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Chapter Text

The last notes of Inquiry slowly faded as the spirit left and passed on peacefully, the final concerns of their mortal life settled and cared for. Lan Wangji gently placed his fingers over the vibrating strings, letting them come to a complete stop before he began to collect up both his qin and the letter the man had requested he return to his family. It would be no trouble to assist in this final wish. “Make sure he receives the proper rites,” he said to the others gathered around. “There is no need to burn his body to avoid illness.”

“Then… you are certain it is not a plague, Hanguang-jun?” the healer standing across the table from him fretted. “He presented all the symptoms of it.”

He paused for a moment, then shook his head. “A curse may manifest as sickness, to disguise itself. No one else that he has encountered has fallen ill.”

The man had been very helpful, using his limited energy to answer all of Lan Wangji’s questions to the fullest. He had been returning from visiting family off in Lanling and had fallen ill on the road back to Gusu, with neither medicine nor doctor able to alleviate the malady that brought him down in a manner of days.

He had been traveling with a small group since after he reached Gusu. If someone else during this time had begun to show symptoms of illness, Lan Wangji might have considered it the culprit, but they were all hale and shocked that the man had collapsed so rapidly. The leader of the group had said he seemed perfectly normal and had suddenly collapsed upon entering the town.

His suspicions had already been raised when he first heard what had happened, but upon speaking to the spirit and clearing the faint traces of resentful energy clinging to him, it seemed more than obvious that he had been cursed.

"The source of the curse may be earlier in the journey," he determined. He looked at the group leader again. Unfortunately, while the victim himself had been cooperative, he had run out of energy and could no longer respond, so Lan Wangji had to rely on secondhand information for the rest of his questions. "Did he set off from his family with you, or did he join you later?"

"He did join us later, in Huai'an," the group leader eagerly replied. "He said that the previous caravan he'd joined was headed there, so he was looking for a new one to travel with to Gusu."

Huai'an was roughly halfway between Linyi, where the man's family lived, and Gusu. It therefore seemed likely that he encountered the curse somewhere between Linyi and Huai'an.

"Do you know with whom he traveled from Linyi to Huai'an?" Lan Wangji asked next.

"A cloth merchant's caravan, I believe. Surname of Tang. I'm afraid none of us inquired beyond that."

Lan Wangji inclined his head. That was enough to start with.

He made his farewells and assurances of investigating. He would have to go to Jin territory to further search for the curse and should inquire with them as to whether they had encountered anything similar. He did not have strong expectations of results, however; a curse like this was easy to disguise as an illness, which was generally not under cultivator purview.

He was determined to pursue this curse, though. If he was correct in his estimations, this was the third victim he'd come across. Who knew how many others had also been afflicted with no one to help them?

Such curses could be easily broken by destroying the source from which they sprung. There was no option left to him but to go and seek it out, then destroy it before it could kill again.

With his goal in mind, he took his leave to return home for an evening. His brother had requested that he stop by and see him when he came back to Gusu from his wanderings for a time. As the sect heir who would be stepping up as leader once he’d married, it was more difficult for Lan Xichen to go out wandering with him, although they did attempt to night hunt together when the opportunity presented itself.

Fortunately the Cloud Recesses were not a long flight from where he was currently. He landed at the base of the great stairs perhaps a shichen before sunset, the waters of Biling Lake turning a vivid gold as the sun began to sink towards the horizon.

He sheathed Bichen and started up the long, winding stairs towards home, nodding politely to the watchers at the entrance. They were used to Hanguang-jun appearing and leaving with little fanfare and simply bowed politely as he passed by.

As he walked up the white stone steps, he took the time to consider what little he knew of the curse so far, though there was indeed very little to know beyond that the curse seemed to imitate a sickness and strike down travelers along the road. He would have to investigate further soon.

First, however, he had to greet his family.

Lan Qiren was preparing to go to the dining hall for dinner. "Wangji," he said, smiling as Lan Wangji approached. "You're back. Come eat with me. Are you staying?"

Lan Wangji obligingly turned to accompany him to dinner, but he replied, "Not long. There is a hunt I am beginning. I happened to be nearby right now."

Lan Qiren nodded. "The resources of the Cloud Recesses are open to you."

His uncle rarely inquired into the details of his hunts. He was proud that Lan Wangji had grown to be so well-known, but Lan Wangji suspected he also thought most of those hunts were not worth his time.

This was a common opinion in the jianghu, even amongst the Lan, but it did not deter Lan Wangji.

Lan Xichen met them in the dining hall, and his face similarly lit up to see Lan Wangji. He did appropriately wait until the meal was over to speak to him, but after they'd said good night to their uncle, he pulled Lan Wangji away.

"I know you enjoy traveling, but I'm always glad to see you back," he said as the two of them walked to the jingshi. "Are you staying long?"

Once again, Lan Wangji had to shake his head. “I have another hunt. But Xiongzhang, you might help. I have encountered three people who died of a curse masking itself as an illness. Its source seems to be in Lanling. Could you inquire with the Jin about similar cases?"

"Of course." Lan Xichen frowned. "However, the Jin are proud, and I am not well acquainted with any of them. They may not be helpful."

Lan Wangji inclined his head. "If they solve the curse, what matters is that it is solved," he said. "And if they do not, I will be there to investigate. We should ask, but it is no matter if they do not help."

The frown washed away from Lan Xichen's face, replaced by his habitual smile. "As you say. Will you wait until I hear back from them?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "I should not. But my next destination is Huai'an, and you may write to me there."

His brother nodded calmly. “I shall do so as soon as I have any answers for you.”

They came to a stop in front of the jingshi, with only the soft breeze and fading birdsong to keep them company for the moment. Lan Xichen seemed to have more to say, but for whatever reason he seemed hesitant to say it. “Wangji,” he began, smile drifting away slightly. “A curse that masquerades as illness is the sort that is difficult to track and easy to miss. I know that nothing will stop you from pursuing this, but please do be careful. You are my only brother.”

Lan Wangji dipped his head and smiled slightly. “I always strive to be careful, Xiongzhang,” he said in response. “Even so, I will remain aware of any slight changes.”

“And you will return should something happen?” Lan Xichen pressed slightly. “You will not needlessly risk yourself?”

He shook his head just barely, only enough for his brother to see it. “Of course I will.”

Lan Xichen nodded in response, summing up a smile that nearly concealed the worry in his eyes. “I will meet you before you leave tomorrow. I am certain that Fuqin would be happy to allow you access to the treasure rooms should you wish to bring along additional implements of protection.”

Lan Wangji nodded. "I will remember. For now, all I need is to replenish my supplies."

While their father would not leave seclusion, since they had come of age, very rarely he would pass along simple messages for them, or offer them access to resources otherwise meant to stay within the sect when they, or truly mostly Lan Wangji, left to hunt. While they had gone out together more often when they were younger, since Lan Xichen had come of age, he rarely seemed to have the time to go on hunts further than a few miles away these days.

He often found himself grateful to be the younger of the two of them. The mantle of leadership seemed one that would not suit him to wear, certainly not as it did his older brother. He preferred to spend his time out in the jianghu, where he could both help people more directly and learn and hone his skills in practice, rather than sitting within the Cloud Recesses either deep in study or meditation.

He loved his home, but he could do more good out in the world, and he liked it better that way.

“Perhaps when this is finished, you would be willing to come and stay for some time?” Lan Xichen asked, looking up at the darkening sky. “It has been a while since you have stayed for more than a day or so.”

Lan Wangji bowed in acknowledgement. “Once this is resolved, I believe that will be possible. A xun, at least.”

“A xun it shall be.” Lan Xichen laughed fondly. “Then I wish you well in your endeavors, that we might see each other again soon.”

--

He spent a little time with his family again in the morning before he left. While Lan Xichen continued to smile, Lan Wangji could see the underlying wistfulness in his eyes.

Perhaps, when this journey was done, he and Lan Xichen could go hunting together again. His brother was busy now, but not so much that he could not spare any time to hunt.

But in the meantime, Lan Wangji continued to travel alone. He much preferred this to hunting with others, on the whole. While his clan was well aware of his tendency towards solitude and did not usually disturb him when he hunted with other Lan disciples, being alone in a group of people still left him standing awkwardly apart. It was even worse when they tried to include him.

He had never met anyone who could match his personality and his rhythm. Lan Xichen was the closest, but they could no longer hunt together often.

Still, it was what it was.

The current hunt did not seem urgent enough to exhaust his energy through riding the sword, but he also did not think dallying would be wise. He brought a horse from the Cloud Recesses's stables, a mare as white as his robes. With her, he made good time to Huai'an, and though he looked, he found no other indications of the curse along the way.

The first thing he did once he reached the city was locate the post station. He did not think his brother would have had enough time to hear back from the Jin and write to him, but he needed to check just in case. The post station was also a good place to begin inquiring about this cloth merchant surnamed Tang.

“A cloth merchant that passed through here a few days ago?” The young man at the window brushed at his chin thoughtfully. “Ah, I do believe I know who you’re talking about! They came in on the Yanhe river with a small caravan, along with some other merchants and travelers together.” He grinned widely, showing a broken canine tooth. “They split up after they got here, since we’re at the crossroads, but the cloth merchant headed off towards Yunmeng. Were you looking to get in touch with them?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “That is all I needed to know,” he said, tucking away the information in his mind. “I will return shortly.”

He sat down in a teahouse, mulling over the possibilities in his mind. The roads were decently cared for, but there were stretches between Gusu and Lanling where merchant caravans could be ambushed and robbed easily without sufficient protection. The Yanhe river took a less direct route, but many merchants preferred it for being more difficult to rob without the robbers failing due to goods sinking to the bottom of the water.

It was possible the curse lay along the river, but running water was difficult to curse without there being such a thing as a waterborne abyss or something equally malevolent lurking within its depths. Still, it was a possibility, and he did not dismiss it out of hand.

He sat and listened to the conversation around him as he sipped his tea, considering how best to phrase his letter to Lan Xichen about his discoveries and where to forward any letters to while he traveled along the Yanhe.

It seemed unlikely that anyone here had heard of either the curse itself or any illness; the conversation was light and easy, and people sat together without any fear of sickness. It perplexed him still, how the curse moved and whom it chose.

Every person that he was certain had been cursed so far had been traveling. The traveler he’d met earlier, a fur merchant who’d come from Qinghe, and an erhu musician who had collapsed suddenly in front of him while they were both in Yunmeng. None of them came from or went to the same place.

Just what did they have in common, then? Where had their paths crossed that every one of them fell ill from the same curse?

And if it were a taint in the Yanhe river, how far then did it go?

Still, while the curse being carried in the water was a possibility, it should not be his first priority. Even when diffused, diseases spread through water traveled quickly and affected many people, and the same principle generally followed for curses.

The only exception was if the curse meant to latch onto specific targets.

Could it be that these people had not encountered the curse in the same place, but instead matched its intended target? On first look, the only thing they seemed to have in common was their gender. Age and occupation varied, as did their personalities -- the ghost of the fur merchant had been curt and impatient, while the musician was timid, and the latest traveler was eager and helpful.

But this was also not likely to immediately be a fruitful path of inquiry. It was too late to get more information about the victims, so he could not determine if they had any commonalities beyond traveling. He should first investigate the more solid connection.

Lan Wangji finished his tea and stood up. Huai'an was a bigger city -- just because the curse did not seem to have stricken anyone in this area did not mean no one here was affected. He would first see if there were any other clues here before moving on.

His first day in Huai'an was therefore spent seeking out local doctors and apothecaries to ask if they'd seen any signs of a mysterious illness. By the time he returned to the inn where he'd stabled his horse, he'd covered almost a third of the city and made no progress. No one had encountered an illness with which they were not already familiar.

On the second day, however, a doctor in the north of the city looked at him in amazement as he described the curse and its symptoms. "Strange that you should ask about that, young master. In fact, I have seen something like what you describe," she said. "Two cases. One was about a xun ago. I didn't know quite what it was, but I prescribed some medicine that should boost his yang and give him more energy. I haven't seen this patient since then. The second person I saw just this morning."

Lan Wangji straightened just slightly. Someone who she’d treated this morning might still be in a state where he could find out if there was a commonality with him and the others he knew of. “Did he mention how long he had felt unwell?” he asked, keeping his voice level.

The doctor frowned in thought. “She said she’d first felt it maybe three days ago, before she arrived in town. She came in from Baizao, along the main roads.”

Lan Wangji paused as he tried to figure out what to ask next in order to see if he could meet the patient without coming on too strong. The doctor seemed to understand his predicament and stepped in. “She is staying at the inn next door with her brother, surname of Qiu. She did not mention a first name when she stopped by, but seemed reasonably alert still.”

He bowed deeply in gratitude. “My thanks to you, good doctor.”

She nodded perfunctorily, returning to her work as it became clear that their conversation had come to an end. “Good luck in your hunt, young master,” she said. “Illness that can’t be cured would spark a panic should it become widespread.”

He nodded in agreement and left, already planning on speaking to the young master Qiu the moment he could find him.

Once outside it was easy to find the inn the doctor had mentioned, with several people sitting outside and drinking. She had mentioned that there were two to their party, brothers. Surely it would not be difficult to find them within.

The inside of the inn was quieter than outside, with a waiter busy washing teacups and a man and woman sitting silently together in a corner. The only other group in there were a small group of cultivators in tan and green robes, the colors of one of the smaller sects around the area. They too seemed oddly pensive and kept glancing over at the couple.

The stairs to the rooms upstairs were roped off to prevent others from going up before the inn chose to open them to guests.

“Ah, good afternoon, young master, is there something I can help you with?” a voice said at his elbow.

Lan Wangji turned to see the innkeeper and bowed slightly. "I am seeking a person who arrived here recently, surname of Qiu. I believe he is traveling with his brother."

The innkeeper looked him up and down before deciding to answer. "We've got two sibling pairs surnamed Qiu here, but only one currently present." He jerked his head at the man and woman in the corner. "Are they who you're looking for?"

Lan Wangji had assumed the doctor's patient was a man because all the other victims so far had been, but that might not be the case. And now that he looked closer, the woman did seem pale, her face glistening with sweat. He inclined his head to the innkeeper. "I will ask. Thank you."

As he approached the pair in the corner, the group of cultivators turned away even as the man and woman looked up at him. Keeping his voice low, Lan Wangji took the lead in saying, "I am looking for someone named Qiu who saw the doctor next door this morning."

The man frowned. "Why?" he asked, unfriendly.

Lan Wangji looked around. The cultivators seemed to be listening, but there was no one else in the vicinity. He could speak with the cultivators later, and in the meantime, open discussion seemed unlikely to start a commotion.

"I am investigating a curse that presents as a strange illness," he replied. "When I inquired with the doctor next door as to whether she had seen signs of this curse, she pointed me towards you."

The man opened his mouth again, but the woman put her hand on his arm. "Curse?" she said, voice shaking slightly. "Are you sure? I feel sick, sure, but I don't know how I could be cursed."

"That is what I would like to determine," Lan Wangji replied. "If you will permit?"

Squeezing her brother's arm, she nodded. Her face seemed even paler.

Lan Wangji retrieved a simple detection talisman from his sleeve. There were many options for discovering a curse, but this was one of the most discreet. He activated it...and saw it start to glow from the presence of resentful energy.

"What does that mean?" the brother hissed. "Is Xiao Lihua cursed?"

Lan Wangji let the talisman burn to ash as both siblings watched. Now that they accepted his presence, he took an empty seat at the table. "Yes," he said simply. "I will be able to dispel the curse. However, I first have several questions to ask to determine the source of this curse. Miss Qiu, have you noticed any new markings on your body?"

She paused and considered it seriously, her breathing slightly ragged. “A marking? Like a stain or something drawn on? There’s nothing I can think of, and the doctor would have told me if there was something on part of my body I couldn’t see.”

Her brother’s face fell, hope draining with color. But Qiu Linhua had not finished her thought just yet. “There is a rash on the bottom of my foot, but that didn’t seem to be out of the ordinary. We recently traveled a long way on foot. The doctor gave me a salve for it and told me to rest it for a few days.”

Lan Wangji glanced down at where she sat slightly improperly with one leg gingerly twisted so that the bottom of her foot did not touch the ground. When she noticed his glance, she turned her foot so that she sat properly, manners overriding comfort and a doctor’s orders.

He would not have said anything about it. She was not the first person he’d met injured in some way. But it was too late to reassure her now. “When did you first notice this rash?” he asked, looking back up at her and silently hoping that she would shift back to a position that did not cause her pain once she no longer felt like she was being judged.

She smiled somewhat thinly; it made the layer of sweat on her face stand out even more. “I’m not sure, perhaps four or five days ago? I only noticed it when it began to hurt.”

“Daozhang, who would do such a thing? Who would curse my sister with a deadly illness?” her brother interrupted, his face twisted in pain. “My xiao-meimei has never done anything to anyone. She’s a gentle soul, everyone loves her!”

“I do not know,” he said honestly. “I cannot say why some people do what they do. But I will save your sister’s life.”

He could not reasonably ask to see the rash, so there was no point delaying further. He pulled his qin out, placing it on the table and setting fingers to the strings. Without any further ado, he began playing Eradication.

Through the music, he could sense the curse's resistance. It was not weak -- no curse that could drain the life out of so many people could be weak. However, it was also not as strong as Lan Wangji feared. It was possible that its strength continued to build over days and xun until it could finally claim its victim's life.

At this stage, it was no match for Lan Wangji. Eradication finally destroyed it.

"It is done," Lan Wangji told the siblings, putting his qin away again. "Miss Qiu, do you feel any different?"

"I -- yes." She blinked, her hand drifting down to touch her foot before she drew it away. "It doesn't ache anymore."

Her brother sighed in relief. "Daozhang, how can we thank you?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Thanks are not necessary, but more information would be helpful." He reached into his qiankun sleeve again to pull out his map of the area, as well as ink, a brush, and a spare sheet of paper. He prepared the ink as he continued, "Miss Qiu, if you could draw the shape of the rash, that might provide a clue. Otherwise, any information you noticed about it and your symptoms since noticing it would be appreciated." As she took the brush, Lan Wangji next spread out the map. "I also need to know where you were when you noticed the rash, as well as your journey before that."

--

The siblings had proved to be very helpful, drawing as exact a line as they could of the journey they’d taken, along with a simple drawing of two lines that wobbled and crossed over each other and a brief list of symptoms. They had continued trying to thank him till he’d made to leave.

On his way out the door, one of the cultivators stopped him. “Lan-daozhang, are you also going after this strange curse?” he’d asked quietly, glancing around to make sure that no one else was eavesdropping on them.

"You are also tracking it?" Lan Wangji asked, frowning as he looked at the idling cultivators.

The man grimaced. "Not us, not really. Have you heard of the rogue cultivator Wei Wuxian? He came to us asking if we'd seen a curse like this. We hadn't, but if there is one, shouldn't we look into it? But we didn't know where to start, and since you..." He trailed off.

"Lan Wangji," he supplied, guessing what the cultivator wanted.

A look of relief passed over his face. “Oh, Hanguang-jun! That's good. Since you already have more information, we won't burden you with our presence. With both Hanguang-jun and Wei Wuxian looking into this, the curse is certain to be broken in no time.”

Lan Wangji tilted his head. "Is Wei Wuxian here in Huai'an?"

The cultivator nodded. "He said he'd be staying at the Jinjiang Inn north of here for a few days if we found anything. You should be able to meet him there."

With the conversation ended, he returned to drinking with his companions.

The cultivator’s words lingered with him as he turned away from the tables. Wei Wuxian apparently was also looking into this? While their paths had never crossed, he’d certainly heard much of the eldest child of Cangse-sanren.

He often appeared in strange places, in much the same way as Lan Wangji himself, although he was known for taking on rather riskier hunts for the most part. Somewhat dismissive comments suggested that he was wasted as a rogue cultivator and would have been better off had his auspicious mother chosen a clan leader to be his father instead, while more complimentary ones mentioned that he was equally kind to all regardless of status and stood up without hesitation against those who acted unjustly.

A few people had suggested that he and Lan Wangji might be close to equals in cultivation strength, although of course as the son of a servant he could never hope to surpass Lan Wangji himself.

If what he’d heard of Wei Wuxian’s talents and skills was true, he suspected that the scales would be perfectly balanced between the two of them. He had long been interested in meeting the mysterious rogue cultivator, but strangely their paths had never crossed up to this day.

Lan Wangji was not familiar with Huai'an, but the innkeeper was able to provide directions to the Jinjiang Inn. He walked through crowded streets as the day slowly passed from afternoon into evening. By the time he reached a central square with a fountain in the middle, the setting sun painted the waters of the fountain in brilliant shades of yellow and orange.

Standing by the fountain, one foot propped up on the edge as he stared off into the distance, was a man Lan Wangji's age. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail on his head with a bright red ribbon holding it in place, and his black and gray robes looked well-made but not expensive and did not match any clan robes Lan Wangji could recognize. He wore what was clearly a spiritual sword at his waist, though, which meant he was a cultivator.

Across the square was the Jinjiang Inn. Could this be Wei Wuxian?

He seemed to be deep in thought, resting his chin on his hand with little awareness of his surroundings, but the moment Lan Wangji crossed some invisible line, he immediately grew alert and fixed his gaze on Lan Wangji, clearly aware of his presence and intent despite him not having said a word.

Something seemed to snap in the air between them, a strange sort of tension he had never felt before. The closer he drew, the more fine details of this man came into view. Pale eyes that seemed to draw their color from the surroundings, a tumble of dark hair with touches of red brought out by the sun, a trace of a smile at the corner of his lips and a sharp intelligence to his face that could not be denied.

There was something… intriguing about him. A mystery he would have to set aside for later when there were not untold numbers of people cursed with no rhyme or reason to it.

He came to a stop in front of the man he thought to be Wei Wuxian and bowed neatly, watching his face for any reaction. “Excuse me,” he said calmly. “Do I have the honor of addressing Wei Wuxian?”

Chapter Text

A smile grew on the man's face as he straightened up and bowed in return. “Ah, Young Master Lan, you have indeed found this humble one, the wandering cultivator Wei Wuxian,” he said in the same register, a smile lilting on his face in obvious amusement. “But you have me at a disadvantage -- I do not know your name! Only your clan. May I have the honor of knowing who has sought out this humble cultivator?”

Despite the polite words, he could hear the edge of something else in his voice. Playfulness? He did not know what to call it. It felt like mockery, but less rude than that. More as if Wei Wuxian were amused by the situation and eager to watch it play out. “This one is Lan Wangji,” he responded, his own slight test. 

It was not that he wasn’t well known by title or reputation, but often people did not directly recognize him without stating one of them. Wei Wuxian seemed aware enough of the difference between them, but how much did he know? And would he play dumb if he did know?

Those light eyes sparkled in growing amusement. “Lan Wangji? Then I have the honor of addressing Hanguang-jun, he who appears wherever he might be needed.”

Lan Wangji nodded. Really, he expected nothing less from the man he knew only in whispers, but it was good to have confirmation that there was no confusion on where they stood. 

Apparently having drawn his own conclusions enough to be satisfied for the moment, Wei Wuxian sat down at the edge of the fountain, tipping his chin up to the sun. Light spilled over fine eyelashes and cheekbones. “Well, obviously you have been looking for me for some reason,” he said, closing his eyes to the sunlight. “Are you also following this strange curse going around?”

Lan Wangji did not want to loom over him, so he sat as well. He inclined his head as Wei Wuxian angled his body towards Lan Wangji's, bright eyes blinking open again. "I was told you were also on this hunt. I wish to share information."

Something in those eyes sharpened. "Is this to be a mutual sharing?" Wei Wuxian asked lightly. "Perhaps you could go first."

Lan Wangji suspected he understood the subtext. Without complaint, he drew out his map and Miss Qiu's drawing. "Today I met a victim who still lived," he replied. "I destroyed the curse and questioned her. This appears to be her curse mark, and I have the route she traveled."

Wei Wuxian blinked, and then another smile tugged up the corner of his mouth. "Ah, Hanguang-jun is as generous as the rumors say! One can't normally believe rumors, but maybe every so often they're right. Here, let me grab what I have as well."

As Wei Wuxian pulled out several sheets of paper from the pouch on his belt, Lan Wangji studied the way he relaxed.

His suspicion was understandable. Many clan cultivators had a tendency to claim night hunts and drive off other cultivators, who they viewed as competition. Smaller clans were often the victims of this tendency, but he imagined that rogue cultivators often encountered it as well.

Lan Wangji would not drive off competent help, though. Who took credit for a hunt mattered little to him. The important thing was that the hunt was completed.

"I've also drawn some images of the curse mark," Wei Wuxian said, pointing to a few sheets with marks similar to what Miss Qiu drew. "They all seem to be the same thing, or close to it. These are the travel routes I've also traced. I also have a friend who's a doctor, and she told me about what diseases it might be mimicking."

Lan Wangji studied Wei Wuxian again, drawn by his now lively, animated face, before he managed to look down at the papers. This certainly seemed to be competent help.

Wei Wuxian had written the times he’d made the drawing and when he’d seen the person involved. “It took us a little while to realize we were dealing with a curse,” he said more softly over the one with the earliest date. “My friend called me in when she realized what it was, but I didn’t get there in time for poor Young Master Ran.”

Lan Wangji could only nod in commiseration. While he strived to go wherever he may be needed, he could not walk the whole jianghu fast enough to stop every misfortune that may arise. There was only so much they could do.

Wei Wuxian shook off his melancholy as fast as it had appeared though, as though it were only a brief cloud passing by the sun that could not linger. “Anyway, all of them were out traveling and many of them mentioned specific routes they took. Adding them all together along with your victim’s account, they probably all crossed paths in this area --” he paused to trace over a small clanion of the map so that Lan Wangji could see what he’d put together, “-- so that does help us rule out at least most of the roads all of these people traveled.”

Lan Wangji nodded again. “It is likely somewhere central. Somewhere they would have not thought to look for trouble.”

Wei Wuxian turned and smiled directly at him. Anything else he might have had to add abruptly caught in his throat. He cleared it twice and looked away from that blinding smile before he lost his train of thought again.

Wei Wuxian didn’t seem to notice his momentary loss of focus. “You really are clever, Hanguang-jun,” he said with a smile, taking back his papers. “There’s something strange about the marks that were on the victims too; they’re too deliberate and too similar to be a coincidence.” He briefly made a face just in the edge of Lan Wangji’s line of sight. “Always on the bottom of their feet too. Your victim’s was as well, right?”

“They walked over the source of the curse,” Lan Wangji concluded. “It is a small point. She was traveling with her brother and he was not affected.”

The square started darkening as the sun slowly sank below the horizon. Wei Wuxian stood up before turning to smile at him again, the shadows on his face making his light eyes shine all the brighter. "Come on, Hanguang-jun, I'm staying over here. I'll buy you dinner and we can decide our next steps."

"That is not necessary. I will buy my own meal." Wei Wuxian did not look like he was struggling, but the Lan still certainly had more resources.

Wei Wuxian seemed to see right through him, though, because his voice was amused as he replied, "No need to be polite, Hanguang-jun. What face do I have to call myself a top cultivator if I can't even afford a meal?"

Lan Wangji gave up and simply followed Wei Wuxian inside the inn. Together they claimed an empty table in the dining area, and Wei Wuxian slid a menu over to him. "Here, let me know what you want and I'll order. I'm guessing you won't drink?"

He glanced down at the menu before looking back up at Wei Wuxian. "Are you familiar with my clan's rules?"

Wei Wuxian laughed. "My mom went to the lectures once, when she was young. She still complains about how stuffy it was, how no one was allowed to drink even though you have Emperor's Smile right there, and how bitter the food is. She also still complains about your uncle."

Lan Wangji blinked. He had never heard his uncle say anything about Cangse-sanren, but now he wondered if Lan Qiren had a similar opinion. "Why?"

"Oh, I just don't think they got along very well," Wei Wuxian replied, waving a hand. "But we can get some tea as well as my wine. Do you know what you want to eat?"

Lan Wangji considered the options; apparently this inn specialized in Sichuan style food, but he managed to find a dish of noodles and light vegetables that would have a hopefully more mild sauce. Wei Wuxian ordered the spiciest dish on the menu and let out a sigh. “I prefer Hunan cooking, but Sichuan is almost hot enough,” he said, perking up as a waiter returned with two cups, a small bottle of alcohol and a pot of tea. “But you ordered a very mild dish! Do they not have spice over in Gusu?”

He paused and sipped his tea, considering how to respond. Wei Wuxian waited patiently, eyebrows lifted in open curiosity. “I have sampled many different cuisines in my travels, although I am not accustomed to spice,” he said calmly after he set his cup down. 

Wei Wuxian smiled and toasted him with his wine glass, easily emptying the cup and setting it down to refill it quickly. “Hanguang-jun, you really don’t know what you’re missing out on,” he said with a smile. “Spice makes everything taste better. The last time we went down to Hunan, I just had to try everything we passed by.” He laughed and emptied his cup again. “It’s fun to try new things in new places.”

For a moment he wondered who else was included in the ‘we,’ but decided not to ask. They had only met earlier that day. There would be time enough to learn more of Wei Wuxian later on. When there was not a curse to be broken.

He left his cup sitting on the table, choosing to wait until he had finished speaking. “You mentioned a doctor you know told you what diseases it was mimicking?”

The smile remained on Wei Wuxian's face, even turning a little softer. "Yes. You've heard of Wen Qing, I'm sure? She and I have been friends for many years. She's the one who said definitively that it's not a real illness -- the symptoms don't match. It mimics something like influenza, but there's no fever."

Lan Wangji's stomach twisted a little bit. "Has this traveled as far as Qishan?" he asked.

He had heard of Wen Qing, of course. A cousin of the Wen Clan Leader, she was one of the greatest doctors known in the jianghu. By all accounts, she was an extraordinary woman. How did a rogue cultivator like Wei Wuxian know her?

Though that was not important. Instead, it was better to focus on how far the curse had traveled, because it was a bad sign if it was found as far west as Qishan.

Thankfully, Wei Wuxian shook his head. "No, we encountered it near Yunmeng. Wen Qing sometimes goes on tours around the jianghu, sort of like my rogue cultivating except for medicine. I was traveling with her for a while on this one when we found one of the curse's victims."

That kind of medical tour certainly sounded admirable, but Lan Wangji couldn't quite relax. "You know her well?" he asked. The question was not precisely relevant, but...he knew of Wen Qing only by reputation. It would be good to hear a little more to know whether that reputation was deserved. Especially if Wei Wuxian was relying on her expertise for this curse.

Wei Wuxian nodded, still smiling, leaning forward. "Wen Qing and her brother are some of my dearest friends," he said. "I've traveled with them several times, and if anything, her reputation might be underselling her skills. If she has a medical opinion on something, I trust it."

Lan Wangji nodded, ignoring the slight twist of discomfort under his skin. It was good to know that her skills were in fact as good as rumored. Wei Wuxian certainly did not seem the sort to give out unwarranted praise. Certainly any lingering discomfort could easily be marked down to the fact that even the most notable doctor in the jianghu could not easily remove it herself.

He had been able to remove Miss Qiu’s curse with some effort. Wei Wuxian had alluded to dealing with some others in his travels. But they were both strong cultivators in their own rights. Not every cultivator could so easily destroy a curse mark, especially one that was as well concealed as this.

His thoughts were interrupted by the waiter returning with their food. Wei Wuxian beamed up at the waiter as a plate of noodles with sauce so red it seemed to glow with its own light was placed in front of him. 

“Ah, there’s nothing like a place that knows how to spice,” he said with obvious glee. “Your clan rules forbid speech while eating, right?” When Lan Wangji nodded again he shrugged. “I can talk enough for the both of us then.”

Lan Wangji sighed inwardly and elected to not mention that the rules were technically supposed to apply to all at a table, in respect for those around them. It would be a good way to hear of any other discoveries that Wei Wuxian had made of this curse.

Before Lan Wangji could open up his chopsticks, Wei Wuxian was already lifting a piece of meat that had lost all color but for spicy, glowing red, his eyes gleaming in delight. 

It was impolite to stare, so Lan Wangji turned his attention to his own meal, which was a much more reassuring pale green and white. And while Wei Wuxian continued to speak as he ate, he kept to the topic of their shared investigation.

"I don't know about you, but my next step was to head north," he said in between bites, interspersed with occasional sounds of enjoyment that made Lan Wangji focus even harder on neatly eating his noodles. "Since that's where the victims seem to have been coming from. I assume you'll want to come too. I've got a compass that can pinpoint resentful energy, so I think that will be useful in helping us find the right spot."

That brought Lan Wangji's attention back to Wei Wuxian, who grinned and winked when their eyes met. Despite his questions, Lan Wangji managed to only raise one eyebrow in inquiry.

"You want to know about my compass?" Wei Wuxian asked, before neatly scooping up more shining red noodles with his chopsticks. Considering the answer was obvious, Lan Wangji's only further response was a flat stare, but Wei Wuxian waited until he swallowed the noodles before he set his chopsticks down and dug through his belt pouch. He soon pulled out a round object and placed it on the table where Lan Wangji could look at it.

The compass had a pointer, but no markings for the directions of north, south, east, or west. Instead, the pointer slowly revolved around the circle, its pace measured and even.

"This is my Compass of Ill Winds," Wei Wuxian said proudly. "When there's resentful energy around, the pointer will lock onto it and guide me to the source. At some point I want to improve it so it can show what type of energy it is, but I need to do more research for that. It was hard enough making this one!"

He'd made this? Lan Wangji had to quickly school his face lest any of the shock rolling through his body could show. Nevertheless he could see the pride shining clearly on Wei Wuxian’s face.

It was completely merited. Such an invention, especially if it could be replicated, could completely change how cultivators hunted prey, as well as allow them to ferret out hidden pockets that otherwise would be missed till someone happened to stumble over it to their misfortune.

He took another bite of noodles as he thought through what to say in response to such a display of intelligence. If this truly worked as Wei Wuxian had said it would -- and he saw no reason why it wouldn’t -- then it would allow them to discover the source of the curse sooner and hopefully save others who did not know they were cursed.

Wei Wuxian did not seem put out by his silence, he just smiled brightly. “Pretty great, isn’t it?” he asked. “Makes it a lot easier to seek out a problem then wander around blindly in the dark. You can have that one,” he said, indicating the compass with his chopsticks. “I made several of them in order to make sure I could replicate it, and I’m sure even the great Hanguang-jun could make use of it.”

He swallowed and set his chopsticks down. His fingers twitched involuntarily towards the compass. “Will you not need it yourself?” he asked, hesitant to just take it. It was such a valuable tool, most likely not the easiest thing to recreate, yet Wei Wuxian just offered it to him without hesitation?

"I told you, I have more," Wei Wuxian replied cheerfully. "In fact, it'll be more helpful to me if you take it and keep me updated on how you use it. You can help me further test it! If you encounter any problems, then that will help me improve it."

That was an unimpeachable reason -- Lan Wangji stopped being polite and picked up the compass. He wanted to examine it further, but that could wait until he was alone. He tucked the compass into his qiankun sleeve before picking up his chopsticks again to finish his meal.

He had eaten with many who were not of his clan and did not follow their rules. Rarely was he even tempted to break his silence before the meal was over, much less actually doing it. He would have to be careful of his self-control around Wei Wuxian.

This man seemed to draw responses from Lan Wangji far too easily.

Wei Wuxian grinned again as Lan Wangji lapsed back into silence. He took a few moments to continue eating as well before he swallowed and said, "I think I've got everything I need from Huai'an, so I'm ready to leave tomorrow if you are."

Lan Wangji finally finished his noodles and set the bowl aside. "I am waiting on a letter from my brother," he replied. "I asked him to inquire with the Jin about similar cases. However, if there is no response yet, I will tell the post office where to send it on. I will be able to leave tomorrow after that."

Wei Wuxian smiled. “Seems like a solid enough plan to me.”

They parted ways momentarily after they finished their meal. Wei Wuxian wanted to pick up some more supplies while he was in town, and while it was still unlikely that a letter had arrived since the last time he checked, he wanted to be absolutely certain.

For some inexplicable reason he found himself hoping that nothing had arrived. Which was utterly foolish; the longer it took them to discover the source of the curse, the more people might die before they could break it. Who knew how many lives had already been adversely touched by this curse?

A man on horseback set off at a trot as he came up towards the post office, a hefty bag that must have been filled with letters and parcels slung across its hindquarters. If there were a letter for him, it would have arrived shortly before.

An even more inexplicable flash of disappointment settled in the pit of his stomach as he walked in, the clerk from earlier noticing and waving to him.

“Ah, Young Master Lan,” he greeted with a smile. “Were you able to find out what you were looking for?”

"Mn." He stepped closer. "Is there a letter for me?"

"You're in luck," the clerk replied, turning to a pile of mail in the middle of being sorted. "It just came in." He flipped through the letters until he came to one sealed with the Lan clouds. "Here you go!"

"Thank you." He took the letter, tucking it into his sleeve as he left.

Not sure what news he hoped to find, he managed to wait until he returned to his room at the inn before opening the letter. There were two sheets of paper, and he first turned his attention to the one bearing his brother's elegant calligraphy.

Wangji,

As we'd feared, the Jin were less than helpful. They claim to have heard of no similar cases and believe that you have encountered an actual illness rather than a curse. I have enclosed their response.

However, if there is anything to find, I know you will find it. I wish you luck and hope to see you return to the Cloud Recesses for a longer visit shortly.

Lan Xichen

Lan Wangji then turned his attention to the other sheet of paper. As Lan Xichen had indicated, the information was not helpful. The Jins merely said that there had been many illnesses in the area in recent years and this was most likely merely another. Lan Wangji could investigate as he liked, but no Jin cultivators would join him.

He folded the papers again and tucked them back in his sleeve. Though he gained no new information about the curse, his mood had still strangely improved. He felt no regret that the Jins would not send any cultivators to help -- he believed the assistance he currently had would be sufficient.

It was drawing close to hai shi, late enough that it would be impolite to go back and interrupt Wei Wuxian in his preparations. They had arranged to meet in the morning, back at Jinjiang Inn. That would be soon enough. 

Before he went to sleep, he took a few moments to study the compass Wei Wuxian had given him. The needle spun consistently, never stopping nor lingering too long. 

It would be interesting to see how it performed out in the field. He looked forward to seeing the proficiency of compass and cultivator alike. 

--

Mao shi came and he rose as dictated, spending the first shichen of the day in meditation before leaving to go collect his new companion for the hunt ahead. 

His white mare walked sedately behind him, never twitching even an ear at the few passersby out at this hour. She had proven to be a solid, dependable horse so far. He would make sure to note that to the stable master back in the Cloud Recesses. 

He still made sure to tie her up outside while he went into Jinjiang Inn. Even though she would stand out like a single cloud on a blue sky, it was better to not take foolish chances. 

Wei Wuxian was not in the open area of the inn when he stepped inside. There was only the innkeeper covering a yawn and a single maid picking up empty cups as she came over to greet him. Lan Wangji waved her off. Wei Wuxian had given him his room number in case he'd needed to contact him, so he would go upstairs himself.

One knock, however, had no response. Lan Wangji waited politely for a few more moments before knocking again. Only then did his straining ears hear rustling within the room.

He was aware that not everyone rose as early as the Lan, but it was already chen shi. Surely this was not still too early?

And yet, when the door finally slid open, he was met with a Wei Wuxian who had clearly just woken up. His hair was loose and frazzled, his eyes drooping, one hand politely covering his mouth as he yawned. He wore only two layers, his outer robe hastily tied, and both robes gaping open to show off sharp collarbones. Lan Wangji turned his gaze away.

"My mom said the Lan got up stupidly early, and sure enough," Wei Wuxian commented, leaning against the door frame. "It's night hunting, Hanguang-jun! What's the use in getting up this early?"

Lan Wangji hesitated slightly. "It is better to travel during daylight." And it was ridiculous to feel like he was imposing on Wei Wuxian. The day had long begun, and cultivators were well able to stay up late for night hunts as needed even when rising early.

Wei Wuxian yawned again. "True enough. Fine. As you can see, however, I am clearly not ready yet. If you don't mind waiting, you can go downstairs and drink some tea while I get myself in order."

Lan Wangji nodded and bowed, casting his eyes down towards the floor. He heard Wei Wuxian huff slightly and then the sound of the door shutting.

Only then could he actually back away and make a strategic retreat until his mind had cleared from the surprise of Wei Wuxian being the sort of person who would sleep until the sun was high in the sky.

That was definitely the thought that was lingering in his mind. Wei Wuxian’s sleeping habits.

The innkeeper was only too happy to bring him both fresh tea and to prepare congee for Wei Wuxian, bustling about out of sight to call for someone in the back to get to work. Lan Wangji sat down at one of the tables near the back of the room, decidedly keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the table.

There was a dark knot near the center of the table that had been smoothed and polished until the knot and the rest of the wood felt exactly the same. It was good craftsmanship.

He had finished two cups of tea and his golden core had soothed any lingering pain on his tongue from the heat of it by the time Wei Wuxian came down the stairs, looking much more presentable with his hair pulled up in a high ponytail again.

Wei Wuxian glanced around only for a moment before walking over to his table and slouching down with another huge yawn. “So how are we traveling? Did you walk here?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. "My horse is outside."

Wei Wuxian poured himself his own cup of tea. "Well, I don't have a horse," he said matter-of-factly, lifting the tea up so the steam wafted in his face. "I'm used to relying on my own two feet. But I don't think that we'll travel very well together if you're riding and I'm walking."

As he sipped his tea, Lan Wangji debated what his response should be. He could stable his horse here in Huai'an so they could walk together, or he could offer to rent a horse for Wei Wuxian. Unless...could he ride? Lan Wangji had been educated as a gentleman, but he didn't know if Wei Wuxian had.

Lan Wangji could also simply go ahead and let Wei Wuxian catch up as he could, but that felt churlish after they had already agreed to hunt together...and he was looking forward to seeing how Wei Wuxian hunted.

Finally, Wei Wuxian smiled. "I'll rent a horse," he said, taking another sip of tea. "It'll be faster to ride. I'm also curious about what kind of effect this curse would have on a rider, considering the placement of the curse mark indicates it latches onto whoever walks over the right spot."

That was an interesting point, and if Wei Wuxian proposed to ride himself, he must be able to. Lan Wangji inclined his head.

When they had finished breakfast, they set out together to find a horse for rent, quickly procuring a brown gelding that Wei Wuxian specially requested when it tried to bite another horse that was scenting them out.

Lan Wangji could not quite understand this pattern of logic, but the horse seemed to respond easily to Wei Wuxian, showing none of the attitude it had back in the field. It trotted along with a steady gait that its rider could easily meet, never shying or straying from the path.

“Horses are expensive, so I don’t ride them often, but I got a lot of practice on our donkey,” Wei Wuxian explained, seeming more awake and relaxed than he had been an hour ago. None of his initial drowsiness nor short temper from being awoken early showed at all in his frame. “If you want an animal that will be at your back when night hunts go sideways, you want a donkey. Ours will go out and kick fierce corpses and then scold us for not taking care of them fast enough.” He laughed brightly.

The sunlight ran along his cheekbones and brought out more of those traces of red in his high ponytail. He rode as if he had been born to it, one hand loosely holding the reins so the other could gesture as he talked. 

Lan Wangji glanced away and towards the open road. While there were other travelers out at this time, they had chosen to ride away from the main road and instead take a less traveled route towards the crossroads that all of the victims of this curse seemed to have passed. 

The relative solitude of the road ahead was pleasant; there would be fewer people hindering them and at the pace they’d set, they’d likely reach the crossroads sometime the next day.

The relative solitude of the road ahead also set a chord of nervous energy thrumming within him. Wei Wuxian seemed to be perfectly happy to keep up a one-sided conversation, but the longer it went on, the more unbalanced he felt. As if he should at least respond in some way to Wei Wuxian’s friendly overtures.

His brother had always been the better of the two of them at being able to keep up a conversation with near-strangers. When he was younger, it was a skill he had not thought he would need. And while he felt comfortable with his ability to contribute to a conversation when he had something to say, this was perhaps the first time he felt almost too silent.

It was infuriating.

Wei Wuxian's sharp eyes seemed to notice his disquiet. "But I've been monopolizing the conversation," he said, still cheerful. "Hanguang-jun, you're known for taking on any kind of night hunt, no matter how boring. Almost like a rogue cultivator! Most clan cultivators are much pickier. Why are you so willing to take on even low-level hunts?"

Lan Wangji frowned. "I should," he said, not entirely sure how to explain. He was likewise aware that most clan cultivators preferred exciting hunts that would win them acclaim and disdained smaller, simpler hunts. He strongly disapproved of that attitude. "Smaller hunts still need to be done, and I do not cultivate simply to show off my strength."

"No?" Wei Wuxian grinned mischievously. "Aren't all of us cultivating so we can get stronger? What's the point if you're not challenging yourself?"

"My cultivation is about me," Lan Wangji replied stiffly, feeling a little needled. "Challenges come in many forms. Gaining acclaim for exciting hunts is about self-aggrandizement, not cultivation."

Wei Wuxian started laughing, and he kept going for several minutes. As he laughed, Lan Wangji found himself relaxing a little. Wei Wuxian was a rogue cultivator with a reputation similar to his own -- he was not disapproving of Lan Wangji's priorities, simply asking about them further.

"Ahhh, Hanguang-jun, with opinions like that, you must love clan gatherings!" Wei Wuxian finally said after he gained control over his laughter. "Okay, what kind of challenges do you find yourself facing, hunting the way you do? I'm curious about whether they're any similar to mine."

Knowing that it was genuine, he took the time to consider the question carefully. “There are hunts that are easier to do with others, although that is not my forte,” he answered after a moment. “Some yao can easily escape a solo cultivator.”

Wei Wuxian rubbed his chin in thought. “That is a problem,” he mused, staring off into the distance. “Sometimes a swarm of fierce corpses can go after non-cultivators while the lone cultivator is dealing with them too.”

Lan Wangji nodded, gently steering his horse around a puddle on the road. “Such things can be dealt with, but it is more difficult as a lone cultivator.”

Wei Wuxian appeared not to hear him, still thinking out loud. “I wonder if such a thing to draw all of a cultivator’s quarry to the same place could work. A lure or something like that.” A grin slowly spread across his face as he considered it. “An attraction flag, put up by a cultivator to lure in fierce corpses so they can deal with them all at once.”

Lan Wangji felt a chill run down his spine, slowing his horse to a stop almost unconsciously as he stared at Wei Wuxian. “You are speaking of manipulating resentful energy,” he said warningly. “Such an act would be profane.”

That smile immediately disappeared. Wei Wuxian likewise slowed his horse before turning around to face him, light eyes serious. “What’s the problem with that use? It’s already around, stagnant, luring them in anyway. Why not put it to use so that we can help others?”

"Resentful energy is harmful," he said flatly, feeling chilled. Was this what came of learning to cultivate outside a clan? Was Wei Wuxian not fully taught the dangers? "It reverses the natural order. Attempting to make use of it is too dangerous to play with."

"You don't even know what I would do with it!" Wei Wuxian retorted. "Can you really just say that it's a bad idea when you don't even know how it would work yet?"

"Yes. It is not worth the risk. How can you be sure to control it? How can you be sure it will not harm you or others in the process?"

Wei Wuxian's eyes narrowed. "That's very narrow-minded of someone who happily took my compass and didn't even ask how it worked," he said sharply. "How do you think it can identify and locate resentful energy, Hanguang-jun? And yet it is perfectly safe."

Lan Wangji resisted the urge to take out the compass again and examine it further -- or return it straight to Wei Wuxian. It was true; he had not noticed anything off about the compass. However, that was not reassuring. "Resentful energy is too dangerous to the wielder," he said again, wanting to impress the urgency of the issue upon Wei Wuxian. "Even useful tools may not be worth the cost."

"No?" Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow. "I mentioned my idea for an attraction flag because we discussed how sometimes dangerous beings elude lone cultivators -- beings that may then attack more innocent people. An attraction flag would further be useful in luring those dangerous beings away from populated areas to a place where they can be dealt with more safely. Even spiritual cultivation carries the potential for harm to the user, given qi deviations, so are you saying that the potential for saving lives is really not worth it? Cultivators take risks all the time, Hanguang-jun, and I don't see how this is any different."

Lan Wangji bit his tongue rather than retort further. Clearly belaboring the point would not go well at this time, not when Wei Wuxian could refute every argument that had currently come to mind. Without another word, he nudged his horse back into a walk, a tiny part of him betraying the cold disappointment by being glad that Wei Wuxian went back to riding alongside him rather than turning away.

 He knew that rogue cultivators were often more flexible in cultivational techniques than clan cultivators. It came of learning from wandering tutors or in families as Wei Wuxian had; there were no specialized disciplines in the same way.

But resentful energy harmed that which it touched without exception. There were songs of purification that could clear it away from a being up to a certain point, yet there was always the risk of injury or worse even being nearby for too long. 

That was well known by even rogue cultivators, right? Cangse-sanren was a disciple of Baoshan-sanren; there was no doubt of her skill and knowledge in cultivation. For her son to be adamant in his beliefs, did she know something they did not?

It seemed unlikely that they knew something the clans did not, yet once the thought had crossed his mind he could not fully shake the doubt.

At the very least, he should observe Wei Wuxian further, as well as take a closer look at the compass he had given him when there was time. 

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian made no further attempt to engage him in conversation as they rode side by side, his reticence a stark contrast compared to earlier. Lan Wangji refused to acknowledge that the silence felt slightly lonely after having gotten to hear Wei Wuxian cheerfully talking about anything that crossed his mind.

Normally, silence did not bother Lan Wangji. There were generally few people he really wanted to speak to, so silence was often more comforting than being forced to converse. What disturbed him now, he thought, was the contrast. He may have only just met Wei Wuxian, but already he could tell that here was a man who did enjoy conversation, who verbally prodded and poked, who thought out loud. Silence from such a man was far more disconcerting than silence from most people Lan Wangji knew.

He also did not want to entirely lose the rapport they had built. He remained concerned about Wei Wuxian's theories, but before that argument...they had gotten along well. Lan Wangji did not often desire friends outside his own family, but he had begun to think that Wei Wuxian might be a good one.

He did not want an argument to cut off that friendship before it could truly begin.

Remaining on good terms with Wei Wuxian would also better allow him to observe his experiments with resentful energy and any effects they might have. Perhaps, if they were friends, Wei Wuxian might even allow him to ameliorate any damage he could.

So, despite his discomfort, Lan Wangji cleared his throat. "I am curious about your training," he said stiffly. "Did you learn entirely from your mother?"

Wei Wuxian didn’t answer for a few moments and his stomach dropped as he wondered suddenly if he had pushed too soon. Then the tension in his shoulders melted away and he smiled again. “I learned from both my parents,” he answered, looking back over at Lan Wangji for the first time in what seemed to be a long time. “My father was a servant and cultivator in the Jiang Clan in Yunmeng, but he left when he fell in love with my mother. They were both always there, no matter what else happened.”

Lan Wangji nodded slowly, listening. While rumor had told him much of this, it was far better to hear it from someone who knew the truth rather than unkind words whispered in shadows. A twinge of familiar envy twisted in his stomach at the mention of what had clearly been a much happier childhood, but it was easily banished.

“What about you?” Wei Wuxian asked, tilting his head slightly. “I know that you have an older brother who is the heir of Gusu Lan, but what was it like to grow up in a clan?”

He had to stop and think through what Wei Wuxian would be interested in. “You would have been an outer disciple,” he started, trying to feel through the thought process. “You would have studied sword, talisman, music and the six arts with other young men your age, and at fifteen you would be given a courtesy name and a sword. If you found a specialization in music or talisman, you would have shifted to focusing on that over general studies.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. “That doesn’t sound so different from what my father learned, though apparently the Jiang Clan used to be pretty relaxed about who they let in. But that doesn’t sound like what you learned.”

Lan Wangji looked at him, his eyebrows drawing together slightly. "My education was little different from the other disciples," he said. "I did learn some fundamentals of clan administration, but that is the only addition."

Wei Wuxian shook his head, smiling. "I didn't mean what would it have been like for me to grow up in Gusu Lan," he clarified. "What was life like for a young Lan Wangji? Did you always naturally follow all those rules, or were you ever a little rebel? Did you like your lessons?"

Oh. Something in Lan Wangji's stomach seemed to flutter. He wanted to know more about Lan Wangji, not the clans.

The difficulty was -- the first thing that came to mind that was unique to his upbringing and fit with what Wei Wuxian was curious about -- was his mother and the conflicting rules and expectations that came with her situation. Trying to balance what the rules said with wanting to see his mother, openly breaking them when he could not reconcile what they told him with what he knew to be right when he wanted to see her. As he grew older, he was able to find that balance with the rules and the purposes they served and his own heart, but he thought he might never fully divorce those feelings from his memories of his mother.

And he could not speak of her.

Carefully he steered his thoughts away from her before they could overwhelm him and thought on simpler times in his adolescence. Those would be safer to share.

“I did not struggle in classes. I enjoyed music lessons,” he began, trying to think of what Wei Wuxian would find interesting. “I learned the qin for cultivation, but I play it for leisure as well. I would sometimes play with my brother.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and grinned, his eyes flashing just slightly. “Maybe you should play for me when we stop tonight,” he suggested. “Not a clan secret, but something you enjoy. I could even try and join in on dizi.”

He nodded. He could do that, perhaps. They would have time once the sun had gone down.

“You and your brother would play together?” Wei Wuxian asked, easily keeping the conversation afloat for him. “That sounds pretty fun. My sister has no aptitude for instruments at all.” He made a disappointed face, although there was no bitterness in his voice. “Her contributions to musical cultivation mostly involved making sounds so painful that fierce corpses covered their ears from the noise until she found something else that worked.”

Lan Wangji tilted his head. "I was unaware that anyone other than the Lan developed musical cultivation techniques."

"Clans don't tend to pay attention to what rogue cultivators are doing, even the famed Cangse-sanren," Wei Wuxian replied wryly. "Our methods are also only a few years old, so they're still pretty new."

"Can you tell me about these methods?" Lan Wangji asked, a little uncertain. Most clans preferred to preserve some secrecy about cultivation methods, but he was unsure as to whether rogue cultivators were the same.

"Hmm, maybe at some point, but not just yet," Wei Wuxian said. His tone was airy and unconcerned, but his mouth twisted a little bit. "Depending on how this hunt goes, I might be able to show you some of it. Or you could show me -- I've heard about the Lan techniques and would also enjoy seeing them in action."

"It will depend on what we find," Lan Wangji said quietly. "I do not pretend that the Lan techniques are useful for all situations."

Wei Wuxian's smile warmed again. "Again, I find the tales of Hanguang-jun do not do you justice! Your humility is no more exaggerated than your intelligence or your beauty. How lucky I am to hunt with you!"

Lan Wangji could only withstand the combined weight of compliment and eye contact for a second; he hurriedly looked down and away at his horse’s head, watching her white ears firmly. His own seemed to burn slightly.

Just what was going on with him? Others had spoken of him and to him far more eloquently and effusively. Yet somehow Wei Wuxian’s simple-in-comparison words left him off-balance, out of sorts.

He was not entirely certain he liked it.

Fortunately at that moment a small traveling group came up on the road, forcing them to shift to a single row and making conversation that much more difficult for the moment.

He needed a moment. Or a few.

--

It was not quite sunset when they stopped for the night, but Wei Wuxian pointed out that their current location was much better suited for two cultivators and their horses to make camp than anywhere else they could reach in half a shichen. “There’s water, fresh grass and plenty of room for us to be well off the road should someone else come along,” he pointed out.

Lan Wangji conceded the point. It would likely be well past dark by the time they found another place like this. They dismounted and unsaddled the horses, picketing them so they were close enough to reach the narrow stream and with plenty of slack to graze before setting to work on putting up camp.

As Lan Wangji would have expected, Wei Wuxian made camp with practiced ease. He flitted from task to task with such proficiency that Lan Wangji, who had made many camps himself, spent almost too much time watching him. He couldn't let Wei Wuxian do all the work, though, so he quickly stepped forward to set up the tents.

"Do you have a preference for cooking?" Wei Wuxian asked as he drew a quick seal in the air to light the fire. "I'll warn you, you'll have to watch me if I do it. People complain that I don't even realize how much spice I put in."

"...I will cook." In any case, cooking was one of his preferred camp tasks. Considering their conversation about food the previous night, Wei Wuxian might not appreciate the flavors as much as Lan Wangji did, but at least Lan Wangji was cognizant of his own flavorings throughout the entire process.

Wei Wuxian watched as he cooked, one hand propping up his chin. "It's just as well I carry around my own chili oil," he commented, maintaining admirable neutrality on his face as he watched Lan Wangji handle his ingredients. "Much easier for me to add spice to my bowl than for you to take it away from yours. And not even my family likes as much spice as I do."

"No?" Lan Wangji shared his tastes with most of his family.

Wei Wuxian huffed a small laugh. "My dad likes maybe half as much spice as I do, which is still spicier than most. My mom likes maybe half of what my dad does. My sister can't handle spice at all. So I got used to not being allowed to cook in company and having to carry my own chili oil."

“Mn,” he said quietly. He really had very little to add, yet it seemed rude to just remain silent when Wei Wuxian spoke.

Sometimes he privately wished that he were more adept at making small talk, which he had never prioritized. Rarely. Very rarely. In fact, with deeper consideration the wish had only truly sprung up now, with every glance at this interesting cultivator sitting across from him, a half smile on his face as he watched Lan Wangji cook for the two of them.

Wei Wuxian truly was an interesting person. Very different from what he would have expected, yet somehow the ways in which he stood apart from the whispers and the crowd were intriguing. His desire to speak to and engage with Lan Wangji even though they seemed to have little in common was gratifying. The fact that while they had run into a conflict in which he truly did not know who was right and who was wrong, he had chosen to set that aside and continue to be friendly…

He needed more time. More time to figure out this curious man and the strange impact he had on Lan Wangji. He found himself strangely grateful that they had at least one more day studying this curse before they would part ways.

“Do you cook a lot for yourself?” Wei Wuxian interrupted his thoughts, eyes focused not on Lan Wangji, but their dinner. “You seem very used to this.”

Lan Wangji cautiously glanced up at him before going back to his work. “It is a good skill to know when you travel by yourself,” he said calmly.

The meal itself seemed to pass more quickly than usual. Lan Wangji retained his customary silence, and while Wei Wuxian periodically tried to follow suit, he continued to burst out with occasional commentary on the food, his family, and their hunt. And although speech during the meal was forbidden by his clan's rules, and he usually found the clamor of voices heard when eating in public places to be grating...he did not dislike it in this space.

By the time they finished their meal, dark had fully fallen. Wei Wuxian cheerfully took over the cleaning, claiming that those who cooked should not have to clean up, so Lan Wangji began pulling out his supplies to make sure everything he might need was in good condition. As expected, he found no issues.

When Wei Wuxian stowed away their cooking utensils, he also pulled out a simple, but well-made, bamboo dizi. "Didn't you say you might play your qin tonight?" he asked with a flattering eagerness. "It's not time for you to go to bed yet, is it? Do you still want to play?"

"There is time," Lan Wangji agreed. He played for cultivation more often than for pleasure, so he was grateful for the chance to simply enjoy himself now. "Is there anything you would like to hear?"

"Anything is fine!" Wei Wuxian said, twirling his dizi between his long fingers. "You can pick something, and if I know it too, I can join in?"

He nodded in agreement -- that did sound pleasant -- and laid out his qin on the earth. He considered the array of songs he knew for a time before choosing one that he knew had been written with dizi accompaniment in mind.

The light that appeared in Wei Wuxian’s eyes when he began to play told him he had made exactly the right choice. He immediately joined in flawlessly, waiting only long enough to find a natural place to start.

Wei Wuxian showed an aptitude in music that matched all else Lan Wangji had seen so far. He knew that there had to be moments where he paused to breathe in, yet he was able to do it so flawlessly that it seemed at any point he stopped only to let the qin shine for a moment.

It was a rare pleasure to be able to play with someone who could meet him on the same level. When he finished, Wei Wuxian correctly understood his nod that it was his turn to choose a song.

They played until the moon hung high in the sky and the cicadas grew loud enough to drown them out.

--

The next day, Wei Wuxian seemed more cheerful despite the early start -- which, if not quite as early as Lan Wangji would have set off when alone, was still earlier than he thought Wei Wuxian would have preferred. Still, his eyes were bright as they made congee and dismantled the camp, and he sometimes echoed the birds' morning calls with his own whistles.

In fact, he seemed to have rather too much energy. He had the good manners not to let it infect his horse, but an aura of vitality surrounded him that kept catching Lan Wangji's attention. When Wei Wuxian caught him glancing over one too many times, he grinned.

"Hey, Hanguang-jun," he said, his tone mischievous. "It's early and the road is empty. How about a race?"

Lan Wangji frowned. "Frivolous," he said, immediately disapproving. What purpose would a race serve? They were not on a pleasure jaunt.

"Oh, come on," Wei Wuxian coaxed, turning a wheedling smile on Lan Wangji. "We've got plenty of time before we get there. What harm could a short race do?"

"And if we encounter something on the way after tiring the horses?"

"Surely we would have heard about something dangerous, and even if not, we'll get to that dangerous thing quicker so we can take care of it," Wei Wuxian replied reasonably.

Lan Wangji still frowned. He did not see the point of a race. It was not as if their horsemanship skills were in question, nor was there a reason for them to compete. They were supposed to be working together. “Why do you insist upon doing this?” he asked.

Wei Wuxian’s grin flashed like the edge of a blade, keen-edged and expertly wielded. “It’s a lovely day, there’s no one stopping us, and no reason not to. And I want to see how well you can ride when it’s not just a sedate little trot.” As if on a subtle cue, Wei Wuxian’s horse tossed its head with a mild snort, lifting its legs up higher in a flashier, less mannered trot.

Against his better judgment, he began to consider it. Wei Wuxian seemed to be invested in a test of skill, one with low stakes. He wanted to see just how capable Lan Wangji was.

See, perhaps, if he truly had met his equal.

“What,” Wei Wuxian said, eyes still focused intently upon him. “Are you afraid you’ll lose?”

Somehow the barb hit true. All reservations about sense and decorum faded away in the wake of needing to prove that it was absolutely not the case. “What are the rules of this race?”

Wei Wuxian’s grin changed to a blinding smile as he realized he’d won out over Lan Wangji in this. “There’s a river crossing maybe a mile away. We race from that tree--” he gestured to a large tree with gnarled branches hanging over the path, “--to the river. Whoever gets there first is the winner. Simple as that.”

The distance was short enough that a race wouldn't take too much time out of their hunt, the terrain flat and even. There was no one on the road to witness this foolishness. Without another word, Lan Wangji pulled his horse up at the tree, trying to ignore Wei Wuxian's grin as he did the same.

Despite himself, Lan Wangji began looking forward to it. While Lan Wangji was no stranger to people challenging his skills, it was usually inspired by arrogance, jealousy, or maliciousness. After his mother's death, he'd never been challenged playfully, or in the spirit of fair competition.

"Are you ready?" Wei Wuxian asked. He waited for Lan Wangji's nod before continuing, "Then on three. One. Two. Three."

At the same moment, the two of them dug in their heels and sprang forward. Lan Wangji leaned forward, tucking in his arms and shifting his weight to smoothly match his horse's gait. He did not look over at Wei Wuxian and kept his eyes forward on his goal. The pounding of galloping hooves echoed in his ears.

At first they were neck and neck, the thundering of hooves keeping neat pace as the trees passed by rapidly. He could just faintly overhear Wei Wuxian whispering something to his horse as they ran side by side.

But little by little, his mare began to pull ahead, her speed and stamina proving superior to Wei Wuxian’s gelding. Her pride was great enough to carry them further forward as the river crossing came into view.

By the time her hooves struck the water, it was clear that he had come out ahead in this little race of theirs. Lan Wangji privately enjoyed the little thrill of victory as he slowed her, letting her splash around in the shallow waters slightly.

They turned around in time to see Wei Wuxian and his gelding slowing as well. Despite having lost, the man was grinning widely, hair slightly windblown. As his horse came to a stop, immediately dipping its neck to gulp down water greedily, he began to clap. “Well done, Hanguang-jun!” he congratulated sincerely. “I am truly bested by you and your lovely white mare. You two looked like immortals riding ahead, leaving me to eat your dust.”

Then he had the audacity to wink at Lan Wangji as if he’d made some sort of clever joke.

Lan Wangji should not feel accomplished for winning such a meaningless contest, and yet he did. Perhaps Wei Wuxian's good humor was enough reward.

Still, he said, "We should continue." This brief race wasn't enough to tire the horses as long as they didn't push too hard for the rest of the journey.

Wei Wuxian smiled and shook his head as he guided his horse back towards the road. "Back to business immediately, hmm? Well, I appreciate your indulgence. And didn't you have fun?"

He did, but he also felt unable to admit it. "We did not lose too much time," he said instead.

"We'll still get there today, don't you worry," Wei Wuxian replied without concern. "After lunch, you should take out my compass. By that time, it might be able to pick up on our quarry."

"What is its range?" Lan Wangji asked, still wanting to know more about the compass. He would want to test it further himself on his own, but the more information he had, the better.

"It can first pick up resentful energy around maybe ten li? I hoped that would be enough to find one source of energy without too much interference from other sources."

He nodded. It would cover a broad enough radius to hopefully narrow in on the specific source quickly. “Does it do anything significant when it reaches the center?”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “Well, if you’re standing right on top of it, it starts spinning again rather than pointing in any one direction. I usually use it for tracking moving sources of resentful energy, so often I see it before I’m that close.”

Lan Wangji gently nudged his horse to keep walking as she paused to shake water from her tail. “Then as long as it is a stationary source, it should not be so difficult to find.”

Wei Wuxian laughed loudly as they trotted down the road once more. “We can definitely hope!”

About mid-morning, Lan Wangji pulled out his notes and the annotated map from Miss Qiu. She had marked out the place she’d first noticed her rash, which they reached about half a shichen later. The Compass of Ill Winds, however, did not yet react, the pointer continuing its lazy circle rather than indicating a specific direction. And though he had no reason to doubt Wei Wuxian's craftsmanship, just to be sure, he pulled out a talisman to check for resentful energy as well, which likewise found none.

"Double checking?" Wei Wuxian asked, watching the talisman glow briefly with Lan Wangji's spiritual energy and then fade when it caught nothing. Lan Wangji glanced sidelong at him, and he smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not offended. You can try again when my compass pinpoints it, too."

They continued on. Lan Wangji started keeping a closer eye on the compass after they stopped for lunch, but it was mid-afternoon before the pointer stopped circling and started pointing north, the direction they were headed. "Does this mean we are ten li away?" he asked, holding the compass out to Wei Wuxian.

"Most likely," Wei Wuxian agreed. "We should be there soon, then."

Less than half a shichen after that, they rode up to a crossroad.

This was the first somewhat notable area they’d come to since they’d left the Yanhe river behind while still following Miss Qiu’s trail. The crossroad itself did not seem relevant at first glance, but upon closer inspection of his map, all four directions led to major cities in Lanling, Gusu, Qinghe and Qishan, as well as it being more than easy enough to divert to Yunmeng or anywhere else for travelers.

There was a freshly repainted sign across the way with arrows pointing to the nearest city along each crossroads, and then a rock at the base that proclaimed the area as having been named Zhangdianzhen.

If someone were trying to spread a curse to go across the jianghu without drawing attention, such a crossroads would not be a terrible place to place it.

Lan Wangji dismounted and tied his mare to a nearby tree before taking the compass back up, watching the needle hone in just northwest of where they were standing. He waited a second to see if it would wobble or twist, but it remained a steady arrow.

Wei Wuxian did the same and came up next to him, grinning. “Oh good, it’s definitely found something,” he said, following with his eyes across the crossroads where the needle pointed. “Well, Hanguang-jun, shall we explore?”

He nodded, lifting the compass out slightly further so that Wei Wuxian could see it without leaning over his shoulder.

Slowly they walked across the crossroads together, eyes fixed on the needle. It never wavered in the slightest as they drew closer and closer to the painted sign.

The tip shook slightly as they stopped right in front of the rock and sign, beginning to waver back and forth in a little less than a quarter of the compass. Lan Wangji held it still, attempting to ascertain if it had lost the reading or not, but the tip continued to sway in the same rhythm.

Wei Wuxian was also frowning. “Hold on a moment, let me test something,” he said, reaching into his belt pouch. He drew out another compass, holding it next to Lan Wangji’s.

It too was swaying slightly.

"It might be a slightly bigger area," Wei Wuxian decided. "Here, you walk around one side and I'll walk around the other. Let's see if we can find the boundaries."

It was a good suggestion, and one that Lan Wangji would not have been able to perform without a tool such as this compass. He started walking a slowly curving path to the right as Wei Wuxian mirrored him to the left, keeping an eye on where the compass pointed. When he and Wei Wuxian met on the other side of the circle, he could see that the area encompassed a small corner of the path and a larger span of bare earth.

"Looks like this is our spot," Wei Wuxian said cheerfully. "You want to check it with one of your talismans?"

It seemed unnecessary. Instead, Lan Wangji pulled out his qin, settling down on the path just outside the circle's boundary. He plucked out the opening notes of Inquiry, then waited for a spirit to answer.

What he got instead was a tangled mass of chords, as if a hand -- or several hands -- smashed down on all the strings at once.

He blinked. So did Wei Wuxian. He leaned over to look at the qin, both eyebrows raised. “It’s not supposed to do that, is it?” he asked, ponytail leaving a swaying shadow over the strings. “I’ve never seen Inquiry played before, but that doesn’t sound like what I’ve heard.”

Lan Wangji shook his head minutely before clearing his mind and strumming his question again with a touch more spiritual energy, trying to encourage the multiple spirits to wait and answer in turn.

It seemed to clear some of the voices away. The notes were still jangled, but he could pick out the semblance of names within them. Fu Lian. Fu Tao. Li Yichen. Still others that were lost in the clamor. He estimated at least seven different names, with most of them sharing surnames, three, perhaps four families all struggling to communicate with him at once.

When he reported this to Wei Wuxian, he frowned and sat down across from Lan Wangji, rubbing his chin in thought. “Several spirits, all from the same families? That’s strange, especially since they’re buried here, not with their ancestors or in their town.”

Lan Wangji quietly agreed, smoothing out the strings before playing again.

In the pause before the spirits could reply, Wei Wuxian mouthed a question. “What does that mean?” Lan Wangji read on his lips.

“I am asking how they died,” he responded as the first notes rang back. This time they seemed to understand that he needed to not be interrupted.

Sickness. Sickness. Hunger. The first few came through. Then the strings began to sing louder with growing anger. Stabbed. Slit throat. Stabbed. Belly cut open. Strangled.

His inward frown grew with each answer.

He reported the responses to Wei Wuxian, who likewise frowned. "Too many methods...but the first few are different. Sickness is natural, but stabbing and strangling are murder. Yet even the ones who died of illness carry enough resentment to still be here."

"Mn." They had to be tied together. "The curse presents as an illness as well."

"You're right, good point." Wei Wuxian nodded. "Who killed them?"

Lan Wangji asked, but--

Them.

After that one word, the strings moved angrily yet incoherently. Lan Wangji waited until the noise subsided before again trying to encourage the spirits to answer one at a time.

This time, however, his efforts were of no use. The spirits provided no names, only mindless rage. It was as if reminding them of who killed them triggered enough resentment to push away what remained of their intelligence and consciousness.

"Where are you from?" he asked aloud, so Wei Wuxian knew, even as his hands asked the question in qin language.

But the spirits were beyond answering now. His qin had never before made such tortured sounds. Not a single word could be understood.

At last he closed off the connection before his strings could snap from the force of their resentment. Wei Wuxian rose with him, compass still in hand. His face was somber, hardened. He was no more pleased than Lan Wangji was with what little they could extrapolate from the angry spirits buried beneath the crossroads.

Wei Wuxian walked the perimeter they’d marked out before again, mouth moving silently as he estimated something. “Assuming our poor souls are laid side by side and not stacked on top of each other, there’s room for at least eight adults here. More if there’s children tucked around them.”

Lan Wangji nodded stiffly. “They were killed, then hidden away. Whoever did this was hoping that the crossroads would keep them concealed.”

Wei Wuxian nodded, squatting down to brush cautiously at the earth. “But instead their combined resentment is cursing whoever happens to walk across their grave with illness. Probably the same one they had, at least the ones who died of sickness.”

Lan Wangji nodded. He was no stranger to the world, having been walking out in it wherever someone was in need of help since he was old enough to leave the Cloud Recesses on his own. Yet sometimes the depths of cruelty that people could stoop to still stunned him.

Knowing that there was also a real illness involved, however, tickled at his memory. He mentally retraced his steps until his mind hit on the letter his brother received from the Jin. He pulled it out once again.

"Do you have something?" Wei Wuxian straightened up and came closer.

Glancing over the letter once again, Lan Wangji shook his head briefly. "The letter I received from the Jin did confirm that this area has been subject to several illnesses in recent years. However, it is not specific enough to be useful in our search."

"At least we have that confirmation, though," Wei Wuxian pointed out optimistically. "And we do have more information now. We might as well go through our notes to see if that new information will help narrow anything down."

Lan Wangji agreed, and together he and Wei Wuxian moved away from the circle of resentment to the opposite side of the path, where there were several rocks flat enough to both sit on and spread out their notes.

It was Wei Wuxian who came up with the beginnings of their next breakthrough. "Hanguang-jun, this curse mark," he said, tapping the sheets of paper with their collected drawings of the mark. "Do you think it could be a character?"

Lan Wangji surveyed the drawings. At first glance, no. There were differences between each drawing -- lines missing, added, or merged. But Wei Wuxian pulled out a blank piece of paper and quickly mixed up some ink. "No, look," he said, beginning to draw. "The lines are messed up, but if you just pick out the commonalities--"

He juxtaposed his finished calligraphy with the other drawings. With them side-by-side, Lan Wangji could see the similarity.

The curse mark looked like the character 兆.

“Zhao,” Wei Wuxian murmured. “Well that narrows it down. Some.” He laughed. “What do you think they mean?”

Lan Wangji considered it. It could be part of a larger word, warning of a sign or an ill omen, but then they would have seen parts of another character even if they were lacking the full word. It being a number seemed equally unlikely, given that the sum it named would be far too high to be relevant.

Wei Wuxian seemed to come to the same conclusion he did in the same moment. His eyes blazed with inspiration. “Lan Wangji,” he breathed, “I think it’s a name. They’re marking the people who tread over their grave with a name.”

Lan Wangji nodded gravely. “Something that has lingered with them more strongly in death than anything else. They did not attempt to communicate anything else in any of the markings we’ve seen.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. “It makes more sense than anything else I can think of. What the name refers to, I’m still not sure. It could be a person or a place.”

Wei Wuxian let out a heavy sigh and tossed the papers back on the rock. “Well, we have a vague name and a vague area. Which is still better off than we were this morning, at least.” This time his smile was somewhat subdued. “Do you think if we give the spirits some time to settle down, you might be able to get the location out of them?”

He considered it for a moment. “Unlikely. They would recognize the qin and likely grow even more agitated. I will attempt it if we cannot find a better solution.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Then it sounds like our next step is to find this Zhao." He looked over at the circle of resentment. "Since it means we need to leave this place, what do you think we should do about that?"

Lan Wangji likewise surveyed the circle. "My clan teaches us to prioritize liberation, but we have not yet met the necessary conditions." So long as their murderers roamed free, these spirits would likely stay mired in resentment.

"But it's dangerous to leave it like this," Wei Wuxian pointed out, tilting his head. "More innocent people might walk on it and get cursed. It might be easier to just suppress these spirits. That will take care of the curse."

Lan Wangji felt his eyebrows draw together slightly. This didn't sound like the Wei Wuxian he had heard about and started to get to know. "And the murderer?" he asked calmly.

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "Pass our information to the local magistrates? As cultivators, we're only concerned with the curse. The civilian authorities can take care of the rest."

Lan Wangji was almost certain that this was another test. If nothing else, he was already sure that Wei Wuxian had too much curiosity to abandon a hunt without getting answers.

Part of him was frustrated that Wei Wuxian persisted in testing him, but an even greater part felt a growing sadness that he continually felt the need to. What kind of cultivators had Wei Wuxian encountered to make him persistently distrust that Lan Wangji could stay true to his ideals?

"You may leave, if you like," he replied, his voice still calm and steady. "But I will pursue the path of liberation and continue to investigate."

Wei Wuxian looked at him, then broke into a beaming smile. "Hanguang-jun indeed," he said approvingly. "Nah, I've come this far. We might as well see the whole thing through. We should probably block off this area, though, before we decide where to go next."

“Mn,” he agreed, refusing to let his moment of melancholy take ahold of him. “You are proficient in arrays. Are you able to create some sort of warning that would activate should someone walk within perhaps ten chi of the area?”

Wei Wuxian rubbed his chin in thought. “Yeah, that shouldn’t be too difficult. I can make it scary too, that should ward off most people. But that might not stop everyone.” He shrugged casually. “Some people will need to pass through here in order to get wherever they’re going. This is a well-traveled crossroads. Even if I make it scary, some people just won’t be deterred. We need a second layer to stop them from crossing over the grave.”

Lan Wangji agreed with his concerns. Fortunately he already had a solution in mind for that. He nodded and rose to his feet. “I will attend to that; you may assist if I am not finished by the time your array is set.”

Wei Wuxian lifted his eyebrows at him in confusion and curiosity, but nodded. “I look forward to seeing what Hanguang-jun has in mind,” he said with a grin, starting to dig about in his pouch for tools to craft an array that would give them the time they needed. “Maybe I’ll just have to watch instead, figure out all of your secrets.”

Lan Wangji politely ignored the last bit as he looked around. A little ways back down the road, they had passed a little gully with several boulders and smaller rocks within. They would be difficult for most to move, but little challenge for him.

Wei Wuxian was deep in concentration when he returned with the first rock, muttering to himself as he drafted an array on the back of one of the papers with a partial mark on it. He did not seem to notice Lan Wangji, he was so concentrated on his work.

There was something fascinating about seeing his bright mind so clearly at work, and it tempted him to linger and watch, but it was already mid-afternoon and he hoped that they might be able to get a bit further in their quest before the sun set.

When he returned with the second rock, Wei Wuxian’s eyes were fixed on him. "Do you require assistance?" he asked, lifting the rock up higher for a better grip.

Wei Wuxian's eyes followed the movement before he blinked and shook his head. "No, sorry, just staring at nothing while thinking," he said, turning his attention back to his notes. "You keep going."

Lan Wangji felt that stare on him several times as he continued moving rocks to build his barrier around the boundary. By the time he had a circle knee-high, Wei Wuxian was waiting for him with his sword out.

"I have it," Wei Wuxian said, "but for best effect, I'll need to draw it on the affected ground directly. You'll be able to dispel it if I get cursed, right?"

"...En." In truth, though Lan Wangji would be able to easily dispel the curse, he nevertheless felt reluctant to have Wei Wuxian risk it. It seemed unnecessary for him to go to that length when there were other options. However, considering Wei Wuxian's own lack of concern, he decided not to say anything.

Wei Wuxian nodded, then stepped over the rock barrier and began using his sword to carve the array into the ground. Lan Wangji watched him briefly before once more drawing his qin and settling again on his earlier rock.

Little time passed before Wei Wuxian finished and a sense of warning suffused the area. Wei Wuxian stepped out of the circle again, and Lan Wangji immediately played Eradication, directing it solely at the nascent curse just beginning to attach to Wei Wuxian's feet. With that done, he stowed his qin and approached the circle, feeling the sense of warning increase.

"It works," he commented.

Wei Wuxian grinned. “Of course it does,” he said with obvious pleasure. "But let's add more rocks," he added with a smile and an incline of his head. "Just to make sure that people are less likely to trip over it and enter by accident."

Chapter Text

They left a wide circle of rocks and Wei Wuxian’s array behind them at the crossroads as they retrieved their horses and made their way down the eastern path. True to his suspicions, the spirits did not settle at all before they left -- he did not have to try Inquiry again to feel the resentment rolling off their unmarked grave in waves, but it did leave them without a clear direction to go.

Wei Wuxian suggested going to a nearby village and just talking to them, seeing if there were any illnesses that had spread through the area recently. “They may not travel as far as we can, but they know everything that happens in and around their villages,” he’d said with a smile before mounting his gelding.

The shadows were slowly growing longer as they trotted down the road, the sun descending behind them. Wei Wuxian rode alongside him with an ease that suggested no trouble with them having been mostly on horseback for the last day and a half. He had been quiet as they’d ridden, but it seemed to be more of a contemplative silence than the oppressive one from the previous day. 

Lan Wangji suspected that their minds were both bent towards the same quandary: why were these families killed and why were they buried hidden away at the crossroads? He had seen varied methods of dealing with the possibility of the dead rising back up before they could be properly buried, but he doubted that was the reason for burying them where they were.

A part of him hoped that there would be some sort of reason, some sort of logic, but the larger part that had wandered the jianghu for years now knew that whatever reason it was would not justify their actions.

Less than an hour after leaving the crossroads, just before the last traces of light disappeared behind them, they rode into a village. Wei Wuxian tilted his head towards a building with enough light pouring from its windows to see the sign for an inn. "Shall we have dinner and ask around?"

Lan Wangji nodded, and the two of them angled their horses towards the inn's small stables. They left their horses with a stablehand and went inside. The main room was a good size and about three-quarters full. Considering the smaller stable, Lan Wangji estimated this inn was patronized more by locals than travelers.

He and Wei Wuxian took a seat at an empty table. The inn's workers seemed on top of their duties despite the crowd; barely a few minutes later, a waiter stopped by to give them menus.

"Thank you," Wei Wuxian said cheerfully as he accepted the paper, glancing at it briefly. He focused his smile on the waiter. "You look busy tonight. Do you have some time to tell us about the area? We're passing through and curious."

The waiter paused for a moment, looking back and forth between the two of them. Lan Wangji carefully studied his menu, letting Wei Wuxian be the one to take the lead on the conversation. Recent events had shown him that of the two of them, Wei Wuxian was much more proficient in getting people to talk when they had not necessarily planned on it.

There was a certain pleasure in not having to make conversation to ferret out information when he was traveling with someone who clearly enjoyed it much more than he did.

After a few seconds, the waiter decided that he did have a moment to spare, kneeling down next to their table. “Are you a cultivator, young master?” he asked quietly, eyes catching on Wei Wuxian’s sword that he had laid down on the floor next to them. “Are you looking for some sort of trouble in the area?”

Wei Wuxian’s smile gleamed as he leaned in closer, ponytail swaying between the two of them like a waving black barrier. Lan Wangji kept his eyes decidedly focused on the menu. “Yes actually, we are,” he said, voice dropped as if he were sharing an exciting secret. “Or more accurately we’ve found a trouble, but we don’t know where it’s come from.”

The waiter’s eyes gleamed and he too leaned in closer. Lan Wangji steeled himself to the difficult task of choosing between two options that both looked decent after a day on the road. “I know this area well, so maybe I can help you figure out where it’s coming from.”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes glittered as they flashed over to Lan Wangji briefly. He looked as though he were a cat that had caught scent of prey on the wind. “Tell me, are there any villages that have had trouble with illness in the last few months?”

"Illness?" That drove the waiter back slightly -- many people were scared of illnesses, which could hit anyone and were hard to guard against. "I assume you mean worse than the usual winter fevers."

"Indeed." Wei Wuxian leaned back as well. "I mean the kind of illness that spreads quickly and kills many. Have there been any recently that passed through this area?"

"Ahh, young master, don't tell me someone's bringing illness here!" the waiter complained lightly. "That's the last thing any of us need. There was something that passed through our town about seven or eight years ago that killed a lot of people, but thankfully nothing big since then."

Wei Wuxian tilted his head. "It's good there's been nothing here recently," he agreed. "What about villages nearby?"

"I think there might have been something across the Yunhe river?" the waiter replied after a moment. "I have cousins living in Hufeng who complained about having to quarantine themselves for a while earlier this year. Whatever it was didn't cross the river, though, so I didn't pay very much attention."

If Lan Wangji remembered the map correctly, they would have reached Hufeng if they had gone west at the crossroads. Ah well, it would not be a long ride back in the correct direction.

They would have to wait till the next day though; there was no sense in trying to push the horses to ride through twilight and into darkness when they had already stopped at an inn that would serve perfectly well for the rest of the day.

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Well hopefully they were all well, but we will ride out and talk to them tomorrow. Are you ready to order, Lan Wangji?” he asked, suddenly looking right at him. “We shouldn’t hold up our good companion for too long, not on a busy evening like this.”

Lan Wangji was not prepared for Wei Wuxian to suddenly speak to him. It took a moment for the words to come back to him. “Ah, I will need a moment,” he said as he suddenly realized that for all the time he’d spent looking at the menu he had not actually made a decision. “Tea would be good.”

Wei Wuxian gave him an odd look, but ordered his own food without question, asking for the waiter to make sure there was extra hot sauce in his order, and a bottle of wine. Fortunately the simple menu made it easy for him to choose something in a timely fashion, and they were able to send their waiter back to the kitchen.

Silence hung between them for a bit as their tea and wine arrived, but he could think of nothing to add to the space and Wei Wuxian seemed to be rather focused on his thoughts. Only once he’d had a few sips of wine did he come back to himself and smile at Lan Wangji. “So, any further thoughts on our mystery now that we’ve gotten a few answers?”

"We are getting closer to the source." He looked down at his tea, watching the liquid ripple as he lifted the cup. "Finding proof may be more difficult than finding what happened."

"Yes, I agree," Wei Wuxian said, still smiling. "If there was a bad illness several years ago, someone probably killed many of our victims out of fear of another one spreading."

"Surnamed Zhao," Lan Wangji added. He was almost tempted to smile too, hearing how well Wei Wuxian's conjectures matched his own.

So many people feared illness. What would they do to stop it from spreading?

Wei Wuxian nodded. "It's a rarer surname, so hopefully the person will be easy to identify once we find the right place. Do you think this will be enough for the local magistrate?"

"Unknown." The magistrates in Gusu trusted the conclusions of Lan cultivators and accepted spiritual testimony. He had not needed to collaborate with any in this area before, so he was unsure what evidence would be required.

"I haven't needed to work with any in this area, so I don't know either," Wei Wuxian said, once again echoing Lan Wangji's thoughts. "Once we find the right place, we can look into the local magistrate."

"Tomorrow." It was too late to go back to the crossroad and move on to Hufeng from there. They should be able to stay overnight here and leave early in the morning.

Their food arrived at that moment, preempting any other speculation. As he was beginning to grow accustomed to, Wei Wuxian talked through the meal, but he seemed to not mind that Lan Wangji remained silent. It was as if he simply found it more comforting to let the silence not settle too deeply between them.

It was strange, yet not entirely unwelcome. There was something comfortable about the cadence of Wei Wuxian’s one-sided conversation. The sense that for all that he was talking, it wasn’t with the need to force Lan Wangji to answer.

It was simply that Wei Wuxian wished to share his thoughts with Lan Wangji, even during meal times. That even though he’d had Lan Wangji’s ear to himself for the better part of two days, he still hadn’t had his fill of his company.

The thought was unexpectedly warming in a way he could not describe. He resolved to not dwell on it, it likely meant nothing.

When they finished eating, Wei Wuxian went to reserve them two rooms, braving the bustle of people happily shouting across the room at each other. His red ribbon waved merrily in his wake, catching the firelight and throwing it back even brighter. 

He returned just a few minutes later, smile growing slightly when he caught sight of Lan Wangji. “They only had one room free,” he said, slouching back into his seat casually. “But there’s multiple beds in the room, so I figured it would still work just fine for us.”

Lan Wangji nodded. While he preferred his own space when possible, it would not be a bother to share a room with Wei Wuxian for one night. After all, they had camped out together the previous night. “That will work,” he said, pouring the last of his tea into his cup. “Are you finished?” he asked, indicating the small jar of wine at Wei Wuxian’s elbow.

Wei Wuxian upended the jar, shaking out the last drops of wine into his cup as well. "Just about," he said. "I assume you'll want to leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow?"

Remembering Wei Wuxian's early morning grumpiness in Huai'an, Lan Wangji hid his amusement behind the tea he raised to his mouth. "Our day is likely to be busy, and there is nothing else we need do here," he replied.

Wei Wuxian heaved a dramatic sigh. "You Lans need to understand the night part of night hunting." Still, his tone remained cheerful enough, and he drained the last of his wine with no real complaints. "I'm going to request a bath. Will you want one tonight or tomorrow morning?"

Lan Wangji considered his options. "If I bathe in the morning, you will be able to take that time to sleep a little further," he eventually decided.

A warm, brilliant smile spread slowly across Wei Wuxian's face. "Good man," he said, clapping his hand on Lan Wangji's shoulder. "Come on. If you're ready, I'll show you to our room."

Wei Wuxian stopped by the innkeeper to request his bath, then headed upstairs. Lan Wangji followed him to a room that was small but clean. Two narrow beds took over one side of the room, while a table, partition, and bathtub filled the other side.

Wei Wuxian immediately went over to the beds, dropping the pouch on his hip and his sword on the floor carelessly. In the same motion he sat down on the bed and undid the ribbon on his hair, working his fingers through the tangles that had accumulated over the course of the day. 

Lan Wangji chose to ignore this display of untidiness and instead neatly lay his own sword and qin down on the table. The cloth wrapped around his qin had kept the dust of the road from collecting around it, but he still took the time to clean it and check that the strings were in good shape while Wei Wuxian waited for his bath. 

Not much later, a knock resounded on the door. Wei Wuxian rose to answer it while Lan Wangji finished tuning his strings, laying the cloth back over and moving to the other side of the room.

When the bath was filled, Wei Wuxian adjusted the partition slightly, then stepped behind it. He was tall enough that his head and shoulders were visible, but it still covered enough to allow him a modicum of modesty. 

Lan Wangji still gave him the courtesy of looking away when he began to disrobe, listening to first the sound of fabric being carelessly tossed over the partition, then splashing water and Wei Wuxian’s soft gasp as the heat of the water startled him. He let out a low groan of contentment behind the partition as he settled into the water, the small sloshing sounds quickly fading. 

Suddenly the room seemed far too quiet. The only noises came from the sounds of Wei Wuxian bathing -- little splashes of water, something scrubbing against skin, sighs of contentment. But despite his gregariousness, Wei Wuxian didn't speak.

Lan Wangji had planned to meditate before bed, but he felt...slightly off-balance. He should ignore it and meditate anyway, but he thought of sitting quietly and trying to block out the knowledge of Wei Wuxian bathing, and he wasn't sure he could. This was not the first time he had shared a room with someone, but it was the first time he had found the other person so distracting. Perhaps it was that Wei Wuxian was still mostly a stranger to him? His usual cohabitants were other members of his clan. 

He would reflect on this failing, but...later. It would be better to focus on the current situation first.

Softly, he cleared his throat. "Would you object to me practicing the qin?" he asked, tone more diffident than he originally meant.

Wei Wuxian laughed lowly, and goosebumps shivered up Lan Wangji's skin. "You go ahead," he replied. "How lucky am I to get multiple private performances from the Second Jade of Lan?"

"Practice," Lan Wangji emphasized. As good as he knew he was, he only maintained that state through regular practice.

However, this introduced a new difficulty. He should practice sitting at the table, but the table was so close to the tub. Even with the partition dividing the space, sitting so close to a Wei Wuxian in the midst of a private activity felt inappropriate. Yet it would also not be appropriate to practice from his bed.

Perhaps the floor would be a reasonable median? While normally it would not be exactly polite, he could not think of a better alternative that would not involve either using his bed inappropriately or invading Wei Wuxian’s space.

On the other side of the partition, there was the sudden loud noise of Wei Wuxian likely submerging his head completely to wash his hair. A surprisingly long amount of time passed without further sound as he sat stone still on the bed, considering how best to collect his qin from the table without catching a glimpse of something he had not been invited to see.

At last he steeled his resolve and stood up, striding swiftly across the room to collect his qin and retreat before anything untoward could resolve. Gently he collected his qin and turned around to walk back to the safety on the other side of the partition.

It was at that moment that Wei Wuxian came up for air, gasping loudly as he inhaled and splashed water around the tub. Against his better judgment and every rule inscribed in his being, the part of him that always was ready to help in any event of trouble made him look over to make sure that he was all right.

Drops of water ran down his face. His hair, formerly both lighter and with a wave to it, had completely smoothed out and darkened and ran down his back like spilled ink. His eyes somehow seemed even brighter than they were. His lips were splotched in water and parted slightly in surprise, not even turned up in their characteristic grin.

The very air seemed to flee his lungs. Rapidly he stepped out of sight and walked very quickly over to a section of floor where he could not begin to look over the partition by accident in any way and sat down firmly. 

He should apologize for accidentally looking over. Yet his throat suddenly closed off so tightly he could not have spoken if he tried.

Before he could unseal his throat, Wei Wuxian laughed. "I never would have guessed the incomparable Hanguang-jun would be so shy!" he teased. "We're both men, Lan Wangji. You don't need to fight so hard to preserve my modesty. It's not a big deal."

"I only wish to be respectful." He still remembered that brief glimpse of Wei Wuxian's body, and it was not respectful to dwell on it. Quickly, he set up his qin in his chosen spot so that he could more properly focus on his practicing.

Before he could start, Wei Wuxian laughed again. "Very honorable, but not quite as friendly," he said, his voice still teasing. "How much time have we spent together now? Surely we can be a little more casual. Treat me as a friend and be less stiff."

Lan Wangji did not think that friendliness precluded respect, but he was also aware that it did include acceding to reasonable requests. Finally he simply said, "Mn," and put his hands on the strings of his qin.

It would be better if this situation did not recur. Then he would not have to reconsider his own reactions.

He began to play several of the higher-level cultivation songs of his clan, which required more focus, starting with Cleansing. The two of them did spend time that day with ghosts mired in resentment, after all. Completely aside from practicing a more difficult piece, it was appropriate to ensure their minds were clear and no hostile energy lingered before they found their sleep that night.

  Wei Wuxian remained quiet through every piece he played; even his splashing about in the tub seemed more subdued. Lan Wangji did not let it disturb his focus, though. He had learned to play perfectly through any and all interruptions if necessary. The qin sang beneath his hands, each note struck perfectly in time without even the slightest pause to adjust his fingers.

Serenity stole over him like the night outside, soothing the strange discomfort and itch beneath his skin. He kept his breathing even, meditative, as he began to wind down from the intensity of Evocation into Rest instead.

Rest was more strictly meant to be for restless spirits, but perhaps it would help restless cultivators as well. It certainly was soothing enough to be a lullaby if played softly enough.

On the other side of the partition, he could hear water slosh around as Wei Wuxian decided he’d had enough of his bath, levering himself out of the tub. He also heard a suppressed yawn and the most minute sound of grumbling.

Though it did not show on his face, private amusement washed over him.

He let the last notes of Rest fade out slowly rather than stilling the strings with his hand. When the qin had gone silent entirely he felt much more peaceful and comfortable within his skin since they had entered the room. Perhaps the events at the crossroads earlier had unsettled him more than he realized, only to catch him unaware the moment he attempted to seek quiet at the end of the day.

Wei Wuxian emerged a few moments later, hair still unbound, but somewhat dried and in his warm red inner robes. Lan Wangji was pleased to find that his composure remained intact even with his companion underdressed for the evening. The other man covered another yawn with his hand. “They were all beautiful, but was that last one supposed to put me to sleep?” 

"That one is called Rest." With his composure stabilized, Lan Wangji lifted his fingers from the strings and stretched them. "Its purpose is to soothe resentful energy, but it is a...calming song."

"I'll say." Wei Wuxian blinked a few times. "Well, you're still dressed. If you could get someone to deal with the water before you go to bed, the tub will be ready for you in the morning."

"Mn." Lan Wangji stood and returned his qin to the table and its protective cover. When he turned back, Wei Wuxian was combing his wet hair, humming Rest, eyes heavy-lidded and face content. Lan Wangji turned away. "I will return shortly."

It only took a few minutes to find an inn worker to request draining the tub. After a moment, he added, "I would also like to request another bath be brought tomorrow during mao shi."

The worker auntie nodded, smiling at him. "Don't you worry, young master. I'll get someone up there right now, and I'll make a note for tomorrow."

"Thank you." With that settled, he returned to the room. Wei Wuxian was sitting cross-legged on his bed, tying off his braided hair. "Someone will be in shortly."

"Mmm, good." Wei Wuxian scooted up the bed, showing a flash of his bare toes that Lan Wangji politely turned away from. A knock at the door heralded another worker coming to take away the water, and by the time that had been handled, Wei Wuxian was tucked under the covers, still blinking out at Lan Wangji, his face soft. "Good night, Lan Wangji," he said, slurring the words slightly.

Lan Wangji's mind went blank, and he could barely return the words. Not that he was sure Wei Wuxian heard it because he seemed to be out the moment he closed his eyes. 

However he remained awake despite his best efforts. Unfortunately, Rest could not affect the living so easily as Wei Wuxian made it seem. While he had thought himself calm and ready to rest just a few minutes before, now that he was lying down seeking sleep, it seemed to elude him completely.

Wei Wuxian slept deeply across from him, a pale beam of moonlight just bright enough to show that it was genuine sleep and not feigned. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, lay awake in the dark, watching the single moonbeam drift slowly across the room, occasionally blotted out by a passing cloud. 

The room was comfortably dark, the noise below a dull, ignorable sound of people cleaning up from the evening that soon had Wei Wuxian’s soft snoring added to it. Between the setting and the hour coupled with the day on the road, he should have been asleep as deeply as Wei Wuxian. 

Yet sleep eluded him, not helped along by the flashes of memory curling around his thoughts any time he allowed them to stray for an instant. Interspersed between idle images of the previous days’ events, he could hear Wei Wuxian softly breathing his name, the words slurred by sleep, the last sound barely more than a breath. 

He did not growl in frustration out of courtesy to his companion, but the temptation was strong. Instead he squeezed his eyes closed and pressed his hands to his ears as if he could shut out the voice echoing in his mind and recited the precepts in order as steadily as he could, never allowing a pause in his thoughts long enough for anything else to slip in. 

Eventually, finally, the precepts in his mind trailed off into fuzzy nothingness, and he fell asleep.

--

Despite his troubled sleep, Lan Wangji awoke at his customary time. It was too early for dawn yet, so he lit the candle on his bedside table before getting up to start his day.

In the other bed, Wei Wuxian remained fast asleep. He was no longer snoring, and the soft light of the candle illuminated his relaxed face, turned towards the room. As Lan Wangji pulled out his comb and began tidying his hair, he kept an eye on that sleeping face to ensure that he was not disturbing him.

A soft knock came at the door after about a ke, and Lan Wangji opened it to see the same worker from last night bringing new bathwater. He motioned for as much quiet as was possible, indicating his sleeping companion, and received a smile and a nod in return. Once the bath was ready, though, he found himself hurrying through it. He did not think Wei Wuxian would wake up yet, not if he hadn't already, but he thought of Wei Wuxian accidentally stumbling across him in a reverse of the previous night, and he couldn't help but rush.

Of course, Wei Wuxian would likely not even blink to see Lan Wangji unclothed. They were both men, after all, as Wei Wuxian pointed out. There was nothing to be concerned about. It would not matter if Wei Wuxian saw him, because he would not care about seeing him. Lan Wangji was the ridiculous one for ascribing any importance to the matter.

Still, he finished his bath, dried off and dressed, and finished the rest of his routine more quickly than usual. By the time he was done, it was still not even halfway through mao shi. Perhaps he could awaken Wei Wuxian at chen shi? That would not lose them too much time, and it would give him the opportunity to meditate and center himself before the day's trials.

He sat himself down in front of the low table, closing his eyes and sinking into meditation with ease. The thoughts that dogged at his heels slipped away as he let his breathing slip into patterns he’d learned so long ago he no longer had to think about them to find them.

The light in the sky grew brighter as time passed. When he came out of his meditative state, it was nearing chen shi and Wei Wuxian was stirring of his own accord. He sat up with a groan, wisps of hair around his temples fuzzing up after having fallen out of the braid during the night. He took one look at the amount of light in the sky, sighed and laughed slightly. “You still got me up earlier than I usually would,” he said, leaning forwards with pale eyes still hazed from sleep. “This way is nicer than knocking on my door when I’m fast asleep though.”

Lan Wangji drew in a breath and nodded. “Good morning. Was your rest adequate?”

Wei Wuxian nodded and yawned. “I slept really deeply even though I went to bed hours before I usually do,” he said, smile quirking about his lips. “And you?”

Lan Wangji hummed rather than answer the question. “If you do not mind, I will go down to breakfast while you prepare yourself for the day,” he said, rising to his feet. He still needed to request that someone take away the water in the tub as well. 

Wei Wuxian flapped a hand at him lazily. “Go ahead. I’ll come and join you in a bit, I just need to finish waking up first,” he said, eyes still half-lidded. He looked like he might fall back asleep if left to his own devices. 

Still though, he was a grown man and Lan Wangji elected to trust that he would keep his word and stay awake. Also seeing that sort of half-drowsed state was triggering that strange sense from last night that had kept him awake for hours, and he would need to be able to keep his mind on task if they were to help the people buried at the crossroads quickly.

He left Wei Wuxian still sitting in bed, rubbing at one eye and headed downstairs at a reasonable pace. Still, Wei Wuxian was quick. By the time Lan Wangji's meal arrived, his companion joined him at the table, fully dressed and appearance neatened.

Wei Wuxian smiled at Lan Wangji's sidelong glance. "People who prefer to sleep in get used to getting ready in a hurry," he said, before flagging down a waiter and requesting his own breakfast. "You get up early enough to take your time, while I sacrifice that for extra sleep. It's worth it."

Lan Wangji disliked the feeling of rushing and was glad he was accustomed to having enough time, but he only hummed in response. As long as Wei Wuxian met his own obligations, his personal preferences were of no account.

"It's not a bad thing we'll be heading back through the crossroads today," Wei Wuxian continued as the waiter brought his own breakfast. "We'll be able to check on our barrier and make sure it's working. The extra time might have also calmed down those spirits."

As he had now grown used to, Lan Wangji ate his meal silently while Wei Wuxian spoke. Only some of the conversation was relevant to their investigation, and yet it was still pleasant to listen to. He did finish his meal before Wei Wuxian, but even waiting for the other to finish was comfortable and rarely required his own contribution.

By the time they finally settled their bill and checked out, the sun was well above the horizon, but the air retained an early morning crispness. Their horses seemed well enough, although as they trotted back towards the crossroads they grew more and more discontent, tossing their heads and shying at shadows on the road.

Wei Wuxian shrugged as he leaned over and patted his gelding on the neck again, gently nudging him back onto a straight path rather than the crooked path it wanted to take. “Since the horses are so easily spooked, they’ve probably picked up on the barrier.”

Lan Wangji quietly agreed, reaching out a hand to soothe his own mare when she nickered uneasily. Fortunately even with the horses being displeased at the path, it was not that far a journey to make.

When they reached the crossroads again, they were the only ones there. As he rode over towards the pile of stones, he could feel the sensation of something unpleasant crawling down his skin and the vaguest of suggestions that he would much rather be going around the stones as opposed to attempting to cross over them.

“Good work,” he said quietly to Wei Wuxian, eliciting the oddest sound out of the other man. It truly was. Were he not aware of the array that was preventing people from wanting to cross over the path, he would have taken it as his own instinct to avoid an unpleasant place.

Well, in complete honesty as a cultivator, he would have looked into what was causing such a thing, but if that fact were also removed from the equation, he would have never noticed that the instinct was not his own even when the crossroads themselves were far behind him.

His mare tossed her head as he made to jump down, pawing at the ground restlessly. Wei Wuxian held out a hand. “If you’re just going to check and see if they will answer to Inquiry this time, I can hold onto her.” He smiled when Lan Wangji hesitated for a moment. “When you’re done, you can do the same for me and I can check on the array.”

Lan Wangji nodded and passed over the reins into Wei Wuxian’s waiting hand, dismounting once she stood still enough. He heard Wei Wuxian clucking at her once as he walked over to just outside the boulder barrier and brought his qin out to speak with them again. 

Inquiry flowed smoothly from his fingers, though at first it received the same mass of noise as yesterday as a response. However, beneath the discordant twang of too many strings at once, Lan Wangji thought he could identify a more tentative, purposeful plucking. He couldn't hear it clearly, like someone speaking softly in a noisy room, but if it was there...

The problem was that too many resentment-powered spirits blocked the way. Internally a little amused at the coincidence, Lan Wangji segued from Inquiry into Rest. This time the lullaby-like tones had no effect on Wei Wuxian, standing off to the side with their horses, but it did soothe the angry spirits.

Finally, Lan Wangji played Inquiry again. This time the lone spirit, perhaps less affected by Rest because it carried less resentment, eventually responded. No other spirits interfered, though the answers still came haltingly.

What is your name? Lan Wangji played.

Qin Yue.

How did you die? Was this one of the ones who died of illness or murder?

Stabbed.

Lan Wangji slowly pulled information from the spirit of Qin Yue, explaining to Wei Wuxian as he went. She and her fellows came from Liansan Village to the west of the Yunhe river. They were all ill and subsequently murdered by multiple people who covered up and wore masks. She recognized the leader's voice, a man named Zhao Qiang.

Then Qin Yue said, I want to go with you.

Lan Wangji paused. Why?

I want to confront them. Then I can rest.

A spirit's final wish. Lan teachings prioritized completing this wish to allow the spirit liberation. It would be right to do this.

He laid a hand on the strings for a moment as he felt around in his sleeve for a spirit-trapping pouch; he definitely had one with him for spirits just like Qin Yue, who were both calm and had a final wish he could help grant. At last his fingers brushed against cool silk and he pulled out the pouch.

He laid it on the ground next to his qin, then reached out to play once again. We can bear you safely within the pouch. I promise that you will have your chance to confront them.

There was a long pause. The strings remained still under his fingers. Then at last Qin Yue returned, plucking harder than before. I trust you, rang out loudly through the clearing before she disappeared entirely.

When he reached down towards the pouch, he could feel the gentle thrumming within of her soul settling into the pouch. He picked it up and tucked it back safely within his sleeve before collecting his qin and returning to the horses.

Wei Wuxian had his chin propped in his hand again, his eyes glittering. “Is our spirit friend coming along to help us then?” he asked, glancing down at Lan Wangji’s sleeve. “I’ve heard of people transporting spirits around, but I’ve never seen it in action before.”

He nodded and reached for the reins, both his own mare’s and Wei Wuxian’s gelding. “I have done it before. Many spirits have a last wish they would like to be granted before they move on of their own accord.”

Wei Wuxian hopped down neatly from his horse, a small puff of dust rising up around his black boots. “As should be expected of Hanguang-jun,” he said, walking around to pat Lan Wangji on the shoulder. “Of course you would do such a thing without hesitation.”

He bounded off to go stand on one of the boulders and inspect his array, leaving Lan Wangji struck speechless by the sudden physical contact. In truth, only his brother casually touched him, and even that infrequently.

He returned to the horses, reaching out to stroke his mare's neck to soothe her and taking care to give Wei Wuxian's gelding a pat as well. Wei Wuxian himself returned shortly.

"The array looks fine," he reported. "I can't tell if anyone else has been through here since we left it, but nothing's interfered with it so far."

"Good." The two of them led their horses on the road west, mounting when they finally seemed to relax.

"I'm glad our spirit friend is coming," he commented, "but I'm concerned about the others. Would you say she was able to speak to us because she was the most clear-headed?"

"That, or she carried the least resentment," Lan Wangji confirmed.

Wei Wuxian nodded. "I hope that doesn't mean the others are beyond reach. It would be a pity to go through all of this and still have to suppress or eliminate them in the end. Sometimes I think..." He closed his mouth and shook his head slightly.

"Yes?" Lan Wangji prodded when he didn't continue.

Wei Wuxian huffed a small sigh. "Nothing. It's just too bad that liberation is often beyond our means. Too many spirits deserve to find freedom and rest, and they don't get that chance because they're too hard to deal with."

Lan Wangji was unsure that was what Wei Wuxian had originally meant to say, but he agreed with the sentiment nonetheless. Most cultivators would not go as far as the two of them were to liberate these spirits, and this was still a reasonably achievable wish. Many other wishes could not be identified or reasonably achieved.

"Anyway!" Wei Wuxian turned another brilliant smile on him. "You've got a map of the area, right? How far away would you say this Liansan Village is?"

Lan Wangji paused and pulled the map from his sleeve, glancing over till he saw the name at last, a small village just below the river. He placed his finger right below the village. “Perhaps a shichen,” he said, considering the weather and the state of the roads. “Unless there is some sort of obstruction on the path, there is nothing that should significantly delay us.”

Wei Wuxian laughed in agreement. “Even a fallen tree wouldn’t slow us down longer than a few minutes. We can get there before wei shi with a little luck.”

Lan Wangji nodded and stowed his map again before urging his mare back into a trot alongside Wei Wuxian.

Chapter Text

There were no obstacles to be found along the way. When they stopped briefly in Hufang, the locals were happy to give Wei Wuxian more exact directions and warnings than a simple map could provide, along with what looked like a small bundle of dumplings from one woman who laughed and flushed at whatever Wei Wuxian was saying to her.

Lan Wangji steadfastly ignored the discomfort in his stomach at the action. Wei Wuxian was simply much more social than he was and seemed to enjoy charming people and making them smile whenever they had reason to interact. It was an admirable quality; it had Wei Wuxian leaving places better than they were when he walked into them.

For some reason at times it was difficult to watch, though.

Wei Wuxian shared the dumplings with him, though Lan Wangji initially tried to decline. He was not accustomed to eating between meals, and that woman gave Wei Wuxian those dumplings. It was not his place to touch the fruit of Wei Wuxian's...labor.

But Wei Wuxian insisted, and Lan Wangji decided it would do no harm to give in. If Wei Wuxian prioritized sharing his spoils with Lan Wangji over enjoying them himself...that was no bad thing.

When they had finished the dumplings, they stabled Lan Wangji’s mare at the inn and turned in Wei Wuxian’s horse to a small stable run by the same group that he’d rented his gelding from back in Huai’an. Since it seemed likely that they would encounter some form of resistance along the way, it was only reasonable to leave their horses where they would be safe and cared for, not threatened or stolen away to ensure their compliance.

What little time they might lose on foot could easily be made up if they decided to fly instead, and it was not such an ordeal to walk with Wei Wuxian that he even felt the need to do that. He continued to make conversation as they walked, inviting Lan Wangji to respond as he pleased but never taking offense when he stayed quiet.

He was accustomed to only sharing the roads he traveled with various birds and the occasional passing traveler, but Wei Wuxian’s presence was a pleasant change of pace.

He was in no rush for this time to come to an end.

The road remained clear, and the two of them strode into Liansan Village a little before wei shi, just as Wei Wuxian had predicted. Though it was smaller than the nearby town of Hufeng, rows of businesses and clusters of houses stretched from the village's entrance to another river he could distantly see in the north. They walked through what seemed to be the main street, people looking at them in surprise as they passed, before Wei Wuxian finally made a noise and headed for a particular building.

"Have you found that restaurants and wine merchants are some of the best places to get information?" Wei Wuxian asked, stopping in front of a restaurant. "They hear about everything. If we get some lunch here, we might be able to find this Zhao Qiang and decide how best to approach him."

Lan Wangji was not hungry, especially after the dumplings, but Wei Wuxian's logic was reasonable and he was willing to eat. It would likely take some time before they found the right thread to pull on to unravel the rest of what had happened here.

Inside was relatively busy as well, although he suspected that it would calm down soon. They had arrived at the tail end of what seemed to be the lunch hour. While the two of them drew some curious looks, a pair of traveling cultivators were not too out of the ordinary.

They were able to secure a small table in a corner and two cups of tea quickly. As the waiter walked away, Wei Wuxian gave Lan Wangji a smile. “I think I’ll order wine as well, today. I know you won’t drink and that’s just fine, but lots of people are a lot more willing to talk when there’s wine to loosen someone’s tongue. It’s easy to let something slip when you think that the other person isn’t really listening as well as they could be.” His smile faded slightly as he gave Lan Wangji a more discerning look. “Will it bother you in any way? I know my limits.”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “You may drink if you wish. I will abstain, but you are free to make your own choices.” He thought about it, then added: “I trust you to be sensible.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile immediately brightened again. “Well, if I’ve earned your trust in this matter, then perhaps I can assist you in the future when people are being frustratingly closed off.”

Lan Wangji, who was perfectly capable of getting information without the use of alcohol, did not think it was entirely necessary, even when trying to placate people who may have participated in several murders. However, he found he truly did trust Wei Wuxian to be responsible. Although his methods were different from Lan Wangji's, they still seemed as likely to be effective.

So he nodded and glanced over the menu, though nothing stood out to him in particular. When a waiter passed by, Wei Wuxian pulled him aside to ask for a jar of wine to be added to their order as well.

Several tables cleared out in the time between ordering their drinks and receiving them, most of the people leaving dressed in the simple garb of farmers. They all seemed to be relatively cheery, clapping each other on the shoulders and laughing. No one seemed frightened or tense.

Wei Wuxian’s eyes narrowed as he took in the sights, a smile playing about his lips that looked far less nice than the ones Lan Wangji had grown accustomed to recently. “Either they don’t know what happened or they feel as if their actions were justified,” he said under his breath. “Those are not the sort of people waiting for their past to come back to haunt them. No one’s even worried about missing friends.”

Lan Wangji hesitated to nod in agreement, but it was hard to deny Wei Wuxian’s words. He had been in towns with suspicious deaths that had surprised and scared the living. They didn’t talk casually and laugh like this.

He had hoped that perhaps not too many were in on this scheme, but it seemed that perhaps his hopes were in vain.

Still, perhaps Wei Wuxian's method worked, because their waiter was chatty when he brought their food. "What brings you two here, young masters?" he asked, setting their bowls down. "We don't get many travelers passing through here. It's not on one of the main roads."

"Oh, we're just wandering," Wei Wuxian replied cheerfully. "We don't expect to stay long, unless there's something interesting around. Is there anything here people should see if they come?"

The waiter glanced around the room. "Not your sort of interesting, I don't think," he said. He looked down at their swords, lying beside them in easy reach. "You're cultivators, aren't you? It's easy to tell, especially for the young master next to you. We rarely see any regular person so...so..."

Wei Wuxian grinned. "So pretty?"

Lang Wangji ducked his head, feeling his ears burn slightly. Rather than think about how Wei Wuxian chose to describe him, he focused his attention on the waiter, who continued, "You're the one who said it! But there's nothing strange going on here, young masters. It's a nice little village, but nothing worth the time of people like yourselves."

Wei Wuxian frowned exaggeratedly, and Lan Wangji felt inordinately pleased that even after just a few short days he could tell the difference between a genuine frown and one played up for an audience. “Nothing at all?” he said, sounding put out. “That’s odd, there’s always something small that’s not worth bothering the nearby clans for. We’re happy to take on even the jobs people feel aren’t worth it,” he added with a smile.

Lan Wangji said nothing. He could tell that his part in this conversation was to sit there and add credence to Wei Wuxian’s words. Not being used for his reputation, but a counterbalance to Wei Wuxian’s charm and easygoing attitude. He sipped his tea calmly and looked up at the waiter.

His eyes seemed to crease slightly about the edges as he looked back and forth between the two of them, but his smile never dimmed. “I’m afraid not, sir,” he said to Wei Wuxian. “The last cultivator who passed through was happy to deal with such things, and we are too small for most beings to take such an interest in us. But perhaps over in Hufang they might have such a problem around. Or across the river.” He shuddered dramatically. “There’s always something happening across the river.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile never dimmed, and he nodded and toasted the waiter with his cup. “Well, it is good to know that everyone is in good health with no troubles here,” he said with a grin. “My companion and I will move on after a good lunch.”

The waiter flinched minutely, then smiled so brightly at them it was a mirage on a hot day, and darted off towards another table to scoop up empty cups and bowls.

Once they were certain he was no longer close enough to hear them, Wei Wuxian dropped his voice low. “He’s lying, of course,” he confirmed for Lan Wangji. “You saw it too.”

He nodded and set down his chopsticks, choosing to forgo the rules long enough to confirm what needed to be said. He could speak without eating at least. “There was illness here, recently.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile was almost predatory. “Recently, but then why not ask two wandering cultivators to make sure the restless spirits are well settled?”

"He mentioned another cultivator who could have settled them," Lan Wangji pointed out, though he also thought the waiter was lying.

Wei Wuxian snorted. "How many cultivators would end up in a place like this to quiet a few restless spirits?" he scoffed, though he too kept his voice low. "As he mentioned, it's not even on a main road, so someone has to come here deliberately rather than just be passing through. Furthermore, Hanguang-jun is notable for being willing to take small hunts and tasks like these, but you are notable because so few others will."

"Wei Wuxian and his family will also take these hunts," Lan Wangji said, provoking a smile. "What of other rogue cultivators? Perhaps those without a reputation?"

"Still unlikely," Wei Wuxian replied. He took a neat bite from his bowl. "My family is good enough and well-off enough to take whatever hunt we want, but most rogue cultivators need well-paying jobs. They don't have the resources of a clan behind them, after all. They won't come here either without a reason."

"Then we are agreed," Lan Wangji said, picking up his chopsticks again. "When we finish eating, we should explore the village. We may encounter people who are less sanguine about what happened here, who will be willing to point us to this Zhao Qiang."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "You know, it does sound like a good idea to walk around and stretch our legs after so many days riding," he said cheerfully, his voice raised back to normal volume. "Taking a shichen or so to enjoy the village shouldn't delay us too much."

They finished their meal quickly, although they took care to make sure it did not look like they were rushing. When they had finished up, Lan Wangji settled the bill while Wei Wuxian casually wandered off outside to start investigating.

When he left the restaurant, Wei Wuxian was nowhere to be seen, as he had expected. They had made arrangements earlier to meet back up in town after some time exploring on their own to cover more ground and perhaps ascertain how far this conspiracy went.

Since he was currently without direction, he chose to do as Wei Wuxian had hinted at and take the time to stretch his legs of his own accord, walking through the center of the small town. On his own he still drew many curious looks, but apparently curiosity was as far as their minds stretched at the moment.

If he had not known of the crossroads and the people buried beneath, he would have thought it was a town with no secrets to hide. People freely walked around without aim, calling out to each other and conversing easily. To his side, a man returned from the river just north of town with several fresh fish tied up in a string, laughing loudly as several people came over to barter with him.

It seemed simple and peaceful. Yet he was certain that there would be someone who was less at peace with their actions. It would simply take time to discover them within the crowd.

He spotted Wei Wuxian easily as he came out of a small shop and back onto the main road gracefully, his red ribbon catching the sunlight so that Lan Wangji could distinguish him from the others even from a distance.

"Shall we walk up to the river?" Wei Wuxian asked as he reached Lan Wangji's side. Lan Wangji inclined his head, and once they walked north past the villagers within hearing distance, Wei Wuxian began to speak more frankly again. “I walked all around the village, but aside from a few side glances at my sword, no one really tried to catch my eye. Did you notice anything?”

"I have seen nothing suspicious yet," Lan Wangji replied. All the villagers behaved normally. Hopefully there would be some working by the Xiaoyi River who displayed more nerves at seeing cultivators.

