facing the Cultivators in front of him with a wide smile on his face. Basked amid the wail and cries of the people below him. 

"I heard that in the past-future you were gathering here in this very plaza, to scatter the ashes of my family member. I especially pick this spot for you, hoping you will feel more comfortable here."

He added afterward, with a trace of regret, "Actually, I want to do this in the infamous Burial Mound. Right, where was it again?" He glanced at one of his Wen Cultivators.

His subordinate respectfully answered, "It was in the Blood Pool, my Lord." 

Wen Ruohan nodded, "Oh! That's it. The Blood Pool. I heard that's the place where you threw the last remnants of my family member." He sighed again, regretfully. "Unfortunately, right now the Burial Mound is off-limit even for me."

Burial Mound, a mountain of corpses, an old battleground. Even the Wen Sect at its full glory weren't able to do anything about it. They could only surround it with stone barriers and prevent people from going in.

Even in the daytime, the air was dark, thick with Resentful Energy. At night, any "thing" could be found there. When a living person went inside, the body would be eaten by the low-level entity, and the soul would be a feast for the high-level ones. Both the body and the soul, they couldn't return, unable to get out for all of eternity. How many people had the Wen Sect sent there but nobody returned? Even their soul would be shackled inside. 

During Wei Wuxian and the Wen Remnant's settlement in Burial Mound, it was him who suppressed all the dark beings inside for the place to be habitable and able to be entered normally. For that reason, he was unable to go down the mountain often, and couldn't venture outside too far or too long.

But now, when there's no one suppressing those entities...even Wen Ruohan wouldn't risk his "finally-realized-to-be-valuable"-life, to enter. 

But Wen Ruohan thought, that's fine. It's just punishing traitors, no need to be so grandeur. As for using the Burial Mound and Blood Pool...well, there's still a long time in the future to properly ponder about it. 

"Sect Leader Wen! Please don't mistake the real villain! You shouldn't be bothered with lowly cultivators like us here. It was Wei Wuxian who humiliated your Ancestor even more viciously. Didn't he dig up QishanWen's ancestral graves and use them in the war? Didn't he slay the Wen Cultivators using their ancestors, raise them and use them again to massacre their own comrades afterward?"

When they saw Wen Ruohan cast them a glance, they cried out once more, trying to remind Wen Ruohan of the true "enemies";

"We've never dared to defy the glory of QishanWen either! It was LanlingJin! It was them who attempted to replace QishanWen and rule the other Sects. It was them who had tortured most of the remnants of QishanWen Cultivators to death in their own construction! It was them who led the siege to eradicate the last member of QishanWen Clan!"

Wen Ruohan caressed his chin thoughtfully. "You are right." He said after some mulling.

The Vassal Clans didn't dare to feel relieved too quickly as they did before. 

Carefully, they strike while the iron was hot. "Sect Leader Wen, do not be misguided. There are a lot of villains outside who need to be punished. LanlingJin has grown arrogant, intending to compete with the Great QishanWen. They're allying with both QingheNie and GusuLan. There's Lianfang-Zun in their Sect, the bastard son of Jin Guangshan who'd gained recognition after...after he'd betrayed you back then, Sect Leader Wen."

"Lianfang-Zun? Such a pretentious title that beloved disciple of mine has finally taken into use, isn't it?" The corner of Wen Ruohan's lip quirked upward at the mention of Meng Yao.

He glanced back at the Cultivators below. "So my Dearest Vassal Clans think I should take care of these Wei Wuxian, LanlingJin, and Meng Yao instead of dealing with you?" 

"Uh..." They couldn't answer the question being thrown back, for fear of hitting the wrong spot once again. 

A Sect Leader who looked like a middle-aged man due to his poor talent in cultivation, tried to use some rhetoric, "Sect Leader Wen, we said this with the well-being of QishanWen in mind. We must hit those dissidents while they're unprepared. Otherwise, if they were given time to plan, it'll be disastrous."