"If nothing else, our spirit friend might be able to lead us to Zhao Qiang's home," Wei Wuxian mused. "This village is small enough that everyone probably knows where everyone else lives."

That was a possibility, but it was not his first choice. He still preferred to keep a low profile, and using a spirit was more likely to draw attention. "If we can find no one else by late afternoon," he agreed.

Wei Wuxian nodded, then bit his lip. "Something I've been thinking about since we realized many people might be in on these murders is how to bring them to justice," he said suddenly. "If it was just Zhao Qiang and one or two others, we should have been able to bring them to the nearest magistrate ourselves. More than that, though, we may not be able to wrangle with just us, and they might run if we leave and come back."

That was indeed a quandary, but Lan Wangji thought he had a solution. "They will likely not run immediately," he said. "If we leave soon, we should be able to send an urgent message to the magistrate to have him send people here. I saw a post office in Hufang where we could send a messenger pigeon."

Wei Wuxian started nodding as he spoke. "They might even relax if we leave as we said we would," he agreed. "And then we could come right back and sneak around."

Lan Wangji nodded in agreement. Their walk from Hufeng to Liansen on foot had not taken that long before, and by sword it would be much faster in both directions. It was entirely possible that anyone watching for them would not expect them to return for some time if they were unfamiliar with how fast cultivators could fly.

They walked out of town sedately, feeling the pressure of subtle eyes on them abate as they truly seemed to be leaving this time. When they were reasonably outside of the small town, they drew their swords in unison, mounted them and took off towards Hufang at a steady pace.

As they flew, he took a moment to look at Wei Wuxian’s sword, having not seen it out of its scabbard since they had met. It was slightly shorter and slimmer than his Bichen, but he could tell from the way that Wei Wuxian balanced on it that it gave him greater agility. Likely in battle, his style would be somewhat similar to that of Yunmeng Jiang, meant to weave in and out of defenses faster than his foe could compensate for his heightened speed and flexibility.

Wei Wuxian noticed him looking over, grinned, then abruptly feigned a fall that turned into a dive before Lan Wangji could go after him. He glided right over the treetops, so close that he could have severed the leaves from the branches if he flew even a cun to either side.

When he was satisfied that Lan Wangji had seen his flight prowess, he floated back up, light as a swallow on the river breeze. “Quanshui may not be as broad as your sword, but she’s as fast and light as I need her to be.”

Lan Wangji nodded slightly. “Your sword is named Quanshui then?” he asked curiously. It was an unusual sort of name for a spiritual sword, but it wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary from some he’d heard. Given what he knew of Wei Wuxian so far, his sword being named for the same source of adaptability and flow that he seemed to embody seemed only right.

Wei Wuxian grinned at him. “Yeah. I had a hard time naming my sword, even tried to pass it off and get my father to pick one of the names I was considering, but he told me that this was a choice I would only get to make once and I shouldn’t make it lightly.”

Lan Wangji remained silent, even though there was a burning on the tip of his tongue to say something about his attempts to pass off naming his sword. No doubt he had been much younger at the time and grown out of it.

“Anyway,” Wei Wuxian continued on unperturbed, “I thought about it for a while longer and eventually decided on Quanshui because a hidden spring of water somewhere unknown seems like a good namesake for my nimble sword, rushing about down mountainsides to get wherever I need to go faster.” He grinned somewhat impishly. “It’s also a name that reads the same no matter which order you put the characters in, which is fun. Every sword could use a little fun, otherwise all they get used for is serious business or flying. Streams laugh too, so why can’t my Quanshui?”

Lan Wangji couldn’t quite follow the path of logic in that, but he sensed it was there, if nothing else. “I can see that you have thought much about it,” he said at last. “There are many reasons for the name indeed.”

Wei Wuxian gave him a cheeky wave, spinning about to face him before dropping out of Lan Wangji’s path before he could move aside. Once again, there was no hesitation or wobble in his movement; he flew very well on the river of his sword.

“I see you are very adept on your feet,” he added, feeling his ears burn slightly. “You move well.”

Wei Wuxian paused and gave him another curious look. A wicked light entered his eyes. “What, does Hanguang-jun want to see me use my sword in other circumstances? Perhaps a duel should be in our future?”

Lan Wangji did want that. Among his peers, only his brother provided a regular challenge. While he did not know Wei Wuxian's swordsmanship skills, his competency in other areas boded well for the challenge he might provide. "Yes. Later."

As the two continued on, the wind whistling past their ears grew too loud for easy conversation. However, Hufang was not far from Liansan Village, so only a couple ke after they left, they arrived at their destination.

Lan Wangji carried everything he needed in his sleeves, so he swiftly wrote a note to the local magistrate describing their findings and requesting urgent reinforcements to Liansan Village. Hoping to underline his credibility, he signed it with all of his appropriate titles, then sealed the note with the seal of the Lan Clan.

This was not Gusu, and he could not be entirely sure that the magistrate would follow through on his information. Still, he thought he proved his legitimacy enough that an honest magistrate would send those reinforcements.

"This must go to the local magistrate with your fastest bird," he told the postal clerk, who nodded as he took Lan Wangji's coins.

"At least that's done," Wei Wuxian commented as the pigeon flew off. "But we still need to find that Zhao Qiang so our spirit friend can confront him, and so we can reassure the rest of them that justice has been served."

"Mn." The end of the hunt was in sight. Part of Lan Wangji felt excitement creeping through his belly at the prospect of catching murderers who cut short the lives of their own neighbors, but part of him also felt reluctant to wrap up these events. Wei Wuxian had been an unexpected but increasingly welcome partner in this journey, and the end of the hunt would mean the end of their temporary partnership.

But to dwell on that would be to allow himself to be distracted when he needed his mind most. That, and parting would not come as soon as the magistrate did.

At least he hoped they might be able to part peacefully once this hunt had drawn to a close. Perhaps they would be able to arrange for their paths to cross again in the not-so-distant future.

With that hope fixed in his mind, he turned his face towards the wind as they flew back to Liansen Village once more.

–

Wei Wuxian was right. Some of the tension had dissipated in the time they had been gone. That, and many of the people who had been out earlier had gone to home or work, leaving faces less familiar out walking now.

That did not stop the instinct to keep his sword close to hand, but it dulled it some. Wei Wuxian’s eyes glittered with a hard light that suggested a similar instinct as he looked at the people walking around them.

“Look for the ones who refuse to look at us,” he whispered to Lan Wangji, “the ones who don’t acknowledge our presence even when everyone around them does. They’ll be the ones who don’t want to reveal that they aren’t okay with everything that’s going on here.”

Agreeing, Lan Wangji made sure that he never looked one place too long. It would be difficult to spot the right behavior if he were too focused on any one person.

It was perhaps another couple ke later that he saw someone who fit that description. A young man maybe five years or so younger than the two of them steadfastly did not look their way even when all of his friends were almost openly gawking at them. Instead he was staring intently at the house they were standing next to, jaw clenched and nostrils flaring slightly.

Inside his sleeve, the spirit pouch stirred slightly before settling again. Of course, Qin Yue would know the people of her town.

It was possible that she was attempting to warn them, but he thought it more likely that she was guiding them towards him.

Wei Wuxian was casually talking next to him, eyes focused in the opposite direction. Lan Wangji cleared his throat lightly as they walked past the small knot of young men, nodding as subtly as he could manage once Wei Wuxian looked his way.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young man shake his head, say something to his companions, and stroll off down the street. Lan Wangji kept surreptitiously looking until he saw the young man make a left turn down a road, and then he made a left turn at the nearest opportunity as well. Wei Wuxian followed him, voice falling quiet.

This area contained more houses, and he did not see any immediate trace of the young man. However, he continued walking west until the houses started thinning, taken over by fields. Lan Wangji did not deliberately search for the young man; considering he left his group when he saw them, he would likely come to find them.

As, in fact, he did. "What are strangers doing wandering through our village?" a voice, half unfriendly and half uncertain, said from behind them. "Didn't the two of you leave earlier today? Why did you come back?"

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian exchanged a glance before Wei Wuxian stepped forward. "If you know we left and came back earlier, I imagine you know why. Don't you?"

The young man swallowed, then closed his eyes and shook his head. "You should leave, for real this time. The people here...won't be very hospitable. You'll find a friendlier reception in other towns."

Wei Wuxian tilted his head. "What's your name?" he asked.

The young man blinked. "Qin Ming."

"Did you have a relative called Qin Yue?" Wei Wuxian continued, his voice gentling.

Qin Ming's eyes widened, then he turned his face away. "How do you know my mother's name?" His voice shook.

Wei Wuxian smiled kindly. “We’re cultivators. That means that sometimes we find lost souls who need some help to get justice and go onto the afterlife.”

Qin Ming sniffled loudly and put an arm over his face, hiding his grief at the recent loss of his mother. Lan Wangji politely turned away, allowing him the moment he needed.

He had lived through such an event himself. It was difficult to not see his own younger self in the boy who was trying to conceal his tears in a place that did not understand them.

“I wasn’t there,” Qin Ming gasped out, scrubbing at his eyes furiously. “When they got sick -- my little brother got sick first, and they told me to not come home for a while.” When he looked up at them, his eyes were red-rimmed and furious. “I’m an apprentice to Master Po, the potter. When I became head apprentice, he offered to let me live with him and his family in his shop. If I hadn’t…I would have been there too.”

Wei Wuxian nodded encouragingly, his eyes gentle. “So you were away from home when the sickness came?”

He nodded, looking about cautiously. No one else was there. “It was something worse than the winter illness, but they were recovering. I know they were.” A slight smile crossed his face as a good memory came to him, disappearing as quickly as it came. “I brought them food every few days. We never made contact, but my mother would tell me how they all were doing. It was a hard illness, but they would get better. I knew they would get better if they just waited it out long enough, no matter what anyone else said. All sicknesses sometimes kill the old and weak, but that doesn’t mean it’s a plague.”

Even as he spoke of his certainty, his voice wavered. Given what they had heard at the crossroads, Lan Wangji was less likely to believe in that outcome. It was entirely possible that this young boy, orphaned by someone else’s fear, wanted to believe that the chances were not so bad that he would have lost his family regardless. It was easy to find solace in the idea that the fault solely lay in the hands of others. Perhaps they would have lived if they had not been murdered...but perhaps not.

He only needed to briefly glance at his companion to see that Wei Wuxian had drawn the same conclusion. They would have to handle that element carefully, lest they spook him onto the defensive and lose their only source of information in this town.

“But someone else got scared?” Wei Wuxian prompted softly. “How did your family end up dead and no one in town will talk about it?”

Lan Wangji noticed that he was avoiding specific mention of the crossroads. Likely to avoid distressing the young man further when already asking him to recall terrible memories.

Qin Ming’s face twisted in hate. “It’s all his fault. He refused to believe that the illness would pass over even though everyone locked themselves up when they knew they were sick.” He clenched his fists tightly, shaking a little. “He was the one taking food to all of them. If he’d only listened to my family, he would have known it wasn’t so bad as he said, but he refused to listen to anyone who didn’t agree with him.”

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji exchanged a glance over his head. “He” was more than likely Zhao Qiang, the same one all the people buried hated so much that their curse had manifested as his name branded on the feet of innocent passersby. “Who is he?” Lan Wangji asked calmly.

Qin Ming’s eyes blazed with quiet rage, the rage of a child who had seen injustice yet could not fight it. “The innkeeper. Zhao Qiang.”

"What did he do?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Qin Ming had clearly not been able to talk about it before, because the words seemed to burst from him. "You know, people go to the inn to drink and relax, so everyone trusts him, right? And his family's been here a long time. He knows everyone and how to talk to them. So when he started talking about cutting this illness off, making sure it couldn't spread any further, enough people listened to him. As if he wasn't talking about murder! About killing people who wouldn't otherwise have died!"

"And no one objected?" Lan Wangji asked, already able to see where the path that had led to murder had likely formed. Especially if he was involved with keeping those in quarantine from starving, he would have had his own view of how the families involved were holding up, and they might have spoken more candidly to him than to a child, not wanting to bring him unnecessary grief.

As if the honest truth wouldn’t have brought more comfort despite it being a sad one.

Qin Ming sniffed and wiped at his eyes again. "He didn't talk to the ones who would object, I guess. He certainly didn’t talk to me. And then afterward, when the village understood what they did...there were just too many of them, and they were our neighbors. My master...he just wanted to pretend it didn't happen. No use destroying the village over something already done. Most people just wanted life to go back to normal."

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh. “It’s not easy to live with the blood of others on your hands. Especially not when you know that it might not have been the right choice.”

Qin Ming nodded and buried his face in his hands.

Footsteps scuffed in the distance. Many of them. Lan Wangji whirled around, Wei Wuxian following him, to see over a dozen people emerge from the path to the village. They were all armed, though with a variety of weapons -- many had knives, and one man carried a blacksmith's hammer.

The man in the lead did carry a sword, though it didn't match Bichen or Quanshui's quality. He came to a stop in front of them, and the rest of the men spread out to surround them. His eyes narrowed as they came to rest on Qin Ming.

"Qin Ming, you should go home," the man said. "I know you're grieving, and I'm sorry for that. But talking to outsiders about this will only bring more pain."

Qin Ming bit his lip and looked up at the two of them. Lan Wangji nodded in agreement and Wei Wuxian smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “No sense in getting in trouble,” he told the boy with a grin. “Go ahead and run along. We’ll be fine.”

He looked doubtful of that but fortunately was possessed with some sense of self-preservation and started to walk towards home. The circle of men around them let him out, then surrounded the two of them again.

“I’m sorry, young masters, but you really did bring this on yourself,” the man with the sword said, sounding contrite. “Some things are meant to stay private. We would have let you be if only you’d kept your nose out of others’ private business.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile twisted, wry and fierce. His posture was casual and relaxed, but he had a hand on the hilt of his sword. “That’s an interesting justification for murder,” he said as calmly as if they were talking on the street. “No skeleton remains buried forever, especially with cultivators around.”

Another one of the men in the circle, this one with a knife large enough to be a butcher’s blade, bared his teeth in what was presumably supposed to be intimidating. “Since you won’t keep your mouth shut, we’ll have to shut it for you!” he snarled and charged at Wei Wuxian.

The sound of metal rang as Wei Wuxian took a half step back and drew his sword in the same movement, easily catching the blade and throwing the man off balance with the force of his block.

He stumbled back in surprise, then ran right back at Wei Wuxian with the same level of technique as before.

It seemed to break the spell on the men around them and they all pushed in quickly, varying levels of anger and bloodlust in their eyes.

Lan Wangji merely allowed himself a single sigh of disappointment that they insisted on this and drew Bichen, resolving that while he would not aim to kill them, his and Wei Wuxian’s lives would come first in the matter.

The clear, glittering sword light of the blade should have deterred them, but they were too far wrapped up in their pursuit to realize how outclassed they were. Perhaps they had murdered their victims, lying in their sickbeds, easily enough, but they had obviously never challenged trained swordsmen.

Lan Wangji easily weaved around their flashing blades. The ones with knives seemed to rely on rushing in too close for him to effectively use his sword, but at least a few of them started to hesitate when he reversed his grip to punch one in the jaw with Bichen's hilt, though he still pulled the blow. In that space of a few moments, he raised his leg to kick the knife out of another's hand before catching it himself. He threw it to the side, where it stuck deep into a tree trunk.

Even more hesitated, and that gave Lan Wangji enough space to sweep Bichen around in a circle. With every move, he attempted to demonstrate that the villagers were not his match. For the sake of their own lives, they should stop attacking.

The leader with the sword, likely Zhao Qiang, finally moved in as his followers fell back. He had marginally more skill, but Lan Wangji was still able to easily disarm him. In his sleeve, the spirit pouch started to stir, but he could not focus on it yet.

To his side, Wei Wuxian dealt with his attackers with the same ease. However, the blacksmith with his heavy hammer continued to pursue him, swinging that hammer in wide, powerful blows. Lan Wangji felt a moment of fear at the strength of those swings, but the broad grin on Wei Wuxian's face and the grace with which he sidestepped the blows allayed those concerns.

He felt movement behind him and stepped to the side quickly enough to avoid a man attempting to tackle him. As he turned around, another man tried to grab his sword, though he was easily knocked away.

The spirit pouch began vibrating more forcefully, and Lan Wangji finally drew it out. Qin Yue wanted to confront these men, and hopefully that would be enough to end this.

Wei Wuxian deftly disarmed the hammer-wielding man with a series of spins that left him disoriented enough to not be able to do more than protest when Wei Wuxian snatched the hammer from him. He nodded at Lan Wangji and pointed his blade at someone else attempting to challenge them.

Lan Wangji lifted the spirit pouch to where the leader could see it. “It is not just us who know of what you did to the innocent inhabitants in this village,” he said calmly as the pouch writhed. “Qin Yue wishes to speak with you.”

The pouch flattened and emptied in his hand as the spirit pulled free, quickly forming into the shape of a woman perhaps in her late forties, certainly old enough to have a son able to strike out on his own. He could see silver threads in her hair and laugh lines around her mouth, though she was not laughing now.

The front of her robes was bloodied and slightly sunken in at the chest, with more bloodstains on her back where the blade had pierced her through fully. She was far from the most gruesome spirit Lan Wangji had seen in his time, if still unsettling to see.

The man in front of her went white in fright. “Qin -- Qin Yue--” he stammered, taking a few steps back. “I -- I’m sure you understand--”

“Understand?” she cut him off, her voice grating on their ears. “Oh yes, Zhao Qiang, I understand. I understand that while we were barricaded in our homes, seeking out no one else in the village and tending to our own sick, you riled up the others and broke in and slaughtered my dying husband, my youngest child, even while I pleaded for mercy. I understand you perfectly well. You would not even give us the grace to die at our own pace, to say farewell on our own terms. I do not know if we could have pulled through, but you did not give us that chance.”

Zhao Qiang shook his head. “No, no, you don’t understand! It was spreading. Another household near yours had suddenly barricaded even though you and the Fu and the Li had all locked yourselves away. We’re near the river and the crossroads!” he protested, sweeping an arm around them. “It would have spread rapidly had we not done something. My wife was pregnant, you know this,” he pleaded with the ghost, too frightened to draw any closer to her. “Surely you can understand I had to do something? My son might have grown up without a father, or I could have lost both of them at once.”

His words failed to reach Qin Yue’s ears. She only shook her head in disappointment and disdain. “You killed four families and buried us all on top of each other on a crossroads where anyone could walk across our bodies, disrespected, far from our families and our ancestors. Did you think of anyone but yourself?

Not far away from her, Wei Wuxian’s face was hard. “Your actions have ensured that another young man has lost his entire family all on the strength of a might.”

The men behind Zhao Qiang clustered together, faces pale, glancing between their leader and the ghost of the woman they murdered. One of them, still carrying his knife, put his hands behind his back.

Zhao Qiang himself kept shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Qin-ayi. We tried to hide it, and we disrespected your bodies. But you remember how many died seven years ago. I lost my parents! Normal precautions weren't enough. I couldn't trust that they'd be better this time. I'm sorry that we had to sacrifice you, but the rest of the village is still alive because we did, and it didn't spread beyond us. Judge me if you like, but I did what I thought I had to."

Qin Yue raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Judge you I do, but more than I will. These cultivators here summoned the magistrate before they returned."

"What?"

Qin Yue continued, overriding him, "He knows everything by now, and will be on his way here. Your son will lose his father anyway. I judge you, the magistrate will judge you, and then Yanluo Wang will judge you!"

Zhao Qiang fell to his knees. The other men gathered even closer together, and slightly further away from him.

Silence reigned for a long moment, broken only by the wind whistling through the trees, until finally, a tentative young voice said, quavering, "Niang?"

Everyone seemed to simultaneously turn to see Qin Ming, who had obviously not gone home. Tears kept running down his cheeks unchecked as he stared at the ghost of his mother. His watery gaze traveled over the bloodstains drenching her clothes, and he pressed his lips together to stop their trembling.

Qin Yue's bearing softened. "A-Ming," she sighed, voice as gentle now as it had been unyielding a moment ago. She turned to fully face her son, ignoring her murderers. "I am glad to see you well. I am sorry that we kept you away, but I wanted to keep at least one of my children healthy and alive once the plague came."

He nodded stiffly, fists clenched at his side. He seemed to have something he wanted to say, but no voice to give it yet.

Qin Yue floated over to run ghostly fingers over the tear trails on his cheeks, smiling as warmly as she must have in life. “You have done nothing wrong,” she said, seeing whatever it was that troubled her son clearly. “You still live. That is enough for me. Is Master Po taking good care of you?”

Qin Ming nodded. “I am still his head apprentice, and he is having me practice creating identical plates now, with the inlays and patterns the same on every one,” he told her, a quick flash of the excitable boy he must have been before this tragedy occurred. “He thinks perhaps in another few years, I will be ready to open my own shop, or take over his.”

Qin Yue smiled and stroked his hair a few times. Her figure grew fainter even as her face warmed. “I am proud of you, A-Ming,” she said, voice fading to a whisper Lan Wangji could barely hear. “There is no more reason to fear, not for us. Be good for Master Po.”

Qin Ming dipped his head, tears dripping to the earth. “Yes, A-Niang,” he said quietly. His lips moved more, but the words that passed between them were not for the rest of them to hear.

Satisfied both that Zhao Qiang would be brought to justice and that her son was still alive and cared for, Qin Yue faded into the afternoon sunlight, her spirit at last liberated from the resentment binding her to the earth.

For a long time after that, the only sound in the clearing was Qin Ming’s quiet sobs as he wept for his mother and family again.

Lan Wangji looked at the other men scattered around them, trying to determine if they were likely to cause any further problems. All were unable to meet his gaze. “I suggest that you tell the magistrate all of what occurred,” he said icily. “The other spirits buried at the crossroads may not be as calm.”

Next to him, Wei Wuxian clucked his tongue in warning and Quanshui flashed out to block Zhao Qiang’s way. “I rather think the magistrate will want to speak with you most,” he said with a vulpine grin. “Why deny yourself such a pleasant conversation?”

Chapter Text

Zhao Qiang's followers seemed to have been shamed into good behavior, their veneer of normalcy and bravado broken. Not only did they not attempt to flee, they consciously remained together and helped keep an eye on their former leader. A wry smile twisted Wei Wuxian's mouth as he and Lan Wangji herded the whole group to Zhao Qiang's inn to wait for the magistrate.

Zhao Qiang's wife came downstairs with their infant son as they waited, to Lan Wangji's discomfort. Even worse, she seemed to identify him as someone of importance and came to speak with him. Luckily, however, she stayed dry-eyed and forthright.

"No matter what they said, I didn't think they'd be able to hide it forever," she told him. "Paper can't contain fire, and my husband is no practiced criminal. Someone would have investigated, sooner or later."

"Did you know what he did?" Lan Wangji asked, considering her carefully. He would have expected her to wail and plead for him to let the men, or at least her husband, go, but she did not.

"Not until after the sickness passed," she replied. The baby stirred, and she bounced him in her arms. "I would have been at great risk had I caught it, so I remained confined until it was over. I wouldn't have asked him for it, and I wish he hadn't done it, but what could I do after it was done? He's my husband, the father of my son." She sighed and cuddled the baby closer.

Further discomfort briefly stole Lan Wangji's voice. What did one do when one's beloved committed a grave crime? His father had one answer, and Madam Zhao another. Was there any path that was truly right?

"I don't ask you to free him, young master," she continued after a moment. "I know you wouldn't have caught him if you intended to let him go. But can you...speak to the magistrate? He'll listen to someone like you more than he would us. I just want him to understand all of it, the good intentions as well as the bad. Whatever judgment he makes should come from knowing the whole story."

Lan Wangji inclined his head. "I will explain all the relevant facts, your husband's testimony included," he promised. "And I will encourage him to listen to the people here as well."

"Thank you, young master," she said. Still dignified, she drew herself up and bowed to him. "I'll not bother you any longer."

He watched as she moved to sit by her husband, putting their son in his arms. Wei Wuxian came over once she was settled, leaning in to murmur, "Any problems there?"

Lan Wangji shook his head, feeling his ear tingle as Wei Wuxian's breath hit it. "No trouble," he replied. Like the others in the room, Madam Zhao seemed resigned to their fate.

Wei Wuxian sighed, the heavy breath coiling over his ear and down his neck. It was very distracting. “I think a lot of people here knew eventually this was going to come back around in some way,” he said, eyes skimming over the men quietly sitting at tables, shoulders slumped and worn. “It was just a question of when and how.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Those spirits' resentment was too potent to be contained. Even had we not noticed this when we did, it eventually would have caught someone’s eye.”

Wei Wuxian huffed in dark humor. “But then how many more people would have died from an illness that could not be cured?” he asked, then laughed, the sound gentling quickly. “But then why am I asking questions that don’t need to be answered? It’s settled now. They will have justice for what happened.”

Lan Wangji nodded again, unable to find better words for the situation to communicate. “We should inspect the crossroads again tomorrow,” he added at last. “Make certain that the spirits are able to move on and any other lingering wishes are settled.”

"We should," Wei Wuxian agreed. "And make sure the people here go get the bodies and lay them to rest properly."

"Mn." And then the hunt would be over. Where would Wei Wuxian go next? He was a wandering cultivator. Did he have anything resembling a stable home, as Lan Wangji did?

For all the time they'd spent together on this hunt, there was still so little Lan Wangji knew about his companion. He wanted to ask but was uncertain whether such personal inquiries would be welcome. Wei Wuxian had spoken of his life, but he had also avoided saying many things.

Eventually, as usual, Lan Wangji chose silence.

When dusk arrived, the magistrate and his men arrived with it. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian both stood as they heard the steady clopping of horses' hooves on the road outside, and together they went outside to meet them.

An older man, in perhaps his mid-fifties, brought his horse to a stop as they appeared. He was more richly dressed than his companions, so he was presumably the magistrate. He dismounted and waved for the men behind him to do the same.

"Are you Hanguang-jun?" he asked. "Lan Wangji, of the Lan Clan of Gusu?"

Lan Wangji inclined his head. "And this is Wei Wuxian, also a cultivator," he said, prompting Wei Wuxian to offer a short bow of greeting.

The magistrate nodded at him, then heaved a sigh. "Your message described a nasty business. You've caught the perpetrators?"

"The leader and some others," Wei Wuxian replied. "Unfortunately, it seems much of the town was involved in either the murders or keeping them quiet. You may have some work to do to find out who is guilty of what."

"That's our duty," the magistrate said, a little shortly. "Hanguang-jun, are there any further...cultivational needs here? Can you come inside and explain the whole thing?"

Lan Wangji nodded, bowing again. “We both will. Wei Wuxian’s advice was invaluable to determining the outcome of these events.”

The magistrate gave Wei Wuxian a second look, as if he were reconsidering him in a new light. “Well then, if Hanguang-jun insists,” he said to Wei Wuxian, who looked somewhat surprised, although the look quickly disappeared from his face into an easy smile that made Lan Wangji wonder how often he was used to smiling over other emotions. 

Several of the men around him moved with the ease of guards to open the doors for the three of them, two stepping inside ahead of their group. Wei Wuxian motioned for the magistrate to go first, giving Lan Wangji an unreadable look as he followed along behind.

Was he truly that surprised that Lan Wangji had recognized the extent of his skills and contributions? While it had only been three days, the short time had still been more than long enough for him to determine that Wei Wuxian was a cultivator of equal skill and quality to himself and equally deserving of the same respect Lan Wangji got for his contributions. 

He was well aware of the world they lived in, the fact that his ideals were not always shared. But he would still speak on Wei Wuxian’s behalf in these matters. He was deserving of that respect.

He met Wei Wuxian’s eyes as the magistrate swept inside, followed by two more men with boxes likely full of scribing supplies. Distantly he could hear the conversation happening around them, but for a moment in time it was just the two of them in the world, caught in each other’s gazes. Unable to look away, unable to move.

He could not put his finger on what it was, but he felt as though Wei Wuxian had caught him up in some sort of spell, like the huli jing of legend. Even if he wanted to look away, it felt as though something would break beyond repair if he did.

Then someone behind them cleared his throat and the moment snapped, brought to an end as suddenly as it appeared. The breath left his lungs in a rush. Yet nothing felt…broken. Only as if whatever had caught them had drawn back instead, choosing to wait until another time to reveal itself once more.

It was the oddest sensation, almost like diving from a cliff or the world suddenly turning sideways. But nothing had changed.

Wei Wuxian tilted his head at him for a moment, confusion bright in his eyes. Then it passed and he grinned at him. “Hanguang-jun really is a good man, isn’t he? Speaking up for me even to magistrates I might never meet again.” He turned on a heel to stride into the inn after the magistrate.

Lan Wangji stood there for a moment longer, trying to parse through what had just happened before shaking his head slightly and letting it go.

It had been a long day and likely to be longer still, on top of days on the road and a mystery that had taken much of his attention. No wonder he was not in quite as fine form as he normally presented. A day of rest would clear all of that up.

When he stepped inside, Wei Wuxian was sitting down at one of the empty tables, sprawled out casually as he watched the men already preparing to present their case to the magistrate. He motioned for Lan Wangji to come join him, waving eagerly. “Lan Wangji,” he called, “come on over. There’s more than enough room here.”

Lan Wangji did not have to stop and consider whether it was the best choice. Obviously it made sense for the two of them to sit together, since they would be presenting their own order of events and discoveries to the magistrate. Quietly he walked across the room and sat down properly, clearing his throat as he found it slightly dry. 

Wei Wuxian gave him a knowing smirk, then called to one of the inn staff who had been there waiting awkwardly as well to find out what would become of their employer and livelihood. “Is there tea available? Or wine?”

As the waiter scurried off to check, he smiled at Lan Wangji again. “It’s better that we have some sort of refreshment for the evening. I have a feeling this will be a late night.”

Lan Wangji nodded in agreement. It was likely to be a very long night indeed.

The questioning went long past hai shi. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian told their story first, and though they were given the opportunity to leave after that, both chose to stay to listen and stand witness.

They heard Zhao Qiang, his voice tired throughout his testimony, explain the terror of the sickness that killed his parents and many others seven years ago, the fear that it would happen again as another deadly illness took hold, and his decision to stop it before it could spread further. He named the people who helped him, all of whom were among his followers in that room, as well as the people who listened to his proposal but neither agreed nor stopped him. Finally, he described how he and his followers transported the bodies by river to the crossroads, where they had hoped no one would be able to tell where they'd come from.

"We will continue tomorrow," the magistrate announced when Zhao Qiang finished. He looked at Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. "Cultivators, thank you again. I believe your work here is done."

The two of them saluted him. "Almost, I believe," Wei Wuxian said politely. "Tomorrow, Hanguang-jun and I will return to the crossroads to ensure all the spirits are properly liberated. However, someone here should be sure to go as well to retrieve the bodies and lay them to rest at home. We don't need any resentment growing again from continued improper burial."

The magistrate sighed and rubbed his head. "It may wait until I have finished here. I do not want the villagers to leave until this case is settled. But I will see that it happens."

Wei Wuxian nodded, and the two of them bowed and headed over to Madam Zhao, still awake though without the baby. "We're sorry to trouble you further, but it will be easiest to stay the night here," Wei Wuxian said softly.

She nodded. "I expected as much," she replied, just as softly. "Do the two of you mind sharing a room? We don't have many, and there are more visitors to house." She glanced at the magistrate and his men.

"We don't mind," he assured her, Lan Wangji inclining his head in agreement when she looked at him. "Thank you."

She nodded again, and after a moment, she said, "The magistrate might forget, but I'll make sure someone goes to retrieve the bodies. It's the least I can do. Now come on, I'll show you to your room."

She led them to a small room in one corner of the inn, handing her little candle to Wei Wuxian so she could open the door. “If you two would wish for baths, it would take some time, but I can have that arranged as well?”

Wei Wuxian shook his head immediately, smiling kindly at her. “You’ve already done enough tonight, thank you. We can take it from here.”

She nodded, then glanced up at Lan Wangji. He nodded in agreement with Wei Wuxian. While he would have enjoyed the chance to bathe, Wei Wuxian was right that she’d already done plenty for them on what must have been a very difficult day.

Wei Wuxian offered her back the candle and dish, and she smiled wanly. “Good night, Young Master Wei, Young Master Lan,” she said quietly, dipped her head to them and walked back to the main room.

After that, there seemed to be very little to say. The beds were made up, Wei Wuxian took the one closer to the door and stripped down to his inner robes for sleep. Once or twice he looked over, seemingly about to say something, but then changing his mind.

Lan Wangji did not attempt to pry at his thoughts. He already knew that when he was ready, he would share them of his own free will. Instead he first turned his attention to washing any lingering dust from his face and hands before inspecting both Bichen and Wangji for any damage from the battle earlier. 

Wei Wuxian made half a sound as he gently ran his fingers over the strings, feeling for any weakness in the silk. When he looked up, the other man was watching his hands, startling suddenly. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he said quickly, a sheepish laugh bubbling in his throat. “For a moment I thought you were going to play again.”

Lan Wangji paused. Considered. It had been a long day indeed, and he felt rather frayed at the ends. It was the sort of evening he would have preferred to spend in meditation. 

Or at his qin.

“Would you like me to play?” he asked after a moment, resting his fingers on the strings. It would be nothing intensive, but Rest and perhaps some other of the songs he knew that made him feel peaceful would be not too taxing on him. Not more than an incense stick’s length of time.

Wei Wuxian hummed slightly, running his fingers through his hair absently. “That does sound nice, if you’re up for it,” he said after a minute, eyes far away from the room. “Maybe not that one that put me to sleep the other night, though.”

Lan Wangji said nothing in response, but he spread out his fingers along the strings. He played two that he learned as practice when he was young, one that he’d heard on the road. One of Xiongzhang’s favorites, a piece that had been written to capture the lament of a family forced to leave their home by the fires of war, wistful and longing for the peace that could not be found again.

When he let the last low notes fade, some of the sharp edges of the day had faded away. 

Wei Wuxian sighed slowly, his eyes closed, his body relaxing. He did not, however, start preparing for bed. Instead, his eyes still closed, he drew his own dizi from his qiankun pouch. "A song for a song," he murmured.

When he brought the dizi to his lips, the melody that emerged was unfamiliar to Lan Wangji, so he listened closely. He did not know the story, but the rise and fall of the notes made him likewise think of a lonely person seeking a home they could not return to.

Without thinking about it, Lan Wangji began to play again as Wei Wuxian brought his song to a close. This time he chose a more uplifting song about a traveler enjoying his journey. Wei Wuxian's next song was again unfamiliar but similarly uplifting.

Slowly, the mood of the songs they played spiraled upwards. By the time Wei Wuxian put his dizi away, he was smiling again, and Lan Wangji himself felt loose and relaxed.

"Ahh, Lan Wangji, you're a marvel," Wei Wuxian said. Lan Wangji's ears flushed slightly beneath his hair, though he did not know whether it came from the words or the languor in Wei Wuxian's voice as he spoke.

Turning aside, Lan Wangji began to prepare for bed. Wei Wuxian huffed a laugh, and rustling noises indicated he was making his own preparations.

"Good night, Wei Wuxian," Lan Wangji finally said as he got into bed. Perhaps due to the long and emotional day, the previous night's sleeplessness avoided him this time. He barely heard Wei Wuxian's echoing good night before he fell asleep.

--

Somehow all the weight of the day and the heavy night did not follow him into rest; he slept without memory of dreams until a rooster nearby announced the coming of dawn loudly, the celebration of another new day in the world. 

Lan Wangji opened his eyes to an overcast sky and Wei Wuxian’s soft, purring snore over in the other bed. While the sky seemed light enough now, something in the air promised rain later. 

Hopefully his mare would remain as solid and dependable in the face of oncoming weather, once he retrieved her from Hufeng. He would do that on their way back to the crossroads. And shortly after that, she would return to being his only companion until they got home again.

He got up after an incense stick’s time spent waking up and stepped quietly through the room, changing behind the small screen and washing his face again. All the while Wei Wuxian never stirred. He slept as peacefully as the quiet dead, the only sounds of life being the quiet snores that somehow filled the air without being disturbing. 

When he had finished making himself presentable for the morning, he found himself oddly hesitant to leave the room, even though there was no reason for it. Wei Wuxian would know he had not left in his sleep without a word after all that had passed between them, wouldn’t he?

Of course he would. Wei Wuxian was well aware by this point that Lan Wangji rose earlier than he did. It would surely not occur to him to worry.

Still, Lan Wangji found himself requesting that breakfast for the both of them simply be sent to their room. At this early hour, only their hostess and one other worker seemed to be awake. It would surely be easier on her if he stayed out of sight, between his role in her husband's arrest and dealing with the other guests she had to accommodate. It would be better to return to the room until Wei Wuxian woke.

Once the door closed behind him, he found his attention caught by his companion's peaceful features. Wei Wuxian truly was...very handsome. He was beyond intelligent, and his personality was warm and bright. Had he been a member of a clan, he would surely be highly sought after. Perhaps he already was.

He must not have a cultivation partner, or he would be traveling with her, but perhaps he had a sweetheart. Perhaps there was someone he would return to after this hunt was over, telling her about his single chance encounter with Hanguang-jun.

A knock on the door fortunately interrupted his frivolous thoughts. He accepted the breakfast tray with murmured gratitude, then placed it on the table. About to rouse Wei Wuxian to eat, he paused with his hand outstretched.

They did not need to hurry today. The hunt was solved, the final element a mere shichen away. When the crossroads spirits were appeased, he and Wei Wuxian would go their separate ways, but Lan Wangji at least was not expected anywhere.

It would do no harm to let Wei Wuxian wake naturally today. He placed a warming talisman on the tray, then returned to his bed to sit and meditate.

Time passed slowly in the little room as he sank into meditation, clearing his mind and letting all thoughts slip away. The sounds outside of the magistrate and his men rising, someone’s disgruntled horse outside loudly protesting, the songbirds calling shrilly to each other from just above the window into their room -- all fell away and disappeared from concern.

He returned to conscious thought when Wei Wuxian’s soft, purring snore abruptly stopped, followed shortly thereafter by a groan as he woke up, pushing one hand through heavy hair that fell over his face. He blinked pale eyes as he stared listlessly at the wall, conscious without awareness, slowly dragging his mind free of the entanglement of dreams.

After several moments, he yawned heavily and rolled over, eyes immediately catching on Lan Wangji. One hand flapped in the lazy approximation of a wave, followed by another yawn. “G’morning,” he said with gravel in his voice, the sounds all slurring together. “S’too early still.”

Then his eyes fell closed again and the hand dropped to his side. His breathing was too uneven for him to have fallen back asleep, but there was no attempt on Wei Wuxian’s part to actually wake up either.

He had seen Wei Wuxian bolt awake much faster than this, yet there was the strange sensation that this was how Wei Wuxian awoke naturally, slowly and without much concern for being alert quickly. The sort of waking one did when they felt safe to take their time to come to consciousness rather than be on guard from the moment they stirred.

There was something very humbling about the fact that Wei Wuxian considered him a person that could be trusted with this side of himself, groggy and ill-suited to mornings. Pale eyes fluttered as he made his second attempt at waking, catching first on Lan Wangji, then on the ceiling as he rolled onto his back. “Is there tea?” he asked, the words only slightly more coherent than before.

Lan Wangji straightened from his meditative pose. “Yes. Breakfast as well.”

Wei Wuxian nodded slowly and sat up with a groan. Once again his robes gapped at the front of his chest, something he seemed in no hurry to address as he rose and stumbled across the room towards the tray. 

Lan Wangji felt his ears burn and glanced away.

Wei Wuxian seemed to have caught his reaction, because he blinked and chuckled slightly. "I've made Hanguang-jun wait this long, but perhaps I could trouble him to wait a little more as I put myself in order," he said, mischievously formal. He still did not pull his robes closed, but he straightened and seemed more awake.

Still, the formulaic nature of the exchange steadied Lan Wangji. "No trouble," he replied. This was not simply polite; meditation was a customary part of Lan Wangji's morning, and it made no real difference to him whether he ate before or after.

Wei Wuxian smiled, then disappeared behind the partition. Clothing rustled and water splashed. When he emerged again, he was fully dressed, his face was clean, and he was tying his hair back into a ponytail with his red ribbon.

"Ahh, it's nice to have breakfast already ready when I get up!" he said, plopping down on the table. "You're very efficient."

Lan Wangji hummed, already filling his bowl. As usual, Wei Wuxian chattered cheerfully between bites of food. Lan Wangji finished his meal before his companion did, but he waited patiently for Wei Wuxian to be done as well.

They were in no hurry.

Soon enough, though, they were fed, presentable, and ready to leave. The magistrate and his men ate breakfast downstairs, but Lan Wangji felt no need to speak to them further. He did incline his head at Madam Zhao before he stepped out the door, and she responded with a nod and a wry half-smile.

Once they were outside, Wei Wuxian stretched his arms out wide. "Looks like we're almost done, Lan Wangji," he said. "Back to the crossroads?"

Lan Wangji inclined his head slightly in agreement. The clouds above them had only grown thicker and darker with time; it was likely that there would be rain in another shichen. 

Wei Wuxian cast an eye up to the heavens and made a face. “Traveling in the rain is never fun. But I suppose it has to happen. And I don’t think the people here would be particularly happy to have us lingering for another day,” he said with a wry grin, eyes flicking to one person who saw them, ducked his head, and walked hurriedly away.

Lan Wangji nodded again. While he doubted anything harmful would come of it, this small village had now been through two large events that had shaken the foundations of the town in less than a year. It stood to reason that no one would be at ease until they and the magistrate left.

It was a much simpler matter to help the ghosts of the dead than it was to help with the ghosts in the living. Often the only cure for such things was time.

They set out from Liansen Village for the last time and soon reached Hufeng, where Lan Wangji retrieved his mare. Since he was now the only one with a horse, he continued to walk and simply led her by the rein on their way to the crossroads. Wei Wuxian made light conversation for a time, talking about some other hunts he’d been on with his family, but soon he fell silent as well.

A weight seemed to hang over them, not just the darkening clouds that had both of them fishing in qiankun pouches for heavy cloaks, but something else. It was good that they had brought this hunt to a close, had laid Qin Yue’s soul to rest, and gotten justice for her and the other families buried at the crossroads.

Yet there was a part of him that wished there was more to this quest. A reason for them to not part ways just yet, for he could not come up with the words to explain to Wei Wuxian that despite the initial misgivings they had, he still enjoyed his company and their time traveling together.

But he could think of no way to express this wish in a way that explained the inexplicable knot in his chest at the thought of their parting, so he did not express it at all.  

The air cooled unexpectedly and the sharp scent of rain on the air assailed his nose as they came to the crossroads once again. His mare danced uneasily as a heavy drop fell on her nose.

"You don't need to be right next to them for them to hear you, do you?" Wei Wuxian asked, angling closer to be heard over the pattering drops beginning to fall. The mare did, at least, seem more used to the effect of Wei Wuxian's array, though she still did not seem to want to get closer.

"I cannot be too far, but I do not need to be this close," Lan Wangji replied, suspecting he understood what Wei Wuxian was thinking.

"Then come on, there are some trees over here. I imagine you and your horse will both be more comfortable."

A few scattered drops made it down through the leaves and branches under a nearby copse of trees, but it was indeed drier than the road. Thankfully qin language spoke to the spirit, not the ear, so Liansan Village's murdered dead should still be over to hear him despite the rain.

For the third time at this crossroads, he plucked out the opening notes of Inquiry. As before, a cacophony of voices incoherently tried to respond. Lan Wangji gave them a few moments for the attempt, and only when the noise died down did he begin his report, narrating both sides of the conversation to Wei Wuxian.

Zhao Qiang has been caught. The magistrate arrested him and his followers yesterday.

The spirits again plucked incoherent notes in response, but faster. As if in excitement rather than anger, though still too many tried to reply at once.

If you are able to nominate a spokesman, we would be able to converse, Lan Wangji told them.

After a few moments, one spirit seemed to take over the communication. They have truly been caught?

They have, Lan Wangji assured them. What more do you need to be able to move on?

Our bodies...

I have spoken to both the magistrate and Madam Zhao. They will see that your bodies are retrieved and laid to rest properly.

Thank you.

The words "thank you" repeated over and over, as if each spirit took its turn. By the time the strings stilled, Wei Wuxian was looking down at the qin with a wide but gentle smile.

“We liberated them,” he said warmly, the tone making something in Lan Wangji’s stomach curl pleasantly. “No one else will be cursed now. Any who were still sick should have it fade away with the spirits.” His pale eyes glimmered beneath the hood of his cloak. “We are a good team, are we not, Lan Wangji?”

Lan Wangji nodded, ducking his head to conceal the faint smile that wished to appear at such sincere words. 

They had been a good team. Never before had he met someone who could both keep up with him and arrive at the same conclusion from a different direction, allowing the both of them a firmer grasp on the events in play. 

The last few days had been surprisingly pleasant. 

It was the realization that here was where their roads would part that wiped the smile that threatened to show clear on his face. The spirits had been laid to rest, and Wei Wuxian would dismantle his array so that their bodies could be approached and moved back to Liansan Village with the rest of their ancestors and they would part ways. 

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and looked out at the steadily falling rain. “This’ll almost do for my array itself,” he said lightly. “I suppose your poor horse would prefer you start heading for home soon enough.”

Lan Wangji inhaled, taking in the petrichor and letting the scent soothe him. "Will you return to Huai'an, then?" he asked. He should return south himself. He wanted to let his brother know how the hunt had gone, and he should check in further about any needs the clan might have of him. His previous visit had been so short. But he would not mind traveling with Wei Wuxian another day.

Unfortunately, his smile only a bare upturning of his mouth, Wei Wuxian shook his head. "This was a worthwhile detour, but I'm to meet my family up north. They told me they'd be hunting near Qinghe for a while longer." His voice retained a touch of his usual cheer, but not as much as Lan Wangji had grown accustomed to hearing.

For a wild moment, Lan Wangji wanted to make an excuse to go north with him. He did not truly need to return to the Cloud Recesses just yet, and none there would blink to see him continue on his travels. What stayed his tongue in the end, though, was Wei Wuxian's mention of his family. Would he not be intruding if he insisted on extending their journey together past its natural end?

And truthfully...his own desire to continue traveling with this man he had only just met, however well they got along notwithstanding, alarmed himself slightly. It would be better not to be so impulsive.

"Don't think you're getting rid of me entirely, Lan Wangji," Wei Wuxian said suddenly, as if responding to his thoughts. "I gave you one of my compasses, after all, and you promised to give me feedback on how it works. I will hold you to your word."

Lan Wangji had no one he corresponded with regularly, other than his own family when he traveled, but he did not object to changing that. "I shall," he agreed.

Wei Wuxian nodded, sharply. "I'm on the road most of the time, but I can let you know where I head next," he offered. "Is addressing yours to the Cloud Recesses all right?"

Lan Wangji nodded. If he traveled for an extended period, he could simply do as Wei Wuxian suggested as well. “That is acceptable,” he said out loud, the words nearly disappearing into the falling rain. 

Wei Wuxian looked at him for a moment, his expression unreadable as his eyes were concealed by his broad hood. But then he smiled brightly, lifting his head so that Lan Wangji could see his face and it was as if the sun parted the rain clouds around them, it was so bright. “It was good to meet you at last, Hanguang-jun,” he said brightly. “I’m sure our paths will cross again. Maybe even sooner than we think.”

And with that he glanced at the rain before deciding against waiting any further. He stopped next to the circle rock to make a few gestures and fully break the array until the nervous feeling in the crossroads dissipated entirely. Then he pulled out his dizi and set it to his lips, the upbeat notes twining around the patter of raindrops and following him as he quickly disappeared into the falling rain.

Lan Wangji waited for some time under the tree for the rain to lighten, his mare stolid and patient beside him. A cool breeze flowed past him, centering his thoughts and clearing his mind. 

Slowly the rain turned from steady downpour to light drizzle, the ripples in growing puddles at the side of the road slowing until he could watch one uninterrupted ripple go until it reached the end of the pooled water.

Next to him, his mare tossed her head in impatience, though she was too well trained to do anything besides that, immediately stilling when he put his hand on her neck. He had lingered here more than long enough.

He made certain his qin was well protected in its travel cloth before mounting his mare and nudging her into a walk. She went easily, every step smooth as silk with no hesitation at the puddles surrounding them nor the softness of the road that clung to her hooves as they walked.

For a moment he looked towards the circle of boulders and the decayed array of warning. He could feel no lingering sense of wariness near the bodies, no last scraps of resentful energy in the area.

They had done good work together. Soon these crossroads would return to being an ordinary, unassuming place where its most notable feature would be that it allowed travelers to go towards any of the great clans. Eventually the tragedy of Liansan Village would heal, and the terrible events that took place would become only memories and stories of how to not let such events occur again.

Hopefully all of their spirits would find peace in the afterlife and a better path for them in the next.

As for his own, it had only just begun. Who knew just what lay ahead of him in the unforeseeable future? The only thing he was certain of was that he and Wei Wuxian would meet again, likely when he least expected it.

Then, with nothing else left to do, he turned south towards Gusu, towards home. 

Chapter Text

The earliest memory he could recount was of his father slowly lowering him into a small pool, never fussing even as he’d kicked up water all over the both of them. “Swimming is not always considered a necessary ability to learn,” he’d said, with the solid wisdom that had always stunned a tiny, innocent Wei Ying and still made grown Wei Wuxian smile today, “but being able to traverse the waters as well as you might the roads and skies will give you another path to walk on the road ahead of you.”

Wei Wuxian smiled fondly at the memory as he finished tying his hair firmly back so it wouldn’t float into his face while underwater. Water ghouls weren’t a great threat to him, but being blinded by his own hair and getting injured by one would be annoying.

This small town had found themselves bothered by water ghouls recently, and though he’d been seeking out a good place to test his new spirit attraction flags, it hadn’t been any sort of inconvenience to stop and help out while he looked for somewhere suitably secluded.

He’d stripped down to his trousers and laid his supplies and robes on the one dock on the small lake, letting his bare feet hang in the cool water. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and dropped into the water like a hunting bird, swiftly sinking to nearly the bottom of the lake.

Once his fingers brushed the silt mud at the bottom of the lake, he opened his eyes.

At first glance, this underwater world was peaceful. Fish darted away from the giant stranger dropped suddenly in their midst and plants undulated to the slow rhythm of the water. There were no shadows of anything else, no sign of something that shouldn't be there.

He returned to the surface for another breath, then swam a little further forward with his head in the air. Once he’d covered a reasonable distance, he took a deep breath and dove down again.

There! This area had an even thicker bed of plants, and in them he could see a lurking long, gray form. He observed just enough to be sure that it was indeed a water ghoul before he sprang forward and seized it. It struggled, but Wei Wuxian had done this several times -- he swiftly grabbed its head and broke its neck. Its swollen face froze with its mouth open, ready to bite.

It was fully dead now, but he couldn't leave it in the lake. He was still close to the silky bottom, so he touched down with his feet, holding the ghoul's ankles in his hands. Then, gathering his strength, he pushed off from the bottom and burst through the water's surface, spinning once he was in the air and letting the ghoul's corpse go after a rotation. It reached the shore and collapsed in a heap.

But the townspeople had said that there was more than one water ghoul, so Wei Wuxian left the dead one on the shore to be burned later when he'd found them all and returned to his hunting.

He just killed and was about to fling his third when, as he spun in the air, he noticed a figure in white bending over the two water ghoul corpses on the shore. But the third ghoul left his hands just as he processed its trajectory. He was too late to change it and could only let out a strangled shout to alert the figure.

The figure responded coolly and gracefully, stepping to one side and flicking his hand up. A white, glittering sword flew from the sheath at his hip and neatly bisected the water ghoul corpse, the halves falling to the ground before they could crash into them.

The motion was so smooth, elegant, and swift that Wei Wuxian had time to watch it happen before he landed back in the water with a loud splash. He swiftly swam back to the shore, breaching the surface of the pool as he drew near.

Once his eyes adjusted to the dazzle of sunlight on brilliant white robes and sword, he grinned and started waving, swimming on over. It might have taken him a moment to remember that face and poise, but certainly Lan Wangji was not an easy man to forget.

“Lan Wangji,” he said with a grin as he splashed up into the shallows, waving at the other man. “I didn’t expect to see you here! Do you like my water ghoul pile?”

Lan Wangji stared at him for a moment, bright, golden eyes expressionless. “Wei Wuxian,” he greeted back after a moment, sheathing his sword and bowing in response. “What are you doing?”

Wei Wuxian grinned. “I’m fishing up water ghouls! Sorry for throwing one at you, though, I swear it really wasn’t intentional,” he said, holding three fingers up to the heavens.

Lan Wangji inclined his head before quickly looking over Wei Wuxian, underdressed and dripping, and glancing away. Wei Wuxian suppressed a laugh before he said, "Just hold on while I check that I've gotten them all. Then I'll get myself in order and we can catch up. What are you doing here?"

Still looking away, Lan Wangji replied, "I heard of a problem with water ghouls. I assume you heard the same?"

Wei Wuxian dug his compass out of his qiankun pouch and hummed. "Yep!" he agreed. "It looks like our fate together is good, Lan Wangji, for us to meet once again on the same hunt by chance." He grinned at the man before turning his attention to his compass.

Happily, the compass's pointer turned lazily rather than continuing to point at the lake, indicating there was no further resentment. Wei Wuxian put it away again before drawing a quick seal in the air. When his spiritual energy activated it upon its completion, the water soaking his clothes was expelled in a tight circle around him. Now dry, he pulled on the rest of his clothes.

"There!" he said, turning back to Lan Wangji and earning another up-and-down glance. "There are no more water ghouls and I'm dry and dressed. Am I fit to be seen with Hanguang-jun once again?"

Lan Wangji blinked at him. "I am not familiar with that seal," he said. "Did you develop it?"

Wei Wuxian beamed. "Useful, isn't it?" he bragged. "Yes, it's mine. I can teach it to you, if you like."

Lan Wangji nodded. "You…have come up with many innovations," he said, looking again at the qiankun pouch where the compass rested.

"I have many ideas. Not all of them good," he conceded, "but my parents encouraged my experimentation, even when my efforts sometimes backfired. But I think I've come up with some pretty nice things."

Lan Wangji nodded again. “Your compass has been useful,” he said calmly. “It is accurate at tracking anything within the radius you designed it for.”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but beam. “You’ve been using it?” he asked in delight, glancing at Lan Wangji’s sleeves where he’d last seen him tuck the compass Wei Wuxian had given him away out of sight. “It’s been working well for you?”

Lan Wangji glanced aside slightly and dipped his chin in acknowledgment. “You asked that I assist in testing it. I would not break my word so easily.”

Wei Wuxian thumbed at his chin slightly, laughing lightly to himself. “Of course you wouldn’t, you’re Hanguang-jun,” he said with approval. “I should have known you would keep your word and try it out.”

Lan Wangji seemed to turn his head a little more. Wei Wuxian paused in confusion before noticing that his eyes had fallen on the one small inn in the little village. Things clicked together in his brain. Likely Lan Wangji had been on the road recently and of course even if he stopped to eat, he would still take care of any other troubles first.

He almost surprised Wei Wuxian with how good he was. Almost, that was. But then every once in a blue moon the rumors could be right and Hanguang-jun could be as good as they said.

He stuck his hand in his belt pouch, digging for a fire talisman. “Here, why don't I finish taking care of these water ghouls and we can go have lunch, catch up from there?” When Lan Wangji turned his blazing, bright eyes back on him, he smiled. “It’s been too long since we last met. We should catch up. I want to hear just what Hanguang-jun has been up to these last months.”

--

Wei Wuxian rested his elbows on the table and leaned in slightly as Lan Wangji handed back the one menu to their waiter politely. It stirred fond memories up as the waiter walked away from their table to fetch tea and wine, of when they’d been traveling that first time, back when he had no idea how interesting Lan Wangji would prove to be. “I heard that you recently subdued a tiger yao over in Qishan,” he purred, waiting for Lan Wangji to look at him. “Tell me, was it an actual tiger, or was that part fanciful exaggeration?”

Lan Wangji let out the mildest little huff. "It was a tiger, but not a yao," he replied. "A group of young boys saw it and tried to fabricate evidence of supernatural attributes. In truth, it merely seemed to have wandered too far from its usual range, so I encouraged it to go elsewhere."

"Aww, that's almost too bad," Wei Wuxian lamented with a smile. "A yao would have been fun, and even better if it had actually been dangerous.” He leaned in a little to get a closer look at Lan Wangji. “But it never feels good to kill when it’s not something out to hurt someone. It's a little too bad when cultivators kill off rare beasts just because they can, don't you think?"

Lan Wangji paused, then finally said, "Are you referring to the Fuzhu that Nie Mingjue recently hunted?"

Earlier in the summer, the eldest Nie son had killed a Fuzhu somewhere in the north of his clan's territory. Though it was an omen of flood, it was known to be peaceful, so while Wei Wuxian appreciated the thrill of hunting one, that still didn't seem a good reason to kill it.

"Of course not," Wei Wuxian replied innocently. "I'd never criticize any of the clans! Especially not in front of you -- isn't your brother friends with Nie Mingjue? But my mother has mentioned that in her shizun's day, there were more things like that Fuzhu around, so it's a little too bad that we don't often see them anymore."

"...It is too bad," Lan Wangji agreed, after watching him steadily for a few moments. "Including the death of the Fuzhu."

Something in Wei Wuxian relaxed a little at even this mild criticism. He hadn't thought Lan Wangji would approve, but it was still a relief that he was willing to say as much.

Relieved, he turned the conversation back to a less potentially fraught topic. "Well, fabricating tiger yao sounds like something I would have done as a boy," he admitted, grinning. "Encouraging frivolous races while on a hunt is me after I've grown up and calmed down."

An elegant eyebrow lifted. "Judging by what my uncle has said, you take after your mother."

That provoked an even longer laugh. "What did your uncle say about my mother?" he asked, delighted. "Everyone who knows us says the same, though, so he's not wrong."

"He…grew emotional upon hearing I had met you," Lan Wangji said, words dropping slowly from his mouth. Wei Wuxian watched as that perfect face looked a little uncomfortable before he finally continued, "I heard him speak of…shaving his beard while he slept."

The grin refused to leave Wei Wuxian's face as he propped his chin up in one hand. "That sounds like her," he agreed fondly. "I told my parents about meeting you, and my mom couldn't resist making fun of your uncle as well. I wonder if we can get them in the same place again sometime soon?"

Lan Wangji gave him a flat look. "My uncle's cultivation is too strong for a heart attack, but I would rather not test it."

Wei Wuxian shrugged carelessly. “She’d probably want a better reason to go directly to the Cloud Recesses too. But maybe in the future. Who knows what could happen?”

Lan Wangji said nothing, only looking down demurely at the table. It sent him into full laughter again. “I’m not seriously suggesting that we do anything of the sort. After all, if I want you to drag my mother to Gusu, you should probably meet her first!“

Lan Wangji’s shoulders loosened slightly. He could only tell that there had been tension there by its absence now. “Is she nearby then?”

He shook his head. “My little sister stepped wrong on a night hunt and broke her leg. They took her back to Qishan to our friends there, so I’m trying to cover more ground while they’re out of commission.”

Lan Wangji opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the waiter returning with their drinks. When the man had left again, he started again. “Is your sister all right?” he asked, eyes narrowing slightly in concern. “A broken leg is not easy to manage.”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “She has the best doctor in the jianghu looking after her and had to be tied down to her bed after two days. She’s going to be fine; she’s more angry at being stuck in one place than anything else.” He smiled at his wine cup. “I would have stayed longer, but she asked me to get back out on the road so I’d stop beating her at weiqi.”

Their food arrived, which meant it was time for Lan Wangji to follow his rule about not speaking during meals. Wei Wuxian said a few more words about his family as they ate, but he also found himself drifting into silence for longer stretches. There were just so many questions he wanted to ask this man!

But even without conversation, the meal didn't lack interest. Lan Wangji ate so neatly it was a joy to watch him, almost like a model of the ideal diner. Perhaps Wei Wuxian should paint his picture and pass it out to parents of messy children so they would have an example to look up to.

And he was just...very pretty. Wei Wuxian's memory hadn't done him justice. After they'd separated last time, his brain must have dulled the memory, leaving him to think that Hanguang-jun couldn't actually be as beautiful as he remembered.

Well, maybe he was still right. Lan Wangji just happened to be even more beautiful.

But now he seemed to have noticed Wei Wuxian's silent staring, because while he still didn't speak, he raised an eyebrow. Automatically speaking nonsense without even thinking about it, Wei Wuxian lifted his bowl and said, "Isn't the food here delicious, Lan Wangji? I was just savoring it. Of course, it could do with a little more heat, but it's very good all the same. Sometimes small towns have the best restaurants, don't you think?"

Still, though the food was very good, he hurried through finishing it, mentally prodding Lan Wangji to do the same. As much as he didn't have a problem talking for them both sometimes, his own voice sounded much better when accompanied by Lan Wangji's deep, magnetic baritone.

He had missed Lan Wangji. It was good to see the other man again.

Lan Wangji ate deliberately, yet not too slowly. Wei Wuxian still finished before he did, but not much before. When he set down his chopsticks and gently moved his bowl to the edge of the table, he almost got the sense that Lan Wangji had rushed in his own way so that they could talk sooner.

He propped his chin in his hands, considering his companion and the time before them. “So you’ve been using my compass more,” he drawled, watching for the tiniest flickers of emotion beneath that cool, beautiful, stoic face. “What have you found with it? What has it done for you?”

Lan Wangji sipped his tea carefully, setting his cup down firmly before speaking. “There was a nest of rabbits that had been cursed, which scattered when I discovered them. While the compass struggled with determining the location of them when they all held still, if one started to move, it would remain fixed on that point till I was able to find the rabbit and cleanse it.” He cleared his throat somewhat. “They were in poor condition, so I took them back to the Cloud Recesses, where they will be cared for until they are ready to return to the wild.”

Wei Wuxian smiled fondly at the thought. “Rescuing all the innocents, then. Do you like bunnies, Hanguang-jun?”

Lan Wangji looked down at the table and said nothing. Wei Wuxian thought that meant yes and amused himself by imagining Lan Wangji covered in small rabbits as he carefully cleansed them and transported them somewhere safe. What an image!

Wei Wuxian gave his companion a long look to say that he guessed his secret, but then he took pity on him and returned to the previous topic. "Have you found any issues? Any points you think could be improved?"

Lan Wangji took a moment to think about it. "I once encountered an area with multiple sources of moving resentment -- separate clusters of walking corpses. The compass was able to direct me to the area itself, but the pointer was less effective once I moved closer. I believe the rabbits were close enough together and did not travel extensively, so this problem did not arise with them. However, if the compass were to perhaps sequentially lock onto each source, that might solve the problem."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Yes, I've encountered that kind of thing too," he agreed. "I designed the compass to point towards the place with the most resentment, but it can struggle when the resentment is split more equally." He took a sip of his wine. "It's also not specific enough. I have tentative plans for it to better identify what kind of resentment it's pointing at -- yao or gui, for instance -- but I'm still working out how exactly to do that. Direction is good, but I feel like it should do more."

"Most compasses only indicate direction," Lan Wangji softly replied. "Identifying the source may be more useful for a different kind of tool. You may find it easier not to have the compass do too many things."

"True, true." Wei Wuxian sighed. "But that feels less efficient, doesn't it? Why make someone carry two things if they could just carry one?"

"Cultivators do not tend to lack space for tools," Lan Wangji pointed out. "Furthermore, your compasses may be useful as they are to civilians, who could use them to avoid resentment. They likely will not need more information."

“Oh, that’s a good point,” he said, brightening up. “It can still be just as useful to them as it is now. But I still want to get it to be able to do more.”

Lan Wangji inclined his head just slightly in that way that he was beginning to recognize was his way of acknowledging Wei Wuxian even when he had nothing else to add. Realizing that little fact made him smile more. At first he’d thought that Lan Wangji truly concealed everything he thought beneath a flawless mask of jade. But that wasn’t the case at all! He just needed to learn how to see what he was thinking in a different way.

Lan Wangji could capture his attention so easily with just the flicker of an eye. Each glance he caught made him want to look more deeply and see just what else hid beneath those fine features and flat, golden eyes.

“It’s really nice that our paths crossed again,” he said calmly, resting his chin in his hand, looking at Lan Wangji through his lashes. “I was beginning to think I really would just have to show up in Gusu and cause a riot there to catch a glimpse of you.”

Lan Wangji breathed in slightly and looked down at his tea. “That would not have been necessary,” he said, voice ever so slightly tightened. “We would have met at some point.”

Wei Wuxian pouted. “Yes, but how much longer would it have taken? There’s so much jianghu to wander that we could have missed each other for years still.”

Like they had already. Hanguang-jun had started becoming famous a few years ago, and of course Wei Wuxian had been wandering for most of his life. It had still taken them so long to meet.

Ah, but he should be glad that they'd met at all. The jianghu was big, and they could have continued to miss each other. Instead, serendipity brought them together not once but twice. Their yuanfen together might be stronger than he'd thought.

"...Next time you feel the impulse to riot in Gusu," Lan Wangji offered tentatively, his face tilted down so his hair fell in front of his face, "you can simply ask to arrange a meeting. We have already exchanged letters. You know how to reach me."

Wei Wuxian beamed, his previous disquiet forgotten. Lan Wangji wouldn't have offered something he wouldn't want to do himself. Maybe next time, he could help fate along.

"Where are you going next?" he asked. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Do you have to hurry away, now that you were too late to kill water ghouls?"

Lan Wangji gave him a flat look, but Wei Wuxian just grinned at him. Finally, he replied, "I have no immediate responsibilities. I simply planned to continue traveling."

Wei Wuxian’s grin grew. “Then what do you say to traveling together for a little while?” he asked, straightening up. “I actually have a new invention to try out as well -- that is, if you don’t mind a little heretical theorizing.”

To be honest, he was a little nervous mentioning it after their previous conversation on the topic had ended poorly. But back then Lan Wangji had been willing to continue traveling along, with the sense that they didn’t want to continue a conversation that might lead into an argument.

He knew that his style of cultivation sometimes ran into the risks that people were not able to separate what they learned about resentful energy from how he and his family worked with it.

He wanted to be friends with Lan Wangji. But to have that, he needed Lan Wangji to at least accept that his cultivation style was a little more unorthodox, even if he didn’t understand why it worked.

As much as he liked him, if this was to be a sticking point for Lan Wangji, it would be one they couldn’t move past. He wasn’t going to change how he cultivated for anyone.

Lan Wangji said nothing at first. He sipped his tea. He set down his cup.

The pause went on long enough that he almost winced when Lan Wangji opened his mouth. “I must confess to some hesitation, but… I will wait and see what it is you are doing with my own eyes before I pass judgment.” He nodded with more conviction than he had started speaking with. “I will join you.”

Wei Wuxian sat back and closed his eyes, smiling to himself before he opened his eyes again. His mother had warned him, when he mentioned meeting Lan Wangji and discussing cultivation with him, that Lan Qiren was stiff even for his clan. His rigidity had once put Wei Wuxian's own father and the Jiang clan leader in danger, from which his mother had had to save them, and Lan Qiren had been unrepentant. She had also heard good things about Hanguang-jun, but she cautioned that he still might have learned bad habits from his uncle.

Not this, at least. Hesitant Lan Wangji might be, but at least he was open-minded enough to observe first.

"Are you ready, then?" he asked, looking over their empty dishes. "The compass indicated there's nothing nearby that would work, so we might have to wander a bit. Unless you've heard of any other villages plagued by corpses or ghosts we could head to?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. He rose from his seat without a word and found their waiter, and Wei Wuxian only realized that he was paying when he returned.

"Hey, I can pay too," he asserted, but didn't insist when Lan Wangji waved it off.

Lan Wangji was polite, but he wouldn't do things if he didn't want to do them. And Wei Wuxian was not so attached to spending money that he minded when someone wanted to buy him lunch.

"What precisely are you testing?" Lan Wangji inquired as they headed out into the sunshine.

"I've come up with what I'm calling a spirit attraction talisman," Wei Wuxian explained. They didn't have a specific destination, so he just began walking in the direction he was originally headed when he first heard of the water ghouls. "It was actually easy -- just four more strokes on a common spirit-repelling talisman and it reverses the whole thing to attract those spirits instead." He eyed Lan Wangji before adding, almost teasingly, "The user doesn't even need to work with resentful energy themselves at all. The talisman does all the work."

Lan Wangji frowned, but when he spoke, it was to ask, "Why did you not test it on the water ghouls?"

Surprised, Wei Wuxian laughed. "I could have, you're right," he agreed. "But going after them underwater and flinging them out is so much more fun!"

"Perhaps less so for those on the shore," Lan Wangji replied dryly, and Wei Wuxian laughed again.

“I already told you I was sorry!” he protested plaintively as they walked off down the road.

--

Unfortunately their quest down the road, while very fruitful in Wei Wuxian discovering that Lan Wangji had a well-concealed, delightfully biting sense of humor that could be brought out under very limited circumstances that he was attempting to map out the lines of, was ultimately fruitless by the time night fell. His compass hadn’t stirred even once.

Wei Wuxian sighed and looked at the rising half moon, noting how little light it cast. “How well do you know these roads, Hanguang-jun?” he asked, trying to stare into the shadows around the pale moonlight. “Night is definitely a better time to look for things to trap, but I’m not particularly keen on falling and breaking my neck out here.”

Lan Wangji hummed lightly. “I have walked this road before, but it has been some time,” he said calmly. “I can create light for a time if you wish to find a better place to rest for the night.”

Wei Wuxian frowned in puzzlement for a moment. A light-casting talisman wasn’t especially difficult, but one that lasted for more than an incense stick was another matter. He’d put his mind to the task once, but after losing his eyebrows to the first experiment, he had tabled it for the moment. He’d never considered looking into whether Gusu Lan had any aptitude with talismans though. “Sure, can you manage it for at least an hour?”

“That will not be a problem,” Lan Wangji said confidently. Then he drew his sword.

Wei Wuxian only had a moment longer to be confused before Bichen’s blade lit up as brightly as any torch or talisman would, shining steadily with a pale blue light much stronger than the weak moonlight above. In the soft glow emanating from Bichen, Lan Wangji looked like a true immortal, like someone who had descended from the moon itself to walk this humble earth with them. Even the very slightly smug look of pleasure on his face couldn’t stop Wei Wuxian from being dazzled by the light for a moment.

“Will this suffice?” he asked coolly, and there was definitely a hint of smugness in his voice.

Quickly shaking off his brief daze, Wei Wuxian huffed a laugh. "You are truly Hanguang-jun," he said approvingly. "I don't know that I've ever met another clan cultivator who would be willing to put his sword to so mundane, if practical, a purpose."

"They are tools," Lan Wangji replied as they continued walking, the sword glare bright enough to illuminate much of the road in front of them. "It is no more disrespectful to use them for light than for transportation."

Wei Wuxian would have to tell his mother about this. It would probably reassure her about Lan Wangji's temperament more fully than any of his own words.

"I am grateful to learn a new technique from Hanguang-jun," he teased. "Do you use your sword for this often?"

Shadows moved as Lan Wangji shook his head. "It is rarely necessary."

Wei Wuxian nodded, biting his lips on a smile. "Hmm, I see," he said. "You go to bed so early that you're not out after dark very often, are you?"

Lan Wangji shot a glance at him but did not reply, and Wei Wuxian covered his mouth for a moment before he let his hand drop.

Soon enough, though, he saw a path leading off the main road. He and Lan Wangji followed it, and after a few minutes they came upon a clearing with traces of fire remaining. "This looks like somewhere people camp often," he commented, surveying the whole clearing. "Shall we take our turn?"

Lan Wangji nodded slightly and they set to making camp. Lan Wangji held his sword near the pile of brush and sticks he had till he was able to strike flame from the flint he kept in his belt pouch, sheathing his blade once the fire began to grow. Despite having held it out and circulating spiritual energy for a while, he showed no signs of fatigue at all.

His cultivation was truly very strong then. The thought of it made Wei Wuxian unexpectedly shiver, though it could have been just as much the cool breeze that suddenly picked up around them.

Absentmindedly wishing for something to do with his mouth, he dug about in his pouches again till he found dried meat, something he always kept on hand. Even without needing to eat as often, the textural sensation of chewing sometimes calmed down the whirling winds his mind could whip itself into if it were not given enough to occupy it. He offered one to Lan Wangji, who turned it down with a brief look before unstrapping his qin from his back and setting it on the ground in front of him.

Immediately Wei Wuxian perked up. “Are you going to play again?” he asked, all thoughts of boredom instantly forgotten. “I’ve heard other qin players on the road -- not very many, but a few, and none of them as good as you!”

It was difficult to tell in the firelight, but Lan Wangji seemed pleased by the compliment. “I could play, if you would like that.”

Wei Wuxian nodded eagerly.

He knew that the Lan practiced musical cultivation, and of course an aristocratic clan like that would teach the qin. The nice thing, though, was that Lan Wangji himself seemed to enjoy it. Wei Wuxian's parents had made sure to include the qin as part of his own education, but he'd always preferred the dizi. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, seemed to honestly like the instrument that he no doubt had to learn anyway.

He seemed so peaceful when he played for leisure. During their last hunt, his eyes had always been sharp and focused when he played Inquiry. Now, though, his eyes were closed, his face relaxed. His long, slender fingers deftly plucked out a tune Wei Wuxian didn't recognize but made him want to relax as well.

Lan Wangji opened his eyes again as he brought his song to a close. That clear gaze fixed on Wei Wuxian, fire glinting against his golden-brown irises. "Will you play as well?" he prompted.

Smiling, Wei Wuxian pulled out his dizi. Already he liked this routine -- the two of them traveling together, stopping for the night, playing some music together beneath the stars before they fell asleep. Obligingly, he began playing a song, as Lan Wangji requested.

When he finished, Lan Wangji's gaze was now set on his dizi. His voice a little more hesitant, he asked, "...Does your dizi have a name?"

Wei Wuxian raised a hand to his mouth, covering his smile. Lan Wangji had no idea of the opportunity he'd handed him. "Oh, Suibian," he said, flapping a hand dismissively.

Lan Wangji's face didn't move, yet Wei Wuxian felt like he was frowning at him. "If your dizi is a spiritual tool, calling it as one pleases is disrespectful."

There it was. Wei Wuxian burst out laughing, even as he angled his dizi so he could show Lan Wangji the characters carved into the bamboo. They provoked an eyebrow twitch as well -- what effusive emotion he'd drawn from the stoic Hanguang-jun tonight!

"It is a spiritual tool, but I hadn't always thought it would be," Wei Wuxian explained, after he got control over his laughter. "When I first got it, I just wanted it to play music. My sister wanted me to name it, but I hadn't really seen a point, so to tease her I just called it Suibian. And by the time I did start using it as a spiritual tool, it had been Suibian for so long that changing its name felt more disrespectful than keeping it. That's its name, after all!"

He grinned. Lan Wangji looked a little lost for words.

"I'm sure I'll need to replace it eventually, because it really is just a simple bamboo dizi," he went on, "and I have a proper name to give the next one. But my Suibian has done well by me, and I never really saw the need to change its name."

"...Ridiculous," Lan Wangji said eventually, but it had no bite to it, so Wei Wuxian laughed again. His dizi's name had become one of his favorite jokes, so that alone was worth keeping it.

"What about your qin?" Wei Wuxian asked, tiling his head and smiling. "I assume it has a name. Is it as poetic as Bichen?"

Surprisingly for such a simple question, Lan Wangji did not immediately give a response. The fire crackled several times, and Wei Wuxian tilted his head and prepared to ask again, when Lan Wangji finally replied, "Wangji."

Wei Wuxian cracked up again in surprise and delight. Lan Wangji gave him a look that told him this was exactly why he’d hesitated to mention it in the first place, but it was too late for him to take it back.

“Same characters?” he asked between hiccuping giggles. “No hidden, clever wordplay I’m missing?”

Lan Wangji paused long enough that he could tell it was the exact same characters as his courtesy name.

It was amazing and perfect somehow. He couldn’t explain just why knowing that Lan Wangji shared a name with his own qin was the best thing he’d learned so far, but it was definitely a very important piece of information he’d have to commit to memory in order to tease him at the most opportune moments.

He wiped at his eyes, tears of laughter attempting to blind him from the most beautiful look of pure exasperation on Lan Wangji’s face. “How much are you regretting telling me this?” he asked, shooting his most winsome smile at the man across from him. “Really, this is perfect though. Even the incomparable Hanguang-Jun has an interesting quirk: that there is a Lan Wangji and a Wangji-qin. How will I ever be able to tell them apart now?”

He broke down into a fresh fit of laughter at his own joke, almost missing the odd look on Lan Wangji’s face. Something that seemed… almost like a surrender, an expression of helplessness.

But before he could latch onto it, it disappeared again behind the smooth mask of moonlight he always wore.

"How did that happen?" Wei Wuxian asked, still grinning, tilting his head at Lan Wangji in curiosity. "Surely you couldn't have been left with no ideas for what to name your qin."

Lan Wangji eyed him, then looked into the fire. "I received my qin before I was of an age for my courtesy name," he replied, a little stiffly, "and I thought it an appropriate companion to Bichen, from the chengyu and the song. I believe my father similarly thought it an appropriate name, because that is the name he also bestowed upon me when I reached my coming of age."

That cut Wei Wuxian's laughter off. Everyone knew that Lan Wangji's father, the clan leader Qingheng-jun, was in perpetual seclusion. It sounded like he...may not have even paid enough attention to his own son's life to know what he named his qin, or possibly did know and co-opted his own son's naming effort. That made it harder to tease Lan Wangji about it.

Harder, but not impossible. "So your qin has had the name longer, hmm?" He rearranged his body so that he was leaning on his side propped up on one arm, where he could blink up at Lan Wangji from beneath his eyelashes. He kept his teasing tone as he said, "Does that mean your qin has seniority? Perhaps I should call you Lan Zhan, then!"

"Wei Wuxian." Lan Wangji's voice, low and a little graveled, carried a faint warning. Wei Wuxian happily bounded right past it.

"In return, you should call me Wei Ying!" He blinked up at Lan Wangji again, enjoying the angle. Like this, even when Lan Wangji ducked his head, he could see the strong, clean lines of his face clearly. "We're close enough for that, aren't we?"

Lan Wangji looked like he wanted to protest on principle but could not decide why. It certainly wasn’t because he could deny they were close enough for it, because he would have just said so were that the case. The corner of his mouth just barely twitched in never before seen levels of emoting -- was it an unspoken word, a desire to frown, or, perhaps even more delightfully, a swiftly-concealed smile?

He wondered what Lan Zhan’s smile would look like. Or if he would ever get to see it. He could easily determine that it was a rare thing, something one could go their whole life searching for and never see. Like a dragon coiling about a mountain peak in the sunrise, the early morning mist burning off around it. Or a qilin stepping daintily about the first spring flowers thrusting up through the snow, only to be seen by those it deemed worthy.

The intensity to which he wanted to be worthy of seeing Lan Zhan’s smile was almost enough to take his breath away. Just what would he need to do for a single glimpse?

It would have to be problems for future Wei Wuxian to solve. The fire was beginning to burn down, a problem solved by him getting up and hunting in the long shadows for new branches, but by the time he returned, Lan Zhan was clearly beginning to succumb to Lan Bedtime, as his mother had grumbled about.

He flopped down in his spot by the fire and gently poked it with his stick, watching the embers stir and flare. “I can set up the watch array if you take the tents, Lan Zhan," he offered. "You can just go to bed when you're done. No need to wait on me."

Lan Zhan looked at him steadily for a moment, face unreadable despite Wei Wuxian's efforts to learn it. Finally he nodded and pulled his own tent out of his sleeve. Wei Wuxian dug his out of his pouch and left it nearby, then went past the edge of the firelight to set up the array that would warn them should anything approach.

When he returned, both tents were set up and Lan Zhan was missing, presumably asleep in his. For a moment, Wei Wuxian wished he hadn't said anything about the tents, that he'd suggested they just sleep under the stars. He'd only been able to see Lan Zhan asleep once, at the end of their last hunt when Wei Wuxian had managed to stay awake just a little longer. At the time, he'd slept on his back with his hands folded over his chest like a corpse, and Wei Wuxian wanted to see if that was his habitual sleeping posture.

Ah well. The night breeze was chilly enough that the walls of a tent would be welcome to keep in the warmth. Surely at some point in the future, he would have another chance to see Lan Zhan asleep.

He wasn't quite ready to go to sleep himself, so he stayed seated by the fire and pulled out his compass and spirit attraction flags. He only glanced at the compass, whose pointer still turned lazily to indicate nothing resentful nearby, before turning his attention to his new talismans. He had the base one set and ready for testing, but he wanted to have more variations available based on distance. He should be able to alter his flag based on how far away whatever he wanted to attract was.

Maybe at some point, he would also be able to alter the flag to attract particular beings, the way he wanted to identify them for his compass. In an area with both ghosts and corpses, it might be useful to attract them one at a time so they could be dealt with separately, rather than attracting everything at once and potentially getting overwhelmed. But that was even further away than variations by distance, so it could wait.

Eventually, he found himself yawning. Ready for bed, he put away his tools, crawled into his own tent, and sleepily set up his bedroll before nestling into it. His last thought before he fell asleep was that it was too bad he wasn't sharing a tent with Lan Zhan, because his body heat would have made the small tent nicely warm.

--

Sleep broke around him as slowly as a fog, clinging in wisps and fragments of dream and eyes that would rather stay shut than have to face the glaring sunlight outside of his tent.

Wei Wuxian initially even tried to return to sleep when the tiredness in his limbs suggested that it was only a shichen past sunrise, squeezing his eyes shut and curling up more deeply into his bedroll.

It was only when the soft whisper of a banked fire outside his tent combined with cobwebby memories of the previous day and how Lan Wangji had unexpectedly crossed his path once again yesterday that he decided to forgo extra sleep and get up instead.

He sat up slowly and yawned, pulling his loose braid apart and styling it back up into his usual high ponytail. It was tricky to make himself presentable inside the low tent, but he felt like being fussy about his hair and looking nice first thing in the morning.

Lan Wangji always seemed to wake up and be as perfect as any other time in his day, so it was only fair if he attempted to balance the scales a bit there.

When he was satisfied with his hair and the relative smoothness of his outer robes, he crawled out of the low tent and into the blinding sunlight, blinking water from his eyes. As his vision cleared, he immediately glanced around for his companion.

Lan Wangji, as he thought he might be, already looked pristine and ready for the day, an unfair advantage of him rising at his terrible hour. He had also produced a small pot from somewhere and was stirring what smelled like lightly spiced congee in it. Two bowls sat next to him on his little log, simple clay bowls that were made to survive long travel, as well as a small teapot with the tiniest whorl of steam rising from its spout.

This time it was his mouth that started watering.

"That smells great," he said, coming forward to peer into the pot to see what looked like scallions and mushrooms in there as well. He flashed a quick smile at Lan Wangji. "And I see you've learned something about spice! Did you get bored of plain congee after meeting me?"

Lan Wangji shot him a look, but did not reply. "It is almost ready," he said instead. "You may still wish to add spice according to your taste."

"Oh, I'll try it as it is first," Wei Wuxian assured him. "As much as I love spice, I don't need to add even more to everything. It's only when I don't like the other flavors that I need to overpower them with something better." He winked. "This, on the other hand, looks very good."

And it was very good. Warm, savory, and flavorful, it took three whole bowls for Wei Wuxian to pronounce himself full. Lan Wangji didn't eat quite as much, but he didn't seem unhappy with so much of his hard work disappearing into Wei Wuxian's stomach.

Now that it was light out, Wei Wuxian easily found a gentle creek not far away. "I'll wash up," he offered. His own parents tended to take turns cooking, and whoever did not cook was the one who cleaned the dishes.

Lan Wangji inclined his head and moved to take the tents down. Wei Wuxian gathered up the dishes and moved over to the creek, whistling along with the early morning birds. This wasn't his favorite time to be up, but the companionable domesticity was a good start to the day nevertheless. Plus, he had a great breakfast he didn't even have to cook!

The camp had been dismantled by the time Wei Wuxian returned Lan Wangji's clean dishes to him. "Ready to keep looking?" he said. He pulled out his compass again, but it indicated nothing resentful had drawn closer to them in the night.

Lan Wangji nodded, coming over to look at the compass. Wei Wuxian tilted it towards him so he could see the lazily spinning arrow. “Still nothing around here,” he muttered, glancing about the road and the scenery around them. “We may have more luck leaving the road behind and going up into the hills instead.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully. “Who knows what sort of horrible things are hiding in the hills and valleys where most cultivators don’t walk?”

Lan Wangji nodded again. “Mn,” he said calmly, glancing towards the hills to their right. “We may indeed find something there.”

Wei Wuxian grinned and stashed his compass back out of sight. “I hope your robes are warded against burrs or otherwise you’ll never get them all out of the fabric again,” he teased as they set out, walking calmly through the grass as it rose up and up, all signs of other humans disappearing into the green fields.

Lan Wangji gave him a careful look, as if he were trying to decipher how much of what Wei Wuxian had just said was him speaking nonsense. Wei Wuxian gave him an innocent look. Sure, it was definitely teasing, but he’d spent many long evenings untangling burrs from his robes and throwing them into his fire until he’d worked out his own variation of a charm that could keep them from sticking and rubbing his legs raw through his trousers.

Annoyance was the mother of invention as often as necessity. He could think of so many things that had been created just so that the inventor no longer had to deal with the problem at hand. Even a few of his had been born from the same irritated spring.

Although perhaps it was an annoyance that the peerless Hanguang-jun had never had to deal with in his life as well. Gusu Lan was well known for their spotless white robes and their general attitude towards cleanliness. It was just as likely that Lan Zhan didn’t even know what a burr was, even if the mental image of him sitting down trying to work out those tiny green stickers from his white robes without snagging the fabric or getting stung beneath his fingernails was humorous enough that he hoped he remembered it for another time.

“Burrs will not be a difficulty,” Lan Wangji said at last, having evidently decided that Wei Wuxian’s teasing merited a response today.

It was always good for cultivators to check the areas off the main roads regularly, at least. Plenty of people got into mishaps in the wilderness, died, and turned resentful at the lack of proper burial. Malicious yao and guai were also more likely to form far away from large concentrations of people. Wei Wuxian's parents often traveled to more isolated areas to take care of such things.

They found a trail to follow away from the main road, and Wei Wuxian was both mildly amused and vexed to see that Lan robes truly did seem to repel all dirt, burrs, and other such annoyances. Even here, Hanguang-jun managed to look like an immortal descended to earth while Wei Wuxian was hot and dusty.

The sun reached its height as they started climbing through the hills. Trees in small clumps dotted the landscape, but the two of them found a larger one to take a brief rest under. Neither was particularly hungry, so they had some water and a few snacks before continuing on.

Around mid-afternoon, the compass finally picked something up.

"Looks like we've finally got something!" He gleefully showed Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji looked at the pointing needle and nodded. "Do you wish to test your talisman now?"

Wei Wuxian bit his lip in thought before shaking his head. "Because this is a test, I want to understand the circumstances more, know what I'll be attracting. I think we can find whatever this is using the compass first, then locate a place to lure it and use the talisman there."

He thought the best use of these flags wouldn't be blindly in the wilderness, but more for cultivators who already knew what their target was and wanted to draw it to them. The compass was better to track resentful beings down and gave cultivators more control over whether they wanted to engage or not.

Lan Wangji nodded, pulling out his own compass in turn. From here he could see that the metal backing had been carefully cleaned and polished, signs that Lan Wangji had taken care with the compass Wei Wuxian had given to him.

His heart warmed in his chest to see that little touch of care. Even he wasn’t quite so diligent at taking care of his compass, though plenty of that could be put down to tinkering with it in odd hours.

It took only a heartbeat for Lan Wangji’s compass to lock onto the same source of resentful energy, neither point wavering in the slightest. “Looks like our quarry has stopped for some reason,” he mused out loud, drawing Quanshui in his free hand. “Let’s go catch it before it decides to go running!”

Lan Wangji nodded quickly and they set off through the grass in search of their elusive prey.

They smelled it before they saw it, a puff of wind shifting direction and carrying the pungent scent of days-old dead body to their noses. Lan Wangji wrinkled his nose just slightly in distaste.

Wei Wuxian breathed through his mouth for a second until the fresh stink of rotting flesh dulled down. “Well, Hanguang-jun,” he said with a grin, “I believe we’re close enough.”

Lan Wangji’s eyes narrowed. “It would seem so. What must we do next?”

Wei Wuxian held up a finger and started to dig through his belt pouch for his newest invention. “We set up the perimeter,” he explained, passing over the first of five flags. “We place one at each corner of the boundary we wish to set, and the last at the center. Until they are all placed, I will not activate them.”

Truthfully, the simplest use of these flags only required a living presence to act as an attractant, whether a person or an inhabited dwelling. Wei Wuxian had already tested that and found it viable, but he had further theorized that setting the flags in a particular formation would draw resentful beings to a specific location even when there were living people outside the formation. It was this application that was likely to be safest during a hunt, and it was this application that he thought had the best chance of persuading Lan Wangji of the utility of his theories and inventions.

Lan Wangji took the flag gingerly, looking over his work. There was the lightest furrow in his brow as he examined it, but nothing seemed to alert his general concern. After a moment he nodded and jumped lightly towards a sturdy tree with a strong bough, hanging the flag from the branch.

Wei Wuxian grinned.

It took no time at all to create the perimeter, his flags fluttering in the light breeze. In the center of the flags, he staked a strong branch he’d grabbed for just this purpose down, then set the last flag upon it.

Lan Wangji looked at his neat work, curiosity and concern clearly warring in his eyes. “What happens after this?” he asked, his voice even despite any concern for what might be about to happen.

Wei Wuxian smiled teasingly as he brushed a hand inlaid with spiritual energy over the flag, watching the markings begin to softly glow. He stood within the formation, while Lan Wangji stood just outside it. “Now we wait for our prey to come to us.”

It was close enough for them to smell it, so it shouldn't have taken long for the corpse to arrive. However, time stretched until Wei Wuxian began to wonder if his flags weren't working at all. How embarrassing would that be, for him to invite Lan Wangji to test a talisman with him and drag him into the wilderness and then for it not to even work--

Then a dragging sound approached. It was slow, but the sound grew louder as it got closer, until finally they saw the corpse.

And now he understood why the corpse had originally been motionless, because its -- his -- legs appeared to be broken in enough places that he couldn't stand up. He crawled towards them dragging useless legs behind him. A walking corpse who couldn't even walk.

"Your talisman's attraction is strong, for it to pull a corpse not even capable of walking," Lan Wangji commented softly.

Wei Wuxian nodded, pity twisting his lips. The poor man's back was also crooked, as if more bones than just his legs were broken. At a glance, Wei Wuxian guessed he must have fallen from a great height. The strange thing, though, was that he was severely underdressed for a stroll through the hills. He looked as though he wore only sleeping robes.

There was no spirit to soothe here, with only the lingering resentment of his untimely death animating him. As soon as he observed the corpse ignoring Lan Wangji in favor of Wei Wuxian and the formation, he nodded at his companion. Lan Wangji stepped forward to kill him more fully as Wei Wuxian took down his flags.

"Where do you think he came from, Lan Zhan?" he asked. "They must not have known he was out here, or they wouldn't have left him there, presumably."

"I am unfamiliar with the area," Lan Wangji replied, frowning slightly as he looked off in the distance. "We may find out if we search the direction he came from."

Wei Wuxian agreed, but he frowned down at the corpse. He didn't really want to carry the poor thing, but it was also a bad idea to just leave him there. "Can you remember where we are?" he asked. "To tell his family once we find them?"

"Yes," Lan Wangji told him firmly. "I can remember."

Chapter Text

After some consideration of the poor, crawling corpse’s path, they struck out along down the hill, occasionally pausing so that Wei Wuxian could check a broken branch or Lan Wangji a brief smudge in the dirt. Their fallen friend had left enough of a trail that finding their way back to where he’d initially landed was not too difficult for the pair of them. 

It was no surprise that when they reached the end of the trail, it was at the base of a steep bluff with sparse bushes growing at the top. The dirt had a vaguely sandy, loose feeling to it, enough to make one’s footing treacherous. 

There was a large darkened patch of ground where likely the man had landed, small jagged rocks protruding from the earth like little knives to stab unwary passersby. 

Wei Wuxian crouched down and brushed his fingers over the dirt, finding it as dry as he expected. “Well, we’ve found where he came from. In his night robe he can’t have come from all that far away.”

Lan Wangji came to stand next to him, looking around the area. A chill wind seemed to pick up, tugging at their clothes and hair with an insolent whimper. “This is not a good area,” he said coolly as Wei Wuxian stood back up next to him, enjoying the protection of the very slightly taller figure from the sudden breeze. “The wind carries an ill turn with it.”

Wei Wuxian frowned as he closed his eyes and just listened to the world around him. “There are few birds, and a dryness to the air as well. I would bet not far away there is a gorge with jagged rocks and rushing rivers racing through it.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “The feng shui is bad.”

"That might account for the poor man's luck." He looked up towards the top of the bluff. "Let's head up there and see if we can find something, Lan Zhan."

They wound their way around rocks and bushes as they climbed to the top of the bluff. Once at the edge, Wei Wuxian looked down, but he couldn't see the darkened ground and rocks at the bottom -- the top of the bluff jutted out just far enough to hide it. Someone looking down from here might not have noticed a body at the bottom.

There was no clear trail from the bluff, but the two of them decided to start off going as straight as possible before circling around to see if they could see signs of human habitation. Thankfully, though, they encountered no problems themselves, coming up on what seemed to be the back of a town within a shichen. There were no signs from this direction, so they still didn't know where they were.

The town itself was...a more disturbing sight than he would usually think a town. It nestled in the middle of sharp cliffs on all sides, which towered over the buildings in a way both menacing and constricting, like they were about to collapse and bury the whole place. Wisps of white fog lingered despite the time of day, giving the streets an eerie, ghostly feel.

"The ancestors of these people did not choose their town's location wisely," Wei Wuxian commented softly as he and Lan Wangji slowly walked inside. The feng shui was so terrible that ill luck clung to the town. He would bet that more than just their non-walking corpse had died early here. And of course it was so isolated that the clans wouldn't want to come unless someone wailed on their doorstep.

Yet it was still a town as any other. People walked the streets, glancing sidelong at them but not speaking. The smells of cooking drifted out from open windows. The town was quiet and subdued, but alive.

Finally Lan Wangji noticed what seemed to be an inn and aimed them towards it. There was no one there but the innkeeper, who looked up at them with furrowed brow as they walked inside.

"We don't see many visitors here," he said. "Are you here for a meal or to stay?"

"Neither, I'm afraid," Wei Wuxian replied. "We were traveling through the hills behind the town when we came across a man, dead for less than a xun, dressed only in his nightclothes. We weren't sure where he came from, but hoped to find the nearest settlement to see if we could find his family."

The innkeeper’s frown deepened. “He could be one of ours,” he admitted more easily than Wei Wuxian would have expected. “We’ve had a few people wander off within the last xun and not all have come home. You say a man in his nightclothes?”

“Yes,” Lan Wangji answered smoothly. “He fell at the base of a bluff within a shichen from here. I can lead anyone who wishes to claim the man and bring him back to where we found him.”

The innkeeper nodded stiffly. “You should go talk to Ding Hong, then -- he’s the master of the coffin house. He’ll know who can help you bring back our lost resident.”

Wei Wuxian smiled disarmingly at him. “Thank you for your help, sir,” he said sincerely. “Do you know if there are any other troubles that might want a cultivator's help while we are here?”

Something in his face shuttered at that, but it didn’t close off entirely. He glanced up at the jagged rocks surrounding their town. “Strange things often happen here, young master. If you wish to help, you will find those who will take it, but watch out for yourself too.” A shudder ran through his body. “Not a one of us would wish for ill events to befall a cultivator here.”

Wei Wuxian thanked him again and left the man in peace after picking up directions for the coffin house. Lan Wangji walked next to him sedately, smooth face entirely unbothered by the scraps of information they’d picked up from the innkeeper. 

Wei Wuxian clasped his hands behind his back leisurely, stretching slightly as they walked along. “Such curious things indeed, Lan Zhan,” he said, drawing Lan Wangji’s attention back onto him as it should be. “They’re understandably wary and cautious, but not hostile at all.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “It is reasonable suspicion. I doubt people come here often.”

Wei Wuxian hummed in agreement as the buildings around them thinned out and a single building at the end of the road became clear. With a high threshold and sharp roof, this had to be the coffin house the innkeeper spoke of. An elderly man stood out in front of the doorway, gently sweeping dust out of the yard and away from the graves of those with no family to watch over them. He returned Wei Wuxian’s friendly wave with a nod and small smile. 

“Good afternoon!” Wei Wuxian called out to him as they approached. “The innkeeper said we should come speak to a Ding Hong, here at the coffin house?”

"You've found Ding Hong." He propped his broom up against the nearby wall. "What can I do for you, young masters?"

"We were traveling through the hills when we came across the body of a man dressed in his nightclothes at the bottom of a bluff," Wei Wuxian explained again. "We thought he might have come from the nearest settlement. Do you know if anyone went missing at night?"

"Yes, in fact," Ding Hong confirmed, frowning. "Li Feng had a tendency to sleepwalk, and he disappeared overnight almost a xun ago. We hoped he'd just gotten lost, and his brothers went out to try to find him, but..." He shook his head sadly.

Wei Wuxian exchanged a glance with Lan Wangji. "Can you direct us to his brothers, then?" Wei Wuxian asked. "We can show them where his body is so they can bring him home."

Ding Hong grimaced. "Unfortunately, they met with their own mishap -- some sort of wild animal got them both. We managed to find them and brought them back here, but...they didn't actually stay." He motioned them into the coffin house and showed them two broken coffins. "The first night they rose, they tripped over the threshold and stayed there until past sunrise. When we found them, they seemed dead again, so we put them back in their coffins. The second night was when they seemed to get stronger and managed to get over the threshold. We haven't seen them since."

"They may still be searching," Wei Wuxian murmured to Lan Wangji, who inclined his head. Raising his voice again, he asked, "No one here has seen them? They haven't attacked anyone?"

Ding Hong shook his head. "Not that I've heard, and I think someone would have told me."

Wei Wuxian tapped his lips in thought. The people here seemed remarkably accustomed to death and walking corpses, which made sense for a town with this kind of feng shui, but they still weren't cultivators. They didn't know how to put down or calm walking corpses permanently. All they could do was something like raise their thresholds.

"Well!" Wei Wuxian clapped his hands. "We do happen to have a way to find them, Master Ding. And maybe if we bring them to their brother, they'll be satisfied."

Ding Hong nodded sadly. “They were always very close, the three of them. I’m sure if they know their brother has been laid to rest, they will be at peace as well.” He let out a gusty, wheezing sigh. “Yi City is often not kind to the living, but at least we can care for the dead properly. If you’re able to bring them home, I will have fresh coffins and a place in the graveyard for them.”

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji bowed to him in unison, with Ding Hong returning the bow as deeply as his back would allow. He smiled wanly at them. “I wish you well, young cultivators. Not many come out as far as our little town here, and fewer still want to help when they get here. May the treacherous luck of Yi City be on your side.”

With a few more pleasantries, they left him to his work, heading back for the back road into the wilderness they had wandered along before. Wei Wuxian pulled out his compass before they even left town, even though he knew he likely wouldn’t find anything. Sure enough, the compass needle spun aimlessly, finding nothing within the radius it could search. 

“We will find them soon,” Lan Zhan said calmly. “If the compass does not lead us to them, we may be able to call them to us with your flags.”

Wei Wuxian immediately perked up at the suggestion. “Oh, have you come around on my invention now that you’ve seen it in action?“ he said teasingly, clasping his hands behind his back and twirling to walk so he was walking backwards, watching Lan Wangji’s face intently. His companion stared back at him impassively, but there was a new look in his golden eyes, something that spoke to Wei Wuxian of quiet amusement. “Tell me the truth, Hanguang-jun, you really were impressed with my flags and their potential once you saw what they could do, weren’t you?”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said, bright eyes definitely glimmering now. “They were useful.”

Wei Wuxian fought to school his grin into a pout. “Only useful? Not clever? No 'Well done, Wei Ying' for this poor inventor who has his inventions so callously dismissed?” he whined, widening his eyes slightly. “Lan Zhan is cruel indeed.”

Not a single muscle moved on Lan Zhan’s face, but he knew the other man was smirking beneath that jadelike exterior. “They are useful,” he repeated. “They will be useful again later.”

Wei Wuxian pretended to turn around in an offended huff, but it was only to hide his grin from Lan Zhan. Even though he had been thwarted in his plans, teasing the other man only grew more and more fun by the day. 

Despite the bad luck in the feng shui around them, he could only feel like their good fortune was growing better and stronger with each passing hour in Lan Zhan’s presence. 

He turned back to Lan Zhan within moments, his huff disregarded. They paused to stop somewhere with no one nearby. "Let's head back to our poor friend over there," he said, jerking a thumb towards where they first entered the town. "If we want his brothers to find him, drawing them there is probably the easiest way to do it. I don't have more of the finalized flags ready yet, but that's okay. We can use some of my prototype flags, though they don't set a boundary." He dug through his belt pouch for those, pulling a small stack out and handing them to Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji took them, his eyebrows drawing in slightly. "What is the difference between these and the ones you used earlier?" he asked.

"Their range is based more on the power used to activate them rather than prescribed by the flag and the boundary," Wei Wuxian explained. "They're more easily able to attract more than you've bargained for. I don't think that will be a problem here, though. The compass is also able to tell us when something resentful is approaching, so nothing should take us by surprise."

They both turned back and began heading to the rear of the town again. This time Wei Wuxian paid a little more attention to the storefronts than the people and began noticing how many of them advertised funerary goods. The Li brothers were almost certainly not unusual in the untimeliness of their deaths, if the extreme availability of all these stores was anything to go by.

Wei Wuxian did not strongly remember the way to Li Feng, but thankfully Lan Wangji did. Once they arrived, he checked the compass once again, but still found no sign of resentful energy within ten li. The Li brothers might have left the town from the other entrance.

Still, that shouldn't matter too much. "Once we activate these, we'll start drawing in anything resentful that can feel it," he said, taking out some of the talismans himself. "The more active flags, the stronger the attraction, so if nothing starts heading toward us soon, we can activate more."

"And if a surprise does approach?" Lan Wangji looked at him calmly.

Wei Wuxian grinned. "We'll still be able to see it with the compass. And if it's something dangerous...I'm sure the two of us can handle it." He knew his own strength, and knew also that Lan Wangji was his equal. If there actually was something they couldn't handle, it was also their duty to draw it even further away from Yi City. He wouldn't mind fighting at Lan Wangji's side again -- the first taste of it he'd had back in Liansan Village had been far from enough.

Once he had his flags all set up, he activated them again, the soft silvery glow of the characters glowing slightly brighter with the enhanced strength. Lan Wangji shifted his position ever so slightly to be ready for something to approach, radiating a subtle aura of strength and protectiveness. 

Wei Wuxian leaned back on a nearby tree, holding his compass in one hand where he could glance at it easily. The sun was sinking into the western horizon, the high cliffs around them turning the light into the heady gold of an early sunset, and it was nice to stand in the shade and admire his companion in front of him, ready for whatever could appear from the tall grasses. 

Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji, Hanguang-jun fascinated him like no other. He feared nothing that could appear on a night hunt because he knew his own skill set and capabilities inside and out. He was willing to look at his own comprehension of the world and reconsider them when the world proved to be different from what he had initially learned. He truly did consider no night hunt beneath him, no problem too small to help with, and no task below him. 

Wei Wuxian had met a great many clan cultivators in his time, especially once he’d come of age and began traveling by himself rather than with his parents. While they could not all be painted under the same brush, it had become easy to pick out the ones that were all bluster under their supposed brilliance, where the light simply bounced off their robes so as to blind others who attempted to look too close. 

Lan Wangji truly wasn’t like them in any way. He could think of no one in the world who suited the title Hanguang-jun more. His light was as real as the sunlight above. 

The more he learned, the more he wanted to know. The more he saw, the more he knew he had yet to see. 

There was a sensation of something he had yet to have a name for when he looked at Lan Wangji, but he felt like if he let it grow to be as it was, it would tell him in good time. 

For now he could enjoy looking at the man in front of him, waiting to reunite three brothers who had been separated by death because it was the right thing to do. 

Lan Zhan looked over at him with a quizzical look, but Wei Wuxian only smiled at him. After all, it wasn’t like there was anything else to do while they waited for the Li brothers to reappear from where they’d gone wandering. 

Just then the compass needle shuddered, then swung to point directly at his heart, right as the sound of crashing branches rang out in the lessening distance. The sound grew louder quickly -- too quickly to come from the Li brothers. He and Lan Wangji both drew their swords.

However, when the crashing noise caught up to them, only Wei Wuxian's training kept him on his feet. An enormous, monstrous wolf sprang at them, snarling. It must be a yao, for it was too large to be a normal wolf, and Wei Wuxian's mind went blank in fear. Suddenly he was no longer a grown man and skilled cultivator but a small child, lost and cornered by stray dogs.

He did not realize he shouted until the strangled sound tore its way out of his throat. Like he had so many years ago, he raised his arm to protect his face from those sharp teeth -- but this time he was no longer a helpless child. Training took over in the absence of thought as Quanshui flashed out and cut a deep score in the wolf yao's shoulder.

The wolf yao momentarily shrank back, but spurred on by resentment and drawn by the flags, it did not run away. This time it turned towards Lan Wangji, who already stepped forward to meet it. Dimly, Wei Wuxian knew that he should help, that it would be more easily killed with two people attacking it, but he could not force himself to move. Cold sweat covered his forehead, but he could not wipe it away.

Thankfully, he was not needed. As much as he wanted to watch the beautiful, elegant picture Lan Wangji no doubt made as he fought, his focus slid away until suddenly the wolf yao was dead at their feet, its heart pierced through with Lan Wangji's sword. And then Lan Wangji was in front of him, still out of reach of his sword, but peering at him with worry.

Ah, how embarrassing. He wanted to show Lan Wangji how strong and impressive he was, and instead...

"Wei Wuxian?" Lan Wangji murmured softly. Then his voice gentled further as he said, "Wei Ying?"

The soft baritone of his voice seemed to pierce through the haze of fear surrounding him as elegantly as an acupuncture needle, allowing the terror of old memories to drip away. Wei Wuxian made himself breathe in and out slowly until his throat unknotted. 

His laugh was thready and not as easily dismissive of the situation as he would like, but he was able to make it. “Hah, my apologies,” he said, not quite able to meet Lan Zhan’s questing gaze yet. “It’s an old fear I can’t quite seem to shake.”

“You are afraid of wolves?” Lan Wangji queried, immediately taking a step between him and the corpse of the yao. 

He swallowed and made himself smile, pushing down the remains of the fear into his stomach where they could congeal and go away without betraying his weaknesses so easily. “Of dogs,” he confirmed. “I can ignore them when they’re the proper size for such animals, but the bigger they are…” He shrugged carelessly. 

Memory was a thorny, tangled thing, and bad memories all the more so. He could only recall one such time in his life where he had been bitten by dogs, lost and scared in a strange town and separated from his parents. They had come and taken him away, but the memory had never completely faded, unlike so many others both good and bad. 

At this point he doubted it would. The dogs of yesteryears were undoubtedly long gone, as was this wolf yao whose body was now cooling in the sunset, but the memories would outlast them all. 

But then another memory cut through it as sharp as a knife, a brand new one that he would not soon forget. He smiled and met Lan Wangji’s eyes once more. “You called me by my name.”

He thought Lan Wangji would deny it, allowing Wei Wuxian to try to tease him into admitting it, but he surprised him. "I will remove the corpse," he said. He retrieved his sword, cleaned it and put it away, and then returned to the dead yao and picked it up. With one hand. And no effort. Wei Wuxian was distracted enough by the display of strength that he only remembered to check the compass for anything else coming when Lan Wangji was coming back.

There was nothing quite yet, so Wei Wuxian happily chose a different topic to tease Lan Wangji about. "What do you do to train your arm strength, Lan Zhan?" he asked, tilting his head to one side and grinning. "Enormous wolves have nothing on you!"

Lan Wangji gave him a flat look. "It could not have been even three dan. Surely you could lift it as well."

Wei Wuxian hummed. "Of course, of course, but I am not ashamed to admit it would not have been as smooth as that. Is it a secret technique of the Lan? Or something that makes eating all that bitter food worthwhile?"

"Handstands."

Wei Wuxian blinked. "Handstands?"

"Many handstands."

Lan Zhan's face didn't even change. Delighted, Wei Wuxian grinned even wider. "Can I see?" he asked, clasping his hands together. "Before you ask, yes I can also do them, but surely Hanguang-jun's handstands are a model of perfection."

He did not actually expect Lan Zhan to agree, and he did not. Instead, he said, "Check the compass again."

It was hidden in Wei Wuxian's hands when he clasped them, so he had to let go again to look. There was nothing yet, so Wei Wuxian rolled his arms out and stretched a few times. His heart still pounded a little from the wolf yao, and teasing Lan Zhan hadn't quite relaxed him enough, so he found himself feeling jittery.

Glancing around the area, though, his eyes caught on patches of wildflowers just outside the flag formation. He moved over to them and plopped himself on the ground in the middle of them, making sure to place his compass where he'd be able to see if something was coming. Then he began picking flowers, taking care to keep the long stems.

Lan Wangji followed him over. "What are you doing?"

Wei Wuxian looked up and immediately had to shade his eyes from the sight of Lan Zhan backlit by the setting sun, as if the light seemed to burst from him. Hanguang-jun indeed...

He stared for a little too long, and Lan Zhan tilted his head in curiosity. Shaking himself, Wei Wuxian lifted the chain of flowers he'd begun threading together. "What does it look like?"

"Why?" Lan Wangji asked next.

His sister had liked these. When she'd been very young, she hadn't had the dexterity to make any herself, so she'd begged and pestered him to make them for her. Wei Wuxian had never minded as much as he'd protested -- making something with his hands was relaxing.

He looked up again at Lan Zhan, taking care this time not to get completely caught up in the sight, before lengthening the flower chain further. Then he brought the ends around and tied them together. 

Holding the flower crown carefully, he jumped up again and gave Lan Zhan a smile before finally replying, "Your guan is so simple. Please allow me to add a few embellishments."

Without waiting for an answer, Wei Wuxian leaned forward and dropped the flower crown on Lan Zhan's head. The perfect size, it caught and held, but a little crookedly, so that flowers dipped down over his forehead ribbon. His eyes widened, and his hand slowly crept up to brush against the crown.

The sunset painted Lan Zhan's face and ears in shades of pink and red, which allowed Wei Wuxian to mentally decide he was blushing. How endearing! He immediately chirped, "Look at how it suits you! Whoever made that list of top-ranked young cultivators has clearly never seen you like this, or no one would be able to place you second!"

Lan Zhan still didn't speak. Grinning broadly to himself, Wei Wuxian leaned down to pick up his compass again. This time, though, the pointer finally indicated that something else was approaching, but now without the speed and noise of the wolf yao.

Lan Wangji, who must have seen it as well, immediately drew his sword again, not even waiting for whatever it was to show itself. Wei Wuxian glanced at him, but he appeared to have already taken the flower crown off. Pouting a little, he held his compass aloft, watching the needle dip slightly to one side as whatever was approaching veered to avoid the treacherous terrain around them. 

Wei Wuxian looked around, both trying to see what was coming and watching for a glimpse of where Lan Wangji had thrown the crown. Perhaps he could salvage it. But it must have landed amidst the flowers again, because he couldn't see where it went at all.

They waited again, long enough for the shadows to lengthen and a redness to enter the light as the sun fell through the thin mists surrounding Yi City in the distance. 

Then at last their quarry stumbled out from the distant trees, both looking the worse for wear after their shambling journey looking for their brother. They were still dressed in fine burial robes, but the fabric was now torn and stuck through with green burrs deeply woven into the silk. One of them was carrying his brother’s arm, which had likely fallen off in their quest around the jagged cliffs. 

They both were groaning slightly as they trudged forwards, eyes white and sightless. Wei Wuxian wrinkled his nose as they reached dully for him, feeling the itch of walking corpses trying to get a gulp or two of his yang energy, and stepped aside so there were no more barricades between them and Li Feng. 

The transition was nigh instantaneous. One moment they were vaguely trying to reach for him and Lan Wangji, who had stepped equally far back from their questing hands, then the next they were groaning and falling to the ground beside their lost brother. 

Wei Wuxian bit the inside of his lip as they touched his face, his chest, leaving dried bits of old blood on his face. Then after another moment, they sighed heavily and collapsed to the ground on top of him, the last breath caught in their chests escaping as they finished the final task they had set themselves to. 

Silence fell in the clearing along with the setting sun. 

Wei Wuxian finally sighed. "So many things linger after death," he murmured. "Sometimes they're even good."

Now that the brothers were reunited, he let the energy drain from his talismans. Looking at them, Lan Wangji seemed to hesitate, then finally said, "Your talismans...performed well. This outcome would have been more difficult to achieve without them."

Praise from this man, who was both extraordinarily competent and said neither more than he needed to nor anything he didn't mean, made all the day's weariness and the lingering tension from their encounter with the wolf fall away. Wei Wuxian smiled at him so widely his eyes closed involuntarily, and when he opened them again, Lan Wangji quickly looked away.

In the last remaining light, Wei Wuxian bent down to examine the Li brothers. Ding Hong had said they were attacked by a wild animal, and almost immediately he could recognize the bites. "I think we even managed their revenge for them," he said, indicating the marks of wolf teeth. "Hopefully the town will be a little safer for a while."

"Until that feng shui attracts other ill luck," Lan Wangji replied, frowning faintly.

"Well, now we know it's here, so we can come back and check on Yi City," Wei Wuxian said, straightening. "I can tell my family, and you can tell your clan, and we can spread the word."

Lan Wangji nodded sharply. "We should return and inform the town about the Li brothers."

"Let me draw a quick array to protect them from anything else that might wander by," Wei Wuxian agreed, and set to it.

Having seen Lan Wangji's strength, Wei Wuxian thought his companion would be well able to simply pick up the three corpses and bring them back to the coffin house himself. Wei Wuxian might even like to see that, as undignified as it would likely be for the poor corpses. But they were not far from town now, and it was better for the people who knew and loved the Li brothers to bring them home.

With twilight looming overhead, they started off carefully back towards Yi City, taking their time and watching their steps so as to not find themselves in a similar state as the Li brothers. While his reflexes were plenty good enough that, should he take a sudden stumble off a treacherous bluff, he could get Quanshui out in time to catch himself, he didn’t need any more scares to his poor, delicate heart today.

Lan Wangji walked next to him, seemingly deep in thought. Or possibly just with nothing to say. He was beginning to pick up on the things his face betrayed even when he wasn’t actually emoting, but a lot of it was still guesswork. So if he had to guess what had Hanguang-jun being quiet this time, he was likely thinking about Yi City and the people who were still eking out a life despite living in a place that left them at far better odds of an ending like the Li brothers rather than a peaceful death old and comfortable in their beds. 

He had never seen the Cloud Recesses for himself, but he’d been through Gusu many a time and admired the general landscapes and energy circulating through the area. He would hedge a bet that the Cloud Recesses lay in a place as near to an opposite of Yi City as possible. Certainly Lan Zhan had been quite well blessed by all that good fortune around him, to be so effortlessly strong and beautiful at the same time!

But a part of him grew discontent at the silence between them as they picked their way down a trail that was barely more than deer tracks. It pouted at the lack of exhilarating conversation they could be having while wandering around the bluffs back to Yi City. And of course he had the feeling that Lan Wangji could go days without speaking given sufficient reason to.

So it fell to him to break the silence. “We’ve found quite the interesting place today, haven’t we?” he said, scrabbling over stones to get right next to Lan Zhan to watch his face. “I know the feng shui there is terrible, but the people themselves are good.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji said, but it seemed distracted, as if he were focusing on something else. He turned his head slightly away, looking off into the growing gloom.

Wei Wuxian pouted slightly, but followed Lan Wangji’s eyeline. What could possibly be more fascinating than getting to talk to him?

For a moment he saw nothing other than deep shadows and the first stars baring their faces in the darkening sky.

Then he saw it too. A flicker of red that seemed a few shades too bright to be anything natural. It wobbled in the wind like a scarf stolen by playful breezes and carried up into the trees.

But he didn’t think whatever was attached to that bit of red was friendly at all.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said in barely more than a breath, turning his face away from it all the while his eyes did not budge.

Wei Wuxian’s smile dropped, as did his hand to Quanshui. “I see it too,” he confirmed in the same whisper. “What do you want to bet it also noticed the flags?”

With the flags no longer active, it would be free from compulsion and able to act as it liked. However, this close to the town, they couldn't let it do that.

It seemed to be a ghost -- a low-level one, less capable of hiding itself completely from experienced eyes. It bobbed in the air as if waiting for their fear and the yang energy that would rise from it, but of course neither of them was afraid. It bobbed again, then swooped down as if trying to more forcibly scare them so it could feed.

Its attack was so ineffectual that Wei Wuxian almost wanted to let it go. However, while meeting the two of them was its poor luck, it very well could get the fear and the energy it needed from the townspeople and use them to grow stronger. Then it could become a bigger threat.

Lan Wangji already had his sword out for the light it provided, so Wei Wuxian looked at him. "Would you like to do the honors?" he asked. A spiritual sword as powerful as Bichen was unlikely to have difficulty with a ghost as weak as this one.

It was almost too bad that all they could really do was send it on its way. A ghost like this didn't even have enough cognition for the Lans' Inquiry. There was nothing left of it but resentment and hunger.

Lan Wangji replied by stepping forward and slashing at the ghost as it once again swooped at them. The spiritual energy in Bichen easily cleaved the ghost in two, after which it quickly dissipated into nothing. Just to be sure, Wei Wuxian checked his compass again, but no further resentful energy attracted the pointer.

"Hopefully we took care of all the threats in the area," Wei Wuxian commented as they resumed their climb towards the town.

"For now," Lan Wangji said, and Wei Wuxian sighed in agreement. A place like this, there would inevitably be more.

Full darkness had fallen by the time they returned to the coffin house, but Wei Wuxian was surprised to see Ding Hong still there, peering down the street as if looking for something. When he saw them, he hurried forward.

"Young masters, did you find them?" he asked anxiously. "Or do you need to look again in the morning?"

"We found them," Wei Wuxian soothed. "We lured them to Li Feng, and they've all three moved on now. We thought we'd ask for the townspeople's help bringing them back."

Ding Hong grabbed at Wei Wuxian's hand. "Bless you, young masters," he told them fervently. "We've worried about those poor boys, but didn't know what to do. Once you came, I gathered some of their friends and family in hope that you'd take care of the Li brothers. They're waiting at the inn, and I know they'll be glad to help."

Wei Wuxian smiled at him warmly. “Thank you for your help,” he said, taking the old man’s hands in his own. “We can find our way from here.”

Ding Hong nodded solemnly. “I will be at the coffin house -- you will need someone available to help lay our young men to rest.”

Lan Wangji shook his head slightly in response. “The hour already grows late. There is no need to wait up on our behalf.”

Ding Hong made a very rude noise in response to that, drawing an unexpected laugh from Wei Wuxian. “No need? Are you planning on saying the proper prayers and making certain that they are at peace in their final rest?” He still had his hands firmly grasped on Wei Wuxian’s own. “I appreciate your kindness in bringing the Li brothers home, but this duty is one I am glad to bear no matter how late the hour. I suggest if you wish for me to sleep at an ideal hour, you do not dawdle any further!”

Lan Zhan looked slightly taken aback by the intensity in the old man’s voice, but covered it well with an elegant bow. “Of course. My apologies for causing offense.”

Ding Hong snorted again. “No apologies needed, young master. You have your duties and I have mine. The stars will keep me company in the late night while I await your return.”

Wei Wuxian bit the inside of his lip. He couldn’t say who was more amusing, the old coffin master who had just scolded Lan Zhan like a child or Lan Zhan who seemed to be confused at how they’d ended up in this situation at all. While his face showed none of it, he could see plain as day the same look that street cats got when missing a step on fences and pavement stones, all offended at the world for not being predictable. 

It was a fantastic look. Wei Wuxian wanted to put it on Lan Zhan’s face himself. 

Ding Hong released his hands after a moment, walking back inside the coffin house where he could see the warm glow of a hearth burning within. Once they were sure the old man was out of the night air, they set off down the road to the inn. 

The streets were bare and empty now, but lights burned in most of the windows, the occasional scrap of conversations blowing past them. It was a very pleasant feeling indeed, a good night in spite of everything that had come to pass. 

The men Ding Hong had spoken of were waiting outside the inn for the two of them already, three of them with strong lanterns already lit against the darkness. When they spotted the two of them, or more likely Lan Wangji in his white robes that glowed under the growing moonlight, they immediately came up to them, all anticipation and nervous hope. “Were you able to find our kinsmen?” a man with gray at his temples and in his beard asked. “Do you need us to help bring them home?”

Soothing this batch as well, Wei Wuxian again said, "We found them. They're not far, so if you're willing to come help, we can show you."

The man nodded firmly. "That's why we're here. This town has its struggles, but we do our best to take care of our people." He gestured at the other two men, who took up both their lanterns and a folded bundle of sticks and cloth. A rudimentary, makeshift litter, Wei Wuxian realized.

As he and Lan Wangji led the men out of town, Wei Wuxian told them, "We also found and killed the wolf yao that killed the Li brothers. You shouldn't have to worry about that either."

The first man, who introduced himself as the Li brothers' cousin Li Cheng, inhaled sharply. "Then you've our thanks for that as well, young masters. It's too late to leave town tonight, so we'll pay for your stay at the inn when we get back."

"That is not necessary," Lan Wangji told them. "This is our duty as cultivators."

Li Cheng shook his head. "Don't be polite now," he said firmly. "Duty or not, we know how to show thanks."

Since the men were insistent, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji simply agreed.

When the group finally reached the Li brothers, Li Cheng put his hands on his hips, closed his eyes, and let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know what you did to allow Li Yang and Li Guo to find Li Feng, but thank you again," he said, turning to face Wei Wuxian. "We knew they had to still be searching." 

Without waiting for a reply, he waved at his companions to unfold the litter, and then the three of them carefully moved the Li brothers onto the stretched-out cloth. The other men, who hadn't introduced themselves, took up the poles as Li Cheng moved forward with a lantern. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji took the other two lanterns and followed at the rear.

Progress back to the town was a little slower, with some of the ground a little too steep for the litter. However, Li Cheng and the others knew the area and were able to find paths with gentler inclines. Sometime during zi shi, the group made it back to the coffin house, where Ding Hong was still waiting with his own lanterns lit.

He accepted their help to get the three men lowered into the coffins, then shooed Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji off. “We thank you for your assistance, now go and rest,” he said, gently flapping his hands at them. “You’ve done more than enough for us today, so let us do something for you.”

The other men agreed; those who were staying behind were waiting for a chance to say farewell, and a few others had already left due to the lateness of the hour. There was little left that they could do anyway. 

The scraps of fog had curiously cleared up with nightfall. When Wei Wuxian looked up as they walked back down the sleepy streets to the inn, he could see the same belt of silver light stretching over the sky, the constellations that marked his way when wandering through the night. 

It had been a good adventure. His flags had been successful, and Lan Wangji no longer seemed to doubt his intent and care in his inventions. He'd even gotten to see his stately, dignified companion with flowers on his head.

He’d had a really wonderful time, everything all added up together. Even the shock and scare of the wolf yao couldn’t dent the good mood and good memories he would take away from this. 

The innkeeper met them at the door, eyes lined in shadows from having been up late waiting for them. “I’ve reserved my best rooms for you, young masters,” he said earnestly. “There are baths and food if you wish it. Nothing as fancy as what you could find in the bigger cities, but pleasant enough, I’m sure.”

“It is more than enough,” Lan Zhan said calmly. “Thank you.”

The innkeeper nodded and showed them up the stairs. “Zhuo Fan will be downstairs if you are in need of anything else. Please do not hesitate to ask.”

Their rooms were across the hall from each other, so they paused before entering. "I know you get up earlier than I do," Wei Wuxian said, "but don't head out before I'm up."

Was it his imagination that Lan Zhan's face seemed to soften slightly? "I will wait," he replied. He paused, then said, "Good night, Wei Ying."

"Good night, Lan Zhan."

Lan Zhan looked at him for a moment longer, eyes inscrutable, before walking in and closing the door for the night, the white tails of his forehead ribbon fluttering behind him gracefully. Wei Wuxian lingered for a heartbeat more before going into his own room, his fingers itching with the sudden impulse to pull on the pretty white ribbon, if only to see just how the other man would react.

He wasn’t going to do that -- at least not yet, anyway. He didn’t know much more about the Great Clans than what everyone picked up with time around their cultivators, but he could tell just from the fact that the Lan were the only ones who wore such pretty ribbons that there was something unique about it to the members of the clan, and that grabbing it out of hand would probably have some sort of negative reaction. The only time he had seen Lan Zhan without his was when he went to sleep.

It didn’t stop him from being curious, but he could wait until there was a good time to ask him what the ribbon meant. It might not be tomorrow, but certainly as long as their paths kept crossing, eventually there would be a good moment to ask.

He very much wanted to keep meeting up to hunt with Lan Zhan, to get to know the other cultivator better and keep puzzling out all the secrets he kept behind that calm face. Two days just wasn’t enough time together, especially not when they’d likely be parting ways early in the morning.

It was almost too bad they didn't have to share a room this time. That first hunt, Lan Zhan had been a soothing roommate, and Wei Wuxian still wanted to see if he habitually slept like a corpse.

Despite the long day, Wei Wuxian wasn't quite tired enough to go straight to bed yet. He prepared a pot of tea and very properly sat at the table waiting for it to steep. Once it was ready, he closed his eyes and took a sip, which was a little harder than it should be due to the size of his smile.

He set the cup back on the table, then let himself fall backward onto the floor. In a burst of energy and excitement, he rolled around a few times before lying on his back again and grinning to himself. It really had been a good day.

--

Not wanting to keep Lan Wangji waiting too long, Wei Wuxian hauled himself up in the middle of chen shi. At least one benefit of not sharing a room was that he could wipe away the drool and wash his face before anyone could see him. By the time he was ready, he couldn't quite match Lan Wangji's beauty, but he didn't think he was too far off.

Wei Wuxian rapped on Lan Wangji's door, wanting to check there before heading down. He was right, because light footsteps sounded before the door slid open. Lan Wangji's room faced east, so the light from the windows poured in. As Lan Wangji stood in the doorway, the light seemed to shine from him.

"Good morning, Hanguang-jun," Wei Wuxian said cheerfully, swallowing down a laugh. "Have you eaten yet?"

Lan Wangji shook his head gracefully, his hair following in his wake like a smooth trail of ink. His lips parted as though he were about to say something, then closed. After a moment he dipped his chin. “It seemed impolite to eat before you, since you requested I not leave before you woke.”

Something thrummed in satisfaction in his gut. Or maybe that was hunger. He hadn’t really eaten last night, too wound up from the hunt to stomach much. 

It didn’t actually matter too much. It was always most pleasant to break his fast with someone else sitting across the table from him. Even if it would be a quieter one than the ones he spent with his family, or Wen Qing and Wen Ning, or some of the other cultivators he’d had the pleasure of befriending, there was something very nicely Lan Zhan about all of it. 

He definitely wouldn’t be disappointed in the slightest.

He turned on a heel slightly, inclining his body towards the stairs and looking up teasingly at Lan Wangji through his eyelashes. “Then I shouldn’t keep you waiting any longer, should I?”

Lan Wangji nodded slightly, letting out a slightly heavier breath than usual as he walked out of his room and downstairs. Wei Wuxian stifled another laugh. To think that the great Hanguang-jun would forget to breathe for a second! 

There were brief times when Lan Wangji would remind him of his mother’s stories from her time up on Baoshan-sanren's mountain. As elegant and graceful as a crane in flight, whether in combat or walking up and down steep hills all day, even nibbling lightly at meals and sleeping as though it were merely a resting state until the sun returned to light his way. 

Then he would do something so truly mortal like forget to breathe for a minute and remind Wei Wuxian that he was even better than the immortals of lore. After all, what immortal could be teased for such human things?

He followed down the stairs, snickering to himself just a little bit.

The inn was completely empty when they reached the bottom of the stairs, not really a surprise given the nature of the town they were in. Only the innkeeper they'd met before was there, and he nodded at them in greeting.

"Are you wanting breakfast, young masters?" he asked. "On the house, again."

"That's really not necessary," Wei Wuxian assured him.

The innkeeper shook his head. "Li Cheng covered your stay last night, and I'm not out much for the price of a breakfast. Let us be at least this hospitable to you."

Giving up, Wei Wuxian allowed the innkeeper to bring them a free breakfast. And he very patiently waited until Lan Wangji was finished to start asking questions, only chatting about inconsequential things the whole meal.

But to his surprise, Lan Wangji broke the silence first. "Wei Ying," he asked. "What are your ultimate plans for the devices you made? Your compass, and the spirit attraction flags?"

Wei Wuxian scratched his nose. "I'd like them to be more available," he admitted. "They're useful for me and my family, and they've been useful to you too, haven't they? And my friend Wen Ning has also used them and thought they were helpful."

A faint line appeared in Lan Wangji's brow before it smoothed out again. "They have been useful," he agreed. "And my concerns have been alleviated. Would you allow me to show them to my family?"

"If you think they would accept them," Wei Wuxian replied, raising his eyebrows. "Won't they react like you initially did, though?"

"I will be able to explain," Lan Wangji said, eyes firm. Wei Wuxian actually began feeling a little hot under that steady gaze, and he wondered briefly if Yi City started warming up this early in the morning.

Wei Wuxian sighed and scratched at his chin vaguely as he mulled over the idea. Lan Wangji waited patiently for him, letting Wei Wuxian decide what was the best thing for him.

The Gusu Lan Clan was well known for being honest and upright. Lan Wangji was of course the best of them, but as far as general opinion went, his inventions being used to help people by the Lan would help them spread further to those who otherwise would not have a chance to see them.

Could he say he fully trusted the Lan Clan? If he were to be honest, the answer would be closer to no than to yes. But he did trust Lan Zhan. If Lan Zhan said that he would be able to explain, to show them to his family and get them out in the world where they could help people, then he knew that he would do that.

Lan Zhan was being sincere when he said he wanted to show them to his family on Wei Wuxian’s behalf. He was willing to take this risk on Wei Wuxian’s behalf.

So Wei Wuxian could take the risk too.

He grinned at Lan Wangji, propping his chin on his hand. “Yeah, we can do that,” he said. “We can see what your family thinks too.”

Lan Zhan let out a slight breath. “I am certain they will see the value in your inventions as I do.”

Further discussion with the Lan might even give him a reason to visit Lan Zhan at his home and see the Cloud Recesses for himself.

"So are you heading back home next, then?" Wei Wuxian asked, leaning back in his seat.

After a few moments, Lan Zhan nodded. "Between this and explaining the needs of Yi City, that might be best." Then his tone turned slightly apologetic. "However, initial discussions with my uncle may go better if he does not feel pressured to make an immediate decision."

"Which my presence might, yes." Wei Wuxian nodded, not feeling offended. He actually felt a little amused at Lan Zhan's tact. "I can give you my notes and a spare compass, if you think that might help. And you're always welcome to write to me if you need more information or you'd like me to come explain in person."

"Acceptable on both counts," Lan Zhan agreed. "Where will you go next?"

"My family should be in the Yiling area around now, I think. I might head over there to also explain both Yi City and any cooperation with the Lan to them." He smiled slightly to himself. "I think they'll find the news very...interesting."

--

After that, there seemed to be nothing else left, no more grand adventures waiting around Yi City calling for their attention. They walked calmly through the thick morning mist towards the gates of the city, side by side. 

Wei Wuxian attempted a few times to strike up a conversation, but oddly enough found the words dying before they could leave his mouth. It was the strangest sensation indeed: the sense of not wanting to break this comfortable silence, but also that if he passed the time with chatter, then too soon it would be time for them to part again. 

It shouldn’t have felt so strange for a parting between them to occur. Lan Wangji had a new mission to attend to, that of taking Wei Wuxian’s inventions back to his home in the hopes of convincing his family of their effectiveness, and he himself wanted to go back to see his family again, see how Meilian was doing and if she’d made it back onto her feet yet. 

He was used to goodbyes that would become hellos again soon enough. So why was it this time that he felt a twinge of discontent?

The only answer he could come up with was that this adventure had comparatively been so short compared to their meeting. Barely any time at all to get to tease and fight alongside Lan Zhan. 

It did make sense, after the excitement of their first hunt, that having their second end so much more smoothly and swiftly was a little odd. But Lan Zhan had told him to send him a message should he feel the need to riot in Gusu, and he was already determined to do that. He could use the time between now and when his boredom grew too much to draft out the perfect letter to catch Hanguang-jun’s eye. 

"Well, I think I can say that hunting with you is never boring," Wei Wuxian finally said as they reached the road. West would take him to Yiling, and east would take Lan Zhan to Gusu.

"Two hunts is enough to come to that conclusion?" Lan Zhan turned to face him, engaging in conversation as if he too did not wish to part so soon.

"It's the company, not the hunt itself," Wei Wuxian cheerfully replied, and delightedly watched Lan Zhan's eyes widen. But this was a good note to part on, he thought. Best not to drag it out into awkwardness. "You watch for my letters, Lan Zhan! And write me back!"

Lan Zhan nodded. "I will, Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian firmly turned away and took himself off, waving a hand above his head but not looking back. The quicker the parting, the sooner the next meeting would come. And it would come.

Their fate together was surely strong enough for that.

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan! I finally received your letter after far too long in Lanling. I still see gold spots when I close my eyes. But your letter was a much-needed reprieve and its contents even better.

My hunts have gone well recently. I am still working on my prototype compass and getting it to differentiate what prey it has discovered, though the distance continues to work effectively. It recently successfully caught onto a nest of mountain demons more than ten li away and remained on point my whole time tracking them, as well as adjusting well to where they scattered to while I was clearing out the nest.

My family is also well, and once again they travel towards Qishan, though this time it is because a friend of our family requested their help with something strange destroying her herb gardens. It is likely nothing serious, just something my sister can handle well, though I would have also gone had she requested additional aid.

In other news, I find myself thinking of Gusu and its cooler weather. If I were to head over there within the next couple xun, is it possible that we could meet up again? Or must I riot in Caiyi in order to catch your eye?

I will be in Jining for another xun. If I don’t hear from you by then, I just may wander down to Caiyi for a jar of Emperor’s Smile.

Yours fondly, Wei Ying

Wei Ying,

I am gratified that your prototype develops well. My brother has been testing the compass and spirit attraction flags you gave me, and he has been impressed with them. My uncle is more reluctant to see the value in anything so new and unconventional, but he is willing enough to be persuaded that he listens to my brother's reports on their functioning. Whenever the new version of your compass is ready, I, and I believe my brother, would be willing to continue testing it.

Your spirit attraction flags in particular were notably helpful on a recent hunt. The fierce corpses of a group of bandits had been following and attacking a caravan whose guards killed them. Attempting to kill the corpses as they were attacking would have presented more danger to the caravan, so I was able to lure them to a more suitable place. The caravan wished to reward me for my efforts, which, although unnecessary, I finally accepted at their insistence. However, they gave me a jar of wine, so I will pass this reward on to you, who designed the flags.

My family is also well, though my uncle would be less so were you to riot in Caiyi. You may go there if you wish for Emperor's Smile -- I cannot say the wine I sent will be as much to your liking -- but I am afraid your journey will be fruitless if your goal is to see me. My brother forwarded your letter to me in Zhengzhou. If you are still near the Lanling area, we may meet again in the north rather than the south.

Regards, Lan Wangji

Autumn arrived earlier the further north he went, with whole forests changed to a riot of color instead of the smatterings here and there back in Gusu, at least so far as it had been when he’d left last.

The crisp smell of falling leaves and the lingering smoke from hearths that burned all night drifted across his face as he turned and glanced down once more at the compass in his hand.

The pointer spun lazily, content. Not for lack of trying, but simply because he had been walking around this region for nearly a xun and had ferreted out most pockets of resentment pooling in ditches and shadowy corners of alleyways where people might not look too closely at what had once been living there.

Wei Ying’s last letter -- a hastily dashed off note that he would come up to Zhengzhou and meet him at Luodamiao Village -- burned against his breast where he’d tucked it for safekeeping that morning. Estimating the time it would take Wei Ying on foot as well as the time it had taken for the messenger to find him, he thought it likely that Wei Ying would arrive today.

The thrilling beat of anticipation in his chest refused to settle.

Wei Ying.

Once, Lan Wangji would never have thought to address the rogue cultivator Wei Wuxian so familiarly. He had respected what he had heard of Wei Wuxian's deeds and thought the two of them might get along well, but he never would have guessed how well. He never would have thought to enjoy Wei Ying's teasing as well as their work together, or to admire him for his body as well as his mind.

And yet Lan Wangji found himself doing just that. While these feelings were new to him, he was soon able to put a name to his anticipation at seeing Wei Ying again, his desire to manufacture opportunities for them to meet, the way his gaze lingered on Wei Ying's face when he smiled and laughed, the speeding of his heart and twisting in his stomach when it seemed Wei Ying flirted with him. These feelings scared him, and yet he wanted more of them.

However, he was unsure as to whether Wei Ying felt the same. Wei Ying was quick with a smile and a compliment, and he seemed to seek out Lan Wangji's time and company with the same eagerness Lan Wangji felt, but those could simply be the actions of a friend. No matter how close Lan Wangji wished them to be, he could say nothing of his inclinations until he could determine that Wei Ying wanted to be close to him for the same reason.

But soon they would meet again. Lan Wangji, having made a loop around the Zhengzhou countryside, was maybe half a day away himself from Luodamiao. Perhaps by this evening, he would once again be able to see Wei Ying's smile.

As he walked, though, his attention caught on a column of smoke billowing into the sky not far north of him. He paused and watched it for a moment until a passerby, coming from that direction on the road, looked back, then looked at Lan Wangji and commented, "I hope you're not going to Xingyang, sir. I've just come from there, and they may have a problem. There have been too many fires recently."

Lan Wangji turned his focus on the passerby. “What do you mean, too many fires?” he asked, senses already attuned to an oddity that should not be.

The man shrugged, evidently eager to get moving. “Xingyang may be larger and more prone to accidents, but there’s the occasional fire and then there’s whatever’s bothering them. I would take another road; they’ll summon a cultivator if it’s too beyond them.”

With another wave, he set back off down the road, obviously eager to put Xingyang behind him.

Lan Wangji stood at an impasse for a moment, watching the smoke column billow and thrash, a black cloud in an otherwise clear sky. At first he might have passed it by, assuming that were it in a village or a town it would be dealt with by the denizens of that place, and if it were in the wilderness there was nothing he could do to stop a forest or grass fire.

But now, what with the man’s words, he could not escape the sense that there was far more to it than an ordinary fire. “They’ll summon a cultivator if it’s too beyond them.”

He wanted to see Wei Ying again. But they were both traveling cultivators who shared an equal desire of helping those who found themselves in need regardless of status or situation.

Wei Ying would understand when he heard what was going on. Lan Wangji had no doubt that he would do the same thing were their situations flipped.

The decision was easier to make than he thought it would be. No longer hesitating, he set off down the road towards Xingyang, towards the cloud of smoke trying to blot out the sky.

A fire might be happenstance. Too many fires seemed like something starting them on purpose.

Even if the hands that sparked the flames turned out to be mortal, he was certain that he would not regret going to help. Furthermore, should it be something requiring a cultivator's assistance, he would be able to send word to Wei Ying to let him know that Lan Wangji was delayed and ask him to come. If cultivators were needed, their partnership would only be an asset.

A shichen's walk brought him to the outskirts of Xingyang, which, while not as large as Zhengzhou, was still a city with many people. He followed the smoke trail through streets filled with children running, mothers calling after them, merchants hawking their wares -- the crowds he would see in any other city. However, far too many kept glancing up, to the side, or behind them to watch that cloud of smoke. As Lan Wangji got closer, he moved more and more against the tide of people.

Once he arrived at the site of the fire, he did see many still there with bucket lines -- thankfully, he could also see the Suohe River at the end of the line. He mentally reviewed the arrays he knew and talismans he had with him before regretfully deciding he had nothing useful to fighting fires, so he simply joined the bucket brigade.

Almost immediately, though, he could see why the man on the road thought cultivators might help. Though the fire had completely engulfed one building, it had not leapt to the neighboring structures, despite being close enough that it naturally should. The flames even seemed to bend away from some invisible barrier extending not far out from the building.

It was possible the bucket lines were actually unnecessary, that the fire would not spread even without human intervention. Lan Wangji did not blame the townspeople for working to put it out anyway. It seemed a poor idea to assume that the fire would not spread later on, and smoke remained dangerous on its own. It was best to put the fire out as a soon as possible.

The people around him didn’t question him when he found a small gap in the bucket line and stepped into it. The woman next to him simply passed over a bucket that dripped onto the ground in front of him, and he passed it to the man on his other side. Out of the corner of his eye he could see several young men who were holding three or four empty buckets at a time and running back to the river as fast as they could.

It was a very efficient set up. He could see the beginnings of the effect on the fire itself; the smoke grew greater, but the leaping flames themselves were beginning to give way.

Not to say that their work was near an end, but it was heartening to see it taking effect slowly. Lan Wangji asked no questions of the people around him, since there would be time for that later, but just continued to help out passing the buckets through the lines.

By the time the flames had subsided, even he was feeling some of the exertion of the work in his shoulders and the palms of his hand. He flexed his fingers out as the lines began to disperse, though many of them hovered nearby, watching the wet ashes of the building that looked as though it had once been a house with great caution.

Now that the chaos had settled, he could see a woman with two children wrapped up in her arms rise from where they’d been hiding a few houses down. All three of them had streaks of smoke and red blistering on them. One of the men that had been near him during the bucket line came running over to hug all of them tightly.

“They were lucky; they all got out in time this time,” another woman said soberly next to him, having noticed where his eyes had landed. “Not everyone gets the benefit of the warning when these fires start up. Are you a cultivator?” she asked suddenly. “You wear a sword like the cultivators who come through sometimes do.”

Lan Wangji did not let the shift of conversation throw him off, instead bowing nearly to her. “I am,” he confirmed. “My name is Lan Wangji. I was passing through when I saw the smoke in the sky.”

The woman sighed heavily. "You saw how the fire behaved, then," she said. "There's something wrong here, daozhang. The man who owned that house was even a firefighter himself, and he still couldn't stop it before it ended up like this. None of us in this neighborhood know what's going on, and we've been trying to get the authorities to send for cultivators."

Lan Wangji nodded, then took hold of a bucket passed to him with water and a cloth to clear away some of the ash. He held it out to the woman first. "What do you know of the fires?" he asked. "When did they first start?"

The woman first cleaned her face and hands before handing the bucket back to him. "There have always been occasional fires, but the first weird one was several xun ago," she told him. "It was like this one -- it stayed confined to one house. The family got out, but they lost the house. Then the same thing kept happening. Not just houses -- there was a bank, an auction house, a bakery. But the house fires are stranger. This is the fifth one like this."

"Were all the houses in this neighborhood? What do you know of the inhabitants of the burned houses?"

She shook her head. "Not all in this neighborhood, but not too far away. It's not been spread across the whole city, at least. As for the people who lived there -- I know the Wangs, from today, but not all the rest." She sighed heavily. “There have been too many fires recently.”

Lan Wangji made a mental note to look into the owners of the burned houses. If they had anything in common, that would be a place to start. When he was done speaking to the witnesses here, he would also be able to review the burned house for traces of spiritual activity.

Before he could ask any further questions, though, a familiar voice said from behind him, "Lan Zhan! Fancy meeting you here!"

Lan Wangji turned quickly, only remembering that his own face and hands would still be covered in ash when he saw the markings on Wei Ying's face. His embarrassment at his own dishevelment, however, fell away into nothing at the sight of Wei Ying's brilliant smile, which even the ash could not obscure.

It was only the long years of manners drilled until they became habit that allowed him to nod in greeting. “Wei Ying,” he said, pleased that his voice remained as calm as he wished it to be. “Did you also see the smoke?”

Wei Ying nodded enthusiastically, his long ponytail bobbing with the motion. “I had stopped for a drink and to wash my face in the river when I heard the shouts of fire.” He wiped at his nose almost unconsciously and made a face when his fingers came away streaked with gray. “Not that you can tell now, but of course Hanguang-jun’s white robes came through the whole ordeal as spotless as ever!”

Lan Wangji could not stop himself from briefly looking down at his own robes despite knowing full well that they had been woven to resist and repel dirt, soot, and other mess. Wei Ying laughed when he caught him doing that, the sound full and pleasant. Somehow the soot streaks on his cheeks made his smile seem even brighter, brought new emphasis to the way his eyes crinkled when he was genuinely pleased…

Lan Wangji stopped that line of thought before it could spiral off into insanity once again. It was one thing to allow himself to be distracted by all the glorious ways Wei Ying could be when he was alone. It was another entirely when the person his thoughts so often coalesced around stood in front of him. Bereft of conversation to start, he offered the pail and his cloth to Wei Ying.

Fortunately he did not seem to take it as an insult, instead starting to scrub the ash from his face eagerly. “So what did you find out about the fires?” he asked, voice slightly muffled by the vigorous scrubbing. “The Wang family didn’t know a lot, but the younger daughter did mention that she saw the smoke coming from the wood pile next to their stove, even though the stove wasn’t lit.”

“Curious,” Lan Wangji said, accepting the cloth back and grimly undertaking the challenge to wipe his own face clean. “I heard similar, of fires that only burned one house at a time and would not touch the others.” When he finished with the cloth and bucket, he turned and handed it to another woman who was passing by. “I believe I even saw that with this fire. It seemed to bend oddly.”

Wei Ying nodded, crossing his arms and looking from under his eyelashes at the way people passed around them, simultaneously fearful yet almost yearning. “It would seem something interesting is happening in this town indeed. I know we had other things in mind, but would you care to join me in this hunt instead?”

Lan Wangji nodded immediately. He needed no further invitation. Just to spend time in Wei Ying’s presence was already all he wanted, but to seek out and solve a mystery in order to bring peace back to this town sounded even more appealing.

Wei Ying beamed at him brightly before suddenly frowning. “Hold on, you still have some ash on your chin,” he said, taking a step forward and rubbing intently at his chin with his thumb tucked under his sleeve.

Lan Wangji abruptly forgot how to breathe.

The touch seemed to burn, almost brighter than the fire they'd just put out. Hastily, Lan Wangji took a step back, afraid he might otherwise step too far into it. Wei Ying's hand dropped as Lan Wangji jerked away, a frown briefly creasing his face, but Lan Wangji had no words to reassure him.

"Well!" Wei Ying said, turning to look back at the charred remnants of the house. "We may need to do a little more investigation to be sure, but what do you say to working on another hunt with me, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Wangji would like few things as much, and nothing more. "Mn," he agreed with a nod. "I would like to check the site for traces of spiritual activity."

Wei Ying nodded as well, and the two of them easily made their way forward. Some of the remaining townspeople looked askance at them as they approached the house, though those people looked away once eyes caught on the swords on their hips. Once they stood at the edge of the wreckage, Wei Ying put his hands on his hips as he surveyed the site.

"Why don't you try Inquiry while I check for energy?" he suggested.

In answer, Lan Wangji pulled his qin from his back and found a nearby, relatively clean area to place it. As he sat down and put his fingers on the strings, he saw Wei Ying take a talisman out of his qiankun pouch.

Due diligence required him to at least try Inquiry, but he suspected even before playing the familiar opening notes that nothing would come of it -- and indeed, he received no response to his initial calls. He played it again just to be sure, but he knew his own skill; if any spirits were in range, they would not be able to resist answering. If a spirit truly was responsible for this fire, it had not lingered this long.

With his suspicions confirmed and nothing else to do while he waited for Wei Ying, he turned to watch his investigations.

Time and experience had somewhat mellowed his concerns towards Wei Ying’s use of energy in more unorthodox ways. It was still difficult to trust that the resentful energy would not harm Wei Ying, but for all of his seeming lack of concern, it was easy to see now that he was still careful with the ways he interacted with it. Always through a talisman, his compass, or another medium, never directly through himself.

Wei Ying had crouched down near where the hearth had been, holding his talisman right up against it. Small whorls of ash and dust settled over his boots, staining the black a muted gray. He was moving his lips slightly, though whether he was whispering something or just thinking so hard it was showing on his face, it was difficult to tell.

From where he sat, it was difficult to read the talisman to see what it was for, but as Wei Ying held it up, he could see it glow faintly, currently a pale, soft green in color.

Wei Ying frowned slightly, rising and walking around the remains of the hearth with his talisman out. The green light remained consistent and steady as he circled melted metal and blackened stone.

Then abruptly, it didn’t. As Wei Ying lowered it to a piece of blackened stone, the light wavered and flickered with sudden flashes of red, at first with some speed, but slowing and fading until the talisman light returned to the original green.

Wei Ying smiled in satisfaction. He looked over his shoulder at Lan Wangji, holding the nearly spent talisman up in his fingers. “There was something here at one point,” he confirmed, rising to his feet again. “But it didn’t linger for very long, and it wasn’t very strong. The talisman only picked up on where the fire must have started.”

"That is very precise," Lan Wangji observed. "Your innovation?" His talismans would have been able to detect lingering resentful energy, but not if it had dissipated, and with no indication of duration beyond its strength.

Still smiling, Wei Ying shook his head. "My parents developed it together. My mom came down the mountain with some ideas about energy she got from her teacher, but she initially kept a lot of them to herself when the clans here...didn't really seem receptive. My dad was willing to experiment with her, though, and they passed that down to my sister and me."

Lan Wangji, now recalling his earlier speculation that Cangse-sanren, as Baoshan-sanren's disciple, knew something the rest of the jianghu did not, wanted to hear more. What cultivation path had she inherited from her teacher and passed to her children? However, this was not the place. Smoke still stung his eyes and lingered in his throat, and he did not want Wei Ying to have to speak much in this environment.

So he nodded, trying to look open and curious, and Wei Ying didn't get that narrow-eyed, closed-off look from their first clash about his innovations. The sun gleamed red through the smoke on its way beneath the horizon, which Wei Ying also noticed. "Shall we find an inn?" he proposed. "I'm hungry after all that work with the fire, and we can decide what to do next."

"Mn," Lan Wangji agreed. He was not as hungry, but tea would be very welcome.

The woman he'd spoken to before had left, but one of Wei Ying's neighbors from the bucket line was still there, so Wei Ying swiftly went to him and returned with an inn recommendation and directions. As they headed away from the site of the fire, walking side-by-side with Wei Ying, he increasingly felt better able to breathe.

Once they were on their way, Wei Ying let out a long sigh. "We're lucky that our fire spirit has kept the fires contained so far," he said. "This could get very dangerous very quickly."

“Mn,” he agreed quietly. “They are as close together as rabbits in warrens. If the fire were to spread to other buildings, it could race across the city rapidly.”

Wei Ying grimaced at the thought. “I suppose it’s good that they have such a rapid fire brigade, but even so I wouldn’t want to be this close to my neighbors when the fires won’t necessarily stay politely contained to their yards.”

Lan Wangji cleared his throat carefully as they continued to make their way into cleaner air, attempting to avoid any sudden coughing as some of the others along their path had been doing. “The amount of smoke around is also unfortunate.”

Wei Ying looked at him and grinned. “I could also use some tea to wash out my throat,” he said in commiseration. “And who knows what we’ll overhear!”

Lan Wangji nodded, clearing his throat again as politely as he could manage. Now that they were further away, he could feel how much the smoke had affected even him. There would be no long-lasting repercussions given his cultivation, not even if he’d spent much more time that close to the flames, but that didn’t make the experience of the moment any more pleasant.

Fortunately they came upon the inn Wei Ying was looking for shortly after that and were immediately plied with tea before he could even request any personally. Glancing around, he could see a few more faces he recognized in the bucket lines, all similarly quenching the burn of ash and smoke in nose and mouth with either tea or wine to burn it off.

They sat at an unoccupied table, with Wei Ying ordering more tea for both of them. When Lan Wangji quietly lifted an eyebrow, he grinned. “I’ll have my wine later. It’s not the nicest thing on a sore throat,” he explained with an exaggerated grimace. “And then it’ll be easier for us to talk!”

When the tea came, however, a middle-aged man followed it. He hovered as the waiter set the tea down, and only when Lan Wangji and Wei Ying looked at him did he clear his throat and speak.

"I saw the two of you at the fire," he began hesitantly. "You're wearing swords. Are you cultivators?"

"We are," Wei Ying said. "We heard there might be something funny about your fires, so we came to take a look. Why don't you sit down, ah--?"

"Shang Fenhua," the man supplied, taking a seat. "You think you'll be able to solve it? A lot of us are getting very worried about these fires."

"Of course we will," Wei Ying assured him. "Mind answering a few questions for us, Master Shang?"

Lan Wangji passed him a cup of tea, and he nodded in thanks. "I don't know a lot, but I'll answer what I can," he replied.

Wei Ying nodded. "Do you get a lot of fires here?" he asked first. "That bucket brigade seemed a lot more organized than I've seen in other cities."

"The city master's idea," Shang Fenhua said, taking a gulp of tea. "A long time ago there were soldiers here who also acted as firefighters, but any organized response left when the soldiers did. The current city master tried to start up a fire brigade again, but this time it's ordinary people, not soldiers. They've done pretty well at organizing their neighbors to help out when there's a fire in the area."

That explained the variety of people in the brigade. The city master's initiative could perhaps save many lives and buildings.

"So it has been here longer than this series of strange fires?" Lan Wangji asked.

Shang Fenhua nodded. "It was founded a little over a year ago, yes."

"Then tell us about these fires," Wei Ying said, leaning forward against the table. "How have you been involved? What did you notice?"

Shang Fenhua frowned in thought, drumming his fingers on the table. “I was brought in after my brother became one of the brigade leaders on his street. There’s several of them that meet and plan and train for fires, and of course we all have our own jobs so we can’t make every meeting, but there’s usually at least about fifteen or so of us at these meetings. A few of the city master’s guards marshal them,” he added after a moment. “Rumor has it that the city master once lost cousins to a fire that ran through another town to the west, and after that, he didn’t want his own city to fall ruin to a fire that could not be stopped.”

Wei Ying picked up his cup and set it down again without drinking from it. “So the city master funds the fire drills?”

Shang Fenghua nodded and glanced about the inn furtively before leaning in closer and dropping his voice. “I don’t know why we have more fires now than we did years ago,” he said in a voice barely above a hiss. “You would think with a trained crew and a city that has an idea of what to do that we would have fewer fires, not more. But they’re coming more and more often, and it’s not always so easy to know where the smoke is coming from till the whole building is up in flames.”

Lan Wangji studied him as he let out a breath that shook slightly. Wei Ying’s lips parted slightly too as he picked up the hints the other man was giving them -- whether they were intentional or not. “What have you noticed that’s strange about the recent fires?” he asked quietly, also keeping his voice low for the benefit of Shang Fenghua’s fear even though the din of casual conversation easily covered theirs.

The man between them swallowed hard, eyes going to the door. “Some fires seem to be sparked on purpose, but no one can figure out why.”

"Do the victims have anything in common?" Wei Ying asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know that," Shang Fenhua replied, looking apologetic. "There's rumors that they're people who've got on the city master's bad side, people who've complained about his brigades, but I'd be careful about those, young masters. You never know what's true and what's someone blowing smoke."

"We can't rule anything out just yet, but we won't prematurely accuse anyone either," Wei Ying assured him. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"I don't know a lot," Shang Fenhua said, eyes downcast. "We just want the fires to stop. If you can catch whatever's causing them, you'll do Xingyang a big service."

A waiter came by to take their food order. Shang Fenhua made to get up, and Wei Ying said, "We're happy to buy you dinner. You've also worked hard today."

Shang Fenhua smiled but shook his head. "Your kindness is appreciated, but my wife will have dinner ready. She'll worry if I stay too much later. Is there anything else I can answer for you?"

"Just where we can find you again if we need you later," Wei Ying told him, returning the smile.

Once Shang Fenhua and the waiter both left, Wei Ying picked up his teacup but did not drink. "Sounds like we need to talk to the city master," he said. "Though I'm sure he won't tell us if he's the one ordering his men to set those fires."

Lan Wangji nodded. “We will still find out more from what he has to say and what he refuses to say,” he said calmly. The tea and clean air had at last set his throat to rights. “Shall we see if he will see us later?”

Wei Ying sipped his tea and nodded. “If not today, we can always try again tomorrow,” he said calmly. “It is later in the day now, so he might not see guests by the time we’re done.”

Lan Wangji nodded and took in a breath, finding himself not at all disappointed with the prospect of their investigation being delayed by an evening. Wei Ying, too, seemed pleased by this development. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned in towards Lan Wangji with a smile that started on one side of his mouth until it brightened his whole face. “In the meantime, we can just spend time together too! I want to hear about all of your adventures without me.”

He had to take just a moment to catch his breath from the strength of Wei Ying’s full focus on him. There was something about the way that smile bloomed like a flower that made him want to openly smile back.

Instead he kept his composure and serenity. “You have heard of many of them,” he answered instead. “Our correspondence has been quite regular for how often our travels take us far away.”

Wei Ying pouted at him, even though mischief glittered in his eyes. “But writing is not the same as telling,” he said dramatically, his tone a playful whine. “I want to hear how you tell your adventures. Then I can tell you mine while we eat, so we can both enjoy hearing of our escapades. Am I not clever?”

“You are very clever.” The words slipped out unbidden before he could consider them. His ears burned even as he swallowed the desire to hide out of mortification. “I did not realize that your intelligence was in doubt.”

"Ah, compliments from Hanguang-jun!" Wei Ying crowed. "I would tell you not to distract me, but this is an acceptable tangent. Please, tell me more nice things about me."

To praise accidentally was one thing, but to look at Wei Ying's expectant face and compliment him deliberately was beyond him -- his ears would blaze hotter than the fire they'd just put out. "You are quick enough to praise yourself that surely you do not need my help," he said instead, looking down at his tea and coincidentally hiding his ears.

"No words are as meaningful as those that fall from your lips, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying assured him, eyes dancing. "They sustain me. Quick, give me another compliment -- I may perish without it."

"...I will send your body back to your parents," Lan Wangji offered, smiling inwardly at Wei Ying's exaggerated cry.

Their food arrived, thankfully sparing Lan Wangji from any other efforts to coax compliments from him. True to his word, Wei Ying spoke through the whole meal, telling stories of his travels. Some of them he had already shared with Lan Wangji via letter, but he was right: hearing those stories in person gave him Wei Ying's voice as he spoke, the humor, the confidence, the regret for those he was unable to save. He could see Wei Ying's face, the dynamism and vitality he exuded. Letters were better than nothing but were still no substitute for Wei Ying's presence.

Finally, they both set aside their empty bowls. The sky outside the windows had grown fully dark as they'd talked and eaten, making it too late now to visit the city master. "First thing tomorrow," Wei Ying decided, after a glance at the windows. "And after that, I want to see if we can find the other sites of the fires and talk to the families who lost their homes."

"For both sets of fires," Lan Wangji agreed. "There seems likely to be a connection between them."

Wei Ying nodded. “It seems like we’ll be spending a while here in Xingyang,” he said, pouring himself the last of his wine. “Fortunately for me, I will have fantastic company by my side this time.”

Lan Wangji glanced down at the table for a moment. “Indeed,” he said, letting what else he could say in response linger on his tongue like the last drops of a good tea savored.

Did he dare to attempt to respond in kind? Certainly Wei Ying seemed to invite a flirtatious dialogue with his words and actions. He suspected that Wei Ying was perhaps gently testing to see how far he could go, just what Lan Wangji would accept him saying.

The trouble was that he was not certain he had a limit to the things Wei Ying could say to him in that tone of voice with that glint in his eyes. It sent a thrill through his whole body, set his heart racing and his mind aflame. Sometimes he felt like the moth dancing in the lantern light, drawing closer and closer to the tantalizing flame in the darkness.

Would he alight safely on the screen, forever right against the beautiful light that had so captivated him, or would he burn up in the flame? Did he dare to take a chance and see which way the rice grain would fall?

He drew in a breath that felt both too short and too long. Across the table, Wei Ying watched him, his pale, mesmerizing eyes hooded in thought, the corners of his lips curved up just slightly as he too considered something of his own. In the warm light of the lamps lit in the inn now that night had fallen, his eyelashes cast long shadows down his cheeks, sharpening the lines of his hands and the curve of his neck.

He was so beautiful, how could Lan Wangji look away?

How could he not dare to try?

He curled his fingers around the tea cup, taking strength from the fading warmth. “Indeed, I will be glad of your company,” he said honestly, answering the questions that he had hidden away from before. “Truthfully, while my hunts have been pleasant, there is little to tell of them, for you were not there to accompany me and share my thoughts.”

Wei Ying's eyes widened before a smile bright enough to light the room spread across his face. "How cruel of you to give me the compliments I asked for only when I stopped expecting them," he crooned. "You have to warn me, Lan Zhan. My heart won't be able to take it otherwise."

Lan Wangji tilted his head, his own heart beating faster at Wei Ying's response. "You will perish if not complimented, yet your heart will give out if you are," he commented, keeping his voice lighter than he felt. "Your guidance on this matter seems contradictory."

Wei Ying leaned closer to him across the table. "It's not contradictory at all," he murmured, just barely loud enough for Lan Wangji to hear. "You just have to give me what I want, when I ask for it. That's simple, isn't it?"

Wei Ying had to be flirting with him. There was no other reasonable explanation. But did he mean it, as Lan Wangji did? Now that he'd gotten here, Lan Wangji didn't quite know what to do next. They were on a hunt now -- was it the time to try to press forward? What would happen if he were wrong?

Thinking of that, Lan Wangji forcibly calmed his heart and drank the last of his tea. "That seems a dangerous promise to make," he replied.

Wei Ying's smile gained a sharper edge. "Oh, I think -- oooof," he suddenly grunted as someone from behind knocked into his back, shoving his body forward and spilling his nearly-empty bottle of wine.

"Sorry!" the shover shouted. He bowed at Wei Ying as he and his companions, weaving a little as they walked, jostled against other tables on their way out the door.

The mood was lost.

"Well!" Wei Ying laughed a little. He surveyed the spilled wine, then sent a wry smile to Lan Wangji. "That may be a sign it's time to wrap up for the night. I think we'll have a long day tomorrow."

Both regretful and relieved, Lan Wangji nodded. As one, they rose together to request a pair of rooms and Wei Ying some assistance in cleaning up the spilled wine on the table.

Despite the interruption, he was not wholly disappointed in how the evening had gone. Their conversations had been pleasant, and they had a good idea of where to go the next morning. Even if they were interrupted, the thrill of responding to Wei Ying in turn still sat comfortably in his veins and chest, bolstering him towards perhaps future conversations that would not be so rudely halted.

The inn was already relatively full between travelers and some displaced families from the fire, but they were able to obtain two decently sized rooms next to each other near the back. Wei Ying ran a hand through his ponytail and laughed when it came away streaked with soot. “I think that’s a sign that I should request a bath too,” he said with a chagrined smile. “No doubt our meeting tomorrow morning will go better if my hair doesn’t smell like a fire pit.”

“Indeed,” Lan Wangji agreed, privately quashing the thought that Wei Ying’s hair would have smelled nice regardless. “I should do the same.”

Wei Ying made a face at him even as the man running the inn for the evening promptly called to someone out of sight to prepare two baths. “I don’t think anyone would be able to smell smoke on you. I couldn’t tell if there was any lingering smoke over the scent of sandalwood,” he said, then abruptly paused.

Lan Wangji waited for a moment, but Wei Ying refused to say anything else, a rather pained look in his eyes. Had he bitten his tongue by accident?

After another moment, he shook his head fiercely. “Sorry, Lan Zhan, I think the fatigue of the road caught up to me. I’ll see you in the morning?” he said quickly.

Lan Wangji inclined his head, and the two of them headed upstairs to their rooms, their baths, and their beds.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Lan Wangji awoke at his customary time, but he did not hurry to begin his day. As he had grown used to when hunting with Wei Ying, he spent the earliest hours of the morning in meditation, calmly cultivating and centering himself for the day ahead. By the time Wei Ying's knock came in the middle of chen shi, Lan Wangji was able to answer the door full of anticipation.

He was about to do his proper work, in the company of a person who had made a home in his heart. What better life was there?

"You seem in a good mood," Wei Ying observed, both surprising and pleasing Lan Wangji that he could tell. They headed down the stairs to an empty table for breakfast.

"We should be useful here," he replied. He glanced quickly at Wei Ying before turning his gaze forward again. "And...I appreciate the company."

Wei Ying blinked at him in an echo of Lan Wangji's own earlier surprise and pleasure, though he produced the smile that Lan Wangji held back. "Is it your goal now to surprise me with compliments when I least expect them? Lan Zhan! After I asked you to warn me and everything?"

"The Lan Clan values honesty," Lan Wangji replied, solemn and teasing with it.

Perhaps a night hunt was not the time to confess his feelings and settle a relationship, but there should be no harm in small interactions that gave hint to his affections, surely. All the better if Wei Ying's response further assured him that when the time did come to confess, Wei Ying would be receptive to it.

Wei Ying gave him the slightest suspicious glance, but nothing that he had said was in any way a falsehood. Indeed, the Lan Clan did value honesty both to others and oneself, and he was doing exactly that.

Perhaps he was enjoying the surprise on his face a little more than was traditionally recommended, but there was nothing forbidden about having fun.

His enjoyment of the moment was slightly shifted by breakfast and tea. Wei Ying seemed to perk up more over his tea, the gleam that had accompanied their hunts when he’d picked up the scent of something odd back in his eyes. He added too much chili sauce to his congee and leaned over the table to speak more privately to him. “Lan Zhan, what do you know of our city master here?” he asked, eyebrows quirked slightly. “Is he a good man, an honorable man, or perhaps the sort that might not be out of place in Lanling?”

Lan Wangji considered the question, then neatly set down his chopsticks and swallowed completely before answering. “I only know of his name. I have never met City Master Zheng before, nor have I heard anything worth remembering of his character.”

Wei Ying’s eyes narrowed slightly. He picked up his chopsticks and stirred his congee. “Zheng is a noble name indeed. But I don’t spend much time in large cities myself, so I don’t know anything that you don’t.” He shrugged lightly. “I suppose we’ll find out what we’re in for when we meet him.

Lan Wangji nodded before returning to his breakfast, adding nothing else. A momentary lapse to answer a question that would make certain they remained on the same page was one thing. To give up his rules entirely and eat and talk at the same time as Wei Ying did was another. 

The innkeeper was able to direct them to the city master's manor once they finished their breakfast, and Lan Wangji set out while bracing himself for unpleasantness. While he had heard no evil of City Master Zheng, he disliked dealing with aristocracy. Most of them were more ostentatious in their wealth than he thought tasteful, and they often seemed to consider cultivators to be their employees to order around. This was the case even when one was not investigating them for arson.

Perhaps City Master Zheng would give him a pleasant surprise -- but it was still prudent to prepare for the worst.

He glanced to the side. Wei Ying had a small smile playing about his lips, showing no indication that he thought of the upcoming meeting as a potential ordeal. Should Lan Wangji say something?

But he remembered the way Wei Ying tested his attitude several times in their first hunt together and decided that Wei Ying surely knew what reception he might find from the city master. Perhaps Wei Ying's smile was as much a mask as Lan Wangji's own impassiveness could be.

Their arrival at the manor did not fill Lan Wangji with optimism. Wealth was evident from the decorations to the rugs to the quality of the wood in the walls and floor. Carved jade and fine silk filled the room they were shown to when they announced their names and purpose. It wasn't quite as gaudy as other residences he had seen, but this display seemed clearly meant to awe visitors.

An assistant informed them that City Master Zheng was in a meeting and they would have to wait, but not even a ke had passed when voices approaching the room heralded their host.

"I'll hear no more of it," a voice said brusquely from outside the room. "You need not keep complaining to me any more, Master Xu. I've made my decision."

"And you are wrong," the other voice said firmly. "Your ancestors having held this city for generations does not mean they have conveyed upon you all of their wisdom, city master . Xingyang might meet fewer troubles were you more open to advice!"

“Enough!” the first voice said, strident and angry. “Leave my estate at once, I’ll have no more dissent from you! Leave before I summon the guards to remove you.”

Wei Ying’s smile did not fade entirely, but it did tighten somewhat as he and Lan Wangji exchanged a glance. It went back to being bright and blithely unknowing as it usually was when the door to their room slammed open and a man strode through, his face nearly purple with apoplectic rage. He paused for a moment upon seeing them, visibly restraining himself. “My apologies, good cultivators,” he said with a neat bow, though perhaps not as low as he might have gone were he not still simmering. “I wish you good luck with our city master, though unfortunately, as like most all men in his position, he thinks the sun shines on his reign and refuses to listen to reasonable dissent!”

“Out!” the first voice said once more, storming into the room in equal fury. “I will not have you spilling your filth in my house any longer.”

The man who had paused to speak to them, presumably Master Xu, gave them a sympathetic look and left without further argument. 

Lan Wangji refused to let this rattle him, bowing very neatly as the man, most certainly the City Master Zheng they had come to see, turned to them with a look on his face that said he’d smelled something unpleasant under his nose. Wei Ying bowed just as neatly with him, his long ponytail sliding down one shoulder. “Greetings, City Master Zheng,” Wei Ying said kindly as they straightened up. “We were hoping you had a moment to speak with us regarding the fire?”

“Are you the others I was told wished to meet with me?” City Master Zheng bit out, his tone no more pleasant to them than it had been to Master Xu. “Liu Shihuo should have spared me the time. I will discuss the fires with no one else.”

Displaying no signs of offense, Wei Ying took a moment to look at the man before he politely inclined his head. "Even if we were here to help, not simply criticize you?" he asked. "We are cultivators. I am Wei Wuxian, and this is Lan Wangji, the Gusu Lan Clan's Hanguang-jun."

"Hanguang-jun?" City Master Zheng straightened, his voice calming. "I've heard of you and your clan."

Understanding his part but keeping his dislike from his face, Lan Wangji bowed in greeting. "Wei Wuxian and I noticed supernatural activity in at least one of your fires," he said, trying to subtly emphasize Wei Ying's name. "It is our duty as cultivators to address the issue. We would appreciate your assistance."

"My apologies for my greeting, then," the city master said curtly. He returned a bow to Lan Wangji. "I am Zheng Zixin, city master of Xingyang. What do you need from me, Hanguang-jun?"

Lan Wangji glanced at Wei Ying, who smoothly asked, "We heard you began the fire brigade here in Xingyang. Can you tell us more about that?"

Zheng Zixin frowned again. "Yes, I started the brigade in the last year or so. Did you really need to ask me this in person? I am too busy to answer questions you can easily ask other people."

"We appreciate your time," Wei Ying soothed. "However, care taken now means less need to bother you in the future. Did any oppose your fire brigade?"

"Too many to count," Zheng Zixin replied, sniffing. "My previous unwelcome visitor among them. Everyone complains about how I spend my money...pah! You'd think so many fires recently would show why it's needed, wouldn't you, not why it should be disbanded?"

Wei Ying smiled calmly, none of the tension that Lan Wangji was feeling with each passing word from Zheng Zixin’s mouth showing on his face. “I agree. I am simply wondering if there is perhaps a reason why there seem to be more fires now, even though your brigade works very well.”

Zheng Zixin sucked in a sharp breath and all previous warmth in his face fled, even though it hadn’t been enough to bring heat to a stone. “You accuse me of setting fires to prove that they need my brigade? In my own home?” His nostrils flared in agitation. “I’ve had enough of this farce! Take your leave and go report to whoever your cur of a master is that I will have none of his nonsense!” He looked as though he would have spat on the floor were he any less well-bred. “Lowlife cultivator, taking advantage of my hospitality in order to prey on my weaknesses! I suggest you learn your place.”

“I suggested nothing of the sort,” Wei Ying said just as calmly as before, “but as you wish, we will take our leave.” Before Lan Wangji could protest either Wei Ying’s leaving or, more importantly, Zheng Zixin’s slander, Wei Ying had bowed and turned to walk away.

Ire boiled in his stomach, but Wei Ying was clearly not interested in picking this fight, so Lan Wangji made himself swallow it and follow in suit, to Zheng Zixin’s offended spluttering. Some arguments were not worth the single words he could sum up to cut them down.

The assistant who brought them in, Liu Shihuo, quickly came up to escort them back through the house, evidently familiar enough with his master’s temper to be prepared for such an event. “My apologies for City Master Zheng’s temper,” he said under his breath as he led them back past the jade statues and fine silks to the front. “He has never been of calm temperament, but recently these rising fires and the concerns of others have left him more irritable than usual. I hope he did not pay you too much offense?”

Lan Wangji frowned inwardly, feeling rather that the city master had gone too far in his careless words and that he would rather like the opportunity to remind him that things said in anger could not be so easily discarded. Wei Ying, on the other hand, showed little of the indignation that he might have expected at having such vulgar words hurled at him, only leaning in slightly closer to the assistant. “The concerns of others, such as Master Xu?”

"Among others both outside and within the estate," Liu Shihuo agreed tiredly. "But I understand you're here to address the fires? Is there anything I can get for you?"

Wei Ying surveyed him with interest. "Your city master threw us out. Are you sure you should be helping us?"

"The city master is irritable, but he cares about this city," Liu Shihuo insisted. "If the two of you can alleviate his burden, we will all be better off. And it is my duty to alleviate his burden, even if through measures he would not ask of me...or perhaps agree with."

"Then you don't think we're working for his rivals?" Wei Ying checked again.

Liu Shihuo actually looked a little amused. "If his rivals are able to hire Hanguang-jun, they're either better than I thought or Hanguang-jun is not as good as I've heard."

Wei Ying laughed. "Impeccable logic," he agreed, glancing sidelong at Lan Wangji with teasing eyes. "In that case, do you have any records of what buildings burned down in the recent spate of fires, as well as who owned them?"

"I went to retrieve those records while you were meeting with City Master Zheng," Liu Shihuo told them, offering up the sheaf of papers in his hand. "I didn't have time to copy them, though, so I would appreciate you doing that and taking the copy with you. This should be everything, as well as accounts of the fires and how they began when we had access to them."

Liu Shihuo showed them back to the reception room, where desks were available. Without asking, Lan Wangji took the records and pulled out sheets of his own paper to copy the information while Wei Ying continued chatting with the city master's assistant. By the time he finished, Wei Ying was wrapping up his conversation, so the two of them left the manor in short order.

"He doesn't believe City Master Zheng is behind any of the fires," Wei Ying commented as they emerged back onto the street. "He sounds like a loyal sort, though. Do you have any initial thoughts?"

"It is too early to speculate," Lan Wangji replied. If they grew too attached to any theory, they might subject themselves to confirmation bias by accident.

Wei Ying smiled, unbothered by his refusal to play along. "I also got the address of that Master Xu, if we want to talk to him next," he said. "I'm interested in hearing his objections to a fire brigade."

“Mn,” he agreed. Master Xu had taken the time to be polite to them despite his anger at the master of the city. Hopefully he would maintain that attitude and perhaps give them a broader view of the politics going on beneath the city. Even though he would likely have his own biases, it would be better to understand what those biases were first.

They passed by the skeletons of a house and what looked to have once been a bakery. The house had clearly been cleaned up and new wood lay on the floor, waiting for its owners to rebuild it. The husk of the bakery had not yet been fully cleared, though at least all the ash was gone. Both were obvious holes in the layout of the city, a wound unbandaged. It did not escape either of them the way that people’s eyes slid away from the wreckage, unable to look too close.

“Fire can be devastating,” Wei Ying said softly, walking on past the bakery slowly. “An earthquake or a flood can at least leave the bones behind. There’ll be something saved. Fire eats away everything and leaves only ashes of everything you loved blowing away in the wind.”

Lan Wangji nodded. The thought of a fire racing through his home, burning the Cloud Recesses to the ground, left a twisting, sickening anxiety in his stomach. Something truly awful would have to occur for that to happen, but even so, it was not beyond the realm of possibility. 

Something about the way that Wei Ying spoke too made him wonder. “Did you ever lose a home to fire?” he asked carefully, watching his eyes and the lines around his mouth to see if this were a line of questions he should not tread down casually.

Thankfully Wei Ying shook his head quickly, his smile growing slightly. “I’ve always been a nomad, traveling everywhere with my parents. But…” The smile faded, though again only slightly. “When I was seven, we were passing through Yueyang when there was a lightning storm in the height of summer. It struck a tree nearby and set the forest ablaze.”

Lan Wangji hummed softly under his breath, unwilling to interrupt. 

“There was a village on the other side of the forest from where we were. My father flew on ahead while my mother and I took a safer path around the outskirts of the fire, but even with the warning, they had barely any time to grab anything other than each other and their animals, perhaps a few easy-to-carry things like blankets and stuff.” His eyes were fixed on some far off memory. “I’ve never quite forgotten what that village looked like when we returned a few days later to help clear out any troubles that might have settled in so they could come back. It was the first time I saw a world of only gray.”

Lan Wangji would have liked to reach out, to...if not protect Wei Ying from his memories, at least offer him companionship through them. However, before he could make any movement, Wei Ying blinked himself out of his brief melancholy.

"While we're here, we might as well check these places for previous supernatural activity," Wei Ying said, already moving back toward the wreckage.

Lan Wangji followed, a little more slowly. When he reached Wei Ying's side, Wei Ying had already pulled out two of his talismans from the previous night. "Will you show me how those work?" he asked.

Wei Ying blinked, then grinned at him, wide and happy, as if he'd never been touched by sorrow. "Of course!" he chirped. "So the heart character 心 here will light up when I'm standing over the energy's origin point, and these lines on the side will light up based on duration." He traced the lines in question with a finger. "The stronger the resentful energy within it, the more lines on the right will light up red, and the more recent it was, the more lines on the left will light. If it’s been too long for either one, neither will light. These fires look to be pretty recent though, so if there’s something to be found, it’ll pick it up!" He held out one of the talismans. "Do you want to try the house while I do the bakery?"

Lan Wangji took the talisman and stepped onto the new floor of the house, sending a surge of energy into the talisman. Filled with energy, all the strokes gleamed green. He paced around the house, especially paying attention to where the kitchen would likely have been, but the light on the talisman never changed.

"What did you find?" Wei Ying's voice asked as he joined Lan Wangji. "There was nothing at the bakery. I don't think our spirit started that fire."

"Nor this one," Lan Wangji agreed, handing him back the talisman.

Wei Ying looked from the house to the bakery. "Some fires are started by the spirit, and some aren't," he observed. "If the spirit is also trying to keep its own fires contained to just its target, then it would make sense for something else to have caused this one, which caught two buildings."

It made sense, that there were fires started before the spirit rose. Otherwise they would have called for a cultivator -- certainly City Master Zheng had the funds to hire one if they needed -- rather than focus their attention fully on the fire brigades. 

“At least our spirit is not very resentful yet,” Wei Wuxian mused as they picked their way free of the house and back onto the street. “Even with us being right there at that fire, we barely picked up anything there.” He rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps if we’re able to get into the building faster, we will be able to find our wayward spirit before it becomes angrier. But first we have to figure out what to do with City Master Zheng and the rest of this town.” 

Lan Wangji inclined his head. “Then we should go and speak with Master Xu.”

Wei Ying nodded emphatically. “We will! But it was good to stop and look at those buildings first, make sure that we were on the right trail there. I wonder how fast City Master Zheng would have mentioned a spirit, or that these fires are being intentionally set. He certainly leaped to us accusing him of doing such a thing very quickly for a man who has no concerns!”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed. In truth, he had nothing else to add to the conversation, but it felt wrong to let his words pass by unacknowledged.

Wei Ying paused and glanced over at him, a grin spreading over his face quickly. Feeling strangely as if he'd given something away, Lan Wangji turned his gaze forward and kept it there.

They had to stop and ask directions twice to find Master Xu's manor, but they finally reached a building almost as grand as the city master's mansion. They did not have to wait as long, though, for a servant informed them almost immediately that the master was willing to see them.

"Good cultivators," Master Xu said, bowing politely when they entered his office. "I saw you at our city master's manor. Are you here to investigate our strange fires?"

"Indeed," Wei Ying confirmed, as he and Lan Wangji returned the bow. "I am Wei Wuxian, and this is Lan Wangji. After our brief encounter earlier and what I'm afraid we overheard of your discussion with City Master Zheng, we hoped you might also have useful information for us."

Master Xu returned to his desk. "I'm afraid I can't say whether I do," he replied. "I don't have the authority that Zheng Zixin does, nor his knowledge of the fire brigades. I'll answer what I can, of course, but be warned my information may be limited."

"We appreciate any insight you have," Wei Ying assured him. "And what you know may be more useful than you think. We heard that you were against City Master Zheng forming the fire brigades. Can I ask why?"

Master Xu sighed. "Somewhat ironically, before the brigades, fire was not a major problem in Xingyang," he said. "My initial concern was simply that the money was better spent elsewhere. Of course, Zheng Zixin is using his own money for the brigades, but if he wanted to spend his money on the city, there were other areas I thought needed more attention. I sympathize with him for losing a cousin to a fire in another city, but an expensive pet project that wasted our citizens' time and energy in training did not seem to me to be the solution."

"That sounds reasonable," Wei Ying agreed encouragingly.

"Then this series of fires started, and I started to object to the brigades more because they don't seem to fix the problem," Master Xu continued, lifting his hands a little helplessly. "The timing simply felt...too convenient. How likely is it that a series of natural fires would start just as Zheng Zixin was struggling with opposition to his brigades? It was almost as if it were tailor-made to prove their utility."

Wei Ying started to open his mouth, then paused. After a moment, the corners of his mouth lifted. Lan Wangji could not quite call it a smile. “Indeed, that would be very convenient if he were experiencing much resistance. But so far we have not heard of any others who have felt the same way as you do regarding the brigades.”

Master Xu only shook his head softly. “Of course, it would sound somewhat suspicious if it were just I positing this theory. But I can assure you that there are others that agree with me, as there are with him. I would be happy to give you their names if you wish to hear their stories as well.” He grimaced slightly. “Though sadly City Master Zheng’s allies grow slimmer with the fires continuing and his…particular ire now whenever this topic is brought up in any way.”

Wei Ying nodded slowly, crossing his arms over his chest. “It all sounds very complex indeed. Rather like a lot of these tensions existed even before the brigades were formed and only now have they reached a boiling point.”

Master Xu sighed, his shoulders drooping. “You are wise, Young Master Wei. I cannot deny that even before this, City Master Zheng and I did not always see eye to eye. But I am willing to set aside my own grudges if he is willing to at least acknowledge the growing danger of the situation.”

Wei Ying looked over at Lan Wangji, just a momentary glance. Still he thought he understood just what Wei Ying was thinking. It was difficult to say just what was off, but his instincts were telling him there was something missing from what they were being told. 

"But you welcomed us by mentioning the strange fires," Wei Ying said next, moving away from the previous topic. "Those are more our purview. What can you tell us about them?"

"Ah, but just as they are your purview, they are not mine," Master Xu replied. "All I know is what I've heard. Fires seem to start from nothing, then behave as if they're controlled -- they consume the entire house, but only that house. It is enough for any bystander to know that a cultivator is needed, but you would know better than I what might cause this and how to fix it."

Wei Ying smiled. "True enough, but while we have some ideas, we need more information to help us narrow it down." However, Wei Ying seemed to realize they were unlikely to get more solid information here, so his next question was a simple, "Might we trouble you again if we have further questions?"

"It is no trouble to be of service to my city," Master Xu assured them as he stood.

They left the manor, and Wei Ying waited until they were some distance away before turning to Lan Wangji with a frown. "That Master Xu was definitely trying to splash dirty water on City Master Zheng," he murmured, low enough that Lan Wangji had to step in closer to hear him over the sounds of the crowd. "But is he just trying to fish in troubled waters, or is there actually something going on with the city master?"

"Politics," Lan Wangji replied, allowing disdain to creep into his voice. Rich men playing games of power while lives were held in the balance. He had no patience for it.

Wei Ying smiled again, leaning closer to bump his shoulder against Lan Wangji's. "Messy," he agreed. "I suppose we'll just have to find the root of the problem ourselves, now that we have a better idea of the agendas of the city's elite. We certainly didn't get much else from them."

“Mn,” he concurred, glancing about the street. It seemed unlikely that any of the people in power here would have any new information they were lacking at this time. Perhaps seeking out some of the fire brigade leaders would give them a better direction…?

He was about to voice this thought when panicked shouts interrupted him, followed by the sound of running. “A fire! A fire has broken out at the Jinlong Inn!”

For a brief moment, silence fell over the street. The breeze itself seemed to still. 

Then all broke into action. Two men immediately took point, one calling for people to go grab buckets, blankets and friends, the other organizing a line of those around to approach the inn and account for all staying there. 

He only needed to exchange a brief glance with Wei Ying to know what they were going to do next. Most of the inns they had seen in this city were at least two stories high. If the fire had started close to the stairs, they would need help to get others out. 

The inn was already smoking from the windows as they turned a corner and caught sight of it. The front door had been broken open presumably in either panic or some desperate attempt to hold it open so those trapped inside could get out. As he watched, two women stumbled out through the doorway coughing wretchedly, only to be quickly caught by others standing nearby to pull them free of the choking smoke. 

They joined up with the second man and his brigade quickly, with Wei Ying running ahead to tap him on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” he said, his smile strained at the seams. “My companion and I are cultivators. If you need help evacuating people from the upper floors, we can assist.”

The man wasted no time looking over the two of them, clapping Wei Ying on the shoulder. “Good man,” he said gruffly. “Follow Madam Niu and listen to her! She’s the one over there, she raised the alarm.”

“Thanks, we will,” Wei Ying said quickly, and they broke free of the growing water line to run over to the woman indicated, standing as close as she dared to the inn. 

"We're cultivators and can fly people down," Wei Ying called as they approached. She whirled to face them, her eyes wild and hair escaping her pin. A bundle of half-soaked blankets spilled from her arms.

She took a moment to process that, helped by the two of them unsheathing their swords and hopping on them. After a moment, she dunked the blanket bundle fully into the filled washtub at her feet before passing one each to them. "Use these to cover yourselves," she commanded. "I don't know if the fire has reached the stairs yet, but any guests upstairs are in rooms on the north side."

Madam Niu seemed to have no further instructions for them, so Lan Wangji and Wei Ying covered themselves with the heavy wet blankets, tying them around their necks like a cloak and hood, and flew to the north side. The windows of the occupied rooms were open, people leaning out of them and coughing. Those on the second floor were already jumping down, preferring to risk broken legs, but those on the third floor were caught between the fire and the height.

"I'll start east, you start west," Wei Ying shouted over the roar of the flame. He immediately flew off without waiting for Lan Wangji's reply, but Lan Wangji would not have argued. Bracing himself against the heat and the smoke, the blanket on his back steaming, he flew up to a woman bent over her windowsill at the western end of the building.

"Come," he commanded. Her eyes widened as she looked at the sword, but then she gathered herself, climbed up the windowsill, and leapt to him. He swiftly brought her to the ground before moving to the next window.

"Daqing!" a young girl cried, from her spot crouching beneath the window. Lan Wangji looked into the room, ready to grab her, when he saw the kitten huddled in the opposite corner, a line of fire separating the girl from her pet. Hearing Lan Wangji, she looked up at him with tears dripping through the soot on her face. "Please! Save Daqing!"

Lan Wangji paused for a moment, looking at the way the handle for the door already glowed dangerously red and the flames were spreading across the floor. But then the small kitten opened its tiny mouth in a helpless mew lost in the crackling flames.

“Cover your nose and mouth,” he instructed the girl as he collected her from the ground, gripping Bichen in his other hand. She whimpered and coughed weakly, but she grabbed part of his protective blanket and did as he told her while he swiftly judged the best course of action to rescue the kitten as well.

The roof groaned above him as he summoned spiritual energy through his sword and struck the ground hard, breaking the fire line and the floorboards long enough to jump through to the other side. He swiftly commanded Bichen to hover beside him as he knelt on the ground next to the terrified kitten and scooped it up in his hand. He could feel its small heart pounding like a drum against his fingers as he mounted his sword and flew across the rapidly shrinking gap in the flames back out the window.

He barely had time to land on the ground before a man was at his side, reaching for the girl struggling to get to him with a cry of “Diedie!”

Lan Wangji relinquished the girl to her father, waiting until she was settled before passing over the kitten he’d saved, who had dug tiny, needlelike claws into his sleeve and hand. “Keep a tight hold on Daqing,” he said gravely as the girl took back her kitten mutely, cuddling it close to her chest with a sob.

The sound of the fire rose over the shouts of the firefighters, the splashing of water and the panicked calls of families separated and trying to find each other again. There were still hands reaching out from the upper windows, and he could see Wei Ying diving down on Quanshui with a woman tucked beneath his protective blanket, not even touching the ground before he lowered her to safety and flying back up.

Lan Wangji accepted a replacement drenched blanket and flew back up himself towards the next open window.

He rescued a grandfather who had been taking a nap and woke to flames cutting him off from the door. By this point the roof was straining to hold. Lan Wangji was able to safely retrieve the grandfather, but a burning piece of wood almost fell onto the man's head before he knocked it away with the back of his hand. Once outside, Wei Ying was about to go back up when he saw the reddened gash on Lan Wangji's hand and frowned, but they had no time to address it.

The roof was burning. Lan Wangji estimated he had time for one more room and swiftly turned his sword once again to the open windows. He passed by several empty rooms before finding one more with people, a middle-aged husband and wife staring in horror at the flames visible not only through their door but licking up through holes in their floor.

"Take my wife first!" the man shouted, while the woman protested. Lan Wangji instead grabbed both of them at the same time, and while he did angle the wife out the window first, it was only because there was not enough room for three to exit without angling to the side. As he lowered them down, one on either side, their hands reached out and clasped together until their feet hit the ground and they could embrace fully.

Turning away from the private moment, Lan Wangji's gaze flitted over the crowd until he could once again see Wei Ying, at which point he seemed to fully let out the breath he'd been holding to avoid the smoke. He glanced back at the inn, just to be sure there was no one else he could save, and the crack and groan of the roof starting to cave in emphasized that there was nothing more he could do. Sheathing Bichen and leaving the blanket with a pile of others, he moved through groups of sobbing, stunned people until he reached Wei Ying, who was smiling at a woman as she rubbed cream on his hands.

“That’s a really nice cream, did you make it yourself?” Wei Ying said, apparently not noticing Lan Wangji’s approach at all. His head was tilted to the side and his eyes were glimmering up playfully. “I know a healer who would love to get her hands on your recipe.”

The woman applying the cream flushed. “It’s really nothing special, young master,” she murmured, looking down at the ground. Her fingers continued to rub cream over Wei Ying’s wrist even though at this point it had ceased to work into the skin. It could not be providing any more assistance that way.

Wei Ying smiled up brightly at her. Lan Wangji could not look too closely at it. “Do you think it would be possible for me to have some? In case of more fires I have to rescue pretty maidens from?”

The woman turned a deeper red and produced a small jar that Wei Ying took with a nod and another bright smile. The burn on his hand throbbed insistently. He forced himself to loosen his hand. 

After a few more exchanged words that were too quiet for him to catch, the woman finally moved on to helping someone else around them and Wei Ying tucked the little jar into his sleeve.

Then he finally seemed to notice Lan Wangji, brightening back up again. “Lan Zhan!” he greeted, stepping neatly around a discarded, damp blanket. “It sounds like we successfully got everyone out of the inn.”

“Mn,” he said quietly, somehow unable to bring the same happiness to the news that he might have had a few moments ago. Still, it was good to know that the collapsing roof had not trapped anyone.

"Come here," Wei Ying continued, pulling the jar out again. "You got burned, didn't you?"

"No need," Lan Wangji replied, stepping back and feeling the strangest aversion to the cream. "The patrons are safe, but our work is not yet done."

Wei Ying frowned, but he obediently put the jar away again. "Then when we're done," he said. "No use wasting the good wishes of a pretty girl, Lan Zhan."

Determinedly ignoring that final statement, Lan Wangji turned his thoughts to the fire. He was inclined to think that this fire was not the work of their spirit, however. No ghostly barrier held the flames back from neighboring buildings -- indeed, several men had climbed to the tops of those buildings to soak the roofs and put out embers landing there. He activated a gloom-burning talisman himself and was unsurprised to see it find nothing.

The spirit was less resentful than it might be, but to be setting fires in the first place, it had to still be resentful enough for the talisman to detect. Wei Ying could use his detection talisman when the fire was out and the site cool enough to walk on, but Lan Wangji suspected that this was the result of human activity, whether accidental or not.

He and Wei Ying once again joined the bucket line, but the exertion was not enough to quell Lan Wangji's disquiet. Wei Ying's interaction with the woman was brief. Surely he was just being kind.

But did he need to let her massage the cream into his hands? Did he need to call her pretty afterwards?

The questions were frivolous, useless...yet persistent. And somehow, it occurred to Lan Wangji for the first time that he had never really seen Wei Ying around others their own age. He flirted with Lan Wangji, but he had just flirted with that woman too. Was his flirting habitual?

They...had truly not spent very much time together. A few scattered days on three hunts now was enough for Lan Wangji to come to like him very much, and yet it was not enough to understand him. What was Lan Wangji missing? Was he reading too much into Wei Ying's intentions?

Those thoughts continued to dig at him through the day as they first helped with the bucket line, then confirming his suspicions that this fire had nothing to do with the spirit they’d tracked down at the first fire. No matter where Wei Ying wandered around the skeleton of the building, the talisman continued to glow its steady green. 

Carefully brushing ash off of his robes as he stepped free of the wreckage, Wei Ying gave him a shrug and a half of a smile. “I suppose it makes sense that we probably have someone living who set the fires the first time. It is not implausible that our spirit is someone who was killed in the flames and not sufficiently put to rest.”

Despite the discomfort in his heart and his hand warring, Lan Wangji was able to set them aside and return to the facts of this hunt. Whatever their personal concerns and his understanding or lack thereof, there was still a very real trouble here that demanded his focus in the moment. “I agree,” he said coolly. “There is the matter that both City Master Zheng and Master Xu concluded that the fires were man-made.”

Wei Ying nodded, his smile growing a bit. “I noticed that too. I’d wondered at first if it was just a lack of consideration for things beyond their town, but the possibility of there being someone else who is very alive starting these should not be discounted.”

Lan Wangji nodded as they walked back out onto the main road. Many of the families, already formerly displaced from their homes by the fires going about the city, had left to seek out other temporary dwellings, but some were still clustered together with the lingering helpers, including Madam Niu and one of the first firefighters he’d seen, standing close together and arguing in hushed tones. If he strained a little more, he could have made out what they were saying, but it was not his place. 

Next to him, Wei Ying sighed heavily. “Hopefully there are enough places for everyone to go. This was one of the larger inns in the city.”

Unfortunately, Wei Ying proved to have a crow's mouth. They returned to their own inn to wash up and change and found the dining room crowded. Wringing her hands, the innkeeper's wife approached them to say, "Respected young masters, I know you arrived together and see that you have also encountered today's fire." Her gaze flicked over the ash on their clothes. "Many families have been displaced from Jinlong Inn, and nearby inns are trying to make room for them."

She hesitated. Wei Ying smiled at her, understanding the hint she was too polite to fully voice. "Would it help if my friend and I shared a room?" he asked. "Those poor people certainly deserve a bed for the night."

Relieved, the woman returned the smile. "If it wouldn't trouble you too much," she assured them, but she was already moving to her desk and the record book. "We still have a room with two beds you can use, then give your old rooms to two of the families and bring up bedrolls for the children..."

Her voice trailed off into low muttering as she considered logistics, though her attention returned to them long enough to show them to their new room, where a bath already waited. Lan Wangji insisted Wei Ying bathe first while he retrieved their belongings, and he couldn't help feeling the intimacy as he pulled out a clean set of Wei Ying's robes to drape over the folding screen. 

By the time it was his turn, he also managed to clean and wrap the injury on his hand without resorting to the cream Wei Ying received earlier. It seemed unnecessary to use a gift given to someone else when his own care was sufficient, after all.

Chapter Text

The dining room was still full when they returned downstairs. There was still enough of the day left for the two of them to begin investigating previous fire sites and victims, but a group of people at one of the larger tables noticed them, and one man stood and came over to them.

"Young masters, you're the cultivators flying people to safety!" he exclaimed. "Can we buy you a drink in thanks?"

"Unnecessary," Lan Wangji told them.

The man was not deterred. "Please, you saved my sister!" He gestured at the table, where a few young women huddled close together. Lan Wangji had not encountered any of them, but he imagined Wei Ying had. "And, if you can tell us...are you here to investigate the fires?"

He and Wei Ying exchanged a glance, and Wei Ying said, "Then we'll accept your good intentions, and thank you."

The man smiled and led them to the table. Most of the young women looked away shyly when Wei Ying smiled at them, but one returned his smile with one of her own. “I thank you again,” she said, her voice still slightly hoarse from breathing in smoke. “Without your intervention, I likely would not have survived.”

“That would be a tragedy,” Wei Ying said smoothly, eyes half lidded. “Fortunately it is a tragedy none of us will have to endure.”

She flushed pink. Lan Wangji looked steadily past her to the man who was flagging down a waiter, then to the other young women at their table. Fortunately with the inn so crowded, it seemed to not invite impropriety that they were all sitting together; there were already tables with multiple families rapidly pressing themselves together in search of a hot meal and the warmth of company.

It did not escape his eyes that two of the other young women had bandages and one of them a red mark across her cheek that shone wetly with some sort of salve. When she noticed Lan Wangji looking her way, she brushed her hand across it subconsciously.

Wei Ying immediately ceased flirting with the girl across from him when he saw that. “Oh, I’m sorry for ignoring the rest of you. Were you two also caught in the fire?” he asked, pale eyes wide with concern. “That looks like a painful burn.”

She shook her head quickly. “It isn’t terrible at all. Madam Niu made sure that I was one of the first ones treated, since the fire broke out while we were working on dinner.”

The other girl nodded eagerly. “We had just lifted up one of the soup pots to start for dinner when one of the stoves caught fire! We attempted to put it out with water and sand, but it must have been too hot for a while, because the wall went up faster than we could soak it, and then Madam Niu told us all to run.”

Lan Wangji paused, looking over at Wei Ying almost unconsciously. His eyes narrowed just slightly, not enough for the others to notice. “That must have been terrifying,” he said softly, propping his chin in his hand. “The whole inn went up very quickly, then?”

"So quickly," the girl agreed earnestly. "I still can't believe it! Master Niu is one of City Master Zheng's firefighters, so I thought he would know how to protect his inn..."

"But that's why some of us are so concerned," the first man interjected, who'd brought them to the table. "Young masters, you're here to investigate, aren't you? We know there's something strange about all the fires. Could a ghost have set this one?"

"We are here investigating the fires," Wei Ying agreed, looking around the table. "But we still need more information. If I could ask you all some questions?" The women looked up. "Some of you said you worked at the inn? Did you notice anything unusual?"

The woman with the mark on her cheek shook her head. "Nothing like that," she said. "Everything seemed normal."

Their drinks came, and Wei Ying poured a cup of tea for each of the women. "What about visitors?" he asked when he had his own cup of wine in front of him, giving the woman a gentle smile. "Did anyone come by who didn't work there? Or were any of your coworkers behaving oddly?"

The woman's eyes widened as she lifted a hand to her mouth. "Do you think someone might have been possessed by a ghost, sir?" she asked breathlessly.

Lan Wangji thought it unlikely, but Wei Ying smiled again and said, "We can't rule it out."

It was a little strange, Lan Wangji thought, that the city's elite seemed certain the fires were caused by humans, while the ordinary citizens turned to ghosts.

The other kitchen worker, perhaps wanting some of Wei Ying's attention herself, said quickly, "We did have several visitors today! Xiao Sun, she's a cousin of Madam Niu's, came by to return a knife she borrowed. And Luo Mei, you might want to talk to her, her house half burned down a couple months ago, she came to ask Madam Niu something too. Song Siyun stopped by to visit her cousin for the third time this xun, and I wish she wouldn't, she never has anything to say and just delays our work..."

Lan Wangji listened to the woman chatter nervously about their visitors, though his only contribution to the conversation was to ask for their addresses. The rest of the time, he watched as Wei Ying gave careful attention to everyone who spoke, soothing the ones still filled with tension, flattering the ones who seemed more reluctant to speak until bestowed with his engaging smile.

He seemed to understand how best to interact with everyone there. Lan Wangji turned his gaze away.

The city master's guards would no doubt also be investigating, but he and Wei Ying did not yet know the connection between all the fires here. Even if the Jinlong Inn fire was set by a living person, he and Wei Ying could not ignore it until they understood how it fit, or did not fit, with the fires set by their ghost.

The conversation between them only came to a pause when the food arrived, the young women too polite to converse with their mouths full. While some light conversation still passed by, it was the quietest meal he’d shared with Wei Ying since they’d met.

He found himself not particularly caring for the quiet. All around them, families talked and laughed and sometimes whispered to each other, but it felt as though the comfortable space he had grown accustomed to recently was not there. Wei Ying seemed almost distracted at times as they ate, though he still responded to every question or comment the girls made.

Lan Wangji ate his food without tasting it, seeking the sustenance more than the flavor. His hand was stinging again, and he suspected that the burn needed more care than he had given it earlier.

When he set his chopsticks down to sip his tea, he noticed Wei Ying frowning at him slightly, but it disappeared the moment their eyes met.

When they had finished eating, the man who had invited them over stood up first. “Thank you again, for saving the life of my sister,” he said with a bow. “If we could beg one more boon of you, could you please try to lay the spirit plaguing us with fires to rest? We would be grateful forever more if you brought peace back to our town.”

It was a relief to bow in unison with Wei Ying. “That’s what we’re trying to do,” Wei Ying said with a smile. “I swear on the heavens that we will be here till the fires are put to rest.”

Lan Wangji nodded in assent. Regardless of any bumps they may run into, his plan on that front had not changed in the slightest.

He would still see this hunt through before he decided on anything next.

At last the young women left, clustered together for safety as they stepped out into the growing darkness. Someone jostled him, and he startled before he realized it was Wei Ying nudging his shoulder. “Should we retire and consider our next move?” he said with a smile, something different lurking in his eyes. “Some conversations should be had away from those with keen ears.”

Lan Wangji nodded, glancing about the room. No one met his eyes, but he could see several pairs of hunched shoulders. “I agree that would be wise.”

They returned to their room, where Wei Ying immediately flopped back on his bed after taking off his shoes. "Two different arsonists!" he complained. "No wonder things are a mess here. Between the spirit and the living person, it's hard to know how to catch them."

Lan Wangji more properly sat at the table. "The spirit may be an early victim of the living arsonist," he commented. "Furthermore, there is some connection with the fire brigade here. Did you hear that Master Niu is a firefighter, like the owner of yesterday's burned house?"

"I did hear that," Wei Ying said, propping himself up on his elbows. "But that just confuses things more. Yesterday's fire was the spirit, and today's wasn't. Why would they both be going after firefighters?" He snorted. "Actually, why would either of them?"

Although Lan Wangji was generally disinclined to engage in speculation, he did see its utility in generating ideas, so long as they took care not to get attached to any of them. "The spirit may not know who its real murderer is and resents firefighters for being unable to save it," he suggested. "The living arsonist may be preoccupying those who could interfere with them."

Wei Ying swung himself up into a sitting position again, eyes sparkling. "Not too early to speculate anymore, Lan Zhan?" he asked, teasing.

Lan Wangji did not reply, but part of him relaxed slightly at their conversation. It was shameful to be grateful that he once again had Wei Ying's full attention to himself, but he would reflect on his lack of generosity later.

Moving on, Wei Ying stretched his arms out, then rolled his shoulders and neck. "Hopefully tomorrow has a little less excitement," he commented. "And that we actually have time to look into the victims. Did the information you got from City Master Zheng include occupation, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Wangji pulled out the sheaf of papers and quickly looked through them before shaking his head. "Names of the household, addresses, dates of the fires, any deaths," he said.

"Deaths is good, since our spirit likely comes from them. We should prioritize speaking to those families."

"When I rise tomorrow, I will ask the innkeeper or his wife if they could draw us a map or give us directions," Lan Wangji decided. Xingyang was big enough that he and Wei Ying risked wasting time if they did not approach the victims in an organized manner.

"Good idea, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying said, beaming at him. And while that smile made his heart beat faster, sourness still twisted in his belly as he remembered Wei Ying's smile directed at so many other people today.

Perhaps he would also take time in the morning, before Wei Ying woke, to copy the relevant Lan rules.

Wei Ying had been sitting relatively calmly on the bed until that moment -- though of course he was always in some form of motion, rather like a stream that sometimes laughed and tripped over stones and branches in its path and sometimes a still, steady flow -- but when their conversation had come to a close, he abruptly rose from the bed to come and sit across Lan Wangji. The mirth was abruptly wiped from his face to be replaced by a stern seriousness.

The sudden shift caught him by surprise. It took him a moment to realize what Wei Ying was likely focused on.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said coolly, pale eyes pinning him in place like a silkworm on a needle. “Why are you hiding that your hand still needs treatment?”

Lan Wangji had to look down at the table -- he could not meet those pale, disappointed eyes head on. “It will be fine in a day or so. It is not so severe that I cannot manage it.”

Wei Ying made a disgruntled noise, pulling the jar back out of his sleeve. “I don’t know what happened, but the entire back of your hand was red. Even if we heal faster, why are you determined to suffer until then? What if you need it tomorrow for another fire and you can’t use it because you did nothing today?”

There was the ghost of someone else’s words in his mouth, but it came as though they were words Wei Ying had taken to heart and carried forward to help others. Others now including Lan Wangji.

He was not sure how he felt about being included in others who might be scolded for medical care. There was the part that was giddily delighted that Wei Ying had noticed despite his usual lack of emoting. There was also the part that was disgruntled about the reappearance of the burn ointment jar and the memories associated with that. There were a few other smaller parts such as being worn out from the emotional journey of the day and not wanting to deal with another event in his evening, and all of it tangled up in his throat and left him unable to give Wei Ying a clear answer one way or the other.

Wei Ying sighed. “You don’t have to tell me why you didn’t accept the help earlier, but at least let me take care of it now? If you’re concerned about my skills, I’ve been taught a lot of how to do this stuff by my doctor friend. She proclaimed my abilities acceptable, so you can trust that I can put some salve on your hand and re-tie the bandage,” he said with a wink that seemed only slightly forced.

...Distressing Wei Ying was worse than the tangle of emotions he felt on seeing the jar of salve. Mutely, Lan Wangji held out his hand. As Wei Ying unwrapped it and hissed at seeing the small wound surrounded by burned skin, Lan Wangji once again felt his ears heat and fixed his attention on the window behind Wei Ying. It was closed and there was nothing interesting to see, but it was better than the look of concentration on Wei Ying's face as he determinedly took care of Lan Wangji.

"You're very stubborn, aren't you," he murmured. Lan Wangji almost shivered until he managed to control himself. "I'm sure pride is against your rules, though. It sounds like it would be."

There were several rules that touched on the topic, though none specifically forbidding well-regulated pride. Lan Wangji chose not to quibble, though, only saying, "It will heal soon regardless, and it did not seem a priority."

Wei Ying's ponytail swayed as he shook his head. "I need to introduce you to Wen Qing," he said. He pulled out another jar of ointment from his belt qiankun pouch, then delicately rubbed it against the wound. Lan Wangji felt how shallow his breathing turned. "She would break you of any habit of downplaying your injuries. Especially with my mother behind her. I've had it practically beaten into me that a little caution now prevents worse consequences later on."

He finished with the wound and picked up the jar of burn cream, then began smoothing the cream over the burn, just as delicately, using his other hand to hold Lan Wangji's steady. His fingers, light but firm, circled around the wound, with every circuit making Lan Wangji's hand tingle more. He was grateful that Wei Ying looked only at his hand, because he was sure his face could not maintain its customary impassiveness.

Finally, Wei Ying finished applying the medicine. Still holding Lan Wangji's hand, he wrapped it up again neatly and professionally, and then gave him a smile so genuine he could not continue looking away.

"You're a musician," he chided gently, stroking his fingers against Lan Wangji's as he pulled his hand away. "Take better care of your hands."

Lan Wangji closed his hand as their fingers parted to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing Wei Ying’s again. He could still feel his soft touch along every inch of his hand, as potent as a brand on his skin. “Thank you,” he said roughly and was mortified to hear how raspy his voice had become. He quickly cleared his throat. “I will keep that in mind for the future.”

Wei Ying smiled at him more easily now. “Please do. I would hate for some small injury to ever take anything away from you, especially something that you clearly love as much as music.”

Lan Wangji nodded mutely, unable to continue down this line of conversation.

Fortunately the late hour was his ally in this. Wei Ying glanced out the window at the darkness, the corners of his mouth tilting down slightly. “Ah, it’s nearly your usual time to rest, is it not?“

Lan Wangji inclined his head. “It is close, though it would not be difficult to stay up longer if needed.”

Wei Ying shook his head faintly. “We won’t discover anything else tonight, I don’t think, not without another fire starting now, and I’m sure tomorrow will be busy!” He rose from the table to collect his comb from the small bag lying on his bed. “Will the light bother you if I take a little longer to get ready?”

Lan Wangji rose as well, inwardly sighing in relief when his hand did not protest the movements he was putting it through. Whether through the salve or simply the sheer magic of Wei Ying’s touch, the pain had all but abated. “That will not be a problem. I still need some time to prepare as well,” he said calmly, pleased that the rasp did not return.

They got ready quickly between the two of them, Lan Wangji averting his eyes once again when Wei Ying shed his outer robes to sleep more comfortably. Regardless of his feelings, Wei Ying did not deserve to be ogled for the small scraps of skin inadvertently bared for seconds when he was clearly ready to rest.

By the time he turned back around, Wei Ying was lying in bed, hair braided and smug smile firmly on his face. “I’ll join you in early sleep tonight. Who knows how long we have before the next fire breaks out?”

He had too many confused feelings, and the only thing he knew was that he couldn't look at Wei Ying's face any longer. He blew out the candle and got into bed, burrowing under the blankets. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Good night, Wei Ying."

He could hear the smile in Wei Ying's voice. "Good night, Lan Zhan."

--

Despite his wish for easy sleep, his mind kept him awake for much of the night, whirling back and forth between their hunt and Wei Ying.

The spirit and its minimal resentment.

Wei Ying smiling at so many different girls.

The firefighters and their connection to the city master.

Wei Ying tenderly taking care of his hand.

What was real? In all of it, what was true and what was a distraction?

His body could tell when mao shi arrived. Gratefully, he got up and prepared for the day. Although Wei Ying went to bed at the same time, his sleep seemed better and he had not yet woken. Lan Wangji, reluctant to disturb him, went downstairs by himself.

It was early enough that the dining room was empty aside from the inn workers. The innkeeper sat at his desk, and though his eyebrows raised to see Lan Wangji approach, he was still polite and cheerful as he asked, "Can I help you with something, sir?"

Lan Wangji withdrew his papers from his sleeve. "My companion and I are investigating the fires, but we are new to the city," he said, keeping his voice low even with the lack of people. "Would you be able to draw a map or give directions to these addresses?"

The innkeeper straightened at hearing his purpose. "Of course!" he assured him. "My inn may be full, but this is not my favorite way of getting patrons. Any way my wife or I can help, you let us know."

Lan Wangji nodded his gratitude and within a quarter of a shichen, he had a map, directions for the most efficient way to move between the various addresses, and several suggestions of where to look if the people they sought out were away at the time, with many of those suggestions added by some of the passing inn workers as they overheard the conversation.

It was not quite gossip, although some of the things he heard definitely were very close to that line. There were a few names on his list that definitely drew opinions, mostly positive, some negative. The Niu household were decently respected, though the husband’s work as a firefighter in these times led to a minor squabble about how much good he was doing when he couldn’t even stop his own inn from burning down. Luo Mei came up again as a young woman who’d lost part of her house to a fire, and while she still had livable rooms, the fires springing up afterwards had prevented her family from repairing it enough to be a house again. A Cai Yan was mentioned as someone who would be irritated with any interruptions to his work, and the innkeeper’s wife suggested treading very gently around the Wan family as they’d lost several members of their family between one fire that had burned down their bank and another that had struck a house near to theirs and they had been caught in the inferno before they were able to put it out. Several other names had similar warnings of loss or wariness of strangers.

“We’ve had a tough time of it recently,” the innkeeper said with a wan smile. “Many of us will help you in whatever way we can, but some just have nothing left to put their trust in after these times.”

Lan Wangji nodded. It was not hard to imagine how persistent fires that only grew the more they attempted to deal with them before they could become a problem would have a harsh effect on those who had to live with it.

It only strengthened his resolve to find the ones responsible for starting these fires, human and spirit alike, and bring an end to the chaos and loss.

When they were finished, for a moment he considered taking his breakfast downstairs as well, leaving Wei Ying to sleep in peace and having some more time alone with his scattered thoughts. But then after the confusions of the previous day, if he woke up alone while Lan Wangji was downstairs, would he think that Lan Wangji had just left? Normally he would have no concerns about that, but recently his mind had refused to have anything but worries about their relationship and how much of it might have existed solely in his mind.

In the end he did collect a tray and return upstairs to their room, where Wei Ying had curled himself into a tight ball beneath the blankets with only his long braid visible to the morning sunlight, and set himself to copying lines in the lingering time he had before Wei Ying would rise for the day.

Wei Ying stirred before he had copied more than a few pages. His body twisted and turned over several times, as if seeking out a position that would let him return to sleep. He ended up facing Lan Wangji, scrunching his face and sticking his lips out in an exaggerated pout before finally heaving a sigh and blinking his eyes open.

Caught looking at him, Lan Wangji quickly returned his gaze to his copies before trying to more naturally raise his face as shifting sounds from the bed announced Wei Ying's wakefulness. He looked back in time to catch Wei Ying's sleepy smile and drowsy, husky voice saying, "Good morning, Lan Zhan."

As Wei Ying pushed himself out of bed, Lan Wangji cleared his throat. "Good morning, Wei Ying."

Wei Ying smiled again before moving over to the bathing area to splash some water on his face. Refusing to let himself watch Wei Ying's morning routine, Lan Wangji turned his attention back to his papers. He quickly rolled up and stowed away his copies of the rules, but he left the map the innkeeper had drawn for him and their notes on the hunt so far.

"I spoke to the innkeeper, who drew us a map and provided directions," Lan Wangji said, still keeping his eyes on the map. "He and other inn workers also gave further information on some of the victims and provided advice for approaching them."

"That sounds useful," Wei Ying replied cheerfully. "I imagine many of them have had a hard time and wouldn't want to talk to strangers."

"Indeed." Lan Wangji once again considered their potential routes. "Fires have broken out across the city, so the deaths were spread out. It would not be efficient to seek out those families first. However, we may wish to begin with the Wan family, because they lost the most. From there, we can make our way across the city."

Wei Ying grinned at him, sleep-mussed braid hanging over one shoulder. “That sounds like a good plan,” he agreed. “I’ll eat quickly and finish getting ready for the day and we can head on out!”

--

The morning air was crisp and stung at his nose, nearly cool enough to make their breaths frost in the air. Wei Ying stretched his arms up towards the sky, letting out a pleased grunt as he dropped his arms and swung them around. “Well then,” he said, turning towards Lan Wangji, “shall we begin?”

He nodded and started down the path to their right, having already memorized the turns they would need to make to reach the Wan household. They were one of the few families still living in their own home at the moment, but their losses had been very steep indeed.

Wei Ying was humming cheerfully as they walked, seemingly not at all daunted at the prospect of having to talk to many grieving and wary people today. But then as he had discovered just the previous day, Wei Ying was far more adept with getting anyone to drop their guard and speak with him than he had really considered in their previous hunts.

While Wei Ying’s silver tongue had opened doors for them before, it would definitely be very needed today. There was something rotten hidden underneath the fires, and the drifting smoke around them told him that it would take a lot of work to unearth it enough to discover just what it was attempting to hide.

A middle-aged man answered their knock. Time had worn grooves into his face until he seemed beset by permanent fatigue. The frown that crossed his face as he saw them only deepened the careworn impression.

"Master Wan Shaolong?" Wei Ying asked gently.

"That's me," the man replied, still frowning. "Who are you?"

"We're sorry to disturb you. My name is Wei Wuxian, and my companion is Lan Wangji. We're cultivators, here to investigate spiritual activity involved in Xingyang's fires.

Wan Shaolong's lips flattened and he closed his eyes, as if arguing with himself. Finally, he said, "I wish you luck in handling it, but I'm sure you understand that I'm beyond weary of talking about those fires."

"Of course," Wei Ying assured him. "We are sorry to have to remind you, but we hope that speaking with you will help us solve the problem and let all of Xingyang start putting the fires behind them."

Wan Shaolong whistled out a breath before he took a step back. "Come in, then. I'll answer what I can."

As the two of them settled down across a table from Wan Shaolong, he set out tea for them and then stared down into his own cup. Even when Wei Ying cleared his throat, he didn't lift his head.

"I want to start by apologizing for the nature of the questions we must ask," Wei Ying said, keeping his tone firm but respectful. "The subject matter is difficult, and some of our questions may seem insulting, but we ask them to better understand everything that happened and how that might relate to the spirit."

Wan Shaolong did not lift his head, but they could both see the resignation and understanding in his body. “I am willing to accept this as long as you understand that there are questions I may not be able to answer. I will be as honest as I can be in these matters.”

Wei Ying smiled very kindly at him, even though Wan Shaolong could not see it. “Then I’ll begin. I heard from some others around town that before these fires broke out, you ran a bank on the north side of the city?”

Now he lifted his head slightly, eyes shadowed and heavy. “Yes. It had been in our family for generations. Now it is naught but ash and a debt we cannot repay for what was lost in the blaze.”

Wei Wuxian nodded sympathetically, his whole body speaking of nothing but kindness and sympathy. “What time of day did the fire start?”

Wan Shaolong flinched, his breath coming on heavier. “Just after midday. I had gone home for a few hours, but my sons stayed behind. They were both there when the fire broke out.”

Lan Wangji said nothing, but he could see the grief growing heavier on his face.

Wei Ying’s voice became even gentler as he asked. “Did they make it out?”

Wan Shaolong seemed to crumble in on himself as he shook his head. “Only my eldest survived, and he is still recovering from his burns to this day.”

"I'm sorry for your loss," Wei Ying offered. Wan Shaolong nodded his head like he'd heard the sentiment many times until it lost its meaning. "Do you know what caused the fire?"

Wan Shaolong flinched, then closed his eyes. The words finally came, slowly, as if pulled from him. "Our city master's guards investigated. They said it was likely someone knocked a candle over in a corner. No one noticed until it was too late."

Lan Wangji recalled the information he'd received from the city master's manor. It hadn't included the notes and results from any investigations, which seemed a frustrating oversight. Did the city master's servants not think that information important enough to include...or were they trying to hide something?

"What happened to your sons?" Wei Ying asked, softly.

For several long moments, Wan Shaolong didn't answer. When Lan Wangji began to believe he wouldn't, he said, "My elder son made it out. My younger son was...trapped."

"Did you have any difficulties bringing him out and laying him to rest?" Wei Ying asked next. This was the key point. Any of the victims who died in the fires might have garnered enough resentment from their deaths to linger, but that likelihood increased if there were also issues with their burial.

Wan Shaolong's eyebrows drew in. "We brought him home once we could get in there," he replied, voice even gruffer than before.

"Of course," Wei Ying agreed. "Were there any problems with the burial?"

Lifting a hand to his forehead, Wan Shaolong huffed out a breath. "I see what you mean by hard questions," he muttered. His voice firmed up again. "No. We brought him home and laid him to rest. He...should be at peace."

That statement was almost hard, as if his own will could make it so.

Lan Wangji spoke then, turning the topic away from his son. "We further heard your family was caught in another fire," he said, keeping his voice as soft as Wei Ying's.

Wan Shaolong seemed to find no more peace in this line of conversation though. “A fire broke out two houses down, and our front room was scorched, but the firefighters were able to put it out, and City Master Zheng arranged for the repairs as he felt responsible that his brigade let the fires go on so long. Is there much more you require, sir?” he asked suddenly, shadowed eyes pleading. “I know you wish to help us, but truly, I can endure no more.”

Lan Wangji let out a breath, glancing over at Wei Ying. There was no need for words between them to understand.

“Of course, we can stop,” Wei Ying said gently.

“You have told us enough,” Lan Wangji added.

Wan Shaolong nodded and picked up his teacup once more. They both ignored the way the liquid rippled as though drops were falling into the cup. “You may see yourselves out,” he said in a rough voice. “I hope you may find answers where we could not.”

Wei Ying smiled at him again, but it had lost some of its strength. With nothing else to say and no comfort they could offer, they left him behind, quietly shutting the door on their way out.

Wei Ying let out a heavy breath once they were outside, crossing and uncrossing his arms and pacing rapidly. Lan Wangji gave him a moment to compose himself, turning his attention instead to the outside of the house and the houses to either side. It took him a few moments in the autumn sunlight to spot the differences in the wood, but eventually a place where the grains in the wood did not match up correctly made itself known to him.

Wei Ying came over to join him, nervous energy lessened. “Were you able to find the fire damage?“ he asked calmly, a truer smile on his face.

Lan Wangji nodded, running his fingers over the smoothed wood and the craftsmanship to make it look as though it had not happened. “It is well repaired.”

Wei Ying looked again at the wood, then heaved a sigh. "Well, might as well check," he said, and retrieved one of his talismans. Neither was surprised when it indicated no previous resentful activity. Whatever caused the fire here, it should not have been the spirit.

"Where next, Lan Zhan?" he asked, already starting to move away from the Wan house. "Will our route take us anywhere near that bank?"

"All the fire sites are marked," Lan Wangji replied. He spread open the map to show Wei Ying. "We are here." He pointed at the Wan residence on the map, then traced his finger up. "The bank is here. Also in this direction are two house fires and an apothecary fire." He continued indicating a potential route. "If we continue south and west to the center of the city, we will come to two more houses, an auction house, and two warehouses. Continuing south from there will bring us to the final houses and another inn."

Wei Ying rubbed his chin, shaking his head. "Looking at it all marked out like this...Xingyang is truly unfortunate," he said. "What about the deaths?"

Lan Wangji pointed those out as well. There seemed to be no discernible pattern based on location.

"We'll head north, then," Wei Ying decided, glancing at Lan Wangji to check and receiving a nod. "We forgot to ask if Wan Shaolong or either of his sons were firefighters, but hopefully we can find that out from other people."

"Many also mention City Master Zheng," Lan Wangji added. "I would like to understand his role in the fires as well."

"And anything else these victims might have in common," Wei Ying agreed.

In the end, they set off towards Lan Wangji’s first suggested route towards the bank, as Wei Ying wisely pointed out that there were several restaurants along the way for if they needed to stop and clear their heads.

Even before they came up on the next of the burned buildings, they could see the impact it had on the people around them, the wary way they watched every house and building they passed by, squinting suspiciously at any chimneys for more smoke than there should have been on cold days.

No one was rude to or dismissive of them, but even so they could see the way they were worn down. It reminded him of Yi City in strange ways, only there they had been very tight knit and trusting of each other. Here the very fact that there was someone within them setting these fires made it difficult to maintain that sort of camaraderie.

Wei Ying said little about it, but he could tell that he had noticed it too by the way that his conversation grew lighter and less connected to anything happening around them. He appreciated the brief levity. No doubt any other conversations would be as rough as the one with Wan Shaolong.

The first burned house nearly caught them by surprise. The remains of the building had been carried away and only a gap in the houses marked where it had been aside from the poles stuck in the ground to mark out where the house would be rebuilt.

Wei Ying paced around the outline, frowning in concentration. After a few moments thought, he pulled out one of his talismans. “Did they happen to mention how long ago this one burned down, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji remembered the city master's records. "Nine days."

Wei Ying activated the talisman and slowly wandered over the site with it. "How long ago was the bank fire?"

"Three months."

"And did you hear how long the fire brigades have been in operation?"

City Master Zheng's records had not included that, but Lan Wangji had asked the innkeeper. "A year and two months, shortly after the Qixi Festival."

Wei Ying returned with a talisman briefly glowing red before fading. "This one was the work of our spirit," he announced. "We should mark our map to indicate the source of the fire."

Lan Wangji nodded; it was a good idea. He would remember and do so when it was convenient to bring out ink and brush. "The owners of this house are staying at an inn here while they have a new house built for them in the area," he said, pointing to a location in the south of the city near another burned dwelling. "However, the innkeeper informed me that Cai Yan dislikes being interrupted in his work. We may have better luck speaking with him after he finishes for the day."

"That sounds like about the time we'll get down there anyway." Wei Ying put his talisman away and smiled at Lan Wangji. "Shall we continue?"

They passed the burned apothecary. The fire there had happened almost two months ago, so rebuilding was already in progress. The innkeeper had mentioned that it had been one of the foremost apothecaries in the city, with regular access to rare ingredients and connections to doctors throughout the surrounding area. It had not fully burned down, but many of those rare ingredients had still been lost.

Wei Ying shook his head slightly as they passed it. “Someone wishing to do a lot of harm is someone who targets places that are meant to help others. I could be wrong, but I think our living arsonist is responsible for this one.”

Lan Wangji nodded once in agreement. While they likely could have wandered around the outlines of what looked to be a new apothecary when it was raised, there was something about this one that felt less like a resentful spirit and more like a living person’s calculated plan. They checked just to be sure, then passed on forward.

The next house was not far away from the apothecary. Wei Ying snorted as they turned a corner and realized where they were. Lan Wangji felt a touch of amusement run through him. He had not recognized it at first on the map, but seeing it in person made him realize that they both had been here before.

“This one was our spirit friend,” Wei Ying said, walking over the settling ashes of the house they had helped put out. “When we were both in the bucket line and hadn’t found each other yet.”

“I am aware,” he said calmly. “I was there as well.”

Wei Ying gave him a disbelieving look for a moment and then cracked up, putting a hand over his mouth and bending at the waist with laughter. “Lan Zhan, who told you this was the time to be funny?” he gurgled, eyes crinkling in delight. “That was not fair.”

“Mn,” he offered, adding the note to his mental map that this location was one of the most recent fires and that it was spirit-made. A glimmer of satisfaction radiated through his chest at having made Wei Ying laugh enough that he was subtly wiping at his eyes as he came back to walk at Lan Wangji’s side again.

The sound of pounding heralded their arrival at the bank. A skeleton of a new building had been raised, with several workers filling in the walls as they approached. Wei Ying looked around until he stopped on someone who seemed to be a supervisor.

"Good morning!" Wei Ying said, walking up to him.

The man looked at him sidelong. "Good morning, sirs..." he trailed off meaningfully.

"My companion and I are cultivators investigating the fires," Wei Ying continued, gesturing at Lan Wangji. "We just want to briefly check over this site for spiritual activity and possibly ask you a few questions."

"Cultivators, huh?" The man looked a little more interested. "Well, hopefully you'll be useful. Do you need them to stop or can they keep working?"

"Oh, they can keep working," Wei Ying assured him. "We just didn't want to wander all over your construction site without your permission. Lan Zhan, would you like to check the site?"

Preferring that over asking questions, Lan Wangji took the talisman Wei Ying held out and activated it, starting at the end of the site without active construction. He slowly paced through the frame of the new building. Based on what they heard from Wan Shaolong and their own conjectures, he did not expect to find traces of resentful energy here. This seemed to be a human-made fire, but due diligence required he make sure.

Due diligence paid off. In one corner of the building, the talisman flared red. The heart character flashed, so briefly that Lan Wangji might have missed it had he not been looking. No other lines on the talisman lit.

Lan Wangji rejoined Wei Ying and the supervisor. During a lull in the conversation, he asked, "Do you know what had been in that corner?" He gestured at the corner in question.

The supervisor turned. "Oh, that was the vault, I think," he replied. "Or at least, it's going to be the vault again, and I think we're rebuilding pretty close to the original."

"Was that where the fire started?"

The man shook his head. "It shouldn't have been," he said. "I don't know all the details, but I was told it started nearer the front. That's how that poor boy got trapped."

"Thank you," Wei Ying told him. "You've been very helpful."

The supervisor bowed respectfully towards the two of them before returning to his work. Wei Ying smiled tightly at Lan Wangji, the sort of smile that he thought might mean that he had something he wanted to tell him away from other ears. “Did you find something?” he asked quietly with a quick flick of his eyes to where the vault had been.

Lan Wangji nodded once. “The heart character.”

Wei Ying sucked in a breath through his teeth as they stepped away from the building. “An answer that leads to more questions,” he said. “Tell me, Lan Zhan, did your notes happen to mention who owns the bank property now?”

Lan Wangji took a moment to scan his memory for if anyone had mentioned that, then shook his head. “Is it relevant?”

Wei Ying nodded briefly, but didn’t explain just yet. “What do you say to a break for lunch instead? We’ll consolidate notes and pick up after that?”

Chapter Text

Just as the inn workers had been happy to inform him earlier, there were several good restaurants in the area. Wei Ying picked out one that had an outdoor seating area near a narrow stream that broke through the town. While they received a slightly odd look for requesting the seat closest to that, they were able to get a table near the water. 

It made just enough noise that it would be difficult for someone to listen in on them without being near enough for them to notice. Wei Ying’s shoulders dropped a fraction when they sat down. “I believe our friendly spirit is likely Master Wan's second son,” he said once the waiter had left. “As for why he’s sparking more fires, that I only have a theory on.”

Lan Wangji raised a prompting eyebrow. Wei Ying waited a moment longer, but when Lan Wangji said nothing, Wei Ying finally grinned and continued, "I asked the supervisor when construction started, and it coincides with when what people describe as the 'strange' fires started. We'll still have to check to make sure which fires the spirit was involved in to make sure, and I'll want to make sure the other deaths don't fit, but I think this explains what the talisman found."

Lan Wangji nodded. "It makes sense," he agreed. "Why did you ask who owns the bank now?"

Wei Ying propped his chin up with one hand. "This is something else that I feel should be part of it, but I'm not sure how it fits yet," he admitted. "But remember how Wan Shaolong said he was in debt after the fire? I wondered how he could afford to rebuild, but the supervisor said someone else bought the property."

"Someone else who might have set the fire so they could later buy the property?" Lan Wangji asked, following his thought.

"Ahh, Lan Zhan, you understand me so well!" Wei Ying chirped. "It's just a theory, but we might want to find out who owns the bank now. And maybe if that person also now owns any of the other properties that burned."

"However, some properties we have determined to be the result of human intervention are not as valuable as others," Lan Wangji pointed out. "Why set fire to an individual family's house?"

Wei Ying bit his lip. Lan Wangji had to look away before he focused on it too much. "Maybe he's trying to silence people," he suggested. "Or throw people off his trail. It would probably be a little more obvious what was going on if only valuable property burned and the same person kept buying it."

Lan Wangji frowned and brought out the map again to look at it. “Perhaps some of them are surrounded by land he owns and cannot do anything with?” Given the location of most of the houses, it seemed unlikely, but not impossible. 

Wei Ying leaned forward, his head casting a long shadow over the paper as he leaned in to look at the marks. “I suppose that could be possible for some of them,” he said, brushing his finger over one house close to several pottery shops. “But even then it doesn’t quite make sense.”

Lan Wangji nodded, gently pulling the map away and storing it within his sleeve when the waiter returned with tea and wine for them. “We understand two purposes for setting the fires,” he said once the waiter had walked away. “A spirit that has been agitated by the construction of where it died and someone who perhaps has financial interest in the land in the area and is using the fires to chase away those who live there.”

Wei Ying hummed in agreement, wine sitting forgotten by his elbow as he rested his chin in his hand again. “Lan Zhan, can I see the map one more time?” he asked, twitching a finger in an idle beckoning gesture. “I may have an idea.”

Lan Wangji immediately produced the map for him. Wei Ying made a pleased noise and started scanning it over more deeply, making the occasional mutter of deep concentration.

The wind blew by serenely, stirring the edges of the paper and one lock of Wei Ying’s hair that despite his best efforts kept trying to blow into his mouth.

Lan Wangji picked up his tea for a sip to quench his thirst from the walking they had done earlier, then belatedly realized that he had neglected to fill the cup. Thankfully, Wei Ying was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice.

"It may be viable," he finally said, handing the map back, "though I think we need to visit the rest of the sites to confirm. It's possible that when I actually see the locations, it won't fit."

He didn't explain further, even when Lan Wangji eyed him. In fact, his smile deepened -- which then made Lan Wangji determined not to ask.

Wei Ying would let him know when it became relevant.

After they finished their lunch, they visited the last location in the area, a house that turned out to have been burned by their living arsonist. The owners were currently staying with the husband's brother just a few houses down, so the two of them went to visit.

"My husband is at work, young masters," the lady of the house, Madam Tang, told them. "He won't be home for several hours, so you'll have to come back if you want to speak with him."

"If you're willing, we can talk to you," Wei Ying told her. "Were you there during the fire?"

She closed her eyes and shuddered. "Unfortunately. For days afterward, I thought I would spend the rest of my life coughing. My whole life went up in flames."

"I'm glad your family made it out, at least," Wei Ying offered with a gentle smile, which she accepted with a nod. "Did you notice anything odd that day?"

"Nothing," Madam Tang replied. "Everything was normal until the woodpile behind the house caught fire and reached the house. I went to visit a few friends, but that was it."

Perhaps someone prepared the fire while she was gone. "What does your husband do, by the way?" Wei Ying asked, idly, as if curiosity drove him rather than relevance to their hunt.

"He and his brother are leatherworkers," she answered. "And both part of the fire brigade, too! That's part of how we all got out safely. He knew how to find a safe path out."

“Ah.” Wei Ying smiled disarmingly at her. “It seems then that you two are very fortunate, to have both his work in a different part of the city and the knowledge he needed to take care of his family.”

Madam Tang smiled more brightly. “He is a good man. Thank you, young master.”

They left after a few more pleasantries, Wei Ying having evidently learned all he wanted to know. He stretched leisurely when they went back out into the autumn sunlight, a pleased smile crossing his face. 

Lan Wangji could understand his happiness; they were finally beginning to pick up on some patterns in the fires, if ones that were at odds with each other in terms of intent. Understanding the reasons and the patterns would help them find their arsonists before they had time to set more fires. 

Nevertheless, neither of them could keep from scanning the skies for smoke or keeping their ears open for sudden shouts. While the townspeople had been adamant that usually there were a few days between fires and the two fires within two days of each other were out of the ordinary, it seemed as though the fires were continuing to escalate. They could not so casually trust that they would stop so soon.

They stopped for a moment near the center of town to check their rudimentary map and the direction of which to go next. “Shall we visit the houses or the auction house first?” Wei Ying asked him, peering over his shoulder at the map. “Whichever way we go first, we’ll have some looping around to do to visit all of them in the area.”

"Auction house," Lan Wangji decided, after some consideration. If their current theories held true, that one would be due to their living arsonist, and information would come from interviews with the owners rather than inspecting the site. They still had to check to be sure, but they should be able to move on shortly.

So it proved. The auction house, like the bank, was in the process of reconstruction, but here they found no evidence of spiritual activity, only charred, broken carved pillars, ruined decorations, and wreckage still not fully cleared away. The owner lived some distance away, in a more affluent area of the city, but it was still not too far out of their way.

However, said owner seemed very frustrated by both the loss of his auction house and how long it would take to rebuild it. "There's nothing I can do until it's rebuilt!" Qiu Minghao complained to them. "This was my main source of income! My Auspicious Winds auction house was never the biggest or most profitable in the city, but it kept us comfortable. I might have to go into debt before it's open again!"

Lan Wangji exchanged a glance with Wei Ying. "You're financing the rebuilding yourself, then?" Wei Ying asked. There were many fine things in his home -- rich and colorful tapestries, statuettes matching some of the detailing they had seen at his auction house, intricately carved furniture -- but also some curiously blank spaces where something may have recently stood and perhaps been sold.

"To my misfortune." Qiu Minghao sighed. "But ah well, at least my debt is still mine!"

Still his? "Did someone attempt to purchase it?" Lan Wangji asked, thinking of the bank and its new owner.

Qiu Minghao puffed up again as his face turned red. "I complained to City Master Zheng, but nothing came of it, so hopefully you can help me, daozhang -- I think someone set the fire! Someone came to me trying to buy it even before it burned, and then he actually had the face to ask me again during the fire, at a cheaper price! Can you believe anyone would ask such a thing? Doesn't it sound like his master had the fire set because I refused to sell?"

"It does," Wei Ying agreed. "This was an intermediary?"

"He kept his hood up the whole time and refused to name the actual buyer unless I agreed," Qiu Minghao replied, waving a fist and then pounding it against his knee. "Auspicious Winds is my family's name and reputation! I wasn't going to let it go to some unknown person!"

"But City Master Zheng dismissed you?" Lan Wangji asked next.

Qiu Minghao waved his hand. "Oh, he said he'd look into it, but he's so sensitive about anything involving his precious fire brigade that I could tell he'd rather pretend there's no problem. They were useless when I needed them! Now look at what his arrogance is costing us!" He gestured widely, as if to indicate all the recent fires in Xingyang.

Wei Ying nodded sympathetically. “I’ve heard it’s been hard recently. Did you happen to overhear anything of how the fire started? It might help us track down the person who started it.”

Qiu Minghao huffed and shook his head. “My niece was helping out that day, and she said that she’d been asked to fetch a dress in the back when she saw the fire. When I asked her how it started, she’d said that there was light reflecting off of an old mirror onto a silk robe, but I know I don’t store clothes where anything can shine on them. Silk burns so quickly, that would be a fool’s decision and I would deserve this!” He gestured angrily. “The only answer that makes sense is that someone else moved it and started a fire elsewhere just to be sure. My niece wouldn’t do anything so foolish as lie to me, not when I gave her a job there!”