"Hmmmmmm...I think there's some misunderstanding between us." Wen Ruohan decided to kindly elaborate on his standing, "As I said earlier, I can understand why you're defecting. Contrary to what you think, I don't hate LanlingJin for using my Sect's downfall as their springboard. I don't hate other Sects for exterminating my Wen Cultivators. I don't have any special grudge for the defeat of my Clan either."

"...Sect Leader Wen is wise indeed..." The Cultivators scattered in the plaza all had complicated looks on their face, clearly regarding what Wen Ruohan said as mere nonsense, but unable to renounce him. 

"Is it so hard to believe? Didn't I tell you in the past, what my goal is? It's uniting the Cultivation World under one flag, QishanWen." Wen Ruohan looked at the disbelief in their eyes and was surprised.

"Have you never read history? Surely you must be familiar with Qin Shi Huang, no? The founding Emperor attempted to unite the mortal lands. He succeeded. And today he's acknowledged as the first person to unite the land under the Heaven. But do you know how much blood he shed in his conquer? How many families cried for the loss of their loved ones for his important cause? But that doesn't matter. He's the final winner and he succeeded to carve history."

Wen Ruohan had been walking back and forth, to witness and savor the expression on these Cultivators' faces more clearly.

He added a more relatable example afterward,

"The Ancestor of QishanWen, Wen Mao was also such a person. Do you know what sacrifice had been made for you all today to taste the privilege of a Clan-based Cultivation Sect? Have you ever imagined how many people in the Sect-based Cultivation Group were being slaughtered, so that you all today will have no worries, no matter how mediocre your children are, your throne won't be snatched by a more talented Cultivator?"

"What I did is no different. If I win I will be a legend. People of the future will only enjoy the privilege I bring with my conquer. And If I lose, then I'll be buried among the villains in the river of history. That's it. That's why I don't have a special grudge for my past defeat."

He stopped walking and suddenly clicked his tongue.

"But that sentiment is directed only toward those who dare to stand opposite of mine. Toward Traitors who enjoy the privilege of my Clan in our glory and stab me in the back in my downfall...I will not show mercy."

He swiped his long sleeve aside,  cuing the Wen Cultivators to begin again holding the Vassal Clans Cultivators down. "Continue."

Right now it was obvious that Wen Ruohan was hellbent on their execution. There's no chance of reasoning. 

Humans are desperate in the face of death. But sometimes when they knew they couldn't escape death either way, even a coward would go mad. 

And so did these people. 

"WenDogs! You all are worse than even Dogs!"

"Motherfucker! You deserve to get your ancestors to wake up and impale you to death! Hahaha hahaha!" 

"I curse you, Wen Dogs!! Even in death, you won't be in peace! Your filthy souls shall be reincarnated to a Pig on the butcher's table!"

Knowing that they'd die anyway, the resentment in their hearts couldn't be quelled.

Various insults, spats, and death curses were rained down on QishanWen as if a minute ago they didn't shove their faces on the dirt or were ready to lick Wen Ruohan's boots clean just to save their life. 

Unexpectedly, Wen Ruohan raised his hand, signaling his Cultivators to halt their action.

His gaze was directed at the last Cultivator who spat out "WenDog!" as he ordered his subordinate, "Bring his family here."

"Please wait a minute, Sect Leader." 

The Cultivator below was horrified when he heard this command. He struggled with all his might, screaming with utmost rage, "Wen RuoHan!!! Why did you arrest my family?! Come at me all you want! If you want to hate, then hate me! My family has nothing to do with you! They are innocent!"

Wen Ruohan patiently explained, "How could you declare them as innocent? They've dared to utter WenDogs from their mouth. As your Sect members, they've also pleaded the same loyalty under my QishanWen like you. And as the member of QishanWen Sect, those who dare to insult their Great Ancestor, are punishable by death."

No matter how much the man below roared in frenzy, however, soon hundreds of people were hauled to the plaza. 

This time, it wasn't just the Cultivator earlier who cried out in a hurry, all of the Cultivators present shrieked in desperation.