Lan Wangji could tell that he was not going to calm down in the slightest; the red in his face was threatening to turn purple. For a moment he considered stepping in, but Wei Ying had things well in hand still.

“We did not intend to suggest such a thing,” he said calmly, tilting his head just a little to the side. “Only that, if someone had seen how it began, we might be able to compare other stories of how these fires started.”

Lan Wangji nodded in agreement. “I have heard of many murderers who have very specific things that they are looking for or that set them off. An arsonist may have the same tells, even one hired.”

Qiu Minghao huffed and stroked his beard in a way that reminded Lan Wangji of his uncle at his most consternated. The purple in his face eased to an irate red. “That may be so. But I doubt you’ll find out much more about our local arsonist from the people in town. He always goes for times when people will have time to see it and get out. He doesn’t care for taking lives, just our homes and livelihoods and land.” He leaned back in his chair with a scowl. “Is there anything else? I believe I’ve told you all that’s pertinent to this.”

Wei Ying shook his head and stood up. “This should be plenty,” he said with a bowl. “Thank you for your time, Master Qiu.”

Lan Wangji joined him in bowing and then leaving at Qiu Minghao’s offhanded gesture, a somewhat sour taste in his mouth.

Wei Ying smiled wryly at him when they stepped into the sunlight. “At least we know we don’t have to examine the auction house again.” He let out a sigh and slumped slightly on the wall. “I feel like the answers are not as far away as it seems, but there’s so much smoke I can’t see clearly who’s being honest and who’s lying.” 

"We will clear away the smoke," Lan Wangji replied. He was certain about that; he knew both his own skills and Wei Ying's. "We are making progress."

"We are," Wei Ying agreed, standing up straight again and smiling at him. "With Hanguang-jun on the hunt, we can do no less."

Lan Wangji knew what he meant, but... "Equally as important is the most creative and adaptable cultivator of my acquaintance," he said quietly. "I am confident."

Wei Ying's mouth dropped open slightly before he squeezed his eyes shut. "Lan Zhan!" he cried, putting his hand to his forehead. "What did I tell you about complimenting me!"

His recent uncertainty about Wei Ying's intentions aside...it felt good to make him react this way. And he could tell that Wei Ying was happy, too. He liked it, no matter his exaggerated protests. Perhaps that could be enough for now.

"Shall we go to the warehouses next?" Lan Wangji asked, checking the map again. The warehouses were closer to the auction house than to the burned homes, which seemed to be more on their way south.

Wei Ying removed his hand and eyed Lan Wangji a little suspiciously, his face still glowing. Lan Wangji simply returned his gaze, his mood fully recovering from the earlier conversation. Finally, Wei Ying said, "Yes, let's do that. Lead the way, Lan Zhan."

--

They reached the remains of the warehouses in the middle of the afternoon, when the sun was just starting to settle into the western sky. More than any other part of the city so far, around the warehouses was the most lively and loud. 

They shared a street with blacksmiths and butchers, all hard at work and crossing over each other’s paths in neat dances as men with crates and wagons rattled steadily along. Even with the holes where the warehouses had been, this area of town seemed more resilient and hardened to the stresses of the area. 

Perhaps it was from the regular harries of the work they did. Perhaps it was simply that they had no time for other worries when there was always some new task waiting for them. 

Wei Ying gently tugged him to one side of the road as another wagon turned sharply into their path, the driver lifting a hand in brief thanks before clucking his horses onward. “It’s certainly very busy right now,” Wei Ying said with a smile. “We should probably get to the warehouses quickly so we’re not in the way.”

At first glance, the warehouses seemed to fit the pattern of their living arsonist. They were both owned by a wealthy merchant who lived on the west side of the city. The first stored fabrics and textiles, while the second stored wooden furniture. The fire had first started amidst the furniture, spreading to the fabric warehouse after it grew too big. Other businesses on the street had been caught in the flames -- some had also burned entirely, while others escaped with lesser damage.

The living arsonist was supposed to be the business of the civilian authorities, not theirs, but even if the two cases had not been so tightly intertwined, Lan Wangji thought he would want to catch this arsonist as well. No city deserved the terror of fire and the prolonged injury it left behind even when it was finally curbed.

Wei Ying looked around the area, nodding in satisfaction as if confirming a theory. However, he did not yet share it with Lan Wangji, instead moving to the furniture warehouse to check his talisman. And as they'd thought, the building's remains showed no signs of spiritual activity.

"You said the owner lived on the west side of the city?" Wei Ying asked, still looking down at his talisman.

"Mn." Lan Wangji recalled the innkeeper's words. "His home and store are to the west. This was merely storage."

"I imagine his home is a little out of our way," Wei Ying mused.

Lan Wangji did not have to check their map to agree. "If we do not learn enough from the other victims, we may find him as well."

Wei Ying nodded. "This arsonist seems to be pretty careful. I have a feeling he won't leave any obvious signs of his presence." He blew out a long breath. "What's next, Lan Zhan, the houses?"

"We have already checked the site of the next fire," Lan Wangji said, without needing to glance at the map. "The house next to the bakery we passed yesterday. However, one of the residents of that house is Luo Mei, who was also on site for yesterday's inn fire." He pointed to another street a few blocks south of the site. "She and her family are living here."

Wei Ying made a soft sound in his throat. “How curious. I think we should pay her a visit, don’t you, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji nodded. She had been around at the start of at least one fire, and if she had been at home when another had begun, she might have seen someone at both sites. Even if she didn’t know it, she could hold the information they needed to start narrowing down their living arsonist.

The loud sound of an irate donkey braying followed them as they left the area, cutting through a narrow opening between two houses to shorten the amount of time it would take them to walk there. Wei Ying gave him a wink and smile when he pointed it out, walking through the small passageway as smoothly as a shadow. It was just wide enough for the two of them to walk together if they turned sideways, though there was no reason for them to do such a thing. He let Wei Ying walk ahead of him.

The sounds of shrieks as they emerged caught him by surprise, scanning the skies quickly for any wisps of smoke that they might have missed. Then a group of children with roughly carved wooden swords and poles went running by, pausing for a moment to thoroughly stir up and stab the dust at a street corner as if they were ganging up on someone. 

Wei Ying let out a quiet sigh of relief as the shrieks disappeared. “It’s only boys playing,” he said. “No fires this time.”

After a few seconds, they stopped and began to talk in voices they must have thought were quiet. “Okay, He Long, we’ve defeated the fire monster,” he could hear one of them say.  “Now what do we do to stop it coming back?” 

“Uhh…I think we need to throw water over it,” the boy who must be He Long said, hesitating as he scratched at the dirt with his pole. “And then Luo Shan needs to say prayers, cause he’s the cultivator in white, so it’s actually happy and goes to sleep.”

“Why do I have to say them? We don’t know that he does that!” another boy protested, stomping the dust back up around them.

“Cause if he can fly on his sword, then he can say prayers and Diedie says that cultivators say prayers to make angry spirits go to sleep.”

“Well I don’t know what to say, so someone else can be him,” the boy said, thrusting out a sword with a white ribbon tied around the hilt towards the group. “Yao Bing’s good at making things up, you be him!”

It took a moment for Lan Wangji to realize that the boy was pretending to be him. The white ribbon was meant to be Bichen’s tassel.

Wei Ying laughed next to him and nudged Lan Wangji with his elbow. “Brave heroes out to save the day,” he said with a grin. 

 Before Lan Wangji could say anything else, Wei Ying strode out across the street to the group of boys who had hurriedly straightened up and started brushing the dust off their clothes when they saw an adult approaching.

"Cultivators, may I ask a question?" Wei Ying said, smile audible even with his face turned away.

The children looked at him, suspiciously at first, until their eyes caught on the sword at his waist. Then their eyes wandered to Lan Wangji, coming up behind Wei Ying, and widened.

"You...you're the real cultivators, aren't you?" He Long asked. "What do you want to ask?"

"We are real cultivators, yes," Wei Ying confirmed. "I'm Wei Wuxian, and this is Lan Wangji, Hanguang-jun. Has news of us spread, then?"

Luo Shan, still clutching the pretend-Bichen, gripped it tighter before stepping forward. "My sister was at the fire yesterday," he told them. "She said she saw you saving people. Can you really fly on your swords?"

Wei Ying grinned, then made a sword seal to unsheathe his sword until it hovered in the air where he could step onto it. However, instead of standing on it himself, he held out his hand to the children. "Here," he said. "You can see for yourselves."

Lan Wangji watched as each boy clamored to be the first on the sword. Wei Ying laughed as he helped each one climb on, feel the sword gently rising and falling beneath them, and hop off again. By the time they'd all had a turn, they were beaming, all of their eager attention on Wei Ying.

"Now," Wei Ying said, turning his own gaze to Luo Shan. "You said your sister was at the fire yesterday? Do you think we could speak to her?"

Luo Shan nodded vigorously. "She's at home. Come on, I'll show you the way!"

By that, Luo Shan turned out to have meant himself and all of his companions alternating between running ahead to guide them to his house and swarming around both Lan Wangji and Wei Ying to ask excited questions about their cultivation and the beings they hunted and if they were truly going to slay the ghost.

Lan Wangji did not mind taking the time to answer their questions, no matter how simple or steeped in the strange mythology that could rise up around them at times. He had always been fond of children and appreciated taking the time to assist with the junior disciples whenever he returned home to the Cloud Recesses. They were enjoyable to be around, with minds full of curiosity and an eagerness to learn all they could possibly know.

A few times he would look up at Wei Ying to see an odd look in the other man’s eyes, something that he couldn’t begin to guess what the meaning would be. It disappeared the moment their eyes met, veiled in a smile and a quick joke or teasing question to keep the boys around them entertained, but it still made him curious.

It was almost a disappointment when they reached a house with damp robes strung up in front of it to flap in the breeze that Luo Shan proudly proclaimed to be his, because it meant that their impromptu journey with the children had come to an end.

Naturally, Wei Ying produced a small bag from one of his many hidden pockets that turned out to have candy in it. “A reward,” he said with a grin, “for leading us here so diligently.” 

Once all of the candy had been handed out, the boys scattered again, running off down the street in search of more fun to be had. Only once they had disappeared did the two of them turn to knock on the door.

An older woman answered it, with silver streaked through her bun and a streak of flour along her cheek. She looked puzzled to have two cultivators at her door, but bowed politely all the same. “Esteemed cultivators, how can I help you?”

"We hoped to speak with Miss Luo Mei," Wei Ying told her. When she hesitated, he added, "We're investigating the fires, and we heard that she was unfortunate enough to encounter two. We hope she has information that can help us stop them."

The woman sighed, but stood aside and gestured them through the door. "I'll get her, but young masters...please be careful with her. That poor girl has suffered so in recent months."

"More than the fires?" Wei Ying prodded.

"I'm her mother's sister. She and her brother lost their parents and grandparents to illness last year," the woman said, keeping her voice low. "Her father had no other family, so she and Luo Shan first went to my brother. He owned a highly regarded bakery, one even the city's elite patronize, so he could afford to take them in."

"And then it caught on fire," Wei Ying murmured.

She nodded. "A-Mei was never quite right after that. She'd been in the house when the fire spread, and she almost didn't make it out. Now there have been more and more fires, so she can't get away from the reminders at all."

"We'll be careful," Wei Ying promised.

The woman bit her lip, but she went to retrieve her niece. They did not return right away, though -- Lan Wangji could hear the murmur of voices drifting through the house, though he did not focus enough to try to hear them clearly. Eventually, the woman arrived with a girl perhaps a few years younger than him. Her face was pale, and her hair was down, messy, and splotched with flour, as if she'd run her hands through it recently. Her aunt took a seat with her and obviously intended to remain through their conversation.

Luo Mei looked between the both of them with eyes surrounded in shadows, heavier lines around them than most women her age. “You two are investigating the fires?” she asked, breaking the silence first. “My aunt said you wished to talk to me because of that.”

Wei Ying smiled warmly at her. “Yes, we are trying to bring an end to the fires about the city and we’d heard you’d been at the scene of two different fires, so we were hoping you would be willing to tell us anything you could think of that might help us narrow down who’s setting them.”

Luo Mei blinked slowly, glancing over at her aunt. “I hope you can do that, daozhang,” she said sincerely, her voice nearly as tired as her eyes. “I can’t sleep at night without seeing the roof of my uncle’s house collapsing in behind me right before I got out.” A shudder ran through her small frame and she closed her eyes. 

Her aunt immediately glared at them as if they’d already gone too far and reached over to pat her shoulder. “I told you to be gentle with her,” she admonished them. 

Lan Wangji met her glare evenly. “We will stop as soon as Miss Luo requests. She does not have to answer any questions she does not wish to.”

“It’s all right, Auntie,” Luo Mei said, her lips curving up slightly. “I know they mean well. At least there’s someone in this city who wants to help.”

Her aunt glowered at them for a moment longer, but then backed off.

Seeming somewhat strengthened, Luo Mei lifted her head a little more, squaring her chin. “The truth, daozhang, if you wish to know it, is that there is something rotten here. Fires start in inns and bakeries and warehouses that have no reason to burn, for what is there to spark it? Our city master dismisses all complaints; we have a fire brigade and they show up at every fire when it starts, never mind how often they light.” A light entered her eyes as she continued to speak. “You want to know what I saw? Very well. I saw a bakery and a house go up in flames, from a fire that started on the opposite side from the house and the flames that burned so long even though our city master has raised--!”

“A-Mei!” Her aunt cut her off, lunging forwards as though she wanted to clap her hands over her niece’s mouth.

"Honored cultivators--" Luo Mei began, a sardonic smile twisting her lips, but her aunt grabbed her shoulders and shook her, hissing, "We told you not to repeat that nonsense, girl! What if you go giving the honored cultivators the wrong idea and something bad happens? You promised you would mind your tongue!"

The words were low enough that Lan Wangji might not have understood had his cultivation not been as high as it was. He and Wei Ying had just exchanged a glance when the aunt tugged Luo Mei up again, hurriedly rushing her back out of the room. When she returned, her face was red and her hands twisted around each other.

"I apologize for her, young masters," she said. "That poor girl is so desperate for someone to blame that she's gotten some silly ideas in her head, and she's too young to understand she shouldn't simply repeat her fantasies to anyone who will listen. I'd hoped she'd recovered better by now, but it looks like she's not in any shape to be of help to you."

"Are you sure they're fantasies?" Wei Ying inquired amiably, eyes sharp. "What if someone with power in this city is setting fires?"

The woman froze, as if not sure what to do when Wei Ying didn't play along. "What are the silly ideas Miss Luo has been repeating?" Lan Wangji asked, agreeing with the push.

Her eyes darted between the two of them several times before she straightened. "I'm sorry that we can't be of more help," she said firmly. She marched to the door and held it open. "I hope the rest of your investigation goes well."

The two of them obediently left, but Lan Wangji knew without asking that he and Wei Ying would attempt to find another way to speak to Luo Mei. This was the clearest lead they had.

Wei Ying gave him a knowing smile, shading his eyes to look at the sunlight. “Well, it’s heading towards sunset now, so shall we go see if our Cai Yan is in a mood to be interrupted?”

Lan Wangji nodded and they set off southwards again, towards the last marks on their map. Now that the afternoon was straying towards evening, there was some sense of ease on the air and from the people around them. While not all the fires had been so considerate as to start in the middle of the day, a surprising number of them had.

That was only stronger evidence that very few of these fires, if any, had occurred completely naturally. Almost all accounts had them starting within the span of two shichen, right at the time of day that people would be most likely to be out and able to see the fires quickly. It was likely only the appearance of the ghost that had prevented others from so easily coming to the same conclusion of there was someone intentionally setting the fires.

The inn that Cai Yan was staying in was very near to where his new house would be once construction had been completed, built up on the bones of another house whose family had left Xingyang entirely. It was the most complete reconstruction of any of the houses they’d seen besides Wan Shaolong’s so far, with the frame of the building fully erected and one half with the walls up as well. 

Wei Ying put his hands on his hips and frowned at it in curiosity. “That’s strange, nothing else on this side of town has been this far along yet,” he muttered quietly, grabbing a talisman from his pouch and flicking it. “Lan Zhan, will you keep an eye out for me? I won’t be able to see if there’s anyone coming as well with there being walls around.”

“Of course,” he said, turning so that his back was to the house as Wei Ying stepped neatly over the door frame and started scanning around for signs of resentful energy. They had not been here long enough to be friendly faces to all in town, and most of their work had been more to the north so far. He could understand Wei Ying’s caution.

Only a few minutes passed before Wei Ying returned, a thin smile on his lips. “Found it. This one was definitely our spirit friend.”

That was significant -- most of the remains they'd encountered so far had been the work of the living arsonist. Hopefully speaking with Cai Yan would enable them to better understand the spirit's targets and motivation.

Armed with that knowledge, they continued to the inn Cai Yan was staying at. Wei Ying spoke to the innkeeper, who thankfully directed them to his room, along with the knowledge that he'd just returned.

Knocking on his door, however, earned them audible grumbling that accompanied the approaching footsteps. "Always interruptions," a voice groused before its owner flung open the door. A man several years older squinted at them, frowning. "Yes? Do you need something?"

"Master Cai Yan?" Wei Ying asked.

The man nodded, still frowning. "Is this important? I only just got back."

"We're glad we were able to catch you," Wei Ying told him. "I'm Wei Wuxian, and this is Lan Wangji. We're cultivators here to investigate the fires, and we were told that you were unfortunate enough to lose your home to one. We hoped to ask you a few questions."

Cai Yan looked between the two of them a few times. His mouth opened, and he blinked a few times, then said, "Ah, cultivators?"

Wei Ying nodded. "Wasn't there something strange about the fire at your home?"

Slowly, Cai Yan nodded, still looking between them. After a moment, he seemed to get over his surprise and stepped back to allow them entrance. "Yes, yes, of course. I apologize for my lack of welcome earlier, daozhangs. I just got back from work and was spending time with my wife. Please forgive my discourtesy."

"It's nothing," Wei Ying assured him, stepping into the room. 

Seated at the table was presumably Madam Cai. Like her husband, she looked between the two of them several times, and then she smoothly stood. "Allow me to serve you tea," she said, retrieving two more cups. As Lan Wangji and Wei Ying followed Cai Yan to the table and sat down, she poured tea for them, then retreated across the room.

Cai Yan smiled at them as if they were good friends rather than strangers that had only just met. “It is good to hear that there are cultivators finally looking into our strange fires here. It is very disconcerting to go out and fight fires that burn against all of our combined forces.”

Wei Ying frowned slightly, but it disappeared faster than anyone could notice but for Lan Wangji. “Are you a volunteer firefighter then?” he asked calmly, a light smile on his face. “We have not had much of a chance to speak to any others yet.”

Cai Yan nodded eagerly. “I was one of the first to sign on with City Master Zheng when he first brought up the idea. I’m one of the leaders for this part of town.” He sipped his tea and smiled in satisfaction. “It’s been good for our family since I took up the position. Many benefits have come to all of us from it.”

“Yet your house is one of the ones that has burned,” Lan Wangji observed. 

Cai Yan shook his head. “It will be rebuilt very soon. In the meantime, we are comfortable here. And now that you honorable cultivators have arrived, I believe that our fires should stop very soon indeed.”

Lan Wangji frowned inwardly. While they had met with a mix of theories over the last few days as to whether these fires were incidental, spiritual, or purposefully set, it seemed odd that when he and Wei Ying had helped combat two fires of different natures and they could tell the difference with solely those two, yet this seasoned firefighter was convinced that all of it could be solved by cultivators alone. 

Wei Ying had obviously picked up on it too. His smile did not betray his thoughts at all, but Lan Wangji knew him well enough to know that he would not miss that detail as well. “So then you would say that these fires are being caused by something more in our purview than yours?” he asked blithely, sipping his tea. “I have heard from others in town that they believe these fires to be caused by human hands, whether accidental or not.”

Cai Yan shook his head with a chuckle that reminded Lan Wangji of his brother’s when he was being polite at someone’s ill-conceived joke even though he did not feel the urge to laugh. “Daozhang, I have helped put out many of these fires. I can tell the difference between the ones that burn as they should and the ones that do not.” He leaned in just slightly as if he were sharing some secret with them. “I cannot help but wonder if our city master’s intent in forming such a brigade is that his sharp tongue has angered a fire spirit and he seeks to avoid the shame in admitting such a thing.”

"You said you can tell the difference," Wei Ying repeated. "We have a map of the sites. Would you be able to point out which locations were the work of a spirit and which were not?"

"If I was there, certainly," Cai Yan agreed, nodding eagerly.

Taking the cue, Lan Wangji spread their map on the table. He had not altered it; all of his notes on the sources of the fires remained in his mind. He had been planning to annotate the map when they returned to the inn for the night, and that delay served another use now.

"These were definitely strange fires," Cai Yan said, tapping at two of the locations in the southeast they had not yet reached. "Something held back the fires from reaching other buildings, even as the fires resisted us until they'd eaten all they wanted of that one." His finger then moved north. "There was my house, of course, and the Wangs'."

Wei Ying nodded. Those were the two houses they themselves had confirmed.

Then Cai Yan circled his finger around the auction house and the apothecary. "And these," he said. "These also behaved strangely."

"How useful it is to have your expertise!" Wei Ying told him. His voice was earnest and his eyes believing, with no sign that he would have also noted the discrepancy.

The auction house and the apothecary had not been the ghost. 

The question was, did Cai Yan know that? Had there been something strange at those fires that had not lingered to be traced by Wei Ying's talisman? Was Cai Yan overestimating his ability to tell the fires apart? Or was he deliberately trying to attribute fires to the spirit that had been set by someone else, not knowing they would have means of their own to discern the source?

"What of the others, Master Cai?" Wei Ying continued, tracing his own fingers over the lines and markings on the map. "Is there anything you can tell us about those?"

"I had not been able to make it to all of them," he replied. "But many others seemed to start as fires do, with a spark in a hidden place that grew too quickly. Tragic, but not as unnatural as these others."

Again, Wei Ying nodded. "And what of City Master Zheng?" he asked next. "How do you think he fits in?"

Cai Yan grimaced, shaking his head. “At first I thought he was sincerely moved by the death of a distant cousin from fire and sought to protect his own city and interests from such a thing occurring again. But now...” He sighed and trailed off, staring into his nearly empty cup till his wife came back and refilled it. “Now I wonder if he saw it as a way to make us all more reliant on him. We did not have such troubles with fires before he formed the brigade, but certainly no one can deny that we are needed very sorely, what with fires breaking out almost every other day now, it seems.”

Wei Ying nodded as if in agreement. “Thank you, Master Cai. You have given us much to think on,” he said, rising to his feet. 

Lan Wangji stood up too and bowed.  “Please excuse us,” he said politely, sweeping his map back into his sleeve. “It has been a long day.”

Cai Yan rose with them, genial smile on his face. “Of course, of course. Doubtless you have much to do to catch this spirit plaguing our town,” he said, escorting them to the door. “If you have any more questions or concerns about these fires, please come to me. I am happy to help in whatever way I can.”

Wei Ying smiled and thanked him and somehow managed to keep the pleasant expression on his face until they had left not only his rooms, but even the street the inn was on. Only when he was certain that no one would see it did he make a much more displeased face at Lan Wangji before cracking up into a much more genuine smile at Lan Wangji’s face. “I’m going to need some wine before we talk about all of that,” he said, glancing back towards the inn just briefly. “I didn’t think it could happen, but my throat is sore from all the talking I’ve done today.”

Lan Wangji somehow doubted that, but conceded that they had certainly done more than enough that retiring to their shared room with dinner and tea and perhaps wine as well sounded like a very pleasant end to a long day. 

Chapter Text

The sun was setting against their backs as they finally returned to the inn. There had been no fire that day, so the atmosphere was calmer in the dining room, more relaxed, though not completely without tension. Too many refugees and too many uncertainties remained for that.

They stopped by the innkeeper to request meals sent to their room in a ke. By the time they shut the door behind them, Wei Ying let out a loud, exaggerated sigh and flopped backwards on his bed. Though they had walked extensively across the city, Lan Wangji knew the weariness to be more mental than physical. He could not deny that he felt the same.

Wei Ying did not speak immediately. Lan Wangji was aware that Wei Ying's complaint of a sore throat was dramatic exaggeration, but he had also taken on the brunt of their questioning. So, instead of introducing further conversation, he pulled out his qin, laid it on the table, and settled down in front of it to play.

As the first notes of Cleansing drifted through the room, Wei Ying rolled over onto his side to watch Lan Wangji play. He still said nothing, and his eyes fluttered closed as the melody wrapped around them both. Their interaction with resentful energy was limited enough that Cleansing should not be necessary for its power, but it still had the ability to soothe a troubled mind and heart.

When he brought Cleansing to a close, Wei Ying let out a gentler sigh than before. "You always know just the right song," he said, eyes still closed. "Keep playing?"

Gladly, Lan Wangji didn't say, and began playing another calming song, though this one had no use in cultivation. With Wei Ying's eyes closed, Lan Wangji could openly watch the tension melt from his face, the way his mouth went slack, the relaxation in his limbs. I did that, he couldn't help but think. Wei Ying let Lan Wangji have that kind of influence on his mind and body.

It was simultaneously too much and not enough.

He watched Wei Ying's peaceful face as he played until a knock on their door finally heralded their meal. Before he could stop playing, Wei Ying sat up with a smile and shook his head faintly at Lan Wangji. “I’ve got it,” he said in a low voice that could barely be heard over the qin.

Lan Wangji inclined his head slightly as Wei Ying rose to his feet and went to answer the door. He had nearly reached the end of the current song as it was, so it would not be any trouble to finish it so that Wei Ying could get to enjoy the whole piece.

For a moment he closed his eyes and let instinct guide his fingers over the strings, just listening to the sounds around them. The soft scraping of the door, a quiet murmur of gratitude and the dull rattling of clay plates on a tray, all a comfortable rhythm under the song of the qin.

Wei Ying’s pleased little hum and the sound of the tray being set down nearby. He could almost see Wei Ying in his mind’s eye, propping his head on his chin to watch Lan Wangji play because he enjoyed watching him as much as Lan Wangji enjoyed playing for him.

Much of him wished very much that nights like these would find their way into his future, as many of them as he could have. The comfortable domesticity of spending his days with someone whose company he could enjoy, whose presence was a balm rather than a drain at the end of long days.

Someone who wanted to sit and listen to him play because he liked the music that Lan Wangji could craft for him.

All too soon, the song came to an end, and he had to open his eyes and let his wayward dreams drift by on the air. Wei Ying smiled warmly at him as he rested his hand on the strings, stilling them before setting his qin aside so that they could eat.

A brief pang of melancholy ran through him, and he breathed out and let it go. It was easy to wish for something that was not yet his, that might not ever be his. It was so easy to be caught up in wishes and hopes and daydreams.

But for right now, he was sitting at a table across from Wei Ying, who was taking advantage of the open table space to share out rice and noodles and sauces and vegetables that could be combined together for their preferred tastes, and he was still happy. This, too, was something that gave him joy, as simple as it was.

Perhaps it was the simplicity of it that produced such joy.

Wei Ying dropped noodles and rice and chicken into his bowl before reaching for his familiar bright red sauce, gleefully upending it over his dinner. “Since there is no speaking while eating,” he said with a grin and a wink that seemed much more relaxed than before, “how about if while we eat, I can just list off the things we’ve learned today.”

Lan Wangji had long since given up on the prospect of Wei Ying learning this rule. He nodded in agreement, finding it more pleasant to swim with the tide than push against it.

Wei Ying grinned happily. “All right then,” he said, stirring his noodles together until they were dyed a glowing red. “We have a better idea of which places our ghost hit and which our arsonist struck. And the first thing that we can be certain of is that the ghost so far has only burned down houses.”

Lan Wangji had not yet begun eating, so he allowed himself to insert, "Cai Yan suggested the ghost was the culprit for the inn we had not yet reached, but that is still unconfirmed."

Wei Ying nodded, waving his hand at Lan Wangji in agreement. "Yes, we should finish checking out the sites ourselves tomorrow," he said. He took a bite of his food and swallowed neatly before continuing. "But that inn aside, the ghost's targets so far seem to be individual."

Lan Wangji began to eat more quickly than was his wont. He was interested in hearing Wei Ying's initial thoughts, but he also wished to participate in the conversation. The impulse was still new to him, but it was nevertheless quite present.

"On the other hand, our living arsonist seems split between targeting profitable businesses and also going after individuals," Wei Ying went on between bites. "The businesses seem to be for the sake of buying the land, while the individuals seem to be punishing firefighters."

It was a strange pattern. Parts of it seemed to echo the ghost, but the rest of it was entirely distinct.

Lan Wangji swallowed and put his bowl down, ignoring the indelicate clink of it hitting the table too hard. "Three arsonists," he said.

Wei Ying favored him with a broad grin, his lips shining with oil. "You read my mind, Lan Zhan," he said warmly. "The living arsonist's targets don't make sense until we separate them into two sets. And one of those is so different that it just seems very unlikely they're the same person, doesn't it? The only thing they have in common is the method."

No more conversations about the hunt over dinner, Lan Wangji decided, whose renewed hurry to finish eating bordered on rudeness. For one of the first times in his life, he had too many things to say.

Wei Ying, clearly amused, waited as Lan Wangji finished. Finally, Lan Wangji was able to say, "The method might have been designed to blend into the already-existing fires."

Wei Ying nodded. "For one of them, at least. We'll have to check the dates of the fires to see which. But it looks like we have two sets targeting individual firefighters and one targeting businesses and unrelated people. Do you think the ghost and the firefighter-targeting arsonist might be working together?"

Lan Wangji thought about it for a few moments and inclined his head slightly. “It is possible,” he said. “Certainly it is too close in intent to rule out altogether. It would require them having some sort of connection to share a goal that transcends the barriers of life and death.”

Wei Ying smiled and tapped the ends of his chopsticks thoughtfully on the plate, the rhythm of his thoughts making themselves heard. “If we knew who they were, however, it would be much easier to extrapolate if they are working together or not, though,” he finished for Lan Wangji. “Since our ghost only seems to appear at the time of the fires, we haven’t had a chance to figure out exactly who they are,” he said musingly, looking down at the table. “And without knowing who they are, we can’t summon them with Evocation, can we?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “We would also need their body or a personal belonging. Inquiry would also require them being nearby,” he added.

Wei Ying pouted a little. “If it weren’t for the state that Wan Shaolong’s elder son is in, I would think it’s the brothers working together. A solid enough bond between the two of them might be enough on its own.” He rested his chin in his hand and laughed. “And if they saw something that suggested that there was a problem with the firefighters to begin with, well, it wouldn’t be the first time that we’ve seen people deal with the problem by hiding the bodies, or helped the dead get justice so that they could move on peacefully.”

Lan Wangji nodded. Despite the morbidity of the topic, a part of him enjoyed the memory of their first meeting and Wei Ying deliberately harkening back to it. “That was perhaps a slightly simpler hunt,” he said calmly.

Wei Ying snorted and covered his laughter with a hand. “We certainly had more people willing to tell us the truth, then!” he said, swiftly regaining control. “Ah, Lan Zhan, have you updated our map yet? There’s something else I was wondering about that might be easier if I can see it all laid out together.”

Lan Wangji pulled the map from his sleeve, with ink, inkstone and a brush following it shortly. “I had not, but we can do so now.”

The map remained rudimentary, but Lan Wangji carefully made his notations. He distinguished fires sparked by their ghost from the living arsonists, and further marked whether the living arsonist targeted businesses or firefighters. He left the sites they had not yet seen alone, not wanting to rely on Cai Yan's information.

When he finished, he wordlessly moved the paper closer to Wei Ying.

"Hmm." Wei Ying reached out, one finger hovering over the map, stopping briefly over each site as his eyes went distant, as if he were recalling a visual. When he was done, he put his hands down and nodded. "At least for the living arsonist -- arsonists, perhaps -- there's always enough room for spectators."

Lan Wangji's eyebrows drew in slightly. "Spectators?"

Wei Ying traced a circle around the Wang house, where they had first met in Xingyang. "Residential neighborhoods like this one had narrower streets. There was enough room for the bucket line, but not really room for people to simply hang around if they weren't helping. However." He waved his hand over the central area, with its several markings indicating the living arsonists. "All of these were more open. There was room for people to just watch, if they wanted."

Lan Wangji understood. "You believe the living arsonists stayed on the scene to watch."

Wei Ying rubbed his chin. "People who do this kind of large-scale harm...I've found they often like to see it. It's not enough to just know they've hurt people. They have to watch it themselves."

Wondering what Wei Ying encountered before but not knowing how to ask, Lan Wangji said, "These sites are spread out. Someone who has been seen at multiple sites is unlikely to simply happen to be there, and therefore may be more likely to be the arsonist."

"Multiple sites of the same type, because it seems unlikely that one arsonist would feel the need to watch the other's fires," Wei Ying agreed. He tapped at two in particular, the bakery and yesterday's inn. "For instance, all the business fires and all the firefighter fires. So just because Luo Mei was found at two doesn't mean she's the arsonist, but she still might know something."

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed, marking down which fires she had been at. “We should attempt to speak to her again soon. She may have more to say without her aunt around.”

Wei Ying grinned. “I was thinking the same thing,” he said, leaning over the table. A stray lock of hair that had fallen out of his high ponytail came dangerously close to smudging one of the lines. Lan Wangji resisted the urge to tuck it away out of danger from ink.

“Maybe tomorrow we should split up after we finish checking those last places. I’ll double back to the Wang household and see if there’s someone else there who might be willing to talk to me a little more, then some firefighters. I don’t particularly trust Cai Yan to be telling us the whole truth there,” he added with a scowl that nevertheless fell apart into a smile when he looked back up at Lan Wangji.

There was something infinitely endearing about the way that Wei Ying seemed to be unable to maintain a frown or a scowl around him for very long. He had noticed it infrequently throughout the day, where he clearly was impacted by the things they had seen but refused to let it dampen his spirit.

Wei Ying muttered to himself as he traced his fingers over the areas they had not made it to yet. “If we set out early, we may be able to stop and see if we can talk to Luo Mei on our way to these last places. Maybe if we get there early enough, her aunt won’t be able to interrupt.”

Lan Wangji nodded and gently took the map back, folding it up and tucking it into his sleeve before cleaning up the remainder of the ink and supplies. “Will you rise at mao shi then?” he asked idly, already knowing the answer.

Wei Ying made a face at him.

"Speaking of unreasonable things," he began, causing Lan Wangji to smile internally. "And terrible complications..."

"City Master Zheng?" Lan Wangji prompted, when Wei Ying paused dramatically.

The smile returned to Wei Ying's face before falling away again. "We've heard a lot about him since we got here," he agreed. "Including some implications that he's behind at least some of the fires. What do you think?"

"...Complicated is one word for it," Lan Wangji decided after a moment's thought.

Wei Ying snorted. "A hell-forsaken mess is another," he said.

Strong language aside, if City Master Zheng truly were one of their arsonists, the politics of the situation would be, as Wei Ying put it, a mess. As cultivators, their responsibility was simply to deal with the spirit; living perpetrators they could advise the civilian authorities about, but their jurisdiction ended there. However, they may not be able to stay out of the politics of accusing a city master of arson and murder -- or, perhaps worse, the civilian authorities would either not believe them or not want to deal with him either. It was not unlikely that he would go free, and then perhaps the two of them would have made an enemy.

Of course, none of these complications meant that he and Wei Ying should not continue to do their best to resolve the hunt and identify the perpetrators.

Finally answering Wei Ying's question, Lan Wangji said, "I am uncertain. He would have the ability to purchase the land of so many businesses, but he is the city master. Why would he need to use that method?"

"Retaliation?" Wei Ying suggested. "When we met him, he complained about his enemies."

"Possible," Lan Wangji agreed, though he remained unsure. "What are your thoughts?"

Wei Ying blew out a heavy sigh. "I feel like...he's too obvious," he said. "Everyone keeps talking about him. I think the real perpetrator is more likely lurking in the shadows."

Lan Wangji nodded. “Someone who perhaps is taking advantage of City Master Zheng’s position to cast suspicion away from them, who could easily obfuscate evidence and turn heads away.”

Wei Ying sighed again and rested his head on his chin with a weary expression. “If our charming City Master Zheng regularly acts like he did when we met him, it wouldn’t be very hard for someone to take advantage of that.”

“Mn.” Lan Wangji shook his head slightly. He didn’t need to add anything else. A part of him was still angry at the utterly dismissive way they’d been treated.

“Still, it does narrow down things slightly, to consider that element,” Wei Ying mused. “All of our arsonists must have a reason for why they are setting these fires, no matter how despicable a reason it may be.”

The conversation trailed off slightly there, the end of the long day washing over them and leaving them tired, but more or less content with the work they had done. “I think I’ll ask for a bath tonight. Do you want one as well?” Wei Ying said, tone more content and almost dreamy.

He inclined his head slightly. “That would be nice.”

Wei Ying gave him a smile that almost made his heart stop again before collecting up the remains of dinner and taking them downstairs.

After a few moments of mulling over the mysteries of the day and the challenges of tomorrow, he decided he was done with all of that and returned to his qin instead. He did not want to be awake all night with his thoughts twisting and turning in his head, and music was one of the best tools he had to settle any discontent.

His fingers almost itched with the desire to play. Not anything in specific, but just to craft song and let it flow, a piece that only lasted until he finished playing. It was a rare sort of mood, one that often ended in him composing something new a few xun later, but he could feel it creeping over the edges of his mind as he ran his fingers over the strings, gently tuning them before starting to play.

The qin sang for him, simple chords and fragments of exercises he had learned long ago, but meandering through them. They were not what he truly wished to play.

What did he wish to play? The idea hung in his thoughts like the crescent moon in the sky, only a sliver of what it was yet to be.

Wei Ying returned, and the idea coalesced.

Yet, almost without thought, his hands picked up a different melody, away from the string of notes beginning to prod at him. Wei Ying smiled at him, and that string of notes gained greater depth, though his fingers plucked different chords.

There was a song growing in his heart, but he kept it tucked there for now. He wasn't ready to share it with Wei Ying yet.

A knock on the door heralded the bath. Lan Wangji nodded for Wei Ying to go first, and Wei Ying wasn't polite, immediately disappearing behind the partition. The room was thoughtfully lit so that no silhouette appeared on the folding screen, but Lan Wangji still kept his head turned away as clothing rustled and water splashed.

"We should play together again," Wei Ying said once he settled in, just loud enough to be heard. "You are very generous to play for us by yourself, but playing together is also nice, isn't it?"

"You are always welcome to join me," Lan Wangji offered sincerely. As with hunting with him, playing music with Wei Ying gave the activity additional energy and interest. "But it is not generosity to play by myself."

Lan Wangji could no longer see Wei Ying's smile, but he could hear it in his voice as he said, "I'm glad. When an instrument is part of your cultivation, it's easy to learn it because you should rather than because you love it."

Even though Wei Ying could not see him either, Lan Wangji found himself ducking his head to let his hair mask his face. So few people cared to look beyond his face that even such a simple statement made him feel disconcertingly seen.

Wei Ying splashed quietly behind him, not enough to interrupt the comfortable space and his soft playing, but a gentle addition to the quiet night. “Are there any other directions you can think of that we haven’t already discussed?” he said, drawing their attention back to the quest they were on. “I feel like there’s something else I can’t put my finger on, but that we should pay attention to.”

Lan Wangji paused in his playing, letting the notes fade out peacefully. “There is nothing else I can think of at this moment. Perhaps it will come to mind in the morning.”

There was another more solid splash. “Yeah, probably,” Wei Ying laughed. “Sometimes I feel like we’re getting turned in circles in all of this.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed, resting his fingers on the strings and deciding if he wanted to play any more before resting. Wei Ying would more than likely be out of the bath soon, and hai shi was approaching steadily.

In the end, he decided to meditate for the moment instead. Today had been a more restful day when it came to physical and cultivational exertion, but his mind had borne the weight of the day instead.

“Would you mind if I lit some incense?” he asked after a moment. He didn’t strictly need it to meditate, but it seemed nice to his tired mind.

“Not at all!” Wei Ying called back to him. “I’ll just tap your shoulder when it’s your turn.”

Lan Wangji hummed in acknowledgement and took out a small incense dish and a stick of sandalwood. Once the pleasantly fragrant smoke was drifting around them, he sat in lotus form, rested his hands palm up on his knees and closed his eyes, drifting away from the concerns of the day.

Meditation brought him no breakthroughs in either the hunt or his cultivation, but by the time Wei Ying tapped him on the shoulder, his mind had begun to shed its burdens. Wanting to hold onto the feeling, he bathed quickly and was ready to find the peace of sleep when he got out.

Wei Ying, his hair in a loose braid for sleep, glanced at him as he rounded the partition. "I'm not quite ready for bed yet," he said softly, with a few papers spread before him on the table. "Will you mind if I keep a candle lit?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. Sometimes troubles delayed his sleep, but light never did. "Good night, Wei Ying," he replied, just as softly.

"Good night, Lan Zhan."

Candlelight danced behind his eyes, but true to his word to Wei Ying, it did not disturb him. Far more easily than was usual around Wei Ying, he slept.

--

Mao shi brought him to wakefulness, his mind sharpened from the previous night's meditation and rest. He felt ready to put more of the pieces of their hunt together, assuming their evidence collecting cooperated.

It was too early for dawn yet, so he lit a candle as he rose. Without thinking, he checked on Wei Ying, who continued to sleep peacefully, his mouth slightly open. Lan Wangji looked at it a moment longer before turning away to begin his morning ablutions.

Already, he felt settled into his routine with Wei Ying. The steps of this dance were growing ever more familiar. He finished preparing for the day, went downstairs to request breakfast, and settled into meditate once more until Wei Ying woke.

He was dimly aware of the growing light as the sun rose in the east, the muffled sound of those below rising and attending to the day themselves, but it all passed him by like cloud wisps over a clear lake, unable to disturb the pool of serenity within himself.

A light tapping at the door drew him forth and he unfolded himself to go answer the door, accepting the tray with a quiet word of thanks for the young woman who’d brought it. Once he’d eased the door shut with one hand, he walked as quietly across the room as he could manage, sliding the tray onto the low table carefully.

To his surprise though, Wei Ying sat up in bed as he set the tray down, squinting in the light. His braid had fallen apart in his sleep and his hair hung loose around his shoulders, with the line of one lock of hair pressed into his cheek. He rubbed at one eye drowsily, covering a heavy yawn. “Has the sun risen yet?”

Lan Wangji took a moment to answer, adjusting the bowls on the tray. “It is after sunrise, though still early.” He paused and carefully looked over at Wei Ying, who was digging in the blankets for his lost ribbon. “You could sleep a little longer?”

Wei Ying grunted tiredly, shaking his head before brushing his hair out of his face irritatedly. “I’m awake, and we have things to do today.”

Lan Wangji nodded quietly, privately thinking that there was not such a rush that he needed to push himself to wake up earlier when he so clearly was still half asleep.

Wei Ying smiled in triumph as he retrieved his ribbon, tying his hair back out of his face in a low, loose version of his usual ponytail, and pushed himself out of bed to stumble across the room to the table. Wordlessly, Lan Wangji started to serve him, pouring a cup of fresh tea and passing it across the table. Wei Ying hesitated for a moment before he slowly took the tea.

"Do you still want to try to see Luo Mei again first?" he asked.

Wei Ying yawned, then stared into his teacup before finally taking a sip, as if it just occurred to him that tea was there and he could drink it. His eyelids still drooped. "Might as well try," he said. "We'll just have to make sure the aunt isn't there first. She probably won't take well to us coming back."

"We may wish to investigate whether anyone knows either Luo Mei's or her aunt's schedule," Lan Wangji suggested. "It will not be efficient to return multiple times in an attempt to avoid the aunt."

Wei Ying hummed. "True," he agreed. He took another moment before saying anything else as he breathed in the steaming tea. "But their house is still on our way, so we can take a look this morning and then see if any of the neighbors will talk to us. Or hey, if we see those kids again, they'll probably be willing to talk."

That seemed a reasonable plan.

The conversation lapsed. Lan Wangji took the opportunity to eat in silence while Wei Ying slowly came to full alertness. While he found Wei Ying engaging in any state, he found a special fondness for Wei Ying's relaxed and vulnerable sleepiness. In their time together, it was almost novel for a meal to pass in actual silence, but seeing Wei Ying still comfortable in the silence as he fully woke up was...endearing.

By the time they had finished their breakfast, that haze of sleep had left his eyes to be replaced by a cunning gleam as Wei Ying came to full alertness. They ended up setting out a little before chen shi, to his pleasant surprise, while the town itself was still rising for the day.

They walked down the road together, watching the people around them for any signs of trouble. This early in the morning, a lot of people were still attending to work inside the home, but at street corners and food stalls there would be small groups clustered together, many of them talking quietly.

“So far, all seems well,” Wei Ying mused. “Perhaps our luck will hold out until we can reach Luo Mei’s house.”

Lan Wangji nodded in agreement, stepping to the side as a man on horseback went trotting through the center of the street, kicking up dust in its wake. “Indeed.”

But alas, it was not to be as simple as they’d hoped. They thought nothing of the first rider that trotted past them, but the second caught their attention, and the third confirmed their suspicions that their plans were about to be upended.

Wei Ying frowned as the people around them also caught onto the shifting patterns and started following the riders with interest. He glanced over just enough to catch Lan Wangji’s eye, talking quietly enough that the others around them wouldn’t pick it up so easily. “They’re all going the same direction we are,” he said, jerking his chin at the growing crowd. “They’ve discovered something before we did.”

Lan Wangji nodded and drew his sword. He did not need to explain his thinking to Wei Ying, who did the same thing before they took off over the rooftops to follow the riders to their destination.

Either someone had discovered who one of their living arsonists was or whoever was responsible for the fires had found a convenient target to pin their suspicions on. With all that they had learned of what was going on in Xingyang, Lan Wangji could not say which.

The horses were easy to spot from the air, helping block off the eager crowd while one of the riders held their reins. Wei Ying grimaced as he pointed at where the other two riders had gone, and Lan Wangji had to agree.

Luo Mei’s suspicions must have reached the wrong ears, because as Wei Ying and Lan Wangji floated down for the ground, the other two riders had tied her up and were carrying her out of the house as her aunt wept on the doorstep.

"Be quiet, woman!" one of them snapped. "The girl is an arsonist and a murderer, and if you don't want to be taken in as her accomplice, you'll do as you're told!"

He did not bother to keep his voice down. The crowd let out an audible gasp, with some stepping back from Luo Mei and others stepping forward to explain that she couldn't be the arsonist. The rider's face darkened with every protest until he brandished his whip, scowling. The crowd quietened and stepped back after that.

The riders were all wearing the uniform of the city guard.

Luo Mei said nothing. She made no claims of innocence or acknowledgment of guilt. She let the riders set her on a horse. Her face, though, was twisted into a terrible, knowing expression.

Lan Wangji and Wei Ying moved forward in unison as the guard who'd spoken made to turn back to his horse. "Wait!" Wei Ying said, his tone polite yet firm. "Please, sir. My companion and I are cultivators investigating the fires. We hoped speaking to this girl would help lead us to the spirit that's setting fires."

The man sneered, but his eyes flicked towards their swords, so he stowed his whip on his belt. "We have heard of your efforts, but as you can see, they're unnecessary. The Xingyang Guard has caught the perpetrator, and your presence is no longer required."

"There is still a spirit," Lan Wangji said.

"It's a very convenient claim, certainly," the guard replied. "But we are confident we are not mistaken." He turned away from them and mounted his horse.

"Just let us talk to her!" Wei Ying raised his voice over the sound of hooves clopping against the road.

The guard snorted. "Speak to City Master Zheng or Assistant Liu about it if you must. We are taking the danger off the streets."

Lan Wangji and Wei Ying were forced to step back to avoid the horses as the riders whirled around and took off again, Luo Mei in tow.

Wei Ying muttered something rude under his breath. Lan Wangji did not disagree with the sentiment.

“Well, that’s going to make things more challenging,” Wei Ying said as the crowd, devoid of any more answers or a show, began to disperse. “If her aunt was unwilling to speak to us before, I imagine this will make it even more unlikely now.”

“Indeed,” Lan Wangji said, glancing about the heads for anyone lingering in the shadows, but there was no one to be seen. “She has been arrested for setting the fires. Even if it is not true, the fact that she has been accused will bring shame to her family as well.”

Wei Ying nodded grimly. “Someone likely set her up to take the fall. But now the only hope we have of talking to her is to hopefully be able to speak with her before her trial. Lan Zhan, do you have a lot of money on hand?” he said, suddenly switching topics. “I doubt we’re going to have a lot of time if you need to request it from someone.”

Lan Wangji considered the question for a moment. “I still have a reasonable sum on hand. Is it necessary?”

Wei Ying pressed his lips together. “We still need the information she has. The only way I can see for us to get to it without breaking her out and really bringing down City Master Zheng on our heads is to hope that one of his guards is willing to look the other way for a few minutes with sufficient reason.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji said with some displeasure. It did not seem a particularly appealing option, but Wei Ying was right in that several doors had just been slammed shut when it came to the paths they wanted to follow. “If we must, then I will assist.”

Wei Ying gave him a tight smile. “Well then, shall we head to the prison?”

They were delayed by first having to find someone who could give them directions, but thanks to their early start to the day, they still managed to arrive at the prison before mid-morning.

Unfortunately for their hunt, if fortunately for Lan Wangji's sensibilities, they only made one bribe before hitting a snag. The guards at the entrance were willing to let them in, for a fee, but once inside, they encountered City Master Zheng's assistant, Liu Shihuo, before they reached Luo Mei.

"Hanguang-jun, Young Master Wei," he said, with the kind of placid smile that showed nothing of what he was thinking. "I did not expect to see you here. Perhaps our guards misunderstood their orders. Who let you in?"

Lan Wangji was slightly torn; he did not approve of keeping guards willing to take bribes, but neither did he approve of selling out someone who helped them. It was Wei Ying who said, "I'm afraid we didn't get a name, though I'm sorry to hear there's been a misunderstanding. We hoped to speak to Luo Mei."

Liu Shihuo shook his head. "Unfortunately, I cannot grant your request," he said, still polite. "City Master Zheng gave you a chance to resolve the problem of Xingyang's fires, but it turns out your help was unnecessary. Our city was able to find its arsonist by itself."

"You've found one of them, but we've deduced there are at least two, possibly three," Wei Ying protested flatly. "One of which is a spirit. Do you wish to continue handling the spirit on your own?"

"Our evidence has never been conclusive about the presence of a spirit," Liu Shihuo replied. "What is more conclusive, on the other hand, is the disturbance your questions have brought to the city. I understand you've been traveling all over the city and speaking to those who wish to stir trouble? That is certainly not helpful in this situation, when Xingyang needs to come together under Master Zheng's leadership."

Lan Wangji shook his head. "We spoke to the victims; their stories were their own," he said. What stirring trouble? Did he mean Luo Mei?

Liu Shihuo continued to smile. "Several of them seem to have come to disturbing conclusions," he said. "Perhaps spurred on by voices in the city who wish to undermine our City Master."

Wei Ying frowned. "Do you mean Master Xu?" he asked. "You gave us his direction yourself!"

"I was not aware of how he would attempt to sabotage the city, nor of how he would use the two of you to do it," Liu Shihuo replied, still calm and polite. "But I'm afraid we can't allow that to continue."

Wei Ying crossed his arms firmly over his chest. “So then City Master Zheng is kicking us out of Xingyang? What happens then if the fires continue?”

Liu Shihuo bowed slightly. “He requests that you leave the city by nightfall tonight. He respects that you may have to make arrangements on where else to go, but your presence is no longer required.”

“And what happens then, if the fires should continue?” Lan Wangji reiterated, annoyed at the way that Liu Shihuo had completely ignored it.

Liu Shihuo’s polite smile dropped. “I find it exceedingly unlikely that a single fire would sprout again, let alone one that would require cultivators to handle it. This is simply the work of one very disturbed young woman, and human error. In gratitude for your helping rescue those in the inn the other day, we will allow you the rest of this afternoon to make arrangements on where to go. But this is Master Zheng’s domain and your presence is no longer welcome.” He bowed more firmly. “Luo Mei will go on trial for her crimes against the people of Xingyang. The poor souls that she killed will find their rest when their murderer faces justice. In the meantime, you will not be allowed to see her. I invite you to take your leave.”

Wei Ying’s smile was completely gone, every line of his body was straight and stiff as he bowed in response. “Understood. We will take our leave at this time,” he said, voice nearly as smooth and cordial as usual. “Please forgive us for our intrusion.”

Lan Wangji bowed as well, but said nothing. Liu Shihuo stared at them intently as they turned and walked away, back out through the entrance.

Once they were out of sight of the guards and anyone who might have been following to make sure that they really did leave, Wei Ying’s shoulders slumped and he let out a frustrated groan and dropped his face into his hands. “May the heavens spare me from the arrogance of the ignorant,” he said in a muffled voice. “Is it too much to ask that I be trusted in my word as a cultivator?”

Lan Wangji hesitated, then slowly reached out and touched Wei Ying’s shoulder gingerly, ready to pull away should his touch prove unwelcome.

Instead Wei Ying let out a heavy sigh and some of the tension seemed to bleed from his body. He lifted his head from his hands and gave Lan Wangji a wan smile. “Ah, sorry for worrying you, Lan Zhan,” he said in a much calmer voice. “I’m fine now.”

Attempting to distract him, Lan Wangji said, "There were several...odd things in that conversation."

Wei Ying straightened, tilting his head. "What did you notice?"

"He seemed...unreasonably eager to have us leave," Lan Wangji said slowly, trying to put what he noticed into words. "We have been here barely over two days. Our conversations with the victims were only yesterday. Surely that is not long enough to stir trouble and undermine City Master Zheng."

"It barely seems long enough for Assistant Liu to even hear about what we were doing, much less for it to affect the rest of the city," Wei Ying agreed. "I see what you mean. And kicking us out does seem very drastic. It makes me wonder if he thinks we were getting too close to something and wants to hide it."

"It is an especially notable contrast to his more welcoming behavior when we first arrived," Lan Wangji said, remembering Liu Shihuo's initial helpfulness.

"I almost wonder if he was trying to use us," Wei Ying said. "To what end, though, I can't tell. We barely even did anything before they kicked us out."

"He seemed confident there would be no more fires," Lan Wangji continued. "If he does not believe the spirit exists, and that Luo Mei truly is one of the arsonists, that still leaves one more at large. How can he be so sure?"

"Well, the spirit certainly exists, and it will almost certainly set more things on fire," Wei Ying said. "And that will be a big hit to City Master Zheng and Assistant Liu's faces when it happens. There has to be something they care more about than that risk."

"But we have been told to leave Xingyang," Lan Wangji pointed out. "How can we resolve the spirit if we are not allowed back?"

Wei Ying rubbed his nose as he stared off into the distance for a moment, thinking. Very soon, though, a wicked smile spread across his face. "You know," he began, voice lilting conspiratorially, "he seemed awfully concerned about that Master Xu and whether he might be using us. Why don't we go see if we can use him -- and his influence?"

Lan Wangji considered the option for a moment, and then nodded. With so many doors being shut in their face, someone who might be willing to help open them again would indeed be useful.

Chapter Text

Master Xu’s manor was roughly in the same part of town as City Master Zheng’s, all of them large, sprawling family estates with quieter streets and gates to keep people out. Compared to the rest of the city, the energy of the area was peaceful, almost disconnected from the fear of the fires.

Not a single building that they walked by had been touched in the slightest way by flames. Ornate roofs and walled off gardens both dripped with an opulence that could only grow with no fear in the world.

Even Lan Wangji, who lived in the Cloud Recesses, owned by a great clan with centuries of labor and craft put into their home, found the sheer amount of it somewhat distasteful. There was a difference between building things to be beautiful and strong and building things to show off one’s wealth and grandeur.

Wei Ying said nothing as they walked through the quiet streets, but his face was carefully smooth of his opinions. As someone who walked through the world and saw all of it with unclouded eyes, Wei Ying seemed unlikely to think any higher of this splendor than he did.

Still, there was a man dwelling here who would hopefully be able to help them save everyone else in this city, those who were suffering the loss of their homes, livelihoods and families from the fires. So he would keep his disdain for the area private until they had concluded their mission.

A gate barred the way into Master Xu’s estate, but they had only stood outside of it for a few minutes after ringing the great bell before a servant came walking outside quickly, a smile crossing his face as he saw the two of them. “Ah, the cultivators who have been helping us with our fires,” he greeted, bowing as he approached the gate. “Is there some way this lowly one can assist you?”

Wei Ying smiled kindly at him. “Is Master Xu available? We could use his assistance in a matter.”

The servant opened the gate and beckoned for them to come through. “Of course,” he said calmly. “He is in his study, but I will let him know that you have arrived. In the meantime, please come wait in the gardens for him. They are a particular point of pride for him.”

He led them through a long hallway with various paintings on display, many of them with protective silk curtains that were currently pulled aside to better showcase the art, before taking them out into the garden.

Tucked within the walls of Master Xu’s estate lay a great array of large and ornate bushes circled around a pond with yellow lotuses in brilliant bloom. Beyond the pond lay a prominent moon gate surrounded by climbing vines that also would bloom in their season, and past that, a small gazebo with a low fence around it clearly meant to invite conversation and companionship as they viewed the garden. Large, flat stones marked out a path that they could walk along without disturbing the plants, and he could hear running water somewhere nearby, perhaps an artificial waterfall or a small stream that ran through the garden beyond where they could see.

It was very beautiful, almost overwhelmingly so. Even more so than the rest of the estate, it was immediately apparent this garden was the jewel that Master Xu most prized. As the servant led them over to the gazebo, he could see a few others who were carefully pruning and tending to the trees at the corners and a small wheelbarrow full of dried grass to lay at the roots of the bushes to give them shelter from the approaching winter. The pond was filled with large, spotted carp that swam lazily through the lotus roots, occasionally breaching the surface of the water in search of the tiny insects that skittered by.

The servant left them at the gazebo, promising to bring them tea while they waited for Master Xu, and that he would be along soon. As soon as he left, the garden fell silent aside from the sound of running water, leaving them quietly tucked away far from the eyes of anyone looking in.

Wei Ying sat down on one of the silk pillows at the low table and looked around appreciatively, a light smile on his face. “So many beautiful flowers. Which one is your favorite, Lan Zhan? Is it one of the ones around here?”

Lan Wangji looked around the garden as well, studying the plants around them. He recognized many of the bushes as ones that would flower in other seasons but now were passing into the dormancy before winter. However, even with that in mind, there were still many bushes in full bloom or just beginning to fade with the fall. No doubt the gardeners had carefully planted and tended the garden so that there was always something pleasing to the eye no matter which direction they turned.

However, none of them were his particular favorite flower -- not that it would be blooming at this time of year. Indeed, he could not see a single gentian anywhere in the section of the garden where they were currently seated.

He shook his head. “I prefer blue gentians,” he said softly, thinking of a small house by itself back in the Cloud Recesses, surrounded by blue flowers in the springtime. “But I have no objections to any others. I have yet to have seen a flower that I did not like the appearance of. Is there one you are particular to?”

Wei Ying smiled and rested his chin in his hand consideringly. “I think camellias,” he said after a minute. “Red camellias, yeah. Like the ones just over there.” he said, suddenly leaning over to pluck a red blossom that, now that Lan Wangji looked at it more intently, was exactly what Wei Ying had mentioned. “I like the color a lot, and they grow everywhere, so they’re nice little red highlights on dreary autumn days.”

Lan Wangji smiled inwardly. “Yes, I can see that,” he agreed. “They are a pleasant color.”

Wei Ying made a happy noise. “But blue gentians are pretty too,” he said idly, twirling the blossom between his fingers. “It’s a shame it’s the wrong time for them, or I would go get you one.”

He considered his purloined blossom for a moment longer before abruptly leaning over and tucking the flower into Lan Wangji’s hair. “Well, since I can’t give you your favorite flower right now, mine will have to do until then,” he said with a grin. “It might not be blue, but I think red just might be your color as well!”

Lan Wangji felt his ears burn and his throat tighten. It was one of the most overt things Wei Ying had said to him yet.

It only occurred to him just then that a garden could be a very romantic setting as well. What with it being just the two of them, did he dare to chance interruption and try to speak what was in his heart anyway?

A soft breeze blew around them. The flower tickled his cheek gently, and Wei Ying had not looked away.

But before he could speak, interruption did indeed chance upon them.

"Young Master Wei, Hanguang-jun," Master Xu's voice said from behind them. Lan Wangji quickly reached up to put the flower in his sleeve, not yet wanting to share that with an outsider, before they turned to see their host smiling gently at them. "I hear you've been busy. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Has what you've heard included the arrest of a girl who's been the victim of one of the fires?" Wei Ying replied, returning the smile more wryly.

"The city guard was hardly quiet about it," Master Xu said, face sobering. "Unfortunate girl. It scarcely seems likely that a young maiden could cause so many fires. I assume you also think she's been wrongly arrested?"

"As you said, it seems unlikely that she could be the culprit for all of them," Wei Ying agreed. "Particularly since Hanguang-jun and I have determined that a spirit has caused at least some of them. Unfortunately, we were unable to speak to Miss Luo after her arrest. Assistant Liu from City Master Zheng's estate believes her the sole perpetrator and informed us that, because they have caught the arsonist, Xingyang no longer requires our presence."

"...That seems very short-sighted, though in keeping with City Master Zheng's personality," Master Xu observed. "He always was one to decide things based more on how he wanted them to be than how they are. But surely you can't leave yet, not if there really is a spirit behind the fires?"

"That is where we hoped for your help," Lan Wangji said.

"We've heard you have some influence in the city," Wei Ying continued. "Is there any way that you could help us stay in the city, and ideally also meet with Miss Luo?"

Master Xu looked between the two of them several times, gaze dark and unreadable. A breeze whistled through the trees and whirled their robes around their legs. Only when the fabric settled again did he speak. "It is true that I have some influence in Xingyang. And if nothing else, I would like to invite the two of you to remain here as my guests, so you should be able to remain," he said slowly. "But do you think my influence reaches into the city prison?"

"Does it?" Wei Ying challenged, raising an eyebrow.

After a moment, Master Xu smiled. "Not everyone in City Master Zheng's employ approves of his way of running the city," he said. "It will be easier if another fire breaks out in the meantime and proves City Master Zheng wrong about this Miss Luo being the culprit, but I will do my best to let you meet her."

He left them sitting in the garden for the time being, promising to bring back news soon of whether he could arrange things so that they could go speak with her and requesting his servant to bring them tea and snacks even though it was still mid-morning. A few minutes later, the same servant returned with a small tray and a smile and left them behind.

Wei Ying accepted the cup of tea that Lan Wangji poured for him, but he didn’t drink it at all. A few times he lifted it up as though he would, but then set it back down. His eyes flitted about the garden, but somehow it didn’t seem as though he was seeing any of it.

Lan Wangji waited calmly for his thoughts to sort themselves out. There were things that bothered him about the situation and the people involved too, but he wanted to wait for Wei Ying to be ready before he brought them up.

After a long time, Wei Ying stood up and walked idly about the little pavilion they sat in, stretching slightly before sitting back down next to Lan Wangji, eyes on the entrance to the house. “Lan Zhan, this part of town has been untouched by the fires at all, right?” he asked in a low voice, leaning in closer so that they might not be overheard. “From what I understand, there’s not even a brigade out here.”

Lan Wangji nodded subtly. “The first brigades were formed near the center of town so that they might be able to access any part of the city. As the fires spread, smaller groups were brought together and trained in their own neighborhoods.”

Wei Ying’s smile spread across his face, but there was very little warmth to it. “But there are no firefighters stationed here, and there are no fires at all in this area.”

Lan Wangji looked at Wei Ying out of the corner of his eye. Wei Ying lifted an eyebrow just slightly and tilted his head towards the street, currently blocked by high walls. He understood exactly what he meant and dropped his voice even lower. “The cause and effect are reversed.”

Wei Ying nodded slowly. “They know they have nothing to fear here from the arsonists. There’s no reason to have a brigade when you know the fires won’t spread this far.” He nodded his head just slightly in the direction of City Master Zheng’s house, leaning in even closer to Lan Wangji. He could feel the warmth of Wei Ying’s chest on his arm as his next words dropped to a whisper. “Whoever started the fires knows what City Master Zheng is going to do next and undermines him immediately.”

“Then you believe him to not be responsible for starting any of the fires?” he asked, even though they had discussed the topic the night before.

Wei Ying shook his head. “He is an excellent smokescreen. But that is all he is. Whoever is playing this game with him knows just what to do to keep his eyes from going their way.”

Lan Wangji pursed his lips in discontent and nodded. But before they could continue at all, the door opened to admit Master Xu once more.

"I've had orders sent ahead," he told them. "Wang Jinfeng at the entrance is to escort you to Miss Luo. If you meet with any difficulties, ask for Captain Yu Qingwei. At need, you can also demand to have someone send for me, though I would prefer you kept that as a last resort."

"Of course," Wei Ying agreed. "We appreciate your efforts."

Master Xu bowed to them. "Some in Xingyang know how to put the city ahead of their pride," he said. "Hopefully when all of this is over, there will be a few changes here in how the city master runs things. But if you'll excuse me, I still have much work to do."

"Thank you," Lan Wangji told him as he and Wei Ying returned the bow. The same servant from before returned to guide them back out of the house.

Wei Ying pursed his lips once they were left alone. "Politics," he said with disgust. "We had few choices, but I hope this doesn't come back to bite us. Politics and night hunts are never a good mix."

"We will meet the next challenge as it comes," Lan Wangji replied with equanimity, though he agreed.

They set off back towards the prison. As they passed beyond the richer neighborhood, crowds once again began to form, the buzz of conversation audible. Lan Wangji did not deliberately listen closely, but he could still identify the topic on so many people's lips -- the arrest of the arsonist and Xingyang's return to normal. Neither he nor Wei Ying chose to correct anyone and instead hurried a little faster to their destination.

They were almost to the prison when smoke rising in the air to the east proved the gossip wrong.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying breathed, jerking his chin at the column of smoke.

"I see it," he replied. He looked between the smoke and the prison. They had to meet with Luo Mei -- she seemed too likely to have valuable information to abandon that plan. However, they had to investigate this fire in case the spirit caused it, potentially allowing them to catch it.

Thoughts, likely the same ones, flitted across Wei Ying's face. Then he took a deep breath and said, "We should split up. Quanshui is built for speed, so I can go to the fire. You talk to Luo Mei and come meet me when you're done."

Although Lan Wangji also wished to help at the fire, Wei Ying's suggestion allowed them to pursue both avenues of investigation. He therefore nodded in agreement and watched as Wei Ying leapt on his sword, quickly rising above the buildings until he shot like an arrow to the fire. Once he could no longer see Wei Ying, Lan Wangji turned back to the prison.

This time when he approached, a well-dressed young man hurried to meet him at the gates. “Ah, Lan Wangji?” the man greeted. “Wang Jinfeng, at your service. But where is your companion?”

Lan Wangji nodded in greeting. “Wei Wuxian has gone to assist at the fire that has broken out. I will join him once we are finished here.”

Wang Jinfeng nodded and ushered him onward past the guards, who showed no reaction at him crossing through when earlier they had been forced to bribe them for any hope.

The prison, as so many buildings in this city were, was largely made of wood, but with stone floors and heavy iron bars to keep anyone from attempting an escape. Plenty of the cells were occupied, though very few of the prisoners within made eye contact with him.

“Just this way, young master,” Wang Jinfeng said, ushering him on when he began to slow. “Our shared friend could only arrange us so much time.”

Lan Wangji hesitated for a moment before following him. How much he could do for those in their cells was limited and unknown. Some might very well be justly arrested; there was no guarantee that, though Miss Luo had potentially been framed for the fires, the others were in the same situation.

They reached a crossroads and turned to the left into a smaller room. “Here is where those awaiting trial are kept,” Wang Jinfeng explained as a few more cells, all of them empty but one, came into view. “I will let you know when we have to leave,” he said, and stepped aside to give them some attempt at privacy.

Lan Wangji walked into the center of the room, eyes fixed on the one occupied cell. Miss Luo looked surprisingly calm and centered for the situation she found herself in. There was a smudge of flour on one cheek and a heavy bruise on the other, still blossoming into existence.

When she saw him, she rose from her seat on the narrow strip of wood that served as a bed with a cool smile. “Daozhang,” she said calmly, eyes with that same eerie light in them as before when her aunt had interrupted her. “I was wondering if you might make an appearance.”

“Miss Luo.” He bowed in greeting. “How did you come to be in here?”

She smiled and bowed in return. “Oh, didn’t you hear what they’ve been saying? I’m the one who’s been setting the fires.”

"I have heard," he replied calmly. "But I also suspect you may be an easy target to take the fall. There was something your aunt did not think politic for you to tell us. Is that related to your arrest?"

She tilted her head. "You don't believe I'm guilty at all?" she asked, voice filled with pure curiosity. "Outside of my neighbors, everyone else seems to believe my guilt. People spat at me in the streets on my way here."

Her reactions were strange, if she was truly innocent. No fear, no protests, only calm. "Are you guilty?" he asked, still remaining polite. "Of some of the fires, if not all of them?"

Her lips quirked in a half-smile. "You're someone who listens, aren't you?" she asked, again avoiding his question. "Yesterday, your friend seemed to take the lead in asking questions, while you sat there quietly. Will you still listen to me, Lan-daozhang, no matter what I answer?"

This was an easy promise. "I will," he replied solemnly. "No matter what you answer."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Then yes," she said. "I am not here unjustly, daozhang. If City Master Zheng claims I am the sole culprit, he is wrong, but I have set some of the fires."

It was less a surprise than it should have been. His mind flew back to his and Wei Ying's conversation last night and their determination that there were two living arsonists. Luo Mei was likely the one targeting firefighters. "Why?" he asked. "And why target firefighters?"

"Oh, you have figured a lot out," she said, smiling approvingly before the smile dropped. "But did you also figure out how corrupt the firefighters here are? How they will take bribes to pretend to work as fires take our homes and livelihoods unless we agree to sell our land to their master?"

That made him pause, staring at her for a moment. “They do?” he prompted. He still found himself surprised, but it would certainly explain a lot.

Luo Mei’s face was devoid of emotion, flat as a river stone. “Oh yes. Why do you think I almost died in the fire?” she said, pulling at one of her sleeves almost absentmindedly. “My uncle tried to hold out against the pressure, but then he realized that A-Shan and I were still trapped within, and they were going to let the fire burn us down too.”

A cold finger ran down his spine as he realized the magnitude of what she was saying. Wei Ying was out helping at the fire alone, and Lan Wangji did not know if it was set by the spirit or someone much more malevolent. Attempting to control the fire even beyond its setting to terrorize the building's owner was even worse than he'd thought.

His heart clenched in his chest. Wei Ying would be okay. He was too smart and aware to not recognize the danger if he saw it. He would see it. He had to.

“Do you know how many are complicit?” he asked, focusing on keeping his voice even. “Or who is paying them?”

She shrugged lightly. “No, and no. They wouldn’t tell anything to a girl like me anyway. But they were getting a lot more scared when the fires came to their doors.”

The calm edge to which she spoke of setting fires that may have killed innocents discomforted him even more. How he wished Wei Ying were here at his side. “How did you choose which ones to burn?”

She smiled darkly. “Lan-daozhang, our firefighters are not paid. They volunteer for the work. So anyone who has an unexpected windfall is suspect. All the money in the world can’t save them from a fire they didn’t start.”

Lan Wangji remembered Cai Yan, the firefighter who was building his new house more quickly than expected...and who gave them wrong information about which fires were the work of the spirit. Had he been bribed? Had he wanted to direct their attention away from fires set by the person who paid him?

Now that he was past the initial surprise, the information no longer seemed shocking. Enough people had insinuated that City Master Zheng used the fire brigades as a weapon in a similar way that the truth of how they were being used seemed to fit naturally into his understanding of the situation.

This also seemed likely to be why the spirit also targeted firefighters. It attacked not because it was angry they couldn't save it, but because they deliberately stood by when they should have saved it.

He and Wei Ying would still have to uncover the one who bribed the firefighters, but also...how did City Master Zheng fit into these events? Lan Wangji still was not inclined to think him the culprit, but then why did his assistant try to throw them out of the city? Why arrest a young woman, guilty though she may be of setting some fires, and claim the fires were over, leaving the enemy setting other fires and blackening his name to go free?

He further wondered how many would know of Assistant Liu's words to them in this very jail now that the fires had clearly not ended. The conversation had, after all, been private. Would the city master lose any face, or would the blame go elsewhere?

But these were not questions Luo Mei could answer. "Your uncle wished you to keep quiet," he said, but it was only half a question.

She inclined her head. "Of course he was threatened into silence, and he's already lost enough," she replied, though her voice carried no sympathy for her uncle. "But I did not wish to be quiet, daozhang. If someone attacks me, must I let him? Must I let him continue to hurt others in the same way?"

Lan Wangji understood her point, but... "I imagine Master Niu of the Jinlong Inn was also a corrupted firefighter you identified," he said. He waited for her nod before he went on, "And what of all the patrons of his inn? What of the neighbors who feared to see their homes and businesses catch fire as well? What of the people who risk themselves to save lives? You yourself have hurt others in the same way."

Her face remained blank. "But your attention has been caught," she said. "The corrupt have learned to fear for themselves. Xingyang will not continue to stand by and let it happen. It's enough."

Even though he could understand her thoughts, such as they were, he could not bring himself to agree with them, nor sympathize with her for ending up here. Not that she seemed to want it; she seemed content enough that Lan Wangji was now getting involved.

She tilted her head just slightly to the side. “Is there more you wish to know, daozhang? I doubt there’s much more I can offer you.”

He shook his head coldly. “I have heard enough,” he said, and turned away, though he did still bow before he turned his back.

Upon seeing him preparing to leave, Wang Jinfeng came hustling over to meet him. “Is that all you needed?” he asked quietly, eyes flicking over to the girl in the cell behind them. “What of Miss Luo?”

Lan Wangji nodded firmly. “I have obtained the information I needed. Now, would you please escort me out? There is a fire that requires my attention.”

Wang Jinfeng inclined his head and asked no more, leading him out as swiftly as they entered.

When they exited the jail, he scanned the horizon for the direction of the fire, eyes immediately catching on the pillar of smoke to the south. Without another word, he drew Bichen and mounted it, unwilling to waste any more precious time on foot.

As he approached the source of the smoke, he could see that the fire was mostly contained as it was, with none of the buildings around it having caught as well. Flames had devoured the inner walls and broken through the windows, with the roof already blackened and threatening to cave in.

He could see no sign of Wei Ying in the lines of firefighters passing buckets, nor the crowd clustered around.

While the fire was contained, it seemed to be human intervention -- he could see no sign of the flames bending back to the building they were already devouring. However, the fire seemed to have grown unnaturally quickly, since it could not have even been a shichen since they first saw smoke.

Bystanders were still looking anxiously at the door and windows, covered in flames and blocking any way out. Were there people still inside? Lan Wangji flew closer to see if there were any survivors on the upper story he could save--

The roof collapsed before he got there.

Screams rose from the people on the ground. Squinting against the smoke, Lan Wangji's gaze darted around the crowd, looking for black robes and red ribbon, but every time his eyes stopped, it was not the right person.

Could Wei Ying have been inside? No. Surely not.

Still flying, Lan Wangji swerved around the collapsed building. More people gathered on the other side, including a few collapsed at the front, some in pain and some in tears.

"Lan Zhan!"

His head jerked around -- and finally he could see Wei Ying, darting towards him on his sword. Wei Ying jerked his head to the side, and, heart still pounding, Lan Wangji followed him down to an empty alley not far from the fire.

"We'll go back and help soon, but I wanted to tell you first," Wei Ying said once they were both on solid ground. "This was the spirit, Lan Zhan. I got here in enough time to determine that. But it disappeared when I tried to catch it, and it was like its rapid exit made the fire fiercer. I've been trying to locate it with the compass, but it's already out of range. Damn! And there are too many people around for me to want to chance a long-distance spirit attraction flag!"

Wei Ying's face was smudged with soot, his hair disheveled, his mouth strained, his eyes both angry and sad. He was the most beautiful thing Lan Wangji had ever seen, and Lan Wangji wanted nothing more than to hold him close, keep him safe, and comfort him.

But even if he could muster up the courage to do so, this moment was the wrong time. Not when there was still a fire blazing behind them and the heartbroken wails of people who had realized they had survived what the ones they loved did not.

With the roof collapsed in, there was no more hope of running in to save others. Wei Ying pressed his lips together sharply as they joined the bucket line instead, pale eyes cold beneath the soot streaks.

All the while, Lan Wangji could not stop himself from watching the firefighters leading the bucket lines and corralling people away from the dying flames. Luo Mei’s words rang in his head. This fire may have been set by the spirit, but how could he trust any of them to have behaved as properly at another fire as they did at this one? How many of them no longer honestly attempted to do anything to save a structure or innocent lives without the orders of someone so consumed with greed they were willing to burn lives and livelihoods down to ashes?

When he had arrived in Xingyang, he had admired the efficiency, the fortitude, of a city that had such well arranged firefighting teams that they could easily muster up an army quickly enough to stop a blaze before it got out of control. Now the smoke of it all had blown away and all he could see was the wreckage beneath.

At last they could see no new flames rising up; the thick, black, throat-clogging smoke thinned slowly as it drowned and died. He could still feel the heat of the coals from many chi away.

Wei Ying retied his hair with grim efficiency, fingers that were black with soot leaving streak marks on the red ribbon before walking right up to the building, ignoring the startled cries of those around him.

Lan Wangji walked hurriedly to catch up with him, unsure as to whether he should try and pull him back as well. The fire might be out, but the heat of the wood and any metal would most certainly burn them if they were too careless.

Wei Ying turned before he could say anything, a ghost of his usual smile on his face. “I’ll be careful, Lan Zhan. But I can’t wait right now.”

“Mn,” he said quietly, following behind even so. He could respect Wei Ying’s need to do whatever it was he was walking into the still smoldering skeleton of a building, yet also come along to stop any further harm from coming towards him.

Their boots left footprints in the scorched floor, the wood too soft to not be marked by their presence. “This was another inn,” Wei Ying said calmly, almost too much so. “The fire started near the hearth in the dining area, consuming first the chimney, then spreading out from there.” He waved a hand at a circle of blackened stones and rubble. To his horror, he could see what looked like the bare remains of at least one person, possibly more, who had been sitting right by the fireplace. Wei Ying’s smile quivered like a loosed bowstring. “I was told that there were two men discussing the current events when the flames leaped out and swallowed them up. The woman who was out serving tea in the front told me that she heard their conversation turn to screams.”

“How full was the inn?” he asked, stepping gingerly around a little cracked and blackened pile of porcelain, likely plates that had been dropped when the inhabitants fled to the safety of the outdoors.

"Three-quarters full, maybe." Wei Ying slowly picked his way through blackened ruins until he reached the pile of scorched wood that had been a staircase -- and beyond it, the rooms, likely still with some people inside. "It's taken in more displaced by the other fires, though I gather a lot of people have been leaving Xingyang, too."

They could see nothing beyond the wreck of the stairs except charred debris. Wei Ying stared at it for a long moment, then decisively turned away. Lan Wangji went with him. Once the remains cooled a little more, the people outside would be able to begin to sift through the rubble for bodies.

If he recalled correctly, these were the first deaths attributable to the spirit. That did not bode well. Its resentment was almost certain to increase after having killed, and then it would escalate.

"Please tell me you got something useful out of Luo Mei," Wei Ying said lightly as they emerged back onto the street. "Though I don't suppose it would be anything that would set her free."

"I will tell you in private," Lan Wangji replied. The last thing they needed was anyone overhearing that firefighters were corrupt and starting a mob.

As they moved further and further away from the fire and the crowd, Wei Ying took in a deep breath, then let it out. "Back to the inn, then?" he suggested. "We need yet more baths, and whatever you learned sounds important, if you can't say it out here."

"Mn." It was important, though Lan Wangji was torn as to their next step. Now knowing that corrupt firefighters were Luo Mei's, and likely the spirit's, targets meant it was likely that Cai Yan and Master Niu had taken bribes, and therefore they might be able to identify who bribed them. Pressing the two of them, as well as the other firefighters on their list, might allow them to uncover the other living arsonist.

However, their priority as cultivators had to be the spirit. Wei Ying had proposed earlier that it was likely to be Wan Shaolong's son, who died in the bank fire. If they returned to Wan Shaolong, they might be able to learn where the spirit went when it was not setting fires or retrieve a memento that would allow them to call it with Evocation.

Perhaps they should split up again. He would suggest it to Wei Ying once they’d had a chance to speak of what he’d learned from Luo Mei and to wash away the soot and the grief.

Wei Ying didn’t say anything on what felt like a much longer walk than yesterday’s, even though it was only a few streets away. His cheeks were slightly reddened from what had likely been lengthy exposure to the heat of the flames as he tried to save everyone trapped in the inn.

His silence was worrying. While there was not always something to be said and Wei Ying seemed to enjoy little bouts of silence as well, this one hung like a dark cloud, a shadow clinging to their every footstep, dragging at their heels.

He did not know how to help or what to say. What was there to be said when the weight of lives they were unable to save weighed on their shoulders so heavily?

While he knew that these were the sorts of hunts that they took on, knowing that they would be more difficult for the simple but painful reality that many cultivators just wouldn’t, it did not prepare them any more for the times when the reality of what toll bringing a peace back to a fractured town would cost.

Wei Ying would be all right in time. They both would be. But that never made the interim any easier on them.

The inn they had been staying in loomed ahead of them, momentarily mostly emptied as its current inhabitants were either out attending to their daily lives or had gone to check on other loved ones as yet another home was burned to the ground. There were only a few people seated at the tables downstairs, none of them looking in good spirits in the slightest.

He couldn’t help but notice that the fire in the center of the room had been snuffed out entirely. The ashes in the center were still wet; whoever had doused the fire had done it recently.

Wei Ying forced a smile as he saw it as well, though it was noticeably flat to Lan Wangji. “I suppose it’s better not to take chances when so many of the recent fires have been inns,” he said under his breath as the innkeeper came up to them.

“Erm,” the innkeeper started, eyes darting down to their soot-streaked robes. “Should I request baths for you two?”

"Yes, please," Wei Ying said wearily.

They did not resume their conversation during their baths. Wei Ying bathed first, while Lan Wangji gently removed the flower from his sleeve and smoothed the crushed petals before tucking it inside a small book with spare sheets of paper to protect the pages. Hopefully he would find it easier to decide what to do with this one. The crown of wildflowers Wei Ying had given him on their last hunt together was still left in a qiankun pouch in the Jingshi to keep it from wilting. Perhaps he could find a better way to preserve this one.

Once that was taken care of, he played what soothing music he could on his qin to help ease the lingering tension. When it was Lan Wangji's turn, Wei Ying retrieved Suibian to play his own restful music. By the time Lan Wangji rounded the partition, drying his hair, Wei Ying's eyes were closed as his fingers danced up and down the flute, his face more peaceful than it had been since they woke.

Wei Ying opened his eyes and set the dizi down on the table with a click. "All right," he said. "We're in private now. What did you learn?"

Lan Wangji took a moment to organize his thoughts. "Luo Mei was not wrongfully arrested," he said quietly. "She is the living arsonist we identified as the one targeting firefighters. She did so because, on the night of the bakery fire, she observed that the firefighters there had been bribed not to earnestly intervene until her uncle sold his property. Her family was further threatened into silence, but her frustration spurred her to action. She did not know who bribed the firefighters."

Wei Ying drew in a sharp breath. "I see why you didn't want that to get out," he murmured. He rubbed his chin. "But it makes sense. Do you think that's also what's motivating the spirit?"

"It seems likely." Wanting something to do with his hands, Lan Wangji retrieved the tea set and began preparing tea.

Wei Ying nodded. "We therefore have one arsonist who first began terrorizing the city by setting fire to property he wished to purchase, who then bribed the firefighters not to put the fire out until the owner sold the property. Some owners gave in, while others did not. Luo Mei and our spirit were victims of this scheme, but without knowing who the arsonist is, they were only able to target the people he used as tools, the bribed firefighters. How did she identify who to target?"

"She went after those who received windfalls after a fire," Lan Wangji replied. "I do not know if the spirit is able to identify its victims the same way. However, this does give us a place to start in finding the last arsonist."

"Yes, we can see if Luo Mei's and the ghost's victims know who bribed them and will talk," Wei Ying agreed. "That Cai Yan seemed suspicious. We should talk to him again."

Lan Wangji nodded. “We can go speak with him later.” He paused with the teapot in his hands, pouring Wei Ying a cup as he thought. “Do you want to go speak with Wang Shaolong again?”

Wei Ying took the cup from him and held it just beneath his nose, some of the lingering tension melting from his shoulders as he breathed in the fragrant steam. “We probably should, shouldn’t we?” he said softly. “He may not want to admit it, but I have a feeling that he’s also somewhat responsible for the current situation here, if something went wrong with his son's burial.”

Lan Wangji hummed softly. “He has already suffered much. No doubt he did not want to admit to human failing when he was aware that it had a more harmful impact than he had hoped.”

Wei Ying nodded, smiling wryly. “Perhaps we can get through to him and at least allow us to try and summon his son’s spirit. Even if it isn’t him, we can still make certain that he is properly at rest now.”

Lan Wangji glanced towards the window in their room, trying to estimate how much light they had left in the day. “If we leave now, we may have enough time to visit both of them -- if they are more inclined to converse, that is. And if you are.”

Wei Ying made a face at him, but it swiftly broke into a soft, fond smile. “Have you already had enough conversation with people for the day, Lan Zhan?” he teased gently. “Need me to do all the talking for the two of us again?”

He dipped his head slightly. “I am capable of conversing with them if it is required.”

Wei Ying’s eyes glittered slightly, sparking warmth in his chest. “So yes, you are done talking to people. Unless it’s me?” he suddenly added, catching Lan Wangji off guard. “Am I enough fun that you like talking to me more?”

Lan Wangji delicately sipped his tea and said no more. Wei Ying smiled at him, obviously understanding what his silence meant.

"Cai Yan and Wan Shaolong are at opposite ends of the city," Lan Wangji commented after the silence stretched long enough. "Should we seek them separately to save time?"

Wei Ying frowned thoughtfully. "I'd rather not," he replied, to Lan Wangji's hidden relief. "I think we're in for some tricky conversations, and I know I appreciate having your insight to draw on as well. Time is a concern, but hopefully not a major one. Luo Mei won't be setting any more fires, and the spirit has been taking at least a couple days in between fires. I think we'll be able to speak to those we need to even if we do it together."

"Mn." While Lan Wangji didn't need Wei Ying to speak for him, he too appreciated Wei Ying's presence and insight. The hunt this time was complicated enough that it was valuable having someone to corroborate what he was seeing, and who thought of questions he might not.

Wei Ying looked down at his tea and heaved a sigh. "Still, we shouldn't delay any further." He raised his cup to his lips and held it there for a moment.

"There is time enough to finish the tea," Lan Wangji said softly. Even in a dangerous, complicated hunt like this one, it was important to find ways to keep themselves calm and centered, their minds clear.

Wei Ying's lips curved, barely visible behind the cup. He took a sip but did not rush through the rest.

Chapter Text

They decided to visit Wan Shaolong again first. His house was closer to their inn, and Can Yan was likely still working. They would be able to meet with him again when he was done for the day.

Unfortunately, Wan Shaolong was no more receptive to their presence and questions now than he had been for their first visit. He remained firmly tight-lipped and refused to allow them entrance. “Daozhangs, while I do appreciate your mission in trying to bring this city peace once more, I do not wish to speak to you at this time. Not when my nephew and son have died in these fires.”

“Master Wan,” Wei Ying said calmly, “I am sorry for your family’s losses. It is just that perhaps these violent deaths in your family may have cut deeper than you are aware of. Can we please speak for a moment?”

“If I ever should have need of a cultivator, then you may rest assured that I will call on you,” he said with more strength than his bowed body seemed able to muster. “In the meantime, please leave me and mine alone to grieve in privacy.”

With that, he’d firmly shut the door in their faces. They could hear the rasping of a latch falling into place a moment later. 

Wei Ying did not seem very surprised, nor was he put out by the whole event. “Well that leaves us more time to visit Cai Yan, then,” he mused, turning on a heel. 

Lan Wangji followed behind him, glancing back after a moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow moving, as if someone had been watching them until then. 

He understood then why Wei Ying wasn’t concerned at the moment. If given a little more time, something there was going to crack of its own accord. Wan Shaolong knew that they were still in town and investigating, and now it was time to let him come to them. 

They made a wide berth around the street with the most recently burned inn, not that it would have been easy for them to walk down the street at the moment anyway, as it was blocked off by several members of the city guard. Given that they had no reaction to Lan Wangji and Wei Ying walking by, it would seem that City Master Zheng had elected to allow them to remain in town now that spiritual activity could not be denied. 

It did occur to him that as a firefighter, Cai Yan might have intervened at the most recent blaze as well. “Did you see Cai Yan before?” he asked as they turned down a narrow side street away from the crowds. “At the fire?”

Wei Ying shook his head. “I think he was too far away to intervene before others who live and work in the area could get there,” he said reasonably. “There were a lot of people already there even by the time I arrived.”

“Mn.” It made a certain amount of sense. That, and it would be foolish to have every firefighter in a city flock to one fire and have no one else left to watch over the rest of the city. The volunteers were deliberately spread out over the whole city; it did not make sense for them all to go to one place when they were well aware of that!

Before they arrived at Cai Yan's inn, they took a detour to once again look at where his new house was being built. The house's skeleton, slowly being filled in, seemed to take on an almost sinister feel as Lan Wangji considered it in light of Luo Mei's information. Whose home or business had been destroyed to pay for this new house and its speedy construction?

Cai Yan did not look pleased to see them when he opened his door at their knock, though he quickly plastered an ingratiating smile onto his face. "Daozhangs, it's wonderful to see you again," he said. "Is there something else I can help you with?"

"As it happens, there is," Wei Ying said cheerfully. "We do have more questions for you, but it's probably better not to ask them in the hall."

Cai Yan hesitated slightly before gesturing them in. As they took a seat at the table again, Lan Wangji was grateful to see that Madam Cai seemed to be elsewhere; they would hopefully get more honest answers to their questions without an audience.

"My wife is visiting her parents; she'll be sorry she missed you," Cai Yan said as he poured them tea. "Now, what can I do for you? I'm afraid I don't know any more than I told you yesterday. And I wasn't at today's fire, so I can't tell you whether it was the work of a spirit or not."

"That's all right, we have a way of telling that ourselves," Wei Ying replied. His lips quirked slightly as Cai Yan's eyes widened. "But we did have a question about something we didn't ask yesterday. Who bribed you to pretend effectiveness as fires raged until finally enough was destroyed that the owner sold their property and your master allowed you to put out the flames?"

Cai Yan may have been a good liar, but his ability to conceal his reactions was much more poor. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Beads of sweat pricked to his face as he stammered several attempts at protests. “Wha- how- you insult my honor! How dare you suggest such a thing?”

Wei Ying’s lips curved up a little more. It was not a kind smile. “You insult our intelligence, Master Cai. We wouldn’t come speak to you of such a thing if we weren’t certain of your actions.”

Strictly speaking, it was not entirely honest; they had no evidence beyond Luo Mei’s words and conjectures. But Cai Yan was crumbling beneath the idea that all of his secrets had been discovered -- he had gone pale and his hands were shaking. “I-I’ll tell you anything I can, just please, don’t hurt me! I did it for my wife, she deserves so much better and I was offered enough to give her all of that if I just turned a blind eye for a few extra minutes.”

Lan Wangji did not need to say anything to add to the pressure. Cai Yan looked at him once hopefully and promptly flinched as Wei Ying let his pleas hang in the air, stretching out the tension.

After a long moment, Wei Ying nodded subtly. “Who bribes you? When did this start?”

Cai Yan reached for his tea cup, his hands visibly shaking as he wrapped them both around the small cup. “I don’t know who the lord is that finances the whole thing. I told you that I was one of the earlier ones to join -- well, I was in the same group as Master Niu, his inn burned down a few days ago. Perhaps three months after the fourth brigade had been formed, he approached me with an offer.” 

Wei Ying lifted an eyebrow just slightly. Cai Yan raised his cup to his lips, then set it back down without drinking. "He had recently come by an unexpected windfall shortly after the fire at the Wan bank, and under strict confidence he told me that an anonymous benefactor had come to him and offered him a continued stream of wealth should he continue to go and fight fires when they arose, but also to wait for his signal on when to join in and how to direct the crowds. His inn was old and in need of repairs and refurbishing, so he’d accepted this man’s offer. When it proved to be honest, he brought it in turn to me.”

Lan Wangji pressed his lips together. Wei Ying’s smile did not budge. “Of course, Master Niu. But he isn’t the only one you know of, is he?”

"We're all wearing masks at the fires anyway, for smoke, so it's very hard to tell who everyone is--"

Lan Wangji raised an eyebrow. Wei Ying tilted his head. Cai Yan crumbled.

"All right, all right, there were a few people I recognized. Wang Shitian, his house burned down a few days ago as well. The Shang brothers have been at most of them, and Xie Yuan. Lin Feng was part of it, but he decided to move when his house burned." He stopped, his mouth clicking shut. "I -- daozhangs, now that I think of it, so many of us have had our homes burned as well. Is it the spirit? I lost my house -- will it come after me again?"

"We don't know," Wei Ying told him lightly. "From what I understand, the spirit has so far only attacked its targets once, but that may change in the future. The only way to make sure you'll be safe from the spirit is to help us catch it."

He did not mention Luo Mei, her fires, or that she'd been caught. He also did not mention that they would be turning the bribed firefighters and their master in to the city authorities. Cai Yan would be safe from the spirit...but that was it.

Lan Wangji did not correct him.

Can Yan gulped. His hands shook as he tried to take hold of his tea cup again before he folded them in his lap. "Truly, daozhangs, I don't know any more than this. Others were involved more deeply in the scheme than I was, and they might know exactly who paid us." He bit his lip, looking between them nervously. "Will this help you stop the spirit?"

"It will help us stop the fires, the spirit's and otherwise," Wei Ying replied, standing up. Lan Wangji followed him, and the two of them stood in front of the still-seated Cai Yan. "I think Xingyang has had more than enough, don't you? If this continues, you'll have more spirits seeking vengeance."

Cai Yan nodded, standing up quickly and knocking over his tea cup accidentally. Hot liquid rapidly spilled over the table and onto the floor. “Ah, please don’t worry about that, daozhangs--” he stammered, waving his hands at the mess. “I will clean it afterwards, please allow me to see you out.”

Wei Ying shook his head. “No need, we can see ourselves out,” he said calmly, turning his back to the flustered firefighter. “Good evening to you, Master Cai.”

Lan Wangji nodded his head in equal politeness before walking away with Wei Ying, leaving Cai Yan to clean up his mess alone.

On their way downstairs and out, Wei Ying stopped by the innkeeper’s desk with a smile. “Excuse me, are you able to give directions to some of the firefighters around town? We’re looking into some oddities at the most recent fires, and Master Cai upstairs suggested that they may have more answers than he did.”

The young man at the desk, likely a son or nephew of the innkeeper, blinked twice before answering. “Ah, I’m not actually sure, daozhang,” he said quietly. “I know some of the firefighters, but not all of them. If you don’t mind waiting a little while, I could ask my father?”

“If you don’t mind, that would be nice,” Wei Ying said with a smile. “We can wait down here while you fetch him.”

The young man nodded and walked off into the back. Once he was out of earshot, Wei Ying turned back to Lan Wangji, a slightly sheepish smile on his face. “Lan Zhan, do you remember if we’ve met anyone besides Master Niu of the firefighters he named?”

Lan Wangji thought for a moment. “We did meet a Shang Fenhua after the first fire. He took the time to introduce himself to us, and mentioned a brother.”

Wei Ying beamed at him as though Lan Wangji had given him a priceless treasure. “Ah, you’re the best,” he said with a warmth that almost felt like the first proper spring day after a long winter. “We really make such a good team.”

“Mn,” he managed as the young man returned with his father next to him, fortunately allowing him a few moments to collect himself before they returned to the task at hand.

Unfortunately, while the innkeeper seemed as aware as theirs of where the fires had been and who the victims were, he was less informed about the firefighters. If not for some of them being corrupt and subsequently targeted, though, Lan Wangji conceded that they were mostly ordinary citizens in a city too big for most to know the people outside their own neighborhoods.

What was most notable, though, was that the innkeeper did know the Shang brothers, who had often stopped at this inn after fighting fires in the city's south. Furthermore, the address he gave them for Shang Fenhua did not match the one Shang Fenhua himself had given them when they first met him.

"He was in on it from the beginning," Wei Ying concluded as they left the inn, heading north again to Shang Fenhua's true abode. "Do you think he approached us deliberately?"

"Misdirection," Lan Wangji agreed. "He was also the first to suggest to us that City Master Zheng's interest and involvement in the fires was suspicious."

"Ah, that's right," Wei Ying said, snapping his fingers. "Didn't he try to sound reasonable and say we shouldn't listen to rumors? But we wouldn't even know that was a rumor in the first place if not for him. He was already trying to prime us to point the finger at City Master Zheng."

"He may be more involved in the scheme than Cai Yan," Lan Wangji said.

They arrived at his house as the sun was beginning to set, and Wei Ying knocked on the door. After a moment, a worried-looking woman answered.

"Madam Shang?" Wei Ying asked, waiting for her nod before he continued, "We're Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, cultivators investigating the fires. We met your husband a few days ago, and he mentioned that we could come to him again if we needed more information. Is he home?"

"He's not, daozhangs," she replied softly. She looked past them down the road, as if waiting for Shang Fenhua to come. "Would you like to come in and wait a little bit? He should be home from work soon."

Wei Ying was not polite, directly saying, "We've troubled you," and stepping inside. Madam Shang stepped aside so that Lan Wangji could follow him, her face unperturbed at their actions. 

She led them into a small sitting room at the front of the house, motioning for a woman standing nearby to go and make tea before stepping back in politely. “Is there anything else that we may provide for you while you wait?” she asked, a faint smile on her face. “My husband runs a jewelry shop, so some nights he is delayed quite a while.”

Wei Ying tilted his head slightly. “A jewelry shop? Pardon my curiosity, but we had not seen a jewelry shop in our adventures around town.”

Madam Shang's smile grew a touch. “It is over in a wealthier part of town -- he moved it there when his father passed away and left him and his brother the shop. It does well enough to support us comfortably, and has for some time.”

"Is he part of a brigade over there as well, or just here?" Wei Ying asked, almost idly. "I imagine that would involve a lot of running around."

"There aren't officially any brigades where his shop is, and several of the other wealthier neighborhoods," she told them, with the slightest frown. "The city master wanted to expand them throughout the city, but residents pushed back. They didn't want the lower classes to wander freely through their streets, nor to have their servants take time away from their duties to form brigades themselves. It does mean that my husband must travel frequently to fight fires across the city."

Hmm. Was there someone in one of the wealthy districts working specifically to undermine the city master's efforts, or was it simply more of the gentry's self-centered elitism?

Wei Ying glanced over at Lan Wangji for a moment, waiting until their eyes met before continuing sympathetically, “That sounds immensely frustrating. Has he settled into the area well? I may be a wandering cultivator, but I’ve helped more than a few merchants on the road who had much to tell me of their challenges in making places in town to sell. Did he encounter any difficulties?”

Madam Shang shook her head lightly. “If there were, Fenhua never mentioned it to me. It was some time back that they moved. Is this a relevant matter to your investigation?”

Wei Ying smiled and started to open his mouth, but was interrupted by the other woman coming back in with tea and a small plate. Madam Shang bowed to them politely, clearly bringing their discussion to an end. “Please excuse me, daozhang. I have things I must attend to. My husband should be home within the shichen,” she said with a smile, and walked gracefully from the room, the woman who must have been her maid following behind dutifully. 

Wei Ying waited till he was certain they were out of earshot, before immediately shifting chairs to sit closer to Lan Wangji. “She certainly left in a hurry,” he muttered quietly. “I think she didn’t like my questions, not once she could see where they were going.”

Lan Wangji glanced at the open door, listening intently for the scuff of a foot or quiet breathing from an eavesdropper. “She may know of what we have discovered and is protecting her husband.”

Wei Ying pressed his lips together as he looked around the room. “It’s a simple house, but everything is of fine quality. They have been investing for some time then.” His eyes lingered on the door through which the women had left. "Lan Zhan, keep an ear out, would you? Since they've left us alone, I want to look around."

Lan Wangji did not entirely approve of sneaking and prying around others' homes, but this was currently their best source for potential clues, so he inclined his head and opened his senses, listening for returning footsteps, watching the door for flashes of clothes.

Wei Ying's own tread around the room was soft, as if he deliberately kept his steps quiet. However, as Lan Wangji had noticed when they entered, this was a sitting room, meant for entertaining. Delicate correspondence or other incriminating materials seemed unlikely to be kept here.

Fabric rustled and objects clicked as Wei Ying explored the room. Eventually, though, Wei Ying's intake of breath indicated he found something. "Lan Zhan, do you recognize this?" he called softly.

When Lan Wangji joined him, he gestured at a small statuette made of fine wood, a carved Azure Dragon twining around it, surrounded by gusts of wind. He did indeed recognize it: it matched the scorched remains of pillars at the Auspicious Winds auction house, as well as an identical statuette they had seen in Qiu Minghao's home. It had seemed to be a symbol of his business.

"A trophy?" Lan Wangji murmured. Shang Fenhua could have taken it the night the auction house burned.

"Or something like that," Wei Ying agreed. He considered the statuette. "This is the clearest connection we've seen between a fire and a corrupt firefighter."

"It could have been a gift, or simply purchased before the fire," Lan Wangji pointed out, though he did not believe it.

"Or just the greedy impulse to take something fine that did not belong to him," Wei Ying returned.

Lan Wangji nodded. "We should leave it," he suggested. "It is clearer evidence here than it would be if we removed it."

"True," Wei Ying said, and stepped away. 

He turned to look out the window. "It's getting late, and it doesn't look like our quarry is coming back yet."

Lan Wangji glanced at the hallway, and at their untouched tea that had grown steadily colder in the interim. “Shall we leave and try another day?”

Wei Ying nodded, coming back over to Lan Wangji as he rose. “Perhaps that would be for the best. We also know where we can find him during the day now.”

Lan Wangji inclined his head and they headed together towards the door. A floorboard creaked under their feet as they stepped out of the sitting room.

Almost immediately after that, Madam Shang reappeared, her face stern. However, seeing them on their way to the door, her face softened. “My apologies, daozhang, that you had to wait so long for my husband. May I show you out?”

Wei Ying smiled. “No apologies necessary; we understand that your husband must be busy. We just want to help bring an end to the fires before more people get hurt.”

She nodded as she escorted them to the door. “I wish you luck in your quest. I am sure that we all wish for peace to return to Xingyang.”

As they stepped outside, Lan Wangji quickly glanced at the darkening sky for any smudges of gray, and the few people out walking around for signs of panic. Fortunately, there was nothing more than the normal tensions of a city on edge.

Once they were on the street and walking the familiar path back to the inn, Wei Ying let out a sigh. “I think at this point, every time I walk outside for a while, my first instinct will be to look at the skies for smoke,” he confessed with a wry smile. “I didn’t even think about it now when we left, I just did it.”

Lan Wangji made a soft sound of agreement. Wei Ying chuckled fondly. “Ah, Lan Zhan, how can you say so much without a single word? It really impresses me.”

In the relative peace of the night, he was unable to resist responding in kind. “Practice.”

Wei Ying's grin widened, and for all the grief and frustrations of the day, Lan Wangji felt some sense of accomplishment for making him smile.

"Tomorrow we should come back to see if we can catch Shang Fenhua," Wei Ying commented as they headed back to the inn. "But I'd like to be more proactive in searching for the spirit, as well. I've been checking the compass periodically as we've traveled around the city, but it hasn't picked anything up."

"Mn," Lan Wangji agreed. "We should investigate his resting place. He may return there in between fires."

"Hopefully someone other than Wan Shaolong knows where it is, because I don't think he'd be inclined to tell us," Wei Ying said.

No, Wan Shaolong did not seem inclined yet to believe his son could be the spirit plaguing Xingyang. Lan Wangji sympathized -- no one would want to believe a gentle son could become a murderous spirit -- though he hoped the man would change his mind soon.

"Now that there have been deaths, its resentment might be deepening as well," Wei Ying continued. "My attraction flag didn't catch it at today's fire, but we may be able to attract it when it's resting."

Lan Wangji nodded. "What of the names we received today from Cai Yan?" he asked. "We have also not yet finished speaking to the victims of fires in the south."

Wei Ying sighed. "There's certainly enough for the two of us to do," he said. "We could split up again to cover them all, or hope that there are no more fires for a few days." He flashed another smile at Lan Wangji. "But I am glad I'm not working this hunt on my own. Even just one other person makes handling something this big easier."

Lan Wangji almost smiled in return at him. “It is easier with you here as well,” he answered honestly. “I am glad that we met up here, rather than passing by each other unknowingly again.” 

It was the most curious thing; Wei Ying seemed slightly caught off guard by his words. He opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again. It was hard to tell in the dying light, but his cheeks seemed darker than they were before. 

Lan Wangji felt his own ears burn. 

Thankfully the inn was just around the next turn. He did not know what he might have done without that interruption into normalcy. 

It somehow did not quite feel like the right moment yet, but another one of the many that would come before, the foundation of something that he thought just might be as real for Wei Ying as it was for him. 

How funny it was that less than a xun before he had been fluttery and nervous, but now things between them felt like they were calming in a good way. Instead of a small flame burning quickly on a candle about to drown in its own wax, it was growing to the banked embers of a fire that could burn for a lifetime. 

The back of Wei Ying’s hand brushed against his fingers just for a moment as they walked into the inn. A part of him still wanted to clutch at his fingers as though they had been burned, but the sensation was far more pleasant than that. 

It took them no time at all to agree on a late dinner and an early start in the morning. Today had been productive, but there would be no true rest until they tracked down and put the spirit to rest for good. 

As they settled into their room for the night, they did not continue to speak of the hunt, tacitly putting that aside for the night. Instead, they played music together, softly in consideration of the other guests, but remarkably in tune despite how little time they had spent practicing together.

And Lan Wangji considered his reaction of several days ago -- what felt like much longer than that -- on seeing Wei Ying flirt with young women. At the time, it had felt like he still knew too little about Wei Ying, and he had feared his own hopes had colored his observations. But now...

Their eyes met as they harmonized an improvised melody.

There was more to learn about Wei Ying -- a lifetime of it, he hoped. But he knew enough, even now.

--

The next morning, Wei Ying again rose earlier than was his wont. They first stopped by the innkeeper to inquire as to the resting place of Wan Shaolong's son. The innkeeper did not know, but he was able to direct them to friends and family who might be more receptive to their questions than Wan Shaolong.

Then they set out. The sun had risen enough for a more polite visiting time than mao shi, though unfortunately, it did not help. Madam Shang's maid answered their knock, and she informed them that the master still was not home.

"Where did he go?" Wei Ying wondered aloud as they moved back into the early morning foot traffic. "Do you think something could have happened to him?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Fire seems to be the method used to target his ilk," he replied. "Perhaps he has identified the pattern and is in hiding."

Wei Ying blew out a loud breath. "Well, then shall we try to track down the spirit?" he asked. "Or did you want to split up to try to talk to more people as well?"

Lan Wangji considered the question intently. “I think our efforts are better concentrated on tracking down the spirit. We may be able to intuit more from the spirit itself than from the people around at this time.”

Wei Ying grinned at him. “I agree. I’m tired of talking, we should go do what we do best instead.”

He nodded. While they had learned much of import in speaking with everyone who had chosen to interact with them, it had not brought them close enough to catching the spirit that was escalating in resentment and malice with each passing day. 

He understood the value in waiting and listening, determining just what was lying ahead before leaping in. But there would eventually come a time to act.

“We should start near Wang Shaolang’s house, since spirits often return to either their burial site or a place that mattered to them in life,” Wei Ying mused, rubbing at his chin in thought. “Or if we want to try and cover more ground, would you like one of my talismans for tracking resentful energy? Now that our ghost is starting to kill, it’s going to start leaving imprints.”

Lan Wangji thought about it for a moment, then held out a hand for the talisman. Wei Ying sputtered in unexpected laughter. “I would like that,” Lan Wangji added after the fact, though he was well aware that Wei Ying was going to give him one regardless.

Still shaking his head in amusement, Wei Ying reached into a pouch and drew out one of the talismans for tracking energy. “I would tell you to take good care of it, but knowing you, it’ll somehow be more pristine after you’ve had it rather than less.”

His ears burned faintly, but he still handled the talisman with great care as he tucked it into his sleeve where it would be safe. “I will do so.”

Wei Ying gave him a pleased look even so. “Well then, shall we try to go find our quarry before it can strike again?”

They set off together for a part of town that was becoming very familiar, having now stopped by the same house three times in the last several days. Wei Ying stopped him a few houses away from the Wang residence, pulling out a duplicate talisman to the one now safely held in his robes. “Since it’s no longer going to be just a little pinprick right where he’s starting fires, we should be able to pick up something without having to walk right into their house now,” Wei Ying explained. “I don’t think Master Wan would allow us in as it is.”

Lan Wangji was happy to follow Wei Ying’s lead in this, drawing out his own talisman and funneling in a touch of spiritual energy till it lit up green once more.

However, the light then seemed to flash in strange patterns. When Lan Wangji looked up at Wei Ying, he was stroking his chin in thought. "I think this means something has been returning here multiple times," he said, tracing the lines indicating duration and recency. "It's not here now, or the light would be strong and constant, but the energy seems to have overlaid itself."

"The spirit returning to his family?" Lan Wangji murmured.

"Probably," Wei Ying agreed. "But whatever's here isn't strong enough to hold him to one place." He let his fingers drop. "Should we try the bank next? The site of his death may have a stronger hold on him."

Lan Wangji nodded and let the energy drain from his talisman before tucking it into his sleeve.

On their way to the bank, they stopped by a friend of the Wan family the innkeeper had mentioned. This one did not want to invite them in for a conversation, but she was willing to direct them to the cemetery where Wan Shaolong's son was buried. With that in mind should they fail to find the spirit at their next destination, they set off for the bank.

The spirit was not at the bank, and the talisman indicated it had not returned as it had to the Wan house. Once they found the right cemetery and determined it was not there either, though, Wei Ying sighed.

"A wandering spirit, then," he said. "Not tied to his home nor his death nor his resting place."

"It is unfortunate," Lan Wangji observed, speaking of both their failure and the spirit's lack of roots. How lonely must it be, with nothing to anchor it beyond fire?

"Time to get a little creative, I think," Wei Ying said next. "I don't want to activate my attraction flags in the middle of the city, in case we attract more than the spirit, and anything that comes might alarm the people and cause panic. What do you think about trying to set up outside the city?"

Lan Wangji considered it. “How far can your flags call from?”

Wei Ying shrugged. “Ten li or so,” he said after a second, obviously quickly working out the distance. “If we needed to and I had the materials on hand, I could probably make some that are closer to fifteen li, but I think ten should be sufficient?”

“Yes,” he said. It would not cover the whole city by any means, but it would be enough for them to take up position on the other side of the river and still cover enough that if the ghost should happen to wander in their direction, they could quickly ensnare it.

It would also lure everything else within that range in the process, but he was certain that there was nothing else that could cause them any trouble, and clearing out anything else small in the area while they were around would benefit the denizens of Xingyang as well.

After some scouting of where would be the best area to set up, they ended up marking a section of land just outside of the walls of Xingyang a little over a dozen chi in each direction, firmly tying the black wind flags to a few small trees on the riverbank and one to a makeshift pole where no tree stood.

By the time they finished their work, it was midday, unusually hot for this time of year. Lan Wangji was not very affected by the sun overhead, but Wei Ying took the chance to lie down in the shade of one of the larger trees along the riverbank, flopping out dramatically.

After a few moments, Lan Wangji came to join him, sinking down much more gracefully into the soft grass next to him. He took out his compass and held it in one hand, watching the needle spin contentedly. It would alert them if anything came in range.

Wei Ying had covered his eyes with one arm, blocking out the light. “How can you be so comfortable in all those layers when it’s hot out? I think you have more on than I do.”

“Perhaps it is that you are in black?” he suggested calmly. 

Wei Ying mimed being struck in the heart. "A hit!" he agreed cheerfully. "Perhaps I should have taken after my mother instead of my father. Like you, she tends to wear white."

Although Wei Ying complained, Lan Wangji could see that his face was neither sweaty nor reddened from the heat. Presumably, like Lan Wangji, his core was developed enough for temperature regulation.

Lan Wangji looked away when he found himself staring too long at Wei Ying's face.

"It is nice to get out of the city for a while, though," Wei Ying murmured, more solemnly. "The tension is rising."

Crowds on the streets had murmured with discontent to see that someone had been arrested and yet the fires continued. Lan Wangji would not like to see that tension boil over.

"The spirit is elusive," he said, "but we will catch it. Its rising resentment presents an opportunity as well as a danger to us."

"Certainly the compass hadn't been picking up much before," Wei Ying replied. "The flags should catch it, though, once it's within range. As long as it bears any amount of resentment, the flags will attract it."

Lan Wangji recalled well their test cases in Yi City, corpses who bore as little resentment as was possible to animate them. Certainly a spirit who had already killed should likewise be attracted.

As if in response to his thoughts, the lazily spinning pointer on the compass slowly stopped turning. Lan Wangji straightened further, and Wei Ying leaned over to look at it. However, as the pointer stabilized, it indicated a direction away from the city.

What came now was not the spirit, but it was something they should take care of nevertheless.

Wei Ying stood up and stretched contentedly before drawing his sword. The needle on his compass pointed steadily ahead as Lan Wangji watched it. At this hour of the day, it would be easy to see whatever was approaching through the long, golden waves of grass outside the city.

Wei Ying smiled at him as he rose to his feet, shifting about back and forth to limber up his muscles. “Lan Zhan,” he called with a grin, “shall we make a bet?”

Lan Wangji quickly confirmed the position of the rapidly approaching being ahead before giving Wei Ying a suspicious look. “What would this bet entail?”

Wei Ying’s grin was lopsided and filled with wicked delight. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure we can think of something fun between the two of us.”

Ahead of them, the grass suddenly began to shake as whatever had been caught in the lure of the flags came running at them. Lan Wangji stashed his compass away safely and drew his sword. “I would need clearer outlines and conditions to agree to such a thing,” he said, ignoring the part of his mind that reminded him that gambling in any form was forbidden. He knew that Wei Ying wouldn’t ask for more than he was willing to give. 

A bedraggled ghoul pulled from some small body of water out of sight stumbled through the grass, claws hooked with the intent of tearing their throats out. It was so clearly out of its element in the tall grass that it proved to be even less of a threat than it would have usually, tripping over the roots and stems as it came for them.

Wei Ying pouted as he readied Quanshui, muscles tensed to spring. Lan Wangji held out Bichen as well.

The ghoul managed one more step before they moved as one, cutting it into three neat pieces before it could take a single swipe at them.

Wei Ying shook his sword neatly as the water ghoul crashed to the ground, shaking off the drops of blood from the end. “Well, then what would you suggest, Lan Zhan, since you need all sorts of outlines and rules to make a friendly little bet with your favorite companion?”

To be honest, many of the conditions Lan Wangji might place on such a bet were not ones he believed Wei Ying would desire anyway. Many bets he had observed involved some sort of humiliation as a consequence. "No money," he eventually decided.

"Your money is not what I want from you anyway, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying replied. And though Wei Ying's tone was cheerful rather than seductive, the words sent lightning running through Lan Wangji's veins as goosebumps rose across his body. His grip tightened on his sword. "I was actually hoping to bet answers. The winner gets to ask a question and the loser must answer honestly."

Lan Wangji swallowed, turning slightly away from Wei Ying's smirking face. He could not say such a wager was harmless, but he had never expected to encounter a bet whose stakes he wanted more. "And the terms of the wager?" he asked.

Wei Ying shrugged. "Whoever kills more of whatever comes, maybe," he suggested. "Or whoever successfully predicts more of what it will be. Whatever you like."

"It is possible few things will come," Lan Wangji observed. "Only one is our goal, after all."

"The bet can carry over to the next time we do this sort of thing," Wei Ying replied, and Lan Wangji was so struck by the idea of next time that he found himself agreeing. While this was hardly the first time either of them had suggested more meetings, that simple phrase still evoked so much of a future he wanted that at times it still caught in his throat.

If he had his way, he would have so many next times with Wei Ying.

Wei Ying beamed at him when Lan Wangji acquiesced to the conditions, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Now I can finally find out all of Lan Zhan’s secrets,” he crowed in delight. “All we need now is for my flags to call something else.”

Lan Wangji smiled inwardly at his excitement. “You assume that the next kill will go to you.”

Wei Ying stuck out his tongue playfully.

They waited for a little while longer with swords drawn, both of them keeping one eye turned towards the city. With the sun high in the sky, many things that would normally be called by Wei Ying’s flags would be dormant for several shichen yet, so there likely would be stretches of time with little to do but wait.

Wei Ying quickly grew bored of standing still and began to move about, first pacing in circles, then, when he remembered he still had Quanshui drawn, starting to move through sword forms, first the basic ones anyone training with a sword learned, then into the ones specific to his style. 

In his hands, Quanshui went from a solid blade to a ripple of steel, easily bending away from paltry obstacles only to rush in from an angle no one else would have seen coming. It was a very elegant style, well suited to Wei Ying’s grace and freedom of movement. It reminded him of Yunmeng Jiang’s style, but also there were clear elements of another blended in, possibly something he had learned from his mother and her teachings that were otherwise not seen in the jianghu anymore. Wei Ying smiled unconsciously as he continued to move smoothly through a well practiced routine, every line of his body becoming liquid under the afternoon sunlight.

Lan Wangji had seen him in action a few times now, fighting against the villagers back in Lianshen village during their first night hunt, brief glimpses of his skill with a blade both when they’d met up near Yi City and just now, but he’d never had a chance to see him fight against a skilled opponent. He doubted that there were many opponents skilled enough to hold their own against such a unique, elegant style.

Wei Ying’s smile abruptly grew and Lan Wangji realized that he had noticed him watching. He moved back into a resting position, Quanshui still held loosely in one hand and a faint gleam of mischief in his eyes. “You know, something’s just occurred to me,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you fighting something that could hold its own against you.”

“I could say the same,” Lan Wangji said, his heartbeat picking up slightly. “I doubt you encounter many cultivators at your skill level.”

Wei Ying’s eyes gleamed. “Not often, but there’s one who keeps crossing my path who I’m reliably assured by gossip is definitely my match, perhaps even better than I am. I’d be interested in seeing if the rumors are true.” 

As he spoke, his position shifted just slightly from completely relaxed to poised, ready to move at a moment’s notice. A lesser fighter would have not noticed the shift, it was so subtle, but Lan Wangji could see how he could easily move into defense or offense depending on his opponent without sacrificing balance on either side.

“I have heard similar stories,” he said, keeping his tone neutral despite the anticipation quickening his heartbeat. “Rumors can be unreliable.”

Wei Ying grinned. “Are you suggesting that I couldn’t beat you, Lan Zhan? Even after watching me warm up?” 

 Despite the playfulness, there was the edge of a challenge in it. Lan Wangji knew that the rumors around the two of them tended to give Lan Wangji favor he did not necessarily deserve based entirely on their status. It was infuriating that Wei Ying’s ability was not often judged as it deserved and that people would so casually speak of him compared to others with clouded eyes.

He knew just from having watched him that Wei Ying could easily keep up with him. Lan Wangji suspected that he could even defeat him in a duel, though they were close enough in skill level that a victory on either side could not be assured. 

Their compasses were currently still dormant, with no sign of anything approaching their location. They could find out now.

He wanted to know for himself.

“I think it is unwise to leave such debates up to gossip,” he said at last. “Some things should be determined by fact, not rumor.”

“I agree!” Wei Ying laughed. “I’d much rather know for myself if I can beat you or not.” His eyes glimmered with shared anticipation. “I think we should find out.”

“Yes,” Lan Wangji breathed.

Wei Ying watched him as he shifted into a fighting stance, Bichen resting comfortably in his right hand. “Just swords, no talismans or secondary tools,” he said. “Victor adds a point to our bet. Any other conditions?”

“No others,” Lan Wangji said. “Victory to whoever strikes the killing blow first.”

Wei Ying grinned. “Good luck, Lan Zhan,” he crooned. “Let’s give the rumormongers something to really talk about.”

Lan Wangji quietly adjusted his grip on Bichen, eyes fixed on Wei Ying to see if he would try and strike out first, or wait for Lan Wangji to act. When he made no immediate moment, Lan Wangji lunged forward with his sword pointed straight at Wei Ying’s chest.

It didn’t strike true, but he didn’t expect it to. Wei Ying stepped nimbly to the side, Quanshui’s blade brushing gently against Bichen as he further deflected the strike. Lan Wangji quickly pulled back before Wei Ying could unbalance him, then pressed forward again. 

Wei Ying met his every advance, never quaking under the might of Bichen’s blade, but rarely outright blocking it as opposed to deflecting or redirecting the angles of his strikes. While he remained on the defensive, Lan Wangji could tell that Wei Ying was doing the same thing he was -- measuring out the strengths and weaknesses of their particular styles in order to counter them better and gain an upper hand in their fight.

Wei Ying’s style was incredibly strong when it came to wearing out a combatant while avoiding injury. Lan Wangji found his strikes turned aside time and time again, coming no closer to landing any sort of blow even if they were still trying to avoid injuring the other. But it did rely on being able to be faster than whoever Wei Ying was fighting, which would be easier against non-cultivators and those who favored a heavier style, less so against those who had an equal balance of speed and might or even a lighter style. In addition, while deflection did not cost as much stamina as full blocks might have, Wei Ying had to remain light and agile on his feet, always moving and dancing around his opponent, making it less suited for drawn-out fights.

Still, he knew that Wei Ying was reading the same things in his own style, picking out where his offense might weaken and where the holes in his defense might be. For now, Lan Wangji was on the offensive, but he expected that to change very soon once Wei Ying felt he had his measure.

Sure enough, when he came in for a disabling strike on Wei Ying’s sword arm, Quanshui twisted up around Bichen and Wei Ying switched from defense to offense in one move as he ducked under Lan Wangji’s arm and came up very quickly in a sudden attack on his unguarded throat, taking advantage of the fact that he was still drawing Bichen back and attacking before he had a chance to regain his balance.

Lan Wangji was able to avoid losing right then and there with a hasty jump back, but he knew that Wei Ying wasn’t going to give him enough time to fully recover before continuing the attack. Even as he was readjusting, Wei Ying had already sprung forward with an intense gleam in his eyes and Quanshui coming in at a risky angle that would be difficult for Lan Wangji to block, but could leave him open to being disarmed if countered properly.

If Lan Wangji were in an ideal position, he could have done it. However, he was still recovering from the transition and knew he couldn’t get the angle required in order to disarm Wei Ying. Instead he chose to avoid entirely, letting Wei Ying fly past him and switching to his left hand in the process, catching Wei Ying’s next strike at a new angle and pushing him back firmly.

Wei Ying briefly looked surprised at having been so firmly challenged before his eyes landed on Lan Wangji’s hands and he laughed in delight. “Are you ambidextrous, Hanguang-jun?” he asked, bouncing back and shaking a few loose strands of hair from his eyes. “That’s incredible. Even I couldn’t fight as well with my left as my right.”

Lan Wangji said nothing, more focused on the duel than on Wei Ying’s words, though the open admiration did please him. He blocked a jab for his stomach and then a spinning slice that came at his now exposed right side, looking for an opening in Wei Ying’s defenses now that he was fighting an opponent using the opposite hand from what he expected. Many sword fighters never learned how to defend themselves against someone who could use a weapon in their left hand. 

Wei Ying was struggling with it, he could tell, but he was too good to let that overcome him, and Lan Wangji’s display of skill seemed to have only encouraged him to press harder. Lan Wangji was still managing to evade his killing blows, but he had a dawning sense that it would not be long before Wei Ying managed to overcome his defenses. 

The match was over in an instant. Wei Ying feinted high before dropping almost to the ground to pop up inside Lan Wangji’s guard once more, Quanshui flowing up with him to rest casually a few cun from Lan Wangji’s throat. “Dead,” he said breathlessly, a wild grin on his face. “First bet point to me.”

“Dead,” Lan Wangji agreed, also finding himself surprisingly winded now that their match had concluded. Wei Ying had pushed him even more than he'd thought. “You are the clear victor in this match.”

Wei Ying laughed brightly, sheathing his sword and bowing politely to him before bracing himself on his knees to catch his breath. “You are incredible with a sword, Lan Zhan,” he complimented again. “I’m sure the next time we duel, you’ll be the winner.”

Lan Wangji had to fight to not smile. “That is still not determined. You may yet win again.”

“Maybe, but we’re not testing that again today, as fun as that would be,” Wei Ying said, still a little winded himself. “We still have a spirit to track down at the end of the day.”

Lan Wangji, having momentarily forgotten why they were out here, started before checking his compass for signs of anything approaching. The needle spun casually, so at least nothing had wandered into the range of the flags while they’d been distracted. 

Wei Ying checked his compass too. “I guess there’s not too much out here if this is taking a while,” he said, flopping back on the grass, basking in the sunlight. “Now that you’ve thoroughly worn me out, just wake me up when something comes our way,” he said, covering his eyes with one sleeve. 

Lan Wangji remained on his feet for the moment, watching the open sky. Out in the distance, gray clouds collected on the horizon, promising rain sometime in the future if they drifted their way.

Perhaps a day or two of rain would be good for Xingyang, dampening both fires and tensions while they tracked down the spirit. And since they would be in a town as well, he and Wei Ying could avoid the worst of the rain should it come to them. They just needed circumstances to cooperate.

Chapter Text

Time passed contentedly, with Lan Wangji keeping an eye on the skies around them and Wei Ying first half dozing in the grass, then growing bored with that and starting to weave a grass crown before the next twitching of the compass point.

Once again, it spun to a direction outside of the city.

"What do you think this one will be, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, jumping up. "I'm going to guess a yao."

"Fierce corpse," Lan Wangji decided, since he must choose something different.

Wei Ying's broad grin practically sparkled. "I love it when you play along," he said. "We should have another race at some point. Maybe with our swords this time."

"You already told me that your sword was designed for speed," Lan Wangji pointed out. "Are you setting me up to lose?"

Wei Ying laughed. "You saw through my plan!" he agreed. "But don't sell yourself short, Lan Zhan. I suspect that you'd find some way to defeat me, even so."

Before Lan Wangji could reply, a fierce corpse stumbled its way into view. However, any points Lan Wangji would have won by correctly identifying their visitor were offset by Wei Ying's successful dispatch.

By the time the sun began to set, Wei Ying remained ahead by one point, having never entirely lost his lead since their duel, and the ghost they waited for still had not appeared.

"So much for being proactive," Wei Ying said, frowning at first the flags and then the compass. "The spirit seems to be most active in the day so far. Should we pack up for the night?"

After a moment's thought, Lan Wangji shook his head. "It may still wander at night," he replied. "And as you have reminded me before, we are on a night hunt. There is still time for us to continue."

Wei Ying tilted his head to the side as he considered Lan Wangji’s point, then smiled. “So there is. Admittedly it's been more active in setting fires during the day, but perhaps it wanders more at night.”

Lan Wangji nodded in agreement. “There may be other things that come out after nightfall.”

Wei Ying shaded his eyes as he turned to watch the sun set, the light heavy and golden on his face. Already the air was growing cool around them, though he doubted that it would be cold enough to leave a negative impact. “Looks like the rain won’t be coming our way,” he mused. “A shame. It would help a lot in Xingyang if they got a little rain right now.”

“Perhaps the winds will change,” he offered, though he suspected that Wei Ying was correct and this particular storm would pass them by.

The sun disappeared beneath the horizon. Behind them, people were beginning to light the lamps in Xingyang, closing the gates to travelers until the next morning. It was not an impediment to them to have the gates closed; they could just fly over if needed.

The lights in the city were not quite enough to erase the shadows where they stood, but with the rising moon in the sky, it was more than bright enough to hunt by. The moon was nearly at full, Chang’e’s rabbit companion easy to see.

Wei Ying was humming softly as he walked back and forth, occasionally checking the compass by the moonlight or the bindings of the flags. “I have to decide what I’m going to ask you,” he said suddenly, almost startling Lan Wangji. “Since I’m a point ahead of you.”

“You assume that it will remain that way,” he responded, keeping his voice even. “Night has barely fallen.”

Wei Ying snorted. “Oh, now I see how it is. Lan-er-gege wants to keep hunting so that I don’t win our bet.”

…Wei Ying so often made him profoundly grateful that his face did not show his emotions easily. He had been prepared for the flirty response, but not necessarily the escalation. Which was silly of him, but then Wei Ying was very good at catching him off guard in ways he hadn’t imagined to be possible.

For his own sanity, he decided to ignore it. Wei Ying might escalate further if he responded, whether or not he protested, and then the red of his ears might be visible even with the falling darkness.

"You do not need a bet to ask me questions," he said instead of commenting on terms of address. "It is against the precepts to lie."

"Ah, but ordinary questions you have no obligation to answer, which also avoids lying," Wei Ying countered. "That's why I have to think about my question. What do I really want you to answer, but will also, I hope, not hurt you to answer? That's the trick of it."

Oh, Wei Ying. "Mn," he said, instead of trying to express the tangled feelings massing in his chest at that response. "I have similar considerations."

Wei Ying was also adept at avoiding questions he did not want to answer. What did Lan Wangji really want to know, but yet would not pry away answers Wei Ying did not truly wish to give him?

Do you flirt with me deliberately, Wei Ying? Do you mean it? Is it only flirting to you?

Perhaps the trick of it, as Wei Ying put it, was finding a question that did not reveal more of Lan Wangji than what it asked of Wei Ying.

"Perhaps you'll get your chance," Wei Ying said, lifting his compass to show the pointer holding steady. This time it was coming from the direction of the city. "After we finish up this hunt, at least."

Unfortunately, Lan Wangji did not get his chance just yet. Though a resentful spirit came to them from the city, Inquiry confirmed that it was not the spirit setting fires. It was an old man whose grave had been disturbed by drunkards mistakenly looking for treasure. Lan Wangji and Wei Ying mutually agreed to find the grave and set it right when they had a chance, and further agreed between themselves that no point was earned because they had not correctly identified what came nor had fully taken care of it yet.

After that, nothing else disturbed their compass as the moon climbed to the heavens, turning the grass and the ribbon in Wei Ying’s hair silvery. 

At last Wei Ying and Lan Wangji came to an agreement that they were unlikely to capture their spirit before the end of the night, and, what with another wayward wandering soul to put to rest in the process, it would be better to collect up and try again in the morning. 

Wei Ying rolled up the flags together and stored them in a pouch, double checking his compass for anything approaching that the flags had caught before he had dismantled them. “So the first bet ends in my favor,” he mused with a smile as he tied off the pouch to his waist and set out at Lan Wangji’s side to return to town. “I still haven’t decided on my question, though. I will have to think about it.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji said calmly, trying to ignore the little tangle of hope and fear sitting in the base of his stomach. “We still have some time; the hunt is not finished yet.”

Wei Ying made a face at him. “Are you suggesting that we’ll run into some yao in the li between here and the gates?” he said in a playfully put-out tone. “I would have never expected Hanguang-jun to be a sore loser.”

Lan Wangji returned his intent look easily. “I have not lost yet.”

Wei Ying tried to keep his pouting expression up for a while longer, but couldn’t help bursting into giggles as they walked onto the main road into Xingyang. “Lan Zhan, how do you always make me laugh so easily?” he asked warmly. “That wasn’t my question, by the way!”

“I suspected as much,” he said, even though it would have been an easy question for him to answer by the rules of their bet. But then if the questions Wei Ying had for him would be easy to answer, he wouldn’t have made a wager about them otherwise.

When they reached the gates, the guards were somewhat reluctant to open them up for the two of them, even though Lan Wangji recognized one of them as having been sharing an inn with him and Wei Ying over the last few days. But after a small amount of cajoling and Wei Ying pointing out that they could either walk through the gates or fly over the wall, and one was likely to draw a lot less attention to them, the doors to Xingyang were opened to them once again. 

Once they were out of earshot, Wei Ying frowned slightly. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Lan Zhan, but he was perfectly friendly to us yesterday, right?”

"The fires continue," Lan Wangji replied, ducking his head slightly.

Wei Ying sighed. "There are advantages and disadvantages to expecting we can solve it," he said philosophically. "I guess it's time for the disadvantages."

Lan Wangji had grown used to carrying the weight of disappointments as well as hopes, and he could tell Wei Ying was the same. They had to do their best to minimize its effect on their hunt.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Wei Ying asked him, dismissing the guard's reluctance. "Or do you want to deal with that old ghost first?"

"The ghost first," Lan Wangji replied decisively. He was perfectly capable of functioning on less sleep than this, and his bedtime habits were not more important than soothing a restless soul.

Wei Ying smiled at him, and they headed for the cemetery the old ghost had described, in the city's northwest.

Several graves had actually been disturbed by the drunkards, though only one ghost seemed to have risen from it so far. Gravestones had been moved and left lying in less auspicious places, though thankfully close enough to their original locations that there should be no difficulty identifying what went where. Further along the line of graves was a small mausoleum, with scratches against its stone walls they could see when they approached. It did not appear to have been opened.

"They probably tried to grab stones they could use to open it," Wei Ying theorized. "Thankfully they failed."

"I will investigate further disturbances," Lan Wangji said, pulling his qin forward.

"Then I'll get those gravestones back in place," Wei Ying agreed.

Inquiry confirmed the presence of no other spirits, so nothing else seemed to have stirred from the drunkards' misadventure. When Lan Wangji was sure, he put his qin away and returned to Wei Ying, who had pushed his looser sleeves up to reveal taut muscle under his tighter arm guards. Lan Wangji stared for a moment before turning away.

"Looks like this is done," Wei Ying said cheerfully, letting his sleeves drop and dusting dirt off his hands with a few claps. "Now I just want to check the compass to be really sure--"

He pulled the compass out, where they could see that the pointer was, in fact, holding steady. However, it aimed out into the city rather than anywhere in the cemetery, and when Lan Wangji followed its direction, he could see a faint glow in the distance.

Another fire.

Wei Ying drew in a sharp breath, all levity gone from his face. His mouth twitched a few times as though there were words he wanted to say, yet couldn’t bring himself to voice them out loud. The compass needle remained steady.

Only a few seconds must have passed, but it felt like an eternity as Wei Ying looked from the needle to Lan Wangji. His eyes were sharp as the edge of a blade, and there was not a trace of a smile on his face.

He didn’t need to say a word. Lan Wangji understood the question that lay before them. The ghost was clearly escalating, and rapidly. If they wanted to liberate the spirit and prevent further deaths, then they needed to find where the spirit was lurking soon.

The compass had locked onto its location. They might not have another chance like this.

The ghost of a smile lingered at the corner of Wei Ying’s lips as he nodded slightly in agreement. They left the silent graveyard behind, leaping up neatly onto a nearby rooftop so as to speed their chase towards the ghost.

The pale moonlight washed out the world as they followed the compass’s guidance towards the steadily growing orange glow somewhere out in the city. All was silver and shadow and the slow sounds of a city rudely awoken from slumber. Somewhere in the distance, he could pick out the ringing of a gong, likely someone summoning the fire brigades as quickly as possible.

As they leaped over a side street and alighted on the roof of a small tea house, Wei Ying glanced down quickly at his compass. His face was grim in the moonlight. “Our ghost is on the move,” he said, gesturing vaguely towards a spot north of the growing orange glow. “We should hurry.”

Lan Wangji needed no more than a direction to continue forth. “Lead the way.”

His heart did pang to turn away from the fire, but he resolutely kept up with Wei Ying as he followed the compass away from the flames. There were many in the city as well or better equipped to douse the fire and take care of the victims, but only he and Wei Ying were capable of tracking the spirit. That had to be their priority.

"No, no, come on," Wei Ying groaned, pausing for a moment on another roof. Lan Wangji alighted beside him to see the needle swerving. His eyebrows drew in as he leaned closer to watch the needle wobble before it straightened again and pointed more steadily west.

He and Wei Ying exchanged a glance. "Swords," Wei Ying said, at the same time gesturing his out of its sheath. "They're faster, and we might need that."

Lan Wangji had barely nodded when Wei Ying leapt up to his sword and sped west. A breath later, he was following Wei Ying into the night sky, the flowing red ribbon a beacon in the darkness. Cold wind whipped at his face, but he ignored it, focused on the man in front of him.

Several times, Wei Ying paused as the compass seemed to lose the traces of energy allowing them to track the spirit. The first few times, Wei Ying circled the air in a widening spiral, trying to hone in on the energy again. The last time, not even that allowed the compass to once more locate their quarry.

"Fuck!" Wei Ying hissed as Lan Wangji caught up to him. He scowled down at the compass with its idly circling pointer before determinedly looking away.

"It may have run out of energy before we could catch up to it," Lan Wangji said, wanting to put his hand on Wei Ying's shoulder but unsure if he would welcome it. "It should be dormant now."

"How does this spirit keep eluding us?" Wei Ying complained, shoving the compass back in his pouch. "How aware is it? It's like it could tell we were on its tail."

"We may have the strongest yang energy in the city," Lan Wangji pointed out. "It could have been able to identify us through that."

Putting his hand to his forehead, Wei Ying laughed a little. "So sensible," he said. "But true, and good point. Next time we may just have to keep the spirit attraction array going longer."

"Would it have been useful during the chase?" Lan Wangji asked. Wei Ying's notes had indicated that a living person's energy would most easily serve as anchor to the attractant in the flag. They had attempted to follow using the compass, but would it have been more useful to once again try to bring the spirit to them?

Wei Ying frowned. "Possibly," he allowed. "But it seemed to be draining its energy quickly as it fled, so by the time we had a flag prepared, we might have lost it anyway. If the compass can't catch its presence, I don't think the flag could either. It's something to try should this kind of chase happen again, but your clan's Evocation may still be the most reliable path."

Lan Wangji nodded, then looked to the side, where the smoke column and bright glow of the fire was still visible. "Shall we go to the fire?" he asked.

Wei Ying sighed. "Might as well," he said. "At least we can do something there."

They flew most of the way, then lowered themselves to a roof several streets away, to avoid distracting the crowd by descending closer. Even from there, though, they could see that this time, there were several buildings engulfed in flames.

Compared to the organized bucket lines and focused crowds that they had seen in the light of day, it was clear that the sudden night fire had caught everyone off guard. As they approached over the rooftops once more so as to not lose time pushing through the crowds, they could see people coming out of their houses, many of them only clad in their night robes and shivering in the cold. While there was some attempt to prevent the fires from leaping to the next houses in the row, it was clear even from their vantage point that the houses in the center of the blaze were lost.

It was certain that if the ghost had struck as it usually did, without warning and without anyone in the family awake to see the fire start, the residents in those houses were no longer among the living. At this hour of the night, they would have already been in bed and asleep. 

Wei Ying swore again, looking at the messy line trying to get some level of coordination together. His lips were pressed into a hard line. “Someone has to get them focused, or otherwise they’ll never get the fires contained.”

Lan Wangji nodded and they jumped over into the fray, several people stumbling in their rush to get out of their way despite them choosing a place where no one was standing to begin with. There were several hushed gasps and discontent whispers as Wei Ying immediately strode over to the bucket line, chin high as he took over for the one firefighter that was desperately trying to shout loud enough to be heard over the crackling flames and weeping crowd. 

Lan Wangji, knowing that Wei Ying had the bucket line managed, caught the eye of one young woman huddled in a blanket just outside of the next house in the fire line. “Is there anyone else still inside these houses?” he asked, raising his voice enough that it carried to the others around them. 

The young woman shook her head, shaking with fear or cold. “W-we heard the commotion in time and got out,” she said, her voice trembling. “Daozhang, you can stop this one, can’t you? You and your friend who can fly on your swords must be able to prevent this disaster?”

Around him, he could see the same question in the eyes of others, some pleading, some accusing. They were too cold and frightened to speak, but he could feel the weight of their growing disappointment even so.

He ignored the question; there was no answer that he could give that they would want to hear. Right now, what mattered was trying to help the people he could.

“Anyone who has a home that is not in the line of fire should return there,” he said instead. “Take those who do not have a place to stay with you and out of the cold.”

Faces darkened, but no one argued with him. A few older women stepped forward to take charge of the injured and distressed, pulling them away from the flames. When the crowd seemed to have better organized itself, Lan Wangji turned to return to Wei Ying.

Before he could leave, though, a middle-aged man grabbed his arm. He let go when Lan Wangji stared at him, but then he crossed his arms and puffed out his chest. "Hey!" he cried. "Shouldn't you explain? You and that other cultivator were just flying around when we were trying to put out the fire! Aren't you supposed to be here to deal with the fires? Why are they still happening? They're getting worse!"

The crowd looked at him, echoing the question. Unfortunately, Lan Wangji had no response that would satisfy them. They wanted the problem fixed, not to be served with a litany of excuses.

And yet he had to speak. The populace turning against them would make their hunt even harder. "The perpetrators behind your fires hide well," he said, pitching his voice to be heard. "My partner and I have uncovered much, and we lack only a few final pieces. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we do our best to catch the culprits quickly."

The man stared hard at him before turning away with a loud "Tch!" The rest of the crowd also looked unhappy but at least partially mollified. As he'd known, his words could not give them what they wanted.

He would have to prove his credibility with his actions.

Finally he was able to join Wei Ying, who, like during the inn fire, was flying victims from the surrounding houses further away from the flames. The houses in the middle were unsalvageable, the residents beyond their help. The bucket line -- or rather, lines, with multiple surrounding the center of the blaze -- was doing its job. And on his sword, taking people away from the worst of the danger, Lan Wangji at least felt he had something useful to do.

It was late in the night by the time the fires were finally put out, with the moon sitting low in the western sky. Many of the people who had come out to fight the fires were visibly exhausted by the events of the night, with plenty of them trudging off to their homes and beds once the firefighters had confirmed that no embers still burned in any of the houses that had caught ablaze.

Lan Wangji could only stare at the black husks that had been houses when they had walked by them earlier that day, six houses lost to the inferno before they were able to muster enough of a response to combat them. At least two of those houses had burned down before their inhabitants could escape. 

They would have to wait for morning and the sun in order to help the souls that had been trapped. The wood was still hot enough to burn them, and even with the fading moonlight and Bichen’s glow, the risks were high enough that Lan Wangji did not want to chance others' lives in the meantime.

A small twinge of frustration at how many other lives had already been lost in the process ran through him, but he let it pass. It would do no one any good to give into frustration when what they needed was a solution.

A few people still came by to thank him for doing what he could, but he could feel the mood of the crowds changing. Without any change to be seen, those who had promised to help would be judged for not bringing this to an end.

It was human nature; he had seen it before. He did not have to like it.

Wei Ying walked over slowly to him, nudging him with his shoulder gently. “Lan Zhan, we should go back and rest now,” he said in a low voice. “We’ll come back to this tomorrow.”

Lan Wangji said nothing in response, but he could tell Wei Ying understood him anyway.

--

Naturally, the night had yet another trial to throw their way before it could come to an end.

"We've taken in so many poor souls tonight, and the two of you have been so accommodating about doubling up before," the innkeeper's wife told them. She was still polite, but her hair was escaping its pins, her face was lined with weariness, and there were soot streaks all over her clothes. She had clearly been out helping.

Her lips also pressed together tightly, her eyes hard, when she first saw them come in before she approached them.

"We've got a new room?" Wei Ying asked.

"We took the liberty of already moving your things," she said. She softened enough to add, "There's a bath waiting for you."

She pointed them to their new room. The sound of coughing followed them as they headed up the stairs again. As tired as he was, Lan Wangji was also grateful that his golden core purified his body enough to avoid the effects of being so long around smoke.

Lan Wangji also simply looked forward to washing up and going to bed, but Wei Ying's pause as he opened their new door roused his curiosity. Wei Ying looked back at him, face unreadable, before heading into the room and letting Lan Wangji see what had surprised him.

There was only one bed.

"I see the innkeeper's wife is unhappy with us too," Wei Ying commented. The room was big enough for the pair of them -- it was likely meant for a married couple -- but still certainly smaller than their previous room. They would not be able to avoid invading each other's space.

But Lan Wangji, fatigued both physically and emotionally, did not have the energy to think about the implications of being so close to Wei Ying all night. "You may take the first bath," he said.

Wei Ying shook his head. "You've been constantly letting me go first," he replied. "It's your turn."

He would not be budged, so Lan Wangji gave in. To himself, he admitted that he was grateful to clean up.

"Master Xu did offer us a place to stay," Wei Ying said as Lan Wangji relaxed into the tub. "We could see if he'll still let us take him up on it."

Lan Wangji almost shook his head before remembering Wei Ying would not see it. "Unnecessary," he replied. "This room is fine. And I would rather not be beholden to any here."

Wei Ying hummed in agreement. “Same here,” he said, a note of fatigue leaking into his voice. “I will not be sad when it comes time to put Xingyang behind us,” he added more quietly. 

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed. He knew himself well and knew he was not as suited for these sorts of political games that the people in Xingyang were playing, but the fact that it had come to so many deaths solely out of greed had soured his experience here. 

He wouldn’t leave until they were at peace, but he would not be sorry to see the town disappear in the distance. 

The water was still pleasantly warm and mostly clear when he rose and dried off quickly, stepping out from behind the privacy screen once he was dressed again. Wei Ying straightened up from where he’d started to doze off at the small table and gave Lan Wangji a tired smile. “My turn?”

Lan Wangji nodded, stepping around Wei Ying neatly and settling on the bed. Once Wei Ying had stepped behind the privacy screen and tossed his robes over the partition, he rose long enough to store his robes away before glancing listlessly to his qin that took up much of the small table. 

Other nights he might have played for Wei Ying and himself. But tonight he could not muster the energy to think of playing. 

It seemed Wei Ying understood and shared his fatigue, for the splashing in the tub was muted. The only time he spoke was to ask if Lan Wangji could pass him a fresh ribbon from the pouch on the table. “I don’t think mine is going to survive the night,” he said with a weary chuckle. “And I know I’m going to be sound asleep as soon as I get in bed.”

"What do you wish to prioritize tomorrow?" Lan Wangji asked, once Wei Ying was out of the bath and braiding his hair.

Wei Ying did not need time to think about it. "The spirit," he said. "If we have time to track down Shang Fenhua, fine, but it looks like the spirit is the more active of our arsonists. We need to take care of it as soon as we can."

Lan Wangji nodded. "Perhaps this most recent fire will be enough to persuade Wan Shaolong to cooperate," he said. For a spirit as elusive as this one, Evocation seemed their best chance at pinning it down. Evocation would call it no matter where it was or how much energy it had.

Wei Ying sighed. "We'll figure it out tomorrow," he announced, though it was currently late enough that mao shi was closer than Lan Wangji would like. He slid into bed. "You don't mind me taking the inside?" he asked, yawning as he settled in. "Since you're still likely to get up before me."

"I do not mind," Lan Wangji assured him softly. He blew out the candles, then joined Wei Ying in bed.

The sheets were cool, but Lan Wangji found himself very aware of the source of heat at his side. He had never shared a bed with anyone but his brother. He had hoped to share one with Wei Ying, but not under these circumstances.

And yet, the experience was not so far from his daydreams. He could see Wei Ying's face in the dim moonlight that made it through the window paper. He could hear his steady breathing, feel the gentle movement of his falling-asleep body. His presence warmed the bed faster than Lan Wangji's would alone. He gave himself into sleep so easily and comfortably right next to Lan Wangji.

It was Wei Ying in Lan Wangji's bed. Whatever the circumstances, he would be able to hold that close and remember it.

--

He had been privately worried that after the events of the past days that he might find himself tangled in nightmares, but it seemed exhaustion won out over strain as his rest was deep and dreamless.

Lan Wangji woke slowly, well aware that it was long after mao shi, yet still feeling some of the physical fatigue in his bones. He had rolled onto his side in his sleep at some point, which probably had contributed to some of the lingering ache, since he was accustomed to sleeping on his back.

He was warm, and comfortable, and he knew why even before conscious thought really considered it. When the pieces came together, there was a part of him that wanted to back away quickly, but it was swiftly quashed by the part of his mind that had no intention of disturbing his companion.

Sometime in the night, Wei Ying had also rolled over, from being tucked into the inside corner of the bed to being firmly nestled onto his body, one arm wrapped around his waist to hold him close and his face tucked into Lan Wangji’s chest, most likely to block out the late morning light streaming in through the window paper.

Lan Wangji himself apparently had lacked any sort of propriety in his sleep -- his arms were both wrapped around Wei Ying, keeping him from rolling back now that he was here. 

To put it simply, they were entwined together as intimately as lovers.

And the selfish part of him didn’t want to let go and back away, even though he knew it was the proper thing to do.

He couldn’t even say that it felt awkward, or uncomfortable, because it didn’t. It just felt… right that they had ended up in such a position. Another shared step in this journey they seemed to be walking side by side on.

But Wei Ying was not his to hold like this, not yet at least. He should let go and get up and see if the innkeeper still thought well enough of them that he would be able to bring breakfast back to the room.

He should let go.

He should.

His self-discipline eventually managed to get him up, though he almost fell right back into bed as Wei Ying made sleepy noises and nuzzled him as he tried to gently extricate himself. He went through the beginnings of his morning routine with his head buzzing, his skin feeling hypersensitive and alive.

What if this became his usual morning in the future? Waking with Wei Ying in his arms, Wei Ying's sleepy complaints when his cuddling partner rose, the way he sprawled to take over the bed once he had it to himself...

But it was not the time to think of such things. He finished dressing and went downstairs, where the innkeeper was more reserved but still willing to send a hot breakfast to their room. And under ordinary circumstances, he would meditate while waiting for Wei Ying to wake, but they had already lost too much of the day. The extra sleep had been much needed, but they should delay their hunt no longer.

He leaned down to put a hand on Wei Ying's shoulder, carefully keeping to cloth even though his sleeping robes gaped open slightly, and shook it. Wei Ying smacked his lips a little and grunted, then started to turn over. As much as Lan Wangji hated to disturb him, he shook his shoulder a little harder.

Hazy eyes blinked open. They fell shut again almost immediately, but Wei Ying took in a deep breath indicating his awakening. "L'n Zh'n?" he murmured. Lan Wangji drew in a sharp, almost inaudible breath and shuddered for a moment.

"Mn." Clenching his hands to prevent them from touching the sleep-soft man in front of him, he took a step back. "It is late si shi."

Wei Ying heaved another sigh, then levered himself up. "Right, right," he said, blinking again several times. "Too much to do to sleep any longer. Okay, I'm up."

He did take another few moments to actually get out of bed. By the time a knock at their door heralded their breakfast, Wei Ying was dressing and finishing his morning ablutions behind the partition.

Lan Wangji opened the door to receive the tray from a young woman who smiled more warmly, if tentatively, at them than her employers, and he thanked her gently. It was good to know that not everyone’s thoughts had turned against them. 

Wei Ying came out from behind the partition as he shut the door, face still slightly damp at the edges as he ran over to move their things onto the bed so there was enough room for them to eat together. 

They were no more than two bites in when Wei Ying began to formulate a plan. “I think we should go back to the place where we lost the spirit last night first,” he said, chopsticks half raised to his mouth as the thought interrupted him partway through the process of eating. “It was dark enough that I wasn’t looking closely, but we might be able to determine where it was going better in daylight.”

Lan Wangji nodded, finishing his own mouthful before setting down his chopsticks to signal a pause in eating. “Shall we visit the houses that burned down?”

Wei Ying stopped and considered the question, his brows drawn together. “I… don’t think we’ll learn anything new from the houses. We know who the ghost is targeting. We should stop by before we leave town to make sure their spirits are at rest. But the ghost is escalating and growing more resentful with each passing day.”

Lan Wangji let out a breath. It was hard to choose, but they both knew that the only answer was to find the spirit as soon as possible. Both for the sake of the living people in Xingyang, and for the spirit itself. 

Thankfully, they still blended into the crowd easily once they stepped outside the inn. A few gazes lingered on the swords at their backs, but no one stopped them or made a fuss. The mood was noticeably grim, but Lan Wangji paid no attention to the conversations of others as he and Wei Ying ducked down an alley. From this less-noticeable position, they once again leapt to the roofs.

"Can you retrace our route from last night?" Wei Ying asked, looking out across the city. His gaze lingered on a nearby black spot before he turned away.

"Yes." It had been dark, and they spent much of the chase on their swords, but his spatial orientation was strong. "Perhaps if we start at the cemetery and retrace our steps from there, we may be able to see if there is anything notable about the spirit's route."

"That sounds like a plan," Wei Ying agreed, smiling briefly at him.

They decided to stay on the rooftops. Their passage drew more attention from those down below who caught a glimpse of movement above, but it was faster than weaving through the crowds and still blended in better than flying. Soon they reached the cemetery of the previous night.

Wei Ying pulled out his compass. "Nothing here," he said. "It looks like we fixed up the old man's grave fine, at least."

"Mn." That was something.

From there, Lan Wangji took the lead slightly as he followed his memory of their path the previous night. Wei Ying, a half-step behind him, kept one eye on his compass as he kept up.

"Hold up a moment," Wei Ying said as they set foot on a roof not far from the cemetery. Lan Wangji glanced over at the compass to see the pointer stabilizing slightly. He and Wei Ying watched as the compass began pointing more definitively to their left, but before they could head in that direction, it began spinning again.

They waited for another few moments to see if the compass could once again pick up whatever it lost, but it displayed no further changes. If the spirit had been nearby, it no longer was.

Wei Ying’s lips pursed in momentary disappointment, but it swiftly cleared. “That’s a good sign, still,” he said after a moment. “They’re not as able to conceal their presence as before and they’re beginning to trip the compass more often.”

Lan Wangji understood immediately what he meant. “We may be able to catch them again if we continue traveling.”

Wei Ying nodded and a muted version of his usual bright grin flashed across his face. “What do you say we slowly work our way over to Wan Shaolong’s house and we’ll see if our spirit friend appears again?”

As they worked their way more slowly back through the city towards Wan Shaolong’s side of town, still following yesterday's route, Lan Wangji could already feel the subtle disorientation of having woken up so much later than he ordinarily would have. People were already breaking for lunch, either meeting up at the various restaurants or street stalls along the way, or walking home together. 

It felt strangely early to him for such things, but then he remembered how late they had gone to bed and how late they had risen. It was only reasonable that those who had not been impacted by the fires as much had continued about their day just as they always had. What else could they really do at this point?

Wei Ying kept his compass in his hand as they traveled along together by rooftop, watching it as intently as a hawk. The compass needle continued to spin, but there was some new tension to it, something where they could both feel that there was something out there for them to pick up on. 

Or perhaps his anticipation to deal with the problem was exacerbating the feeling of hope in his chest. 

They were crossing over a tailor’s shop when Wei Ying made an excited noise and stumbled to a halt, hand darting out and grabbing Lan Wangji’s sleeve to pull him back in. “Lan Zhan, look,” he called, even though Lan Wangji would have looked without hesitation. “We’ve found him.”

Finally, the needle pointed more steadily. As if to vindicate them, it even pointed towards Wan Shaolong. The two of them exchanged a glance, Wei Ying flashing a relieved grin, before picking up their pace over the rooftops.

Before they arrived, though, Wei Ying skidded to a stop atop another roof. Lan Wangji almost overshot him but managed to turn lightly on the ball of his foot and leap to his side, where he frowned down at the compass.

"Has the compass lost the trace?" Lan Wangji asked, already feeling his heart sinking.

"Not quite," Wei Ying said slowly, tilting the compass so Lan Wangji could see it. The needle was no longer pointing steadily ahead, but neither had it returned to its default spinning. Instead, it seemed to swivel between two directions -- one straight ahead, and one to the south. "I don't know if you've encountered this before, but this is what the compass does when it finds two sources of resentful energy."

Lan Wangji looked to the south, but he could not immediately see anything. He looked again at Wei Ying, who was staring towards Wan Shaolong's house.

"I think we should keep going this way," he said after a moment. "The ghost of Wan Shaolong's son seems most likely to spend his downtime near his former family home. The other source of resentment might just be the kind of thing we dealt with yesterday."

"Logical," Lan Wangji agreed. They resumed their journey towards the Wan family, though Wei Ying kept an eye on the compass.

Then shouts down below proved them wrong.

"Smoke!"

"No, no, no, no--"

"Another fire!"

Once they landed on a roof not far from Wan Shaolong, they whirled around to see smoke rising in the south. Wei Ying checked the compass -- the needle's second direction pointed towards the smoke.

...If Lan Wangji recalled correctly, that should be near where Shang Fenhua lived.

His first impulse was to head there immediately, and he looked at Wei Ying to see his intentions. Wei Ying was biting his lip as he stared at the compass, and then he looked straight at Lan Wangji.

"I think we need to persuade Master Wan to cooperate," he said grimly. "If we try to find the spirit now, we may just be led on another chase, and one of my flags may or may not work. But you're sure Evocation can summon it?"

"As long as the item we use has sufficient emotional value," Lan Wangji replied.

Wei Ying smiled wryly. “Then let us hope that our luck is better today and Wan Shaolong is ready to cooperate. We can try a flag if he still refuses.”

They jumped down onto the street near Wan Shaolong’s house, an easy jump to make without scaring anyone since the newest fire had chased everyone to either help or hide. The street was deserted aside from the two of them. 

Tightening his jaw, Wei Ying strode right up to Wan Shaolong’s house, knocking firmly. Initially there was no answer, leading Wei Ying to cross his arms firmly as he waited. 

He was just about to knock again when the sound of the latch rasping open caught their ears. Wei Ying gave him a glance, then banished all signs of frustration from his face to cover them with a soft smile as Wan Shaolong opened the door just a crack. “Master Wan, we’ve returned to speak with you again,” he said kindly. “Might we come in?”

Tension filled the air as they waited, somewhat prepared for him to shut the door on them again. Or at least attempt to; Lan Wangji couldn’t help but notice that Wei Ying had eased his foot forward into the path of the door. 

At last Wan Shaolong sighed and his shoulders visibly slumped even with the little of what they could see. The door swung open wider and he stepped aside. “Enter,” he said in a tired voice. 

Lan Wangji needed no further invitation, he followed right after Wei Ying as Wan Shaolong led them towards the sitting room they had sat in the first time. 

"Master Wan," Wei Ying began as they all sat down, "we truly are sorry to keep troubling you. We have tried to track down the spirit through other methods, but he has continually eluded us. We need your help for our best chance at catching him."

Wan Shaolong kept looking down at his hands. "I'm an old man," he mumbled. "What can I do?"

"I know this will grieve you further, but we believe the spirit is your younger son," Wei Ying told him, gently but firmly. "If we have a personal belonging, something that was important to him, then we can use that to summon him. We'll be able to stop future fires."

Wan Shaolong began slowly shaking his head. "No, I can't believe it," he said. His hands twisted together. "Not my son. He'd never hurt anyone. He'd never turn into this."

"Sometimes the fiercest ghosts were the gentlest people," Wei Ying said, still sympathetic. "They swallowed down all their resentment in life, and then it all comes out after death."

"No, Liao-er couldn't do this," Wan Shaolong said again, still shaking his head. "What if you're wrong? My boy isn't the only one who died."

"If his spirit has truly moved on, Evocation will not hurt him," Lan Wangji told him.

Wan Shaolong stood up suddenly, moving to the window on the north side of the room. "Give me some time to think," he said. "I just can't believe it's him."

Wei Ying and Lan Wangji also stood. "Please do not take too long," Wei Ying replied. "There have now been two fires in less than a day. The spirit is escalating, and we need your help. If it is your son, don't you want him to let go of his resentment and move on?"

Wan Shaolong did not reply again. Lan Wangji and Wei Ying left the house, though they did not go far. The column of smoke to the south was thicker and darker.

"Give him half a shichen, maybe?" Wei Ying asked.

"Mn." Something else was teasing at Lan Wangji's thoughts. He pulled out his own compass to see that the source of resentful energy was still holding steady, and now it was very near them. He pulled his qin off his back and followed it. "As we wait, I wish to investigate this one."

Wei Ying’s eyes lit up in interest. “Oh, is it time for Inquiry again?” he asked as Lan Wangji found a patch of ground nearby where the spirit was hovering and settled with his qin. 

Lan Wangji nodded and settled, extending his spiritual energy into the qin. The compass needle remained fixed upon what he suspected was another spirit, one that might have had ties to the Wan as well. 

Wei Ying sat down next to him, very close his mind couldn’t help but note in the moment, eyes eager. He remained silent, but Lan Wangji could feel the excitement in his energy. 

After a moment, he struck the strings, opening the conversation up. “Who are you?” He played. 

The spirit responded quickly. “Wan Xuan,” the strings sang. 

Wei Ying looked up at him curiously. Lan Wangji repeated the name. 

Wei Ying nodded. “Someone related then. Perhaps a sibling or a cousin?”

Lan Wangji paused as he considered what question to ask next. The qin language was precise, but his questions were vaguer than he wanted them to be. “How did you die?” he asked after a moment. 

“Stabbed in the throat,” the spirit said just as quickly. 

At that he frowned. That was no accident or unlucky fate. That was murder. 

“Who killed you?” He waited as the notes faded, hopeful for another name, someone they could track back to the original firestarter. 

This time there was a long pause before the strings vibrated. “I don’t know,” the spirit admitted. He could sense a sort of sorrow from the strings. The spirit wanted to help, but the questions he was asking were not yet the right ones. .

"What is your relation to Wan Shaolong and Wan Liao?" he asked next.

"Uncle. Cousin."

Wei Ying snapped his fingers as Lan Wangji translated. "This might be the nephew who died in the second fire, the one that caught part of Master Wan's house," he said.

Lan Wangji asked and quickly confirmed it. He frowned as he continued, "You were stabbed in the throat and caught in a fire. What happened?"

Lan Wangji was confident his vocabulary was up to the task of interpreting, but the spirit itself seemed confused. "I don't know. I saw too much," it said.

It thinks it saw too much, but it's not sure.  

Before Lan Wangji could put his fingers to strings once again, Wei Ying reached out to lay a hand briefly on his. "Lan Zhan, this may not be the most efficient way. We don't know what questions we need to ask it, and its story may be complex."

Lan Wangji still thought himself up to the task, but it sounded like Wei Ying had another path in mind. "What do you suggest?" he asked.

Wei Ying paused for a moment, then said, "I know how to use Empathy. That technique will allow me to see the full story without having to ask questions."

A chill washed through Lan Wangji. He had grown to accept many of Wei Ying's more unorthodox ideas, but Empathy was dangerous. Any technique that involved inviting a ghost to possess a person bore the unavoidable risk that the ghost would take over.

He did think Wei Ying was too strong to let it, but any risk that meant Wei Ying would no longer be Wei Ying did not seem worth it. "That will not be necessary," he said, a little stiffly. "Inquiry may be slower, but it will suffice."

Wei Ying pursed his slips slightly. “The other spirit is already escalating rapidly. We’ve had two fires in less than a day. Wan Xuan saw something. I can see it too, and tell you. And…” He trailed off in a smile. “I trust you to call me back if you see any danger occuring.”

Lan Wangji wavered, but still hesitated to so easily give in. Possession could occur so quickly if Wei Ying let down his guard.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said calmly. He was still smiling. “Trust me. If you see anything going wrong, you can just play your qin, and I’ll hear you and wake up in time.”

A silence passed between them. He could tell that the spirit was waiting too. 

He had to look away when he nodded. He could not shake the fear of something going wrong, of losing Wei Ying to a spirit no matter how benign it seemed. But he also could not come up with a way to convince Wei Ying that his plan was not the best one they could enact in this short time. 

He could still see Wei Ying beaming at him out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll be listening for you,” he said flirtatiously, the tone only doing a little to set him at ease. Then he turned his eyes to where the spirit seemed to be, just over his qin. “Wan Xuan, come show me what you saw.”

Lan Wangji could not look away as he held out a hand in invitation, not a single shred of fear on his face. 

There was a brief moment where the air seemed to chill slightly and the afternoon sunlight dimmed. Then Wei Ying’s eyes closed and his hand dropped into his lap. 

His Empathy had begun.

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji watched him. He could do nothing else.

Another fire burned somewhere beyond them, but it could not be his priority. The spirit of Wan Liao, who caused the fires, might even now be traveling around the city again, but Lan Wangji could not leave and track him down. They had tried those methods, and they had failed.

As little as he liked it, this was now where he could be of most use. The information they received from Wan Xuan might aid them in persuading Wan Shaolong to help them. If he had truly been silenced for what he had seen, this information could even give them the identity behind that terrible arsonist who killed Wan Liao in the first place. And Wei Ying needed someone there to anchor him, to protect him from going too deep.

He still did not like feeling so passive. Every muscle in his body burned to act, to finally bring this dreadful hunt to a close. All he could do was watch Wei Ying.

That handsome face twitched and moved in reaction to Wan Xuan's memories. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and Lan Wangji resisted the urge to wipe it for him. His lips twisted up in a snarl before smoothing out again. Then all his features drew together in a scowl, and his whole body started shaking.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji called softly. Should he play his qin? What if Wei Ying had not yet seen enough?

The shaking worsened, and his mouth opened as if in a scream. No noise came out, and then he seemed to choke.

"Wei Ying!"

He did not respond, so Lan Wangji pulled his qin closer again and set his fingers to the strings. They had not agreed on a melody. What should he play? What would be most likely to call Wei Ying back to him?

Almost unconsciously, his hands began a piece he was still developing. A song for and about Wei Ying. It had no name, not yet, but right now he wanted nothing more than for it to call him home.

It was a testament to his skill and his ability to focus under emotional duress that he did not miss a note in the slightest even though it was only a half-composed piece. His heart sat in his throat as he strummed the strings, all the while with his eyes on Wei Ying’s face, unable to look away until he was certain that he was safe.

As the first few notes settled around him, Wei Ying’s face went slack and calm, his breathing evening out. Lan Wangji barely bared to breathe with him.

He stilled the strings. Wei Ying remained still as well. “Wei Ying?” he asked tentatively.

Wei Ying’s eyes flew open. Lan Wangji looked at him cautiously, but they were still the same light eyes that sometimes haunted his dream that were shortly crinkled in a wry smile at him. “Hi, Lan Zhan,” he said, as casually as if they’d met on the side of the road and not as if he’d just woken up from potential possession. That, more than anything, helped his heart stop from pounding in his chest. “Wan Xuan’s at peace now. All he wanted was a chance for him and his cousin to get justice for their murders.”

Then his face went serious. “We need to talk to Wan Shaolong. Wan Xuan knows exactly who’s behind all of this, and Master Wan should know who’s responsible for the death of his son and his nephew.”

Lan Wangji nodded and rose to his feet. Wei Ying followed a half step later, looking as though his legs were slightly stiffer than he’d expected. There was a heartbeat where he was prepared to catch him if necessary, but Wei Ying swiftly shook it off.

As they walked back to the house, he wondered just what Wei Ying had seen. Though he had smiled at Lan Wangji, his face was grim now.

As if he could sense Lan Wangji’s curiosity, he glanced back at him with his hand paused to knock on the door. “I’ll tell you soon. Along with Master Wan.”

Wan Shaolong answered the door, his face tired and careworn. His eyebrows drew in to see them again so soon. "Daozhangs..."

"We're sorry to disturb your thinking time," Wei Ying told him, "but we've encountered new information. May we come in?"

Back in the sitting room, no one sat. Wan Shaolong simply looked at them.

"I'm afraid your son is not the only member of your family whose rest has been disturbed," Wei Ying began. Although his voice was gentle, Wan Shaolong still flinched. "Your nephew, Wan Xuan, has also been lingering. Not out of revenge -- he's been worried about Wan Liao. He found us outside, and we were able to get his story."

Wei Ying took a deep breath and continued, "When the fire broke out at the bank, Wan Xuan ran there to try to help his cousins. Unfortunately, he didn't find your son -- but he encountered the people who set the fire, discussing their efforts to persuade you to sell the bank. Wan Xuan saw their faces, and I believe that is why he was caught in a fire so soon afterwards. The perpetrators wanted to silence him."

Wan Shaolong covered his eyes with one hand. Lan Wangji saw a tear slide down his cheek before he looked away, back at Wei Ying. "Do you know who it was?" Wan Shaolong asked, his voice hoarse but steady. "A hooded middleman came to me, but I never saw his master. I didn't know he was there that day."

Wei Ying nodded. "Your nephew didn't recognize him, but I saw his memories, and I did." He glanced sidelong at Lan Wangji. "It was Master Xu, a political rival to City Master Zheng. He came up with this scheme to undermine City Master Zheng and grow his own power."

Lan Wangji wished he could be more surprised than he was, but he felt himself numb to the revelations. Nothing good came of power struggles between politicians.

Wan Shaolong’s face fell further, bitterness twisting his face. “Xu Zhihong,” he said in a strained voice. “He's worked so hard for the city, and he's criticized the city master so many times for how he's handled the fires...” He trailed off into pained silence. “You are certain my nephew saw him? Beyond any doubt?”

Wei Ying nodded somberly. “Beyond any doubt. It was him.”

Another tear slid down Wan Shaolong’s face. He pressed his lips together roughly and looked away from them.

Lan Wangji did not begrudge him his grief. Master Xu had carefully cultivated a reputation for reason and sympathy, and to suddenly see beneath it to the rotting reality might well cause a sense of betrayal. Who in Xingyang was truly working for the city's good?

At last Wan Shaolong lifted his face. Some sort of pained serenity had stolen over him. “Daozhangs. I wish I could thank you properly for bringing this to my understanding. I hope you understand why I cannot. Nevertheless…” He sighed and balled up his hands in his robes. “I have a condition of my own, if I am to help you in this.”

“Of course,” Wei Ying said gently.

“What is it?” Lan Wangji added.

Wan Shaolong looked at them with some dark shadow in his eyes. “I have heard of cultivators subduing fearsome spirits in battle and scattering their souls to never again be reborn. If you swear to make sure that -- that should my son be the one starting these fires…” He paused and gritted his teeth. “I ask you to please make certain that if my son is still out there, that you heal his spirit and lay him to rest.”

Wei Ying nodded, his hands clasped in front of him. “We will do all we can to make sure that your son passes onto his next life peacefully.”

He looked at them with tired but steady eyes as if evaluating their sincerity. Finally, he heaved a great sigh and nodded. "Wait a moment, then, and I'll get something you can use."

After Wan Shaolong left the room, Wei Ying rubbed his forehead. He looked almost as tired as Wan Shaolong.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji asked, wanting to reach out and unsure if he should.

"I'm all right, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying assured him. "I never actually trusted Master Xu, and I did consider whether it might be him, but sometimes I still underestimate how terrible people can be."

Lan Wangji nodded, then carefully laid a hand on Wei Ying's shoulder. That finally prompted a smile, which stayed even when Lan Wangji retrieved his hand as he heard approaching footsteps.

Wan Shaolong returned and held out a carved jade calligraphy brush to them. "I gave this to Liao-er when he started joining me at the bank. He was very proud of what it meant. He didn't want to use it too often because he was afraid of breaking it, and he always tried to keep it safe. Will this work?"

Lan Wangji carefully took the brush. "It should," he said. "Thank you, Master Wan. We will do our best to give your son peace."

Wan Shaolong nodded soberly, then turned away. Taking that as their cue, Lan Wangji and Wei Ying turned to leave.

Once outside, Wei Ying let out an explosive breath. "I think we can finally make some progress," he said, turning to Lan Wangji. "How should we handle this? Summon him at City Master Zheng's manor, where he and we can give testimony about Master Xu? So we can leave that arrest up to the city while we take care of Wan Liao?"

Lan Wangji did not respond right away. When he did, he said, "Wei Ying." Wei Ying's head turned to follow his gaze.

There was a second column of smoke in the distance. This one was to the southwest, and Lan Wangji knew immediately where it had to be.

Wei Ying sucked in a breath through his teeth. “There’s no brigade there,” he said, wincing slightly. “And there’s bound to be innocent people inside.”

Lan Wangji pressed his lips together. “We have the brush,” he reminded Wei Ying. They could save the innocent people likely to be trapped inside first, then summon Wan Liao afterwards to help him reach liberation.

Wei Ying nodded grimly. He drew Quanshui and stepped onto it, the sword already floating up into the air even before he had both boots firmly planted on the blade.

Lan Wangji moved in tandem with him, stepping onto Bichen and taking off quickly. They had much ground to cover and little time.

At least he had Wei Ying at his side in this flight.

As they flew over the town, he could see the lines that stretched through the streets to the river, the crowds gathered to watch the fires. It was hard to make out unique faces at their current pace, but it seemed as though they were getting the initial fire under control from the way the smoke was rising in choked gasps.

Hopefully after today, Xingyang would have no further great, unusual need for their bucket lines and their trained firefighters. Hopefully they would be able to bring peace to Wan Liao and justice for all of those who had lost homes and livelihoods to Xu Zhihong‘s greed.

He chanced a glance at Wei Ying as they crossed the divide into the wealthy area of town.

Wei Ying’s eyes had turned to steel on their flight, the same shade of determination that he had first seen half a year ago in a small town when others had tried to justify similarly unjustifiable crimes.

They seemed likely to encounter Master Xu while evacuating his manor and battling the fire. He was unsure how to handle it. He wanted to take him into custody immediately, to prevent his potentially evading his due punishment, but that would likely attract attention from the crowd. It should also be up to the city to arrest and punish him.

But could he bear to simply pretend he did not know what he did? Act as if they were the acquaintances and allies of their last meeting?

He and Wei Ying began their descent. The front gate was open, the two stone lions on either side already dusted with soot. While there was no official brigade in this neighborhood, there were people here who seemed to have participated in others and were trying to set up a bucket line. As they jumped off their swords, Wei Ying strode forward into the first courtyard to grab the shoulder of one of the servants who seemed to have kept his head.

"Start soaking blankets," he shouted over the din of the fire and the panic. "There are probably still people in there. We can try to get them out, but soaked blankets will protect us."

The man quickly organized several of the servants to soak blankets in a nearby ornamental pond. Lan Wangji and Wei Ying each took several before Lan Wangji suddenly thought to pull two handkerchiefs out of his sleeve. He quickly soaked one and tied it around his nose and mouth before handing the other to Wei Ying, who did the same. They wrapped more soaked blankets around themselves like a cloak before running to the flower-hung gate. Lan Wangji put his hand against the door to make sure no fire waited directly beyond it, then kicked it open.

He and Wei Ying ran into the second courtyard, where people were kneeling and coughing as they stared in horror at the flames. Wei Ying glanced at them, then lifted his face to see the fire licking at the roofs of the buildings beyond the gardens and spreading along the wings. The beautiful gardens were now a sea of flames, the gazebo where they had sat just days before collapsing in on itself right in front of their eyes.

"I'll get these people, and then focus on the wings," Wei Ying said quickly, his voice muffled by wet cloth. "If Master Xu is here, he's probably in the main hall."

Lan Wangji shook his head. "I am going to the backside building," he replied. Wei Ying blinked, then nodded, and the two hurried off. As much as Lan Wangji wanted to capture Master Xu so he could stand trial for the horrors he had perpetrated, the unmarried daughters and female servants of the house, sequestered as they would be in the backyard, had the greater need.

Lan Wangji flew over the burning walls to the back of the estate, marking out the lines where fire was eating along the escape routes, presumably to try and trap Master Xu inside. All of the gates out of the back courtyard were ablaze, some were beginning to collapse as the ornamental wood burned fast and hot.

He landed in a small enclosed garden clearly meant for just family members near the back buildings, keeping Bichen in his hand as he ran across the soft ground and around a pond filled with lilies and ornamental fish. The fire hadn’t reached this part of the estate yet, but the smoke was hanging heavy and low, obscuring the sky.

As he reached the paper door, it slid open to reveal three young women, two of them in blue silk and one in light green, all pale faced and frightened. One of them almost immediately bent over coughing, covering her face in her sleeves. “Daozhang, have you come to rescue us?” the girl in green asked, resting her hand on her companion’s shoulder.

“The gates collapsed -- we have no way out,” the third girl said, her voice slightly higher pitched. “We can’t even find Fuqin.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “I will fly you out,” he said, letting Bichen hover in the air once again. “Who will go first?”

The first girl was unable to stop coughing, but her companions looked at each other and nodded, clear-headed enough to not argue with him on this when time was so short. “Take Meiling first,” the second girl said, patting Xu Meiling on the shoulder once more. “We can wait.”

Lan Wangji looked at Xu Meiling for a moment before determining that she likely wouldn’t be able to catch her breath enough to step up on her own. Bichen hovered patiently at his side as he picked her up in one arm, using the other to pull his blanket over her head. “Are there still others in the house?”

The other two girls exchanged another look. “Nainai might still be here,” said the one in blue. “And her handmaidens.”

“I will check the other rooms,” the girl in green said. “Where should we meet you, daozhang?”

“Here, in this garden,” Lan Wangji said and stepped onto Bichen. “Make certain that everyone keeps their faces covered.”

He brought Xu Meiling swiftly out of the burning compound to a square with a fountain not far to the west. He disliked leaving her alone, but well-dressed aunts in the square were already bearing down on her coughing form, so he flew right back to the Xu manor.

When he touched down this time in the back courtyard, only the girl in blue was there, looking anxious. "Zhao Shufen went to get Nainai," she blurted as he got close. "Shouldn't we wait for them?"

"We are here," the girl in green, Zhao Shufen, announced. Holding onto her arm, her steps slow but dignified, was a woman with gray hair and a lined, stern face, followed by two servant women. All of them were disheveled and covered in soot, though that did not detract from the Xu matriarch's air of authority.

Madam Xu eyed Lan Wangji disapprovingly. "This is most improper," she said, but then she began coughing. Zhao Shufen held her up as the coughing bent her over.

"Your lives come first," was all Lan Wangji said in reply. Madam Xu still looked disapproving, but she allowed Lan Wangji to distribute the soaked blankets to all the women, and she held onto his arms as he drew her onto Bichen and flew her to the square with Xu Meiling.

Back and forth he flew the girls to safety. The backside building caved in, fire eating away at its bones, as he was taking Zhao Shufen. Despite her steadiness, she screamed as sparks flew up, though none hit them.

Finally, none were left in the back courtyard. He wanted to search the buildings for others of the young unmarried female servants who might not have been able to escape, but with a sinking heart, he saw that he was too late for that. None of the surrounding buildings were intact enough to shelter anyone.

Although his golden core could moderate his body temperature, the fire pressed down on him, too powerful to be underestimated. He felt almost as if he was about to be cooked, like just the air around him would blister and burn his skin. No matter who else might be here, he had to leave.

He flew up over the crumbling walls, looking for Wei Ying in the crowd of people who had either escaped or come out to see what had happened. As always, he could not help the initial fear when he did not immediately see his companion, but a few moments later he saw a figure covered in a sodden blanket waving at him and flew over immediately.

Wei Ying came running over to him as he landed, his brows still pulled together in worry. His face was slightly reddened, the same sort of look as if he’d been out in the sun for too long, but he looked otherwise unharmed. “Lan Zhan! Are you all right?” he called, reaching out and stealing the blanket he wore to inspect him for any signs of burns.

“Yes, I am well,” he said, a momentary burst of warmth flooding his chest at Wei Ying’s obvious concern. “How many are accounted for?” And where is Master Xu? he added silently and hoped Wei Ying would hear.

Wei Ying frowned slightly. “There were a few I couldn’t get to in time -- the roof collapsed when I was going back for them,” he said somberly. “And several people have reported seeing Master Xu fleeing the estate shortly after the fire broke out.”

In a lower voice he added, “They also said they saw an apparition of fire following him along.”

Lan Wangji did not swear. But it was tempting for a moment. “Then we must move quickly.”

Wei Ying nodded and produced Quanshui once more, the blade streaked in ash where he must have cut through something burning at one point. Lan Wangji followed him, and before any of the people around them could say something, they were off into the air, scanning the streets for one nobleman being pursued by his fiery victim in search of vengeance.

“I suppose we won’t need Evocation now?” Wei Ying called to him, eyes narrowed as they passed over another street where the first of the firefighters were beginning to muster a line down the one part of town that had no brigade.

“Evocation will trap the spirit as well, without bringing it harm,” Lan Wangji answered. “It will still help.”

Wei Ying nodded, then pressed his lips together and pointed to where a small bloom of smoke had suddenly appeared.

Looking below them, Lan Wangji could see evidence of Xu Zhihong and Wan Liao's passage. Streaks of ash marked the streets, and some people were splashed with water, as if their clothes had caught on fire before being immediately put out. Clusters of people stared to the north with pale faces.

They sped forward to that bloom of smoke. As they got closer, Lan Wangji found he recognized the area -- right in front of them was the burned ruins of the auction house. A figure in scorched silks crouched in the center of the wreckage, covering his face with his arms. In front of him blazed a spiritual manifestation of a person made of fire.

Lan Wangji and Wei Ying jumped from their swords. As their feet thudded to the ground, Xu Zhihong peered between his arms, then straightened as he recognized them, crying, "Daozhangs!"

The fire figure seemed to turn, then it leapt into the air, as if instinctually fleeing. "Lan Zhan, can you set up the array for Evocation?" Wei Ying said calmly, watching it go.

Xu Zhihong, too, watched the figure escape before turning wide, panicked eyes to the two of them. His chest still heaved with distressed breathing. In the absence of the Mingshi and its permanent array, Lan Wangji took out his cinnabar to begin drawing the array on a clear spot on the ground.

He could feel Xu Zhihong's eyes on him, but he concentrated on his work. In the background, he heard the man stammer, "Daozhangs, what -- it escaped? What are you doing?"

"This spirit has been very good at escaping," Wei Ying agreed. He kept his anger well contained; Lan Wangji could hear only the mildest traces of it. "But we're about to call it back. We hope to finally catch it and send it to its rest today."

Wei Ying remained polite and gave no indication that he knew Xu Zhihong's role in the fires. They were done with letting him escape as well.

Wei Ying stepped close to Xu Zhihong as Lan Wangji pulled his qin from his back, settling it on the ground. When he was ready, he took the brush from his sleeve and gently set it down as well, the jade brush small and delicate in the center of the array.

He sat down on the ground to play, a safe distance from the array. Now that the spirit was beginning to manifest as fire, he was loath to risk the Evocation going wrong from a sudden burn. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Xu Zhihong starting to try and sneak out the back way and Wei Ying stepping again to block his way. “Not right now, Master Xu,” Wei Ying said, his voice still cordial and friendly. “If you start running suddenly, you might very well attract the spirit’s attention,” he lied easily. “Best to stay still until we’re done.”

Xu Zhihong sighed, but he made no further move to leave.

Lan Wangji closed his eyes and rested his fingers on the strings. Evocation was not without risk, but he trusted his focus, his capability, and his companion to keep him safe in this.

With that confidence, he opened his eyes and began to play.

In the ruins of the auction house, Evocation echoed strangely around them, calling to Wan Liao from wherever he had disappeared from. He heard Xu Zhihong’s muffled coughing, doubtlessly from the smoke, and little crackling sounds like that of a banked fire, a sound that should have been comfortable, but had lost all warmth in the span of the last days.

Little wisps of flames began to flicker like fireflies in the center of the array, slowly forming into the outline of a young man not quite old enough to take on a courtesy name. At first he was curled in around himself, quiet and perhaps a little frightened. Lan Wangji continued to play, summoning and binding him in one place so that he could not flee.

Wei Ying knew better than to speak while he was focused on calming the ghost with Evocation. Unfortunately Xu Zhihong was not so clever. “Is… is that a child?” he asked suddenly, his voice cracking. “What sort of child could do such horrible-”

Wei Ying lunged forward to cover his mouth, but he’d already said enough.

Fire exploded from the young man's form as his eyes snapped open and locked onto Xu Zhihong. The fire did not reach past the edge of the array, but Lan Wangji needed to pour more energy into holding it stable.

The figure of Wan Liao slowly rose. His body was blurred, like staring through fire. Lan Wangji could see the young man he was, but the details were lost to death and flame.

"You call me horrible," he said, his high voice echoing, "when it was you who killed me."

"I never touched you! I--"

"You only gave the order?" More little licks of flame began growing around him, dancing through the air inside the array. "I was trapped! I tried to dig my way out! All I could hear as my flesh caught on fire and I cooked inside my own skin was someone reporting that my father had given in and the firefighters were now allowed to put out the fire! And you try to claim it was not your doing?"

He thrust out his arms, streams of fire heading straight for Xu Zhihong and bouncing off the barrier created by the array until he was circled by ribbons of twining flame. Xu Zhihong screamed and tried to scramble away, but Wei Ying appeared and grabbed his shoulders, holding him down.

"He killed you!" Wei Ying shouted, above Xu Zhihong's protests and the crackle of the flames. "But you and we have caught him now! What do you need to find your rest?"

"Rest?" The figure seemed to grow taller as flames gave him height. "How can I find rest when he and the people he bought still live and walk the city, claiming to protect it? But he only protected himself. It took so long to find someone who even knew the man who bought him..."

"Daozhangs, kill it, it's a monster, can't you kill it--" Xu Zhihong started babbling. "Aren't you supposed to protect ordinary people from monsters and spirits? Save me!"

More fire exploded from Wan Liao, and this time it was too strong for the barrier to hold all of it back. A jet of fire came directly at Lan Wangji.

He kept playing, unable to stop and risk losing control of the ghost altogether. Xu Zhihong had successfully riled him up enough that it would undoubtedly go after whoever was in his way and not look to discern just who they were. It would hurt. He flinched instinctively and closed his eyes tightly at the thought, but he could withstand worse blows to keep others safe.

He felt the heat of the oncoming flames. But they never touched him. A pained grunt came from in front of him.

Even before he opened his eyes, he knew exactly what had happened. His stomach dropped through the earth, but he kept playing even so.

He opened his eyes to see Wei Ying standing in front of him, shrugging off his outermost robe and stomping out the flames quickly. It seemed to have taken the brunt of the blast of fire, but Lan Wangji was certain that there were other burns that would need to be attended to quickly.

But first, he had to subdue the ghost. He poured more spiritual energy into the song of Evocation, boosting the barrier around Wan Liao.

“Wan Liao!” Wei Ying called out, his voice slightly strained. “Is it Xu Zhihong’s death that will set you free? Is that what it will take to satisfy your anger?”

The man in question let out a choked squawk of indignation, but Lan Wangji could not particularly bring himself to care at that moment.

Wan Liao’s flames surged, but then started to abate as he turned to look at Wei Ying. Lan Wangji couldn’t see his chest from where he sat, but whatever Wan Liao could see, it seemed to break through the haze of resentment around him. “Is that what… what?” he asked, sounding younger and more confused. “What do you mean?”

Wei Ying let out a low hiss, but his shoulders dropped from their defensive position into something more open. “Your cousin was so worried for you that he stayed in this world until I promised I could make sure that your death would be known as the murder it was. Your father still grieves for you, and he wants you to be happy and go on to the afterlife,” he said calmly, as if he was coaxing a scared child to calm down and talk to him. He tilted his head slightly in the way that Lan Wangji knew came with a smile. “There are people who are worried about you, so what is it that you need to be at peace?”

"Peace..." The word came out on a sigh, though the fires did not abate. "I...I don't..."

"Do you want to stay like this?" Wei Ying prompted. "In so much pain? Don't you want the pain to end? That's what your family wants for you."

For a moment, the only sound was the crackling of the fire. Then Wan Liao spoke, "But they took so long to find me. I got lost."

He sounded even younger than he would have been when he died.

Lan Wangji thought he understood now what happened, though. Restless spirits were often created when something went wrong with their burial, and the devastation at the bank must have delayed the discovery of Wan Liao's body. As he wandered, he began to latch onto the last thing he'd heard -- the corruption of the firefighters at the bank. Then his resentment began to rise, getting stronger the more of them he attacked, until it finally began to overpower even his innate gentleness and began taking lives.

But the tragedy was in how he had been pushed to it. Lan Wangji glanced to the side to find the perpetrator of that tragedy. Xu Zhihong was trying to surreptitiously creep away while Wan Liao held their attention.

Lan Wangji could not retrieve him without stopping Evocation. "Wei Ying," he called instead, and inclined his head at Xu Zhihong, who scrambled up and tried to run more openly now that he had been noticed.

Despite his injuries, Wei Ying easily retrieved him. Once in front of the array again, he threw Xu Zhihong down in front of him. "Master Xu," he said politely, "we are not done with our conversation. After all the pain you've caused this city, don't you want to do your part in finally setting it free?"

"That's a ghost!" Xu Zhihong shouted, voice hoarse and desperate. "I'm a living person! Aren't you supposed to be helping me?"

"Wan Liao is more human than you are," Wei Ying told him, then turned his attention back to Wan Liao. "What do you want, Wan Liao? What do you need in order to let go of your pain?"

“I… I…” Wan Liao said haltingly, ghostly face of flames turned to the now cringing and attempting to hide his head beneath his singed robes Xu Zhihong. “I want…”

Wei Ying waited patiently as Wan Liao considered his question, not pressuring the young spirit any further. They had gotten through to him. The rest was up to Wan Liao.

Would he be able to let go of his resentment on his own?

Wan Liao stared at Xu Zhihong for a long time, lost in thought. The flames around him ebbed and sparked. Xu Zhihong seemed too frightened to speak, well aware that his life hung on the mercy of a boy who died for the sake of his greed.

“Daozhang,” Wan Liao suddenly addressed Wei Ying, his flames swirling up. “What do you intend to do with this man next?”

“What do they--” Xu Zhihong started, but was cut off by Wei Ying nudging him none too kindly.

“It depends on what you choose to do, Young Master Wan,” Wei Ying said. “If you choose to spare his life, then we will take him before City Master Zheng and tell him all that we have discovered, including that of your attempts to take retribution on the firefighters he bribed to delay putting out fires.”

Wan Liao hesitated, looking at the man beneath him again. “He hurt my father. He killed me,” he said. “I don’t want him to escape again.”

“He won’t,” Wei Ying said calmly. “Regardless of what you choose to do, Xu Zhihong will answer for his crimes.”

Lan Wangji kept playing, unwilling to let his guard down before he knew what the boy would decide.

Wan Liao seemed to come to a conclusion. The flames around him began to ebb. “I don’t want my father to be sad anymore. It wasn’t his fault.”

"And your father doesn't want you to be sad," Wei Ying replied, voice warm and comforting. Lan Wangji was suddenly reminded of his own elder brother's attempts to comfort him as a child. "Do you want to let go of your sadness?"

"It's hard," the young man said. He turned around to look at the two fires still burning, separate pillars of smoke still blooming. "I don't know how."

Wei Ying reached out, like he wanted to stroke the boy's hair. He did not touch that burning figure, thankfully, but he reached out. "It's always hard to get over our anger," he agreed. "My mom told me to think about what I can do for others, not about what others have done to me or for me. Only when people don't hold so much in their hearts will they finally feel free."

Wan Liao tilted his head back and stretched out his arms. The glow of the ongoing fires beyond them dimmed, even as the fires that made up his own body began to dwindle and die. "I can't do much anymore," he said. "But...will you tell my dad that I love him? And my brother?"

"We'll tell them," Wei Ying promised. "Thank you, Wan Liao. I wish you peace."

Lan Wangji let go of Evocation. With nothing holding Wan Liao any longer, the fire began to lose its shape. Finally, it dissipated entirely like fireflies scattering until only wisps of smoke remained. Then a breeze took away even those.

Lan Wangji stood, swiftly putting his qin away. He stepped forward to go to Wei Ying, but before he could take another step, it was like a bubble around their party broke and the sound of the city rushed back. He glanced around and finally noticed the crowd of people beyond the edges of the auction house, watching them.

Wei Ying smiled at him ruefully, bending over to pick up his outermost robe from the ground and holding it in front of his chest. “It was unreasonable of us to not expect a crowd,” he said under his breath as people began to rush forward.

Lan Wangji suspected he was the only one to hear him. Certainly no one approaching would have been close enough otherwise. But then Wei Ying’s words weren’t meant for them.

Nearby, Xu Zhihong pushed himself to his feet, brushing wisps of ash from his robes. He looked as though he were about to dart away into the crowd once more, so Lan Wangji took the moment to grasp him firmly around the wrist. “We are not done here yet,” he said firmly, looking over the crowd for any who might be a part of the guard. “I am certain that City Master Zheng would like to speak with you.”

Xu Zhihong turned his nose up from Lan Wangji but was completely unable to break his grip and gave up after a few moments. He remained silent, but Lan Wangji suspected that the time for silence had passed.

Wei Ying gave him a glance and Lan Wangji nodded. Wei Ying smiled and called out. “Is there someone in the guard here? We have an arsonist to be taken into custody.”

“Here!” a man answered from further back. “I’ve heard enough -- we can take him from here.”

Wei Ying waved and then winced nearly unperceptively, folding his arms around his robes that were conveniently covering whatever burn he’d suffered. Lan Wangji frowned. They would need to attend to that as soon as they’d gotten free of the crowd.

At last two guards pushed through the murmuring crowd. Xu Zhihong’s face peaked in hope for a moment before dropping in on itself when both guards came to take him from Lan Wangji instead. It seemed that just as Wan Liao had not taken his protestations of just being the one to order the fires, they too had no intention of letting him off. “City Master Zheng will be pleased to know that the fires have been stopped,” the guard that had called out to them first said. “The one responsible will be tried accordingly,” he added in a darker mutter.

Lan Wangji inclined his head to them, immediately walking over to stand next to Wei Ying. “Shall we leave?” he asked quietly.

Wei Ying nodded, turning away from the crowd with Lan Wangji at his side. While there would likely soon be more guards to break up the crowd before it could turn riotous, there was no reason for them to linger.

As they walked away, he could hear the mutterings starting to grow louder.

“Is it true, Master Xu?” a voice called from the crowd. “Are you the one who burned down Master Wan’s bank?”

“And the Auspicious Winds auction house?”

“And the Jinlong inn?”

“I never once started a fire,” Xu Zhihong protested, but as the shouts continued to grow, it was clear that his words would fall on deaf ears.

No one was interested in listening to the words of someone so consumed by their greed as to terrorize everyone around them.

While there were those in the crowd who plucked at their sleeves and grabbed their shoulders, wishing to speak to them, Lan Wangji's frigid gaze and Wei Ying's raised eyebrow always persuaded their would-be interlocutors to leave them alone. Soon, they broke free enough from the people who heard what happened and gained a little more peace and anonymity.

"Back to the inn?" Wei Ying asked, glancing back at the crowd. "Or should we bring the brush back to Master Wan first?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Back to the inn," he said firmly. "Your burn should be attended to."

Wei Ying grimaced. "Other things were more important," he protested lightly, but then he nodded. "I suppose it's only fair, though. You let me take care of your burn, so I should let you take care of mine."

"Indeed." The reciprocity warmed him. And now that the spirit had been liberated, the living arsonist taken into custody, their responsibilities to anyone in this city but each other were almost done. Tomorrow would likely be soon enough to speak to Master Wan and finish the last of them.

Chapter Text

The inn was thankfully not too far from the auction house. Word of their deeds seemed to spread ahead of them, for all eyes went to them as they entered, but thankfully the patrons turned away when Lan Wangji glared at them. With a hand on his back, he hurried Wei Ying up the stairs. Although Wei Ying showed no sign of pain or discomfort, Lan Wangji knew that he had to feel both.

"Where is the burn salve?" Lan Wangji asked as he closed the door to their room behind them.

Hissing a little as the movement of his arms pulled at his burn, Wei Ying dug the little jar of salve out of his belt pouch and handed it to Lan Wangji. Then he sat on the bed and finally shrugged free of his charred outer robes to let Lan Wangji see his chest.

Lan Wangji had to conceal his own flinch when he finally saw the burn that Wei Ying took for him. The burn stretched across his chest, with a little of it licking up onto his collarbones, likely what was causing him to flinch, and looked somewhat as though he’d been hit by a whip of fire. Most of his skin was an angry red with minor blistering, but there was a darker line at the center.

None of it was so terrible as to need a cultivator who specialized in healing to attend to it, but it was nevertheless likely a painful wound indeed.

Wei Ying smiled at him, but it was tenser than usual. “It looks worse than it feels,” he said. “Wan Liao did try to check the blow at the last minute.”

Looking at that deep red line that ran across his chest, Lan Wangji felt a sliver of doubt at that prospect. “Do you have enough bandages to cover your chest?”

Wei Ying reached into his belt pouch again, flinching minutely in the process, and felt around until he produced the same roll as he had wrapped Lan Wangji’s hand in a few days ago. “Not enough for all of it, but we can at least cover this bit,” he said, gesturing to the dark red line. “That’s probably the part that needs the most attention.”

Lan Wangji nodded and opened the little jar. The salve was cool and tingled slightly on his fingertips, and he scooped up a small amount onto two fingers so as to keep careful control on the amount of pressure that he was about to put on Wei Ying’s injury.

Wei Ying didn’t look away from him as he reached out to start smoothing the salve at the top of the burn, trying to keep his touch light and general. Wei Ying’s skin was very warm -- too warm, a lingering ghost of the fires that they had been fighting together.

Wei Ying let out a breath as Lan Wangji gently spread the salve over his chest, careful to not press down at all as he reached the darker line at the center of the burn. The thin crease in his forehead melted away as the salve began to ease the pain and soothe the burn. “That is some very good salve indeed,” he said softly. “Of course, better that we’re using it on my chest instead of your face,” he added with a wink.

“It would have been better if neither of us had been burned at all,” he murmured, dipping his fingers back into the small jar. 

Wei Ying made a face at him that smoothed out into a smile. For a moment it seemed as though he was going to say something else, but decided against it in the end.

Part of him remained aware that it was Wei Ying's chest he touched as he continued to lightly rub the ointment across the burn, but most of his attention remained alert to all of Wei Ying's reactions. Every small jerk, every gasp, every tiny flinch guided him to whatever prevented the most pain. He couldn't avoid all of it, but he did his best.

Wei Ying remained stiff as Lan Wangji worked. Lan Wangji hoped his tension was an effort to hold himself still and not to hide his pain. "Relax," he murmured. "I am almost done."

But Wei Ying didn't quite relax until Lan Wangji finally took his hands away and wiped them on the last clean handkerchief he'd had in his sleeve. He stiffened again slightly as Lan Wangji began winding the bandage around his chest, but he let Lan Wangji shift him slightly to better wrap his burn.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan," he said quietly when Lan Wangji finally finished. "Would you be willing to let me borrow an outer robe for tonight? I was going to get my other sets laundered tonight."

Lan Wangji's mind went blank, but he automatically drew himself up to unpack a clean robe and hand it to Wei Ying. Wei Ying smiled as he took it and pulled it on. He tied it loosely so that all his robes gaped open to avoid letting the cloth touch his exposed burn as much as possible. Given that, Lan Wangji could not reasonably wish for or ask him to wear the robes properly, but he had to look away so he didn't stare too long at Wei Ying's bare chest under his robe .

"I think I'd like to meditate and do my best to hurry the healing," Wei Ying said, shifting to cross his legs on the bed. "Lan Zhan, would you be willing to play for me?"

Lan Wangji would like nothing more. Taking a seat at the table, he settled his qin in front of him. Wei Ying closed his eyes as Lan Wangji put his fingers to the strings and began playing one of the soothing songs they'd played together before.

Wei Ying didn’t say anything, but Lan Wangji could see the edges of a smile on his face. The lines on his face slowly smoothed as he continued to play. 

Lan Wangji let out a long held breath of his own as the music swept over them. They had found and brought to justice all of the arsonists. They had freed Wan Liao from his growing resentment. 

They had done what they had set out to do. 

--

Lan Wangji played for a shichen, indulging in the sensation of a difficult night hunt come to completion. It was not often that he felt such a desire at the end of a hunt; most of them were simple, and the delight that came at the end was simply the delight of having done something good for the world around him. 

But Xingyang and its tangle of arsonists had proven to be much more taxing than usual, and he was glad to be well free of the latter. 

Another day and they would be on their way somewhere else, away from this place.

Though… should he invite Wei Ying to come travel alongside with him? He had no particular direction that he planned to go next, and this long stretch of days had proven that they could handle close quarters very comfortably. 

But then Wei Ying might have other plans that involved meeting up with his family, or perhaps going to visit his healer friend to check on his burn. 

He would ask before they left town. 

Wei Ying roused himself from meditation slowly when Lan Wangji stopped to rest his fingers, looking slightly more rejuvenated. He smiled at Lan Wangji, quiet and sweet. “Are you tired too?” he asked, propping his chin in his hand. 

“Mn,” Lan Wangji said quietly, covering his qin. “It has been a long xun.”

Wei Ying made a face. “It has, hasn’t it? But we did really well together,” he added with a smile. “We’re a really good team.”

Perhaps he would get no better opening than this. "What are your plans after leaving Xingyang?" he asked quietly, glad his face showed no sign of his nerves.

Wei Ying eyed him, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Well, before our detour here, my plans had been to meet up with you," he replied. "Otherwise...just back to the road, I suppose. What about you?"

"The same," he said. Then his voice stuck, and he couldn't quite bring himself to ask the question.

Their eyes met and held. Finally, Wei Ying turned his head away slightly and said, "Well, since we do work so well together, do you want to try to keep going? We could travel and hunt together for a while."

He closed his eyes for a moment against the piercing relief -- but only for a moment. He did not want to leave Wei Ying without an answer. "I would like that," he agreed, and was then given the joy of seeing the relief spread on Wei Ying's face as well.

Wei Ying leaned back on his hands, and the robes gaped open a little more. But he did not seem to notice, because he simply continued, "I do think I probably need to let my family know. In person, not a letter, or they'll never let me hear the end of telling them important things through letters. So maybe we can set up somewhere to meet again after this...and just go from there?"

Lan Wangji's heart skipped at being called an important thing . "Mn," he said, turning away slightly and angling his head to hide his ears. "That sounds fine."

He should also inform his own family. His uncle, at least, would likely need some time to get used to the idea of Lan Wangji entering even a hunting partnership with someone, let alone the potential for anything more. Especially with Cangse-sanren's son. Perhaps the more time he gave his uncle, the better.

"Then that's settled!" Wei Ying said, and favored Lan Wangji with a grin. "I'll send you a letter after I find my family and we can decide where to meet next."

Lan Wangji nodded. His heart was pounding. He hoped Wei Ying meant the same thing by giving the invitation that he did by accepting it. His hands twitched, wanting something to do as an outlet for all his feelings.

He had just finished playing, but...Wei Ying had mentioned laundry earlier. He stood. "I will go request our dinner," he said, since it was about time for the evening meal. "I can also request laundry services."

"That sounds great," Wei Ying agreed, sitting up straight again. "Even before today, all these fires were not treating my outer robes very well."

And of course while Wei Ying was no doubt adept at mending and maintaining his own clothes as a rogue cultivator, the state of his robes today was likely beyond his skills to repair. 

“Would you like me to enquire into a tailor?” Lan Wangji said suddenly, the words springing up unbidden. 

Wei Ying looked at him, but then shook his head. “I’ll get that one repaired in another town,” he said with a smile. “I’d rather not stay here too much longer.”

Lan Wangji was in agreement with him on that. He inclined his head and left the room before he could say anything else before thinking.

His heart wouldn’t stop beating fiercely in his chest; it seemed to echo around the inn as he walked down the stairs to where the innkeeper’s wife was at the desk, hair escaping the bun she’d pinned it in.

She glanced up, lips pale from where she’d been pressing them together as she’d looked over whatever she had on the other side of her desk. Her face softened just slightly when she saw Lan Wangji, but it was clear that the events of the day had not been easy on her. “Daozhang, is there something that we can do for you and your companion?” she asked, eyes flicking to the kitchen. “I’m afraid that dinner will be a little later, but we can bring you a tray when it’s ready.”

“That is fine,” Lan Wangji said. “Is it possible that someone could come to wash our robes as well?”

She paused, then nodded. “Of course. I’ll send someone along to fetch your clothes shortly. It will likely be tomorrow morning before they are dry, if that is a concern of yours as well, daozhang.”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “That should be fine,” he said and started to return to their room to inform Wei Ying of what she had said. 

“Daozhang!” she called out behind him. When Lan Wangji turned, a few more wisps of hair seemed to have fallen free in her frazzled response. “We… we all wish to thank you for bringing peace back to Xingyang.”

Lan Wangji stared at her for a moment, then dipped his head. “You are welcome,” he said simply.

Some of the color returned to her face along with a wan smile. “That was all -- please don’t let me keep you any longer,” she said, turning back to her work.

After their evening meal, they each took another bath, and Wei Ying returned to meditating. Lan Wangji joined him, since he had not had a chance to meditate that morning. The time slipped by in easy companionship until Lan Wangji was ready for bed.

Wei Ying blinked his eyes open and obligingly moved. Lan Wangji expected him to stay up a little later, but he also slid under the covers. "At least we can expect no fires tomorrow," he said, then yawned. "Good night, Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji's heart ached with the sweetness of the scene. "Good night, Wei Ying," he returned as he put out the candles and pulled the covers up. They remained a suitable distance apart, but the bed was warm and cozy, and he could make out the tiny smile on Wei Ying's face as he closed his eyes.

They slept.

The next morning found Wei Ying once again half on top of Lan Wangji, but this time he was on his back, Lan Wangji's own arms holding him still -- as if in his sleep, Lan Wangji did not want him to aggravate his burn. He did rise soon after waking, but the second morning with Wei Ying in his arms seemed to give him calm.

He thought...this would happen again. Wei Ying also not only did not object to sharing a bed with Lan Wangji, he actually seemed to enjoy it. They would begin traveling together soon. Perhaps...this would become a regular occurrence, as Lan Wangji had dreamed of.

He went downstairs to request breakfast. The innkeeper promised to send it up soon, but then he looked nervously at him.

"Daozhang, I hope you don't need to go out today?" he asked, glancing between Lan Wangji and the windows. "A riot started last night. People are angry that Master Xu wasn't caught for so long. It hasn't come this far, but it might."

Lan Wangji had hoped to leave Xingyang today, after meeting with Wan Shaolong, but he thought that he and Wei Ying could simply go by air if needed. "Where is the riot?" he asked. "Has it reached Master Wan Shaolong's house?"

The innkeeper shook his head. "I know it's gotten to the city master's manor, but I don't know how far north it's gone. Best not to risk it, daozhang." Then he lifted his head and looked a little sheepish. "You haven't really seen Xingyang at its best. We would be happy to host you for longer, if that fits with your plans."

Even with the riot, Lan Wangji still hoped to leave today. "I appreciate the thought," he said. "We have other plans now, but our travels may take us to Xingyang again." 

Nodding, the innkeeper bowed to him, and he bowed back. Then he went back upstairs.

He opened the door quietly, not sure if Wei Ying would have awoken in his time away or not. He had been rising earlier these last few days, but then that had been because he had chosen rising to help Xingyang over sleeping in as he preferred.

Lan Wangji privately hoped that he had chosen to rest now that the work was done. If it truly were not safe for them to leave yet, then there was no rush and thus no reason to wake early.

His hopes were swiftly gratified; Wei Ying was still fast asleep and had only shifted enough to roll into the spot where Lan Wangji had been earlier, chasing after the warmth that was no longer in the bed. Lan Wangji’s heart skipped again, but it was accompanied by a pleasant glow in his chest that made him smile inwardly.

He chose to pass the time while waiting for Wei Ying to wake up by working on maintaining his qin, changing out one of the strings and polishing the wood as quietly as he could manage. At some point, their breakfast arrived, and he brought it in carefully without disturbing his companion. Somewhere far off in the distance, he could hear the occasional shout, but no one came to disturb them.

Near the end of si shi, Wei Ying jerked awake, squirming as he untangled himself from the blanket. He glanced about the room before tired eyes landed on Lan Wangji. A smile immediately spread over his face after that.

Lan Wangji felt his ears burn and ducked his head slightly. “Good morning. There is breakfast, when you are ready.”

“Good morning,” Wei Ying yawned. “You let me sleep so late today.” He stumbled out of bed slowly, his hair mussed and his robes slipping open again as he wandered behind the partition, bare feet whispering across the floor. 

Lan Wangji busied himself with serving their breakfast while Wei Ying prepared himself for the day, coming out dressed and retying his familiar ponytail, looking somewhat more awake than before.

Wei Ying sat down across from him as Lan Wangji poured out tea, stretching carefully so as to not aggravate his burn. “So when shall we head out to see Master Wan?” he asked with a smile.

"The innkeeper said there is a riot, but he did not know if it reached that far north," Lan Wangji replied. "We should investigate, but our priority should be his safety."

Wei Ying blinked and shook his head slightly. "This city really has been unhappy," he commented. "I hope it ends soon, because that sounds like the last thing people really need."

Lan Wangji inclined his head. "We can investigate over the roofs," he said. "I prefer not to draw attention."

Before they could prepare to leave after their breakfast, however, a knock sounded at their door. Raising an eyebrow at Lan Wangji, Wei Ying opened the door to see Liu Shihuo, City Master Zheng's assistant.

"Young Master Wei, Hanguang-jun," he said, bowing in greeting. "Might I speak to you for a few moments?"

"Of course, Assistant Liu," Wei Ying said, stepping aside to let him enter. Liu Shihuo took a seat at the table, and Wei Ying and Lan Wangji took their seats across from him. "Tea?"

"Thank you, but I do not plan to take too much of your time," he replied. He reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small, clinking purse. "I merely wished to extend City Master Zheng's gratitude for your efforts here."

Neither Lan Wangji nor Wei Ying immediately took the purse, so he set it down on the table. After a moment, Wei Ying said, "I appreciate the thought, but I believed you and City Master Zheng were...less than satisfied with our work earlier."

Liu Shihuo let out a small cough. "Nothing could be further from the case," he said with a smile. He looked between the two of them. "Perhaps I should also extend to you an apology as well as our thanks. You see, City Master Zheng and I had already suspected Xu Zhihong's role in the fires even before you arrived, but he was powerful enough that we couldn't accuse him openly without proof. Your arrival gave us an opportunity to draw him out."

Lan Wangji felt even his normally impassive face freeze further. Wei Ying pointed out, very politely, "Our investigation might have been quicker and easier if you had informed us of your suspicions."

"Perhaps so, which is why I apologize," Liu Shihuo agreed. "But we did not wish to risk spooking him. And you still found your way to him in the end."

He stood, leaving the purse on the table. "I won't take up any more of your time," he said. He started toward the door, then looked back. "Though you might want to wait until the afternoon to finish any business you have in Xingyang," he added. "The city guard should have the riot quelled by then."

Wei Ying smiled stiffly at him. “Thank you for the suggestion,” he said calmly, but Lan Wangji thought he could hear the edge of disquiet under it. “Hopefully this riot ends without much bloodshed.”

Liu Shihuo acknowledged him, but left without another word. 

Lan Wangji waited until the sound of his footsteps had disappeared, then went over and pulled the small lock for the room into place. 

Wei Ying let out a snort of laughter. “Yes, I don’t want any more unwelcome interruptions to my day either,” he said, sinking onto the bed with a heavy sigh following it. 

The purse was still on the table. Lan Wangji returned to it, but he was reluctant to pick it up. It felt...tainted. "What do you wish to do with the money?" he asked. "I do not feel right accepting it."

Wei Ying groaned, but he sat up again. "What might be best would be to distribute this money to the victims of the fires," he said. "But I'm not sure if there's a way we can realistically do that in a way that's fair. Would you object to paying it forward?"

Lan Wangji turned to look at him. He had one leg stretched out and the other propped up on the bed, his head tilted in inquiry. "Paying it forward?"

"I'm also not very happy with how City Master Zheng handled this, but he is essentially paying us for services rendered, not for doing anything bad or illegal ourselves," he pointed out. "My family uses money from hunts like this to help us pay for hunts for people who can't afford it. So if you're alright with it, that money can be used to support us helping a small village in the middle of nowhere who can't catch a big clan's attention."

That...certainly made accepting the money more appealing. Lan Wangji nodded, then picked up the purse and tossed it to Wei Ying. He laughed a little, soft and sweet, before putting it away in one of his pouches.

He would still very much like to finally leave Xingyang, though. Lan Wangji walked to the paper window, listening closely. It seemed as though the occasional shout and sound of something breaking was coming closer. 

They still could have left if they wanted, but it seemed as though it would be trickier to get through town without attracting attention. “Do you wish to still attempt leaving?” he asked, turning to look at Wei Ying, who was gingerly patting at his chest. 

He shook his head. “We can wait. It might be a good idea to look at my chest again, see if I need a second round of salve.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “I can go and ask for more bandages if you feel they would help,” he offered. 

Wei Ying made a face. “That would probably be a good idea,” he admitted. 

Lan Wangji took advantage of his trip back down to return their dishes in the process. The innkeeper didn’t have extra bandages, but he did have an old sheet that he offered up free of charge for them to cut up. 

"We're almost out of medical supplies," he admitted as he offered the sheet with a wince. "Hopefully, with the fires ended, we'll have a chance to stock up again."

Wei Ying's burn seemed to be healing reasonably well. Though it remained an angry red, it did not seem to be blistering or oozing. Lan Wangji simply applied a new layer of ointment and changed the bandages to ones cut from the sheet.

"Wen Qing couldn't do better," Wei Ying complimented when Lan Wangji finished. And though he doubted that, he found himself pleased with the compliment anyway.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon remained quiet. Someone came by to return their laundry and offered to bring a tray when lunch was ready. The two of them took her up on the offer; Lan Wangji was tired of drawing attention from the other patrons. He would be glad when they could leave this city.

In the meantime, Wei Ying once again brought out his notes and diagrams for his compass and spirit attraction flags. "This hunt has shown me some of their limitations," he said, sitting down firmly at the table with his brush, ink, and paper. "Finetune how much energy they can pick up, maybe. There were several times we lost Wan Liao's spirit because he used up so much energy that my tools couldn't latch onto what remained."

Lan Wangji provided ideas when asked and otherwise began notating the song he had been developing. Thankfully, Wei Ying only asked him what he was doing and did not try to look at the composition itself.

About a shichen after lunch, they decided it had likely been enough time, gathered all their belongings, and went downstairs. The innkeeper seemed sorry to see them go when they paid their bill, and he said, "The city guard came by and said that anyone who doesn't have urgent business should stay off the streets for a few days. Are you sure you want to leave?"

Both of them firmly nodded. "We will not spend long on Xingyang's streets," Wei Ying assured him. "It's time for us to move on."

But first, they had one last errand to run.

--

Outside, they could see the impact of the riot on the streets. Broken bits of pottery and stonework littered the way and in several places there were unfortunate smears of blood where the riot had turned deadly. The only people out on the street were the city guards on full patrol, a few people brave enough to come out just to start cleaning right in front of their homes, and the two of them. 

The town was eerily quiet. Lan Wangji suspected that Zheng Zixin had not seen the last of the troubles to come from his handling of the situation. But hopefully they would be able to reach a truly peaceful accommodation. 

Wei Ying walked next to him, close enough that the backs of their hands brushed on occasion. Despite their desire to leave Xingyang soon, they did not walk quickly along the empty streets. 

While they had come to an arrangement, and one that set Lan Wangji’s heart to fluttering every time he thought of it, he could not deny that the thought of them parting made him sad. Once they left Xingyang, they would return to their families until Wei Ying could send him an invitation to join them. 

He knew somehow without words that Wei Ying shared the same growing melancholy that he did. 

They detoured first to the burned inn of two nights ago, to finally make sure those lost to that blaze had found their rest. With that done, they soon arrived back in the neighborhood they'd visited often during this hunt. The town grew a little cleaner, a little less worn and torn apart, as they approached Wan Shaolong’s street. There was still no one out, but there seemed to be fewer guards in this area. 

When they reached the Wan residence, Wei Ying walked up and knocked twice, firmly. “Hopefully he comes to check his door, since yelling would probably cause another scene,” Wei Ying joked, though it fell just slightly flat. 

The little jade brush sat heavy in his sleeve. 

Ponderous footsteps approached the door before it cracked open to show only one wary eye. Soon after, it opened fully to reveal Wan Shaolong, his robes wrinkled and his eyes red. "Daozhangs," he said, his voice rasping. He swallowed before opening his mouth to say something else, hesitating, and then stepping back and motioning them inside.

"We're here to return something to you," Wei Ying said as they followed him in. Lan Wangji carefully pulled the brush from his sleeve and held it out to him. "And to pass on a message."

With a trembling hand, Wan Shaolong reached out and took hold of the jade brush. His other hand covered it as well until it was clasped between them. His hands still shook, but they seemed slightly steadier, holding onto the brush.

"It helped, then?" he asked softly, looking down at his hands. "I...I heard about what happened. People came to tell me..."

"It helped," Wei Ying assured him. "Your son...your son is at peace now. And he wanted us to tell you that he loves you, and his brother."

Wan Shaolong took in a shivering breath and turned away from them. They gave him the moments he needed to collect himself before he faced them again, his eyes even redder. "Thank you, daozhangs," he said, his voice thick. "There's nothing worse than outliving your child, and then finding he's turned into something unrecognizable, but if...if you brought him peace, then that's all I can ask."

"We knew how to speak to him, but it was his love for his family that brought him back," Lan Wangji told him. "I hope that brings you whatever comfort can be found in this situation."

Wan Shaolong nodded, still cupping the brush in his hands tenderly. It seemed likely that while his son had been able to pass on peacefully, Wan Shaolong would still mourn him for a long time to come.

When they left, Lan Wangji was surprised to find the sky streaked with the beginnings of sunset; time had been passing unfairly quickly for how little of it they had left. While they had started their day later and delayed until it seemed that the riot had calmed down, sunset had come far too early.

It did not feel right that their last day together was already coming to an end. 

Wei Ying turned to him, smiling. “Well, Lan Zhan, I think it’s time to go.”

Lan Wangji nodded.

They walked down the quiet streets, passing by familiar buildings both standing and ruined that they would likely not see again. Lan Wangji had no intention of returning to Xingyang any time soon, not after all of this.

They were glad to have brought peace back to the town. They were gladder still to be leaving it at last. Neither of them were suited for the petty political games they'd found themselves embroiled in this time.

But it was certainly not a journey wasted.

The guards at the nearest gate looked at them in surprise as they headed outside the city. Lan Wangji hoped it was less because they recognized them and more because few people tended to leave the city this close to sunset. He and Wei Ying, however, seemed to agree that they would rather spend the night under the stars.

Lan Wangji cleared his throat, drawing Wei Ying's attention. "Where will you be meeting your family?" he asked.

"Last I heard, west towards Qishan," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji looked back at the city. They'd left from the eastern gate. "We could have used another gate," he said. Now Wei Ying would have to walk around the city to find the right road.

"Trying to get rid of me, Lan Zhan?" he teased, grinning.

"No," Lan Wangji replied, simply. He reached forward to pluck out a leaf that landed in Wei Ying's hair.

Wei Ying's smile deepened, his eyes curving, his face glowing under the light of the setting sun. "Well, I'm in no hurry to get rid of you either," he said. Lan Wangji caught his breath before he forced himself to keep walking smoothly. "So I can walk with you for a while longer."

It wasn't long before the road split and they finally did have to say goodbye. In the end, though, Wei Ying hugged him, holding him close, saying, "I'll see you soon, Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji held him back, agreeing, "See you soon, Wei Ying."

This time, it would not be goodbye for long.

Chapter Text

“Can you lift us a little higher, Da-ge?” Wei Meilian called down from where she was standing on his shoulders, fingers tangled in some sort of brush that she had insisted could be found in this part of Qinghe. “It’s almost come free of this stupid rock.”

Wei Wuxian made sure that his hands were still firmly wrapped around her ankles so she couldn’t topple at their movement and lifted them up another few cun on his sword. Dirt rained on his head as she pulled firmly at whatever it was that she had found.

Plant questing with his sister was always an adventure, to be sure.

Wei Wuxian was no slouch to scrabbling around the wilderness. Sometimes the most interesting and dangerous things only appeared in hidden caves where the sun had never touched, and seas of tall grass that rose up to his chest and cloaked all manner of strange and dangerous things, hiding behind ancient trees in the center of forests so old that they had been there before the first cultivators had gone chasing them out. He enjoyed exploring them all.

However, Meilian took it to an entirely different level. She combined all of their father’s stubbornness and their mother’s drive in her own personal quests, usually for strange plants that he had to take at her word were the sorts of things that Wen Qing would desperately want to have on hand. Every new horizon brought new adventures for her, clambering on cliff sides and running out into marshes in search of presents for their Qing-jie.

And of course, as her much more experienced and wiser older brother, it was Wei Wuxian’s job to keep her from getting in more trouble than she could handle. A task that he usually did not mind too much even if it meant occasionally being pelted in the face with dirt.

They were supposed to be waiting to meet Lan Zhan nearby, something that he had been eagerly anticipating since their parting back in Xingyang, but Meilian had heard word of there being rockslides nearby and somehow this had connected in her mind to whatever rare plant she was looking for now, and she had dragged him after her in her mad dash for the cliffside they were hovering by.

She was lucky she was his favorite little sister. He wouldn’t have done this for just anyone.

"Are you almost done?" he called as more dirt fell on his face. He spat out a bit that landed in his mouth.

"The roots are the most important part!" she replied impatiently. "Do you have any idea how old this ginseng is, Da-ge? We still haven't replaced my harvesting tools and it's in too deep for your belt knife to be useful, so I have to be careful getting this out with just my sword!"

In truth, he hadn't been listening when she'd told him how old it probably was. Hundred-year-old ginseng, thousand-year-old ginseng -- neither seemed particularly important compared to Lan Zhan's imminent arrival.

"Doctor Wen has been telling me about ginseng in her letters," Meilian chattered as she worked. Wei Wuxian resigned himself to more dirt in his hair. "Prepared properly, the root nourishes qi and helps send it to the parts of the body that need revitalizing, and the older it is, the stronger it is! This one's qi seems ancient, it has to be hundreds of years old at least--"

He couldn't help but tune her out a little. While he loved his baby sister and thoroughly supported her ambition of becoming Wen Qing's apprentice, and while he normally would be happy to listen to her talk about what she was learning, he couldn't concentrate properly on her words at the moment.

He would see Lan Zhan again soon.

Their recent hunt in Xingyang, while ultimately successful, had been difficult enough to test their fledgling partnership, and Wei Wuxian still felt a thrill run through him every time he thought of the results. He had never expected to find someone whose skills and preferences complemented him so well, and then for that person to have a face that surpassed the Four Great Beauties, a subtle but incredible sense of humor, an instinct for what would best soothe and comfort Wei Wuxian...

More dirt tumbled down his hair and into his face. Wei Wuxian scowled as he attempted to shake it free without dislodging Meilian from her precarious perch on his shoulders. “Oops, sorry,” she called down to him in the distant voice that meant that she was focused on her task more than she was the things around her. “Just a little more-“ She interrupted her own sentence with a triumphant cry. “Got it!”

“Wonderful,” Wei Wuxian said, pausing as another small rain of dirt fell down around them as she pulled out the ancient gnarled roots from the earth. “Can you stop showering me in dirt, then?”

Meilian didn’t say anything, but a second later he felt her step up onto her own Wuchang now that it was no longer being used as a shovel. A heartbeat later she had flown down to his level, grinning wildly. She clutched her gnarled treasure to her chest, leaving dirt streaks all over her pale green robes. At least they’d be a matched pair if Wei Wuxian didn’t have time to clean the dirt from his hair before Lan Zhan arrived. He could blame any disarray on their sudden quest.

They descended to earth, gliding over the jagged chunks of rock that had once been part of a hillside, Meilian happily chattering away the whole time. “Wen-daifu will be so impressed with this, maybe after we finish up here with meeting your Lan Zhan, we can go see her and I can give this to her!”

“You can ask Die and Niang if they’ll go to Qishan,” he said loftily, stepping onto flat ground and sheathing Quanshui. “I will be spending a xun in the tub washing the dirt out of my hair.”

Meilian tried to give him a proper scowl just like Wen Qing would, but she couldn’t resist giggling, especially when he undid his ponytail and shook it about firmly.

When he was more or less presentable again, and his sister had stored away her find in the pouch at her hip, they set off back into the small town where they had made arrangements for all of them to meet.

It had been fairly sedate and tame when they’d left, so the small clusters of excited bursts of chatter as they walked back in along the main road that would lead up to the Unclean Realm if they had any interest in going that way told him that something exciting had happened since they’d left. Judging by the few exclamations he overheard as they walked back to the inn where they’d left their parents and irascible donkey, it was likely the very person he had been waiting for had indeed arrived at long last.

Wei Wuxian didn’t have the fluttering stomach or cold hands reactions that he’d heard of so many people having when given the chance to meet up with the person they wanted to see most in the world, but there was still a twinge of nervousness nevertheless.

He squashed it out firmly. What reason would he ever have to be nervous about seeing Lan Zhan again?

Lan Zhan made him feel settled and peaceful in a way that no other person had ever been able to. All that mattered was that his parents and sister would be able to see it too.

Once they returned to the inn, Wei Wuxian's heart skipped a beat to see that Lan Zhan truly had arrived. In his immaculate white robes, he glowed like a true immortal, practically exuding serenity. When Wei Wuxian walked in, their eyes immediately caught, as if Lan Zhan, too, had been waiting impatiently to see him again.

But when Wei Wuxian blinked and was able to take in more of their surroundings, his heart skipped another beat. Lan Zhan was sharing a table with Wei Wuxian's own parents.

And his mother was smirking at him, one hand propping her chin up. Her hand hid her mouth from Lan Zhan's view, but from his angle, he could see it clearly.

Die was also looking at him now, with his habitual calm demeanor. He was even calmer than usual, as if determined to stop Wei Wuxian from reading his reactions.

Terrible parents. Why did they have to find Lan Zhan first? What had they been saying to him?

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, standing to greet him. The tip of Wei Wuxian's heart trembled to hear that deep, alluring voice.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian replied. His own voice was a little raspy, and he swallowed to moisten his throat. A silence stretched in which their eyes said more than their mouths.

I'm glad to see you again.

"What an unfilial child you've come to see, Hanguang-jun," a smooth voice lilted, gleefully interrupting the moment. "He hasn't even greeted his parents."

Wei Wuxian laughed, wanting to put a hand over his face but resisting. He'd known this would happen. "My beloved parents will have to forgive my lapse," he said solemnly, looking over to see his mother's smirk had widened. "I hadn't thought they required an elaborate greeting after a separation of less than a shichen."

"Any greeting would do," Niang assured him. "But we will forgive you for this lapse. What we may not forgive you for is not telling us what a beautiful young man your Hanguang-jun is, A-Xian. Why, I was practically blinded upon meeting him. Your father will attest."

Behind him, Meilian started laughing, and Wei Wuxian tried to throttle his own blush before it could show on his face. All right, perhaps he had spoken a word or two of Lan Zhan's beauty...every single time he'd mentioned him...since their very first hunt together...but did they have to do this in front of Lan Zhan?

Of course they did.

Meilian, her laughter finally under control, moved forward to make her own greetings to their parents and Lan Zhan. On her way past Wei Wuxian, she glanced sidelong at him and pointed out, with laughter still in her voice, "You've still got dirt in your hair, Da-ge."

Wei Wuxian resisted the temptation to pout, as if it wasn’t her fault that there was dirt in his hair to begin with. But then Lan Zhan bowed very politely to Meilian, as elegant and graceful as ever. “Miss Wei Meilian,” he said and Wei Wuxian got the immediate revenge of Meilian stopping dead in her tracks and staring at Lan Zhan in awe. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Wei Ying has often spoken of you.”

Wei Wuxian bit back a laugh as his little sister bowed to cover up the fact that Lan Zhan had just left her speechless. “Th-the honor is mine, Hanguang-jun,” she said after a minute, ducking away from Lan Zhan’s even gaze before noticing the dirt on the front of her robes.

When Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Zhan again, there was something pleased in his expression. Wei Wuxian smiled back fondly at him. Of course his family would immediately take to Lan Zhan. They were sensible people, after all.

He had to step aside slightly as someone attempted to pass around them, realizing that they had been taking up one of the walkways of the inn. Meilian sidled around to go sit next to their mother, attempting to brush the dirt off of her robes without drawing any attention to herself.

It did not escape either his or Lan Zhan’s notice that they had been left the other side of the table for just the two of them. It definitely felt somewhat pointed in the way that Niang looked at them, eyes crinkled in wicked mischief. Die was still deliberately enigmatic. He couldn’t count on his rescuing them from interrogation, though it was likely that he would step back first.

Lan Zhan stepped aside so that he could take the innermost seat, face still smooth and calm. Yet as Wei Wuxian walked past, the backs of their hands brushed for a moment.

It instantly steadied him once again, bolstered him up against the teasing that was likely to occur.

From the look on Lan Zhan’s face, that brief touch had done the same for him.

When they finally sat down, Wei Wuxian immediately ignored the curious looks on his family’s face to look at Lan Zhan. “How was your trip here?” he asked, genuinely curious. “No troubles on the road?”

"No troubles," Lan Zhan confirmed. "The greater difficulty was in leaving the Cloud Recesses. Shufu...had many opinions upon hearing I was to meet with your family. There is a...gift he wished to present."

Wei Wuxian leaned forward on his elbows, angling towards Lan Zhan. "A gift?" he prodded.

"From Lan Qiren?" his mother echoed, similarly leaning forward.

Lan Zhan did not sigh, but he left a silence around where a sigh might have been as he withdrew a very large book from his sleeve. Niang took one look at it and started laughing.

From their reactions, Wei Wuxian could guess what it was. "The Lan rules?" he asked, beginning to grin.

"Indeed," Lan Zhan replied, setting the book delicately on the table. "He wished to..."

As Lan Zhan paused, Niang controlled her laughter enough to interject, "Remind me of the rules he never could get me to follow, and tell my son that he'll be expected to learn them too if he wants to associate with you?"

Lan Zhan inclined his head, and Wei Wuxian picked the book up, beginning to leaf through it. Wow, some of these rules were picky. Why try to codify someone's posture?

Of course, it turned out well with Lan Zhan, who always presented an elegant figure whether sitting or standing.

"I imagine your uncle's grown his beard back in all these years," Niang mused. "It always did make him look like a stubborn old goat. I assume he's always wanted to be one."

"I do not believe that to be one of my uncle's aspirations," Lan Zhan replied calmly, and Niang laughed again. Even Meilian giggled.

Wei Wuxian watched them with a glow in his heart. Niang still groused about Lan Qiren, but when he'd met Lan Zhan the first time, she'd still listened to him, smiling, as he talked about the fascinating Lan cultivator he'd met on a hunt. When he came to them after Xingyang, explaining that he and Lan Zhan planned to start traveling together and he wanted his family to meet his new partner, Niang had been almost more excited than he was.

And it was going well, even if they had started off their bonding with Lan Zhan at his expense.

Now Wei Wuxian just needed his eventual meeting with Lan Zhan's family to go as well. Presumed eventual meeting. He thought they were heading there, at least, but they hadn't yet actually talked about what they wanted beyond traveling together...

Beneath the table, Meilian kicked at his ankle. "Are the rules that fascinating, Da-ge?"

Wei Wuxian set his new book down gently, resting his hands over the cover. “They are incredibly fascinating, Xiao-meimei,” he said, watching her attempt to not scowl. “Would you like to read them too?”

Meilian gave him an incredulous look, trying to figure out how much of it was teasing and how much of it was him really liking Lan Zhan. Even in the fancy seal script, the book itself was thick, as hefty as the manuals littering Wen Qing’s office. It would likely take him days to read through all of it, and even then he was sure that some of the similar rules would blend together in the process.

But even before he said anything, he just knew of course that he was going to, when he had the time.

Which reminded him. “Niang,” he said, pulling his mind back onto the task at hand. “Are we planning on setting out for that forest soon?”

His mother straightened up, her smirk fading slightly. “We can leave whenever we’re all ready. Has our son already informed you of our objective, Hanguang-jun?”

Lan Zhan nodded calmly. “I had heard of strange occurrences recently in Xiaolongmen forest, but I had not been out to Qinghe in some time.” Wei Ying could see the glimmer of emotion in his eyes, something warm and light. “It will be a pleasure to hunt with you and your family, Cangse-sanren.”

“As it will be ours to hunt with you, Hanguang-jun,” Die said, smiling in that way that pulled all the lines at the corners of his eyes.

“It will still take us another day or so to reach the forest in question, but I’m sure that won’t be a problem for you,” Niang added, wicked grin right back on her face where Wei Wuxian expected to see it for some time. “I’m sure you have no complaints at spending more time at A-Xian’s side.”

Wei Wuxian bit his tongue, prepared to draw her attention if Lan Zhan needed a moment, but watched him closely before leaping in.

As it turned out, Lan Zhan evidently had spent their time apart preparing for his mother. “Indeed,” he said just as serenely as before, and somehow Wei Wuxian had the feeling that Lan Zhan was looking at him for his own reaction even though he never moved an eye in the slightest. “I could not make any such complaint.”

Wei Wuxian did not blush at that, but it was a near thing.

"There's still plenty of daylight," Die said, glancing at the angle of the sun streaming through the doorway. "If we leave now, we should be able to make good time before we need to stop for the night."

Wei Wuxian and his family were happy to agree, and of course Lan Zhan never tarried, so they all trooped out of the inn. Die and Niang went around to the stables to retrieve Lychee.

He looked at Lan Zhan, whose face was blank but still somehow warm as he returned Wei Wuxian's gaze. Then Lan Zhan lifted a hand and--

--ran it through Wei Wuxian's hair.

This time he couldn't stop the blush. He opened his mouth to try to deflect, but Lan Zhan spoke before he could. "The dirt," he said, and flicked his hand.

Meilian snorted, though she had her face turned away when he glanced sidelong at her. He forcibly controlled his blush, helped along by the lack of judgment in Lan Zhan's voice. Of course, he'd seen Wei Wuxian looking far dirtier. At least this time he wasn't covered in soot.

"You can blame Meilian for that," he replied, happy to get his baby sister back for her amusement at his expense. "Apparently she's incapable of digging out a plant without bringing down half a mountain of dirt with it."

What he could see of Meilian's face also flushed. His amazing Lan Zhan, though, simply turned to her and asked, "What were you harvesting?"

She faced them fully now that she'd been addressed. The flush remained, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Ginseng!" she chirped. The smile grew to a full grin. "It's so old, Hanguang-jun! I think I'll need Doctor Wen's help to identify exactly how old, but it will be a very potent medicinal ingredient, I can tell!"

Hooves clopped against the road, announcing the arrival of his parents and their donkey. "Shall we go?" his mother called, already seated on her back.

The five of them set off. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan walked just the slightest bit slower until they fell to the rear of their little group. Meilian looked back at them curiously until Die engaged her in conversation.

"I believe you mentioned the donkey once," Lan Zhan observed, as Niang reached out from her saddle to poke Die's shoulder.

Wei Wuxian smiled, looking more at Lan Zhan than the road. "Yes, that's Lychee. Don't be fooled, though, she's nowhere near as sweet as the name suggests. Keep out of biting range."

"Then why name her Lychee?" Lan Zhan asked with the tiniest of adorable frowns of thought.

"My parents have had her forever, since before I was born," Wei Wuxian explained. "Apparently they got her when my mom was carrying me, and she was strongly craving lychees at the time. So...she became the only Lychee my mom didn't devour."

Lan Zhan’s frown didn’t quite clear up, but he nodded anyway. “I see,” he said in a tone of voice that said it was a path of logic he had never considered before but was not opposed to once he had a chance to think about it.

Wei Wuxian loved that about him, that he would take the time to consider things he heard outside of his experiences before defining his permanent opinion on them.

So many people in this world, especially clan cultivators, simply refused to ever reconsider their positions and opinions of the world, especially if their initial position was wrong. Given the choice between changing and improving themselves and stubbornly clinging to pride, they’d choose the latter again and again.

Wei Wuxian had run into this form of stubbornness often enough that to see Lan Zhan so willing to reconsider his positions and not settle on a final opinion until after he’d investigated enough for himself to decide was a wonderful surprise.

He wondered just how many times Lan Zhan would be able to surprise him just by being so good in the future.

Up ahead, Niang burst into laughter at something Die had said, prompting Meilian to ask just what it was that she found so funny. Lan Zhan turned to look at them for a moment, his eyes somewhat wistful and soft.

Wei Wuxian remembered what little he had heard of Lan Zhan’s family, that his mother had died young and his father had been very distant and in seclusion all of Lan Zhan’s life. While he and his brother were very close and Wei Wuxian was looking forward to meeting Lan Xichen in the future, this experience of traveling with his family was likely something that Lan Zhan had never expected to have.

Wei Wuxian was happy to share it with him. All of these little things that Lan Zhan hadn’t had before, all of the things that Lan Zhan was familiar with that Wei Wuxian hadn’t experienced yet, why couldn’t they share them with each other?

“Lan Zhan,” he called softly and was again rewarded with Lan Zhan immediately turning to him. “Die and Niang, they didn’t tease you too terribly before I showed up, did they?”

Lan Zhan paused for a moment as if considering before gently shaking his head. "Your parents did not tease me," he replied, with a suspicious amount of emphasis on the last word.

"No?" Wei Wuxian asked suspiciously. "They didn't tease, or they didn't tease you? Were they making fun of me?"

Lan Zhan glanced at him before directing his gaze forward. "Your parents are warm people who love you dearly," he said. "I enjoyed our conversation."

"What does that mean? What did you actually talk about? Lan Zhan!" he whined.

But Lan Zhan wouldn't explain further no matter how Wei Wuxian wheedled.

"Fine," he huffed. "You and my parents can be as mysterious as you like." In truth, while he did want to know, he wasn't actually disappointed that Lan Zhan wouldn't tell him. It didn't appear to be anything bad, and he liked the idea of Lan Zhan bonding with his parents.

"We will," Lan Zhan agreed, and Wei Wuxian laughed.