"Nooo!!! Not my family!"

"Don't touch them!!!"

"A-Diee, A-side, hwaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Husband, please save me! Save our children!!"

"Brother, brother! I don't want to die!!"

"Son...Son, what happens? Quick, go and apologize to Sect Leader Wen..."

"Wen Ruohan, you Beast! You don't even let go of the Old, the Children, and Women!"

Wen Ruohan raised his brow, feeling perplexed.

Why did his Beloved Vassal Clans think that he would let go of their family?

"I bring them here so that you can reunite with a complete family in the afterlife. Why? Am I not kind enough? I thought it's your tradition to exterminate dissidents to the Old, Women, and Children."

When the Vassal Clans looked up, what they saw was a grinning Devil in a human's skin.

This person was someone who specifically built a torture chamber in his Palace.

In the past-future, Jin Guangyao was only able to capture his interest by catering to his preference, making all sorts of cruel yet amusing devices.

This was the Mentor of the should-be-future Lianfang-Zun who's able to, not only send 9-year-old children to death, but also use them, a living human, for the experiment in LanlingJin's Corpse training ground.

This person was an Unrepentant Evil. 

That's right.

This wasn't Wei Wuxian who spent time debating to reason with them even in the Plea of his own siege.

This wasn't Wei Wuxian who threatened to kill those who were once under the vassalage of QishanWen, but never actually do anything.

They had spent 2 years of villainizing Wei Wuxian so much without actually experiencing the supposed evil deeds that they made Wei Wuxian in their mouths committing. 

...so much that they forgot what a genuine Evil should be like.

"Aa-Aahh-Aachoooo~!"

Inside a well-decorated study in Jinlintai, Jin Guangyao carefully gathered back the scrolls that got blown up from his earth-shattering sneeze earlier.

"Bet some people are talking about you, or planning to kill you, Shortie." Someone from the other side of the room spoke up. 

It was the 12-year-old Xue Yang.

The nasty gleam in his eyes was an ill-match when paired with his current childish look.  

Jin Guangyao calmly dipped back the brush in his hand to the ink, responding, "Well, I bet quite thousands of people did."

Xue Yang crunched the candy in his mouth to pieces. Licking his lip, smearing his mouth with the sticky liquid, he grinned and said, "You better finish re-writing Wei Wuxian's manuscript first before dying. Maybe I can help resurrect you when you die later."

"Why, I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Chengmei. But no, thank you. I don't plan to live as your puppet." Jin Guangyao smiled.

Xue Yang shrugged, letting the topic be brushed off.

"How much longer do you think until you finish transcribing the manuscript?" 

Jin Guangyao glanced at him. "I don't know." He replied. "Maybe a week. Or even a month."

Xue Yang frowned. "So slow? Aren't you supposed to be like, capable? Didn't your beloved Father praise you for this?"

Rolling his eyes, Jin Guangyao retorted, "If my Dear Father doesn't drag me to take care of his other miscellaneous affairs, maybe I will be more productive."

Recalling how he'd been busy handling the sudden mass discussion in the morning after the rebirth until the next night, as well as joining Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue in their private meeting later, but still had to find time trying to re-write everything or actually anything at all that he remembered from Wei Wuxian's manuscript they had gotten their hands into in the past future---for a fair reason, Jin Guangyao thought he deserved a raise in payment.

Looking at Xue Yang who'd taken out another stick of melted sugar cane, biting the marbled-like sweet with a sound that made his own teeth ached, Jin Guangyao thought it must be nice to have no worries. 

The young boy caught his stare, and suddenly asked, "Right, aside from manuscripts, did you get Wei Wuxian's ChenQing back then? Can you figure out how to make a replica of it?"

"Too bad. It was in Jiang Wanyin's hand. Though even if we did get ChenQing, do you think I'm a God who can produce whatever stuff you wish for? If a weapon can be replicated that easily, would my Dear Father spend so many resources on your research? Besides, if you're so persistent, why don't you try writing your own manuscripts?"

Xue Yang blinked his eyes, as he's caught off guard by Jin Guangyao's sudden rants. "What's gotten into you? Why are you so cranky all of a sudden? I've only asked you in passing."

Taking a deep breath, Jin Guangyao took a short break from his current activity. He took off the tall hat from his head, smoothing the top of his hair for a while. He's aware that he's not in the best of mood. 

Transcribing Wei Wuxian's manuscript wasn't an easy feat at all, given that he hadn't deliberately memorized them. They'd been dragged into this reborn mess when they're still in a joyful celebration post the siege. All he could remember was bits of pieces he'd a chance to read when sorting them out. 

It seemed like everyone was really overestimating his ability too much. In his defense, he's not a monster who could remember things at a glance. Especially not when the things in question were bizarre manuscripts from a Cultivation Path no one had ever trodden before. 

But still, he had to force even those bits and pieces out, to at least, produce...something, for now. There's a brief glint passing by in Jin Guangyao's eyes as he smiled faintly.

The short silence was broken when Xue Yang raised a question once again, "Speaking of which, I've had quite a few months tinkering with Wen Ning back then. That Thing was really troublesome. I could rile up the resentful energy within him,  but I couldn't control him at all even after I turned his consciousness off. How did Wei Wuxian control that Thing anyway?"

Jin Guangyao took the brushes he'd put aside just now and started writing once again. "Who knows." He replied shortly. "Maybe that's because he once had a Master."

When Xue Yang heard his response, there's a strange grin appearing on his boyish face. "You're right. I couldn't control him in the past. How about making him from scratch? Can you capture that Wen Ning for me? If I can transform him once again into a Ghost General, won't that be beneficial for you lot? Imagine it, killing WenDogs with a WenDog, hahaha hahaha! I can understand how Wei Wuxian felt in the past War!!" He laughed wildly, thrashing around on the small couch.

"Okay." Jin Guangyao glanced at him. "I'll send some men to find Wen Qing's family later. Let's see, hmm.....If I'm not mistaken, when I looked at the records in QishanWen, this time around, Wen Qing should still be appointed as a Supervisory Office Leader in Yiling."

Xue Yang couldn't contain his excitement as he rushed over to the table. "Really?! Are you sure? Okay! Let's go, hurry now!"

Jin Guangyao leaned backward, raising his palm forward to stop Xue Yang from messing with the stationary on his desk. "Don't rush. Besides, the result may disappoint you, I believe." 

"What do you mean?"

Jin Guangyao, "Two days have passed since the Mass Rebirth. Wen Qing isn't a stupid woman. She might've packed up the moment she woke up, going back home to Qishan, crying for their Uncle."

"Ahhhh...." The wilted expression on Xue Yang's face couldn't be more obvious. "If they've already run to hide in Nightless City, no one can get them."

He looked down, scanning over several barren papers on the desk and his focus was immediately shifted to the ongoing-transcribed manuscripts.

However, after scrutinizing them for a while, he exclaimed in disbelief, "After fussing around for long, you haven't even finished transcribing a page yet? At this rate, even secluding yourself for a month won't be enough for you to take out the whole set!"

Jin Guangyao politely defended himself, "What do you mean by 'so long'? It's only been a few hours."

Xue Yang looked at him doubtfully. "It's still way too slow. Just bring Wei Wuxian here directly and tell him to rewrite his own manuscript, that probably will only take a day or so, right?"

"Good Idea. Now if you can be of help to locate Wei Wuxian that is." Jin Guangyao taunted him back.

Xue Yang, "What's with so much hassle? Just use that Shijie of his. Let's see...for example, faking a kidnapping incident, spreading the news that Jiang Yanli has been kidnapped by the Wen, oh no, we can't use them, or just make a scapegoat of other Clan, anyway, judging by how fussy he was for his Shijie, he'll definitely come forward, no?"

"I've seen him arguing with your Beloved Brother in LanlingJin's Flower Banquet back then, strangely defensive of that Shijie of his...?" At the end of his words, Xue Yang's smile turned playful. 