Their group traveled easily until it began to get dark. Meilian found a campsite big enough for all of them by the side of a stream, and they all set to their usual camp chores. Lan Zhan helped Wei Wuxian with his own tasks, gathering firewood while Wei Wuxian caught a few fish in the stream. They returned with their bounty to the tents all set up, the cookware laid out, and Meilian's foraged greens ready to accompany their fish once Niang got the fire started.

Only three tents were set up -- two big ones and a smaller one. "I thought you two wouldn't mind sharing," Niang said, with a brief waggle of her eyebrows. "It'll be warmer with two."

"Ah, so I'm fine all by myself in the cold, huh?" Meilian asked, starting to gut and prepare the fish.

"You're welcome to join your father and I, if you like," Niang said with a smile.

"That's fine, I'll just freeze," Meilian grumbled.

"I can take the smaller tent, if you would rather share with your brother," Lan Zhan offered.

Meilian's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly. "No, no, it's fine," she assured him. Then she looked at Wei Wuxian, her eyes glinting, and pursed her lips. "Although...he does tend to wriggle around and sprawl all over. Perhaps we should switch."

Wei Wuxian made the same face back at her. “Well you kick as hard as Lychee does in your sleep, so you tell me which one is going to annoy Lan Zhan worse.”

“Hey!” Meilian protested, color high in her cheeks. “I don’t kick that hard!”

“No, no,” Die interrupted serenely. “It is for the best if Hanguang-jun and A-Xian share the larger tent. The smaller one is a little too short for either of them to fit comfortably.”

Wei Wuxian gave his father a suspicious glance, but he was focused on nestling their old, slightly dented kettle near enough to the flames that they could have tea with their dinner. Niang took over preparing the fish from Meilian, seasoning them deftly with her years of experience.

Wei Wuxian reclined on the grass, smiling contentedly as all of his favorite people in the world sat around the fire. Lychee was resentfully chewing grass behind Niang, who was staking the fish so that she could roast them over the fire while Die made tea and Meilian cleaned the greens she had foraged.

And Lan Zhan… Lan Zhan was digging in his sleeve for some reason, even though his travel dishes were already neatly laid out in front of him.

Seeing him so focused on something mysterious, Wei Wuxian couldn’t resist the urge to tease. “What, did you bring me another present from your uncle that you forgot to give me the first time?”

Lan Zhan paused abruptly, then ducked his head. “Not from Shufu,” he said softly. Then he withdrew his hand with whatever he had been searching for and presented it to Wei Wuxian.

It was a bottle of Emperor’s Smile.

Wei Wuxian could only stare at it for a second as his brain fought to catch up to the moment. “You got this for me?”

Lan Zhan looked surprisingly a little nervous. “You said it was your favorite, right?” he asked, his voice adorably shy.

"It is," he said without thought, reaching out to take the jar. He probably would have told Lan Zhan anything was his favorite so long as he kept looking at him that way.

"Did you bring enough for the rest of us?" Niang called from where she was checking the fish. "Or is Young Master Lan showing blatant favoritism?"

Lan Zhan coughed slightly, then pulled another jar of Emperor's Smile out of his sleeve. "I could not be sure if you enjoyed this as much as your son does," he said, solemnly holding out the jar to Niang. "But neither could I let my only gift at our meeting be from Shufu."

"Hah!" Die took the jar and passed it to Niang, who set it down at her side. "You are a good child, nephew of Lan Qiren! Much more accommodating and flexible than your uncle!"

"It would be unreasonable to expect anyone not of my clan or in the Cloud Recesses to abide by our rules," Lan Zhan replied, folding his hands in his lap. "We benefit by exposure to other ways and ideas."

"For that, you will get the best-cooked fish," Niang decided. "And A-Xian will get the second-best, for having the good judgment to bring you here."

Lan Zhan ducked his head. Wei Wuxian glanced over, and -- yes, he could just see a hint of red ear peeking out between strands of dark hair. Adorable. Lan Zhan's face might have stayed stoic, but his ears gave him away.

"Niang, didn't you just accuse Hanguang-jun of blatant favoritism?" Meilian complained.

"There's favoritism, and then there are appropriate rewards," Niang replied, tapping Meilian lightly on the head. "Be careful that I don't decide you need to be punished."

"Niang!"

Despite Niang's teasing, the fish all turned out indistinguishably delicious. The meal disappeared quickly -- which was good for Lan Zhan, who still would not speak even when the rest of them were talking and laughing throughout.

"Now, Hanguang-jun," Die said as he put his bowl and chopsticks aside to be washed later. "What did A-Xian tell you of our hunt so far?"

Lan Zhan took a moment to think before speaking. “That there is a forest near Xiaolongmencun Village that has recently had strange occupancies. Claims of animals fleeing the woods, sometimes running through the village. People who go into the outermost parts of the woods report strange sounds and a vague sense of dread. A few who have penetrated deeper either lose their trails and have difficulty finding their way out of the woods again before nightfall or are injured in their quests. More recently there have been a few reports of shambling corpses coming back out of the forest, though the age of the bodies makes it unlikely that they are responsible for the current events.” He rested his hands in his lap in a pose that made Wei Wuxian idly wonder if he spoke to his teachers in the same manner. “This is all from what I received in the same letter that informed me of where we were to meet. I have not heard anything new since then, save that no Qinghe cultivators have investigated the matter yet as all forests carry an eerie energy if you spend long enough within them.”

Die nodded calmly. “We had heard that as well,” he said. “The only other news that we had gathered so far is that only the carrion birds dare to go deep into the forest anymore, and that the sunlight seems to be drowned out by the leaves far sooner than it should be.”

Niang tapped at her chin in thought. “At first I thought it might be some sort of fearsome beast that had taken up residence in the heart of the forest. Baoshan-shizun spoke of many that were more commonplace in her time, but have all but disappeared now. But now I think it’s probably something else.” She smiled at Lan Zhan, curiosity in her eyes. “What do you think it might be, Hanguang-jun?”

Lan Zhan blinked and paused for a moment. “It is difficult to say,” he said after a moment, his voice slightly downcast. “We cannot ascertain exactly what we are dealing with from rumors alone. But it certainly warrants careful investigation. It could easily become much more dangerous if left unchecked.”

Wei Wuxian had propped his chin in his hands to watch Lan Zhan speak, smiling fondly. He’d missed his clarity of mind and ways of looking at a situation.

It seemed that his parents were impressed by it as well. They exchanged brief glances before Die stood up and collected all of their dishes, Lan Zhan’s included, and took Meilian with him to go wash up.

Niang stayed by the fire, glancing at Lan Zhan with a smile. "Hanguang-jun, it's a little early even for you to go to bed, and my son tells me you're very good with your qin. Why don't you play something for us?"

Lan Zhan immediately retrieved his qin before looking at Niang expectantly. "Do you have a request?"

She flapped her hand. "Anything you would like to play is fine with me."

Lan Zhan paused for a moment in thought before he began to pluck out the opening chords to Mist and Clouds Over the Xiang River. Serenity suffused the clearing as they grew absorbed in the music. In the distance, the stream burbled and Die spoke quietly with Meilian, their soft voices adding to the calm feeling.

Wei Wuxian took out his dizi, and as Lan Zhan wrapped up his song, Wei Wuxian launched into a new one. Across the fire, Niang smiled as she listened, and Lan Zhan's eyes stayed steady on him as his fingers danced up and down the bamboo.

Die and Meilian returned. Wordlessly, Die pulled out his own dizi as Meilian found her seat again. Niang's smile widened until she too retrieved an instrument -- her pipa, this time. She played the qin as well, but she likely thought Lan Zhan had that covered for now.

When Wei Wuxian played the final notes of his song, Die and Niang began a duet. Lan Zhan's eyes closed, and Wei Wuxian watched him more than his parents, enjoying his enjoyment. He wondered if Lan Zhan's family ever came together to play music like this.

Meilian was not very good at playing an instrument and did not like it very much -- but she could sing. When Niang began a new song with a vocal part, Meilian sang along. Her sweet, high voice made Lan Zhan's eyes fly open again before his face softened.

As the sky fully darkened, they all took turns to play, sometimes on their own and sometimes harmonizing with each other. Lan Zhan was new to their ensemble, but he fit like a hand in a glove. He followed their lead without question, but was also prepared to take the lead himself. The sound of his qin mixed in with the rest of them like a piece they'd previously be missing without knowing it.

Wei Wuxian ducked his head, almost overwhelmed by the tangled mass of feelings in his chest. Seeing Lan Zhan in such harmony with his family, the flickering firelight turning his flawless features to warm jade, how could his heart survive such a sight?

When he glanced back up, of course, Lan Zhan was looking at him. His face was still the same stoic face as ever, but over the rippling notes of the qin, Wei Wuxian could have sworn that he was smiling at him all the same.

Chapter Text

They played music until the fire began to die down and the night grew cold around them. Die tucked two of the rocks that had been near to the fire inside what would be Meilian’s tent, then added more to the other two tents.

Even though it was hai shi, Lan Zhan did not look exceptionally tired. There was definitely a little of that day-worn expression around the edges of his eyes, but there was also a sort of nervous energy in his body, tension and cautious excitement warring in him.

Wei Wuxian was certain that was what Lan Zhan was feeling, because it was the same thing that sat in his stomach and made him want to jump up and pace, or roll around on the ground and get more dirt in his hair, to try and banish the sensation.

Meilian covered a yawn delicately as Niang finished braiding up her hair. “Thank you, Die,” she said when she noticed the warm stones in her tent. 

Die smiled warmly at her, bending down to tug one of her braids gently before putting out the remains of their fire. “A-Ying, have you got the wards tonight?” 

Wei Wuxian nodded. “I can get them,” he said, rising to his feet and stretching out his shoulders. “No need to wait up for me,” he called out to his family.

Niang waved lazily at him, and Meilian called out a tired good night to all of them before crawling into her tent. 

Lan Zhan wrapped his qin back in its traveling cloth and set it just outside of their tent before coming to join him. “It will go faster with both of us,” he said quietly when Wei Wuxian gave him a look. 

It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but he thought Lan Zhan looked resolute, as if he’d been biding his time waiting for this moment to arrive. There was still some of that nervous energy, but it had been tempered and steeled. 

Wei Wuxian thought he might know why. 

Lan Zhan took in a deep breath before continuing. “Perhaps before we return to camp, we might… walk together for a little while?”

It took him a moment to find his voice, but he couldn’t help smiling when he answered. “Yes,” he said quietly, “I would like that very much.”

While they were setting the wards, he caught his father’s eye for a moment. He didn’t have a chance to say anything before Die smiled knowingly. “It is a beautiful night, isn’t it,” he said enigmatically. “Don’t be out too late.” 

Wei Wuxian resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. “Good night, Die,” he said, a laugh creeping into his voice.

His father inclined his head in return and went to join his mother in their tent. 

In what felt like no time after that little exchange, his and Lan Zhan’s paths overlapped once more. Wei Wuxian marked the exact spot where he could lift the wards temporarily to let them back in, then turned back to his Lan Zhan, who was watching him with this look in his eyes that made him both too warm and shiver at the same time.

The moonlight cast silver shadows across the world, transforming what would have been an otherwise ordinary night into something beautiful and unearthly, with Lan Zhan standing at the center of it. His lips were slightly parted, as if he had started to say something and then stopped, a light breeze tugged at his hair and lifted the white forehead ribbon to ripple out.

Wei Wuxian was spellbound by him once again, just as he’d been all the way back on an unassuming spring day in Gusu, when a beautiful man dressed head to toe in white had come looking for him because he’d heard that Wei Wuxian was looking into the same strange mystery that he was. He hadn’t known then just what would have come of their meeting, but it truly felt as though fate had drawn them together over and over again until this night could come to pass.

On that day, it had been Lan Zhan who had come to him, impressing him over and over until he knew that he could trust him. This time, it was his turn to be the one to reach out on this next step in their shared journey on this earth.

Slowly, he reached his hand out, crossing the last divide still lying between them.

He'd touched Lan Zhan's hands before, to take care of a burn. He'd noticed at the time how warm they were, how long and elegant his fingers, how smooth and silky the skin. But he had not let himself enjoy the feeling at the time, too preoccupied with the burn.

As he took Lan Zhan's hand now, with no purpose other than to hold it, he could finally fully appreciate the sensation. And it was even better because he could hear Lan Zhan's swift intake of breath, feel the way those fingers curled around his and held him back.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan breathed, staring down at their hands in the light of the moon.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian returned, smiling. "I'm not wrong, am I? You wouldn't act this way with anyone, would you?"

Lan Zhan shook his head, the motion small but clear. "Only you." He swallowed. "And you would not act this way with anyone."

"Only you." Wei Wuxian lifted a hand to tuck a few strands of hair behind Lan Zhan's ear, taking the opportunity to trace a finger around the shell and feeling its warmth even as Lan Zhan shivered. Lan Zhan's grip on his hand tightened.

"Wei Ying, I..."

Wei Wuxian watched fondly as Lan Zhan trailed off, his normal eloquence stymied by the strength of the feelings revealed in his eyes. In the quiet, he stared at Wei Wuxian as if trying to memorize his face.

But Wei Wuxian himself almost never lacked for words. His confidence soaring at Lan Zhan's reaction, his smile widened as he said, "Do you know, Lan Zhan, you're really great, and I like you so much. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Lan Zhan's mouth parted and then closed. His eyes shone.

"I want to walk with you all over the world. I want to play music with you and duet with you forever. I want to talk with you on the street and in the bath and even during meals. I want to night hunt with you for the rest of my life."

He lifted his hand again, this time to wrap his fingers around the trailing lengths of Lan Zhan's ribbon. He still didn't know what it meant, but he knew it was important. Lan Zhan didn't stop him, instead watching quietly but intensely as he wound the lengths of cloth around his fingers.

With that grip, he gently tugged until Lan Zhan's head drew closer to his and their foreheads pressed together. "I don't want anyone but you," he whispered. "I just like you so much, and I want everything with you."

There was even more he could have said, but suddenly he was breathing against Lan Zhan's skin, his face nestled against his neck as strong arms closed around him.

"I like you so much," Lan Zhan murmured back. Even though he'd known it would be coming, Lan Zhan's words sent his heart pounding, his face warming and his lips spreading even further before he curled them in to hold back the strange gleeful noise that wanted to escape. "Wei Ying, I like you. I want to walk with you and talk with you and play music with you. I want to night hunt with you for the rest of my life. It can't be anyone but you. I want to do everything with you."

Wei Wuxian let go of Lan Zhan's ribbon so he could return the embrace. Laughter burbled out of him, muffled by Lan Zhan's skin. But then he could no longer stand not to look at Lan Zhan's face, so he pulled back only enough to see Lan Zhan outright smiling .

The sight pushed him beyond his endurance. He had never kissed anyone before and only barely knew what he was doing, but he had to lean forward again and press his mouth to Lan Zhan's.

Lan Zhan made a small noise and immediately started kissing him with the same amount of experience and enthusiasm that Wei Wuxian felt. It was clumsy, he could tell that it was clumsy and a little awkward and their noses kept bumping together, but somehow that made it even better. 

Everything he had mastered in his life had required some practice beforehand; mastering kissing would be no different...and far more fun. 

He threw his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck as they kissed under the moonlight, unable or unwilling to stop, and his knees were starting to give out already. Lan Zhan’s hands went to his waist, holding him in place as they started to figure out just what they were doing. 

His heart beat so strongly in his chest that he idly thought that it might shatter his ribs with the force of it. Lan Zhan turned his head just slightly and pulled Wei Wuxian even closer so they were completely flush and -- oh .

Yes, they were really beginning to understand just what they were doing. Really, if they could just spend the rest of forever doing this, he thought it would be a life well lived. 

When they had to break apart so that Lan Zhan could briefly catch his breath, Wei Wuxian had never been more grateful to play a dizi. The same way that he could breathe through his nose and keep playing turned out to be applicable here. 

In the moonlight, Lan Zhan’s eyes were nearly black and wide open, his lips parted and shiny and still slightly tilted up at the corners. His breath was unsteady and warm on Wei Wuxian’s lips and really how could Wei Wuxian not be completely, irrevocably, life-alteringly in love with him?

The very thought of it was inconceivable, so he resolved to never wonder about it again. It didn’t matter what could have happened, just that they were here, together at last. 

Wei Wuxian let out a giddy laugh and pressed his lips to the corner of Lan Zhan’s mouth. “Ah, I really like you so much,” he said again, unable to find the words to describe just how much anymore. 

Lan Zhan's reply was a kiss so forceful it pushed Wei Wuxian backwards. Paying no attention to his feet, he almost tripped on a tree root and landed with his back against a broad trunk. The ridges of the bark dug into his back, but he could not be bothered to care as Lan Zhan followed him, pressing up against him as they continued kissing.

Lan Zhan took over all of his senses. The taste of the tea he'd recently drunk, the scent of sandalwood lingering on his clothes, the heat and firmness of his body, the incomparable sculpted features of his face, the sounds of their lips parting and coming back together...

While Wei Wuxian could breathe through his nose, he still found himself light-headed, his knees weak, his body overwhelmed at Lan Zhan's fervor. Wei Wuxian had guessed that a passionate heart beat beneath the stately and somber Lan robes, but even he had not guessed how deep that passion ran.

Nipping at his lower lip, Lan Zhan pulled back again to take in several deep breaths, staring at Wei Wuxian wildly. Wei Wuxian returned the stare, feeling with an intense thrill that Lan Zhan almost looked as if he wanted to eat him.

He was not far wrong. Lan Zhan did lean down and pressed his lips to Wei Wuxian's neck before opening his mouth and biting. "Ah!" Wei Wuxian gasped. His knees almost collapsed beneath him, and only the tree against his back kept him upright. "Are you a dog? Lan Zhan!"

But his hands came around to grab fistfuls of white cloth, holding Lan Zhan against him. Lan Zhan didn't reply -- he merely moved his head to the other side of Wei Wuxian's neck and bit there as well.

Wei Wuxian's breathing sped up. His heart pounded. He wanted to kiss Lan Zhan's mouth again, but the blunt teeth digging into his skin provoked an almost sweet, dull pain that froze him in place. He could feel himself reacting in a way that both scared him and spurred him on.

"Lan Zhan!" he whined, breathless, as Lan Zhan continued kissing and marking along his collarbone. "Lan Zhan, please!"

"Please what?" Lan Zhan murmured, voice low and dark, still kissing and turning Wei Wuxian's brain to mush.

He wanted -- he wanted so much . He wanted to do everything his body was urging him to do, and he thought Lan Zhan wanted that too.

But...he had also been thinking about this for a long time. This first kiss had been perfect, better than he had ever imagined, but he didn't want to go further right here. He couldn't even see Lan Zhan properly, and his family was too close for comfort.

It was tremendously difficult to get enough control of his hands to gently push Lan Zhan back, but he managed it. “Please wait?” he gasped out, heart pounding like a rabbit’s in his throat. 

Mercifully, Lan Zhan did, though he still had Wei Wuxian pinned to the tree in a way that was doing things to his brain. 

Wei Wuxian swallowed heavily and caught his breath, trying to organize his kiss-muddled thoughts into some form of coherent words. “It’s not that I don’t want to do this too,” he started, needing Lan Zhan to know that part first and foremost. “It’s just… I don’t want to do it here .”

Clarity entered Lan Zhan’s gaze, and some of that sense of intensity seemed to die away. He still didn’t move, but Wei Wuxian could tell that Lan Zhan was listening to him. 

He reached up and pressed his hand against Lan Zhan’s cheek, feeling the heat from their passionate kisses still in his face. “Just, I’d like our first time to be somewhere comfortable and more private than this,” he said with a laugh. “My family isn’t that far away, and -- and I can’t even see your face that well.” 

As if to prove their point, true darkness suddenly fell over them from a passing cloud blotting out the moonlight. His eyes strained to adjust to the sudden darkness, seeking out Lan Zhan’s face where he knew it to be and finding only shadows. 

It seemed to cool the last of the mood that had been rising between them. Lan Zhan drew one of his hands back to press it over Wei Wuxian’s own, kissing the inside of his wrist much more gently. It sent a thrill of fireworks through his stomach, but Wei Wuxian could tell that the intent was to be loving. “We can wait,” he said, with no sign in his voice that it would be difficult to do so. “I would like to see you as well.”

Wei Wuxian let out a breath, tucking away the tiny disappointed flutter for another time. They would assuredly find the proper time to be together soon. Then he wouldn’t complain no matter how many times Lan Zhan wanted to take him to bed; he’d enjoy it just as much as his passionate lover did. 

“Shall we return to camp?” Lan Zhan asked quietly as the moonlight returned, spilling over him and illuminating him once more. “It is growing late.”

Wei Wuxian was going to agree, but then he got a better look at Lan Zhan’s mouth again, reddened and still damp from earlier. 

He bit his own lip to keep from laughing at himself. “If you can promise to not ravish me too much on the side of a tree, we can kiss more before we go back,” he said before he had time to think better of such a suggestion. Ah, the kisses truly had melted all sense of propriety. But also he was enjoying them far too much to want to stop so soon. 

Lan Zhan wasted no time in promptly resuming their previous activities, though this time with some measure of restraint. 

Wei Wuxian couldn’t blame either of them. He wasn’t sure exactly how long they’d been waiting to come to this moment, but it was long enough that they still had plenty of lost time to make up for. 

They kissed, and kissed, and kissed.

--

By the time they finally did make it back to the campsite, the fire was out, the tents housing his parents and sister quiet. They carefully moved to their own tent and set up their bedding under the light of Bichen's cold blue glow. To make holding back easier on themselves, Wei Wuxian thought about keeping their bedrolls separate, but he took one look at Lan Zhan, his face soft and his lips kiss-swollen, and decided to put them together.

They'd already agreed to wait. In the meantime, they didn't have to deny themselves the warmth and comfort of sharing a bed as well.

"When we get to an inn," he murmured to Lan Zhan as he pulled off his boots and outer robes, "we should take a room on the opposite side of the inn as the rest of my family."

Lan Zhan, who had already removed his own outer robes and forehead ribbon, treated him to a heated look that made him shiver. That burning gaze then dipped down to his neck, where he was sure bruises were blooming. He might have to fix his robes the next day to try to hide those from his parents, who would definitely make fun of him.

The longer Lan Zhan stared at him, the more Wei Wuxian wanted to kiss him again. Instead, he slipped under the covers and reached out a hand. "Get in, Lan Zhan," he said. "Come warm me up."

In the next moment, Wei Wuxian was gathered up into strong, warm arms, pressed against a soft but firm chest. How glorious! He sighed and closed his eyes as his entire body relaxed.

Yet he still found himself filled with the energy of their earlier confession. Not yet ready to try and sleep, he nuzzled his nose into Lan Zhan's chest where his robes met his skin. "Wei Ying," Lan Zhan rumbled warningly.

But Wei Wuxian didn't stop. He could feel Lan Zhan speaking. "Say something else," he demanded, his muffled voice not hiding the playfulness.

Then Lan Zhan's hand pressed Wei Wuxian's head more firmly against his chest, so he could no longer easily nuzzle. "If you wish me to restrain myself, behave ."

He could still feel the vibrations of Lan Zhan's deep voice resonating through him in multiple ways, which was amazing . Between the perfection of the voice itself and the sensation of feeling him speak, Wei Wuxian thought he might have to be peeled away from Lan Zhan's chest in the future. Otherwise, he was going to spend all his time there.

"Oh?" he said, grinning. "I thought you Lans were good at restraining yourselves."

Lan Zhan's arms tightened around him. "Not for you," he said quietly, inspiring a smug glee in Wei Wuxian. "And not when I have already removed my ribbon."

Hmm? "That reminds me," Wei Wuxian said, wriggling a little closer. "Remember our bet about the question with an honest answer? I was going to ask you what your ribbon meant."

Lan Zhan breathed out slowly, the sensation of his breathing under Wei Wuxian’s ear a new thrill all its own. “It is a symbol of restraint,” he said at last. “And of trust. The only ones who can touch it or remove it for us are family and… and our fated ones. Those with whom we can be our complete selves.”

His words rang through Wei Wuxian’s head like a mighty gong, branding themselves deep on his heart. 

A ribbon worn in front of all, a symbol of grace and elegance, but also the power in restraint, only to be removed around those who they trusted most. Could only be touched by a few very specific people.

He immediately wanted to touch it himself. Wanted to reach out and grab it and see just what Lan Zhan would do.

He suspected that it would end in him being pinned to the bed and ravished until morning. Which admittedly did sound very appealing, but he’d already stopped such an occurrence once, and Lan Zhan had warned him to behave.

He tucked away the instinct for another time and decided to behave himself for the moment anyway.

“A fated one…” he murmured thoughtfully and smiled when Lan Zhan hummed in assent. “Then, does that mean that I can touch it?”

He bit back delighted laughter when he felt Lan Zhan shiver against him, holding him even more tightly. Even before he said anything, he knew what Lan Zhan’s answer would be.

But then this delightful, wonderful man surprised him once more. Without removing Wei Wuxian from his comfortable position, he picked up his forehead ribbon and tucked it into Wei Wuxian’s hand.

It was silky and soft and still a little warm. There wasn’t anything inherently special about it beyond the fact that it was Lan Zhan’s and it had all this little ritual to it. Which of course made it precious beyond words.

He ran his thumb over the embroidered cloud patterns, enjoying the shifting sensation of texture. Lan Zhan just held him close and let him do as he pleased, almost like a great, lazy cat who was too content to consider moving. “I’m never giving this back now,” he told Lan Zhan, smirking. “You gave it to me, it’s mine now.”

Lan Zhan did not speak in reply. He took hold of the ribbon and drew it away, but before Wei Wuxian could do more than begin to pout, Lan Zhan had also taken hold of his hand. He began to wind the ribbon around his wrist and tied it off neatly. It was the perfect tightness, snug without being constricting, and just feeling it made Wei Wuxian want to keep it there forever.

"Lan Zhan!" he wailed softly, burying his face in his free hand. Terrible man!

That terrible person merely lifted Wei Wuxian's hand to his lips and pressed kisses first against the ribbon right over his pulse and then in the palm of his hand. Wei Wuxian closed his eyes and buried his face even deeper in Lan Zhan's chest, fighting the urge to roll around in all his feelings. Lan Zhan surely wouldn't find that very comfortable!

A gentle hand began stroking his hair. "It is late," Lan Zhan murmured. "Sleep, Wei Ying."

"How can I sleep now?" Wei Wuxian complained lightly. He was still buzzing. "How can you sleep now?"

A dark curtain of silk fell over him as Lan Zhan leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I always wish you to be rested and well."

Wei Wuxian gently thumped his head against Lan Zhan. "Okay, maybe I will just try to sleep," he announced. "If I don't, you're just going to keep saying things like that to me. Lan Zhan, I'm going to die."

"In that case, it will be easier to return your body to your parents."

Wei Wuxian squeezed him, laughing softly, before shifting to lay his head above Lan Zhan's heart. The regular beat relaxed him even further.

That soothing hand still stroked through his hair until, almost despite himself, Wei Wuxian did actually begin feeling sleepy. And it was so nice to be able to fall asleep in the same bed as Lan Zhan and this time be allowed to sprawl on top of him and lay his head on his chest...Lan Zhan was the best pillow he'd ever encountered...

He slept, but the lingering buzzing in his veins spurred him awake far earlier than he would normally rise. It was too early even for Lan Zhan to be awake yet. The dim light of dawn, just discernible through the cloth walls of the tent, gently illuminated their cozy bed.

Wei Wuxian could just barely make out Lan Zhan's sleeping features. He’d seen Lan Zhan asleep a few times back in Xingyang, but getting to see him from this close was a special treat all his own. 

He was so beautiful -- of course he was always beautiful no matter what was happening, that was a fact he’d determined over their times traveling together -- but there was something about him fast asleep, perhaps dreaming, that was stunning in a whole new way. 

Perhaps it was that he looked peaceful and content, undisturbed by anything including Wei Wuxian reaching up to touch his face, feel his sharp cheekbones and the corners of his lips and the very soft peach fuzz on his cheeks, too pale to be seen. Perhaps it was that he trusted and loved Wei Wuxian enough to let him see and play with him this deeply asleep. 

Perhaps it was just that he was Lan Zhan, and Wei Wuxian was certain now that he was never going to stop being amazed and smitten by him. Whether awake and teasing him, or asleep and quiet, or however many ways Wei Wuxian would get to see him in the future, he’d be just as amazing. 

The thought sent him into another spiral of delight when his sleepy mind remembered just all that had transpired sometime last night and that they were going to stay together now. No more goodbyes, no more walking alone down the long roads wondering about how the other was doing. 

As if aware of the fact that Wei Wuxian was steadily working himself up instead of going back to sleep until a reasonable hour, Lan Zhan frowned at him slightly and rolled over enough to squish Wei Wuxian into his arms further. A slight huff of breath that might have been a sleepy reprimand for almost waking him up escaped him. 

Wei Wuxian bit his lip until it hurt so he couldn’t laugh loudly enough to wake everyone up. Oh, he would have to make sure he made more chances to see a sleeping Lan Zhan in the future, at times when he could poke him if he was unexpectedly awake at terrible times again. 

But right now his need to cause mischief was slowly dying down along with his brief spurt of giddy energy, and really if it was early enough for Lan Zhan to not be awake yet, then it was far too early for Wei Wuxian. And it wasn’t like his family was going to judge him for being slow to start; being prompt to wake was not a strength that any of them possessed. 

Hopefully Lan Zhan was ready for them to not make it out on the move until at least si shi, if not wu shi. Doubtlessly he would find ways to entertain himself in the meantime -- that was, if he didn’t sleep longer himself after how late their night had gone. 

Wei Wuxian bit back a yawn before stretching up just enough to brush against Lan Zhan’s lips, stealing a last kiss before trying to go back to sleep. 

If his heart could stop from cuteness, it might have done so then. As he pulled away, Lan Zhan made the sleepiest of kissing motions in return. 

He squeaked a little in response to that and buried his face in Lan Zhan’s neck, hiding from both the slowly growing light and the blush spreading across his face. 

“Lan Zhan, you will be the death of me someday,” he muttered before squeezing his eyes shut and letting the soft, cool scent of sandalwood lull him back into dreams. 

By the time he woke again, the light had grown bright enough to see Lan Zhan fully the moment he opened his eyes. Which surprised him for a moment, because Lan Zhan, fully dressed and perfectly put-together, should have long since started his day, but instead he was here...continuing to act as Wei Wuxian's pillow.

He also wore his ribbon. Wei Wuxian's gaze dropped to his own wrist, where another ribbon was still tied.

"I carry spares in case one is damaged," Lan Zhan said softly, following Wei Wuxian's gaze. "Good morning, Wei Ying."

"Good morning, Lan Zhan." He levered himself up and soon discovered the smell of cooking congee drifting around them. "Have you been outside yet?"

"I briefly checked the camp when I woke, but I have not been out since your family started waking."

"Didn't want to face them without me?" Wei Wuxian teased. He stood and began going through his morning routine.

Lan Zhan didn't reply, which probably meant yes.

Before putting on his arm guards, Wei Wuxian ran his fingers over the ribbon on his wrist again. "Do you want this back?" he asked.

Lan Zhan took his wrist and slid his arm guard over the top of the ribbon. "I gave it to you, so it is yours. Is it not?"

Wei Wuxian looked at him, his face so calm even after saying such a thing, and tipped forward until his forehead rested against Lan Zhan's neck. "I'm just going to have to get used to this, aren't I?" he murmured.

"Mn," Lan Zhan agreed firmly. He stroked a hand down Wei Wuxian's back, provoking a shiver.

But the longer they stayed in here, the more his parents would tease them when they eventually emerged. Wei Wuxian sighed, pulled back, and finally finished dressing and combing his hair.

Niang was stirring mushrooms into the congee as they walked outside. She lifted her head to greet them, and then she looked at them for a long moment, her eyebrow slowly lifting as one corner of her lips pulled up, before she finally said, "Good morning, A-Xian, Lan Wangji."

Wei Wuxian lifted a hand to wave, not trusting the look on her face. Lan Zhan said, "Good morning, Cangse-sanren."

She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Now that won't do," she scolded. "So formal! You should call us ayi and shushu, Lan Wangji."

Lan Zhan hesitated, looking over at Die, who was chopping scallions. Die smiled before tilting his head and offering, "Unless you want to call us yuefu and yuemu?"

Lan Zhan's eyes widened minutely. Before either he or Wei Wuxian could say anything else, Niang added, "Or popo and gonggong. It's up to you!"

Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Zhan, shrugging when their eyes met. Obviously his parents approved both of their choices and Lan Zhan, which left him open to teasing. 

He could step in if Lan Zhan really wanted him to. But he also knew that Lan Zhan could give as good as he got if he felt like it. 

Lan Zhan lowered his eyes. “Good morning, Ayi,” he said calmly. “Is there some way I may help out?”

Niang immediately motioned for him to come over and taste the congee. “I haven’t spiced it up yet, so you can come tell me how much we need for your tastes before A-Xian spices it for you.”

Lan Zhan nodded and walked over to sit next to her, politely accepting the spoon she was stirring with. 

When Niang and Lan Zhan weren’t looking, Wei Wuxian stuck his tongue out at her. He knew better than to spring his level of spice on Lan Zhan without warning! He’d start him at Meilian’s level and work him up to hotter foods, as was reasonable. 

Die saw him but only smiled softly and motioned for him to come over and help with making the dough for scallion pancakes. Evidently they were being fancy today. 

Wei Wuxian came over and took the bowl, stirring it to Die’s specifications. “I see Niang is in high spirits this morning,” he said, watching his mother happily quizzing Lan Zhan on his exact spice preferences and Lan Zhan slowly relaxing in response. When Lan Zhan looked up at him, Wei Wuxian smiled reassuringly, sensing a momentary pause of teasing during breakfast preparation. 

“Yes,” Die said, holding up finely chopped scallions and tossing them into the bowl with well practiced timing. Not a single one got tossed out onto the ground any more. “We are happy that you have found someone who makes you smile so brightly.”

Wei Wuxian felt his cheeks warm and ducked away from his father’s knowing gaze. "Are we that obvious?" he asked. "Before we met up with Lan Zhan, I know I told you that we hadn't confirmed anything yet."

Die laughed softly. "He is less obvious, but we know you very well," he said. "And it does not take that long to set up the wards. Your mother and I thought the two of you might have...gotten caught up in something else when you didn't come back before we fell asleep."

They had definitely gotten caught up...but his father didn't need to know how right he was. Instead of replying, Wei Wuxian reached out to help roll out the dough and spread the oil and scallions on top.

The scent of frying pancakes seemed to finally draw Meilian from her tent. She was perfectly dressed and her hair tamed when she wandered out, but she was still yawning and rubbing her eyes. She stopped the moment she noticed Lan Zhan, tucking her hand behind her back. "Good morning, Hanguang-jun," she said solemnly.

"Good morning, Wei Meilian," Lan Zhan returned with equal gravity.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Just call her Meilian, Lan Zhan," he said. "Or meimei, if you like. Xiao-meimei, you can call him Lan-ge."

Meilian blinked at him. She sometimes took awhile to fully wake up. She darted one more glance at Lan Zhan, but when he didn't object, she nodded and went to sit by Niang, who handed her a cup of tea.

The scallion pancakes finished at about the same time as the congee. Niang began ladling the congee into bowls as Wei Wuxian passed the pancakes out. When he brought one to her, Meilian murmured a thanks before her gaze fixed on his neck.

"Did something happen last night, Da-ge?" she asked, reaching out to poke a bruise. "Your neck is covered in bruises."

Wei Wuxian clapped a hand to his neck as Niang burst into laughter. So much for his dad's we know you very well -- his parents had probably taken one look at his neck and realized what happened. He'd completely forgotten to tie his robes tighter.

He couldn’t help but look over to Lan Zhan, somewhat accusing. Terrible man, pinning him to trees and marking him up so dramatically. Lan Zhan at least had the grace to look mortified over his actions, though there was still a glimmer in his eyes that suggested he didn’t entirely regret it. 

To be fair, Wei Wuxian didn’t actually have any regrets either. Only that he had not remembered to tie up his robes better to avoid this situation to begin with. 

At least Meilian looked confused as to why their mother was laughing. In fact, she was frowning severely at Niang. Die was doing nothing to help; he had one hand over his mouth in the way that meant he was also laughing at their expense, though at least not as loudly. 

“Why are you laughing?” Meilian demanded of their mother, scowling fiercely. “Neck bruises don’t happen without something dangerous, and his are all dark and fresh! He had to have been bitten by something last night.”

Niang only shook her head, helpless to her own laughter. Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes inwardly as he tried to decide just what to tell his sister who wasn’t going to leave him alone till she understood just what had happened, since obviously no one else was going to help. 

“They’re called love bites,” he said, willing himself to not blush as much as possible. “And you’ll understand why they’re fun when you’re old enough.”

Meilian continued to frown at him in confusion. “Da-ge, what do you mean ‘fun’?” she said with a heavy layer of doubt to her face. “I don’t get it, didn’t it hurt when you got them?”

Wei Wuxian snorted and grinned despite himself. “No, not really,” he admitted. “They don’t hurt now either.”

Lan Zhan’s carefully blanked face grew a touch more proud of himself. Wei Wuxian wanted to go over and kiss him. 

“Meilian,” Die interrupted with a dangerous look in his eyes. “They’re called love bites because they’re given between lovers when kissing and biting each other’s necks.”

Meilian nodded in understanding as the pieces came together in her mind. Then her dawning comprehension was replaced by faint horror and discomfort. “Wait… Da-ge,” she said quietly, looking between him and Lan Zhan. “Did Hanguang-jun bite you?”

"What, should I have bitten myself?" he asked, grinning. As embarrassing as the situation was...it was a little funny, too. "Did you bite me, Meimei?"

"Da-ge!" she complained. She had bitten him quite a lot when she was very young.

He shook his head and waved a pancake. "Come on, everyone. Don't we have better things to do, like eat breakfast before it goes cold?"

"We eat breakfast every day," Niang said, though she did go back to ladling out congee and passing bowls around. "My baby boy does not bring home a cultivation partner every day. You tell me which is more important."

True, Lan Zhan was the more important, but... "Breakfast," Wei Wuxian replied decisively. "Lan Zhan isn't going anywhere, after all."

And no one else really needed to dwell on what he and Lan Zhan did together.

Niang inclined her head, accepting that. "I will allow you to deflect so long as you know it will not save you from future teasing," she said strictly, and Wei Wuxian nodded with a grin. Then, turning to Lan Zhan, Niang continued, "Have we scandalized you with how casual and disrespectful we are, Hanguang-jun?"

Lan Zhan shook his head. "Is it my turn to be the recipient of the teasing?" he asked.

"You and A-Xian can share," Niang informed him generously. "As long as you think you can handle it, of course."

Gracefully, Lan Zhan moved to sit next to Wei Wuxian. "It is a different experience," he said. "But I am finding much worth appreciating."

Wei Wuxian mentally applauded him, though with his hands full, he just briefly pressed their thighs together before shifting a few cun away. His Lan Zhan, so eloquent to address both of Niang's challenges in one statement!

"Well, I guess I'm happy for you, Da-ge," Meilian announced. "But please don't tell me any more about the biting stuff in the future. I know you can't stop yourself from talking about Hanguang...about Lan-ge, but please try to occasionally show your younger sister mercy."

"Then don't ask!" Wei Wuxian retorted. He had no desire to discuss his intimate life with his baby sister. Hopefully now she also knew better than to point anything out! In general, he was glad his parents made a habit of being honest and frank with the two of them even about delicate matters, but there was only so much he wanted his family to know.

It was probably just as well he and Lan Zhan wouldn't regularly be traveling with his family. He didn't actually want Lan Zhan to stop leaving marks either.

Chapter Text

They broke camp shortly after finishing breakfast, setting out a little before wu shi just as he’d expected. Today his mother walked instead of riding, as anyone could see that Lychee was in a mood and that mood was likely to throw people around. She plodded along behind Die sullenly with murder in her eyes.

“Maybe we can find some fierce corpses for Lychee to kick,” Niang mused as they set out. “That always seems to make her feel better.”

No one else even batted an eye besides Lan Zhan, who looked curious more than anything. After a few moments, he stepped closer to Wei Wuxian. “Your donkey will fight fierce corpses?”

Wei Wuxian laughed. “Didn’t I mention something about that to you when we first met?” he said fondly. “I think I did, anyway.”

Lan Zhan confirmed his fuzzy memory with a smile. “You chose a gelding with a temper to ride. I can see now that it is likely he reminded you of Lychee.”

Wei Wuxian snorted. “Yeah, Lychee is fearless when it comes to yao or fierce corpses or anything like that. When Meilian and I were smaller and couldn’t fight so well, and Die and Niang ran into something on the road, they’d leave Lychee to guard us knowing that she’d brain anything that got too close.”

Meilian, overhearing the start of donkey stories, immediately bounded over to chime in. “Da-ge, tell Lan-ge about the time that she went and fought off a measuring snake for us,” she said excitedly, eyes glittering in delight. “Da-ge was fourteen at the time and we’d gone exploring with Lychee while Die and Niang were busy investigating a town for some reason.”

Wei Wuxian reached over and tugged at her cheek playfully. “Are you telling the story or am I?” he teased, and she giggled and pushed him away. “We hadn’t even gone that far from the village yet; we were really just wanting to play since it was a nice spring day. And Lychee was our self-appointed babysitter, so she came trotting after us.”

Lan Zhan hummed lightly, amusement and warmth in his eyes. He said nothing, but Wei Wuxian knew he was waiting for the rest of the story.

“We’d found a patch of flowers to play in and for Lychee to eat when we suddenly heard a weird hissing noise,” Meilian said, eyes wide. “We thought it was a regular snake at first, and Da-ge didn’t even have his sword yet so we tried to sneak off. Then it got in front of us.”

"Of course, they're not dangerous to things taller than they are, so I had Meilian stand on my shoulders," Wei Wuxian continued. "Unfortunately, she was so small that didn't help much--"

"--you weren't exactly tall either, Da-ge--"

Wei Wuxian lightly flicked Meilian's ear. "--so it ended up taller than us. I didn't have a sword yet, but of course I'd still had my martial arts training, so I tried to fight it off, but I'm sure you know how hard those scales are."

"After that, we tried to run," Meilian said, "but that's when Lychee came galloping in. She kicked the snake in the face as it was lunging at us." Meilian kicked out right there in the road to demonstrate.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "The snake was taller than Lychee too, so it tried to come back around...but she just kept kicking it every time it got close. Even when it tried to coil around her, she just kept walking on it and kicking it."

"Eventually it decided we weren't worth the trouble and left," Meilian concluded, shooting a fond look at the donkey.

"And when we told Die and Niang later, they finally agreed to give me a sword."

"And I was allowed to get mine even younger," Meilian added smugly.

"An inestimable donkey," Lan Zhan agreed, stepping around some of the presents she'd left in the road as they were talking.

"Meilian even called her Lychee-jie when she was younger," Wei Wuxian told Lan Zhan, pretending to whisper but still loud enough for his sister to hear.

"She's part of the family, Da-ge, stop teasing me for that!" Meilian complained.

"She is getting older, though," Niang said from in front of them. "Older and even more crotchety. I'm not sure what we'll do when she's too old to reasonably come with us any longer."

"We can't really give or sell her to anyone. No one will want to take a donkey that can't work," Die agreed, reaching out to rest a hand on her head and snatching it back when she snapped her teeth at him. "We might just settle down for her final years."

After a moment, Lan Zhan said, "...She could be cared for in the Cloud Recesses. Killing of anything, including animals, is not permitted, so animals the clan owns live out their natural years within the grounds."

Niang blinked in surprise before smiling happily. “She will bite, and she’s much calmer around us than she is around strangers,” she warned, careful to not gesture too close to Lychee. “Are you certain you want to take her on?”

Lan Zhan nodded, and his face softened a little. “She clearly has been a treasured member of your family for many years. It would be my honor to make certain that she is well cared for during her twilight years.”

Niang looked at him for a moment, eyes searching for something in him. Then the small wrinkles at the corners of her eyes came into prominence. “You really are a very good man, Lan Wangji.”

Lan Zhan looked down at the ground demurely and didn’t say anything else. Wei Wuxian could see the hint of pink on his ears, smiled and bumped his hand with his own, but didn’t call attention to it for anyone.

That little treat of Lan Zhan’s fair ears was just for him.

--

A little after midday, their ascent towards Xiaolongmen Forest started to grow steeper, with the path they had taken becoming rockier and less traveled. It wasn’t a true challenge for any of them, since they were all used to difficult roads and rocky hillsides, but it made conversation a bit more difficult.

Lychee cheered up with the challenge, trotting up the trail as though she were a donkey twenty years younger and kicking dirt into their faces in the process. Even Lan Zhan wasn’t exempt from the gift of dirt today; while it didn’t stick to his robes, Wei Wuxian had to pick out a scrap of pine branch that had been artfully kicked into his hair.

“How much further do we have to go?” Meilian asked their father when they stopped for a water break by a small stream, already pulling off her shoes to go wading in the frigid waters. “We’ve been climbing up all day.”

Die considered the question carefully, his lips moving slightly as he thought through his mental map. “If we keep pushing, we will likely make it there a little after nightfall,” he said after a while. “I had hoped to get there sooner, but it’s late enough in the year that night comes early.”

Meilian sighed dramatically, wading into the water without a single flinch at the chill. “And of course it’s going to be all spooky and dark around the forest when we first get there. We won’t even get to see it properly until daytime.”

Niang tsked at her from where she was gently pulling a burr out of Lychee’s coat, prepared to snatch her hand away should there be any indication of biting coming up. “That’s what makes it the most fun,” she said sagely. “If night hunting were to be done during the day, then we wouldn’t call it night hunting.”

Wei Wuxian sputtered with laughter. “Niang, weren’t you telling me about how on your last hunt, you had to chase down a yao that only showed up when the sun was out? How did you achieve that at night?”

Niang threw the burr at him. "Unfilial child!" she complained. "You know very well that was an exception! The cheek you give your mother! You should reflect on yourself and mend your behavior."

Wei Wuxian raised three fingers to the sky. "I will never contradict my mother again," he promised solemnly.

"Unless she's wrong," Die added.

"Changze!"

Wei Wuxian looked over at Lan Zhan, who continued to watch his family's interactions with interest. Maybe even appreciation? They were certainly not treating him as an outsider. Yet he didn't seem disturbed, even though Wei Wuxian was sure he was far more formal with his own family.

Catching Lan Zhan's eye, he wandered up the stream a little, where he was still within sight of his family but would be capable of having a quieter conversation. Lan Zhan followed him, stopping beside him as he crouched to drag his fingers through the water. He shivered dramatically, whining, "Cold!" as he pulled his hand out to wave it at Lan Zhan, once again straightening.

To his delight, Lan Zhan took his hand to warm it between both of his. Ducking his head to look up at Lan Zhan through his eyelashes -- which unfortunately didn't work quite as well as he'd hoped, given they were practically the same height -- Wei Wuxian said, "You don't mind the cold, Lan Zhan?"

Though his hand was warmer now, Lan Zhan didn't let go. "In the Cloud Recesses, I am accustomed to cultivating in our Cold Pond," he replied. "It is many degrees colder than this."

"The diligent Hanguang-jun." Wei Wuxian nodded in approval. "It sounds like the Cloud Recesses--"

"Oi, mandarin ducks!" Niang called. "I know you love the water, but it's time to move on!"

Wei Wuxian sighed as he took his hand back. "I do want to hear more about the Cloud Recesses sometime," he told Lan Zhan as they rejoined his family. "It's always sounded very peaceful."

"So long as your mother is not there," Die said, prompting Niang to whack his shoulder.

“You make it sound like I do it on purpose,” she protested, propping her hands on her hips. “I’m just not meant for a quiet life like the Lan and all their books and rules. Watch me, I’ll be all silver and bent double and still running circles around the children.”

Meilian was hopping on one foot as she tried to get her shoes back on. Lan Zhan looked as if he were about to walk over to offer her a steadying arm or some advice, but Wei Wuxian stopped him. “Trust me, she knows,” he said in the wise voice of the older brother who had been rebuffed enough times. “She’s still going to do it her own way no matter what.”

Sure enough, as they watched, she got her shoes pulled back on and immediately went running after their parents and Lychee, leaving them to bring up the rear.

He didn’t mind at all though; it was a chance to spend more time with Lan Zhan, even if their climb was currently uneven enough to make conversation tricky.

“Have you been through this part of Qinghe before?” he asked as they crossed over a large root in the road, Lan Zhan stepping delicately around it, Wei Wuxian hopping over it. “I don’t love the cold, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been up here.”

“It has been some time for me as well,” Lan Zhan said. “The jianghu is large, and it is difficult to cover every area in a reasonable frame of time.”

“Yeah, we can’t be everywhere at once,” he said, looking up at his family, navigating what looked like a muddy patch in the road. “It’s part of why I started traveling on my own once I was old enough to get myself back out of trouble once I found it.”

Lan Zhan merely hummed lightly, but a smile flickered momentarily in his eyes. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help returning it. Even if he never had anything to say in response, it felt as though he always was interested in whatever Wei Wuxian wanted to talk about.

Filled with a tickling of mischief, he chose to let it out by hopping onto one stone that had probably slid down in some summer storm, then to another, balancing easily on the uneven rocks. “How old were you when you first started traveling around?” he asked, turning to look at Lan Zhan, who had decided to remain on the solid earth like the silly fuddy-duddy that he was. “Lan-er-gege out traveling the world, you must have had your sword at least, but how soon after you got your courtesy name?”

Lan Zhan kept pace with him as he hopped from rock to rock. "After my Guan Li, I traveled and hunted regularly with other junior disciples. I was seventeen when I began hunting more often on my own."

Wei Wuxian felt a burst of delight at the similarity. "Me too!" There were no more convenient rocks, so he returned to the path. "Well, traveling on my own at seventeen, at least. Before that I just stayed with my family."

"Is Meilian planning to hunt on her own when she is older?" Lan Zhan asked, looking ahead at Meilian walking now with a hand on Lychee's back.

"Actually, she's hoping to apprentice to Wen Qing," Wei Wuxian replied, smiling a little. "And Wen Qing has said she'll take her when Meilian is a little older. We're all glad that she doesn't really want to hunt by herself the way I did. Things are different for men and women, after all. It's more dangerous for women to travel by themselves. Even my mother went to the Cloud Recesses lectures to meet people after coming down the mountain, rather than traveling a lot on her own."

"Doctor Wen should take care of her," Lan Zhan offered.

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Yes, we trust her. She'll be able to take care of Meilian and teach her well. And I tease my sister about her foraging, but I think she'll be a very good doctor."

"How did you meet Wen Qing?" Lan Zhan asked next.

More rocks appeared on the side of the road, so Wei Wuxian jumped up again, enjoying the fond look Lan Zhan favored him with as he did. "Oh, that's actually a bit of a story," he said, sticking his foot out and balancing on the other before leaping forward. "When I was very young, a few years before Meilian was born, my parents were hunting something near Yiling, and they actually got overwhelmed. They almost died, and they said they would have if Wen Qing's parents hadn't joined Wen-zongzhu's patrols keeping an eye on the Yiling Burial Mounds. They found my parents, and Wen Qing's mom was also a doctor, so she took care of my parents as they healed. I got to know Qing-jie and A-Ning during that time, and my family have kept in contact with the Wens ever since."

Lan Zhan paused briefly. "It is very lucky that they were there," he commented.

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Oh, it scared the hell out of my parents," he said cheerfully. "After that, while Meilian and I were still young, they tried to only take easier hunts. But it also helped that we grew close enough to the Wens that they probably would have taken us in, had something really happened to my parents."

"I am very glad you had them, then," Lan Zhan replied, looking up at him softly.

Jumping from rock to rock no longer sufficed to express his feelings. He stopped, waiting until Lan Zhan had passed a little ahead of him, before he leapt onto Lan Zhan's back, hugging him around his neck and shoulders. Despite the sudden weight, Lan Zhan remained steady until Wei Wuxian set himself back down on his feet.

When he went to pull away and return to jumping on rocks, Lan Zhan surprised him in return by grabbing his hand and holding it firmly. His eyes practically glittered, pinning Wei Wuxian in place with the weight of his gaze.

Wei Wuxian felt the breath leave his lungs in an excited whoosh as Lan Zhan raised his captured hand to his lips, all of the same intensity of emotion that had led Wei Wuxian to jump on his back captured in his eyes. His lips were soft and warm across Wei Wuxian’s knuckles and for a moment Wei Wuxian thought his knees might genuinely give out.

It was a chaste and romantic kiss to his knuckles; there wasn’t even any tongue involved! Yet it left him as breathless and pleasantly pudding-brained as their kisses the night before.

Terrible man. There was no way that Wei Wuxian was ever going to get used to this level of romanticism.

Though truthfully, he never really wanted to get used to it either. The thought of Lan Zhan continuing to surprise him with kisses and affection when he least expected it for the rest of what would undoubtedly be long lives warmed him through as thoroughly as a bonfire in winter.

When Lan Zhan pulled away, his eyes were warm and filled with a mischief all his own. Wei Wuxian belatedly realized that he was both blushing and his mouth was hanging open a bit. He closed his mouth and glared without any real heat, but it did nothing to quell the laughter in Lan Zhan’s eyes.

“Come,” Lan Zhan said while Wei Wuxian attempted to regain the faculties that Lan Zhan had so cruelly stolen from him. “We have fallen behind.”

“And whose fault was that?” he demanded, finally finding his voice again, even if it was a bit hoarse. “I hope you’re prepared for more teasing if they’ve noticed yet.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said unhelpfully, but he also kept a tight hold on Wei Wuxian’s hand, only shifting his grip when Wei Wuxian turned his hand about till their fingers were laced together.

He’d caught Wei Wuxian by the hand that was still tied up in his ribbon, and the white tails that hung loose were now entwined in their fingers as well. It was almost as unbearably romantic as the man walking beside him.

Wei Wuxian could feel nothing but giddiness as they moved to catch up to his family. So far, it was turning out to be the most wonderful adventure with Lan Zhan yet.

--

Die’s estimations of distance won out once again. The sun was fully set by the time that Xiaolongmen Forest could be seen in the distance, a much darker, foreboding smudge of shadow ahead of them on the path. Wei Wuxian itched to go explore it.

However, while they did likely need to explore the forest at night to get to the bottom of what was happening, that didn't need to happen right off. It would be better to talk to the nearby villagers and first take a look at the forest during the day, when anything dangerous was more likely to be quiescent.

Thankfully, while the darkened smudge was close, a more welcoming scene of lighted buildings was even closer. Night had fully fallen by the time they walked into a village whose sign under the moonlight read Xiaolongmencun. From there, it didn't take long to find the inn. Any stables weren't visible from the street, so Die stayed with Lychee while the rest of them went inside.

Only a few people lingered in the common room downstairs, so they were able to get the innkeeper's attention right away. "Travelers passing through?" he asked as he took out his record book.

Niang shook her head. "We're cultivators who have heard a few rumors about your forest there," she said. "Assuming we're in the right place, we're planning to stay until we've resolved the issue."

"Ah!" The innkeeper bowed to them. "No one's died yet, and we're far enough out of the way that we hadn't expected anyone to come. Thank you, madam. Now, how many rooms will you be wanting?"

Niang looked back, her eyes lingering slightly on Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan. Turning back to the innkeeper, she said, "Three, please." Then she lowered her voice -- but not so far that Wei Wuxian couldn't hear her continue, "If one of those could be some distance from the other two, I think we'd all appreciate it."

Niang.

Of course, Wei Wuxian had wanted that himself, but it was far more embarrassing for his mother to arrange it for him. He snuck a look at Lan Zhan, whose face of course hadn't changed but whose ears had reddened. The sight drained away his own embarrassment. So what if his parents knew what they wanted? At least they were making things easier rather than more difficult.

The innkeeper looked confused, but he marked a notation in his book and called for a teenage boy to show them to their rooms. Before she went, though, Niang added, "We also have a donkey, if you have some place for her."

"We do have a small stable," the innkeeper agreed. "My boy can show you when you've found your rooms."

The two rooms for Niang and Die and for Meilian were closer. Wei Wuxian paused a little as the boy beckoned him and Lan Zhan on further, and Niang poked his shoulder. "Practicing dual cultivation is nothing to be ashamed of, A-Xian," she said, at least keeping her voice low. "Why, your father and I--"

He hurried forward and caught up with the boy before she could finish.

Fortunately the other room the innkeeper was able to book for them was sufficiently far away from his family; it was tucked away near the back. “It’s a bit smaller than the ones on the other side,” the boy said, sounding a little apologetic. “But it is far away from the others.”

“Thank you,” Lan Zhan said warmly. “It will do well.”

The boy nodded in relief and trotted back over to his family, swiftly being redirected into going outside in order to show Die and Lychee where to go.

“Hopefully Lychee behaves,” Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath, very familiar with their donkey’s opinions of everyone outside of their family and how low it was. It showed that even Lychee had the good sense to think well of Lan Zhan, since she hadn’t tried to step on him or bite him.

Eventually she probably would; none of them were immune to her opinions in the long run. But she had been behaving herself so far and he was very pleased with that.

Niang went back over to the innkeeper while they were waiting and Meilian came over, weariness clear on her face. “I’m going to bed,” she announced with great gravitas. “Niang and Die are going to have dinner in their room and a bath first. Are you and Lan-ge going to do the same?”

Wei Wuxian bit the inside of his lip to keep from grinning. “Yes, I think so,” he said, keeping his voice as even as possible. “I think I still have dirt in my hair from yesterday,” he teased, even though it was definitely long gone.

Meilian’s cheeks puffed up in agitation. “Agh-, you- you’re so rude, Da-ge!” she sputtered indignantly. “Good night.”

She stomped off a few li before remembering that Lan Zhan was with him and she was trying to make a good impression on him still, turning around and bowing sheepishly. “And good night to you too, Lan-ge.”

Lan Zhan bowed back to her sweetly, amusement clear as day on his face. “Good night, Meilian. Good rest to you.”

Meilian flushed a little and hastily retreated to the room adjacent to their parents, disappearing inside before anyone else could tease her.

With Niang occupied with arranging their evening accommodations, Wei Wuxian thought that there likely wouldn’t be a better chance for them to do the same than right now.

He leaned around Lan Zhan to open the door, catching his sleeve in two fingers and giving it a couple tugs before Lan Zhan got the hint and followed him into the room quietly. Niang never looked over once that he could see before he eased the door shut as quietly as he could manage.

The moment he had the latch secured, he found himself pinned to the door.

Already they were getting better at kissing. Now they could angle their faces to make it easier, moving their lips and tongues to provoke the most delicious shivers. Lan Zhan still nipped his lips every time he moved away even slightly, as if he wanted Wei Wuxian to remember him there even in the brief pauses, and Wei Wuxian wanted to take him in and hold him there forever.

Lan Zhan held him tight against the door. Wei Wuxian wriggled a little, just to test, and had a moment to delight in how closely he was captured. But then Lan Zhan pulled back. "Wei Ying?" he murmured.

"Where are you going?" Wei Wuxian whined, tugging at his robes. "Come back here!"

"You...tried to move," Lan Zhan said. He didn't budge.

"Not to move," Wei Wuxian explained quickly, trying to get him back. "Just to feel it. I love it when you hold me so tightly! So come back and do it again."

Lan Zhan did not come back immediately, but he stared hotly at Wei Wuxian in a way that was also good. His normally light eyes had darkened, and his whole attention was fixed on Wei Wuxian.

"You said you wanted dinner and a bath," Lan Zhan said. "Shall I request them?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "I just said that to get rid of Meilian," he replied. "She didn't need to know what we were actually planning to do tonight." Then he thought of something. "Unless -- are you hungry? Do you want dinner and a bath?"

Lan Zhan reached up to Wei Wuxian's ponytail, stroking through his hair before tugging at his ribbon. "Unnecessary," he rumbled. "They can wait."

Cultivators with their strength did not need to eat as regularly as civilians, and he had had a bath the previous morning -- and seemed likely to get dirty again very soon. Yes, dinner and a bath could wait.

The knot came loose, and Lan Zhan tugged the ribbon away. Wei Wuxian's hair came tumbling down, drifting across his shoulders and back. Lan Zhan ran his hands through it as Wei Wuxian watched him, those lithe fingers gathering and taming it. A few times he tugged a little, and Wei Wuxian's mouth dropped open as he did.

In return, Wei Wuxian reached up to pull at the knot tying Lan Zhan's forehead ribbon. When this one came loose, he wrapped it around his other wrist. Then he took a step forward until he and Lan Zhan were pressed chest-to-chest.

"Come on, Lan Zhan," he breathed. "I think you should pin me down again."

And Lan Zhan did, though this time not to the door.

--

The next morning would have been perfect were it not for the rude assault of sunlight when he was in the middle of a really good dream. Wei Wuxian grumbled and rolled over away from the evil light, pulling the blanket over his head and seeking out the warmth of his bedmate.

His fingers closed on empty sheets, though they still bore some of the warmth of their previous inhabitant in them, and he pouted beneath the blanket. How was he supposed to wake up if Lan Zhan wasn’t there to cuddle him patiently until he felt awake enough to brave the day?

They’d been up late again, exploring every inch of each other and learning all the tiny intimacies of skin on skin. There were points when Wei Wuxian felt as though his whole body was nothing but sensitive nerves, responding dramatically to even the lightest touches and leaving him whimpering and delightfully exhausted at the end.

In the end, they’d skipped dinner and shared an evening bath, kissing and lounging languorously in the hot water until it had gone cold and Wei Wuxian was nearly asleep on Lan Zhan’s chest. He barely remembered getting into bed, only the soothing, grounding sensation of all the long lines of Lan Zhan’s body against his and his fingers tangled in Wei Wuxian’s hair.

It had been a wondrous way to fall asleep. He had no doubt that if he’d woken up before Lan Zhan had risen, it would have been the best morning he’d ever experienced.

He did suspect that Lan Zhan hadn’t been away for very long. It might have even been only as short a time as it took for him to have someone remove the old bath water and tidy himself up for the day. The sheets were still warm when he ran his hand over them.

It still felt too early to deal with the day alone, however, so he burrowed further under the blanket and squeezed his eyes shut once more.

After what might have been a few minutes, or possibly much longer -- it was hard to track the passage of time from under his blanket cocoon -- he felt gentle, cool, lightly calloused fingers run over the top of his head.

"Lan Zhan, you abandoned me," he mumbled. "Love me and leave me, hmm?"

Lan Zhan continued tracing around his hair and face. He wrinkled his brow a little as it got so light as to be ticklish, but then Lan Zhan added a little more pressure and it was perfect. So affectionate and soothing. "I thought you would not wake yet," Lan Zhan replied softly.

"It's because you left," Wei Wuxian scolded, though more likely the light had woken him. "This means you're not allowed to get up before I'm awake anymore."

"Will you be rising at mao shi, then?"

"Nooooo." Wei Wuxian rolled and buried his face in Lan Zhan's thigh. "So cruel to me, Lan Zhan."

"Am I?"

Hearing something intriguing in his voice, and remembering the last time he'd called Lan Zhan cruel, Wei Wuxian peeked upwards to meet Lan Zhan's intense gaze. He shivered and was immediately aware that he was still naked. His whole body seemed to tingle.

Well. They didn't have to be up just yet. He tugged Lan Zhan back down.

When he finally was ready to get out of bed for the day, the two of them still couldn't help but linger over getting ready. He tied Lan Zhan's ribbon on for him, which provoked another intense gaze that almost sent them back into bed. They managed to resist, but Wei Wuxian had to banish Lan Zhan to the other side of the room as he cleaned himself up and dressed.

After he made certain all the marks on his shoulders and chest were thoroughly covered up, he shook out his hair and took up his comb to deal with the tangles. However, Lan Zhan came back over and took the comb from his hand. He settled Wei Wuxian down in front of him and began gently running the comb through his hair.

Lan Zhan was so careful. He teased the teeth through the tangles, working from the bottom up. He combed over and over until every stroke went through smoothly and Wei Wuxian felt the sleekness and glossiness of his hair. When Lan Zhan finally set the comb aside and tied up his customary ponytail, Wei Wuxian swiveled around to wrap his arms around Lan Zhan's waist and bury his face against his stomach before he could step away.

Lan Zhan paused for a second before settling his arm around Wei Wuxian’s shoulders, holding him close. The subtle scent of sandalwood enveloped him, making him smile at Lan Zhan, who enjoyed the smell of incense so much that it had permeated into all of his robes and Wei Wuxian’s mind.

“Are you sure we can’t stay in here instead of going and wandering around a haunted forest?” he mumbled into Lan Zhan’s stomach, indulging himself in a little whining before they had to return to the world outside. “Surely it can wait one more day?”

Lan Zhan made a soft sound, warm and fond. His thumb ran over Wei Wuxian’s shoulder comfortingly. “It will be nice to return at the end of the day.”

Wei Wuxian sighed dramatically and nuzzled into Lan Zhan’s stomach for a few more moments before letting him go. “I suppose we should go out and do good things and explore the forest.”

Lan Zhan adjusted his robes from where Wei Wuxian had mussed them up with his nuzzling. Wei Wuxian checked that the white ribbon he’d claimed as his own was tied firmly beneath his arm guard, and they set out together into the world.

Surprisingly, they were actually the first of his family to be up and about in the main area. When Wei Wuxian asked, the innkeeper’s wife confirmed that neither his parents nor his sister had left their room yet. “If you’d like, we can have someone go around to wake them?” she offered, eyes dropping to their swords. “Daylight leaves early in the forest, so you’ll want all the time you can manage.”

“Thank you, but we should be fine,” Wei Wuxian assured her with a smile. “We will need to see what’s happening after the light fades too.”

She frowned slightly but seemed to understand enough of cultivators to know that he was serious. “Is there some way that we can assist you and your companions?” she asked. “If it’s possible for us to assist, we’d like to help.”

“I’m sure there will be other things, but the first thing you can assist us with is breakfast,” Wei Wuxian said with a laugh. While he hadn’t cared last night about skipping dinner, the amount of energy they’d spent rolling about in the sheets had left him with quite the appetite now.

The frown cleared from her face. “Of course. That’ll be out shortly,” she said with relief. “Please choose any table you’d like.”

Wei Wuxian picked one further away from the paper windows to the east, motioning for Lan Zhan to sit down right next to him. “Hanguang-jun, you really wore me out last night,” he whined playfully. “I’m famished this morning.”

Lan Zhan looked down carefully at his lap and didn’t say anything, but Wei Wuxian just knew that he was smirking.

They likely wouldn’t be waiting too much longer for his family to wake up. While the sun had been cruel and gotten him up too early, they’d still spent a while laying around themselves. Then they could decide on which courses of action they intended to start with on investigating the forest and move from there.

Sure enough, a few minutes after they settled down, Meilian’s door opened. She thumped down the stairs in a way she might not have had there been more people there, and she slumped forward when she reached their table and sat down.

Remembering Lan Qiren's gift, Wei Wuxian smirked a little. The Lan Clan would not approve of her posture, though thankfully Lan Zhan himself appeared to view her theatrical morning despair more fondly. "Sleep well, Meimei?" Wei Wuxian asked pointedly.

"You're certainly cheerful for this hour," she grumbled, her eyes half-closed.

"Lan Zhan has been up since mao shi," Wei Wuxian told her. "His whole clan gets up then."

"Good thing I'm not a Lan," she replied. "Being up this early just feels unnatural."

Lan Zhan's eyebrows drew in slightly. "It...is almost si shi," he said.

"Die is the only one of us who doesn't mind being up before si shi," Wei Wuxian explained, smiling a little. "The rest of us...prefer starting our day a little later, shall we say. I'm surprised he at least isn't already down here, though," he added, looking back upstairs at his parents' room.

"It's been a few xun since we stayed in an inn," Meilian said. "Die and Niang are probably also grateful to have a real bed again."

The innkeeper's wife, Madam Lu, came by again with their breakfasts before Die and Niang appeared. However, Madam Lu also had the additional breakfasts ready when Die and Niang finally made it downstairs, and Niang immediately tore into her youtiao almost before she'd even sat down.

"I beat you downstairs," Meilian informed them, now far more awake and eating a second youtiao.

"Good job, A-Lian," Niang said sleepily, reaching out to pat her head and more patting her ear. "For your prize, you get to choose what you and Die do today. Would you rather talk to the villagers or check out the forest?"

"Forest!" she chirped. "I don't need to be the one safely talking to people all the time, you know. I want to explore the forest."

Niang looked at Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan. "And I suppose you'd also prefer the forest," she observed. "Leaving me all on my own to talk to people here?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged a little. "Meilian did beat you downstairs, but we beat her." He shot a quick glance at Lan Zhan. "Though if the first person ready for the day always gets to choose, then Lan Zhan and I might always win."

"Right, right, that rule mandating when to get up," Niang groaned. She poked Die. "That just means you're going to have to get up before Lan Wangji."

"That will only be useful if you partner with me for the day, Airen," Die pointed out fondly. "Otherwise, you may be stuck with the leftovers."

Niang made a face at him, but she couldn’t quite stop herself from smiling in the process. “How terrible indeed,” she complained. “I’m sure we can come up with some sort of solution so that I’m not always stuck with the boring job. All of you will get to explore our creepy forest before I do,” she added plaintively.

Wei Wuxian couldn’t resist leaning in close to Lan Zhan’s ear and explaining the joke to him. “Usually I’m the one who wakes up last,” he said in a whisper, “so you saved us from another day wandering around in town talking to people.”

Lan Zhan frowned slightly. “I would have not minded that,” he said back just as quietly.

“I know, I know,” Wei Wuxian said, leaning against his side and looking up at Lan Zhan through his eyelashes with no shame. “But I want to go exploring creepy forests with you.”

Lan Zhan looked down at him, then down at the table instead. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help grinning in delight when he saw the faint flush of pink in his earlobes. Really, Lan Zhan was just too irresistible, especially when flustered.

“Okay, mandarin ducks, that’s enough of that over my breakfast,” Niang complained, tossing a scrap of youtiao their way. “Go be cute in the spooky forest instead.”

Wei Wuxian caught the little dough bit and immediately threw it so it landed in Meilian’s hair instead. His little sister let out a squawk of indignity and prepared to toss it back in his direction before Die took the offending scrap away and put an end to their shenanigans before they could really get started.

Niang sat up straight and composed, as if she hadn’t just been throwing things at her only son a few seconds before, and started moving dishes aside to clear the table. “Since we don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with in the forest, we should have some plans of action before we split up.”

Wei Wuxian sat up properly as she spoke, shifting into night hunting focus. “Didn’t you say that you had some suspicions about something moving into the woods before, Niang?”

His mother nodded. “At first, anyway. And I’m not willing to rule it out before we know more about what’s in the woods. But we shouldn’t assume it’s anything specific just yet. Just because most of the wild things of the world have disappeared doesn’t mean they won’t come back.”

“Qishan Wen assumed the Xuanwu of Slaughter to be slain and gone, but it reappeared when they least expected it,” Die added. “It is best to tread cautiously till we know what we’re dealing with.”

"And it's best to continue to keep an open mind," Niang said. "We can start narrowing down options when we've had a chance to see for ourselves what's happening in there."

"Everyone has a compass, so hopefully we'll be able to pick up the trail of whatever it is," Wei Wuxian said.

"But that forest is so big," Meilian pointed out, whining a little. "Da-ge, the compasses only cover ten li. The forest is many times that, so we're probably going to have to explore pretty deeply to pick up a trail."

"Maybe, but there have been things close enough to the edge for the villagers to report an issue," Wei Wuxian replied.

"True, but Meilian does make a good point," Niang said. "It is a very big forest, so we're all going to have to take care not to get lost. The deeper we go, the harder it will be to find our way back if we get turned around, even if we fly out and try to return to the village using swords. Pay attention and mark your trails."

"And with your mother still in the village today, there will be someone who can see a flare and come to your rescue, so don't hesitate to set one off if you find yourself in over your head," Die said, looking each of them in the eye. "This first day should just be a preliminary examination of the forest, but we never know what might happen."

"We should meet back here for the evening meal around sunset," Niang went on. "At that point, we can discuss who will stay in the village and who will investigate the forest at night."

"I still want the forest," Meilian immediately said.

Niang flicked her gently on her forehead. "I said we'll decide tonight. We don't know what will happen during the day. What if you find information you want to check with someone in the village? Patience and flexibility, A-Lian."

Meilian slumped a little, darting a quick glance at Lan Zhan before turning her attention to Die. "Are we ready, then?"

Die nodded, and everyone began to stand up and head for the door, except for Niang, who stayed behind to talk to the innkeeper and his family. Out on the street, Wei Wuxian let his father and sister move ahead of them while he walked beside Lan Zhan.

"You were even quieter than usual in there," he commented. "Did we not give you a chance to say anything?"

Lan Zhan shook his head, his eyes soft and fond. "I would have spoken had I needed to," he replied. "Your family has a rhythm, and I enjoyed listening to it."

Wei Wuxian smiled. “We’ve all been doing this for a long time, really,” he said with his own fondness as he looked ahead at his father and sister, Meilian practically bouncing with excitement about getting to explore the forest. “It’s easy to fall into a rhythm that works after that long.”

Lan Zhan hummed softly. His eyes were warm and fond when they landed on Wei Wuxian and he could read exactly what Lan Zhan was thinking, because it was a feeling he shared.

They had both journeyed with their families, and then alone for a long time. Now their paths had joined together at last.

Chapter Text

The town swiftly gave way to a small outcropping of mostly harvested fields, with several farmers working their way through the last of the fall crops to store them away before winter set in. Just beyond the fields, the forest loomed ahead of them, dark and old with only the green needles of the pines still bright in the eastern sunlight at their backs. 

Just looking at it made Wei Wuxian understand the reports of dread that they’d overheard. Even from a distance, he could feel this sense of wrongness emanating from the barren trees.

This far north in Qinghe, all of the trees should have been barren and leafless for the winter, with only the strong pines still standing with green needles to soak in the fading sun. At a first glance, this impression could hold up; a few stray brown leaves still clung stubbornly to some branches, the sunlight gleamed off of solid wood, and the plants scattered around the base of the trees had also begun to sink into winter hibernation.

But there were no birds in the bare branches above; not a single cluster of leaves that made up nests could be seen. Just past the initial treeline, thick vines coiled around the trees with glossy, green leaves that seemed more fitted for summer, strangling the life from the trees as they climbed for the heavens. The ground was damp, and there were patches of dirt that could be seen from where they stood just outside of the treeline, but there was not a single animal track to be seen.

It was a forest that should have been asleep, but it seemed as though it were dying instead. Wei Wuxian had walked through many forests in his travels. Not a single one of them had ever been so eerily silent.

Die let out a soft sigh, standing next to them with his arms crossed. In front of them lay a path into the wood, somewhat overgrown in recent times. Wei Wuxian had no doubts that normally fall would be the time when that path was most broken in by the villagers hunting and foraging to bolster their winter supplies, but it was clear that no one had been brave enough to tread into the woods this autumn. 

Even the soft breeze rippling through the trees didn’t seem to make a sound. Even for Wei Wuxian’s taste in night hunts, it was eerie. 

It certainly wasn’t enough to put him off from the hunt, though. In contrast, he was more excited than ever to discover just what sort of thing could make a forest feel so off putting just from looking at it. 

“We will have an easier time covering ground if we split up here,” Die said, already pulling out his own compass. Wei Wuxian recognized it as the first one he’d made that worked, even though it was horribly simple and really a prototype of even the model that he’d given Lan Zhan. He’d tried to get his father to accept one of his newer ones, but Die’s stubborn streak had won out and he still used the very first one with pride. “Lan Wangji, as the one who arose first this morning, would you prefer to travel north or south along the forest edge?”

Lan Zhan looked up and down the forest's edge, but he seemed to find no difference and said, "I will defer to you."

"Then let's go north, shall we?" Die smiled at Meilian and put a hand on her shoulder, and she straightened and nodded. "We'll see you around sunset."

"Have fun!" Wei Wuxian called as he and Lan Zhan began walking south, and from behind him, Die laughed.

Several slightly overgrown trails branched out as they passed the treeline, including a number heading south, evidence of the use this forest saw in previous years. The plants still grew -- the moss on the trees and carpeting the ground, the strange vines, the evergreen shrubs all seemed to be flourishing. Lichen and mushrooms covered rocks and fallen tree trunks and branches and spread in wide, increasingly dense swathes the deeper they walked.

"Have you seen anything like this before?" Wei Wuxian asked Lan Zhan, eyeing the mushrooms.

"Not on such a scale," Lan Zhan replied, likewise glancing around. "I have encountered malevolent yao living in a forest, and they similarly intimidated or chased away the forest's other inhabitants. That part of the forest also gave me...a disquieting feeling. But it was also restricted to only part of the forest."

"This one might similarly have a range," Wei Wuxian said. "A very big range, maybe, but still not the whole forest, no matter how pervasive it feels."

The compass indicated there was resentful energy within range, but the pointer swiveled as it seemed to indicate the whole of the deeper forest. Once they got deep enough, Wei Wuxian wondered if it would latch onto the strongest source or if it would revolve in a circle to point to all the energy surrounding it, mimicking its behavior when there was no detectable energy nearby. It was supposed to find the strongest source when forced to choose, but he had never actually been completely surrounded by resentful energy before. The closest had been passing too close to Yiling's Burial Mounds.

They walked, boots occasionally crunching through decaying leaves. When Wei Wuxian looked down, most of the leaves seemed to be paler than those outside the forest. They were similarly orange, red, brown, but duller shades.

Finally, the compass seemed to latch onto a stronger source of energy. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan followed it, and within a quarter shichen, they ran into a single shambling corpse, leaning against a large tree.

Wei Wuxian put one hand on his hip and tapped his lips with the other. "Now, where did you come from?"

The shambling corpse did not reply, too decomposed to even groan and moan the way its more hale companions would. Nevertheless, it reacted to their yang energy, swinging out an arm loosely in their direction. 

Wei Wuxian was somewhat surprised that its arm didn’t come flying off, it was that worn down. He stood in place and watched the shambling corpse attempt to swipe out at them without moving. 

Lan Zhan made no initial moves to put it down, though he suspected that Lan Zhan would probably want to make sure it was cared for once they’d finished ascertaining just what it was about this one corpse that seemed so odd. 

It wasn’t that it didn’t want to shamble over to them and get a few gulps of yang energy -- it clearly wanted that more than anything. But it had either been resting against the tree for so long that the plants had grown over it, or something had ensnared it after it had died the first time. One of the thick vines was wrapped around its ankles, and a scattering of thick white mushrooms with red, damp-looking dots in it had grown up through its feet. 

As low-level a corpse as it was, it had no chance of fighting its way free of the plants, let alone the two of them. It made for a very sad shambling corpse, but it was a good chance to study the mysteries of this forest and the first moving thing they’d seen the whole time. 

“It seems to have been here for a long time,” Wei Wuxian mused, walking around the corpse and crouching down to examine its feet. Up close, the mushrooms looked even more grotesque and creepy. Undoubtedly Meilian could have told him what they were if she were here, since she loved weird plants like these. “Do you think you could glean anything from it with Inquiry?”

Lan Zhan shook his head. “It is too far gone. If it were not bound to this forest, it likely would have collapsed some time ago.”

Wei Wuxian nodded absently, looking at the rotted scraps of clothes hanging from its legs. “It can’t be one of the villagers, since they’ve been pretty clear that there have been no deaths yet.”

“Perhaps the resentful energy within the forest lured it in?” Lan Zhan theorized, walking around the tree again with an eye against walking on the red and white mushrooms that seemed to be under every bush and fern. 

“Perhaps. Sometimes they do get caught in more powerful energies and get dragged in by it.” Devoid of anything further to look at, Wei Wuxian grabbed a nearby fallen branch to poke at the vine around the corpse’s leg. It swiped desperately at him, but he was too difficult to hit. “Lan Zhan, look at this vine.” 

Lan Zhan came to look at what Wei Wuxian had noticed -- the vine grew through the corpse's leg. At first glance, it merely coiled around the leg, but once Wei Wuxian looked closer, he could see it burrowing into the dead skin. More mushrooms sprouted in the gaps in the flesh.

"It's stuck here," he said, poking at the vine again. The vine didn't move, even as the corpse fruitlessly flailed. "The vine is pinning it down."

On a closer look, the mushrooms had grown over the corpse's feet, but they didn't seem to have breached its skin the way the vine had.

Lan Zhan surveyed the corpse and nodded. "We should bring samples back."

"The vine and the mushrooms, at least," Wei Wuxian agreed. "Possibly even the corpse. I know mushrooms eat decaying matter, but something about this looks odd to me."

"Perhaps there is a pharmacist in the village who is more familiar with these species," Lan Zhan suggested. "I confess I have never studied fungi."

"Me neither, but Meimei has, some." Putting down the stick, Wei Wuxian stepped back again. "She might know a few things too, so it's probably just as well that she's here. I wonder if she's noticing any of the same things."

He was not the forager that Meilian was, so he did not generally keep harvesting tools on him. All he had that might suit was a belt knife he could use to cut the vine and dig out some of the mushrooms.

"And the corpse?" Lan Zhan asked, tilting his head at it.

Wei Wuxian sighed, surveying it again. It was a pitiful thing -- low-level, almost completely lacking strength, pinned to a tree by a vine. "The only way I know to transport it is using a qiankun pouch, unless we want to carry it," he said. Neither option was ideal. How much more convenient would it be if he could command the corpse's resentful energy enough to tell it where to go and have it transport itself there? But that was currently far beyond even his family's experiments into different types of energy, and he still had other projects to focus on -- too many complicating factors.

"We should send what remains of it onwards, first," Lan Zhan said softly.

Wei Wuxian nodded, smiling a little. As expected, his Lan Zhan wanted to take care of it. "It's so weak that a spiritual sword should be able to finish it," he agreed. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Lan Zhan drew Bichen, its clear blue glow shining and making even the macabre scene seem softer, more pure. Swiftly, Lan Zhan stabbed the heart of the minutely struggling corpse, and its struggles stopped. It slumped over, then fell, limbs askew, across the tree's roots.

Wei Wuxian drew his belt knife and bent down, then swiftly severed the vine clinging tightly to the corpse. As Lan Zhan carefully straightened the corpse and then began to stuff it into a larger qiankun pouch in a process that was both sad and comical, Wei Wuxian crouched to take a look at the mushrooms disturbed by the corpse's fall.

They appeared to be bleeding. Little dark red droplets of some strange liquid were dripping from the mushrooms onto the ground, emitting a sort of sickly bittersweet stench. 

Wei Wuxian had seen many things corrupted by resentful energy in his times. He’d never seen bleeding mushrooms before.

He couldn’t resist poking it further with his stick, seeing just what else it could do. It mostly just bled further, the white of the mushroom slowly turning pink. It didn't release any spores.

Eventually though, he decided that he should probably try to pick some of the less mutilated mushrooms. Meilian would likely have an easier time determining what was up with it and what it had been if he brought her one that still had some liquid in it.

Pulling a handkerchief from his pouch, he carefully used Quanshui to sever some of the mushrooms at the base, letting them drop into his covered hand before tying them up so that none of the mushroom bits could get directly onto his skin. It would be nice to not have to waste time that could have been spent with Lan Zhan in their room alone instead having to have his hand treated for whatever sort of poison these gross little things could produce.

He took some of the vine as well, reasoning that at least Niang would like to see what sort of strange things were growing in these woods, since she had been deprived of the initial trip in.

When he was done, he looked over at Lan Zhan, to find that he had finished with his own task and was rinsing his fingers off with a small bottle of water he must have had stored away in his sleeves.

Wei Wuxian really wanted to see just what all he had stored away in those sleeves someday; it always seemed as though he had the perfect thing for the situation. Maybe tonight, if they weren’t too distracted, Lan Zhan would show him.

With his own treasures tucked away into a pouch that he’d warded just for carrying strange and gross things in, he rose to his feet with a bounce. “Well, that seems like a good start, but we still seem to have some sunlight left!” he said, walking right up next to Lan Zhan. “Shall we continue exploring?”

Lan Zhan inclined his head slightly, and they continued wandering through the woods. Wei Wuxian kept his compass out in hopes of finding any more pockets of resentful energy, but it was content to spin about lazily.

Above them, there were a few faint calls of carrion birds -- likely talking about the interlopers in the woods since it didn’t look like anything else living had been here in some time -- but other than that, the forest remained silent. Even the wind seemed unable to blow through the trees, and it became clear the further they went in that some of these trees were not only barren for the winter, but dead altogether, choked out of life by the vines wrapped around them.

Wei Wuxian had taken his stick along with him in order to inspect other curious things, and he used it now to poke at one tree that seemed to only have remained standing out of sheer habit. “Whatever’s in this forest, it’s been here for a while,” he said, gesturing at the fan of yellow plants crawling up the bark. “This tree’s been dead long enough to pick up a whole host of fungi friends.”

They looked like osmanthus flowers, though a closer look revealed them to be fungi. Lan Zhan's face still softened minutely on seeing them, and Wei Wuxian immediately resolved to give him some osmanthus the next time he saw any blooming branches.

"I do not often see so many mushrooms in other forests," Lan Zhan observed, finally looking away, to another part of a different kind of mushroom still.

"They're always around, but maybe not to this extent," Wei Wuxian agreed. "I wonder if that means a lot of things have died here. Maybe not people, but still, a lot of death."

"Mn." Lan Zhan continued looking around before his gaze caught on another patch of those strange bleeding ones. "There are strange dangers here, such as those vines."

"The question is, what's killing so many things in the forest?" They began walking forward again. "And to what extent is it changing normal forest inhabitants, like the vines and mushrooms?"

He didn't expect an answer, since he was just thinking out loud, and he didn't receive one. Still, Lan Zhan walked even closer to him, enough that his draping sleeves brushed against Wei Wuxian's robes.

Smiling and looking sidelong at his partner, Wei Wuxian reached out and took Lan Zhan's hand. He intertwined their fingers before Lan Zhan could do more than twitch.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan chided softly, though he didn't take his hand away. "We are hunting."

"There's nothing within range of the compass right now, and whatever it is doesn't yet seem dangerous to anything moving faster than a shambling corpse," Wei Wuxian pointed out, holding on tighter and swinging their arms a few times. "And if something does manage to surprise us...do you think you're not fast enough to do something even holding my hand?"

Lan Zhan said nothing to that. Hopefully he also just wanted to hold Wei Wuxian's hand, even if propriety forced a token protest.

"I already like this hunt better than our last one," Wei Wuxian mused. "There's nothing better than an interesting hunt in a creepy forest with Lan-er-gege holding my hand."

"Wei Ying ." Lan Zhan shivered minutely at the pet name. "Be quiet."

Immediately, Wei Wuxian wanted to push and see how far he could go. "Er-gege," he cooed. "Lan-er-gege, Lan-er-gege~"

Lan Zhan tried to ignore him, but Wei Wuxian took their clasped hands and raised them to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of Lan Zhan's. "Are you still thinking about last night, Lan-er-gege? I am."

Before Wei Wuxian could say anything else, white flashed in front of him and his back once again hit a tree trunk. He grinned. "Have a thing for pinning me to trees, Hanguang-jun?"

"Wei Ying!"

"Or is it just pinning me that you like?" he taunted, excitement swelling in his chest at the way Lan Zhan was staring at him, like some hunting predator who had trapped its prey in some dark corner. “Er-gege, one might think th-”

The rest of his teasing words were cut off as Lan Zhan, unable to endure any more teasing, covered his mouth in his own, hands finding Wei Wuxian’s wrists and holding him in place thoroughly enough that he could only wiggle his fingers in pretend dismay as he was kissed thoroughly breathless.

That confirmed it, he thought in a sort of dazed pleasure. Lan Zhan definitely liked pinning him to things. He foresaw many more walls, doors, trees, and whatever other flat surfaces could prove to be sufficient in his future.

Dried branches cracked under his feet as he shifted minutely, finding the most comfortable position to remain pinned in for the moment. Taunted beyond control, Lan Zhan kissed him with ferocity and fire that made him dearly wish they were back in the inn and not in the middle of a haunted forest.

He didn’t think he would mind the outside part that much, but the mushrooms left something to be desired in that image. He thought about asking Lan Zhan for a minute if he was sure about the direction that their kisses were going, but then Lan Zhan moved his mouth down to the spot that he’d bitten that first night on a different tree, and Wei Wuxian forgot all about pretty much everything else.

They were so engrossed in each other that it was a miracle that Wei Wuxian noticed any of the changes around them at all. Really, it was the way that the sparks of gold and red on the insides of his eyes from the dappled sunlight raining on them from above suddenly disappeared that clued him in.

He opened his eyes to shadows, a darkness as sure as night spread out above them. It was difficult to recognize exactly what he was looking at with Lan Zhan attempting to undo his robes without releasing his wrists from where he had them now pinned above his head, but eventually his cooler head prevailed and he squirmed more intently than he had before.

“L’n-” he started and had to pause to swallow before trying again. “Lan Zhan, the forest is doing something weird.”

That at least got Lan Zhan to pause as well, his brilliant eyes somewhat glazed over as he looked up first at Wei Wuxian, then at the sudden night that seemed to have fallen around them.

It couldn’t have been long enough for the sun to truly set; Wei Wuxian might have still been dragging his brain back out of the pleasant haze of kissing, but he hadn’t lost that much track of time. This was something else, something strange. Something unpleasant.

A chill ran down his spine. It was too dark for them to be able to see just what had happened, but there was one thing they were both certain of.

There was something very, very wrong with this forest.

Lan Zhan stepped back to let Wei Wuxian free, and both of them tilted their heads back to examine the forest canopy. Where there should have been skeletal bare branches, thick vines stretched from trunk to trunk. Even as they watched, the vines tightened, blocking out even more of the light above their heads. More vines began knotting themselves between trees, further creating walls.

"Perhaps I was a little unfair to our shambling corpse friend," Wei Wuxian commented. He jumped up several branches to get even closer to that vine ceiling, and Lan Zhan followed him. "Those are moving faster than I thought they could."

"Be careful, Wei Ying," Lan Zhan warned as Wei Wuxian jumped up even higher. "Do not let one catch you."

"Don't worry, Lan Zhan, you're the only one I'll let tie me up," he reassured, and was excessively proud to look back down and see Lan Zhan wobble on the branch.

No light peeked through the mat of vines above them. However, vines continued to move -- the ones on the trees nearest them began stretching out. Glancing at each other, Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan both jumped to another tree further away, and the vines tried to follow them.

Definitely not usual plant behavior.

At almost the same time, they drew their swords and leapt up once again to dice up the vine ceiling. Vine segments began raining down to the forest floor, and as they watched, the vines on the trees began shrinking back. The sun once again shone through bare branches as they dropped lightly to the ground again themselves, stepping between severed vines. The vine walls remained, but the stretching vines stopped moving and now hung loosely.

Wei Wuxian bent down to pick up another segment, examining it more closely. The cut ends still just showed plant matter, so Wei Wuxian frowned as he tried looking at it from different angles.

"What could possibly be up with these?" he asked. "Surely they haven't turned carnivorous. What are they even trying to do?"

"There were mushrooms in the corpse's leg, where the vine had penetrated," Lan Zhan reminded him, stepping closer. "The vines might be used to capture prey. They first tried to imprison us."

"How smart are they?" Wei Wuxian looked back up at the vine walls. "They could tell we were dangerous enough that they wanted to pin us in while we were occupied. They didn't even try to touch us and alert us until they had their prison built. They just were not at all prepared for our swords."

Lan Zhan frowned minutely, gingerly holding one of the cut vines in two fingers. “We may want to retreat and meet back with your family soon. This is not something that I am familiar with.”

Wei Wuxian sucked in a breath. “Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” he said regretfully, even though he had been enjoying their sojourn through the haunted woods. “Better to play it safe this time.”

Lan Zhan nodded and they began to turn back the way they had come, marking the vine walls and where they could cut through quickly should something else attempt to get in their way. 

As they walked back along the overgrown path, Wei Wuxian couldn’t shake the sudden worry about what was happening with his father and his sister, on the other side of the forest from them. He knew logically that Die would have kept a cooler head and not gotten distracted as they had, and that Meilian would be sensible even in the face of fascinating mushrooms, but the intelligence that the forest or whatever it was inside had already displayed left him unsettled. 

Much of what he had seen in the world had been things that he was aware of on some level, whether it be the untamed strange creatures in the wild or the sad failings of human nature twisting when left unchecked. The specifics could still often surprise him, but it was rare for it to take so long for him to understand what he was dealing with in some way at least. 

This was different than anything he’d seen before, and it left him off balance and mildly disconcerted. It reminded him more than anything of his Niang’s stories she’d heard from her master, of the times when clans were sects and mystical beasts still commonly roamed the world. 

He knew they would figure out just what to do, but not having the answer right away was not a feeling he was used to. 

At least he had Lan Zhan now at his side too. 

"Your family will be well," Lan Zhan said softly. "This danger required no more than attention and a sword to resolve. Your father and sister are well equipped with those."

"True, and I wouldn't expect them to run into anything very dangerous this close to the village," Wei Wuxian replied, taking Lan Zhan's hand for a quick squeeze before letting go again. "None of the villagers have died yet, and I'm sure they've been this deep into the forest before they started staying away. But I did notice that a flare might not get through those vines, so we might not know if they were in trouble."

Lan Zhan frowned slightly. "Do you wish to try to find them now?"

"I'm not sure." Wei Wuxian rubbed his chin. "We don't know where they went beyond north, and they're not resentful creatures for my compass to find. I do trust them to keep themselves safe, so it may not be the best use of our time to go chasing after them."

"What would you do instead?"

Lan Zhan's presence was reassuring for multiple reasons, not least because of questions like these. His tone held no judgment, no fear, just simple inquiry. As if he completely trusted Wei Wuxian's reasoning. So calming and supportive. 

"I would like to check to see if the village has a pharmacist or apothecary who knows what's supposed to be in the forest and what's strange. They might have some ideas about those weird mushrooms," he said. "And...hmm."

He took out his compass again. Nothing within range seemed to draw its attention -- as it had earlier in the day, the pointer merely waved back and forth between two points behind them now.

"We don't normally hunt a lot in places where we have to split up, there are large areas to cover, and flares might not help," he continued. "I mentioned that they're not creatures my compass can find, but maybe I can fix that. Adapt a compass so it can lock onto something we carry so we can find each other in a forest like this."

Lan Zhan said nothing in reply, but something in his silence prodded Wei Wuxian to look at him, where he was met with an unbearably fond, admiring look. Lan Zhan, stop looking at me like that! he wailed internally -- but not out loud, because he didn't actually want Lan Zhan to stop looking at him like that. He would like Lan Zhan to never stop looking at him like that, please.

He cleared his throat, even as he held Lan Zhan's gaze. He could still feel his warm cheeks. "It won't be as easy as I make it sound!" he warned, which did nothing to tone down the admiration. "Ideally I would also find a way to have it alert us to trouble, and it would have to be able to distinguish between all of us so we can find the right person. It will be tricky!"

"You can do it," came Lan Zhan's low-voiced confidence. "You are the most intelligent, innovative cultivator I have ever met."

Wei Wuxian bit his lip and forcibly turned his head away. "Okay, no more of that or we'll need more of the detours that nearly got us into trouble earlier," he said firmly. Why did Lan Zhan have to make him be the responsible one when all he wanted to do was tackle him down and kiss him breathless?

After a moment, he chanced a look back at the ridiculous man at his side, well aware of the risks he was taking by doing so. Lan Zhan had this very knowing and vaguely tormented look, as if he too were aware of the good sense that Wei Wuxian was now having to maintain on their behalf and had at last decided to at least attempt to maintain some level of propriety until they were out of the woods.

It was simultaneously a relief and also very disappointing. He had not expected the greatest trial of their night hunt to be the part where he could have easily let the forest be and spend the time lying in bed and being kissed till he forgot his own name. 

Perhaps when they had brought this night hunt to a close and parted ways with his parents, they would have to take a little time for just the two of them, let the first flames of their relationship die down a little more. It would certainly make it easier to focus on the task at hand if his thoughts would stop straying to where they might have ended up if they weren’t interrupted.

Above them, the vines slid about the trees like great strangling snakes, still dimming the afternoon sun, though it never got quite as dark as it had before. Wei Wuxian squinted up at them, trying to see if there was something puppetting them that might otherwise be just out of sight, but there was nothing this time that made them seem as though there was anything other than unusually vibrant vines gradually choking the life out of this forest.

“I should have grabbed some of it when we cut it down,” he complained to Lan Zhan as they stepped around a tree root that he was sure hadn’t been as far up from the ground at the time. “The samples I took all had corpse and mushroom bits on it, and I would have liked one with nothing but vine.”

Lan Zhan was quiet for a moment, then abruptly gestured with two fingers. In a single, swift motion, Bichen flashed from his sheath to fly up several li in the air, cutting through a vine that stretched between two trees and returning to him at the same moment that he reached out and caught the falling plant debris.

His eyes unreadable, he presented it to Wei Wuxian. 

Wei Wuxian had to take a brief second to process the whole event, then laughed in delight and took the stem from him. “Should I thank you for this, or did you just enjoy the chance to show off in front of me?” he said, unable to resist teasing even as his heart fluttered happily at the gesture.

"Thanks are not necessary between us," Lan Zhan told him.

This man's romantic words were just as subtle and devastating as his humor, Wei Wuxian realized in delighted despair. Lan Zhan would be a constant threat to his heart for the rest of his life.

He looked forward to it.

The mid-afternoon sun warmed the day by the time they finally broke the treeline, a contrast to the cooler forest. Wei Wuxian looked north, but as he expected, he could not see his father and sister.

"Let's go back to the inn," he suggested. "We can see if Master Lu knows where my mom went, or else ask for the local apothecary."

Lan Zhan inclined his head in agreement, and so they returned to the village in short order. Madam Lu was downstairs, and she smiled hopefully at them.

"You've been to the forest, daozhangs?" she asked, coming to meet them. "What do you think?"

"You're definitely right that something is wrong there," Wei Wuxian reassured her. "We should be able to sort it out, but in the meantime, no one should be going in there."

She nodded, biting her lip. "We've been having everyone stay away for the last few xun, but it's getting harder," she said. "We rely on what the forest provides."

"I know, but right now the forest is providing some things you're better off not taking," he said. "We'll do our best to handle it quickly."

Something that pervaded a forest was likely to linger even when the root of it was removed as all the consequences reverberated, but for Xiaolongmencun's sake, hopefully that would not take too long.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Madam Lu asked next.

"First, I wanted to know if you knew where my mother went," Wei Wuxian replied. "And then we would like to know if there is an apothecary or pharmacist in the village we could ask about plants and fungi we found in the forest."

Madam Lu tilted her head. "My husband and I directed Madam Wei to the people who use the forest most. People like the Mu family, carpenters who use a lot of wood from the forest, and the Pei and Wang families, who do more hunting." She frowned. "Our apothecary, Master Shen, also does a lot of foraging in those woods, but he's not actually in the village at the moment. Since he couldn't get many of his ingredients this season, he went out to buy some. His daughter is currently watching his shop, if you need to buy anything."

"Does she have his knowledge?" Lan Zhan asked.

Madam Lu waved her hand a little. "More than most of us, I think, but she's still young, and he's expecting his son to inherit his business. The lad's too young yet to mind the store, though, so Shen Huiying knows a few things."

Perhaps they could wait to meet Shen Huiying until Meilian could be there too. Between the two of them, they would hopefully know most of what Wei Wuxian could ask.

“Do you know which way my mother went first?” he asked instead, since he’d not had a chance to mark out the village layout and who was where. Sure, his mother being all in white usually stood out from the crowd, but it would be easier to catch up to her if they didn’t start off in the opposite direction. “Or where she might be now?”

“She asked for directions to the Mu family first, then how to get to the others from there,” Madam Lu said with a smile. “She’s most likely to be around the Wang family now, of course assuming that she stayed with the directions I gave her.”

Or that she didn’t find anything else that needed attending to in the meantime, Wei Wuxian thought fondly. Niang was very experienced in the art of starting one task and then finding another three that needed to be done in the process, especially when it came to night hunting. No doubt if there were anything else awry in the village, she had gotten happily distracted and finding her would continue to be an adventure. 

Madam Lu was happy to tell them where to go to hopefully find her and wished them well on their way. Lan Zhan stopped by their room momentarily to drop off their qiankun pouches full of forest spoils, and they set off for the Wang household. 

Xiaolomencun was a much smaller village than the last one he and Lan Zhan had teamed up to investigate in, with roads that were made mostly of dirt with small wooden boards along each side of the main path for people to walk on when it rained. As they walked along the path, a few people even called out greetings to them, which Wei Wuxian was happy to return. 

 Despite the tensions of having temporarily lost access to the forest they depended on, it seemed as though the harvest had put most of the village in good spirits. A few children were running around playing with each other, one of them who was still small enough to have his hair up in pigtails, obviously a little brother to one of the others in the group, happily stumbling after the older ones. 

Wei Wuxian caught Lan Zhan’s eyes straying to the laughing children as they walked by, a fond look in his eyes. He’d seen that same look when they were back in Xingyang, when they were being followed by a different group of children. It would seem that while he was quiet about it, he was really fond of children. 

Just like then, it also made Wei Wuxian wonder about the future and if that would be another journey they could undertake together. Perhaps they could talk about it sometime soon. 

In no time at all, the mill house with its two donkeys stabled outside came into view, just as Madam Lu had said. Beyond the mill were two more houses and one of the paths that led back to the forest. The one further to the north would be the Wang household. 

To none of his surprise, his mother was still nearby, once again caught up in a very important task that had nothing to do with their mission. That current task was petting one of the mill donkeys fondly, obviously enjoying the rare treat of a friendlier donkey than her own. Lychee would always be first in all their hearts, but sometimes it was nice to be reminded that she was unusually grumpy even for donkeys. 

Wei Wuxian smiled and nudged Lan Zhan slightly before taking a few steps forward and calling out to his mother. “Lychee is going to bite you if she smells another donkey on you!” he yelled fondly. “Are you trying to make her jealous again?”

"A little jealousy spices up the relationship!" she called back, with no evidence of surprise at their appearance. "She'll appreciate me more for thinking she could lose me!"

"That is definitely how she'll react, you're of course right," Wei Wuxian said wryly, his tone softer as he drew up closer and offered the placid donkey his own pat. "You can be the one who gives her a treat tonight and proves it."

"She adores me," Niang said haughtily, still stroking the mill donkey. "Now what brings you two here? There's still another shichen until sunset. I would have thought you would still be in the forest. Did something happen?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle, but there is definitely something wrong in there, Niang," he said, growing more serious. "We thought it better not to go too much deeper without more information and more preparation."

"Your father and sister?" she asked next, eyes sharpening but tone still calm. "Are they in danger? I haven't seen any flares..."

Wei Wuxian shook his head to reassure her. "Remember, no one from the village has died, so I doubt anything this close is dangerous in a way they can't handle," he replied. "What we encountered is certainly something that wouldn't trouble Die and Meilian. But the issue of flares is one reason Lan Zhan and I wanted to come back, because they may not be helpful and we need a replacement."

"Tell me," his mother said, finally turning away from the donkey.

So Wei Wuxian explained everything they'd seen that day -- the vines, the pale leaves drained of vitality, the mushrooms, the corpse. Niang raised her eyebrow as he described the vines trying to build a prison around them, but she waited before he finished to tap her lips and shake her head.

"That's not like anything I've seen either," she concluded. "I see what you mean about the flares not being effective."

Wei Wuxian nodded, and Lan Zhan looked at the houses beyond them. "Have you spoken to everyone relevant, Ayi?" he asked.

Niang smiled, the one that would have presaged a cheek pinch if it had been Wei Wuxian, but she seemed to restrain herself for Lan Zhan. "Yes, I've spoken to everyone," she said. "It's a pretty small village, after all, so I didn't need all day for that. I just came back here to visit my new friend."

"Did you learn anything interesting?" Wei Wuxian asked.

She tilted her head. "Interesting, yes," she agreed. "The villagers have had some similar experiences as you did. No walls and ceilings of vines, thankfully for them, but they did claim the vines were trying to catch hold of them. And many more mushrooms than they were used to seeing have been sprouting. The Wangs' eldest son, one of the hunters, also claimed to see deer that looked...wrong. He couldn't quite describe how, though."

Wei Wuxian tapped his chin in thought. “There definitely weren’t any animals at all when we went into the forest, aside from crows and stuff way up in the top of the trees,” he mused, “but then they might not come out during the day. Lan Zhan, do you want to go back and explore tonight?” he said quickly, turning quickly in time to catch Lan Zhan’s little surprised look as he was suddenly dragged back into the discussion. “We might find even more interesting things once the sun’s gone down and it’s actually dark.”

“Get your irons back out of the fire,” Niang interrupted tartly, hands on her hips. “First off, I have next dibs on going to the forest since I was left in town all day. Also, we really should speak with your father and Meilian before anyone goes back in, since they might have found other things than you and your Hanguang-jun did.”

Wei Wuxian pouted for a moment before reining in his excitement at exploring the woods again. He did still want to try and tinker with the compass to see if he could get it to latch onto something other than resentful energy before they went exploring too deeply.

It was just so easy to get excited about doing things with Lan Zhan that sometimes his eagerness lept ahead of rational thought. And this forest was definitely growing more and more curious with every piece of information they gleaned.

“Then, should we see if Shushu and Meilian have returned?” Lan Zhan asked, eyes flicking back towards the forest. “They might also have chosen to leave earlier, depending on what they encountered.”

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea,” Niang said, reaching out to pet the donkey still lingering by the fence one last time. “We can go back to the inn and discuss everything there and then decide if you mandarin ducks are going back into the forest again tonight.”

With those words hanging in the air, she set off at a quick pace towards the forest, not looking back to even see if they were following. 

Lan Zhan was making another one of his tiny adorable frowns when Wei Wuxian sidled over to him, nudging him in the side affectionately. “What’s on your mind now?” he asked as Lan Zhan looked over at him, his frown swiftly clearing. 

Lan Zhan said nothing at first, only taking his hand in his own before setting off down the road after his mother. Wei Wuxian waited patiently, recognizing the frown as the one where he was mulling over a thought before he said anything. 

At last he seemed to gather his thoughts into words. “My uncle spoke of your mother and how carefree she could be, in ways that I did not understand at the time,” he said slowly. “I see now what he meant, and I am glad to have made her acquaintance.”

Wei Wuxian broke into a broad grin. “Yeah, I can tell the feeling is mutual,” he said fondly, squeezing Lan Zhan’s hand. “You two both have good taste in people.”

Up ahead, he could see the ripple of white that meant Niang was picking up the pace to hopefully go meet Die and Meilian a little sooner. 

When they arrived at the treeline where he and Lan Zhan had entered and exited the forest earlier, Die and Meilian were not there. Niang tilted her head up to look at the vine-covered trees and moved back until she stood out of potential grabbing reach. Then she unceremoniously sat down on a nearby, relatively flat rock to wait.

"That kudzu does not feel right," she murmured as Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan also sat down nearby. They let go of each other's hands, but they sat close enough to each other to press their knees together.

Wei Wuxian was familiar with kudzu, but he'd mostly seen the roots being sold or made into food and medicine, or cloth and baskets made of it, so he hadn't paid attention to the living vine. "What do you know about it?" he asked.

Niang shrugged. "Your sister would know better than I," she said. "But it grows very quickly and densely and is able to smother other vegetation by blocking out sunlight if not harvested quickly enough. Trying to trap you two may have played to its natural instincts, spurred on by whatever else is going on here."

She looked back at the forest and stared at it. Wei Wuxian glanced at it as well before looking at his mother again. There was still time before sunset.

"Niang," he said, drawing her attention again. "Since the flares won't work, and this is a big forest where it would be very easy to get lost, especially if we need to go deeper, I want to adapt my compass to let it track us."

"Oh?" She leaned closer as he pulled one of his spare compasses out of his tool pouch. "Do you have any ideas about how, A-Xian?"

Lan Zhan leaned closer as well, and Wei Wuxian shot him a quick smile. Early on in their acquaintance, their first quarrel had been about Wei Wuxian's interest in experimenting with resentful energy. Thankfully he had been willing to listen with an open mind and come to his own conclusions about it, but Wei Wuxian knew that the way his family thought about energy was not entirely in line with jianghu dogma.

Energy was energy. Spiritual energy had its own dangers, and that didn't stop cultivators from using it. Understanding the pathways energy could use, both internal and external, had the potential to be highly beneficial.

"A flare is useful because it acts as both an alert and a basic locator," he said, thinking out loud. "So to replace a flare, whatever I do to my compass would have to do the same thing. Right now, though, the compass detects ambient resentful energy and has no alarm function, and it can get confused when there are multiple sources."

"You have already been working on distinguishing sources of resentful energy," Lan Zhan pointed out. "Could that be useful as a starting point?"

Wei Wuxian beamed at him, squeezing his knee. "That's a good idea, Lan Zhan," he replied. "Of course, I can't do exactly the same thing for people, but it really might be useful as a starting point."

"It's been some time since you explained to me what you've wanted to do with your compass," Niang prompted.

So Wei Wuxian explained, and Niang and Lan Zhan interjected with more ideas. By the time the sun began to set, he still had nothing concrete, but he felt abuzz with ideas for things he could explore.

The sun finally dipped below the horizon. Die and Meilian were not back yet. Wei Wuxian felt that nagging sensation of something being wrong again. 

It was entirely possible that they’d simply lost track of time in the woods, what with the kudzu vines attempting to block out the light, but now that the sky was rapidly darkening, it was harder to keep himself convinced of that possibility. 

Niang and Lan Zhan both remained quiet as well, two pillars of white in the growing darkness. They didn’t need to speak to all be in agreement that if there was no sign of Die and Meilian soon, they’d set out in search of them. 

The little village behind them lit up. The stars came out and the slivered moon rose. They waited. The forest remained silent. 

Wei Wuxian chose to take that as a good sign; surely if something had happened to either one of them, it wouldn’t be as quiet.

Chapter Text

At last a soft glow sprang up in the woods, small and moving quickly towards the entrance. Niang ran out to them, heedless of any concern beyond reuniting with the rest of her family.

Wei Wuxian let out a breath, the tension in him draining away as Die and Meilian came out of the forest, tired and somewhat dirty but otherwise unscathed. Die had one of his light talismans out, but it was nearly spent. No doubt if they’d been caught in the darkness as Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan had, he would have gone through many of them at this point. It guttered and went out in his hand a moment later.

Meilian squeaked lightly as the world suddenly went dark again. “Wait, are we out now?” she said, voice higher than usual. “Why is it so dark again?”

“It’s already night, A-Lian,” Niang said, voice a touch more cheery and chipper than usual. “You’re running late.”

“Oh,” Meilian said, squinting under the pale starlight. “The forest got so dark so quickly, we didn’t realize how long it had been.”

Wei Wuxian went over to ruffle Meilian’s hair as Die leaned over to kiss Niang. “My apologies for worrying you, Airen,” he said sweetly. “We are both unharmed.”

His mother laughed fondly and rapped him on the shoulder lightly. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Lan Zhan drew his sword for more light, bathing them all in Bichen’s radiant glow. He was so good. And Bichen's light was soothing -- Meilian stepped forward, closer to the two of them, and visibly relaxed.

"Let's go back to the inn," Wei Wuxian suggested, tossing an arm around his sister's shoulders and feeling her briefly lean against him. "We can get something to eat and catch each other up on what we've learned."

Die looked at Bichen and then unsheathed his own sword. Its sword glare was a pale purple that matched well with Bichen's. Under the cool, blue-purple glow, the five of them headed back to the inn.

This time when they entered, there were a few other groups in the dining room, but there was a large table free for them, and Madam Lu came by promptly to take their dinner order.

As they waited, Niang leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "Changze, what happened? Did you encounter ceilings of kudzu like A-Xian?"

"More than ceilings," Die replied wearily. "Walls. Carpets, in some places -- I had to cut A-Lian down when she stepped on some and they tried to string her up. For the last couple of shichen, we traveled almost the whole time under that ceiling, though, and I admit we got a little turned around." He looked at Wei Wuxian. "What did you two see?"

"The kudzu walls and ceilings, though no carpets," Wei Wuxian said. "Lan Zhan and I decided to leave mid-afternoon, when we encountered the kudzu trying to box us in and realized that the flares wouldn't be useful. We also found a shambling corpse that the kudzu pinned down, and way more mushrooms than I usually see in a forest. We brought back both the corpse and samples of the mushrooms and kudzu, and I wanted Meilian's opinion of the mushrooms."

Lan Zhan rose. "I will retrieve the samples," he told them, and with a swish of his sleeves, he disappeared upstairs.

"We saw lots of mushrooms too, and brought some back," Meilian said. "There was a really weird one, too. I thought I saw it in the mushroom book Doctor Wen gave me, but I didn't have time to look, so let me do that right now."

Meilian pulled a book out of her qiankun pouch as Lan Zhan returned to the table with their samples. Wei Wuxian propped his chin up on one elbow, watching her fondly. "New book, Xiao-meimei?" he asked. "That one looks different from your other book on fungi."

She didn't even look at him as she leafed through it. "The other one is more common fungi, but this one is for more unusual ones. Doctor Wen sent it to me a couple months ago when I asked about rarer ingredients. I've read through a lot of it, but I haven't memorized it yet."

Wei Wuxian loosened the pouch with the bleeding mushroom and carefully drew it out, trying not to spill any further liquid as he laid the cloth down, keeping the cloth between the mushrooms and the table. "Is this one in there, or has the forest twisted something natural?"

Before Meilian could answer, though, Madam Lu gasped, "Heaven's mercy, what is that?" Wei Wuxian twisted around to see she'd brought their food. Her face had gone pale, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t really blame her. It had been fascinating to him, but it was no doubt very unsettling for ordinary people.

Niang quickly lept in. “We brought some mushrooms back from the forest to get a look at them in better light. My daughter is looking them up for us now.” She gestured to Meilian, who was furiously leafing through her book in search of Wei Wuxian’s bleeding mushrooms.

Madam Lu didn’t look any better, but she set the tray at their table, glancing about at the other tables worriedly. “Please do finish your examinations quickly, daozhang,” she said in a low voice so as to not alert the other patrons. “It might put… others off of their meal.”

“Of course we will, Madam,” Die said warmly. “Thank you very much.”

Madam Lu nodded stiffly, carefully looking away from Wei Wuxian’s creepy mushroom, and made a hasty retreat from their table.

Wei Wuxian bit the side of his cheek and tried to keep a straight face. Meilian didn’t even look fazed by the sight of the mushroom, though her complete non reaction to things bleeding would likely serve her very well in the future. “It has to be in here somewhere,” she muttered under her breath in frustration. “It has every mushroom found in the cultivation world in here.”

Wei Wuxian set it down next to her elbow as Niang stood up and walked over to fetch the tray from where Madam Lu had left it, taking over serving them with no fuss at all. “Didn’t you two bring back a corpse, too?” she asked with a laugh once she was sure Madam Lu was well out of earshot. “At least you didn’t bring that down to the dinner table.”

“We have some sense, Niang,” Wei Wuxian drawled in amusement. “There is a time and place for that.”

Lan Zhan joined in helping Niang, portioning out bowls of rice and pouring tea for them. Another braver waiter came over with three bottles of wine, one each for Wei Wuxian and his parents, and just managed to suppress his shudder at the sight of the bleeding mushrooms.

Meilian threw down her book in frustration, losing her grasp on her dignity for a moment. “It’s not in here!” she told them in frustration, picking up the bleeding mushroom in one hand and the book in the other. “Every mushroom in the cultivation world, Doctor Wen told me, and yet it’s nowhere to be found!”

"Then that is an important clue," Lan Zhan said with equanimity while passing out food. "Either it was brought here or it is part of what is wrong about the forest."

"Well put, Lan Wangji." Niang nodded at him, then reached out to stroke a hand over Meilian's hair. "Don't get too frustrated, A-Lian. Every setback is an opportunity for something new."

Lan Zhan also nodded, firmly. "Thank you, Meilian, for discovering this. It should help us narrow down what is happening."

Meilian's eyes widened. "No need to thank me!" she squeaked, then flushed and grabbed her tea to take a sip. She swallowed and cleared her throat before saying, more normally, "This is what I should do."

Lan Zhan sat down beside Wei Wuxian, who nudged his knee in his own thanks. Lan Zhan pressed back. As everyone took up their chopsticks, Wei Wuxian put the mushrooms away again and poured wine for himself and his parents.

"Lan Zhan and I would like to claim Meilian tomorrow morning," he said. Lan Zhan wouldn't speak during the meal, but he listened and nodded. "Madam Lu said the apothecary was out of town, but his daughter was minding his shop and might know a few things. She might be more familiar with these mushrooms, as well as the kudzu and other mushrooms."

"What do you need me for if you do have someone knowledgeable to ask?" Meilian replied, slightly sullen.

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow at her. "You still know more about mushrooms and plants than any of the rest of us," he pointed out. "You'll have a better idea of what to even ask, plus what might be important."

She eyed him. "Did you even check whether the mushroom was poisonous before you touched it, Da-ge?"

"See, there you go," he said, pointing at her. "I didn't even know how to do that. But I don't feel poisoned, so I'm guessing not!"

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, spurred to speech and setting down his chopsticks.

Wei Wuxian pressed their knees together again. "I feel fine, Lan Zhan!" he reassured him. "I don't think it's poisonous. And I'm not planning to eat it."

Lan Zhan frowned, and Meilian shook her head. "I also don't think it's poisonous, but I'll check and make sure after dinner," she said. "And Da-ge...if you simply must pick up strange mushrooms in the woods, try not to use your bare hands. Most aren't poisonous to touch, but they can still release dangerous spores, and we don't know anything about that liquid."

Wei Wuxian raised his hand in a salute, and when she rolled her eyes at him, he finally began digging into his dinner.

There was a brief moment of silence as hunger overwhelmed them and they quietly rushed through their dinner, with Wei Wuxian wondering idly if this was how all Lan dinners were all the time. He caught Lan Wangji looking at them in mild confusion at the sudden silence, but he was sure that one of them would have something to add soon enough.

“Oh,” Meilian interrupted at last. “You should watch your step if you go north in the forest, Niang. It looks like they had a mudslide sometime last summer and there’s parts of the ground that just give way under your feet if you’re not careful.”

“Duly noted,” Niang said, breaking the wax seal on her wine. “Did you notice anything else that might have been a more natural disaster? Not the creepy vines and mushrooms, but something else?”

Meilian paused with a chunk of rice and vegetables halfway to her mouth. “I don’t know,” she said after a few minutes. “It’s hard to tell underneath all the kudzu. Like there were points where some trees had fallen down or there were rocks in the middle of the old path we were on, but we couldn’t tell how old any of it was.”

Wei Wuxian shook his head as Niang glanced over at him. “We were on the south side, and we didn’t really see anything like that,” he said for him and Lan Zhan so Lan Zhan didn’t have to break a rule and talk during dinner. “The weirdest thing we found was our shambling corpse friend tied to a tree.”

Meilian abruptly choked on her rice and had to be thunked firmly on the back by Niang. Die only gave him a look that had Wei Wuxian attempting to not laugh despite the fact that he’d been serious. “Where is this shambling corpse now?”

“Why do you always call them your friends?” Meilian muttered under her breath, but sipped water when Wei Wuxian gave her a look.