Jin Guangyao shook his head, refuting his proposal. "We can't do that. My Dear Brother is still alive. He's quite in love with his wife. I won't say that he'll definitely shield her from harm, but I'm afraid he may mess up our plan instead, creating unnecessary trouble."

"You see, men are...quite territorial." Jin Guangyao paused, tapping the brush in his hand at the edge of the ink bowl. "It's already a bit difficult for him now, I suppose. Knowing his Wife actually died for someone who'd killed him, intentionally or not. That isn't quite pleasant news to discover, don't you think?" He smiled, throwing a look at the boy in front of him. 

Xue Yang smirked in response.

"It's the worst."

In another part of Jinlintai. 

If one were to enter the home base of LanlingJin Sect, there's a stair up to the entrance of Jinlintai. Before the end of the stair was a wide, brick-paved square. To the far side of the square would be a set of magnificence Palace, overlooking the ocean of Sparks Amidst Snow.

The vast expanse of the White Peony could be enjoyed from the entrance and the inner Palaces. 

In one of the small pavilions inside, facing the blooming white Peonies was Jiang Yanli. 

It's the third day since she'd been brought here after that night of Rebirth. She didn't live in the same room as Jin Zixuan. Frankly speaking, everyone knew that they're husband and wife, they even had a child already. But propriety-wise, they technically had yet been wedded at this point. 

In the past-future, how much had she yearned for her husband, spending her time blankly gazing at his coffin, ignoring even her son's cries? But now that she got her husband back, she realized how little it'd been for her to actually get a proper look at her little Jin Ling.

She'd been recovering from childbirth and didn't get enough time to take care of her son in the first place. Just when she's finally back to her feet in his 1-month celebration...the incident happened.

Speaking about the incident, she couldn't help but recall the conversation she had with her husband yesterday.

"A-Xuan, in QiongqiDao, was it...did A-Xian truly command Wen Ning to...harm you?" She'd finally braved herself to ask the question she's actually afraid to hear the answer of. 

Her husband had frowned slightly. His voice was low as he replied, "...I don't know. A-Li, back then everything happened too quickly, I couldn't...the moment I realize was..." was my chest being hollowed out. 

"But A-Xian couldn't be..." Jiang Yanli gripped the handkerchief in her hands tightly. 

"A-Li, it's Zixun's fault for being too impulsive when he chose to ambush Wei Wuxian, I know. But, that child, Zixun, he didn't have any choice either. His life was on the line. You know how prideful he is, but he didn't hesitate to rip his robes open and let others witness the unpleasant appearance of the Hundreds Holes Curse on his body. I've already tried to tell them to go back to Jinlintai first and talk about it...it's just...in the end, Wei Wuxian was...Well..."

Jin Zixuan felt a bit frustrated. He knew that his wife was fond of that Shidi of hers. He couldn't speak too badly of him in front of her. However, to say he had no complaints toward Wei Wuxian for letting Wen Ning kill him was impossible. Would any sane person, by any means, be courteous to someone who'd caused their death? Besides, Zixun and him had known each other well since they were young. With almost 20 years of bond, it's hard not to have his compassion lean more toward him. And, in truth, he didn’t like Wei WuXian as a person either.

Jiang Yanli abandoned the handkerchief in her hand, and moved to grab her husband's hands desperately, "But, A-Xian, do you really believe it's him who'd cursed your cousin?"

Jin Zixuan, "...It's probably not him." 

His wife's eyes lit up at his answer. "Then, everything should be alright, no? If we clear up the misunderstanding in the past, everyone will know that it's not A-Xian's fault, right? Then, A-Xian, he, he can come back here without being afraid, right? A-Xuan?" 

Jiang Yanli had heard some news about the urgent discussion held yesterday. Everyone seemed to say that Wei Wuxian was missing, afraid to be condemned for the past mistake he'd done. Recalling how the young man back then had run off immediately from Jinlintai and the distraught look he had in Nightless City, that child...knowing his nature, she guessed Wei Wuxian must've thought he didn't have a face to see her.