“He’s upstairs, in a qiankun pouch,” Wei Wuxian replied. “We were going to look at him with you when you got back, but then you were late. Lan Zhan already took care of him, so we really just need to go bury him properly.”

“I see,” Die said calmly, returning his focus to his dinner. “I presume that you and your sister will take care of him, since your mother and I leave for the woods tomorrow.”

Wei Wuxian nodded in agreement. “I might want to pick your brain for a bit tonight too. I want to adjust my compass to try and pick up a different signal than resentful energy, either something like yours and Niang’s spiritual energy or perhaps a talisman that you can trigger if you need help and we can follow you to it.”

“Ah, yes, I believe we can work on that,” Die said with a smile. “It’s been a while since we’ve worked together on one of your projects.”

“Perhaps your Hanguang-jun might even have some suggestions as well,” Niang added. “A fresh mind to ask questions and look at things from a different perspective is never a bad way to go.”

Taking mercy on Lan Zhan, who had already finished his meal and was politely waiting for the rest of them to do the same, Wei Wuxian finished the last of his rice and moved his bowl away from him. As his parents and sister did the same, he signaled their waiter to come remove their dishes.

Once the table was clear, he pulled out his spare compass, talisman paper, and writing materials. "Okay," he said, taking out his knife to pry off the back of the compass to reveal the small characters etched into it. "Let me just neutralize these so we can properly experiment."

He swiftly cut a band of paper small enough to fit within the compass's edge, then dipped his brush in the cinnabar ink and wrote out characters to nullify the ones powering the compass. The paper wouldn't last more than a shichen against the power of the etched characters, but it was long enough to try a few things.

Lan Zhan watched his hands as he worked before he delicately cleared his throat. "I may be of more assistance if I better understood the theoretical concepts," he said slowly. "I confess my clan does not teach us to think of energy as you do."

Niang snorted. "It certainly doesn't," she agreed dismissively. "But none of the clans down here do. Perhaps that's part of why no one has ascended like my shizun did in so long. There's a certain lack of flexibility and cultivation-related risk-taking that almost guarantees no one will be able to break through to the higher realms." She shook her head. "But that's not your fault, and you're asking. Let's start with something you're more familiar with -- I believe the Lan musical cultivation method focuses primarily on spirits, yes? Speaking to them, summoning them, calming them, setting them free. Is that right?"

Lan Zhan inclined his head. "Primarily," he agreed. "There are other, less common songs with different applications, but much of our cultivation has developed to affect spirits."

"And your clan tends to avoid ambient resentful energy?" Niang continued.

"If the resentful energy has transformed into a being, such as a gui, we will address it," Lan Zhan replied. "But we do not do anything with or to unformed resentful energy."

Niang nodded. "And that's where we differ," she said. "My shizun made no such prohibitions to any of her students. We were allowed to work with both spiritual and resentful energy, and to come to understand the dangers inherent in each. So I was more willing to handle resentful energy than most in the jianghu when I left the mountain. My family and I have been developing methods for doing just that since I married Changze."

Picking up where she left off, Die said, "Inspired, I will admit, by the public information about Lan musical cultivation, my wife and I have developed some musical cultivation techniques for calming and dissipating unformed resentful energy. Wuxian also has a great talent for it, and he has made us very proud by taking it even further and developing cultivation tools that more people might use."

"Wei Ying is brilliant," Lan Zhan agreed, and Wei Wuxian took a moment away from his compass to poke Lan Zhan and frown because it was entirely unfair for Lan Zhan to do that when Wei Wuxian couldn't kiss him for it.

"But the point is," Niang said next, "that all you really need to do is try to leave aside any learned bias about what kind of energy we're working with. If you want to help, then don't simply assume that resentful energy can't be handled safely. Make your suggestions with a mind opened to all possibilities."

Lan Zhan nodded and let out a breath, a conscious representation of doing just that. “I will remember that.”

Wei Wuxian set out another piece of paper and dipped his brush in ink instead. “Now, while all of that is useful, I don’t know yet that I’ll need resentful energy for this to do what I want,” he explained as he quickly wrote down the string of seal script that made up the inner workings of his compass. “If I were trying to get it to sort through different types of resentful energy influence or how far it needed to go, then I would be working with these specifically--“ he paused for a moment to draw a circle around four characters so that Lan Zhan could see how they all came together, “--but I’m not, so I don’t need to worry about that, they’re my distance and energy signature markers, so they’ll act the same regardless of what sort of energy they’re locking onto.”

Lan Zhan made a soft sound of acknowledgement as he read over Wei Wuxian’s hard work. After a moment, he pointed to two other characters near the very top. “It is these that you will need to alter, then?”

Wei Wuxian beamed at him. “If I wanted to make it latch onto something else? Yup!” he exclaimed happily, impressed at how Lan Zhan had been able to pick through his work and understand how the pieces were interwoven together. “I’ll have to change some other stuff depending on what specifically I want to do with it, but that’s the keystone of all of it.”

Lan Zhan nodded quietly. Meilian, recognizing that she wasn’t going to have much to contribute, opened her book back up to start looking at the other mushroom samples they’d brought back, more settled now that she’d had a chance to sit down and eat something.

“The trouble I’m running into right now though is I’m not sure what to make it lock onto,” Wei Wuxian said, returning his attention to his father instead. “Your spiritual energies would require less altering of the whole chain, but also I would need some sort of anchoring focus for the compass to recognize since any energy you expend from yourself will get mixed into all the other living qi in the forest quickly. I don’t want it to start showing me every weird mushroom in the forest if I’m trying to get to you.”

“Yes, that would be a problem,” Die agreed calmly. “Even if many of the trees in the forest have died, the kudzu and mushrooms are flourishing and are not yet saturated in enough resentful energy for that to transform their energy signature.”

“Yes,” Wei Wuxian said with a huff. “That and at least the kudzu is actively trapping things so I would have to be able to get it to pinpoint your specific energy without anything else interfering with it. Which is possible in theory, but would probably require me coming up with something else entirely different.”

“It’s not a bad idea for the future,” Niang interjected. “Creating focuses that could be switched in and out of the compass so that you can track down something specific, perhaps even a way that the compass could react with a focus, like say a comb, from someone who’s gone missing in order to track down its owner.”

“That would be really useful,” Wei Wuxian agreed. “But that’s also a lot of work that I don’t have the working theories to adapt at this moment, and we’d probably like to resolve this forest mess in a shorter amount of time than somewhere in the next six months,” he added with a wry smile. Everyone at the table seemed in agreement on that. “So then I should probably go with something more neutral than living qi, but that requires reworking a lot more of the compass structure itself and something unique enough for it to latch onto that won’t change dramatically even if used.”

“It should focus on a talisman,” Lan Zhan said, reading his mind once more. Wei Wuxian really couldn’t suppress the urge to reach under the table and grab his knee in a quick gesture of appreciation. “Instead of a flare, the talisman acts as a signal to the compass, and the compass responds and leads you to where whoever triggered the talisman is.”

"Yes, that's what I've been leaning towards," Wei Wuxian said. "A talisman would be able to serve as the kind of focus the compass might latch onto. If we come up with a working prototype soon, then each of us would be able to carry the adapted compass and talismans with us, where the talisman could be activated if we were in trouble. Then we would ideally be able to use the compass to track the activated talisman."

Even as he spoke, Wei Wuxian couldn't help watching Lan Zhan. His face was so soft, making him look quietly pleased at being able to contribute. Adorable, and unfair. Wei Wuxian wanted to squish that face.

"How would we know when the talisman has been activated, though?" Die asked, and Wei Wuxian dragged his attention back to the conversation. "The compass is something we must actively check. It doesn't alert us when resentful energy is near. If we are not currently looking at the compass, how would we know when a talisman has been activated?"

Hmm. "It shouldn't be too hard to pair reactions," he said, writing a few characters on another sheet of paper. "I mean, I have to connect the talisman to the compass anyway, so I think I can tell the compass to react, perhaps by light or heat, when the talisman is activated. But that does mean we would still have to make it accessible, like having it hang on our belt where we might notice it reacting. We couldn't just leave it in a qiankun pouch or sleeve anymore."

He finished writing his characters, then wrote a similar set on a different piece of paper. He was about to reach out when he paused and glanced sidelong at Lan Zhan. Instead, he moved the first paper closer to his partner. "Lan Zhan, try activating this," he said.

Without any questions or hesitation, Lan Zhan pressed a finger to the paper and sent his spiritual energy into it. The characters on it began glowing -- and so did the ones on the second piece of paper.

"So that works," Wei Wuxian said, satisfied. Lan Zhan removed his finger, and the light on both pieces of paper drained away. Lan Zhan still said nothing, but Wei Wuxian could feel his gaze, steady and warm.

He felt...increasingly interested in putting the rest of this off until tomorrow. He'd only gotten a brief taste of Lan Zhan's love and then had to spend all day paying attention to other things, with only a brief, interrupted interlude to sustain him. His skin was beginning to feel itchy, with Lan Zhan's touch the only possible remedy.

"Well done, A-Xian," Niang praised, looking between him and Lan Zhan. "What about distinguishing between us? Would your compass be able to tell who is in trouble? And what if multiple people activate the talisman at the same time?"

Wei Wuxian gathered together his scattering thoughts. His family's safety was more important than his desire to press against Lan Zhan and not move away. "I don't think distinguishing between us is important at this stage," he said. "That functionality can be developed later, but probably the most important thing now is just that someone is in trouble. And if multiple people activate it...I think it would react the way the current compass does when it encounters multiple sources of resentment."

Die nodded. “Staying together in groups would help mitigate that problem on this hunt. But there is also the problem of distance to consider…”

“Oh yes,” Niang immediately chimed in, her eyes glittering. “I know you’ve been working on getting your compass to track longer distances, but if we’re still planning on splitting up and going deeper into the woods, it really would be good to make sure that we have a range that spans most of the length of the forest.”

Wei Wuxian resisted the temptation to sigh as his mother snatched up his demonstration paper to start looking at his distance array. “Hmm, we can probably put some of the energy transference into the talisman,” she mused, tapping a finger on the paper in thought and turning to look at Die. “Changze, what do you think would be the best way to go about it?”

“Well…” Die hummed in thought, leaning over to look at the paper again and blocking Meilian’s light, to her dismay. “We do have to be careful to not put so much into the talisman that activating it burns it out, otherwise we might lose the signal before our rescuers can arrive.”

“Oh that’s a good point,” Niang said, eyes wide and innocent. “So then the compass will have to handle the greater burden of the distance, which means that we might need to find a way to boost its strength. A-Xian, please pass the compass over here, I have an idea!”

Wei Wuxian did as requested and resisted the urge to either run away or drop his head onto the table in dismay. Clearly his parents had found a challenge to pick at and weren’t eager to drop it till it was done, which was fine except for the fact that all final alterations to the compass had to be done by him and he couldn’t work on it while they were busy passing his neutralized one back and forth.

Lan Zhan gave him a sympathetic look, but clearly could see no way out of this dilemma either. Wei Wuxian took comfort in the fact that his frustration was mirrored in Lan Zhan’s bright eyes.

Niang was going on some tangent about one of her shixiong’s experiments regarding talisman range, gesticulating dramatically as she always did when she really got into the story she was telling. Die was looking at her with his chin propped in his hand and a fond look in his eyes. Meilian was too engrossed in her mushroom book to even really notice what was going on.

Wei Wuxian resigned himself to remaining trapped in the main room for the foreseeable future. He might have had no trouble teasing his parents, but even he was not shameless enough to just walk out on them without a very good reason.

The unsatisfied itch in his skin only grew all the more insistent.

The work itself was interesting, at least. Eventually Wei Wuxian was able to retrieve his paper and start writing some experimental lines for expanding the range on the compass. It helped that he was able to put in some of the calculations he’d done for the new prototype sitting in his pouch; it was merely a matter of getting it to cooperate with the existing compass without overloading the workings within.

Wei Wuxian dug out a spare compass with the intent of dismantling it so they could put the test paper inside and see if it worked before he made it permanent on the metal rings that surrounded the needle. Lan Zhan was able to help them with the tests there, taking the paper that was acting as their beacon talisman and walking first to the other side of the room, then upstairs, then outside and activating it.

When it lit up consistently, they switched from testing to producing a functioning compass. Wei Wuxian wrote out five copies of the talisman to be as exact as possible, Die helped him with some of the finer carving work on the new ring that contained the tracking elements, and Niang explained the complicated minutia of their work to Lan Zhan and Meilian.

“We’ll obviously have to run some more tests to figure out the limits of our range, but it should do for the moment,” Niang said with pride in her voice. “Eventually A-Xian will have changed the way the cultivation world night hunts with all of his inventions to make it safer.”

This time, Lan Zhan took mercy on him by not directly voicing another devastating compliment, but the look in his eyes was almost as bad. Pride, admiration, joy -- all wrapped up in a glittering intensity that finally made Wei Wuxian drain the last of his wine and stand.

"It's past the Lan bedtime, so I think we're done for the night," he said. Next to him, Lan Zhan also rose. They were the only ones in the common room other than the inn workers.

His mother stayed in her seat. She raised an eyebrow, twirling one finger around the rim of her teacup. "The Lans go to bed so early, A-Xian, there's still plenty of night left. Didn't you want to check out the forest at night?"

"Oh, are we still doing that?" Meilian asked, swallowing a yawn. She tucked away her book and shoved herself up.

Wei Wuxian looked at Niang, narrowing his eyes. She met his gaze and smirked at him, and he realized that she knew exactly how much he wanted to get Lan Zhan alone and tear his clothes off...and that she found it funny to delay him.

Annoyance and resignation waged a brief war, and resignation won. He cared about having time to himself with Lan Zhan more than being an object of her amusement. "The forest will still be there tomorrow," he said, "and I'd like to have more than one adapted compass before we tackle it. That way we can have two groups, both able to aid each other. It may be better to delay exploring at night until tomorrow."

Die nodded, and he finally stood as well, putting a hand on Niang's shoulder. "We may even want to camp out in the forest at some point," he pointed out. "It's a large area, and it may not be efficient to only go as far as we can come back in a day. We'll have a chance to see it at night when we're more prepared."

Niang's smirk softened, and she finally stood as well. She moved to stand in front of him and place her hand lightly on his hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I am very happy for you, A-Xian," she whispered. "I'm so proud of the man and the cultivator you've become. Rest well."

...Okay. He forgave her. He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "Good night, Niang," he murmured. He nodded to his father, then knocked a fist lightly on the top of his sister's head, grinning when she batted at him. "I'll see you all in the morning."

Everyone else said their own good nights, and then Wei Wuxian was finally free to head upstairs, Lan Zhan on his heels. He caught up as they turned the corner to their room and took Wei Wuxian's hand.

He was so warm.

When their door shut behind them, Wei Wuxian turned until he could plant his face in Lan Zhan's chest. "I thought that would never end," he whined, enjoying as Lan Zhan's hand came up to stroke his hair. "It's been too long since I got to touch you -- without any interruptions. Must we put away the cups after drinking a sip? Can we just spend all day tomorrow in bed?"

"I would like that," Lan Zhan replied softly. He held Wei Wuxian even closer.

Wei Wuxian whined again, this time without words. "Stop making me be the responsible one," he muttered. "I know we can't actually spend all day in bed. I just want to."

Lan Zhan's hand on his hair drifted down until it curved around his ass. "We may not have all day tomorrow, but we still have tonight."

That was true. They did.

Chapter Text

Awareness came in slow fits and starts, less of a steady climb and more of the sense of trips and falls along the path towards waking.

Wei Wuxian groaned and rolled around till he found a comfortable place to hide his face from the light, clinging with all his might to his comfortable bastion of safety from mornings once he found it. He was not awake enough to deal with things like consciousness or light; he just needed to be warm and safe.

The scent of sandalwood, cool and sharp, permeated his senses. Gentle fingers stroked his hair, and he felt the pleasant sensation of a fond laugh from his chosen pillow, so quiet it wasn’t given voice but he could still feel it vibrating through his body.

This really was the best way in the world to wake up, especially with no rush to try and be presentable. Even if they didn’t get out of bed until the rest of his family was long awake and ready for the day, he didn’t care.

If they could stay like this forever, it would be a life well spent.

Sadly, his bedmate cruelly shifted a little just as he was getting comfortable enough to fall back asleep, and he let out a low, displeased whine, curling his fingers firmly into soft robes. “Nope,” he informed Lan Zhan’s chest, clinging even tighter to him than before. “Stay.”

Lan Zhan’s soft laugh ran through him again. “It is late morning, si shi,” he informed him as though this would make Wei Wuxian want to wake up any faster.

He made a disagreeing noise and closed his eyes once more. Even if he slept another shichen, they would still have plenty of time to explore the woods, test the compass, talk to the apothecary’s daughter, and whatever other tasks might find themselves in front of him. He couldn’t think of a single thing that would entice him to get out of bed any sooner than that.

Lan Zhan stopped moving for a few minutes, clearly understanding that at this moment, his only job in life was to be Wei Wuxian’s pillow. He returned to petting his hair soothingly, and Wei Wuxian let out a contented sigh and nuzzled closer.

But sadly life was too cruel to allow them these continued indulgences for any longer. There was a crisp knock at the door.

"Noooo," Wei Wuxian complained as Lan Zhan gently moved his head to the actual pillow and slid away from him. "Come back here."

But Lan Zhan, terrible man that he was, merely neatened his robes and went to answer the door.

"Good morning, Lan Wangji," Niang's voice said. "You two are actually the last up today, so I wanted to tell you what plans we came up with."

"Good morning, Ayi," Lan Zhan replied. Knowing that he couldn't really stay in bed longer, Wei Wuxian finally sat up and gathered his inner robe from the floor beside the bed. By the time his mother moved far enough into the room to see him, he was at least somewhat more presentable.

"I thought you and your Hanguang-jun were going to be first every morning," Niang teased, looking up and down at his messy hair and the marks he couldn't hide.

"Sometimes I must still, of course, make way for my mother," Wei Wuxian replied.

He found himself less embarrassed than he had been before. There were still plenty of details he didn't want his family to have, but teasing aside, it was...good to work with his parents while having a partner. He had been a crowned adult now for years, but now he felt more able to interact with his parents on adult terms. He had no need to hide sharing a bed with his cultivation partner.

"Good child," she said, smiling broadly at him. As Lan Zhan joined them, she continued, "Your father and I want to spend the rest of the morning in the forest. Since you said you wanted to visit the apothecary with Meilian, you can just keep an eye on your new compass while we're there. Then we thought we might come back at midday, which will give you enough time to make another set so we can split into two groups."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "That sounds fine. I gather you're not worried about the kudzu blocking out the light?"

Niang shrugged. "We know it's a problem now, so we can deal with it. I just want to see for myself what's going on before we spend the rest of the day and maybe some of the night in there."

"Don't want to camp out tonight?" Wei Wuxian asked.

She shook her head. "Not until we have a better idea of what differences there are at night, if any." She then gestured out towards the rest of the inn. "Your sister is in her room, studying more about the plants she saw. Once you two are ready to leave, you can pick her up there."

"All right, Niang. We'll see you at midday."

She nodded to both of them and then left. Wei Wuxian flopped back down on the bed with a sigh.

"We should get ready," Lan Zhan murmured, stepping closer. "Your sister will be waiting for us."

"You mean I should get ready," Wei Wuxian corrected, eyeing him. Even serving as Wei Wuxian's pillow, he had been fully dressed. Wei Wuxian had felt him get up at mao shi, even after the late night they'd had. "I suppose I am pretty hungry."

He was only partly hungry for actual food. Lan Zhan looked so good, and seeing him so put-together just made Wei Wuxian want to mess him up again.

Instead, he reached out a hand and allowed Lan Zhan to draw him up again. Not only did they have the apothecary to visit, but also the qiankun pouch on their private table still had a corpse in it. It would be better to get up and get started soon.

But he still indulged himself in a last moment of deserved laziness, dropping his head onto Lan Zhan’s shoulder and letting it rest there, yawning heavily. His partner stood there, solid as stone, holding up Wei Wuxian’s tired weight effortlessly.

“Mornings are cruel,” he informed Lan Zhan, who was just as sympathetic as a man who rose at mao shi every day could realistically be. “If you really do plan on spending every day with me now, it will be a very rare day that I can rise as early as you do.”

Lan Zhan rested a comforting hand on his back, its warmth eventually giving him the strength to straighten up and walk over to wash his face and neck.

“I do not expect you to change your ways,” he said as Wei Wuxian splashed cold water on himself, grimacing as droplets ran under his collar. “We will find our own rhythm.”

The confidence with which he said it made Wei Wuxian grin into the towel as he wiped his face. The thought of them finding their own rhythm even in disparate sleep schedules and habits was indeed very appealing.

Feeling more awake and human, he dressed quickly and made a mental note to see if he could have his robes washed later that day. When he had his hair tied back and Lan Zhan had helped him make sure that he had the newest marks properly covered up, they left their room at last.

There was no sign of Niang and Die in the dining area downstairs; he suspected they had already headed out for the forest. They crossed round to Meilian’s room to collect her, with Wei Wuxian tapping out a rhythm they’d used since they were children to get her attention.

She came over and opened the door up before he could even finish it, grinning and with a smear of ink already over one cheek from where she’d been taking notes and not paying attention where her brush had gone. “Good morning, Da-ge,” she said with an impish look in her eyes. “Although it’s almost not morning anymore.”

He reached out and tugged on her cheek playfully, making her giggle and slap his hand away. “It’s morning enough to still go on an adventure,” he teased. “Wanna help us find the burial grounds for the town? We have a corpse friend to put to rest.”

"Find the burial grounds, he says," Meilian scoffed. "We could just ask."

"But that's less of an adventure," he replied cheerfully. She rolled her eyes and came out with them anyway.

Feeling his stomach rumble, he detoured in the common room to ask Madam Lu if there was anything left of breakfast. She promptly left and returned with a bundle of baozi, still fluffy and soft. Wei Wuxian immediately ate one and then passed another to Lan Zhan, who ate more delicately but still quickly. They each ate another one as Meilian spoke to Master Lu.

"Sabotaging my adventure, are you?" he asked when she joined them again.

"The more time we spend looking for the cemetery, the less we'll have for the actual adventure in the forest," she replied, droll. "Come on, Da-ge. Let's go lay your friend to rest."

Meilian led them past the fields, waving at the villagers they saw as they walked through town, until they reached a small hill. Tucked behind this hill was the cemetery, boxed in by neat lines of trees planted to give shelter to those sleeping within.

"This corner is for non-residents," Meilian informed them, leading them to a corner of the cemetery with simpler headstones. "Master Lu said we can bury him here."

Wei Wuxian opened the qiankun pouch and began pulling the corpse free as Lan Zhan drew Bichen. Its sword energy swept out, splashing dirt around and opening a crevice on an empty plot. As Lan Zhan continued digging the grave, Wei Wuxian extricated the corpse fully.

"Are those mushrooms in his leg?" Meilian came closer and crouched to look.

"His leg had kudzu growing through it too," Wei Wuxian said, pointing to where the vine had torn the flesh. Ragged flaps of skin shifted as Meilian lifted the leg to look closer.

"Kudzu shouldn't be carnivorous," she murmured. "It's like it tore the flesh specifically to allow the fungi room to grow." She examined the mushrooms again, then grabbed the knife off of Wei Wuxian's belt and began cutting them loose.

"Something interesting about those mushrooms?" he asked.

"I think there's something interesting about all the mushrooms we've been finding here," she replied. "But if you're asking what I want them for...things in that forest are behaving oddly. Let me just..."

She put the mushrooms down on the grass, then dug into her qiankun sleeve to withdraw a cloth bundle. She unrolled it to reveal gleaming silvery needles and picked out one of them.

"Last time we met up with her, Doctor Wen showed me how to test for resentful energy in the potential medicinal ingredients I find," Meilian continued. She infused spiritual energy into the needle until it glowed a gentle green-gold, then slid the needle into the mushroom cap. When she pulled it out again, a thin wisp of gray, oily smoke followed it. It lingered before Meilian whistled sharply, then it dissipated.

"These mushrooms are infused with resentment," she concluded. She put her needles away again, then stood and frowned down at the mushrooms and the corpse, her hands on her hips.

Lan Zhan finished his digging and came to stand with them. "We thought they might be," Wei Wuxian said, brushing away a few specks of dirt that dared to try to settle on Lan Zhan's sleeve. "What are you thinking, Xiao-meimei?"

"Many mushrooms grow in colonies," she replied, still looking at the corpse. "And the roots of these colonies can actually cover very wide areas, even if only smaller patches of mushrooms fruit aboveground. Depending on how big the colonies in the forest are, they could be part of what's spreading that resentful energy."

Wei Wuxian sucked in air through his teeth. “Is it possible the mushrooms in this fellow came from his lingering resentment?” he asked, reaching out to pat the corpse on the shoulder before he thought better of it. “He was definitely stuck there for a long time and not getting anywhere.”

Meilian shook her head before reconsidering the question and nodding slightly. “I mean he could, although he doesn’t seem that resentful anymore. But if you mean can a fierce corpse infuse things growing on them with resentment, they absolutely can. But,” she said and dug in her pouch for another one of the mushrooms they’d brought back last night, “I don’t think it’s the case this time.”

Wei Wuxian watched her repeat the process, jabbing the green glowing needle into a fresh mushroom. When she pulled it free, a tiny wisp of that same smoke came with it, almost thin enough to be invisible. “It’s not very easy to tell,” she said in a quieter voice. “But I think all the mushroom colonies in the forest have some in there.”

Wei Wuxian’s heart sank despite himself. Sure, it answered several questions he had about what was going on in the forest, but the problem with it being so widespread and subtle meant that dealing with it would become its own new challenge.

Lan Zhan bent to pick up the corpse, and Wei Wuxian turned his attention away from the worries of Xiaolongmen Forest and back to the task at hand. His parents were already out investigating it; they would likely have more answers than he did.

They didn’t have any burial robes to wrap the poor corpse in, but they did their best to lower him down into the pit with some dignity. When they had finished laying him to rest, Wei Wuxian took the time to carve him a little tablet with his burial date and the moniker ‘A Lost Friend’ so that he wouldn’t be completely lost anymore.

Meilian took a few minutes to pay respects for both the corpse they buried and the others who had been interred in this little corner of the burial yard, Wei Wuxian joined her when Lan Zhan was done rinsing the last bits of corpse off of his hands. One of the graves of the non-residents mentioned a traveling cultivator, with a death date and several flowers laid atop her grave, and they both took a moment to find some of the few autumn flowers left and add to it. A moment later, Lan Zhan did as well.

One of the risks of being a rogue wandering cultivator was that they might die with no one to find them or lay them to rest. Without a home to call their own, such respects depended on the people around them to grant them the honor of being buried and laid to rest.

It was a risk that Wei Wuxian had long since made his peace with, and he was similarly glad that Meilian had chosen a path farther from danger than his and his parents. As far back as he could remember, they would do this whenever they had reason to enter a burial yard, to make certain that those that had shared their path until it came to an often sudden end still had someone who would remember the work they had done and the good they spread into the world.

This village still treated their buried cultivator with respect, even though she had passed long enough ago that few would remember her now. It made him smile that she had found such a kind resting place.

When they had finished, Wei Wuxian clapped his hands together energetically. “Now that we’re done playing in the dirt, lead the way, Xiao-meimei.”

"I just asked where the cemetery was," she said, frowning at him. "You are the one who has spent more actual time in the village. Don't you know where to go?"

"I wasn't looking for the apothecary yesterday," he retorted.

Lan Zhan shook his head a little, then took hold of Wei Wuxian's hand and tugged. "Come," he said.

Lan Zhan let go once they reached the village again, but he still easily led them to a storefront on a side street. The moment they walked in, they were met with an aroma of mixed herbs. Bundles of both dried herbs rested on the shelves, accompanied by likewise dried fungi and animal and insect parts. Wei Wuxian stepped closer to examine the jars of ground centipede, flattened geckos, and frog hasma.

But there were also plenty of empty spaces on the shelves. Wei Wuxian recalled that the apothecary had left the village to restock what he could no longer forage from the forest. A particularly large blank space announced the lack of kudzu roots.

"Can I help you?" a young woman's voice asked, prompting Wei Wuxian to turn around. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

Shen Huiying, the apothecary's daughter Madam Lu had mentioned, looked to be in her late teens. Her hair and robes were neat and tidy, but her eyes drooped like she was tired. She sat behind a counter with her hands clasped on the wood in front of her.

Wei Wuxian stepped closer, flashing a friendly smile. "Actually, we're seeking your knowledge more than your wares," he replied. "We're cultivators investigating your forest, and we hoped to ask you questions about things you normally find in the forest."

Her hands clenched tighter. "I'm afraid my father is the one who might be able to answer your questions," she replied dully. "This humble daughter only carries a fraction of his knowledge. He plans to return next xun, though if you cannot wait that long, I will do my poor best to answer your questions."

"Oh, I'm sure you're exactly what we need," he cajoled, wanting to cheer her up a little. "You live here too, don't you? Daughter of the apothecary, I'm sure you've picked up plenty of things that can help us!"

She relaxed a little, her eyes flicking to the side and then back at them as she looked away. "Then excuse me for a moment while I retrieve my father's notes from the office. They may be of use to you."

He grinned and gestured broadly, and she stood up and stepped through a door at the back of the shop. The moment she was gone, Meilian stepped hard on his foot, glaring at him when he turned to look at her in surprise.

"Stop flirting in front of Lan-ge!" she hissed. "What if either of them gets the wrong idea?"

"I was being friendly," he hissed back, though he looked at Lan Zhan to make sure he hadn't actually thought Wei Wuxian was flirting with Shen Huiying.

Lan Zhan’s face was utterly blank. Wei Wuxian couldn’t see a single flicker of emotion in his eyes, nothing whatsoever to show him what Lan Zhan was feeling.

He only saw that face when Lan Zhan didn’t want him to know what he was thinking…

“Lan Zhan,” he said in a lower voice so that no one would overhear and come to interrupt them. “I promise I have no intentions towards her. Only to get help on the night hunt that I’m doing with my family and you. You know that, right?”

Lan Zhan’s face remained impassive and cool. “Meilian is a good sibling, to watch out for such things,” he said, again with not a single hint of emotion in his face or voice for Wei Wuxian to read.

Wei Wuxian felt the slow chill of dismay and horror creeping down his spine. The absolute last thing he wanted Lan Zhan to think was that he was callous and cruel with others' hearts, whether it be frowning girls or the only person he’d ever wanted to kiss in his life.

Such misunderstandings had to be corrected immediately. He could not let that stand between them. “Well Meilian may be right. But I will swear to the heavens, the earth, your ancestors, my ancestors, whoever you want, that I am not and will not ever toy with your affections, nor that of others,” he said, standing up straight with three fingers raised towards the heavens. “My speech may be frivolous and friendly at times, but you are the only one who I will ever harbor such feelings for. It has to be you, it can only be you, I want no one but--“

Abruptly he was stopped as Lan Zhan took one step forward and pulled him into a kiss that burned straight through him to scorch the floor. One hand wrapped around him, the other caught up his swearing hand.

Wei Wuxian swallowed the rest of his words as there was no more room for them in his mouth with Lan Zhan’s tongue there. His cheeks burned when he remembered that his sister was there -- that they were in a public space -- and Lan Zhan was kissing him the same way he did when it was just the two of them.

When Lan Zhan pulled away, Wei Wuxian felt genuinely breathless; he couldn’t have said a word if he tried. Lan Zhan’s eyes glittered brightly and a faint smile hovered at the corner of his lips. “I know,” he said just loud enough for Wei Wuxian to hear.

…there was an edge of mischief to his voice. His eyes glimmered with it. He had known all along, he just hadn’t said anything.

If his cheeks were burning before, now his whole face was aflame. He really just had…

Terrible man. Utterly impossible! Someday he was going to be the death of Wei Wuxian, and it was going to be from some stunt like this.

“Sorry for making you wait, young master,” Shen Huiying called out, running from the back room with a bundle of papers under her arm. "I'm afraid I--oh?" Her mouth snapped shut as she took in Lan Zhan stood so close to him, Wei Wuxian's own cheeks flushed.

Lan Zhan decorously stepped away, with no indication on his face of the trick he had just played or its results. Willing the blush to subside, and not even wanting to look at his sister, Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and said, "It was no trouble, Miss Shen. Can you tell us what you've brought?"

She eyed them curiously, but when they said nothing further, she spread the papers out on her counter and gestured them over. "These are my father's notes on what he saw in the forest in the past several months. The new behavior of the kudzu, the fungus colonies spreading, that strange bleeding mushroom...everything he could observe or figure out is here."

"What did he say about the bleeding mushroom?" Meilian asked immediately, pushing forward to look at the notes. "I couldn't find it in the book I have on fungi."

Shen Huiying pulled one paper free from the stack, pointing to the drawing of the bleeding mushroom on it and the neat characters covering the rest of the paper. "He's still studying them, but he was at least able to determine that the liquid they secrete isn't inherently dangerous. It actually seems to have anticoagulant properties. He wants to look further into them as medicinal ingredients, but he got...very frustrated when the village decided no one should go into the forest anymore."

"What about how they got here?" Meilian scanned over the notes again. "I mean, entirely new fungi don't usually randomly start sprouting."

Shen Huiying immediately pointed to a line of text. "He can't tell for sure, of course, but he thought something traveling from far away might have been carrying the spores."

"And the fungus colonies? Do you know how big they are and how far they spread?"

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan slowly took several steps back as Meilian's excitement grew, her questions coming rapidly as her eyes sparkled. Shen Huiying, too, grew more animated as she answered the questions, pulling over paper after paper.

"I think her father probably underestimates how much she knows," Wei Wuxian murmured from their new place in a corner of the shop, watching the two girls.

Lan Zhan also observed for several moments before saying, "Meilian encourages her."

Wei Wuxian nodded, smiling slightly. Growing up, he and his sister had had to make friends wherever they could find them, knowing that they would always move on. They often were able to return to those places later to try and catch up with the friends they made, and sometimes the friendships lasted the separation, as with the Wen siblings. Too often, though, the tentative connection broke.

Still, Wei Wuxian had always found those brief friendships worthwhile. He hoped this Shen Huiying could be a friend to Meilian, even if only so long as they were there.

Right now, the two girls had their heads pressed together and Meilian had started to pull some of her mushroom samples from her pouch, her voice dropping to an excited whisper out of consideration for how close they were. Wei Wuxian suspected that they could talk for quite a while if left uninterrupted.

He pulled his altered compass from the small pouch at his hip to look at it, even though he knew it hadn’t been triggered because it would have lit up and started humming incessantly if his parents had activated their talisman. It seemed to be working fine: the needle was pointed straight ahead in the direction of the forest and not swaying as it would if it couldn’t fix onto a point.

Still, looking at it, he suddenly had the urge to go back to the inn, pull out his materials and make one from scratch instead of just repurposing one of his Compass of Ill Winds. If he had a solid base to work from, then perhaps later he could improve on the design and allow it to convey different forms of communication from long distance.

He glanced back at his sister, deep in conversation with Shen Huiying and biting at the end of one of her braids absently. Shen Huiying had grabbed a small knife from somewhere and was cutting through one of the mushrooms right at the base. Clearly they were on some level of herbology that he would be hard pressed to keep up with.

Xiaolongmencun Village so far had given him no sense of danger or trouble within its borders. She would probably be fine left to her own devices for a little while.

And depending on how long his tinkering took, perhaps he and Lan Zhan could take a little time to themselves back at the inn…

“Meilian,” he called out, interrupting her mid-sentence. “Will you be fine here for a while?”

Meilian huffed and made a face at him. “I’m not a child anymore, Da-ge, you can run off to go kiss Lan-ge instead of standing around being distracting.”

“My mother is also here, if you’re concerned for your sister, daozhang,” Shen Huiying volunteered, looking up at him. He could see plain on her face that she was having fun talking to Meilian and was hopeful that his sister would stick around. Despite her defiant words, Meilian also had a beseeching look in her eyes. It was clear that the two of them had really struck up a rapport already.

They would be fine talking over their plants for a while. Meilian would probably figure out more about what was going on with the kudzu and the mushrooms on her own than with him and Lan Zhan hovering around.

He walked over to tweak one of Meilian’s braids. “We’ll be at the inn, so don’t get into any trouble,” he said before bowing slightly to Shen Huiying.

Meilian flapped her hands at him in a shooing motion, but she was smiling. “Go give a treat to Lychee for me so she knows we haven’t forgotten about her,” she called after them as they walked out. “Any longer without us and she’s going to bite the first person she sees!”

Wei Wuxian waved his hand in acknowledgement as the door fell shut behind them. The apothecary turned out to be on the same road as the inn, even if they were on opposite sides of the village, so it would be easy for them to return for her if she did lose track of time or if their parents called for help.

He shielded his eyes from the mid-morning sunlight as they walked back towards the inn. Lan Zhan in his all white robes was almost too blinding to look at, but he still managed to do so, catching a glimpse of a concerned frown on his face.

He immediately turned around so he could see Lan Zhan better, walking backwards down the street. “What’s got you making that face?” he asked, lifting his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Will Lychee bite you?" He took Wei Wuxian's hand and lifted it up as if imagining his fingers bruised by donkey teeth.

Wei Wuxian burst into laughter, still walking backwards and trusting that Lan Zhan would do something if he were about to run into anything. "She might!" he replied. "We've all almost had our fingers taken off. Do you want to protect me from our grouchy donkey, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Zhan tilted his head. "Surely it is my turn," he said. When Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow, he continued, "To have the family donkey almost take my fingers off."

Wei Wuxian stopped abruptly enough that Lan Zhan ran into him. He draped his arms over Lan Zhan's shoulders and leaned into him. Lan Zhan's gaze darted around, but he didn't attempt to move away or remove Wei Wuxian. Adorable man!

"It is your turn," he agreed happily. He darted in closer to kiss Lan Zhan's cheek, then stepped back so they could start walking again. "But don't worry. We have a few tricks."

They arrived back at the inn, and Wei Wuxian went straight back to the kitchen entryway. Lan Zhan hung back as Wei Wuxian peeked around the corner to see Madam Lu and the kitchen girls working on lunch.

"Daozhang?" Madam Lu dusted off her hands as she noticed them. "Can I help you with something?"

"Do you have a couple apples I might take?" Wei Wuxian asked, smiling winsomely.

In answer, she plucked two ripe apples from a basket on a side counter and tossed them to him with a return smile. Catching them, he bowed to her in thanks and took Lan Zhan to find the stables.

Lychee was the only resident, and upon seeing them, she snorted and bared her teeth. Grinning at her, he waved the apples in front of her face -- though still out of snapping distance -- and waited until her eyes fixed on the apples. Then he stopped waving them at her and drew his belt knife.

"Slices are safer," he told Lan Zhan, swiftly cutting one of the apples into slices that Lychee would have no difficulty with. Then he handed his bundle of apple to Lan Zhan as he got started slicing the other. "Now, toss a slice."

Lan Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly, but he obediently turned to Lychee and tossed one of the apple slices at her. His aim was perfect -- her head darted out, teeth snapping over the fruit with a soft crunch. A few more chews had her swallowing it down and braying a demand for another.

Lan Zhan continued tossing apple slices at Lychee as she slowly calmed down. By the time he was down to the last, she allowed him to step close and offer the slice directly, and she gobbled it messily from his hand with only a parting snort as he stepped back again.

"She likes you," Wei Wuxian cooed as Lan Zhan wiped his hand with a handkerchief. "She must not have been too unhappy with us today."

"What about the second apple?" Lan Zhan asked. "Is that not for her as well?"

Smiling, Wei Wuxian shook his head. "Treats in moderation," he said. He waved at Lychee as he began heading out of the stables again. "She's gotten hers, so now..."

He waited until Lan Zhan looked at him, waiting for the rest, and then he raised an apple slice to Lan Zhan's lips.

Lan Zhan’s eyes widened minutely in surprise, then warmed in an unseeable smile. As graceful as an immortal, he bit down on the apple slice, his lips brushing the tips of Wei Wuxian’s fingers for an instant before he pulled away.

Wei Wuxian grinned, taking the remaining half of the slice away and popping it in his own mouth. Somehow it seemed sweeter and juicier than any apple he’d enjoyed before. “Some treats are best shared with others,” he said as if he were sharing a confidence. “Stolen apples always taste sweetest.”

Lan Zhan gave him a look, but it was tempered in warmth. “Then have we stolen this apple from Lychee?”

Wei Wuxian laughed. “She would think so!”

He cut off more pieces of the apple for him and Lan Zhan as they went back up to their room, refusing to let Lan Zhan eat them unless Wei Wuxian personally fed them to him. There was a look in Lan Zhan’s eyes when he opened the door that suggested that he’d lured Lan Zhan dangerously close to the edge of his control, a hunger in his eyes that had nothing to do with the apple slices.

It left him exhilarated; it was a sensation akin to flying on his sword high above the ground or walking on the edge of a cliffside, the sense that one wrong move would leave him falling helplessly to earth. He couldn’t get enough of it, not when it came to Lan Zhan.

Sure enough, once he’d fished out his altered compass and set it on the low table where they would notice it immediately should something happen, Lan Zhan pressed him down to the floor with one strong hand, easily stealing the breath from his lungs before he’d even had the decency to start kissing him.

“What is this?” he whined flirtatiously as Lan Zhan loomed over him, reaching up to grab the forehead ribbon tail that hung down near his face. “Is this about my words back at the apothecary?”

Lan Zhan’s eyes were dark and fierce, narrowing slightly as he caught Wei Wuxian’s hand. “It has to be you,” he echoed, the words somehow even richer in his deep voice. “It can be no one but you.”

Wei Wuxian inhaled sharply. Then, even though his wrist was still grasped tight in Lan Zhan’s hand, he pulled firmly enough that the white ribbon came falling free. Lan Zhan’s eyes blazed.

Perhaps very fortunately for everyone involved, the compass remained inert and quiet while they were too distracted to pay attention to it.

Chapter Text

“It’s easier to keep supplies on hand to repair or replace my compasses when I need them,” he explained later to a more sedate and satisfied Lan Zhan as he upended one of his pouches onto the table, small gears scattering over the wood. “I know a few smiths who are happy to make the rings and gears when I pass through town, especially if I do a little poking around to make sure that things are still peaceful in the process.”

"Can you show me?" Lan Zhan asked, picking up a ring and examining it.

"Of course! Here, let me show you how to repair one of the originals first..."

He pointed out what each part was for, explaining how they fit together. He also noted each of his character choices, but happily did not generally have to explain those further, because Lan Zhan understood almost immediately upon seeing them.

"You have a knack for this, Lan Zhan," he complimented, watching as Lan Zhan began putting together their second rescue compass with lithe, nimble fingers. "Of course, I already knew how talented your hands were!"

Lan Zhan paused and shot him a burning look. "Your parents will return soon," he said.

Wei Wuxian widened his eyes, projecting pure innocence. "What, I can't compliment you? You can surprise me all day with the most romantic lines imaginable, and when I try to give you a simple compliment--"

"Wei Ying. Behave."

Oh, Wei Wuxian loved Lan Zhan's voice like this. Deep and fierce, just a little gravely...that voice was not an incentive to behave.

But he did know that his parents would be back soon, and he was also looking forward to getting back out into the forest. A little reluctantly, he behaved -- but not before saying, "Hanguang-jun has conquered me well. I will behave for him."

Lan Zhan closed his eyes and shook his head, and Wei Wuxian smiled at him, fondly.

Together, they put the finishing touches on the second rescue compass and its accompanying talismans. With that done, a small weight lifted from Wei Wuxian's chest. "My family is so competent that I rarely truly worry about them, but I'm still grateful to have precautions in place."

Nodding, Lan Zhan looked down at the finished compass before returning his gaze to Wei Wuxian. "Wei Ying...why did you decide to start traveling on your own? You love your family, and many hunts would be easier with a group."

Wei Wuxian leaned forward and propped his cheek up on his fist. "Why do you?" he returned. He intended to answer, but he thought Lan Zhan's response might lead into it well. "You have such a big clan, after all."

Lan Zhan's eyebrows drew in slightly. He looked towards the window. "Most in my clan are not interested in everything I hunt," he said slowly. "They are better about hunting smaller, less dangerous prey than other clans, but they often still wish something...worth their time. I think it is all worth my time." He returned his warm gaze to Wei Wuxian. "But that cannot be your reason. Your family, too, pursues hunts of all levels."

Wei Wuxian smiled. "Yes, but as you just mentioned, we're a minority," he replied. "Of course my family would be happy to have me keep hunting with them, but there are too many hunts for you, or they, or all of us, to take. There's just so much need."

And now that he and Lan Zhan would be partnering up, there would be fewer separate parties again to address that need -- but Wei Wuxian did not regret his choice, then or now. He loved hunting with his family, but there was nothing like having a partner of his own at his side.

He swept up the remains of his compass tools into their pouch again before passing the new compass and talismans to Lan Zhan. “I’m thinking about calling it a Wayfarer's Beacon or something like that. At least that’s what it’ll do,” he mused as Lan Zhan stored them away. “Coming up with elegant names is tricky.”

“You will find a good name,” Lan Zhan said with confidence. “Quanshui is good; the Compass of Ill Winds is good.”

Wei Wuxian made a face at him. “Sure I will, but in the meantime I can call them a Wayfarer's Beacon.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said noncommittally. He rose to his feet elegantly, eyes flicking over the light streaming in from the window. “It is nearly midday. Shall we go meet your parents?”

“Yeah, that might be a good idea,” he said, glancing at his compass once more. “Maybe we should go back and get Meilian too, if she’s not back yet.”

When they left their room, people were gathering together for lunch down in the main seating area. He scanned the seats quickly, but there was no one in Meilian’s pale green robes.

He wasn’t too surprised; she and Shen Huiying had likely gotten caught up in their own adventures. Perhaps she would have some answers for them on the nature of the woods and the strange flora within.

He was prepared to walk down to collect her from the apothecary shop again, but as they stepped out into the noonday sun, he could see Meilian already coming their way, trotting down the road and greeting the people around her.

The moment she saw them, she waved and sped up to come meet them sooner. “Da-ge, Lan-ge, is everything all right?” she called, stumbling to a halt in front of them. “Did the compass light up?”

He shook his head. “We thought we might go meet Die and Niang when they come out of the woods, save some time,” he said, watching her face relax in relief. “Nothing happened that I know of.”

“Oh good,” she said, falling in next to him with Lan Zhan on his other side as they turned to walk to the forest. “I just didn’t expect to see you two yet unless something was wrong, since it’s still too early for them to be back.”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “I figured we could go surprise them for a change,” he said, making Meilian snort in amusement. “They could do with a few more surprises in their life.”

Lan Zhan didn’t say anything, but he could sense his amusement nevertheless. Maybe later on they could talk about some of the times they’d been surprised by their parents when they were behaving for once. Their mother in particular enjoyed being a gremlin that could put his worst moods to shame.

Meilian giggled. “Yeah, we should go surprise them,” she agreed. “Since Niang got to go playing in the creepy forest, she might even actually jump.”

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “Nope, she wouldn’t do that,” he said with an aggrieved sigh. “Niang is unflappable. But at least I can show her the second compass I made while we were in town.”

“How did your time go, Meilian?” Lan Zhan stepped in politely. “Were you and Miss Shen able to determine something about your plants?”

She shook her head as they all fell in together, heading for the woods. "This kind of research usually takes time, and neither of us has been specially trained for it. At least not yet. I gave Shen Huiying samples of what we had, since she has more tools and her father's books and notes to help her. In the meantime, I think I'll do more good helping to explore the forest."

"We will be glad to have you," Lan Zhan assured her, at the same time Wei Wuxian said, "Oh, really?"

His parents had left the woods and were heading their way.

"Hah, Changze, didn't I say it?" Niang crowed as they got closer. "I said they'd want to surprise us!"

"And I didn't disagree," Die replied, amused. "Did you three have a productive morning?"

"We did," Wei Wuxian said, crossing his arms. "You're out a little earlier than we expected you."

Niang came forward to drape an arm around Meilian's shoulders, turning them around to head back to the village. "Since I didn't get to go in yesterday, I just wanted to see for myself what the forest was like, but there was no point getting too deep before we could all go in. If you've finished what you wanted to do, then we can eat lunch and then spend the rest of the day in the forest, and at least part of the night."

By the time they were back at the inn and had made their lunch orders, Niang was practically buzzing with enthusiasm. "What a forest!" she said, bouncing a little in her seat. "The two of you are unfilial children twice over for not letting me see it yesterday. So many things I've never seen before!"

"Your Niang decided to go swinging from vine to vine to test their speed," Die told them wryly. "You'll be glad to know that she was faster. They never managed to catch her properly."

"Of course she was faster," Wei Wuxian agreed loyally, smiling at his mother's excitement. "Did you see anything new?"

"Lots of hoofprints, actually," Niang replied, calming down a little. "Perhaps a herd of those deer the Wang son mentioned. We didn't actually see the deer themselves, though."

"Hopefully this afternoon," Die said. "I want to know what's wrong about them." He looked between his children. "Now, how was your morning?"

"Lan Zhan and I made a second altered compass," Wei Wuxian said first, passing it over to his parents. "For now, at least, I'm going to call them Wayfarer's Beacons. But the morning's major discovery came from Meilian."

From his seat next to her, Wei Wuxian could see his sister twisting her hands together in her lap, but her voice was confident as she said, "We buried the corpse Da-ge and Lan-ge brought back yesterday, but growing on him were resentment-infused mushrooms. And the resentment came from the mushrooms, not the corpse. But Niang, Die, the important thing there is that mushroom colonies can have roots that spread across a very wide area. All the mushrooms we brought back carried resentment. If these colonies have spread throughout the forest, then it could be very, very hard to control, much less stop, the spread. Like a waterborne abyss."

Niang let out a heavy breath. “Well that’s good news to have, if not exactly news I wanted,” she muttered. “It does tell us more of what to look for, but I’m growing increasingly convinced that we’re dealing with the first stages of a hollowed forest.”

Wei Wuxian immediately understood her sighs. Hollowed forests, like waterborne abysses, were relatively rare, but formed in places where awful deaths had occurred and the very nature of the wood itself eventually took on the resentment of those who died, warping from the green woods they knew into something dark and twisted.

He knew waterborne abysses liked to drown people and sink boats to increase their strength. Hollowed forests were rare enough that he couldn’t say for sure just what they would do, but he suspected it would be something similar enough.

“It may not be that far along yet, Airen,” Die said comfortingly. “It is difficult to tell right now how much of the forest is just in slumber for the winter. If we are able to find the source, we might be able to reverse the change.”

“I hope you’re right, Changze,” Niang said with a sigh. “Even so, it might still take fire in order to burn out the worst of it and set the forest towards healing.”

Everyone at the table winced, even Meilian. Xiaolongmen Forest was large and ancient, with many tall trees, and the village was not far from the forest itself. The sort of fire that it would take to burn out that level of resentment would be the sort they couldn’t control.

Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. He’d already seen enough fires and homes burning down back in Xingyang to last a lifetime.

“That being said, we still do not know for certain,” Die said firmly, refusing to let fear settle in. “This afternoon, now that we have Wayfarer's Beacons for both parties, we will return to the forest and explore. There may still be other answers that we are missing for what is happening.”

Niang gave him a fond smile, the few lines at the corners of her eyes crinkling warmly. Really, Die was an incurable optimist at times. Even when they were dealing with the tragedies that littered the dark corners of the cultivation world, he never seemed to let it weigh him down. Niang was the same way: no matter what she ran into, nothing could dampen her spirit.

“Did you learn anything else about the mushrooms, Meilian?” Die asked as a waiter showed up with their food finally. “What about those odd ones that looked like they were bleeding?”

Meilian started to reach into her pouch for one of the mushrooms before remembering the reaction they’d gotten the night before. “It’s not poisonous; it actually seems to be pretty benign aside from the resentment part. Huiying-jie said that her father said that it seems to have some anticoagulant properties, but he couldn’t get enough samples before they stopped going into the forest. It’s definitely not from around here though.”

Niang picked up her tea cup, holding it to her lips as she thought about it. “Maybe we should try and follow that mushroom colony. If it’s not from around here, then maybe whatever brought it into the forest might have left other signs.”

“It does seem to be restraining some of the kudzu,” Die added. “We found patches where the kudzu had come to a halt because of those mushrooms.”

Wei Wuxian turned to look at Lan Zhan to see what he thought, but he was focused on his lunch. Since he couldn’t add onto the night hunting conversation without breaking his rules, he decided to turn the conversation sideways just a bit. “Well if these are new mushrooms, then Meilian gets to name them, right?”

Meilian rolled her eyes. "I'm not even the first person to study them," she said dismissively. "Technically, Apothecary Shen has a better right to name them."

"But he's not here and you are," Wei Wuxian prodded. "Come on, Meimei. What would you call them?"

She looked at him for a moment, then bared her teeth and snapped at him like Lychee. "Don't they look like bleeding teeth? We can just call them that."

Niang laughed. "Bleeding tooth mushrooms. I love it!"

"Good job, Xiao-meimei," Wei Wuxian said, patting her on the head. She looked at him like she wanted to snap her teeth at him again before she decided to ignore him and dug into her food.

"So what about that Shen Huiying?" Die asked in between bites. "A-Lian, you three went to the apothecary too?"

Meilian swallowed and nodded. "Huiying-jie knows a lot! I gave her a lot of my samples and she's going to figure out what she can from them. I don't have time to do that if I'm going into the forest again."

Die tilted his head. "If you like, you can stay here and keep working on that end of things," he offered. "It's important too, so don't worry, we're not just trying to keep you safe."

But Meilian shook her head. "It's all right, Die. I think Huiying-jie can handle it, and I'd rather be in the forest with all of you. That's the core of it."

"And you can collect more samples of these new mushrooms," Wei Wuxian suggested. "I bet Wen Qing would be interested in seeing them."

Face lighting up, Meilian nodded more vigorously. "Yeah! It's almost as good as my ginseng!"

"What, an entirely brand new kind of mushroom is only almost as good as your ginseng," Wei Wuxian teased.

"I know how useful the ginseng is, but we don't yet know about the mushroom," Meilian replied reasonably.

Smiling again to himself, and glancing at his silent Lan Zhan whose face was calm and peaceful as he watched them, Wei Wuxian quickly finished his lunch.

--

"All right," Niang said, looking up at the kudzu-covered trees on the forest outskirts, "we're going to try to follow those bleeding tooth mushrooms. Whatever brought them here might be the source of the resentment. Let's aim to be back here by hai shi, so we have time to search and see the forest at night. We have A-Xian's Wayfarer's Beacons if something happens. Meilian, do you want to go with your father and I or A-Xian and Lan Wangji?"

"Da-ge and Lan-ge," Meilian replied immediately, stepping closer. "I always hunt with you, so I want to hunt with them now."

"Abandoned!" Niang grinned as she dramatically put the back of her hand against her forehead. "But I'm sure they'll take good care of you."

"I will be the one taking care of them," Meilian sniffed, holding her head up. "Who's the one who knows about the plants and fungi here, hmm?"

"We are in your care," Lan Zhan said, bowing a little to Meilian, provoking a smile that she tried to hide by starting off on the northern path she'd taken the day before. Exchanging a smiling glance, Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan followed her, Wei Wuxian turning slightly to wave to his parents as he left.

The light shone valiantly through the branches strewn with kudzu overhead, bright enough to leave little patches of light on the ground here and there. As opposed to the southern part of the forest, the northern path had more fallen branches and the occasional large rock cluttering their path. Despite it having not rained in several days, the ground was soft and slightly mucky, pulling on shoes and leaving a trail of their footprints behind.

He could see the day-old prints from Meilian and Die having gone this way already, though only in one direction. They must have found a different path back after nightfall.

Meilian strode through the forest with confidence, utterly unperturbed by the overgrown paths. Occasionally she’d stop to look at a patch of mushrooms on the side of a tree or small marks that she and Die must have made the day before to mark their trail. “We’re going the right way,” she explained when Wei Wuxian leaned in to look at one of her marks. “I know where we should start looking for our strange things in the forest.”

“Oh? And where is that?” he asked, stepping around a sharp stone that looked like it had come off of one of the mountains in the area. “What should we be looking for?”

“Die and I found a big patch of the bleeding tooth mushrooms yesterday right before the kudzu blocked our light,” she called back to them. “We should find that first and follow it.”

High above them, the branches rustled and a crow cawed loudly, breaking the otherwise stifling silence. He squinted at the vines, trying to figure out if the rustling had been a brief breeze or the sound of the kudzu thickening around them again.

It was genuinely difficult to tell, as deeper into the forest the kudzu would naturally grow thicker and denser even without it moving. No doubt at some point they’d end up having to rely on Lan Zhan’s sword light to find their way.

“Da-ge!” Meilian yelled. “Don’t fall behind. If the kudzu isn’t fast enough to catch Niang, it’s not going to catch any of us.” Then she giggled as something occurred to her. “Well, not unless you’re standing there, staring at it!”

Wei Wuxian, knowing full well that she was right, stuck his tongue out at her before picking his way through the overgrown path to catch up to them. “No respect for your seniors at all, I see,” he teased back. “Come on, let’s go find your bleeding tooth mushroom patch.”

Meilian stuck out her tongue in response before trotting on ahead again, her pale robes making her an easy beacon to follow against the relative darkness of the trees.

Lan Zhan waited for him even though the path wasn’t wide enough for them to walk side by side. Looking at him standing here in these creepy woods, a pillar of light in the darkness so to speak, Wei Wuxian was once again struck by the overwhelming need to kiss him.

It really was a shame that this forest needed attending to so quickly, and that the previous time they’d given into their feelings in the woods had nearly gotten them caught by the kudzu moving in on them. It felt as though he’d never have the chance to kiss Lan Zhan as much as he wanted.

Lan Zhan glanced sidelong at him, and he knew that he was not alone in his feelings.

Meilian led them up an incline, boulders sprouting on both sides of a narrow trail that looked like it had been a hunting trail before. Gray-green lichen covered the boulders, and mushrooms peeked out from the crevices between the rocks. Kudzu draped over the tops, rustling as it followed them as they moved.

"There are more cliffs and rocks up this way," Meilian called, looking back at Wei Wuxian in the middle and Lan Zhan behind him, "and beyond that, it looks like a mudslide took out a lot of trees. A big mass of those bloody mushrooms started growing in and around those fallen logs."

Right in front of them was a switchback, and Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to spin around the corner and grin at Lan Zhan. "Hey, Lan Zhan, how muddy do you have to get before your robes can't handle it?"

"I would rather not find out," was Lan Zhan's dry response.

Wei Wuxian cackled, bouncing up on a series of rocks low enough to jump to. "No?" he chirped. "I think it sounds fun. I like it when you get a little dirty."

He could almost feel Lan Zhan's gaze fix on his ass, and he waggled it a little as he hopped between rocks before meeting the end of the low stones and having to drop back to the trail.

"Da-ge, must you do that?" Meilian asked wearily. "I'm still here. You can flirt with Lan-ge when you're alone."

"That's no fun," Wei Wuxian complained. "You're the one who chose to come with the mandarin ducks."

"Because I wanted to spend time with you!" She stopped and turned around, putting her hands on her hips. Her cheeks flushed, and she turned her face to the side before she glared back at him, her eyes reddened. "I barely get to see you anymore! Da-ge..."

Wei Wuxian rushed forward to scoop her up, whirling her around in an enormous hug that swung her legs behind her. "Sorry, Meimei," he murmured in her ear. "My relationship with Lan Zhan is new, so I got a little caught up. I am glad to be hunting with you again."

"Then act like it," she murmured back, and sniffed loudly. "Now come on, are we hunting or not?"

He let go of her, smiling and stroking her hair a couple times. Lan Zhan caught up to them, but he hung back, hovering with a palpable uncertainty. Meilian looked across Wei Wuxian's shoulder to meet Lan Zhan's eyes and offer him a smile.

"Don't worry, Lan-ge," she said, scrubbing a little at her cheek. "I'm still glad to have you here. Just...please don't forget about me."

“How could I do that?” Wei Wuxian teased. “You’re my favorite meimei.”

Meilian made a face at him. “I’m your only meimei. What other sisters do you have for me to compete with?” she retorted, but there was a lightness in her face at the old joke. “You’re so silly.”

“Silly or not, you’re still stuck with me,” he said with a grin. “No matter what happens next.”

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate, though he made a note to make sure to spend some time with just his sister soon, not within the creepy forest poking mushrooms, but just doing something together.

As she usually did after an emotional outburst, Meilian threw herself into the mission at hand, needing some time to collect her thoughts and not focus on whatever it was that had upset her. She clambered over a fallen tree, giant and mossy, studded in those strange yellow mushrooms.

“Sweet osmanthus ears,” she said when Wei Wuxian stopped to look at them. “They got named that for looking like the flower. They’re not poisonous at all,” she added as an afterthought. “You can even eat them if you want.”

Wei Wuxian lifted an eyebrow. “The mushrooms in general or these particular ones?” he asked with a sweep of his hand, remembering what she had told him before. “Aren’t these ones filled with resentment?”

Meilian stopped with her hand inches from the mushrooms. “Oh yeah, they probably are,” she said nonchalantly. “Maybe we shouldn’t eat these. But still, it’ll be good for you to know when you’re off running around by yourself again.”

“Wei Ying, Meilian,” Lan Zhan interrupted politely, a little ahead of their distracting tree truck. “Is this the mushroom patch you spoke of earlier?”

He was too polite to point, but it was still easy to see where he was looking. Meilian darted ahead to get a closer look and promptly made a disgusted noise. “No, but that’s a good find, Lan-ge,” she said. “Da-ge, come tell me if this is part of a fierce corpse or not.”

Wei Wuxian obediently came closer and understood why Meilian had made the noise she had. Around the few bleeding tooth mushrooms that Lan Zhan had found, dark, withered stems like rotten fingers poked up through the mast under a faded bush, curled in on themselves as though they were clawing their way to freedom. Tucked away from sunlight as it was, it was easy to mistake them for the hands of the undead, sticking up from the loam.

He crouched down, reaching out to poke them curiously. They felt similar to the consistency of the mushrooms he’d picked the day before. “I’m pretty sure they’re plants, but they do look pretty gross, Meimei.”

Meilian made an outraged noise. “You-! Stop touching strange mushrooms with your bare hands, Da-ge!”

"Didn't you say most mushrooms aren't poisonous to touch?" Still, to reassure her and Lan Zhan, who was almost frowning at the mushrooms, he refrained from poking them again. "You wanted to know if they were fierce corpse fingers, and I'm not sure how else you wanted me to check."

She heaved a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "Just...poison isn't the only danger, Da-ge," she said. "If you'll remember, I also said they can release spores. I'd rather not find out what resentment-infused spores will do to you, and it probably won't do any more good for the forest. You don't have to touch everything to examine it."

"Do you recognize them, Meilian?" Lan Zhan asked, also crouching to look at them more closely. "Or could they also have been brought in from somewhere else?"

"No, if it's really mushrooms, then I recognize them," she said. "They're called dead man's fingers, appropriately enough, though they're not always arranged like fingers on a hand. They're benign, and they like growing on decaying trees."

"You know, I almost see why you like mushrooms so much," Wei Wuxian told her as they all straightened again. "These ones, and the bleeding ones, and the osmanthus ear...these are fun."

"Next time we see a normal forest, we should go foraging," she suggested tentatively. "There are some very weird ones. Sometimes they glow in the dark, too."

"We'll do that," he said, tugging one of her braids as she swatted at him.

They began walking again, and now that Wei Wuxian knew what to look for, he saw more and more of those dead man's fingers tucked against downed logs and tree stumps. As Meilian had said, they didn't always look like fingers -- sometimes the stalks were thick and black and not arrayed in a hand shape -- but often the forest floor looked like decaying hands reaching up from the ground.

The trees thinned as they approached the mudslide until they finally reached a broad swathe of the forest open to the air. Wei Wuxian stood on the edge, blinking a little; he'd grown so used to the dimmer light peeking through the kudzu ceiling that the afternoon sun was almost a surprise.

The mudslide had been several months ago, so the ground seemed mostly dry at this point. However, irregular pits -- some large, some small, depending on what had attempted to traverse the area -- marked how fragile the ground remained. Some of the larger, messy hollows might have been deer or wolves falling through the ground and scrabbling back out.

"Where to from here, Meilian?" Wei Wuxian asked, looking down at his sister. He was grateful the three of them, armed with swords, could cross that area more easily than the forest animals could. He considered himself light-footed, but he wouldn't like to cross that sad, barren stretch.

Meilian drew Wuchang, stepping up onto the blade lightly. “Die and I flew over to that side last time,” she said, pointing at two trees that had fallen at such angles as to cross over each other. “On the other side of the trees, the ground is marshy, but safe to walk on.”

Wei Wuxian pulled out his Quanshui, cutting a mark on the tree next to them so they could find their way back if needed. “How much further past that is your bloody mushroom collection?”

“Not too far,” Meilian said as he and Lan Zhan mounted their swords to fly with her. “It wasn’t that long after we’d crossed this clearing that we found it, and we weren’t looking very intently back then.”

Wei Wuxian took the time to peer into the pits in the mud as they flew over out of curiosity. It wasn’t really a surprise to see a few bony remnants of birds and small mammals that had been too small to pull themselves out of the muck, whether they’d been crushed in the mudslide or fallen in later. He would have been more surprised to not see the tiny bodies and ruined feathers than he was to see them there.

As they landed on the other side of the fallen trees, he stumbled a bit in the muck, feeling it sucking on his boots hungrily. Lan Zhan offered him a hand to help him regain his balance, a hand that Wei Wuxian took despite not really needing it.

Meilian, having already done this once before -- he could see her smaller footprints left in the mud from the day before -- wisely landed a little further along, keeping Wuchang in her hand. “The patch of mushrooms is just beyond that rock, and there’s a lot of them,” she warned. “And watch your step, it gets marshier from here.”

The trailing vines of kudzu seemed to grow thicker and closer around them as they picked their way through the mud towards Meilian’s mushroom pile, the vibrant leaves swaying around them. The vines hadn’t seemed inclined to try and trap them yet, but given the sort of terrain they were moving onto, he expected that at some point they would find their paths blocked by great hungry vines seeking fresh blood for the forest.

“Here they are!” Meilian cried, running ahead noisily to kneel down next to a bloody tooth mushroom. She really hadn’t been joking about how many of them there were; beyond where she knelt, a veritable carpet of off-white mushrooms with red liquid just ready to spill all over everything stretched out over a pile of fallen trees until it reached the end of the floodline. Even then there were still more in the treeline, just now it had to contend with the curtains of kudzu.

The remnants of what had probably been a stream ran through the path they stood on, just a thin trickle of water seeping through the sea of mushrooms and a few stubborn rocks that refused to move. He wasn’t a master of the art of how forests grew, but he was willing to bet that the water had something to do with how widespread the mushrooms were in the area.

Meilian drew her needle, infusing it with her spiritual energy. This time when she lanced the mushroom, a thicker trail of smoke came with it.

"This forest has been punched in the jaw a few too many times, to have this many bleeding teeth," Wei Wuxian said, surveying the spread. The red and white stood out starkly against the browns and grays of a forest approaching winter.

"The resentment is getting thicker, so hopefully we're getting closer," Meilian said, standing again. She watched as the smoky energy curled around in the air without dispersing, then whistled. The smoke thinned, then disappeared.

Lan Zhan watched it. "The whistle dissipates resentful energy?" he asked.

"Da-ge hasn't shown you?" She turned to look between them. "Niang and Die developed a kind of musical cultivation that focuses on moving, encouraging, or dispersing energy. The others use their instruments, but I'm not very musical and I don't really enjoy playing, so I just whistle. The music, the sound, is a vehicle for the intention."

Wei Wuxian bumped his shoulder against his thoughtful-looking partner. "When we've got some time, I'll show you more," he offered. His family wasn't proprietary over their cultivation methods the way the clans were, but Lan Zhan would still have to be careful if he wanted to learn any of it. If they didn't fit well with his own cultivation, learning too many different methods would interfere with Lan Zhan's pursuit of higher cultivation levels.

But he and Wei Wuxian could at least see what might be complementary.

"I would like that," Lan Zhan agreed, smiling with his eyes if not his mouth.

Wei Wuxian swayed towards him a little, but, more conscious now of Meilian's presence, he controlled himself and looked at the mushrooms again. "Shall we scout out a little to see if we can find a trail?"

The three of them stayed within easy shouting distance, but Wei Wuxian headed north, Lan Zhan headed west, and Meilian headed east. Meilian cautioned that many mushrooms, apparently including the bleeding teeth, liked dead trees. They were part of what decomposed the trees, and fallen logs often offered shelter and food both. So Wei Wuxian kept an eye out for fallen, crumbling logs and that distinctive red liquid shine.

He saw small pockets of the bleeding mushrooms here and there, but no large patches, much less any trails. He saw more of the dead hands rising from the leafy, mucky soil, looking like they were about to claw their way free. Under the gloomy shade of the hanging kudzu, their lighter finger tips almost glowed.

More than a few times, his heels stuck deeper into the mucky ground. Maybe the mushrooms were trying to grab him down rather than claw themselves up, he thought with some amusement.

Dried leaves rustled with the sound of something else walking on them. Wei Wuxian froze and looked around. He couldn't see anything immediately, so he peered around the closest tree. As he did, he came face-to-face with a deer. He just had enough time to notice what seemed to be kudzu vines, a familiar but unplaceable smell, and strange shapes on its head and back when it noticed him too and bounded away.

Before he could think about following it, Meilian's sharp whistle echoed out, indicating she'd found something. Wei Wuxian turned around and headed back to the large patch of bleeding tooth mushrooms, pondering the deer.

He was the first back, but Meilian arrived soon after. "Where is Lan-ge?" she said, frowning a little as she looked around when he didn't appear after they'd waited a few minutes.

But Wei Wuxian didn't have long to worry. Lan Zhan soon joined them, but he didn't quite present his usual elegant self. His boots and the hems of his robes were covered in mud that not even the Lan robes could repel.

Wei Wuxian sputtered and laughed at the look. So the peerless, flawless Hanguang-jun’s spotless white robes could get dirty after all! What a treat to get to see out here, Lan Zhan giving him the most unamused look as he had to brace his hands on his knees while he laughed in delight.

Ahh, it would be another one of his very good memories of this time, seeing Lan Zhan at his least pristine. He was sure that as soon as they’d returned to the inn, he’d clean himself up, so he would just have to enjoy this rare treat as long as he could.

“Okay, now that Da-ge is ready to listen," Meilian said tartly once he’d gotten himself calmed down, “I’ve found the rest of the stream bed that the mushrooms have been surrounding. They’re definitely following the water.”

“Good work,” Lan Zhan said. They were simple words, but he and Meilian could hear the weight in them.

Meilian flushed with pride. “Come along, I’ll show you!” she said, waving for them to follow her. Naturally the area she was standing in was the boggiest, so the ground was even harder to traverse, not that Lan Zhan or Meilian seemed to care.

Wei Wuxian was picking his way over to them when he remembered what he’d seen. “Oh, I saw a deer when I was wandering around, with vines stuck in its antlers,” he said. “It ran off when it saw me, so I doubt we’ll see it again, but we should keep an eye out.”

Meilian made a sad sound. “Oh, the poor deer,” she said. “Maybe if we see it again, we should help it get the vines off its antlers.”

“If you can come up with a way to restrain it so it can’t kick anyone, Xiao-meimei, then we’ll definitely do that,” Wei Wuxian said, cursing as his boot got stuck in the mud again. “Why aren’t we flying? It would be so much easier than getting stuck every few li.”

“The kudzu is too long and heavy,” Lan Zhan said reasonably. “It is safer to walk for now.”

He did come over to help the next time Wei Wuxian trod into a patch of mud that unexpectedly gave way and buried him up to his ankles. Wei Wuxian had to steal a quick kiss for that; the last thing he wanted was for the mud to get into his socks as well.

Meilian was lighter than the two of them were and thus had found it easier to cross the unforgiving ground. She had stopped at another fallen tree studded in mushrooms to wait for them when she suddenly slapped at her neck. “Ouch, something bit me!” she yelped and looked at her hand. “Eww, there’s still bugs out.”

Her declaration seemed to wake up the bugs that should have disappeared for the winter. A few minutes later they were all beset by the little biting beasts, though poor Lan Zhan seemed to fare the worst.

“We’re almost there,” Meilian promised, batting aside a wandering kudzu vine. “The ground gets wetter and wetter and then there’s a huge rock and on the other side of the rock, there’s the stream.”

Their trip in the forest, marked now by sticky mud and biting insects, had gotten markedly less fun by the time they reached the promised stream. The insects, however, had made Wei Wuxian consider something he had noticed before but had not thought about in depth.

Apart from that deer, he had seen no other animals in the forest. No predators like wolves or bears or foxes. No rodents like squirrels or zokors. No reptiles or amphibians. No birds. The only sign of life had been the crows up at the very top of the trees and the skeletal remains he’d seen that had been crushed in the landslide earlier.

So why was the deer different? What allowed the deer to stay here, where nothing else would?

But Wei Wuxian put the issue aside when they reached the stream. He eyed the gently rushing water, contemplating washing off his shoes. But he decided against it -- even worse than mucky shoes was wet socks, and the forest would likely conspire to make it happen.

It was too bad for Lan Zhan, though, who appeared to make a similar decision. He looked at the stream for a long moment, then glanced to the side, where another ground of fallen logs was home to a large patch of the bleeding tooth mushrooms.

"This way?" he asked, stepping delicately on rocks jutting out from the stream and easily crossing to the other side.

"Yeah, I saw even more further east," Meilian agreed, following.

Thankfully, now there did seem to be a clearer trail of the mushrooms. They still grew in patches, but the patches were spotted more densely across the forest.

Then they stepped through a thicker line of trees into one of the most disconcerting clearings Wei Wuxian had ever seen.

The clearing was perfectly circular, with trees on its edge spaced equally apart. Bushes grew in neat lines that -- Wei Wuxian could see as he slowly traversed the edge of the circle and stopped at a particular point -- were perfectly symmetrical as well. As Wei Wuxian glanced from one side to the other, he was struck by how they looked like mirror images of each other.

Mirrored tumbles of lichen-covered rocks. Mirrored logs and tree trunks, underneath which nestled identical dead man's hands that reached above them to decaying bark covered in sweet osmanthus ear mushrooms. Colorful leaves that had managed to fall in monochromatic patterns.

And the whole clearing was open to the sky and the late afternoon sun. The kudzu on the trees around the clearing shied away from crossing it.

Wei Wuxian crossed his arms and whistled. "Just today, I've seen mushrooms that bleed and look like fierce corpses and mud that sticks to Lan Zhan, and this is somehow still the weirdest," he commented lightly.

“It is decidedly unsettling,” Lan Zhan agreed with him, looking around the clearing with him. “Such things do not occur in nature.”

“Is this some sort of weird creature that you know of, Da-ge?” Meilian asked, cautiously peering out over the clearing. “Something that rearranges nature into… I don’t know, paintings?”

“You’d have to ask Niang about that,” he said, reaching out and ruffling her hair to soothe her. “This is different from anything I’ve seen before.”

Meilian shuddered. The three of them stood there for a few moments, trying to decide the best way to handle something so out of place in the forest. Wei Wuxian pulled out his compass to check if this was an especially resentful pit of unnatural symmetry, but his compass just proceeded to merrily sway without a destination.

He stowed it back away in its pouch. “Well, it doesn’t seem any more nasty than any other part of this forest,” he said, keeping any dubious feelings tucked well away. “Maybe it’s a sign that we’re getting closer to whatever’s making the woods this way.”

“Perhaps,” Lan Zhan said. “It would do us no harm to be cautious. This place looks as though it’s meant to stay perfectly symmetrical.”

Meilian nodded slowly. “I think we should either fly over it or walk around it. But I don’t want to cross it. It feels disrespectful somehow.”

Wei Wuxian looked at the perfect tableau of rocks, fallen leaves, mushrooms and logs all arranged with painstaking care, preserved at some indistinct moment in time, and privately agreed. Who -- or what -- ever had made this, it was powerful enough to shape the forest to its whims, and Wei Wuxian wasn’t particularly interested in aggravating it and putting either Lan Zhan or Meilian’s life in unnecessary danger.

In the end, they stepped back and skirted the clearing safely, though it took far longer for them to wander around the clearing than it would have for them to cross over it. The afternoon sunlight occasionally poked through the vines, bringing a brief touch of life back to the forest in the golden marks on the trees.

At least the bugs lessened as they trekked through the forest, fading with the sunlight. The ground grew slightly more stable as they walked as well, though there were still pits of mud here and there. The mushrooms also thinned out with the loss of water, appearing in smaller and smaller clumps as they picked their way through the undergrowth.

Meilian knelt down next to a small collection of bleeding mushrooms, careful not to touch them with her bare hands. “I think these mushrooms specifically spread with the water,” she mused. “If they are connected to whatever’s at the heart of this trouble, then we’ll have to find the water again.” She let out a long, dramatic sigh. “And I was enjoying not being bitten by bugs.”

"Once we leave the forest, we'll be approaching winter again," he reassured her. "No more bugs for a while. Especially if you and our parents decide to stay in the colder parts of the jianghu this time."

"That's its own annoyance," she grumbled. "It'd be nice to go somewhere a little warmer over the winter."

Chuckling, he patted her head a little condescendingly to annoy her further. "It's always a trade-off, Meimei. You just gotta pick your poison."

"I'll just settle for getting out of this forest." Still kneeling, Meilian shaded her eyes with one hand as she looked up at what they could see of the sky. "Sun's starting to go down, and Niang and Die wanted to meet us again at hai shi," she commented. "Do you think we should head back soon?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "If we were still looking for a trail, then heading back on foot would be fine," he said. "But it looks like we're going in the right direction. It will be much easier and quicker to fly out, so we'll go as far as we can tonight. When we're ready to leave, we can cut a hole in the kudzu and get out that way."

Lan Zhan came up next to him to give him an approving look, and Wei Wuxian beamed back at him.

"Good idea, Da-ge, I hadn't thought of that," Meilian said, finally standing again. "It'll be nice not to have to trudge all the way back out there."

With renewed enthusiasm, Meilian once again took the lead as they kept their ears open for running water. Wei Wuxian didn't mind letting her go slightly ahead and took the opportunity to also take Lan Zhan's hand. As important as he knew both the hunt and his sister were, he felt stretched a little thin with the restraint of holding back from touching him.

"What do you think we're looking for?" Wei Wuxian murmured, just loud enough for Lan Zhan to hear. After all, balancing Meilian and Lan Zhan meant he couldn't neglect Lan Zhan either.

Lan Zhan returned the hand clasp with a firm grip. "Something must have been chased here," he replied, just as low. "If it had died naturally, its death would not create enough resentment for what has happened here. We know from the bleeding tooth mushrooms that it came from elsewhere, so it was likely chased."

"I agree," Wei Wuxian said, reaching over with his free hand to stroke the back of Lan Zhan's clasped hand. "And it has to be something with a stronger qi than ordinary people or animals. Maybe a few cultivators, or--"

"Stop walking so slowly!" Meilian called, pausing in front to look back at them impatiently. "Look, we've hit yet another terrible new landscape feature."

Without letting go of each other, Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan caught up to her to see what made her complain. Starting to stretch out in front of them were clusters of thick bramble bushes. Wei Wuxian looked closer to see long, curved hooks on the densely-thorned thickets.

But they couldn't avoid those bushes, because glittering red droplets against white flesh, tucked at the bottom of the bushes and trailing around the visible trees, signaled their direction.

Wei Wuxian made a face at the bushes. Really, how many nasty things could a forest throw at them? The bushes were thick and thorny, and while they could probably cut through them, there was no way to really safely move the brambles once they’d done that. They’d have to chop them down pretty finely to avoid injury.

But Meilian was right that they had to find a way past it; somewhere beyond the bushes he could smell the faint stink of a pond long left to stagnate and rot. Since water had been their trail thus far, it only stood to reason that they might be getting close to the source of the mushrooms and potentially whatever had been warping this forest.

“So, do we try to fly over it, or walk around?” Meilian asked dubiously, eying the vines. “The kudzu is a little thinner, but who knows if these bushes can move too.”

As if to spook them a little further, the bushes suddenly rustled in front of them, and it was impossible to tell if it was because of her words, the cold breeze drifting around them, or perhaps one of Wei Wuxian’s vine-draped deer stumbling about in the underbrush.

The light was dimming further; he suspected it was sunset now. It would be for the best if they didn’t dawdle here too long. He could just sense that there was something important a little further on beyond these brambles.

Lan Zhan drew his sword once again, Bichen glittering like moonlight in his hand. “I will open the way,” he said confidently. “Be prepared to act should something come from the vines.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and grabbed Quanshui’s hilt, ready to draw and strike with a moment’s notice. Meilian took a few steps back, recognizing that it was better for her to be out of the way in the small space they had to work.

Bichen’s light pierced through the growing gloom of the florist as Lan Zhan raised it high before swinging down with a mighty strike through the bushes. Thorn and bramble alike were no match for his elegant strength, and they parted and fell apart like a piece of silk at the end of his sword.

Somewhere out in the shadows, he heard a low groaning noise, not like a falling tree or spirit, but something definitely living. It echoed around them, almost impossible to tell where it had come from. Lan Zhan continued to hack at the vines mercilessly, cutting them a narrow path to the other side.

Meilian clutched at her own sword, looking around. Wei Wuxian took a step closer to his sister, ready to defend her from whatever might be out in the darkness.

If he hadn’t seen the deer earlier, he might have not been as concerned about something coming to attack them. But his hackles were rising as the sun went down.

Carefully, the three of them stepped forward. Beyond the thorny bushes lay a pond, patches of water shimmering in shades of red, purple, and blue as they caught on the last rays of the setting sun visible through the kudzu, which draped even lower over the pond than elsewhere in the forest. He couldn't tell how deep it was, but reeds sprung from its shallows, and bleeding tooth mushrooms grew from a log that half lay into the water. The thorny bushes almost completely encircled it, with the bushes thinning and creating a small gap to the southeast.

The forest almost seemed to be telling them where they had to go, but they would have to either remove more of the bushes on the shore or tread through the shallows.

Meilian moved to crouch at the water's edge. She dipped a hand in, then slowly removed it, frowning as she said, "Da-ge, I think--"

Then, from behind them, dead leaves rustled as something large and heavy stepped towards them.

Wei Wuxian spun around to see his deer from earlier, but this time it didn't run away. Now that he was closer and it stood still, he could see it was a large stag, but it was...wrong. Its eyes were cloudy and opaque, and pieces of its skin all across its body were tattered and peeling, the flesh beneath it the grays and greens of dead, rotting meat. Part of one of its hind legs had decayed enough for bone to peek through.

And mushrooms grew from the openings in its torn skin. Another kind entirely from the ones he'd seen elsewhere in the forest, these were bright orange, with long, thin stalks. The orange mushrooms even grew from its skull between its antlers, peeking out from the gaps in the kudzu vines caught on its prongs.

"Da-ge, that's cordyceps!" Meilian cried, scrabbling to her feet. "It's a valuable medicinal ingredient, and it's a parasitic fungus, but it's only supposed to feed on bugs! I've never heard of it on a mammal before!"

The hairs on the back of Wei Wuxian's arms stood up when the stag straightened. He lunged forward, drawing his sword, as the stag barrelled towards Meilian. He slashed at its side with Quanshui, but it didn't even try to evade him. Quanshui opened a large gash in its torso, but, unbothered by the new hole in its side, it continued running forward.

Meilian looked around frantically, but she was penned in by the thorny bushes on both sides, the pond behind her, and the stag rushing towards her front. Wuchang unsheathed, and she was about to try to jump onto it and fly despite the kudzu, but the stag was too close.

Wei Wuxian lunged again, this time towards her, his heart pounding as all his senses sharpened. But he was too far away -- he wouldn't get there in time.

Lan Zhan did. He simply appeared behind Meilian, grabbing her by the waist and heaving her up until he tossed her above the stag's antlers and to Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian caught her and held her close for a moment as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, but he didn't have time to feel relieved.

With his arms out from throwing Meilian, Lan Zhan's chest was unprotected. The stag kicked forward, the sound of its hooves hitting Lan Zhan a dull thud that felt like an attack on Wei Wuxian's own heart. Lan Zhan flew back from the force, and though he twisted in mid-air to get his feet underneath him, there was nowhere for him to land other than the thorny bushes or the pond.

A large splash resounded as the water engulfed him.

But Wei Wuxian still didn't have time to worry. He shoved Meilian behind him and slashed out with Quanshui once again, this time aiming for the stag's neck. His blade sliced through the flesh and bone easily, and the head sailed away to get caught in the brambles. The stag stood still again for several moments before it collapsed to the side.

"Lan-ge!"

Meilian's voice drew Wei Wuxian's attention again to the pond. Its surface, no longer still and placid, rippled and bubbled as if a fierce battle was being fought within its depths.

Lan Zhan was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian didn’t waste any time; he undid his belt and dropped it on the shore of the pond before diving into the water after him. Lan Zhan had grown up in Gusu, and while it wasn’t as watery as some parts of the cultivation realm, there was no earthly way that he didn’t know how to swim, or that he wouldn’t have been able to fight his way to the surface if something else weren’t wrong.

The water was frigid and murky, with wisps of pond scum floating around him, and surprisingly deep. The cold dug into his muscles and bones, claws raking at his skin. Something that felt like it might have once been a fish slapped at his arm as he swum down into the depths after Lan Zhan.

He dismissed all of it. There was nothing that mattered but getting to Lan Zhan in time.

The alternative was unthinkable.

His eyes burned in the water, the chill trying to sap the energy from his body. He gritted his teeth against the burn in his lungs and kicked out towards the glimmer he’d spotted through the murk and shadow. 

Bichen’s light guttered in the water, flickering and thrashing about, but it was clear that whatever had Lan Zhan in its grasp was fighting back. Wei Wuxian kicked out hard, Quanshui still clutched in his hand.

Even in the dark and the gloom, Lan Zhan’s white robes stood out like a beacon. Bubbles of precious air floated up as he fought for life against something dark and vile wrapped around his arms and holding him to the bottom of the lakebed. He was only lit by their combined swordlights, but it was enough to see that he was gloriously alive.

His struggles were weakening by the moment though, alarmingly so. There were lines of strain around his eyes, and the bubbles escaping his lips were all but dissipated. A few more of them -- too many -- came out in a suppressed exclamation as he made out Wei Wuxian’s shape in the darkness. The power of his moving limbs seemed to regain some strength.

Silt disturbed by Lan Zhan’s thrashing swirled around them as Wei Wuxian reached the bottom, reaching out and grabbing at the dark things wrapped around Lan Zhan’s arms. Hard plant matter dug into his hands, immediately trying to capture this new, tasty morsel that had willingly swam down into their reach, but Quanshui made short work of them before they could take hold. 

As his arms were freed from the grasping vines, Lan Zhan immediately grabbed onto him, too weakened by the strange waters and stranger plants to kick up. His chest and lungs throbbed under Lan Zhan’s tight grasp, but he got one arm around him so that they were working together instead of Lan Zhan inadvertently keeping him pulled down.

Bolstered by the death grip that Lan Zhan had on him, Wei Wuxian got one foot under him on the pond floor and Quanshui in his other hand, pushing off the ground and circulating spiritual energy into his sword so it could propel them along to the surface.

There was no light above them as they shot up, but he knew that precious air was seconds away. As long as Lan Zhan was holding on tightly, he knew that they both would be fine.

Lan Zhan would be fine. They just needed to get out of this damned pond.

They broke the surface of the water with a titanic splash, filthy, disgusting water coating Wei Wuxian’s tongue as he gasped for air and kicked as hard as he could to keep both their heads up in the air. Dimly he was aware of Meilian yelling loudly, waving a glowing talisman, but he couldn’t spare the time to focus on that when he had to get Lan Zhan to shore.

Strangely, the water's chill deepened the longer he spent in it. His energy seemed to drain steadily away from him as he fought to get closer to shore. The same thing must have been happening to Lan Zhan, because his own attempts to help propel them forward weakened further by the minute.

Wei Wuxian refused to let that worry him. Lan Zhan was probably the strongest person he knew in physical terms alone, so to feel him move so weakly...

No. Lan Zhan was still swimming, still fighting, so that was all that mattered. He would be fine.

Reeds obstructed them even on the surface, catching on their arms and legs as they moved. Wei Wuxian took a moment to wave his hand, and Quanshui once again dove beneath the water to slice through their stems. With the loosening of the tension caused by the dragging plants, they progressed a little faster.

Thankfully, the pond was not very big, so even with everything that tried to drag them down, they finally reached the shallows. Meilian waded in as soon as they got close enough to grab Lan Zhan's arm and tuck it over her shoulder so she could pull him to a clear area where she had already started a small fire in a hollow she dug out of the ground and laid out her medical tools. Lan Zhan stumbled as he walked until she was half-dragging him.

With Lan Zhan safe, Wei Wuxian allowed himself to fall forward on the shore, uncaring of the mud. He closed his eyes and pressed a fist to his chest over his heart, curling around it a little.

Lan Zhan would be fine.

Then Meilian was also by his side, tugging him up. "Da-ge, Da-ge, are you hurt?" she asked, almost tripping over her words in her rush. "Da-ge!"

"I'm fine." With her help, he got his legs back under him and slowly stood. He felt considerably more tired than he would have expected even from the exertion and the loss of adrenaline, but he still dredged up the energy to pat her shoulder. "I'm very tired, Xiao-meimei, but I'm fine." He looked up to where Lan Zhan lay by the fire, retching up pond water miserably. "Lan Zhan?"

"It doesn't look like he's in further danger," she said softly, now throwing his arm over her shoulder. "I'll check him more thoroughly when I've got you settled too."

That got him moving. He still felt exhausted, and he wouldn't have liked to admit how much of his sister's help he truly needed, but he managed to stumble that last distance to the fire to sit himself down by Lan Zhan's side. As he sat, Lan Zhan's fingers stretched out towards him, so Wei Wuxian reached back to clasp his hand tightly.

"I activated your beacon talisman, Da-ge," Meilian said as she knelt down at Lan Zhan's other side. "So hopefully Die and Niang are on their way. Lan-ge, I'm going to take your wrist to check your pulse and the state of your spiritual energy."

Her voice was brisk and controlled. No hint of her emotions slipped through.

Lan Zhan's hand inched upwards, and he angled it to offer his wrist. Meilian took it, pressing two fingers to his pulse point and closing her eyes. Wei Wuxian waited, battling heavy eyelids and forcing himself to keep his eyes fixed on his sister and his partner.

Finally, Meilian opened her eyes again, but she didn't remove her hand. "Nothing in your body has been damaged, but your physical and spiritual energy have been significantly drained. Da-ge, what happened down there?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged tiredly. “Lan Zhan got tangled up in some sort of water weed. I couldn’t see it well enough to tell you what it was.”

Meilian frowned. “The kind of plant it was might not be important. Just…” She trailed off, a soft glow springing up around her fingertips as she started transferring Lan Zhan some of her spiritual energy. 

A cold wind blew through the clearing and Wei Wuxian suppressed a shiver, feeling Lan Zhan attempting to do the same. “Just what, Meimei?” he asked, taking a deep breath. “Do you have a theory for what’s going on?”

Lan Zhan’s hand was cool and damp in his, lacking enough spiritual energy to keep himself warm the way he normally would. Wei Wuxian knew he needed to blast the water away from them, that staying wet for too long in the cold air of the oncoming winter invited disaster. He just needed a moment to catch his breath first. 

Meilian’s breath frosted the air as she kept feeding Lan Zhan her own spiritual energy, brows furrowed in concern. “So the mushrooms had resentful energy, and it’s stronger in the ones near the water. Lan-ge had his energy drained by plants in the water. The kudzu has resentment in it, but not as much as the mushrooms.”

“You believe the source of the resentment to be in the water somewhere,” Lan Zhan said hoarsely before he started coughing again. It went on and on as he tried to catch his breath and found himself unable to. 

Meilian, emboldened by their situation, bravely reached out and tapped one of the acupoints on his chest firmly, causing him to spit out another mouthful of water. “Did you try to swallow the whole pond?” She scolded him as she would have Wei Wuxian, but they could all hear the worry in her voice. 

Lan Zhan slumped back against Wei Wuxian’s side as his breathing cleared at last. He still looked exhausted, but his face had relaxed slightly. “That is a good theory, Meilian,” he said more quietly. 

Meilian gave him a pleased smile and returned to giving him more energy, trying to get him energized enough to leave the forest. 

Seeing that Lan Zhan was stabilizing, Wei Wuxian lifted his free hand and drew a seal over him before repeating the process on himself. The water drained away from their robes, sinking into the ground and leaving them perfectly dry. 

It couldn’t remove the mud or the pond slime from their clothes -- they’d still need a hot bath to deal with that -- but at least they would no longer be freezing wet. 

And yet, that one motion exhausted him as well. He flopped back against Lan Zhan, pressing their -- thankfully warmer -- sides together. As he did, Meilian glanced over at him and frowned.

Since Lan Zhan was more stable, she came over to Wei Wuxian and took his wrist as well. After a moment, she frowned harder. "Da-ge, did those plants get you too?"

"Only a little, when I grabbed them to free Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian replied. He shifted a little so he was lying more comfortably while still allowing Meilian access to his wrist. "I mostly just cut them up."

Meilian pursed her lips a little and shook her head. "Then I think it's also the water, not just the plants," she said. "You're drained too, though not as bad as Lan-ge."

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said softly, and Wei Wuxian rolled his head to nuzzle gently against Lan Zhan's shoulder.

"I'll be fine, Lan Zhan," he promised. "We both will. We've got my meimei to take care of us, don't we?" But when she began giving him spiritual energy as well, he tugged his wrist away from her. "Not that way, though. Meilian, your golden core is still developing. You can't give us enough energy to recover without draining yourself, and it's dark now. We need you to keep an eye out for danger until Die and Niang get here."

"I warded this area," she said immediately, but she didn't try to give him more energy. She bit her lip, eyes downcast as she looked back and forth between him and Lan Zhan.

Then her eyes lit up, and she dug around in her sleeve until she pulled out a pouch, her water bottle, and -- the ginseng she'd harvested the day they'd met Lan Zhan. "Ginseng," she said firmly. "It remedies exhaustion from qi deficiency. I can make a tea with this, and it will help you both."

Swiftly, she set up a pot over the fire and unrolled another cloth bundle. Seeing an array of harvesting tools, Wei Wuxian smiled a little. "New tools, Meimei?" he asked.

"Shen Huiying had sets available, so I got a new one," she replied absently, more focused on slicing her ginseng root very thinly. "Now hush, Da-ge. Save your energy."

Meilian didn't use all of the root -- "Ginseng this old is very potent, Da-ge, now stop talking" -- but she cut up enough for the fragrant, slightly sweet, herby aroma to waft around their small campsite. Then she poured the water from her bottle into the pot, along with the ginseng and what looked like a bundle of dried herbs she upended from a pouch.

She had just ladled some of the resulting herbal tea into bowls for them when cutting sounds above them and pieces of vine falling to their sides heralded the arrival of their parents. Niang and Die dropped down from the heights, their swords brandished, their eyes darting around for threats. 

“A-Niang, A-Die!” Meilian cried in relief, the tension bleeding from her shoulders even as she stayed on task long enough to hand Lan Zhan one of the bowls and Wei Wuxian the other before running to cling to their mother like a frightened child, burying her face into her neck.

Wei Wuxian saluted them with his bowl before releasing Lan Zhan’s hand long enough to pinch his nose shut and chug the medicine down in one fell swoop. Between Wen Qing and his sister, he’d already had more than enough bitter concoctions in his lifetime, so he knew better than to trust that this one would taste any better. 

He still couldn’t stop himself from wincing and making a face at the taste even so. He would just never be able to get used to bitter foods.

Lan Zhan more politely sipped his own tea, apparently unfazed by the bitter taste. Die knelt down next to them as Niang turned her attention onto soothing Meilian, who had clearly reached the end of her strength. Wei Wuxian really couldn’t blame her; they’d all had more than enough of the forest and its unpleasant twists for one day.

“What happened?” Die asked more calmly, only faint lines around the edge of his mouth betraying how concerned he’d been. “I can smell ginseng -- did you encounter some sort of energy-draining creature?”

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh and pushed himself up in a better position. As bitter as the medicinal tea was, it certainly was as potent and effective as Meilian had said. He felt a bit more revived already. “Not a creature, though we did run into a rotted, overgrown deer too,” he said wryly, gesturing in the vague direction of the corpse on the other side of the pond from them. “We fell in the pond.”

“I fell in, Wei Ying dove in after me,” Lan Zhan corrected stubbornly. Wei Wuxian felt the urge to elbow him. “Meilian activated the Wayfarer talismans.”

Die’s lips twitched slightly, but he reached out for Wei Wuxian’s arm, pressing his finger to the point just over his wrist. 

“I’m fine,” Wei Wuxian protested. “I wasn’t under there for as long and I didn’t get caught in the plants, I just needed to catch my breath.”

Die frowned subtly. “Your energy is still quite depleted,” he said with just the faintest touch of a scolding to his voice. Somehow it was always just that faint note of disappointment that could hit him the hardest. “Meilian made you two ginseng tea?”

“Yes,” Lan Zhan answered, not protesting at all when Die stopped fussing over Wei Wuxian and moved on to him instead. “She has taken good care of us while we’ve waited.”

Meilian sniffled from where she was still tucked up against their mother, but she seemed to have gotten herself under control again. “Well, what else was I supposed to do?” she said tartly. “You saved my life, Lan-ge.”

"What else was I supposed to do?" Lan Zhan gently returned. He drained the bowl, and Meilian gathered herself enough to come forward, take it from him, and refill it.

Lan Zhan got a second bowl of the medicine, but Wei Wuxian did not. "He's worse off than you, and I told you this stuff is potent," she told him when he raised his bowl in question. "It's important not to go too far the other way. But Niang and Die can give you both energy too, since they're better able to control what they give."

Niang kissed her forehead before kneeling at Wei Wuxian's side and taking hold of his wrist. Die already had his finger's against Lan Zhan's pulse. "It sounds like you three have done a wonderful job taking care of each other," she said, mostly to Meilian.

Meilian settled down by the fire, curling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. "What about you two? Did you find anything?"

Niang sighed. "A lot of hassle, mostly," she replied, still gently sending energy into Wei Wuxian. "Mucky ground. Cliffs we had to try to find ways around. And then it took us longer to get here than I wanted because we found a grove completely thick with both kudzu and these thorny bushes, and the kudzu kept trying to get us caught in the bushes."

"I would have liked a few more spiritual swords to help us cut down all those vines," Die added.

"Oh, that reminds me, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian said, waiting until Lan Zhan looked at him. "I left Bichen at the bottom of the pond. You should call it back when you have enough energy."

"I will," Lan Zhan said. He moved as if to stand, but Die put a hand on his shoulder to keep him down.

"We don't need to hurry right now," he scolded gently. "Recover enough that you can fly back out with us, then we'll go back to the inn for the night. Don't strain yourself before you're ready."

"I think we're close, Die!" Wei Wuxian protested. He did manage to sit up, even with his mother's hand on his shoulder. "Can't you smell that fetid water beyond this pond?" He gestured at the clear trail on the other side of the pond. "Something has to be there."

"And it will still be there tomorrow," Die said firmly, "but we'll all be in a better state to meet it. Now that we know we're on the right track, we'll be able to find this place again more easily in the morning."

"Your own suggestion, Wei Ying," Lan Zhan pointed out. "Now that we know the right area, we can return here by sword tomorrow."

"You sure?" Wei Wuxian replied a little wryly. "We'll be leaving by air in the dark. I'm not sure I'd be able to pinpoint this spot in a forest again."

"I can find it," Lan Zhan said confidently.

Wei Wuxian heaved a sigh. Admittedly, he would also feel better if Lan Zhan were fully recovered before they found whatever was waiting for them at the origin point of whatever was hollowing this forest. Lan Zhan likely felt the same way about him, and he didn't want to worry the rest of his family.

It still remained a little wrenching to know he was close and yet walk away. They had come so far, traced the strangeness of the forest nearly to its source. 

But he could see the lingering fatigue and strain in Lan Zhan’s eyes, the worry on his parent’s faces, the tear streaks on Meilian’s cheeks that she hadn’t yet been able to wipe away.

No one had died in the forest yet. They could set aside the chase for the night.

Wei Wuxian let go of the drive to complete the hunt, at least for now. He reached a hand up towards his father, who immediately pulled him to his feet. “Then we should get Lan Zhan’s sword back out of the water,” he said with a tired grin. “It seems a shame to leave such a fine sword just sitting at the bottom of a pond for the night.”

--

After some time had passed and the effect of Meilian’s tea had kicked in, Lan Zhan was able to summon his sword back from the depths of the pond. Bichen flew up into his hand, its normal bright glitter still muted from how diminished Lan Zhan’s spiritual energy was. 

Lan Zhan took a moment to shake the pond scum from the blade before sheathing it once more. His face was pale in the light of the campfire and Die’s sword, but he still looked elegant and dignified, even though he had some pond slime dried to the side of his neck.

Wei Wuxian frowned and rubbed his thumb over the line, watching it flake off in dark chunks onto Lan Zhan’s robes before he brushed it off the rest of the way. “When we get back, we should take a bath,” he said in a low voice. “My seal can banish water, but not anything in it.”

Lan Zhan let out an amused hum. “It is still very useful,” he said calmly.

“It’s getting late,” Niang said, poking the fading remains of Meilian’s fire. “We should probably leave soon.”

Wei Wuxian rolled his neck until it popped. “I might need a ride then,” he said sheepishly. “Meilian’s tea is working wonders, but if we don’t want to wait around for my energy to recover, then it’s probably better that we don’t chance me losing my balance over the forest and falling right back into the pond, or something else gross.”

Die let out a chuckle. “No, that doesn’t seem preferable,” he said, his voice light in amusement. “I suppose you would also prefer to ride along with one of us?” he asked Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan inclined his head slightly. “That would be preferable at this time.”

"I claim Lan Wangji, then," Niang announced. She shot him a sharp smile. "Unless you're afraid I can't hold you steady?"

She was over a head shorter than Lan Zhan.

"I am confident you will keep me safe," Lan Zhan said, in that solemn tone when he meant to be both sincere and a little funny. But then he looked at Meilian. "Will you be safe by yourself, Meilian? You have given us much of your energy."

"I have enough to get back to the village," she replied, throwing him a grateful look. A couple more tears spilled from her eyes, and she impatiently rubbed them away.

"Then I've got A-Ying," Die said warmly, reaching out to tug his ponytail lightly.

Niang and Die dismantled their small impromptu camp, then glanced up at the treetops again. The kudzu ceiling had almost remade itself, so the two of them sent their swords up again to cut a hole wide enough for all of them to fly out.

Niang jumped on her sword first, standing far enough forward for Lan Zhan to stand behind her. "You can put your hands on my shoulders for balance, if you need," she told him, and then lifted off before the vines could start trying to cut them off again. Meilian quickly followed her.

Wei Wuxian was the same height as his father, so he just stood in front and let his father stand behind him. Then they too were off.

It was almost the end of the month, so only a small sliver of the moon shone over the forest. There was enough light, between that and the stars, for Wei Wuxian to get a sense of where in the forest they had just come from, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to pinpoint the precise location in the daylight.

Hopefully Lan Zhan could do so.

"I like your Lan Wangji," Die said softly, over the night breeze. "He clearly cares deeply for you. And I will have to give him my thanks later for saving Meilian."

Warmth suffused him at the approval. "He's wonderful," he agreed. "But he wouldn't want your thanks. I'm also grateful he saved her, but he would have done the same for anyone in that position. That's just who he is. He really does have the same kind of hunting philosophy that we do."

"A very good find indeed," Die said, slightly amused. "It's funny. Many around the jianghu claim that Lan Wangji is very like his uncle, but so far, I think a lot of those similarities are very superficial. I still remember him offering our Lychee a home in her retirement. I don't think his uncle would do that."

Wei Wuxian wondered if his dad was thinking of the night hunt that had earned Lan Qiren his mother's eternal enmity. According to her, Lan Qiren's inflexibility had put Die and Jiang-zongzhu's lives in danger, and he'd refused to take responsibility. Lan Zhan was certainly nothing like that.

But Wei Wuxian wouldn't ask further. Already Die had gotten closer to criticizing someone than he usually would.

"I haven't met his uncle yet," he said instead. "Or any of his family. It sounds like he's very close to his brother."

He didn't voice his uncertainty about whether Lan Zhan's family would like him. In a way, it didn't matter to him, because he knew that Lan Zhan would never have taken up with him if either his family disapproved or their disapproval would deter him. So it would be fine if they didn't like him...but he still hoped they would.

“I believe they will like you,” Die said reassuringly despite Wei Wuxian having not said a word. “Any clan who can produce such a fine young man as yours will have those who you will find your place with as well. I cannot think of any way that you will not find your own place among the Lan should that be where you choose to go in the end.”

Wei Wuxian made a face and resisted the urge to squirm. While he wasn’t shy to casual compliments, there was something about his stoic, quiet father saying such kind things that made him want to duck away and hide his face so no one could see the impact it had on him. But squirming while they were balanced on the edge of Die’s blade seemed like a bad idea, and he’d already had enough fun down in the forest for one day.

He glanced down at the forest as they flew over it, idly remembering Meilian’s comment about some mushrooms glowing in the dark from earlier. He couldn’t say if it was disappointment or subtle relief that he couldn’t make out anything like that beneath the bare branches paling in the thin moonlight. Now that he knew they existed, he wanted to get a look at them at least once. They seemed interesting.

Die flew steadily, not a single dip or waver in his journey. Wei Wuxian could see the rest of his family up ahead easily, all of them in light colors that stood out against the black of night. He could faintly hear Niang talking eagerly as she flew, but the wind shredded her sentences to pieces before they made it back to his ears.

No doubt Lan Zhan was having a very interesting flight of his own. He half expected Niang to start calling him ‘Wangji’ by the time they landed just as she called him and Meilian by their courtesy names alone, she’d clearly taken that much of a shine to him already.

The dark humps that made up the village came into view a few moments later, with a few lights glimmering warmly in windows and in front of the inn. Niang called out to Meilian, who was flying closer to her, then after exchanging a few words, abruptly turned her steady flight into a steep dive.

Let it never be said that Niang would set aside her playful nature unless the situation was truly dire. He only hoped that Lan Zhan had been prepared for something of that nature. She wouldn’t let him fall, but she did like to stop perilously close to the ground for the fun of it.

Meilian flew back over to them, her sword wobbling just a bit as the wind rushed past them suddenly. “Niang says that we should land outside of the town and let her check you two for any lingering resentful energy that might still be on you from your swim,” she called out, shouting to make sure they heard it. “She says that now that we’re out of the forest, it’ll be a lot easier to pick out and expel anything lingering.”

Wei Wuxian pouted. At the rate that Niang and Lan Zhan were descending to earth, she would have finished her own cleansing melody before he’d get down in time to see Lan Zhan’s expression in response to a song that was not Cleansing, but did exactly the same thing.

“Are you ready?” Die had the courtesy to whisper to him before he started their own descent. When Wei Wuxian gave his assent, Die descended at a sadly much more reasonable decline, though he did do a few small circles like he used to do when he took Wei Wuxian and Meilian flying when they were small, just to make them laugh.

It still made him laugh now, even if the reason was different. He liked that some things hadn’t changed and as long as Die was around to remember them, they probably never would.

When the ground was a few chi away, Wei Wuxian decided that enough was enough and jumped down, thankful that the ground was still soft enough for him to absorb the shock of the landing. His feet were still cold enough that the landing jarred his bones for a second, but not long enough to stop him from loping over to where Lan Zhan and Niang stood, with her pipa in hand and the sweet music of her soothing melody echoing out through the night.

"A-Xian, get over here," Niang called without pausing in her playing.

Wei Wuxian came up to join them. He took Lan Zhan's hand, giving it a squeeze, and listened to the music. The familiarity on its own calmed him after such an aggravating and tense afternoon, and the spiritual effect of the melody compounded it.

She'd developed this song years ago, as part of their family's cultivation method. The Lans, of course, wouldn't easily share the secrets of Cleansing, but Niang had at least known it existed. That helped her come up with her own version that fit in with the other elements of their cultivation practice.

By the time his mother was willing to stop and let them return to the village, Wei Wuxian felt calm but increasingly aware of the muck and grime covering him. His skin crawled as he felt the dirt and pond residue even beneath his clothes. He felt very ready for a bath.

Their arrival back at the inn, however, added one final complication that further delayed his bath. Shen Huiying sat at one of the tables, talking to Madam Lu who sat with her, but glancing regularly at the door. When the five of them walked through the door, her head jerked up, then the rest of her body followed. Tactfully, Madam Lu took her hand and patted it before moving to the counter.

If Niang and Die were tired, they showed no sign of it, offering Shen Huiying a gentle smile as they joined her at the table. Meilian actually perked up a little to see her and happily slid into a seat next to her. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan took the remaining seats.

"I think you've been waiting for us?" Niang prompted, giving Shen Huiying an encouraging smile.

She nodded, then glanced at Meilian. "Wei Melian gave me some of your kudzu samples, so I spent the afternoon examining those and the samples my father took before he left."

Shen Huiying paused there, and Meilian smiled at her. "You found something already?" she asked.

"Yes, I..." She frowned, looking at Meilian. "They've been infected with some sort of fungus. I couldn't identify what it was, I'm sorry, but it's definitely some sort of fungus. And the thing is that it's advancing. The samples my father took earlier had less of the fungus, but the ones you brought had more. So I think it's getting worse."

None of the family said anything immediately, but Wei Wuxian couldn't say he was surprised. Mushrooms and other fungi seemed to be everywhere in this forest, passing on whatever twisted energy they'd picked up, and it made sense. Between what Meilian said about their roots and how wide colonies could spread, their status as decomposers that might have eaten something resentful, and whatever might have then fed on them, they seemed well-suited to starting to hollow a forest.

"Thank you, Shen Huiying," Niang told her warmly. "Truly, this is immensely helpful information, and it will help us get the forest sorted."

Shen Huiying let out a breath. "I'm glad it's helpful," she said softly. Then she looked at Meilian again. "Will you -- ah, you're welcome to come by the shop again, before you have to leave. I'll help you stock up on anything you're running out of."

Meilian beamed at her. "I might come tomorrow morning, even," she replied. "I had to use some of my stock today, so it will be good to get more before I go back into the forest."

Shen Huiying lit up, her eyes sparking in delight. “That would be wonderful. I’ll look forward to seeing you then.”

Niang cleared her throat softly and both girls jumped slightly. “Sorry to interrupt, but it is late. Miss Shen, might my daughter and I walk you back home?”

Wei Wuxian smiled in enjoyment at the way that both Shen Huiying and Meilian looked not so secretly delighted to get a chance to talk further, even though it was late. Shen Huiying lowered her head in demure gratitude for Niang’s offer and the three of them set out shortly after. 

Only when she was well out of earshot did Madam Lu let out a sigh. “That poor girl. It’s kind of your daughter to indulge her,” she said to Die.

Die made an understanding noise. “She seems very adept and knowledgeable. But you mentioned that her father intends to pass down the shop to a son?”

Madam Lu nodded somberly. “She clearly has her father’s knack, but he has other plans for her. Hopefully her future husband will be more open to allowing her to pursue her interests.” Then her eyes flicked over to Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan, who had sat down at one of the other tables to wait their turn to talk to her. “Oh dear, did you two have a fall out in the woods?”

Wei Wuxian looked down at himself and for the first time was able to see the mud and silt and plant remains and who knew what else dried onto his robes. Lan Zhan didn’t look any better; he looked like he was remaining perfectly upright out of habit more than anything else. Wei Wuxian let out a chagrined laugh. “Yeah, you could say that,” he said tiredly. “It wouldn’t be too much trouble to request a bath, would it?”

She shook her head. “Absolutely no trouble at all. I can have your robes cleaned as well if you’d like; they would be done around chen shi tomorrow.”

“That sounds fantastic,” he told her sincerely. 

Madam Lu bowed to them and immediately hastened away to start preparations for their bath, not even batting an eye at the suggestion of one bath for the two of them. 

Die chuckled as he looked at them fondly. “You don’t need to wait around for Cangse and Meilian to return. I can wait up for them.”

“That would be nice,” Lan Zhan said quietly, the fatigue audible in his voice. “Good night, Shushu.”

Wei Wuxian still came over to hug his father good night as well, not caring if a little of the muck on his robes transferred over. They’d already flown on one sword together, a little mud wouldn’t hurt anything. “Tell them good night for me?”

“I will,” Die said with a smile. “Rest well tonight.”

After the day they’d had, Wei Wuxian couldn’t imagine them doing anything but. Even with Meilian’s potent ginseng tea, the weariness from being drained by the pond clung to his bones. 

Die went to go sit at the same table they’d been at, quietly sitting vigil, his presence strong and stately like a sheltering oak. Lan Zhan waited for him at the base of the stairs, one hand on the railing. 

Wei Wuxian made sure to steal that hand for his own as they climbed up the stairs together. Now that it was pleasantly warm and tightly wrapped around his own, he was loath to let it go again so soon. 

When they returned to their room, one of the first things Lan Zhan did was remove everything from his qiankun sleeves. Many of the contents, he simply stacked and organized neatly on the table or wherever else would fit -- the talisman paper and writing materials to one side, finished talismans waiting to be used on another, cooking and camping gear in a corner out of the way -- but he paused on his Compass of Ill Winds. Finally he put that too off to the side on the table as he withdrew everything in preparation for laundering a robe that likely rarely saw that level of grime.

Wei Wuxian watched him a little fondly. "Downside of qiankun sleeves?" he said wryly. Wei Wuxian, who often wore tighter sleeves, could simply put his belt on and take it off.

Lan Zhan glanced at him. "Under most circumstances, I am unlikely to lose or forget anything." With all of his belongings now laid out, his lithe fingers once more picked up his compass, then also reached out to cleaning materials.

Wei Wuxian hummed, his eyes falling half-closed. "True enough," he murmured. His own belt, which he'd taken off before diving in the pool, had almost slid under a thorn bush. They might have accidentally left it behind if Meilian hadn't remembered and retrieved it.

Someone knocked on the door, and Wei Wuxian pushed himself up to answer it. The Lu son smiled at them from the door before his eyes widened a little upon seeing the state of them. Glancing again between them, he rolled the large bathtub at his side into the room.

"We'll be right back with the water," he assured them, and Wei Wuxian nodded at him in thanks.

The Lu boy and another whose name Wei Wuxian hadn't caught came back several times with steaming water they dumped into the tub. As they worked, Wei Wuxian went back to sit down next to Lan Zhan, who was carefully cleaning his compass.

"That didn't get dirty, did it?" he asked quietly. "Did it fall out of your sleeve at some point?"

Lan Zhan shook his head. "There is no harm in making sure," he replied, just as quietly, brushing his fingers gently across its surface.

Finally, the bath was ready, and the boys waved at them as they took their buckets and left. Wei Wuxian stood and began removing his belt and boots as Lan Zhan pulled out new sets of sleep robes for when they were done.

"Come here," Wei Wuxian said, beckoning him close. "Let me help."

He set Lan Zhan's yupei -- the Cloud Recesses entrance token, he'd been told -- with the compass, then began undoing his ties and peeling the robes from his body. This was not the first time he'd done so, and it was not for the same reason, but Wei Wuxian still found himself enjoying the process of undressing his lover. He was doing so now to take care of Lan Zhan, which carried its own visceral satisfaction.

And it was even better when Lan Zhan returned the favor.

They left their clothes piled on the floor for the moment, since it wasn’t as though they could exactly get any dirtier if left there, and settled carefully into the bath. The previous two nights had taught them that the most comfortable way to sit and relax was with Wei Wuxian nestled against Lan Zhan’s chest, at least for the part of the bath where they weren’t attempting to actually clean themselves. That part still sometimes ended up with water splashed on the floor, but they would get better at it.

The hot water was a soothing balm on his skin, immediately chasing away the lingering stresses of the day. He couldn’t help letting out a low groan of pleasure as he settled into the hot water, pulling his knees up to his chest so they had a little more room.

Once Lan Zhan was settled in as well, he pulled Wei Wuxian backwards until they were flush together, tucking his face into the crook of Wei Wuxian’s neck and letting out a quiet sigh of contentment. He still probably smelled like pond water and other gross things, but who was he to stop his affectionate lover?

They sat there for a while, perhaps an incense stick's worth of time, before the need to scrub off the pond filth overwhelmed them. They passed the soap back and forth, quickly filling the cooling water with brown suds. Wei Wuxian couldn’t resist splashing Lan Zhan a little bit when he dunked his hair to rinse it off, using his arm to flip it dramatically so Lan Zhan got splattered in a thousand tiny droplets.

He was still laughing when Lan Zhan abruptly pinned him to the side of the tub with a surge of energy that he wouldn’t have expected earlier. Water sloshed onto the floor dramatically, more than they’d spilled before. Hopefully no one was staying in the room beneath them, or otherwise they might get a little damp.

Wei Wuxian had no ability to protest this rough treatment, his lips firmly captured and bitten sharply. Bereft of anything to clutch at, his hands found their way into Lan Zhan’s hair, searching for something grounding in the sudden fever of the moment.

More water sloshed around them as Lan Zhan pressed his advantage, reinvigorated from the trials of the day. Even when he released Wei Wuxian’s mouth long enough for them to catch their breath, his eyes were almost black in the low light of the room.

Somehow Wei Wuxian still found the ability to speak. “What,” he said breathlessly, “is this your way of saying thank you for diving in after you?”

Lan Zhan let out an actual growl and proceeded to start leaving pointed marks on his neck and chest again, gripping the tub on both sides around him so that Wei Wuxian couldn’t escape even if he wanted to.

The wood let out a warning groan, but he was too caught up in the moment to care.

"Nothing like a hot bath to revive you, huh?" he gasped, burying one hand in Lan Zhan's hair and holding tight as Lan Zhan kissed and bit across his collarbone. "I'll remember this. Lan Zhan's cure for a difficult day."

"You," Lan Zhan said, voice muffled against Wei Wuxian's skin. He bore down even more until Wei Wuxian was pressed hard against the tub slats.

"Hmm? What about me?" He was beginning to think they should start to make their way out of the tub. He now felt clean, but the grime had migrated to the water, and he'd like to slip into a nice clean bed with Lan Zhan.

"You revive me," Lan Zhan clarified, and okay. The tub it was. He couldn't bear to let Lan Zhan step away from him now. With his grip in Lan Zhan's hair, he pulled their mouths together for a long kiss.

But Lan Zhan apparently could only refrain from biting him for so long. With a final nip to his lower lip as he left, he pulled away to attack Wei Wuxian's neck again. Wei Wuxian rolled his head to one side to welcome him and began running his mouth again.

"Are you going to do me here?" he goaded. "We haven't had sex in the bath yet. Do you want to fix that today, Er-gege?"

Lan Zhan growled and surged forward again, the water splashing up around them--

--and then more than the water crashed around them as the slats behind Wei Wuxian collapsed with a loud clatter. The water rushed out, and Wei Wuxian almost fell back until Lan Zhan grabbed him and hauled them together. He blinked at Lan Zhan, mouth falling open slightly in shock.