Then, if everyone resolved their misunderstanding, didn't that mean A-Xian could finally go back to meet her without being worried about anything?

On the other hand, Jin Zixuan, truthfully didn't think it's Wei Wuxian who'd cursed Zixun. Judging from their many confrontations in the past, if Wei Wuxian loathed a person, he'd choose to get rid of them in a high profile, no need for such backhanded play. After all, even if it's Jin Zixuan, the heir of LanlingJin itself, he'd dared to beat him up in public. If it weren't for Jiang Wanyin and Jin Guangshan coming to stop him back then in Langya, Jin Zixuan would've been bedridden until the end of the war.  

However, there's something Jiang Yanli didn't understand. Whether it's Wei Wuxian who cursed Jin Zixun or not, it's no longer important. Zixun could become impulsive when the curse had endangered his life, then when someone wasn't merely endangering anymore, but directly snuffed the life out of him---it's impossible for him to let go!

Jin Zixuan could, for the sake of his love for his wife, barely tolerate Wei Wuxian. 

But he could neither prevent nor persuade his cousin to just forget about it. 

Besides, it's not only his cousin. Even if Jin Zixuan managed to persuade his Sect to somehow reached a consensus with Wei Wuxian, would the other Hundreds of Clans be willing to brush it off?

A traitorous part of his heart somewhat begrudgingly complained, Why must it be him who takes care of his mess? It's Wei Wuxian who'd caused a lot of trouble and killed a lot of people, frankly speaking, today's situation was, he's reaping what he sow. How does it become his problem to smooth out his end?.... Why would his Wife care so much for a mere Shidi?

Shaking his head to cast away the unpleasant thought in his mind, Jin Zixuan held his wife's hand gently, trying to give her a reassuring smile. 

"A-Li, I can't promise you anything yet. But, I'll try my best to mediate. Don't think too much. There won't be a lot of peaceful time in the future, so take a good rest these days."

"A-Xuan..." Jiang Yanli looked like she had something more to say, but in the end, she just squeezed her husband's hand back, and smiled gently. "You too. You must take a good rest as well." 

"...12...13."

The last petal of the snow-white Peony descended on top of a small hill of similar petals inside an exquisite bamboo basket.

Jiang Yanli took a look at the now rows of barren stems, piling on the low table at the side. Absentmindedly, she'd finished plucking a basket of flower petals enough to use for an extravagant flower bath.

"A-Jie."

The smile on her lip unfurled at the sound of someone calling her from behind. She spun her body and laughed happily. "A-Cheng. You are here. What's taking you so long?"

The other man, Jiang Cheng, scrunched up his nose. "There's some news from Qishan. Some Sect Leaders were called to discuss it." He stepped into the small pavillion, plopping himself on the sitting mat across the table.

Jiang Yanli looked at him with concern. "By news from Qishan...do you mean...?"

Jiang Cheng snorted. "It's not Wei Wuxian. Just Wen Ruohan deciding to get rid of his Vassal Sects." 

The light in Jiang Yanli's eyes dimmed a little. 

There's a short silence in the small pavilion. 

After quite a while, Jiang Yanli parted her mouth, asking, "A-Cheng...I, I heard you....to A-Xian...why?"

She couldn't form a complete question, yet both of them knew what she meant. Jiang Cheng especially was sensitive toward any topic about Wei Wuxian. Even a slight of his name being mentioned had worsened his expression. 

"Jie, are you blaming me? Are you going to tell me that I shouldn't have led or joined in that siege? Why are you all like this? You and Father, each of you have always liked him more than me! Even if he'd caused a lot of trouble, Father would still praise him and admonish me. And even you, Jie, even after he'd killed you and your husband leaving your own son orphaned, yet you're still blaming me for resenting him! Why?! Why?!"