"Did you just destroy the bathtub?" he asked incredulously.

Lan Zhan blinked, then looked around. Behind him, a few more slats fell down. He didn't respond; the answer was evident.

Wei Wuxian started giggling, which soon bloomed into full laughter. He curled up against Lan Zhan's chest, laughing breathlessly into his skin. When he thought he could finally catch his breath, another look at Lan Zhan's stone face set him off.

Patiently, Lan Zhan held him through the whole thing. After a few minutes, he finally regained control of himself, though a glance at their now-soaked, dirty robes on the floor almost sent him into another bout.

"You really do feel better!" he eventually said, leaning his forehead against the crook of Lan Zhan's neck and just staying put on his lap. If nothing else, he was glad that Lan Zhan had patently regained his strength.

He proved it once again as he stood with Wei Wuxian in his arms, who let out a whoop as he was unceremoniously lifted. With the arm around Wei Wuxian's back, Lan Zhan reached out to pluck a towel from the folding screen and bundled him up before stepping delicately on the soaked floor to lay Wei Wuxian on the bed. He grabbed the other towel and wrapped it around himself before surveying the new mess on their floor.

Then a knock came from the door. “Young masters? Is everything all right?” Master Lu’s voice filtered through the closed door. “There’s water dripping through the floor into another of the guests’ rooms.”

Wei Wuxian had to carefully school his face and voice before he responded. “I’m terribly sorry, Master Lu, there was an… incident. We accidentally broke the tub.”

There was a long pause from the other side of the door. Lan Zhan said nothing, but he was frozen stiff. No doubt if his wet hair didn’t hang over his ears, Wei Wuxian thought he might see a flush of mortification there. 

“I see,” Master Lu said at last, his voice crisper than before. “Well, we must air out both rooms, so I will have to switch you and our other guests around. Please give me a few minutes to make arrangements.”

His footsteps trailed off quickly. Wei Wuxian buried his face in his arm to muffle the laughter he’d been holding back the entire conversation. “We really do have rotten luck today,” he said, wiping at his eyes with the towel. “Maybe it’s time to call it a day and go to bed instead.”

Lan Zhan made a soft agreeing sound, clearly still too mortified for speech. He stiffly went over to the sleeping robes he’d laid out and dressed himself before bringing them over to Wei Wuxian. 

Wei Wuxian made sure to leave him a kiss on the side of his mouth before he pulled away. There was no need to feel mortified or ashamed, it was such a little thing, truly. 

“I like you,” he said, keeping his hand on Lan Zhan’s collar so he could see the depths to which that went. “Let’s get tidied up and go to bed.”

Master Lu returned when they were somewhat more composed, dressed and collecting their things spread out over the room. Lan Zhan was still packing his things away in a spare overrobe, but aside from his few supplies and their dirty robes still pooled on the floor, they were decent and prepared to swap rooms. 

When he got a look at the tub and how it had fallen, the disapproval on his face cleared slightly. “My apologies, young master, we must have had a faulty tub. Please do not take it to heart. Accidents happen.”

Wei Wuxian gave him a winsome smile. “No worries, the fault was on our end.”

“I can pay for the tub if that is a concern,” Lan Zhan said, his voice still stiff to Wei Wuxian’s ears. 

Master Lu shook his head. “It’s no trouble, we can have it repaired. Please, allow me to show you to another room. You can leave your robes on the floor,” he added. “I’ll have one of our boys collect them; my wife told me that you would like them cleaned.”

“That would be nice,” Wei Wuxian said with a smile, walking carefully around the puddle in the center of the room. “Thank you for arranging this for us.”

"It's no trouble," Master Lu assured them again. "You're dealing with our forest. This is the least I can do."

As Wei Wuxian left the room, he almost automatically glanced down at the common room...where his father still sat, waiting for his mother and sister. Their eyes met, and Die raised his eyebrow. Wei Wuxian raised his in return, shrugging with a wry smile, and Die shook his head and returned his attention to the door. 

Thankfully, Lan Zhan didn't seem to have noticed the exchange, or his embarrassment would have reached new heights. They easily made it to their new room a few doors down from their old one, and the two of them put their things down with a sigh.

"At least we'd already finished the actual bathing part," Wei Wuxian said, flopping down on the bed. "No need to risk another bath."

"Mn." Lan Zhan finished arranging their things in the room, then blew out all the candles apart from the one on the bedside table. Then he came over to the bed and stood by it for a moment.

Wei Wuxian shifted himself to pull out the covers and lie down properly, then reached up, waggling his fingers at Lan Zhan. "Come on," he said. "Normally I love my Lan Zhan pillow, but I think tonight I want a Lan Zhan blanket. Come warm me up."

Lan Zhan blew out the last candle, then stretched himself out over Wei Wuxian, carefully settling his head on Wei Wuxian's chest. He was wonderfully warm, with a steady pulse of spiritual energy Wei Wuxian could feel, as close as they were. He was also heavy, but in a secure, comfortable way.

"Good night, Lan Zhan," he whispered. "Hopefully we'll have a better day tomorrow."

"I have no complaints," Lan Zhan murmured back. He moved his head just enough to kiss Wei Wuxian's chest over his sleep robes. "Good night, Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian set a small part of his attention to healing the bruises Lan Zhan had sucked on his neck that night, then, squeezing Lan Zhan tight in his arms, allowed himself to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

When Wei Wuxian woke the next morning, Lan Zhan was regretfully not in bed with him. He was coming to realize that that would likely be a special treat rather than a regular occurrence; Lan Zhan just habitually woke far too early to linger in bed until Wei Wuxian was ready to rise.

However, he was at least still in the room, so he could be almost the first thing Wei Wuxian saw when he finally blinked his eyes open. He sat at the table meditating, glowing in his white robes under the morning sunlight streaming in through the window, and Wei Wuxian stared for longer than he'd entirely meant to.

The stare seemed to alert him, because he opened his eyes to look at Wei Wuxian with his softest expression. "Good morning, Wei Ying," he said. "It is early chen shi. The rest of your family has not risen yet. Your sister woke briefly earlier, but she has gone back to bed."

"Is she all right?" he asked, swinging his legs out of bed but not standing yet.

Lan Zhan nodded. "Yesterday was difficult for her, but she will be fine," he replied firmly.

Nodding and yawning, Wei Wuxian stood and stretched, then moved to kiss Lan Zhan's forehead. "Good morning," he said. "Since it sounds like we have a little time to ourselves, would you be willing to play your qin for me as I get ready?"

Lan Zhan smiled an unreadable smile at him. Wei Wuxian stole another kiss before going to dig out some clean robes. As he fussed over where his spare hair ribbons had disappeared to yet again, Lan Zhan got out his qin and started to play, doing what sounded like warm-ups to limber up his fingers. They were simple and repetitive, but pleasant in their own way. He could easily imagine a much smaller Lan Zhan first learning how to play them, face charmingly serious as he memorized the precise ways to hold his fingers and strike the purest, best notes on his chosen instrument.

He wondered idly if Lan Zhan ever composed any of his own music. While reasonably not everyone who could play an instrument was equally suited to compositions, his Lan Zhan was surely one of those who could.

Maybe after they had finished this hunt and it was just the two of them, he’d ask. Or later on today. At some point, anyway. He didn’t want to interrupt Lan Zhan’s beautiful playing right now.

Lan Zhan smoothly transitioned from his warm up exercises into a piece Wei Wuxian had heard before in his travels, though the name escaped him at the moment. He found himself easily distracted by the melody, sitting and listening for a few moments until he remembered that he was sitting in his sleeping robes and they needed to formulate a plan on what to do with the forest today.

“Have our clothes been returned yet?” The thought occurred to him as he tugged on his trousers. “I know Madam Lu said around chen shi, but it’s still a little early.”

Lan Zhan did not stop playing, but he shook his head slightly. Wei Wuxian understood what he meant. For once he’d woken up too early for ordinary morning tasks to already be done. It was the strangest feeling.

His stomach growled as he finished tying his robes shut and he remembered belatedly that they’d skipped dinner the previous night out of exhaustion and incidental ingestion of disgusting pond water. Lan Zhan had said that he’d already been downstairs once and seen Meilian, but usually he brought up food for both of them if he was ready to eat.

Maybe he was still feeling some of the aftereffects of the pond?

Lan Zhan brought his current song to a halt as Wei Wuxian tied up his hair, securing it firmly in its usual ponytail. Now that he was done dressing, it would seem that song time had ended to his private disappointment.

He didn’t let it keep him down. Instead he came over and draped himself over Lan Zhan comfortably, mussing up his neat hair. “Er-gege,” he whined playfully. “We never ate dinner last night.”

"We did not," Lan Zhan agreed, standing and returning his qin to its place on his back. "I thought to wait for your family, but we can go downstairs now if you are hungry."

"Did you not hear my stomach growling?" he asked, grinning. "They didn't wait for us yesterday, so I don't think we need to wait for them today."

They went downstairs, where several others were scattered around the tables. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan grabbed a free one, where Wei Wuxian sat a little closer to Lan Zhan than he needed to. A little mischievously, he raised his legs and propped them up in Lan Zhan's lap.

Lan Zhan cut a glance at him. "Sit properly," he said, voice calm.

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Am I sitting improperly? What's wrong with how I'm sitting? Oh, do you mean my posture?" He had been slouching a little, so he sat up straight. "There. Nothing your rules can complain about, huh?"

"I do not mean your posture," Lan Zhan replied. His voice was still calm, but Wei Wuxian could see the increasing intensity in his eyes.

"Oh? Then what do you mean?" Wei Wuxian asked, putting on a confused expression. "Tell me exactly, Lan Zhan. I may not be entirely awake. I'm not sure what you're talking about."

Lan Zhan didn't respond, and Wei Wuxian laughed internally without dropping his confused act. He rolled his legs a little on Lan Zhan's lap, provoking a delicious look of endurance.

But then he saw Madam Lu coming toward them with their breakfast, so Wei Wuxian took mercy on Lan Zhan and put his legs back down.

Madam Lu brought them an assortment of shaobing, accompanied by soy milk and steamed eggs. "These are unfilled," she said, placing one set on the table, "and these are mung bean with egg and tofu. Finally, these are spiced pork."

"They look delicious," Wei Wuxian told her, already reaching out to take one of the spiced pork.

She smiled at him. "You just let me know if you want more," she said. "There's plenty left yet, and I'm still cooking. When the rest of your family is down, you tell them there's enough for them."

"Thank you," Wei Wuxian replied.

The moment she was gone, he dug in and groaned with how good it was. Lan Zhan paused with one halfway to his mouth, and Wei Wuxian waved his at him. "If the one you picked up is as good as mine," he said, after swallowing his mouthful, "we really might eat all of these before my family even comes down."

Lan Zhan bit into his, one of the mung bean with egg and tofu, and nodded. "Good," he deemed. Wei Wuxian took one of those as well and decided that good was an understatement.

He was busy with his breakfast, but even still he didn't jump when his mother came up behind him and chirped, "Good morning!"

He made sure to swallow before greeting her in return. “Good morning, Niang,” he said as she slid over to sit on his other side, immediately grabbing one of the pork shaobing and biting into it with her own delighted groan. “How was your trip last night?”

“Oh it was fine,” Niang said, turning to grin at Die as he sat down next to her. “Meilian and Shen-guniang talked for a while outside the shop before I had to be responsible again and send them both to bed. I was going to check in on the two of you before I turned in, but by the time I was back, your father informed me that you two had long since retired for the night.”

“Yeah, we were pretty tired,” Wei Wuxian said, unable to resist glancing at Lan Zhan. It would seem that Die hadn’t told her just what had happened with the bathtub yet. Probably he’d decided that they’d had enough trials for one day. “But I feel like myself again today! I’ll have to thank Meilian for using her present for Qing-jie to help us out.”

“Where is she anyway?” Niang asked, glancing up at her door in confusion. “She’s usually up before I am, and I know she went to bed before we did.”

Lan Zhan finished chewing, set down his shaobing and placed his hands in his lap. “Meilian arose for a time around mao shi and came down for some tea. I came down around the same time and we spoke for a while before she went back to bed,” he said, having clearly signaled that he was choosing to bend the rule of no speaking while eating to explain the situation. “She told me she had not slept well.”

Niang tapped her cheek thoughtfully. “Well, it’s a good thing that she had you to speak to, Wangji,” she said with a smile. “We’ll let her sleep in today, then.”

Lan Zhan nodded and returned to eating, having said all he needed to say for the moment.

“What should we do in the meantime while we wait for Meilian to be ready?” Wei Wuxian asked a few moments later when one of the Lu boys brought them more tea. “We must have gotten pretty close to the source of the hollowed forest, but what do we do when we get there? There must be some way to deal with it.”

Niang made a sound and lifted a finger for them to hold on while she finished her bite. “It is basically the same premise as cleaning out a waterborne abyss; you have to purge the resentment from the area completely, usually with sunlight. Otherwise it’ll just stagnate and come back.” She scowled somewhat dramatically. “Of course resentment always chooses places like old forests and deep lakes to become this way, places where things are slower to begin with. It can take years to clean out something like this once it’s fully transformed. Fortunately, it’s not transformed all the way yet.”

Die nodded in agreement. “Yesterday, we found small patches of the forest where the kudzu is lessened and the mushrooms have not spread as far. It will still take much work to restore the forest, but there are still good places in these woods.”

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh of relief. “So that also means there’s other things that we can do to help clear it out besides just the sunlight purge, right?”

"Hopefully, but," Niang cautioned, raising her finger again, "I am concerned about what Meilian told us regarding resentment spreading through mushroom colonies. We've all noticed how the mushrooms have taken over, and we'll have to find a way to cleanse the roots underground. It will be hard to get sunlight there, which is one reason why hollowed forests are often settled with fire."

"Ideally we would avoid that," Die added.

Wei Wuxian drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the table. "I'll keep thinking about it, but I think we'll need to see the source before we can decide. It may be that whatever started it can work with us...or against us."

Lan Zhan seemed particularly quiet, given he had finished eating, so Wei Wuxian nudged their knees together. "Lan Zhan, do you have any thoughts?" he asked with a smile.

With his adorable tiny furrow of thought, Lan Zhan looked around the table at all of them before returning his gaze to Wei Wuxian. "Yesterday, you spoke of what the source could be. I have a theory, but I would prefer to collect more evidence before speaking of it."

"Tease." Wei Wuxian pouted playfully, but he didn't push it. Lan Zhan still eyed him at the word -- and he wondered if he might be in for some real teasing later.

A door above them opened and closed, and then Meilian came thumping down the stairs. She smiled at Lan Zhan as she sat down and grabbed a shaobing. She just managed to chew and swallow her bite before saying, "So what's the plan for today?"

"We'll start from the pond yesterday and move on from there," Niang said. "Since you three seemed to be on the right track. Hopefully it shouldn't take long to reach the origin point from there. At that point, hopefully we'll be able to come up with some ideas for fixing this forest."

"Meilian, did you want to visit Shen Huiying this morning to restock your herbs?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Meilian shook her head, swallowing another bite. "She gave me some when we saw her home last night and said she knew I might not have time this morning. I'll see her again when we're done."

When the rest of them drank their tea as Meilian ate, she frowned with her cheeks full, reminding Wei Wuxian of her chubby-cheeked childhood. He smiled fondly at her, chin propped up in his palm, as she finished her current shaobing. "Are we all waiting on me?" she asked.

"We're not in a big hurry," Die assured her. "You can finish your breakfast."

She shook her head and stood, shoving a few more shaobing into her sleeves. "These are easy to eat walking. We can go."

Though this time they were flying to a specific spot rather than walking in from the edge, they decided not to draw attention and instead take off from closer to the forest. Meilian continued eating her shaobing as the five of them once more went up the now-familiar path to the forest.

A crisp breeze blew through the air, blowing Wei Wuxian’s hair into his face and trying to steal Niang’s hat till she pinned it to her head with a pout. Even though the sky was clear, he thought he could smell snow on the wind.

“I want to go south after this hunt is done,” he whispered to Lan Zhan, who somehow managed to make having his hair pulled and whipped about by the wind still seem elegant and beautiful. “I’m sure there’s still a few more warmer days left down there, so we’ll just have to go find them together.”

Lan Zhan gave him a fond look, one tempered with amusement and a touch of hunger. He was definitely going to get teased later, one way or another.

He looked as though he were about to say something when a sudden array of screams split the air. Unlike the laughing screams of the children playing a couple days before, these were undoubtedly terrified.

Not a single one of them even hesitated; Meilian just took the time to shove the rest of her shaobing into her mouth before they all took off running towards the direction of the screams.

The forest loomed ominously in front of them. Even from a distance, Wei Wuxian could tell that the kudzu was rustling more dramatically than the wind could account for. It would seem that their time to deal with the forest before it became deadly had just shrunk dramatically.

They didn’t even make it all the way to the woods before a small group of children came running up to them, several of them in tears. “Daozhang!” one of the older boys cried out, grabbing onto Die’s robes. “Daozhang! The trees took away my little brother!”

“We went out to get branches and he came with us, and the vines just -- they just came up and grabbed him!” another child wailed, tears streaming down her face.

“Yang-xiong is the fastest one of us and even he couldn’t catch him!”

Wei Wuxian recognized the children running around them as the ones he’d seen with Lan Zhan when they’d been walking around town looking for his mother the other day. With a sickening drop to his stomach, he realized that the missing child in their group was the little boy with his hair still in pigtails.

Die put his hands out to steady the children swarming around him in hysterics, gesturing briefly with his head for the others to go on ahead. “Everything will be alright,” he said soothingly as Wei Wuxian and the others drew their swords to cut their way through the forest as fast as needed. “We’ll bring home your brother safe and sound.”

The children began wailing even louder, but Wei Wuxian didn’t have time to step in and comfort them too. Niang lifted her sword to the heavens before smiting a thick layer of kudzu, opening a path for them.

Lan Zhan was a heartbeat ahead of him as they flew into the woods, eyes scanning every vine around them for a small, terrified child.

“Da-ge,” Meilian called to him, flying up alongside him. “What do we do if we can’t see him quickly?”

The idea came to him almost before he had a chance to even consider her question. He grabbed his compass from his belt. “Something like that is going to trigger a surge of resentful energy. We can follow it with our compasses.”

Meilian nodded and took off with their mother down a different lane of trees, compass in hand.

Wei Wuxian took a moment to gauge his. The needle was wavering still as it tried to lock onto any specific source in the infested woods, but the radius it was scanning was becoming smaller and smaller.

“Lan Zhan!” he barked. “That way!” He gestured vaguely towards the northwest, already flying towards it as his compass grasped for a surge of energy just out of its range.

They weaved in and out of the trees, pushing their swords as fast as they dared in an area with such a dense canopy. Kudzu darted after them, but while not fast enough to catch them, the vines were still a danger they had to mind even as they watched the compass.

The needle finally started to stabilize just as Wei Wuxian began hearing a steady, terrified, high-pitched wail. "There!" Wei Wuxian barked, aiming in the direction of the sound.

But as they got closer, the vines began clustering too closely. The two of them were almost pulled up short as they tried to find a way through the wall vines.

"Lan Zhan, shift!" Wei Wuxian shouted. "I'll cut a way through!"

Lan Zhan understood, shifting his feet on the sword to make room for Wei Wuxian, who slashed a glance to the side to judge his distance and then jumped. He landed lightly in front of Lan Zhan, who steadied him with hands on his hips, which set Quanshui free to open the way for them.

With his sword slicing away the vines, the screams came through even clearer. Finally, Wei Wuxian could see flashes of pale blue clothes and flailing fists. Lan Zhan put on an extra burst of speed until he drew up directly beneath the wailing child now reaching out for them.

Wei Wuxian sent Quanshui up to dice up the kudzu vines as close to the child as he dared. The boy's scream sharpened as he began falling, but Wei Wuxian caught him securely just a few seconds later. Then Quanshui opened another gap in the vine ceiling, and the three of them burst into the open air, the cold sky a sharp shock to their senses that provoked another scream from the boy.

Lan Zhan slowed down a little now that they were safe, and Wei Wuxian loosened his outer robe and tucked the boy inside to keep him warm as they turned back towards the forest edge. Quanshui sheathed itself with a gentle snick, and Wei Wuxian put his hand on the boy's back. "Shh, shh," he murmured, his head close to the toddler's, holding him close and bouncing him gently in his arms. "You're safe. You're safe. We've got you. We're taking you home now. You're safe. Shh, shhhhh. You're okay."

The boy still cried, but the terror had tapered off until the tears were more leftover fear than active distress. What Wei Wuxian could see of his face was red and wet and raw, and tears and snot soaked Wei Wuxian's inner robe as he nuzzled his face into Wei Wuxian's chest. For a moment, his sister's face at that age overlaid the boy's, and Wei Wuxian pressed a quick kiss against his head before he started humming the first soothing song that came to mind, though he couldn't quite remember its name.

Lan Zhan jerked a little behind him at the humming, but he otherwise remained steady as a rock even in the air. Wei Wuxian leaned back against him a little, grateful to have him in charge of taking them back so Wei Wuxian could focus on bouncing and cuddling the toddler into better spirits. Slowly the cries dwindled until they were more hiccups than wails.

By the time they finally touched down next to his father and the other children, the boy's face was fully pressed against Wei Wuxian's chest. And though Wei Wuxian jostled him gently and tried to show him his friends and family, he clutched tightly to Wei Wuxian's robes and refused to budge.

“Didi,” he cajoled gently, “your gege is here. Don’t you want to see him?”

The only response he got was a tiny sniffle and the little boy holding on as tight as possible. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help laughing a little. “Well you must be a little monkey then, to hold on so tightly!”

“He’s always been like that when something scares him,” his brother said, his own eyes still puffy and red too. “A-Ran will cling to anyone who saves him from things like thunderstorms or other loud noises. He clung to our A-Niang all summer when the flood came through and knocked down so many trees.”

Wei Wuxian continued to gently bounce the child stuck to him like a burr, trying to soothe him further. “Maybe we should go back to see your A-Niang, then?” he asked both of the boys, only expecting an answer from one of them. “Get away from the spooky, scary forest?”

His heart melted when he got a subtle nod from the toddler tucked against his chest. He looked up at his father, who was watching all of them with amusement on his face. “Die, I think I may have to delay for a bit before I come back to investigate the forest. I have a small monkey to take back home.”

His father nodded and gave him an amused wave. “I will find your mother and sister then,” he said before turning to Lan Zhan, who had been watching the whole scene quietly. “Wangji? Would you like to come along?”

Lan Zhan seemed to startle a bit, as if his mind had been far away. “I will accompany Wei Ying,” he said, inclining his head. “Shall we attempt to reconvene at the pond?”

Die hummed. “Yes, I think we should be able to find it again. I’ll let Cangse and Meilian know what’s happening.”

As his father took off for the hole in the kudzu, Wei Wuxian turned his attention back to the children clustered around him. “Would you kind souls be able to lead A-Ran and me back to where he lives?” he asked, hoping to get all of the children back to the village at once. He didn’t want them anywhere near the woods now that it had started snatching people up. “I don’t think he’s going to let go any time soon.”

Fortunately they seemed to be just as eager to get away from the woods as he was, or perhaps the novelty of getting to lead adults around their home never quite wore off no matter what the situation. A-Ran’s brother reached out for his hand, and Wei Wuxian took a moment to adjust the toddler as well as he could onto his hip instead so he could be tugged along in the right direction.

Lan Zhan followed along with them, lingering a bit behind in preparation for if the vines came snaking out to snatch any of the other children up again. Of course they would rescue them immediately, but they only had so many arms between the two of them to carry terrified, clingy children.

It felt really wonderful to know that Lan Zhan was there, ready to keep all of them safe. From the way the children around them seemed to relax a little, they agreed. Or maybe it was because the first houses of the town had already come into view.

“Come on, daozhang,” the boy holding his hand encouraged, “we’re just past the fields!”

The three of them followed the boy's tugging, though he let go when a woman came into view, shading her eyes with one hand as she looked into the distance. The boy ran forward, burying his whole body right into the woman's robes, and she curved her other hand around his head as Wei Wuxian approached more slowly with her younger son.

"Daozhang?" she said, frowning when he got close enough that she could see the boy still cuddling up to him. "A-Ran? What happened?"

"The forest took him!" the older boy shouted into his mother's clothes.

Wei Wuxian tickled his small cargo's side, which finally inspired the boy to pull his face away with a frown that looked just like his mother's. "Hey there," he said, smiling gently. "Your mom is here. You want to see her?"

The smaller boy turned to look, saw his mother was indeed there, and almost pitched himself to the ground as he wiggled in his hurry to get down. Wei Wuxian crouched and let him down, where he immediately ran forward to join his brother in their mother's skirts.

"I'm afraid the kudzu is getting more aggressive," he told the woman when he straightened again. "Some vines did grab A-Ran, but thankfully my family was close enough, and we were able to get him back before he got hurt. But I think it might be best to stay away from the forest entirely for now."

"For how long, daozhang?" she asked worriedly, bending down to heave A-Ran into her arms and balancing him on her hip. "The winter's already going to be leaner than we'd like, since we haven't been able to go in properly for xun. The cold will be even harder if we can't even get wood."

"I wish I could give you better news, but unfortunately, it's a tricky problem," he told her sympathetically. "We've almost worked out what happened, but remedying it will be something else. We'll do our best to give you a solution as quickly as we can."

She bit her lip, then looked in the direction of the forest and sighed. "Not the news I wanted, but I'm glad you're at least here and working on it, as out of the way as we are," she finally said. "But now I think I should take these two home. Boys, thank the nice daozhangs for helping you."

The older boy reluctantly removed his face from her robes and wiped his nose along his arm. Then he bowed, saluting them and saying, "Thank you, daozhangs."

A-Ran, calmer now that he was safe and back with his mother, wiggled to get down from her arms again. When she let him loose, he toddled forward to hug Wei Wuxian's leg. "Thank you," he said, quietly but clearly. Then he turned to Lan Zhan and similarly hugged his leg.

The expression on Lan Zhan's face as he looked down at the child attached to his leg was almost unbearable. He needed to see Lan Zhan with children again. Preferably small ones who Lan Zhan could pick up and carry around, tiny enough to disappear behind his long sleeves.

The image of a tiny child with a serious face, chubby cheeks and a tiny forehead ribbon in Lan Zhan’s arms suddenly floated to the surface of his mind. A child like that would be so fun to raise, as serious as Lan Zhan until Wei Wuxian could tease out their laughter from beneath the solemn looks.

It was a little overwhelming, that image. Something too precious for words, he wasn’t quite ready to speak it aloud yet. Best to instead tuck it away in his heart for another day, sometimes in the future.

A-Ran’s big brother came over to pick him up from where he sat at Lan Zhan’s feet, hefting him up into his arms with the great effort that only a da-ge could put forth. “Come on, A-Ran. Let’s go see if A-Niang will make us candy for our troubles!”

A-Ran immediately lit up at the thought of a treat, squirming about in his brother’s arms to look at their mother pleadingly. “Can we please have candy?” he begged as they started to walk away. “Please?”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t resist laughing as their mother took her boys away towards home, the other children either scattering off to their own homes or running in the opposite direction of the forest to continue their games. It looked as though they would stay away from the forest at least for the rest of the day, hopefully a little longer after that scare.

Hopefully it would be enough to give the time they needed to figure out what was causing the forest to hollow and to start the process of reversing it.

As the sound of laughing children died away, he looked at Lan Zhan, trying to ground himself so they could return to the hunt. He needed to focus on today, not on the whims of the future. It would be hard for the future to get there if he got tripped up on the present.

The look in Lan Zhan’s eyes made him wish that that future was a little closer. Maybe they would have to talk about it. But later! Later, after they had done the work.

He still had to swallow before he said anything. “We should get back to the forest,” he said, the words tasting of disappointment in his mouth. “We really should make sure that we deal with whatever’s causing that trouble before it catches A-Ran or his brother or their friends again.”

Lan Zhan blinked and some of the pressure on him abated. “Yes, that is a good plan,” he said, with no betraying sound in his voice of how much he had been affected by the small child clinging to them.

It was unfair. If Wei Wuxian could sound so affected, then he should be able to see it on his partner too.

Abruptly, one hand gesture sent Quanshui hovering in front of him. "Then shall we go?" he asked. Best to just get going before he jumped Lan Zhan right there.

Lan Zhan looked in the direction of the forest, then back at Wei Wuxian. "We will likely have to cut through vines to get down," he replied. "It may be wise to have a sword free to do that."

Wei Wuxian blinked, then grinned. "Aww, Lan Zhan, is that you asking to fly with me this time?" He hopped on Quanshui, making sure to stand far enough back that Lan Zhan could join him, then held out a welcoming hand. "Come on, then. I am happy to return the favor."

With a heavy gaze, Lan Zhan lightly stepped onto the sword as well, and he leaned back when Wei Wuxian wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. Warmth filled Wei Wuxian's heart as he realized that even when Lan Zhan's face showed nothing of his emotions, he remained a man of action, and he always found a way to let Wei Wuxian know what he was feeling.

He lifted off and sent them shooting to the forest. "I'll need you to point out our destination," he murmured in Lan Zhan's ear. "You said you could remember, right?"

"Mn." Lan Zhan raised a hand to elegantly point. "This way."

Wei Wuxian enjoyed the opportunity to hold Lan Zhan before they rejoined his family. Once they set down in the forest, they would undoubtedly have a busy day, and this last moment of peace felt like exactly what he needed.

"Here," Lan Zhan said, turning his head so his lips were close to Wei Wuxian's ear. "I will send Bichen to cut a path."

Matching action to word as Wei Wuxian circled around and began descending, Lan Zhan sent Bichen to cut a hole in the kudzu ceiling. Bichen remained floating at the ready as Wei Wuxian lowered them through the hole, then it followed them and cut away the kudzu that came after them. And as Lan Zhan had promised, they touched down in the same cleared area they'd had their small camp the previous day.

Lan Zhan made to step off Quanshui and away from Wei Wuxian, but Wei Wuxian didn't let him go immediately. "We're the first ones here," he said, squeezing tight. "We can take a few minutes before the others get here."

Lifting Wei Wuxian's hands away from his waist, Lan Zhan stepped away -- but only so he could turn around. He closed his arms around Wei Wuxian in turn even before Wei Wuxian could move again.

And they stayed like that until pieces of kudzu began dropping around them and the rest of Wei Wuxian's family appeared.

Meilian landed right beside them, skidding in the mud near the pond. “Eww, I swear it smells even worse today,” she muttered, lifting her sleeve up to cover her nose. “Maybe it didn’t smell so bad cause we’d been in the woods all day yesterday.”

“I think it’s more likely to be the dead deer in the bushes, Meilian,” Die said, floating over on his sword to take a closer look. Wei Wuxian felt glad that they’d chosen to stand on a different side of the stagnant pond rather than right next to the decomposing deer.

Niang also elected to remain standing on her sword for the moment, likely not wanting to put her robes to the test of the mud a second time, even though it was relatively dry and manageable compared to some of the mud patches they’d discovered the day before. “The forest is more active today, and not just in snatching up small boys and carrying them off,” she warned them. “While we were investigating, the kudzu kept cutting off paths or closing holes we’d opened behind us.”

Wei Wuxian frowned slightly. “We must be close to something that’s preventing the kudzu from coming closer than the canopy, because we haven’t seen anything like that down here.”

Admittedly he wasn’t sure how much he would have noticed with his face tucked into Lan Zhan’s shoulder, but even so, the clearing hadn’t changed in any sort of notable way. They hadn’t been plunged into darkness, nor were there curtains of kudzu hanging around them, waiting to ensnare them in a moment of inattention.

It reminded him just a little of the strangely symmetrical clearing, how the kudzu had been unable to penetrate the circle. As he scanned the pond, new details popped up in the relatively brighter light.

The deer carcass still lay sprawled in the thick brambles, but the path they’d cut through the previous day had all but disappeared. Their small clearing was intact, but the pit where their fire had been had only a few smears of ashes and no more blackened branches.

It almost seemed as though something was pushing the pond back to its previous state, although now that the deer was in two pieces, it couldn’t easily move it back outside of the bramble barrier.

“Lan Zhan,” he said, looking around the pond once more. “Is it just me, or does this feel a bit like the clearing from yesterday, only a little more… spread out?”

Lan Zhan paused to consider it for a moment. “Mn,” he agreed. “There might be a similar pond some distance away.”

Meilian frowned in confusion, as did their parents, though likely for different reasons unless they’d also encountered one of those strange symmetrical forest spots. “What makes you think that, Da-ge?” she asked, glancing about. “If it were like the clearing, then wouldn’t that path not be there?”

"Remember how Niang said the forest was in the process of hollowing, but it wasn't quite there yet?" Wei Wuxian asked her. "I think that this part of the process isn't complete...and that something is fighting back."

"My thoughts exactly," Niang agreed, smiling at him. "And hopefully we're close to finding out what it is. Let's go."

They cut a new path through the brambles and made it to the other side of the pond with no further incident. Beyond the pond, however, the path remained narrow and dark, bracketed by brambles and swathes of hanging, questing kudzu. They walked along it in single file, with Niang at the front, Die taking up the rear, and Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan placing Meilian between them in the middle.

Broken beams of sunlight reflected off of water in front of them until they passed through a stand of trees to see another pond. For a moment, Wei Wuxian hoped this was their destination, but the rank smell was no stronger here than at the first pond...and this pond looked almost exactly like the previous one, even down to its size. It wasn't quite an exact reproduction, but it wasn't far off it, surrounded as it was by almost identical brambles with another path visible at an acute angle to them.

Meilian shoved her way in front of Wei Wuxian and Niang to crouch at the water's edge with her hand held just above it. Wei Wuxian almost pulled her back, but she went no closer and did not touch the water.

"I think it's the same kind of water as yesterday's pond," she said, withdrawing her hand. "Now that I've seen it before, I can recognize it better. The water drains qi."

"Then let's avoid it," Niang said cheerfully. "No touching the water."

She cut through the brambles to reach the angled path, and they continued. As they walked, the brambles seemed to draw closer and grow taller, catching at their hair and robes. Tucked at their roots, like they were being protected and sheltered, sprouted drifts of bleeding tooth mushrooms.

They soon reached a third pond, almost exactly like the first two.

"We're circling something," Wei Wuxian concluded, eyeing the continuing path at the same angle across this new pond. "I think if we want to find the center, we need to get off the path."

He gestured to their left, where walls of brambles and curtains of kudzu and thick clusters of trees combined to block them. Wei Wuxian could barely even see glimpses of forest beyond those barriers, much less anything specific.

"Because nothing about this could possibly be simple or easy," Meilian muttered. Then she raised her voice and said, "Yeah, that makes sense. Normal forests don't have ponds curving around equally spaced out like beads in a necklace."

"Then we should break through the wall," Lan Zhan said decisively, drawing Bichen.

He began to cut through the kudzu with mighty swings, great swathes of heavy green vines falling into the brambles to be munched up to fine pieces at the edge of a powerful spiritual blade. Meilian followed immediately behind him, keeping an eye out for dangers that Lan Zhan might miss like more zombified deer or strange mushrooms.

Wei Wuxian began to pick his way through the massacred plants, careful to not step down too hard in case of long, sharp thorns that might be eager to puncture his feet. Plants crunched as his parents brought up the rear, Die giving them more light by holding his sword out once more.

He could hear Niang whispering to Die behind him as they followed Lan Zhan through his crafted trail. “I really like this young man that our A-Ying found,” she said in a voice not quite quiet enough to avoid his eavesdropping. “Straightforward, steadfast and strong, and happy to cut right through to the center of the problem. He’ll be a wonderful husband when they’re ready.”

“Just remember that you will have to see Lan Qiren again if you wish to be involved in their wedding,” Die said in the same level of voice. Wei Wuxian really couldn’t tell if they thought they were being quiet enough or if they just didn’t care that he could hear them talking. “Are you prepared for such an event!”

Niang snorted decisively. “Am I prepared? For my beloved firstborn, I will fight any enemy in my path, be they poisonous zhenniao or irascible goats. It is he who should be prepared for me!”

Wei Wuxian shook his head slightly in resignation and amusement. At least his parents were in full approval of their relationship, for as far as they could take it. He would likely just have to brace himself for teasing about possible future grandchildren. He knew his mother well enough to know she would be delighted at the prospect.

Up ahead, Meilian had drawn her sword and was helping Lan Zhan with any vines he missed, not that there were many. “What’s it looking like up there?” he called to the two of them, stepping over a patch of mushrooms they’d wisely left alive. “Anything interesting yet?”

“No,” Meilian whined, chopping down a vine with impunity. “These vines are really thick! Less like a curtain and more like a shield now. If it weren’t for Lan-ge’s sword, we wouldn’t be able to see anything.”

Wei Wuxian made a sympathetic noise as he pulled out his compass. As he watched it, the needle wavered and wobbled, first spinning to directly in front of them where Lan Zhan was cutting their path through, then to behind them where a clump of vines was especially thick, then to their side.

“I think we must be getting close,” he called out encouragingly. “The compass is getting really confused now.”

With perfect timing, Lan Zhan and Meilian broke through a final layer of bramble and vine, allowing them all to see a circular clearing laid out before them.

Neither Lan Zhan nor Meilian immediately stepped forward, and as Wei Wuxian joined them at the edge of the circle, he could see why. Mushrooms coated the forest floor, separated into large ribbons of different kinds -- the bleeding tooth mushrooms, the sweet osmanthus ear, the dead man's fingers, and other kinds Wei Wuxian couldn't name, all neatly staying within equal-width stripes of their own kind. These ribbons spiraled towards the center of the clearing and curved around another pool of water.

This pool was smaller than the qi-draining ponds encircling it, looking more like a moat to an island in the center. On the island lay a mound covered in several types of mushrooms, though it was far enough away, and high enough from the ground, that Wei Wuxian could not see any further details.

No trees encroached into this circular clearing, and walls of kudzu bound themselves between the trees on the edge. There were large gaps in the vine ceiling, allowing them a view of the sky, blue and untouched by passing clouds, and yet the clearing still seemed shadowed. No sunlight sparkled off the water in the pool.

"I think we found it," Die said softly. "But perhaps it's better to get closer using swords rather than walk on that."

They didn't have room for everyone to get on their swords right there, so Lan Zhan and Meilian flew in first, their swords hovering low, just above the mushroom carpet. Then Wei Wuxian and his parents joined them, and the five of them approached the island and the mound.

Through the mushrooms and the dirt, a skeleton was just barely visible. Wei Wuxian's gaze traced the lines of bone and saw that it seemed to be a large, hoofed mammal, perhaps something like a deer. But he also couldn't quite tell for sure, because its head was missing.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said quietly, without moving his gaze away from the headless skeleton. "You once lamented to me that cultivators were too willing to kill even harmless rare creatures for the trophy. Do you remember?"

Wei Wuxian cast his memory back, where it caught on their second meeting. Once he recalled the conversation, he understood Lan Zhan's meaning. "The Fuzhu that Nie Mingjue killed this past summer," he said. "Do you think this is it?"

Now Lan Zhan met his eyes. "I have been considering some of the signs we have observed," he replied. "The Fuzhu is an omen of floods, and it prefers neatness and cleanliness. And when Nie Mingjue killed it, he took away its head, with its four horns, as his trophy."

Niang sighed, looking regretfully at the skeleton. "I heard about that as well," she commented. "And it seems to fit. This is the Nie clan's territory, and there was flooding this summer. And the Fuzhu should have been spiritually strong enough that even after death, its nature fights with the kind of strong resentment that the death of such a being would generate."

“Oh,” Meilian breathed out, crouched on her sword and peering down at the remains of the Fuzhu and the mushrooms surrounding it. “That strange clearing we found didn’t trip the compasses. Maybe they were less resentful than the rest of the forest and that’s why they were like that.”

“That makes sense,” Wei Wuxian agreed, his mind starting to pick on a thought. “The Fuzhu probably doesn’t want to corrupt the forest, but well… I don’t think anyone or anything really wants to die. Being desecrated and left to rot after you die is probably even worse.”

“I hope you don’t have any plans on testing that,” Niang murmured, but her eyes were distant, deep in thought as well. “Changze, do you remember where we found our own mysterious clearing?”

Die nodded. “I do.”

“And you could find your other clearing again, Wangji?” Niang continued.

Lan Zhan hummed in agreement. “I could.”

"What are you thinking, Niang?" Meilian asked, turning away from the skeleton.

"I've been thinking about how we're going to fix this without firing the forest, and now that we know there's already something fighting against the resentment, I think we can give that part a little help." She looked around the clearing, where none of the kudzu seemed willing to encroach.

"Do you want to build an array, Niang?" Wei Wuxian asked. That was already what he himself had been thinking, though he hadn't yet thought of the strange clearings they had found.

"Yes," Niang agreed. "Wangji, can you just point a general direction for the one you three found?"

Lan Zhan raised his arm to point in a direction northwest of them. Niang looked at Die, and he pointed southwest.

"Look, it's about a right angle, wouldn't you say?" Niang continued, gesturing at their arms. "So, considering what the Fuzhu seems to have done to those qi-draining ponds, I'm guessing that there will be corresponding strange clearings at equal distances northeast and southeast from here. Those feel like natural anchor points we could use to build an array that could amplify the Fuzhu's lingering spiritual strength."

"But will that be enough?" Die asked. "This is a big forest, and these mushrooms have spread all over, taking the resentment with them. An array that's concentrated around the center of the forest might take a long time to radiate outward to the edges."

Meilian was normally less interested in technical theorizing, but she still knew the basics, and she suggested, "We could also add an anchor point here in the center. Notice how the sun isn't really penetrating here even though there are no trees or vines? If we connect Niang's amplification anchor points to one here that attracts purifying energy from the sun, that might give it a good boost."

"Wonderful suggestion, A-Lian!" Niang told her, swaying her sword over to smack a kiss to her forehead. Meilian smiled at her, then moved away to slowly examine the spirals of mushrooms.

Niang looked at Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan next, and smiling, Wei Wuxian gestured at Lan Zhan. Slowly, Lan Zhan said, "The amplification points can be the inner ring of the array. Anchor points can also be created on the forest edges to establish an outer ring."

His smile broadened, and Wei Wuxian added, "And the anchor points on the outer circle can draw on the five elements. If we balance them correctly, they'll be able to support and add strength to the amplification aspect while helping the forest itself regain its internal balance."

Niang came over and also gave him a kiss to his forehead -- and then leaned over to kiss Lan Zhan's as well. "I love my family," she announced proudly. "I think we'll have to come back and check on the forest regularly for a while, but this sounds like a workable plan!"

Die nodded, smiling around at all of them. "We should check and make sure there are also strange clearings in the directions we think, and then maybe we can find a map of the forest in the village that will help us decide where to place the outer anchor points.” He let out a small breath of satisfaction. “While we can’t be certain just yet, I think this will work. We can reverse the hollowing of the forest."

Chapter Text

With their next course of attack planned out, it only made sense for them to try and find the other clearings before returning to town to start drafting out what sort of array they would need along with the materials to anchor it. 

Die and Lan Zhan, the two of them most likely able to remember the exact locations of the clearings, split off above the resting place of the Fuzhu. Wei Wuxian, Meilian, and their mother remained above the hole they’d cut through the thin layer of kudzu, watching the vines to see how long they had before the Fuzhu would be hidden away by the hollowing forest once more. 

Niang had switched to sitting on her sword, swinging her feet idly a few feet above the vines. In one hand, she held a long stick of incense that she’d cut divots into to mark the passage of time as they waited for their men to return to them. “Well, either the kudzu is too thinly stretched up top to cover it back up quickly, or the Fuzhu’s inner nature is giving our hole a boost,” she mused, watching as little flecks of sweetly-scented ash dropped to the ground below. “However, it probably will still close up before we can return here tomorrow.”

“I can probably do something about that,” Wei Wuxian said, already pulling out a blank sheet of talisman paper. “As long as it doesn’t rain and we can get back here by this time tomorrow, even if it’s just to reset the beacon, it should work out.”

“You’ve invented so many things on this night hunt, Da-ge, that you’re gonna get a headache from all that thinking,” Meilian teased. She had tried to switch to sitting on her sword as well, but her balance with her center of gravity switched wasn’t quite as fine yet, and, after a few unexpected dips, she switched to standing again. “What are you doing this time?”

“Not inventing,” he said tartly. “Adapting.” He frowned at the paper as he pictured what he needed it to do and how to best fit it in his limited amount of space. 

Meilian rolled her eyes. “Fine, what are you adapting this time?”

“Well, if it works, it’ll be kind of like the Wayfarer's Beacon,” he said, tracing his fingers lightly over the paper twice, just to make sure that he’d have enough room for the image he had. “Only what it’ll do is, instead of being powered by spiritual energy and connecting to the compass, it’ll just utilize some of the resentful energy in the forest to send out a pulse strong enough for the Compass of Ill Winds to pick up every fifth of a shichen until it burns itself out.”

“Ohh,” Meilian said. “That actually sounds really useful!”

“It might be!” he said as Niang smiled proudly at the two of them. “But first it has to work.”

Before Meilian could protest or scold him for it, he bit down hard on the pad of his finger, deep enough for it to bleed for a few moments. Then he quickly drew the image in his head on the talisman paper, feeling it shudder to life as the power in his blood activated it. 

“Uggh.” Meilian scowled. “I hate it when you do that.”

Wei Wuxian smiled in satisfaction as he looked over his work quickly drying on the paper. "All right, I'll be right back."

He swooped back down through the hole in the vines and hovered next to the Fuzhu. He scanned across its little island before tucking the talisman paper between tightly-packed clumps of the dead man's fingers mushrooms. Those fingers would hopefully hold it well enough that no passing breeze could blow it away.

When he returned to the air, he joined his mother in sitting on his sword and looked down at the clearing, where he could see the spiral. His mother also looked at the pattern, idly swinging her legs in the air. "So why mushrooms, d'you think?" she mused. "These are way more than I'd expect from any regular decomposition process."

Meilian came closer, though she didn't try to sit down again. "Could it have something to do with the hollowing and the Fuzhu?" she suggested. "Mushrooms are sort of unique because they're decomposers, but so many of them are so useful in protecting and promoting human health, so there's this duality to them. And the tension between the Fuzhu's resentment and its spirituality could have just created an environment that chased away all the animals but allowed the mushrooms to thrive."

Wei Wuxian reached out and patted his sister's shin. "Sounds reasonable enough, Meimei," he said cheerfully. "I wonder what will happen to them when the forest starts going back to normal. Before we leave, you should take a bunch of samples for Wen Qing."

"I was going to," she replied archly, swaying away from him. "Especially the bleeding tooth ones, since she shouldn't have seen them before. I may have less ginseng to show her, but hopefully she'll like all of it."

"I know she will," Niang assured her, "and I'm sure she'll appreciate hearing how you used the ginseng even more than the ginseng itself."

Meilian smiled and looked away, then stood straighter and waved. Wei Wuxian also looked over to see Lan Zhan returning, and he nimbly jumped back up to stand on his sword.

"It's there?" he asked as Lan Zhan rejoined them. "Another strange clearing?"

"It is there." Lan Zhan nodded. "Precisely where we expected, given our theory."

Die then joined them shortly after that, confirming the last piece. Satisfaction bubbled up inside Wei Wuxian as everything started to come together.

"I came up with a beacon to leave here so we can find this place again more easily even when the vine ceiling closes," he said. "Shall we go back to the village and work out exactly what our array is going to look like?"

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea,” Die agreed. “And make sure that Lychee isn’t too mad that we’re going to be here a little while longer.”

Niang laughed brightly. “I suppose it’s my turn to go appease her, right?”

–

The flight back was quiet, with all of them eager to get to work. Meilian, recalling that Master Shen the apothecary was the one who had explored the hollowed forest the most, went to go see if he’d left any maps around that they could borrow while Niang went to make the appropriate tributes to their poor, forgotten donkey.

 Wei Wuxian immediately staked out one of the tables in the corner, taking advantage of the fact that the inn was currently quiet to completely cover the table in paper and start writing out ideas. A five-point array with an anchor to start reversing the hollowing of the forest was already a great challenge on its own; two required all of the focus and attention that he could put into it.

He was dimly aware in the background of Lan Zhan setting down tea nearby and joining him, looking through the papers he’d already filled with as many theories and slapdash arrays as he could squash in before they became unreadable.

Normally he’d love to talk theory with Lan Zhan, explain just what he was trying to link together, but the first vague images of an array to work with the corpse of the Fuzhu were beginning to take shape in his mind. Stopping to explain it or answer questions would only risk him losing it entirely.

Time passed around him aimlessly as he feverishly scribbled out thoughts and patterns, the impression of the symmetrical hollow in the forest branded on his brain. It had to be perfectly symmetrical in itself, to appeal to and work with the Fuzhu’s inner nature, but also incorporate in his parents' and his own methods of purifying resentful energy to cleanse the forest from the inside out. Once he had the inner array solidified enough to turn over to his family to tinker with, he could start working on the outer circle.

He heard Lan Zhan, Niang, and Die talking quietly around him, then the rustle of papers as they passed his work back and forth and eventually settling to build off of his theories and help connect the dots together into one coherent picture.

When he came up for air at last, his hands smudged in ink and his eyes slightly blurred from the time staring closely at his own calligraphy, he was surprised to see that the lights in the inn were lit and people were sitting down to dinner around them. Meilian had come back at some point and was in quiet conference with their father over what looked like a rudimentary map, and Niang was nowhere to be seen.

Lan Zhan immediately handed him a cup of tea before he could even open his mouth to speak. Giving him a grateful smile, Wei Wuxian downed half of it in one gulp before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Anything new happen with the forest?" he asked.

"Nothing," Lan Zhan replied softly. "We have explained the increased dangers, and the news has spread. Your mother is checking again now, but the villagers should be safe."

"From the forest, at least, if not the coming winter," Wei Wuxian said, looking at the scattered villagers looking sober at the other tables. "But the hollowing only started this summer, so hopefully it won't take that long to reverse. I noticed you and my parents looking over my notes?"

"An impressive foundation," Lan Zhan told him, smiling with his eyes. "We have some suggested refinements to increase its effectiveness, but your ideas are brilliant. I have never seen an array using the mirrored symmetry to ricochet within each anchor point to amplify the individual anchor even before it connects to the rest."

Wei Wuxian found himself blushing a little. "As long as it works," he said, clearing his throat. "Did you guys test it to make sure it will actually work?"

"We did." Lan Zhan's expression was a devastating combination of fondness and heat. "It works."

Wei Wuxian wanted to practically dive into that expression, but this still wasn't the time to drag Lan Zhan to their room upstairs. He reached out to take Lan Zhan's hand and give it a squeeze, but reluctantly let go after one. Then he looked at his father and sister and asked, "Have you found good locations for the outer circle?"

"I think so!" Meilian chirped, moving the map closer to him so he could see as well. Off to the side were a ruler and several pieces of string, and they'd taken plenty of notes on the map. "Huiying-jie gave us this copy we could mark up, and while you were busy with the array, Die and I went out to match the clearings to the map." She pointed to a spot on the map, where he could see notations for the Fuzhu's clearing in the center and the symmetrical clearings encircling it.

"We've also figured out the scaling," Die added, indicating a note on the side of the map. "And we think we came up with good locations for the outer circle. Look at these, A-Xian, and tell us what you think."

Wei Wuxian pulled the map even closer, where he could see five anchor points circling around the outer edges of the forest. The forest itself wasn't perfectly circular, though, and northernmost even stuck out past the boundaries.

Meilian tapped that point. "This one should be fire, we think," she said. "To catch more of the sun. And the others have aspects of their elements nearby too, like a stream near the water anchor point."

"Good thinking, Meimei," Wei Wuxian replied, tugging lightly at her closer braid. She swatted at him, but she couldn't suppress her smile.

"But we've ordered dinner, A-Xian, and your mother should be back soon," Die continued. "You should take a break before you dig into the array for the outer circle."

Wei Wuxian laughed a little ruefully. "A break would be nice," he admitted. "I've also been sitting here for a long time, so I might need to go out and walk around."

“I will go with you,” Lan Zhan immediately volunteered, rising to his feet as Wei Wuxian stretched. “It will be good to get some fresh air.”

Die smiled at them. “It is a nice night out, just don’t tarry for too long.”

Wei Wuxian gave him a suspicious look, but let it go. Die was only teasing a little bit, and he was hungry enough for actual food that he wouldn’t get too caught up in the moment, no matter how delicious Lan Zhan himself was.

He stood up, ignoring the pins and needles sensations in his legs that faded quickly. Meilian smiled up at him. “See you later, Da-ge! I’ll keep all your papers safe.”

He grinned and tugged her braid one more time. “See you later, Xiao-meimei,” he said, grinning when she stuck her tongue out at him.

No one really looked up at them as they walked through the inn, more focused on terse conversations or getting a good meal in for the night. It was nice to just walk through this small village unhindered, a recognized part of them even if only for a short while.

Even the blast of cold air to his senses as they stepped outside couldn’t ruin the good feelings in his heart, not when Lan Zhan took his hand to warm it. Lan Zhan’s touch alone could keep him warm forever.

They walked along the streets for a few minutes, aimlessly wandering as Wei Wuxian worked the stiffness from his legs. Their breath misted out from their lips and the stars overhead were as sharp as daggers. Winter was definitely approaching, even if it wasn’t cold enough to freeze the earth yet and there were still preparations to be done. 

“Do the Cloud Recesses get terribly cold?” he wondered idly as they turned down the road near the mill, though there were no donkeys to be seen at the moment. “I don’t know a lot about your home aside from what you and Niang have said, and she was mostly there just in summertime.”

Lan Zhan thought for a moment, then replied, "Still cold, but warmer than the days would be here. The nights usually only freeze in the depths of winter, around the twelfth and first months. Snow is uncommon but not rare." He looked sidelong at Wei Wuxian. "But I am unfamiliar with your standards for terribly cold , so I do not know whether you would consider it as such."

Wei Wuxian laughed a little and swung their arms. "That's not too bad," he allowed. "I've traveled all over during every season, and I'm just not one for extremes. Gusu's winters actually sound pretty nice." He squeezed Lan Zhan's hand. "Good excuse to cuddle up together at night, hmm?"

"Do you need an excuse?" Lan Zhan asked him dryly, provoking a delighted laugh. "I cannot say I have previously been familiar with that method of keeping warm, except as a child with my brother, but I...look forward to its application."

That made Wei Wuxian want to go bundle him into bed right then, but he restrained himself with a quick kiss -- though Lan Zhan stopped them and held it a little longer. By the time they started walking again, Wei Wuxian's cheeks were pink from more than the cold.

When they reached the path to the forest and turned back to the inn, they only made it a few steps before Niang's voice called from behind them, "A-Xian, Wangji! Wait for me!"

She caught up to them quickly as they paused. Her eyes stopped briefly on their joined hands, but she didn't comment, only saying, "How has your array been going, A-Xian?"

"We're making good progress," he told her as the three of them began walking again. Lan Zhan stiffened a little, but he didn't drop Wei Wuxian's hand, which made Wei Wuxian hold him even tighter. He'd noticed that Lan Zhan wasn't fond of public displays of affection, but he seemed to be at greater ease with them when they were only around people they were familiar with. "I think I've got the inner ring done, and Die and Meilian have worked out where each anchor point for the outer ring should be. Lan Zhan and I were just stretching our legs, and I'll get back to work after dinner. I'm hoping the outer five elements ring will go quicker, since they have standard interactions. It'll just be connecting the outer ring, inner ring, and center anchor point that will be the trickier bit."

"Good job, A-Xian," Niang said, patting his shoulder. "Do you think we might be able to start drawing the array tomorrow?"

Wei Wuxian looked up at the night sky as he thought, then nodded. "We'll probably want at least part of the morning to test the array on a smaller scale, but if everything goes well, we should be able to get started drawing the full thing after that."

"Has the forest worsened, Ayi?" Lan Zhan asked.

She shook her head. "No difference that I could see since this morning. The kudzu is still pretty active and stretching out beyond the forest's edge, but I'm a little faster than a toddler, so it couldn't catch me." She winked, then added with a toothy grin, "I'm sad I missed your rescue, though! Changze told me you were very good with a crying child, A-Xian."

Wei Wuxian laughed lightly, feeling Lan Zhan’s fingers tighten subtly around his. “He was being a little clingy monkey, just like Meilian at that age. He wouldn’t let me put him down till we got him back to his mother.”

Niang’s laughter quickly melded with his. “I’m sure if vines had sprouted up and carried your sister away, we’d still have to carry her to this day. Wangji, has our A-Xian told you much about when Meilian was that age yet?”

Lan Zhan shook his head slightly. “He has not,” he confessed. “Only that she addressed your donkey as Lychee-jie for a time.”

“Oh, I’d forgotten Lychee-jie!” Niang exclaimed excitedly. “It’s good that Wuxian at least remembers that. Such a good big sister, our donkey.”

Wei Wuxian snorted in amusement. “She sure is, she won’t let anyone else bite us except for her.”

“Well, that’s not true anymore,” Niang said tartly, “otherwise she would have attacked Wangji already. But Meilian used to always follow Wuxian around when she was tiny. He’d go to do anything, sword training, to feed Lychee, even just to go sit by himself for some quiet, and she’d come toddling right up to him and watch him with huge eyes.”

Lan Zhan hummed lightly, indicating to the both of them that he was still listening. They weren’t that far away from the inn, but there was no rush to get back just yet. Wei Wuxian grinned at him -- although Lan Zhan was quieter than his own family tended to be, he still seemed to enjoy hearing the stories.

“Whenever she got tired of walking, she’d want to be carried, of course,” Niang continued, lost in happy memories. “Sometimes she’d come up with me on the donkey, or sit on Changze’s shoulders. But what she liked most often was getting Wuxian to carry her on his back or in his arms, so she could point out everything that she just had to share with her favorite da-ge along the way.”

“I’m pretty sure I was her favorite packhorse,” Wei Wuxian added teasingly. “She figured out so quickly that I was big enough to carry her too, and then I was doomed.”

“Oh, you loved carrying her, don’t lie,” Niang leaped in. “From the moment she was born, you were ready to take care of your little sister and carry her wherever she wanted to go.”

Wei Wuxian felt his cheeks burn a little. He couldn’t really deny the impact that Meilian had on him when she was born. The whole way he had understood the world and his place in it had changed permanently the first time he held his baby sister. 

“He’s always been this good with children, Wangji,” Niang continued, abruptly trotting ahead of them so she could look back. “He’ll be a wonderful father someday, but you should be sure to make an honest man of him first.”

If she'd hoped to fluster them with that, she missed the mark. Wei Wuxian raised his eyebrow at her. "That eager to get rid of me, are you?"

"Oh, I would fight the rest of the Lans for Wangji, if he'd prefer that," she assured them, now walking backwards. "I'm damn sure I could still take Lan Qiren in a fight. What do you think, Wangji?"

"I am honored," Lan Zhan replied, with that solemn sincerity that nevertheless still contained a hint of humor to match theirs. Wei Wuxian glanced to the side and saw that he didn't even have pink ears.

Wei Wuxian still felt it was a little too early to discuss marriage seriously...but he also would never have pursued a relationship with Lan Zhan if he didn't think that might be their destination. A large part of him enjoyed talking about his future with Lan Zhan like it was inevitable, and an even larger part thrilled at Lan Zhan's reaction.

But they could figure out the exact shape of that future later.

Niang headed into the inn when they reached it, but Wei Wuxian hung back a little. When Lan Zhan looked at him as his pause tugged at their joined hands, Wei Wuxian pulled him even closer. "We might need to be careful," he murmured mischievously in Lan Zhan's ear. "The way we've been going, I might end up bearing a little Lan for you outside of wedlock, and then what will happen to my reputation?"

Lan Zhan jerked back, hissing, "Wei Ying!"

There were his pink ears, Wei Wuxian saw with satisfied glee. He reached up to pat Lan Zhan's cheek. "Come on, er-gege," he said cheerfully. "Dinner's probably here, and I'm hungry."

He looked back at Lan Zhan just as he passed through the door, and the heat in his eyes made him want to skip dinner altogether.

--

The two of them did manage to go in and join his family for dinner, and then he further managed to distract himself from his desire to take Lan Zhan and hole up in their room by diving back into designing his array.

As he'd thought, the outer ring itself wasn't too complicated. The point of working with the five elements was that they balanced each other, so his task was more to make sure he didn't accidentally unbalance them as he tied the outer ring into the rest of the array.

Lan Zhan and Die remained at the table with him, offering the occasional suggestion, as he tried and discarded a few options for the outer and inner circles not connecting well enough. Niang and Meilian returned to the forest to retrieve more mushroom and kudzu samples, this time for tests.

Hopefully, if a scaled-down version of what they eventually came up with could purify successive rounds of resentment-infused forest life, then the full version that incorporated the symmetrical clearings and the Fuzhu's influence would do the trick.

The inn was all but empty by the time that Niang and Meilian returned and Wei Wuxian thought that he had a good set of test arrays to put into place. Madam Lu had brought them over fresh tea and a small plate of dumplings sweetened with red bean paste, casting a curious look over his piles of papers even though it was unlikely she’d be able to understand exactly what they were going to do. 

Niang immediately snatched up one of the dumplings and popped it into her mouth with an appreciative noise as Meilian lay out her gathering cloth over the table, so as to prevent any dirt or resentment from getting into the wood and annoying their innkeeper. “I’m going to miss the cooking here when we leave,” she informed them all as she grabbed a second dumpling almost immediately. “What are we looking at?”

Wei Wuxian started laying out pieces of paper that he’d written their array in cinnabar on, with fire at the head of the array, wood and earth at the sides and metal and water at the base. Since he was imitating where the full array would go at the end, it turned into the most lopsided five-pointed star he could have made, but who cared for perfect array appearance over an array that worked? 

“Out in the forest, each of these will have a stronger anchor of their corresponding element, or near enough in the case of fire,” he explained as Niang and Meilian leaned over to look at it. “For this little space and this little to cleanse, it should work fine with just me activating it.”

Niang nodded in approval as she looked them over while Meilian scooped out a few of the resentment-tainted plants in case the first test didn’t go well. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to go back into the forest yet again for more supplies, but he was reasonably certain that he’d gotten it right. If it wasn’t perfect, then the alterations at least would be minute rather than having to return to the drawing board. 

He set down his tea cup and pressed his finger to the center of the fire array, pushing in a little spiritual energy to wake it up. If they had gotten all of the connections right, the energy from fire would travel down to metal, then to wood, and so on and so forth until it had overlapped itself in a perfect repeating lopsided star. 

Nothing happened for a few minutes. Wei Wuxian let out a breath as he watched, knowing that the energy lines needed time to mark themselves up. 

Then metal lit up as well. Shortly after, wood joined it, and earth and water even faster. When the array connected back to fire, the pile of plants at the center began to shiver and black smoke exhumed from them, quickly dissipating into the air before any of them had a chance to be concerned about the resentful energy settling into something else. 

At the end of the process, the mushrooms were a little worse for wear, but nothing compared to the kudzu that had shrunken in and shriveled up on itself. The light in the arrays faded and died as they completed their purpose, with no more resentful energy left to cleanse. 

“If you would do the honors, Meimei?” he asked tiredly, already knowing what her needles would show but still needing to see it before he could call it a success. 

Meilian nodded and drew her needles out, selecting a small one and filling it with her qi before poking one of the mushrooms in the center cautiously. 

The needle came away clean. 

Niang whooped in delight before coming over to kiss Wei Wuxian’s forehead in pride. “Well done, Wuxian,” Die said, his voice just as glowing. “That is one of your greatest works yet.”

Wei Wuxian grinned in triumph, slumping onto Lan Zhan’s shoulder. What was a light headache and fatigue from staring at papers all day and wracking his brain for all the tiny details when he’d just come up with a solution to restore Xiaolongmen Forest to its rightful brilliance once more?

In the center over the little pile of sad mushrooms and shriveled kudzu, he held out the master piece of paper that had the inner array marked out on it demonstratively. “When we do this out in Xiaolongmen Forest, this will be at the center and it’ll help feed the outer array the energy it needs to keep purifying the forest both inside and out, so it’ll have additional strength from the inner array and the Fuzhu as well as the five element connection,” he said, tossing it onto the table out of the way in triumphant satisfaction. “Unless someone tampers with the arrays on purpose, this should reverse the hollowing of the forest within a year.”

"Truly?" Madam Lu asked. Wei Wuxian turned to see her standing beyond their table, her head craned a little to look at what they'd been doing. "You've found a way to fix it?"

"We have," Niang assured her. "Tomorrow we'll go back to the forest to put our solution into practice, and soon you should have your forest back."

"A year sounds like a long time," Madam Lu said, a little doubtfully. "The forest has only gone strange since the summer. Will it really take that long?"

"It always takes longer to clean the mess up than to make it, doesn't it?" Die asked wryly, and Madam Lu nodded ruefully at that. "I'm sorry we can't give you something that will work immediately."

Madam Lu shook her head. "No, of course. We'll make do, and I promise you we're all grateful for what you're doing." She smiled and jerked her chin at Wei Wuxian's papers. "And that certainly looks very impressive, even if I don't understand it at all!"

"Some of it's even over my head," Niang told her in a loud, conspiratorial whisper. It was absolutely a lie, but Wei Wuxian didn't call his mother on it as Madam Lu's smile widened. "We're all very lucky that my son decided to join us on this hunt. He has a real gift."

Madam Lu bowed to him in thanks. "If there's anything further we can do, you just let me know," she said firmly.

Wei Wuxian was about to flap his hand in dismissal when Lan Zhan said, "A bath would suffice." He shifted his chair closer to Wei Wuxian and lightly traced a hand over the furrow in his forehead. "I believe our work is done for the night. You should relax and rest well before we set up the array tomorrow."

He felt like some of his tension immediately dropped away at Lan Zhan's touch, though the headache yet lingered. "A bath does sound nice," he agreed, smiling at both Lan Zhan and Madam Lu.

"Then a bath you shall have. Do the rest of you want baths as well?" When Niang and Meilian confirmed they did, Madam Lu nodded to all of them and then bustled off to arrange it.

"Then let's meet down here by si shi," Niang suggested. She stood and helped Wei Wuxian gather all of his papers together. "Here, A-Xian, your father and I can take these and draw out some clean copies for tomorrow. You and Wangji should head up to bed."

Wei Wuxian didn't protest. "Thanks, Niang," he said, letting her take the papers. He and Lan Zhan both stood. "Good night, Niang, Die, Meimei. We'll see you in the morning."

They echoed his goodnights, and then he and Lan Zhan were able to escape upstairs. As they entered their new room, he just heard Niang ask, "Did they switch rooms?" But the door closed behind them before he heard Die's response.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we should share a bath tonight," he told Lan Zhan teasingly. "If we destroy two tubs, my parents may never let us live it down."

“That is wise,” Lan Zhan said calmly, though his ears were faintly pink at the tips. “I would prefer to not switch rooms a second time.”

“No,” Wei Wuxian laughed. “Once was more than enough.”

There was a faint rapping on the door to announce someone with their bathwater. Lan Zhan went over to let them in while Wei Wuxian sat down to undo his hair and finger comb it into some semblance of tamed before he got it all wet. 

Blocked by the curtain of his hair, he could only tell when the person bringing the bathwater had left when Lan Zhan shut the door firmly behind them. “Is it full?”

“Almost,” Lan Zhan said calmly. “I am sure they will be back soon.”

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh and continued to roughly pull the tangles from his hair even though he had a comb somewhere. He’d spent all day thinking and his head hurt; he didn’t want to put his mind back to work even for something as simple as digging out a comb. 

“How does it always get tangled even when I’m not running around doing things all day?” he grumbled as he ran into a knot, pulling at it with his fingers until it came apart. “I swear I haven’t done enough to deserve knots in my hair.”

Gentle fingers stopped him in his tracks, soothing just in their contact. Wei Wuxian immediately stopped resisting, letting Lan Zhan take over and leaning into his touch with a contented sigh.

Lan Zhan didn’t say anything, only gently teasing out the few remaining tangles so that he had nothing else to complain about. His touch was light and delicate, not as if he were afraid of breaking Wei Wuxian -- they’d certainly tested his limits plenty of times in the previous days -- but just as if he felt like it was the right approach at this moment in time.

Given that Wei Wuxian was finding it hard to remain sitting up and not melt into the soft touch that had moved from his hair to gently massaging his scalp, it was indeed the right approach. He whined in disappointment when the knocking came again to deliver the rest of the bathwater and slumped over onto the bed when Lan Zhan stopped touching him and went to let the poor boy in.

“You’re going to have to keep an eye on me so I don’t fall asleep in the bath,” he informed Lan Zhan as he eased the door shut before locking it firmly. “I’m just going to be useless for the rest of the night.”

"You do not have to be useful," Lan Zhan replied. He moved over to Wei Wuxian and began untying his robes and pulling them free. Happily, Wei Wuxian let him, giving himself over to however Lan Zhan wanted to move him. It felt so nice to let himself be lazy.

Lan Zhan stripped him both efficiently and affectionately. He felt the care in each one of Lan Zhan's soft touches and guiding gestures, and soon he was sinking into the hot bath as Lan Zhan settled down beside him.

"What, are you even doing this for me?" he asked when Lan Zhan gathered up his hair. "I can still wash myself, you know." He was tired, but not so tired that he couldn't do even that.

"You can," Lan Zhan agreed, stroking Wei Wuxian's hair. "But I would like to."

Well, as long as he wanted to... "Have at it, then," he said, relaxing back into Lan Zhan's touch. "I am in your hands."

"Mn." Lan Zhan gently tugged his head down to dunk his hair and began wetting it thoroughly.

Amazing how one short sound could convey such satisfaction. Wei Wuxian closed his eyes and let himself drift as Lan Zhan did everything. His headache dissipated when Lan Zhan resumed his head massage as he cleaned Wei Wuxian's hair, and Wei Wuxian hummed as he thoroughly enjoyed it.

"You're so good at that," he said without opening his eyes. "I'd say you should do it for me every day now, but I want to do it for you too."

"I look forward to it," Lan Zhan replied softly. He dug in a little deeper, provoking a groan from Wei Wuxian. His hands paused briefly before he continued with the same pressure. "On both counts."

Lan Zhan lingered on his hair until he was practically purring, and then he finally moved on to washing the rest of Wei Wuxian's body. When he took hold of Wei Wuxian's hands and carefully washed and massaged his palms and fingers, splattered a little with ink from his array work, Wei Wuxian couldn't even think anymore for how good it felt.

In the end, Lan Zhan did pretty much all the work of bathing him. Wei Wuxian might have felt more guilty about that if he hadn't been able to tell how much Lan Zhan himself enjoyed it. His palpable intense focus and loving touches ended up being the best part.

For all he'd not been very physically active that day, the mental strain was almost as tiring, and by the time Lan Zhan was drying and dressing him, Wei Wuxian was half falling asleep. "I'll do that for you sometime too," he mumbled when Lan Zhan laid him in bed. "So good, Lan Zhan."

Lan Zhan leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I will join you shortly," he told him. And, although Wei Wuxian hovered on the edge of sleep for a long time, he couldn't actually fall fully into dreams until Lan Zhan slid into bed beside him.

–

One of the dubious benefits of being tired enough to fall asleep earlier than was usually his wont was the ability to wake up earlier as well. Now Wei Wuxian was usually perfectly content to roll over and go back to sleep most of the time; he didn’t need to be up until si shi, but now that he had Lan Zhan to share his bed, there were other ways that he could spend early mornings if he wanted. 

He groped blearily across the blankets, trying to gauge how long it had been since Lan Zhan woke up and left him alone to attend to his usual morning routine. The sheets were cool, but not cold, so it couldn’t have been too long since he’d gotten up. 

He rolled over and opened his eyes, squinting against the early morning light. On the edge of his vision, he could just see Lan Zhan, already dressed and dignified, in the middle of morning meditation. He couldn’t quite guess what time it was, but given what he knew of his partner and his preferred patterns, he thought it might be nearing the end of mao shi. 

Well, it was too early to be up normally, but it left them plenty of time to catch up on missed moments. They’d gone more than a day without Lan Zhan pinning him to a semi-appropriate surface!

Feeling a little more awake, Wei Wuxian pushed himself up onto one elbow, admiring the view before him. As usual, Lan Zhan looked crisp and pristine, with his robes hanging perfectly and not a hair out of place. He looked serene, centered in himself. 

Wei Wuxian wanted so dearly to mess him up, peel him free of those white layers and enjoy the consequences of his actions. It had been so long since they’d had the chance to give into passion and desire. 

Idly, he began to play with the white ribbon Lan Zhan had tied around his wrist after his bath last night, enjoying the soft silkiness of the fabric. He had been vaguely hopeful of shenanigans then, but too tired to really initiate on his own, and Lan Zhan had definitely noticed that. 

Right now, though, he had no such inhibitions. He just needed Lan Zhan to look at him. 

He was reconsidering the virtues of patience and instead climbing into Lan Zhan’s lap to get the attention he craved when Lan Zhan shifted a little and opened his eyes as he came out of meditation. 

He blinked in quiet surprise when he realized that Wei Wuxian was awake and waiting for him, still playing with the ribbon and winding it and unwinding it from around his wrist. “Wei Ying, you’re awake.”

He grinned impishly. “Good morning, Lan Zhan.”

Lan Zhan's eyes fixed on his wrist. "You do not need to rise for another shichen," he offered, though he didn't move his gaze away. "You could return to sleep."

Wei Wuxian hummed and shifted onto his stomach, which had the added benefit of twisting his sleeping robe around his legs and showing off his calves and part of his thighs. "I could do that," he allowed. "But I fell asleep early last night, so I'm actually feeling pretty awake right now. Do you have any other suggestions?"

Lan Zhan stood and came over to the bed to take a seat on the edge. "You could join me in meditation," he suggested, taking hold of Wei Wuxian's ankle. Wei Wuxian hid his smile at Lan Zhan playing along.

"Cultivation does sound appealing," Wei Wuxian agreed. He kicked his legs a little, just for the enjoyment of feeling Lan Zhan hold his ankle and stop his kick. "But I wasn't very active yesterday, so a more physical form of cultivation might suit me better this morning.

Lan Zhan let go of his ankle, but only to take his wrist and tie the ribbon down again. "Sparring, then? There should be room behind the stables."

Wei Wuxian pouted. The game was fun, but only when Lan Zhan gave in first. "Lan Zhaaaan," he whined. "It's been over a day since we had sex. We should do it every day, er-gege!"

"Every day?" Lan Zhan murmured, leaning over him, a little smug as Wei Wuxian stopped the game first.

"Every day," Wei Wuxian said firmly, and tugged Lan Zhan the rest of the way down.

The last thing Lan Zhan said before he covered Wei Wuxian's mouth was, "Mark your words."

With much greater satisfaction, Wei Wuxian did allow himself to fall back into a doze when they were done and Lan Zhan had cleaned him up. He lingered in bed until the tail end of chen shi, and only then did he rise and get ready, feeling much bouncier and prepared for the day. Lan Zhan watched him move around with the tiniest adorable smile on his face.

They were once again the first downstairs for breakfast, though Meilian joined them soon after. "I still can't get used to you being awake before me," she mumbled sleepily, taking some youtiao and soy milk. "Lan-ge is a bad influence on you."

Wei Wuxian laughed. "You miss choosing what to do before me, huh? Don't worry, Meimei. I'm sure there will be days I sleep as late as you're used to me doing. Lan Zhan still can't get me out of bed at mao shi."

Awake at mao shi, maybe . Out of bed, certainly not.

“At least you beat Niang and Die down?” he offered after a moment, glancing up at the door. “You’ll still have some say in how the tasks are broken up.”

Meilian brightened up a little bit as the door to their parents’ room opened up and Niang immediately pouted to see that she was the last one up once more. “Such unfilial children I have,” she declared dramatically, making both Meilian and Wei Wuxian crack up. “I tell them to be ready by si shi and what do I find? Them both downstairs and ready before si shi, laughing at their poor mother!”

Even Lan Zhan could tell that this was dramatics specifically to make them laugh. While he wasn’t quite joining in, there was still a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he enjoyed the early morning family silliness taking place before him. 

Niang trotted down the stairs with a smile on her face, Die following her down more sedately with a sheaf of papers in his arms. Wei Wuxian accepted the stack happily, leafing through the cleaned up arrays all painstakingly copied out for him. 

“Thank you, Die,” he said, very glad to have not had to add that to the prior day’s tasks. “Now we just have to decide how to divide the work properly.”

“I am sure we will come to an agreement soon,” Die said calmly, settling down in his seat and accepting a cup of tea. “It would be good to have this completed today.”

Wei Wuxian nodded in agreement even though it would mean another long day in the forest. Hopefully it would be the last if all went well though. 

“So what else do we need to be prepared for this besides breakfast?” Niang asked cheekily, stealing a youtiao from Lan Zhan’s plate. “Cinnabar might be hard to come by if we need more, but I think we can make do if we’re careful while we’re marking the outside arrays.”

“I think we should be good on supplies,” Wei Wuxian said, double checking his notes in Die’s neater handwriting. “It’s more a matter of coordinating the array placement so the spirit of the Fuzhu will find it pleasing enough to work with it.”

"There are five of us and ten anchor points," Meilian pointed out. "Should we each take two?"

"Are you confident you'll be able to stay safe by yourself?" Die asked her. "Think about it seriously, please, don't just tell me that of course you are."

She obeyed him and thought about it for a minute, but eventually she still nodded. "The biggest danger on the outer edge should just be the kudzu, and I can handle that. And for the symmetrical clearings, if those are more of the Fuzhu's influence, then we should also be safe in them. I think we'll be fine separating."

Niang smiled and rubbed her back. "Then we'll trust you, but we'll make sure you have one of Wuxian's beacons." She looked over to Wei Wuxian. "Wuxian, do you have thoughts on who should take which anchor points?"

"A few," Wei Wuxian said, smiling. "It shouldn't make too much of a difference who does which element on the outer ring. However, for the inner ring, I'd like Lan Zhan and Die to take the northwest and southeast clearings while Niang and Meilian take the northeast and southwest. I'll do the center."

"Balanced male and female?" Lan Zhan asked, tilting his head.

"My Lan Zhan is so smart," Wei Wuxian praised. "Yes, hopefully. And then when we're all done, we can meet at the Fire point and initiate the array."

"How should we initiate it?" Lan Zhan. Unfortunately, his ears weren't blushing at Wei Wuxian's compliments, which meant that Wei Wuxian would have to try harder. But maybe later tonight, when he would hopefully get to praise him for his great work with the array.

Wei Wuxian looked at his mother. "Well, we want to invoke more of the sun's purifying energy, so..."

"Yes, of course, that makes sense," Niang agreed. "Does Wangji know what to do?"

Lan Zhan shook his head, and Wei Wuxian patted his hand. "It's musical cultivation, but it's not really a formal song the way that your Inquiry or Evocation are, so Niang never really named it. Remember how Meilian told you that our musical cultivation is often more about intent? The music will help us focus our intent. You'll be welcome to join in if you feel confident in your ability to harmonize with us, but it won't be a problem if you decide not to."

Nodding thoughtfully, Lan Zhan said, "I hope to join in, but I...may request more guidance."

Wei Wuxian laughed. "We'll see if you need it, by the time we actually get started. You harmonized well with us from the beginning, after all!"

He really had. Even during an impromptu family music night while camping, Lan Zhan had integrated with them well. Wei Wuxian was sure he'd have even less difficulty now that he'd bonded with more of the family.

"Then for the outer ring, I'll take fire, Changze can take metal, Wangji can take earth, Meilian can take wood, and Wuxian can have water. Does anyone have any objections?" Niang suggested.

"That works for me," Die agreed. When no one objected, he said, "Then are we ready?"

As one, they all rose up and left the inn, with everyone holding a copy of the array they were going to do. They only had two Wayfarer's Beacons between them, but enough talismans to allow any of them to call for help. 

After a quick debate outside the forest, it was decided that Wei Wuxian would hold one of the beacons so that if they should for some reason need help with an array, they could call for him, and Niang to hold the other since she was the fastest flier of them all and could cover the distance between the outer array spots the quickest if needed. 

Once that was settled, they all broke off to fly to their respective chosen destinations. Wei Wuxian hadn’t actually seen the place they’d chosen for water before, since it was in part of the forest that only Die and Meilian had explored before. But given that it was where an underground spring broke the surface and flowed out from the forest into the stream near the town, it shouldn’t be too hard to find. 

Soon they would be able to fix the forest.

Chapter Text

When finding his first assigned anchor point, Wei Wuxian could in fact easily see where the stream left the forest and follow it on foot from there. The stream was cold and clear and ran swiftly enough that no resentful energy could linger in it, and the curtains of kudzu hung sulkily above it, unable to choke it out.

He kept Quanshui in one hand, ready to cut down any overly ambitious vines as he strode up to the forest, following the path of the stream to where the wellspring sprung up from. At least one thing in the forest besides the mushrooms seemed merry and alive still -- the brook laughed as it tripped and trickled over stones, having evidently come through the floods unscathed.

For a moment, he wondered if Niang had initially decided to send him after the water anchor just for that pun alone. It made sense, what with his nature and the fact that anchoring an array on what would be wet ground would be difficult work best suited to him anyway, but he suspected that she also couldn’t resist the joke.

A few particularly ambitious vines did come reaching down for him as he trotted along the stream. They were swiftly disabused of their mistake and cut down to the ground. He had no time for swinging around and playing on them.

It didn’t take too long for him to reach the source of the water since for once he had an easy trail to follow and no reason to divert from it. Bloody tooth mushrooms were studded about the spring, but none of them were close enough to interfere with the flow of the water.

“Ahh, hello, creepy mushrooms,” he said cheerfully as he crouched down on the earth, feeling the ground around them carefully. “I think you may need to not be here for this to work.”

The mushrooms had nothing to say in their defense. With a few deft swipes with Quanshui, he cut them as close to the earth as possible, tossing them away from the place he needed to work.

Once that was done, he promised inwardly to clean Quanshui properly once they were done for the day, then began to cut the circle of the array into the dirt by the gurgling wellspring.

The ground was, unfortunately, more than a little damp, and mud kept trying to slough off into his nice smooth lines. He had to spend extra time packing it down tightly as he carved the characters and patterns of this anchor point into the ground. At least there was a source of running water right there, so he could clean off his hands and sword when he finished the basic carving.

With the outline of the anchor point set, he then took out his cinnabar and the large brush he used for this kind of array work. Ink made from cinnabar was the best conductor they had -- well, other than blood, but blood wasn't necessary here -- for spiritual energy. Using it here would better show the energy they were calling the shape they wanted it to form and increase its effectiveness as it moved between anchor points.

But this was a large anchor point, so he ended up using almost a third of his cinnabar stock before he had the full outline painted. He had to go back to the water and constantly run the mud out of his brush as well, which was unfortunate but unavoidable. Even the cinnabar would not have stuck as well on the living ground without a channel.

But when he finally finished, he flew up on Quanshui to hover above his work to make sure it looked as it should. He did return to the ground to give the core 水 character sharper strokes, including packing a little more mud to stop the lines from wavering too much.

This time when he flew up to survey the anchor point, he nodded in satisfaction. "I think this one is done," he told the wellspring, and flew up higher to make his way to his next destination, the Fuzhu's clearing.

The kudzu had once again covered the clearing, so the spiraling mushrooms and center pond were no longer visible from the air. However, the talisman Wei Wuxian had left there yesterday was still working, and he was able to follow the stronger pulses of energy with his compass until he reached the right spot.

And with only him here to cut the kudzu ceiling, he had to get a little creative with his descent.

From a position high above the clearing, he jumped up, allowing Quanshui to dive down on its own. He whooped as he began to fall, enjoying the rush of air passing him. He spread his body so he faced the ground, allowing the wind resistance to support him. And then, laughing, he did a barrel roll, just because he could.

But Quanshui was fast, and it easily cut open a hole in the kudzu ceiling and returned to him before he could fall too far. Grabbing its hilt, he got his feet underneath him again and stabilized his position on his sword as it slowed to a stop before standing again, now just above the treetops. Looking down to make sure he was in the right place, he lowered himself the rest of the way.

He bowed to the Fuzhu from his sword once he arrived, then this time took out his belt knife so he wouldn't have to disturb any of the clearing by stepping on the mushrooms. The Fuzhu's island was high enough that he'd designed this anchor point to fit around the walls of the island above the waterline of the pond. That way it shouldn't interfere with whatever lingered of the Fuzhu, and the circular pattern should both interact well with the inner and outer rings of the rest of the array and focus the energy on the center of the circle, the Fuzhu's remains.

The clearing was utterly silent but for the soft scraping sounds of his belt knife cutting into the dirt, slowly and painstakingly carving the small characters that would make up the most important part of the array, brushing aside the excess dirt into the water below. The ground beneath his hands seemed to thrum slightly with each touch.

He wondered if the lingering spirit of the Fuzhu was watching what he was doing. He was certain that it was still around, trapped between its inner nature and its anger at the cruelty enacted upon it. It hadn’t been ready to die, he was sure of that.

He was just as certain that it didn’t want its last impact on the world to be as great a harm as was caused to it. The strange sensation of being watched was only strange. There was no malice or discontent to it, only a quiet weariness.

It seemed only reasonable to him that if animals and spirits could feel all the same negative emotions that he could, that so too could they regret the wishes they’d carried into death. Resentments were easy to birth, and dark, still forests like this harbored pockets of resentful energy far from the sun's prying eyes.

Nie Mingjue might have not thought he was doing anything worse than killing and beheading a rare animal, but his lack of understanding of resentful energy had nearly doomed this whole forest and the small village nearby. A dark forest with a still pond like this was already at risk for something foul rising from its depths, and the strength of the Fuzhu could only exacerbate that further.

Resentful energy was the lingering sentiments and unspoken wishes, the quiet bitterness and the words hurled in anger, the days stolen too soon and the long years alone. It pooled in dark corners, deep pools, long shadows at sunset. It clung to every death, and the more sudden, violent, and young the victim, the more it twisted.

It would take a very, very strong spirit to not be completely overwhelmed by such a thing and maintain something of itself. The strange clearings and the way the mushrooms grew around the Fuzhu’s remains showed that the Fuzhu itself was a rare, kind spirit.

He hoped it would like the array he had made for it. Perhaps at the end when the forest was restored, it would be willing to let go and move on.

Maybe if it was lucky enough to get another life as a Fuzhu, he might get to meet it alive this time. There was always a part of him that was the small child waiting up at night for another story from his mother of the strange beauties and rare beasts of the world. It made him sadder every time to continue to discover that his path would only cross theirs once they were gone.

The pond rippled as dirt continuously dropped from his carving until he finally reached the end, right next to where he'd begun, then leaned forward to blow away the last of the dust. He looked back to examine his characters and nodded. Then he made another circuit as he painted his cut channels with cinnabar.

"I hope you find peace," he murmured aloud to the Fuzhu as he worked. "You've made it clear how little you want a hollowed forest to be your legacy. I hope you find your way free."

And then he once again reached the end. His brush had inked in all the characters. He was done.

Slowly, he circled the island to make sure the anchor point was as he envisioned, but it was. He breathed out a sigh, the release of tension loosening his frame. There was one final step to take, but the hardest part was over.

He bowed to the Fuzhu once again, then grabbed the now-inactive talisman from the dead man's fingers on the island and flew back out from the hole he'd made, heading to the fire anchor point on the outside of the forest.

Wei Wuxian was actually the last to arrive. Clustered some distance away from the carved anchor point on the ground were the small figures of his parents, sister, and partner. Niang and Meilian sat on a tumble of rocks as Lan Zhan and Die stood beside them, but they straightened and rose as he approached and then set down.

Though Niang and Meilian opened their mouths, Lan Zhan was the first to say, "Wei Ying. Did you meet with any difficulties?"

His mother and sister shut their mouths.

Smiling a little ruefully, Wei Wuxian shook his head. "Nothing worse than mud making it hard to establish clean lines," he assured them. "And the center point was a little more fiddly." He looked around at the rest of them. "Did any of you have any trouble?"

They all likewise shook their heads, though Meilian volunteered, "I almost didn't want to touch my symmetrical clearing. Remember how we decided to walk around the one we first found because it felt wrong to cross it? But when I actually got there, the feeling was better."

"What remains of the Fuzhu may be aware of what we're doing and could be trying to help us," Die suggested softly. "I also got the impression that it was trying to...make things a little easier for us."

"Then let's finish the task," Niang said firmly. "We have to repay its efforts by freeing it from its lingering resentment."

And with that, she pulled out her pipa and walked to the edge of the anchor point. Wei Wuxian and Die likewise retrieved their dizis, and Meilian followed empty-handed but warming up her voice. Lan Zhan also uncovered his qin, but he looked more uncertain as he settled himself and his instrument to the ground by the array.

A soft breeze stirred through the clearing. Meilian cleared her throat very softly, indicating to the rest of them that she was ready.

Niang nodded to all of them, then began to play. A few moments later, Die joined in, with Wei Wuxian following behind. Their flutes entwined easily with the simple melody that Niang had begun, adding their feelings of joy and peacefulness to the song.

Before he was even born, his parents had discovered inadvertently that musical cultivation just as often drew on the emotion and sentiments the player wanted to convey in the music. Having heard Lan Zhan playing many songs before, including the vaunted Evocation and Inquiry, he thought that the intent might have been similar when his ancestors composed the songs. Rest had definitely made him feel sleepy with how lullaby-like it was in the past.

Niang had chosen a tune that made her feel happy and peaceful, even though it was also a known song, a composition called The Love of the River. In it, she could easily imbue her feelings of the love of the song, the ways she felt standing in old forests, deep and rich and alive and full of secrets. Her eyes fell shut as she played, sinking into the melody.

Once Meilian was settled into the music, she began to sing as well, vocalizing in harmony with the three of them. Her sweet, high voice was the perfect accompaniment to the ritual as she adapted a poem to fit the rhythm of the song.

Wei Wuxian was watching everyone as they followed Niang’s lead, Niang’s content face as she played, the way that Die was looking at their mother adoringly, Meilian settling into the song and leaning back on her rock to look up at the sky.

As he glanced over to Lan Zhan, he got the treasure of the moment of seeing it all come together for Lan Zhan. The music was lovely and integral to the ritual of course, but not in the way he would have thought of it.

The ritual grew from whatever they put into it, hopes and wishes and good memories. He just had to be able to translate that into harmony with the rest of them.

Wei Wuxian had to tamp down his grin as Lan Zhan began to join in, plucking out an accompanying melody that meshed in well with theirs. The strong notes of the qin grounded them into the melody perfectly, enhancing and strengthening the song they were playing.

Remember yourself, the music called -- to the forest, to the Fuzhu. Let go of the pain and resentment that holds you tight. Life awaits you beyond it.

Meilian paused to take a few breaths, and Wei Wuxian took the lead, the trill of his dizi whistling like wind through branches, meeting and twisting around leaves. Wei Wuxian added a few calls for the birds that nested amidst the trunks, that had been chased away from their homes and would hopefully soon return.

When Wei Wuxian and Die faded back, Meilian's voice picked up again, full of warmth and brightness. At times she wavered and crackled like a cheerful campfire, while at others she roared the power of the wildfire Wei Wuxian had seen as a child. Then her song dwindled down again, but still carried the lingering heat of embers.

Then Die took over. Where Wei Wuxian's notes had gone high, Die played his dizi with a low, rhythmic sound, the heartbeat of the earth. He was steady and sure, deliberate and solid. His song called for them to stand and build on it.

In a moment of silence, Lan Zhan recognized his cue. His fingers plucked out cries of grief and mourning, the metallic taste of blood, a life cut short, a vibrant forest almost brought to ruin. The strings echoed like bouncing back against an iron barrier that could not be crossed, uncovering a pain that needed soothing.

As the qin's notes lingered, the dancing strings of the pipa swelled to take the lead. The notes burbled like a stream of clear running water, and then Niang improved to include a tapping on the body of her pipa to sound like a gentle rain. The water could wash away the pain and the barrier, the music said. The water brought movement forward and life.

Their instruments joined together once again to repeat those final measures. Move forward and bring life!

The music faded as they began bringing their melody to a close.

Despite the impulse to close his eyes, Wei Wuxian kept them open the whole time, and now he saw energy curling in the air, almost pulsing with the music. The cinnabar in the cut grooves of the Fire anchor point glowed, and lines the same color streamed out from it towards the Wood and Earth anchor points. He could almost taste the energy in front of him.

Then the music finally stopped. Wei Wuxian and Die brought their dizis down, Niang and Lan Zhan lifted their hands from the strings, and Meilian closed her mouth.

And the energy in front of them brightened until Wei Wuxian had to close his eyes against it. When he opened them again, the color in the air was gone, with no sign left that it had once been there.

But the cut channels of the anchor point in front of them had now filled with water. Each character glimmered in the soft light, more strongly defined than before.

It would be hard to ask for a clearer sign than that that they had reached through to the Fuzhu, and it had chosen to place its trust in them and work with their array.

The six of them could start restoring the forest now. Their hard work had paid off.

As they stared at the water filled marks, the cool breeze returned again, spilling a little true late afternoon sunlight into the area. Golden light landed in the water, glittering cheerfully.

The energy of the ritual faded away as the Fuzhu took on the weight of maintaining the arrays, and Meilian abruptly burst into tears, burying her face in her hands. Die and Niang both reached her almost immediately, with Niang wrapping her up in a hug and Die patting her shoulder comfortingly.

As Wei Wuxian came over to add his own comfort, petting her head lightly, Meilian was trying to speak through her tears. “I don’t even know why I’m crying,” she wailed into her hands. “It feels so stupid, but I was just thinking about how lonely and scary it must have been for the Fuzhu, and it had no reason to trust us after what happened, and it did anyway, and for some reason it’s making me cry.”

Niang squeezed her firmly, making her hiccup a little bit. “The Fuzhu couldn’t shed tears for itself or the forest before. Now you can cry for it, instead.”

“It’s been a difficult trip, but it’s over now,” Die added softly, a gentle smile on his face. “There is no shame in crying.”

Meilian nodded into her hands and hiccuped again, tucking her face into Niang’s shoulder once more and wrapping her other arm around Die’s waist, comfortably tucked between them. Wei Wuxian rested an arm on his father’s shoulder, letting out a long sigh of his own as the warmth of connection sank into his bones again.

As Meilian’s tears slowly faded away and she stood up to return the loose embrace they were sinking into, Wei Wuxian glanced up to see Lan Zhan standing just outside their circle, the look on his eyes that said he wanted to help too, but wasn’t quite sure how.

Wei Wuxian jerked his chin just slightly, inviting him into their group and immediately pulling him in closer with his free hand once he was close enough . One of the side effects of the ritual could be an excess of emotion from the music. Even he wasn’t immune to some of the post-ritual emotional collapse, and there was nothing like a hug to help stabilize things in the aftermath.

They had all put in the work, and they all deserved to be a part of the cuddling circle at the end.

When they were finally ready to pull back, the mid-afternoon sun shone down on them and warmed the whole area until Wei Wuxian could almost forget that winter approached. He stood for a moment with his face turned up, enjoying the sun after several days traveling a cold forest darkened by animated vines.

Lan Zhan stood with him, making no move to hurry him, but his sister called, "Da-ge, are you coming? We're going back to the village!"

"Coming!" he called back. When he met Lan Zhan's eyes, a smile tugged at his lips. "You were wonderful, Lan Zhan," he said. "Didn't I tell you that you would fit in perfectly?"

"This was new to me, but I am grateful for the opportunity," Lan Zhan replied warmly. He turned to the rest of the family and sent Bichen to hover in front of him. "Shall we go?"

Wei Wuxian also unsheathed Quanshui and jumped on. Before he took off, though, he glanced one last time at the woods. The forest had not changed immediately -- the kudzu still hung from the branches at the edge, without the dramatic withering of his test the night before. But the forest still felt different now, and Wei Wuxian knew that if he were to come back in a few months, he might see something new.

The five of them returned to the village and touched down at what had become their regular spot. When they came down the path to the village, though, they pulled up short to see a crowd of people waiting for them.

Madam Lu came forward first, her husband beside her. "Daozhangs, we saw the forest light up with strange colors. Is everything alright?"

Wei Wuxian looked around from the Lu couple to see Shen Huiying with an older woman and a younger boy, little A-Ran and his mother and brother, and more people he hadn't yet met. They all looked hopeful but nervous.

"Everything is fine," Niang reassured them, stepping forward. "The light was a sign of our ritual working. We now have an array working that should cleanse the forest within a year."

No one looked surprised or disappointed by the time frame, so perhaps Madam Lu had already explained while they were waiting. They all, on the other hand, seemed to relax, tension dissipating as they absorbed the words. A few of the people he hadn't met before smiled and clapped their hands against each other's shoulders.

"Thank you, daozhangs," A-Ran's mother called, her arms around her sons. Her voice prompted an echo of thanks that Wei Wuxian wanted to wave off. He didn't, though. He and the rest of his family let them have their moment.

Then little A-Ran came toddling forward, crossing the space between them until he collided with Wei Wuxian's knees. Laughing, Wei Wuxian bent down to hoist the boy onto his hip, tugging playfully but gently on one tiny pigtail. "It's good to see you again, little monkey," he cooed.

That broke the solemnity of the scene. People started moving. Some returned to their homes, but Shen Huiying and her family moved forward to speak to Meilian. His mother went to join the conversation, but not before she looked, slowly and deliberately, from Wei Wuxian to the boy in his arms. Then she met his eyes again and winked.

A-Ran looked up at him with stars in his eyes, no longer the terrified toddler he’d been the other day. He seemed too awed to say anything, but started giggling eagerly when Wei Wuxian bounced him on his hip, walking over to meet up with A-Ran’s mother and brother again.

His mother was smiling much more warmly today, and she greeted him with a slight dip. “Thank you once again, for saving my A-Ran,” she said. “And for saving our forest and village.” Her eyes were slightly misted. “If it weren’t for you and your family, we might have not had anyone come to even investigate until it was too late for A-Ran.”

Wei Wuxian gently swung A-Ran up and around to his other side, keeping the baby from fixing too much on their conversation. With any luck, he’d forget about the scary experience of being stolen away by vines and continue to grow up to be a happy child. “That’s why we do this,” he said warmly, reaching over to tickle the boy on his hip a little. “So that little monkeys like this guy can grow up safe and happy.”

A-Ran squirmed and squealed in delight at the tickling, but started reaching out for his mother a few moments later. Wei Wuxian passed him back over to his mother, tweaking his little pigtail one last time.

“I would suggest making sure your children and the others stay away from the forest at least for the winter,” he said in a lower voice to the mother. “We’ve started the process of the forest healing, but it probably won’t be safe again for them to play nearby for at least the rest of the winter.”

The woman looked at her children, and some of the others still clustered around. “I’ll make sure they stay away from the forest for now. I’ll talk to the other parents too.”

With A-Ran safely seated on her hip, she strode off to go talk to a small group that was lingering nearby. Wei Wuxian could see at least two children in the group.

A-Ran’s older brother initially followed after his mother, but then turned around and ran up to him. “Thank you, daozhang,” he said in a rush. “Is it too late for me to learn how to be a cultivator just like you? I know that Great Clans start training when they’re still babies, but I’ll work really, really hard.”

Wei Wuxian opened his mouth to answer, and then paused. While he’d definitely be starting late, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to become a decent cultivator with a good amount of hard work. However, he couldn’t say whether or not any of the clans would be open to taking in a farmer’s son at his age; it wasn’t as though he’d had much interaction with those in cultivation clans outside of Lan Zhan and Wen Qing and Wen Ning, all of whom were known for being different in their approach from the average cultivator.

“The Gusu Lan Clan will sponsor you, if you truly wish to learn. They are a more scholarly clan than the ones around here, but we do accept those without formal training,” Lan Zhan said. “I will arrange for your training, if you are still interested in six months.”

Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure who was in more awe, the young boy standing in front of him or Wei Wuxian himself.

His Lan Zhan was so amazing!

The boy whooped and shouted, "Thank you, daozhang!" again as he ran off back to his mother. Half-way there, he stopped and ran back to bow very properly to the two of them. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan returned his bow, Wei Wuxian grinning and Lan Zhan with a blank but gentle face. Then the boy ran off again, waving wildly behind him.

When no one was looking at them anymore, Wei Wuxian leaned in to smack a kiss against Lan Zhan's cheek. "You're wonderful," he said warmly when Lan Zhan turned to look at him.

Lan Zhan looked down and away slightly. "His success will be based on his own hard work," he replied.

"Of course," Wei Wuxian agreed, "but not many would give him the opportunity."

Lan Zhan very blatantly changed the subject. "There is still light left in the day," he said. "Will your family want to leave this afternoon?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head, smiling and allowing his humility. "Remember on our way into the village, it didn't look like there were many good camping spots within a few shichen of here. It'll be easier if we just stay one more night and leave in the morning, so I'm sure my family would rather do that."

Lan Zhan nodded. "Then what would you like to do for the rest of the day?"

Wei Wuxian eyed him, his smile sharpening a little. "I definitely want you to take me to bed again," he said, enjoying the way Lan Zhan's eyes widened a little at his boldness. "But not just yet. Before we leave my family this time, I'd like to make sure everyone has a Wayfarer's Beacon available, and I should make sure they're all keyed to the people who will use them. Pretty soon we'll be too far away to pick up on my family's beacons, but if these spread the way we'd like my other inventions to, then I don't want everyone's beacons reacting to any alert within range."

That made Lan Zhan look at him with some of the same awe Wei Wuxian himself had felt just a few minutes ago, and he took a few moments to preen under it. Then he offered, "You're welcome to help, if you like."

"I always like spending time with you," Lan Zhan said softly.

"...You need to stop being romantic at me when there are reasons I can't just tackle you to the ground," Wei Wuxian informed him after a moment. Lan Zhan looked smug, and Wei Wuxian reached out and tugged his forehead ribbon. "Restrain yourself, Hanguang-jun!"

The look on Lan Zhan’s face suggested the same retort, if not so boldly stated. It made Wei Wuxian grin in response. He was very glad that they would have at least one more night in a proper bed before they set out together.

As the rest of the families around glanced at the slowly fading light and started to head back into town, Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan fell in with them, in no hurry to get anywhere.

“Do you have all that you need for three more beacons?” Lan Zhan asked suddenly. “Are there any materials that we will need to procure?”

Wei Wuxian thought about it for a moment, idly rubbing at his chin. “I think I should be okay, though I’ll be out of my compass repair supplies too. But we could get more of those made pretty easily. I’d just need an afternoon in a larger town.”

Lan Zhan hummed thoughtfully. “It would be easy to plan for such a stop, depending on where we wish to go.”

Wei Wuxian gave him a look, although he was trying to not smile at the same time. “‘Depending on where we wish to go’?” he repeated, as if Lan Zhan had said something silly. “Doesn’t it seem only fair that now that you’ve met my family, I should get to go meet yours? Do you not want to show off your Wei Ying to your brother and your uncle and everyone else in the Cloud Recesses?”

Lan Zhan breathed in audibly, his lips parted just slightly. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help grinning at him. “I thought it was obvious? That we’d go back to Gusu together?”

At that, Lan Zhan smiled in return. “It is. But it is good to hear you say it too.”

The “I wanted to hear you say you wanted to see my home” was unstated but as loud as a thunderclap.

Ah, just what was he going to do with this terrible, wonderful man? Really, his heart was going to give out at this rate.

Maybe they would have to go to bed first at this rate. It felt as though their self-control was rapidly dwindling, and their slow pace had left them almost entirely alone out by the forest.

Wei Wuxian made himself take a deep breath, and then another. He would restrain himself, for now anyway. He’d at least finish one beacon first before he gave into Lan Zhan’s wicked wiles.

“We should return to the inn before anyone comes looking for us,” he said with a pout. “You really are just too distracting.”

Lan Zhan huffed in amusement as they began to walk forward again. “Is that so?” he asked, voice as bland as unseasoned congee.

“Yes!” Wei Wuxian huffed. “Distracting and alluring and tempting and you’re doing it all on purpose.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said doubtfully, and Wei Wuxian’s mask cracked into happy laughter.

He hoped every night hunt together from here on out would end this well.

He still stole Lan Zhan’s hand for his own as they walked back to the town.

When they returned to the inn, he and Lan Zhan spent the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening making three more Wayfarer's Beacons. For the three new ones, he slightly altered the alert characters and correspondingly altered the talismans that would go with them. This way, he and Lan Zhan could take the two original beacons, which would only respond to the original talismans, and the rest of his family could have the new ones.

He did still write out a few more talismans for each beacon set, though, so that he and Lan Zhan would be able to call for his family's beacons if needed, and vice versa.

Die and Niang had disappeared off on their own, and Meilian spent the rest of the afternoon with Shen Huiying, but they all returned to the inn for dinner. More villagers also came to eat and drink in the common room, the atmosphere significantly more relaxed than the previous night.

"Where are you headed next?" Wei Wuxian asked his parents over their evening meal. "Lan Zhan and I are going to go see his family in Gusu."

"Tug Lan Qiren's beard for me," Niang told him, smiling innocently when he raised an eyebrow. "I think we'll head south along the coast, though. It's been too long since I've seen the sea."

"If you're going south too, then we can keep traveling together for a while, can't we?" Meilian cajoled, eyes bright and wide, lower lip protruding the tiniest bit.

"I would like that," Lan Zhan agreed when Wei Wuxian looked at him, and Wei Wuxian echoed his agreement with his own nod.

It would be nice to spend a little more time with his family. He and Lan Zhan could always just take another road if they needed time to themselves, and then they could always meet up with his family again at another time. Even as he built a life together with Lan Zhan, his family would still be there to welcome him back.

Since they wouldn't be saying goodbye just yet, Wei Wuxian felt no compunctions about abandoning his family after dinner to go upstairs with just Lan Zhan. He was more than ready to take advantage of their last night in a bed for who knew how long.

--

Wei Wuxian had kept Lan Zhan up past hai shi the night before, but Lan Zhan still cruelly tore himself away from Wei Wuxian at mao shi. Wei Wuxian did manage to sleep in another shichen or so, but eventually the lack of his favorite pillow drove him from the warm sheets.

Unsurprisingly, the two of them still beat the rest of his family downstairs for breakfast. However, strangely, Master Lu seemed nervous when he saw them. He huddled with his wife, speaking too softly to be heard, and glanced at them before looking away as soon as he saw them looking back.

Too suspicious. "Is something the matter, Master Lu?" Wei Wuxian asked with Lan Zhan beside him, approaching the innkeeper. "Did something new happen with the forest?"

Master Lu startled. "No, no!" he assured them. He glanced at the empty door to the outside, tangling his fingers together. "No, it's just..." He sighed. "I'm afraid your family's donkey has disappeared, daozhang. My boy saw her stall door ajar when he went to feed her this morning. But he's gone after her, so I'm sure we'll have her back for you soon!"

Wei Wuxian snorted in laughter. “There’s no need to be concerned, Master Lu,” he hastened to reassure the innkeeper. “Lychee does things like this when she gets bored. I’m certain that she’s just out wandering the town and we’ll be able to find her easily.”

Master Lu’s face slackened in relief, but there were still traces of guilt in his frown. “Still, our stables should be sturdy enough to hold in a donkey or a horse. Someone must have left it improperly latched for her to get out.”

Wei Wuxian waved a hand. “Lychee is an escape artist, and she’ll find a way to open a perfectly locked door if she wants. There’s no need for you to apologize. Just let the rest of my family know where we went if they get up.”

“Of course,” Master Lu said with a wan smile. “I do hope that you are able to find her soon.”

“Of course we will,” Wei Wuxian said reassuringly. “She’s probably just out wooing some poor child out of their snacks.”

As they stepped out into the pale sunlight, made even fainter by the thin grey clouds covering the sky and threatening rain, Lan Zhan scanned the small town, looking for any signs of an irascible, gray donkey. “Would she have gone to the forest?” he asked in a low voice, evidently having not wanted to spook the innkeeper further before.

It was a reasonable question for many animals, but Lychee was too clever and too driven by impulses for treats to do such a thing. Wei Wuxian shook his head. “I was serious when I meant she’s probably just wandering around town looking for something to eat,” he said with a fond smile. “There is nothing in this world that she loves more than treats. So she’s probably wandered off to someone’s barn or orchard if there’s one of those around here.”

Lan Zhan’s face cleared. “Perhaps she has gone to the mill?” he suggested wisely, already thinking more clearly than anyone could at such hours. “There were other donkeys there as well.”

Wei Wuxian had to give him a quick, happy kiss on the cheek after a quick scan to make sure no one was looking. “That’s probably exactly where she’s gone,” he praised effusively, watching Lan Zhan’s face for one of his flickering smiles. “How are you so smart at this time of the day?” he asked playfully.

Just as he was hoping, Lan Zhan’s eyes glimmered in happiness. “It is only a suggestion. We do not even know if that’s where she is yet,” he demurred.

Wei Wuxian sighed lightly and stole another kiss. “Then we should go investigate whether or not she’s there, so I can praise you properly.”

The town was quieter than usual as they set out in the direction of the mill, though he did strongly suspect that was just because it looked like it was going to rain and there was plenty of work to be done inside at the moment. Either that or now that people knew how long they’d have to wait to have their forest back, they were making other plans to help make it through their winter. He’d overheard a few whispers the night before of some of the men planning on traveling down to a different forest a couple days away with the largest wagon and bringing back as much firewood as they could.

The biggest fortune was that it meant that there were fewer people for Lychee to potentially bite or kick on her wayward adventures in the morning.

However, fewer didn't mean none. As they approached the mill, Wei Wuxian broke into a run, because he could indeed see his family's donkey in their pasture, her ears pinned back and teeth bared at a man his father's age trying to catch hold of her. One of the other mill donkeys hovered near her like it was trying to back her up.

"Lychee!" he called, drawing the attention of the man if not the irascible donkey, who continued to eye her current foe balefully. "Shushu, step back, she will bite!"

The man turned to them with a frown that cleared only slightly when he saw who they were. "Daozhang, this is your donkey? I found hoofprints on the door of my grain storage and a donkey that wasn't mine in my pasture."

Wei Wuxian reached out to Lychee, though he quickly pulled his hand back when she snapped at him. "Yes, I'm afraid she's ours," he replied. "She escaped the inn this morning and must have gone looking for food. Did she damage your door?"

The man eyed her, then shook his head. "Just the hoofprints, and they can be sanded out. I guess my donkeys must have distracted her, because I found her with them."

"Sorry about that," Wei Wuxian said as Lan Zhan caught up. "Here, I'll take her back."

She wasn't wearing her saddle or bridle, so Wei Wuxian got close again. When she didn't snap at him this time, he mounted her bareback and used his knees to nudge her around. "Where's the gate?" he asked.

The miller pointed further along the fence, and Wei Wuxian prodded her towards it. "Sorry again," he said as they passed the miller. "And thanks for your patience!"

The miller raised a hand in farewell as he stayed with his donkeys, and Lan Zhan opened the gate and allowed them all to pass through before closing it behind them. Then he started walking beside Wei Wuxian on his family's donkey.

The image reminded him of a common scene from his childhood. When he was very young, before Meilian was born, his family had traveled like this. His mother rode Lychee while his father placed Wei Wuxian on his shoulders. He'd felt very majestic like that, so high up, and he'd laughed and shouted and swung his legs as his parents smiled at him.

"We're still missing a little one, though," he murmured, mostly to himself, and chuckled.

"What?" Lan Zhan asked.

Wei Wuxian looked at him, this dear man he'd met by chance and who had become so incredibly important to him in such a short period of time, and grinned brightly. "It's nothing," he said. "I just like you so very much, you know."

Lan Zhan looked back up at him with warmth in his eyes. “I like you very much too,” he said quietly, just loud enough for Wei Wuxian’s ears, but then why would anyone else need to hear? They were words only meant for him.

Lychee sulkily trotted back towards the inn, her ears turned back in disapproval. Wei Wuxian leaned forward and patted her neck. “What’s that face for, Lychee-jie?” he teased, nudging her forwards with his knees. “You’re the one who decided to run off and cavort with other donkeys of your own whim. What do you think Niang would say if she were the one to catch you out in someone else’s yard?”

Lychee grumbled irritably, nearly coming to a stop before Wei Wuxian nudged her on again. Lan Zhan reached out and put a hand on her neck, encouraging her further.

Niang came walking their way as they were approaching the inn, Lychee’s bridle in her hands. Lychee immediately broke into a trot beneath him, coming over to either pester Niang for treats or just headbutt her for good measure.

Fortunately Niang was very wise to her tricks and sidestepped her neatly, catching her at the forelock as Wei Wuxian hopped off of Lychee onto the ground, Lan Zhan immediately reaching out to steady him even though he didn’t really need it.

“I see Lychee decided to give us an auspicious start to our journey,” Niang teased as she got Lychee’s bridle back over her head, pulling her fingers aside before Lychee could bite her. “And before I’d even had a chance to have breakfast.”

Wei Wuxian laughed and leaned into Lan Zhan’s steadying arms anyway. “Were you really expecting any different?”

Niang shook her head. “I’m surprised she stayed in one place this long as it is. I think she knows we’re heading out today.” She held Lychee’s reins firmly in one hand and waggled her finger disapprovingly in the donkey’s face. “But not before the rest of us have had a chance to eat and get ready to go ourselves.”

Lychee blew air disdainfully towards Niang but seemed to give in for the moment. No doubt she’d get more ornery again later, but hopefully that would be once they were on their way south.

Niang led her with no trouble back to the inn, where Die and Meilian were just coming out with a bundle of buns in their hands. “Ah, I see you’ve found Lychee,” Die said calmly. “Master Lu gave us breakfast we could eat on the road if we pleased, though he said we are welcome to come back in if we preferred.”

Meilian covered a yawn. “I think he was just worried about Lychee breaking out of his stable again.”

Wei Wuxian plucked a bun from Meilian's hands and took a bite as Die got Lychee's saddle on. "It looks like she's very ready to go," he agreed after swallowing. "We might not want to risk another delay. Who knows where she'll disappear to next?"

He and Lan Zhan did go back inside, but it was just to inform Master Lu that they'd found Lychee and to tell them goodbye. Madam Lu pressed even more buns into their hands even as she thanked them profusely for all their help.

The five of them also stopped by the apothecary's shop, where Shen Huiying sat looking a little more cheerful than the first time they'd met her. Her eyes lit up as they entered, though they almost immediately dulled. "Are you leaving, then?" she asked.

Meilian came forward to hug her. "Yes, for now, but we'll be back every few months to check on the forest," she said. "And in the meantime, we can exchange letters! When I write to you, I'll let you know where you can respond."

Shen Huiying smiled, hugging her back. "I'd like that. Thank you for everything, Wei Meilian." She nodded at the rest of them. "Daozhangs."

"And thank you for everything, Shen Huiying," Niang told her warmly. "You've been a wonderful help. Don't forget that."

Shen Huiying smiled a little brighter and waved at them as they left the shop again.

And then there was nothing left for them to do, no one else to say goodbye to. Niang mounted Lychee, who allowed it, ears pricked forward. After all this time with them, she could tell when they were about to get moving.

"Are we ready to go?" Die asked, to a round of nods. So without any further fanfare, they headed towards the path south out of the village.

Hanging back slightly, Wei Wuxian took Lan Zhan's hand again. This was the first time since they'd met that they were leaving a hunt heading in the same direction, and he wanted to savor it.

From this point forward, they would walk the same path.

Chapter Text

The letter came in on a nice afternoon barely two xun after the Lantern Festival, when Lan Wangji was just settling down to tea with his brother and Wei Ying together, back for a brief visit to the Cloud Recesses before wandering somewhere up north now that spring was approaching and the green mist of new leaves covered the trees down around Caiyi. 

They had spent most of the winter in Gusu, traveling about and cleaning up problems closer to home than their previous hunts, with frequent visits to the Cloud Recesses itself whenever the winter grew too cold for Wei Ying’s tastes or just when it seemed convenient. Apparently the discovery that Lan Wangji had a house of his own that was sufficiently private proved to be a very attractive lure for Wei Ying; he wasn’t sure which of them it had surprised more to find that Wei Ying, having been a nomad all his life, enjoyed having a space in which he could leave his work sitting out and not have to be prepared to pack it all up to leave once more.

It had been a great pleasure to give him those things, a desk to work at and space in his closet for his robes and the security of being welcome in the Cloud Recesses as well. While they still liked to wander together and that would likely never change, there was something nice about having a place to go at the end of the road when their feet were weary.

Wei Ying had also found the qiankun pouch sheltering the flowers he'd gifted him. After expressing his laughing delight that Lan Wangji had kept both the wildflower crown and the red camellia he'd stolen from Xu Zhihong's garden, he'd vowed to give Lan Wangji even more flowers. Since then, Lan Wangji had caught him eyeing the space behind the jingshi as if envisioning a garden there.

The most heartening thing about their winter had been seeing Wei Ying integrating himself with Lan Wangji’s family as surely as his family had welcomed Lan Wangji in. His brother had been delighted to meet Wei Ying, having long been curious to meet the man who had created such useful inventions and also captivated Lan Wangji, and the reaction had been mutual. His uncle had taken one glance at Wei Ying when they’d been officially introduced one afternoon after lessons had concluded and gruffly concluded that Wei Ying seemed to be much calmer and more dignified than his mother.

He did not expect too much of that connection to go anywhere, but when they were in private later, Wei Ying had been amused rather than offended by the comment. “I’m not sure there’s a single person out in the world who could be more energetic than Niang when she’s in the mood for it,” he’d mused from where he’d draped himself over their bed, bare feet up in the air from having kicked off his boots in the entryway once again. “I’m sure in a place as quiet as the Cloud Recesses, she must be like a tornado whirling through.”

It had been Wei Ying who had suggested making one last stop for a few days in the Cloud Recesses as well before they began traveling outside of Gusu again, pointing out that they could make sure they were well supplied for a long time and also that he could finish his long standing game of weiqi with Lan Xichen that seemed more an excuse to sit and chat for long periods of time than attempt to conclude in either one’s favor. So they had gone back for a few days.

And then a letter for Wei Ying had arrived from Qishan right when they were settling down to tea. Wei Ying began reading it silently, but he paused very shortly into the letter and started to read it out loud instead.

Dear Wei Wuxian,

I think I need your help. I suspect the Xuanwu of Slaughter has awoken again.

As you may recall, the Xuanwu of Slaughter was a beast that four hundred years ago failed to achieve divinity and instead became a yao. It rampaged amid Qishan and devoured live humans. When a group of cultivators attempted to join together, however, they were unable to find it because a period of heavy snowfall had sent it into dormancy.

Almost thirty years ago, the previous Wen-zongzhu, Wen Ruohan, encountered the Xuanwu of Slaughter on a hunt. He injured it severely, but it killed him before he could finish it off. One of his companions managed to escape and bring word back to the rest of the clan, but when more gathered to hunt it down, it appeared to have found a new hiding place to sleep and recover. Nothing had been heard from it since.

Until now, I fear. A few xun ago, a village in eastern Qishan was destroyed. Two of my younger cousins passed through the village of Yulin to find buildings damaged or destroyed and the villagers either dead or missing. They began searching for what could have done such a thing and came across a pack of wolf yao holed up in a cave some distance away. They called others to join them to exterminate the pack, and I accompanied them.