Jiang Cheng didn't restrain his voice at all. His eyes were bloodshot. The veins on his forehead looked like they almost snapped out from under his skin. His whole face was beet red in his outburst. 

When he saw that his sister was looking at him,  rather terrified, only then that he realized he'd been unconsciously looming quite aggressively. Quickly, he tried to relax his facial muscle, adjusting the expression on his face, and sat down normally once again.

Pouring himself a cup of tea from the tea tray in the pavilion, he downed the whole cup in 2 or 3 gulps.

He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

After Jiang Yanli saw him looking calm enough, she tried to call him once more. "...A-Cheng," Jiang Yanli spoke, really carefully. "Jie didn't blame you. I don't mean to blame you. I've never liked him more, or liked you more. To me, both of you are my younger brothers..."

Jiang Cheng huffed, shifting his gaze to another part of the flower garden. 

"You...Do you really hate him? Everyone said you want to....A-Xian, he, if you find him, are you really going to...?"

Jiang Cheng laughed coldly. "Why, of course. I'm going to drag him back to kneel in front of A-Die and A-Niang's tablet. Let him confess properly what kind of trouble had he caused for us."

He'd resented Wei Wuxian for quite a lot of things. But what he hated the most was because Wei Wuxian had killed his sister's husband and later caused his Sister to die. However, now that Jiang Yanli was alive, her husband was alive, and Wei Wuxian had yet tied himself with those WenDogs, at the very least, the hostility in his heart wasn't as thick as it'd be if none of them were alive. 

To be even more honest, for his sister's sake, to make her happy, he wouldn't mind letting Wei Wuxian go back to Lotus Pier. Perhaps, he'd announce to the world that he'd decided to punish and imprison Wei Wuxian since he's still a member of his Sect. Probably he'd have to whip him or stab his guts out for a show like he'd done so in the past. In any case, so long as that guy stopped causing any more trouble and stayed obediently in the Sect without flaunting his presence everywhere, whether he's sitting or sleeping, who'd know what kind of imprisonment he had in Lotus Pier? 

Well, at least, now, since his sister was alive and well. 

Witnessing her brother's visibly calmer mood, Jiang Yanli smiled in relief.

She dared to lean forward this time, speaking in a low voice, "A-Cheng, you and A-Xian have always been together in the past. Did you not actually want him to keep living in Lotus Pier? This time, if you find him, even if it's for Jie's sake, will you help him and keep him safe? At least, until, until..." She paused, unable to find a word.

Jiang Yanli was ignorant about a lot of things when it came to Sect's affairs much less the course of the War. She didn't know what'd happen in the future, until when things should start to calm down, or if would there be any peace at all. 

But, judging from Jin Zixuan's reaction, she knew she couldn't ask for his help. There left only Jiang Cheng she could ask. She'd heard from others how Jiang Cheng took the lead in the siege of Burial Mound. But she'd also heard from others that Wei Wuxian had caused a bloodbath in Nightless City after her death. 

Somehow, she couldn't blame either of them. If one were to be blamed, perhaps it was her.

Lately, Jiang Yanli even started to wonder, why did she go to Nightless City at that time? To stop Wei Wuxian? Would he stop for her? Oh...yes, he did stop. But then...then, what happen afterward, if, by any chance, she didn't die? To capture Wei Wuxian? Seized him to Jinlintai and then...kill him? Right now when everyone was alive they still couldn't let go of him, how about at that time?

Or actually...long, long before that. In the beginning, her husband's cousin could actually design a plan to ambush Wei Wuxian, despite Jin Zixuan himself admitting it might not be him who'd sent him any curse, and yet, and yet, because Wei Wuxian had gone out...because she'd invited Wei Wuxian to go out...they had found a chance...and Jin Zixuan too, had to die in the fray...

Suddenly, she felt a trickle of cold sweat slide at the back of her nape. The pair of hands on her lap felt like it was dipped in freezing water, ice cold. 

Jiang Yanli realized, she, she probably, had actually been used to control the direction of Wei Wuxian's fate,

....had she not?

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