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Chapter Text

Lan Zhan knew something was wrong the instant he woke up. Because he shouldn’t have fallen asleep in the first place. 

When he opened his eyes, he was met with the familiar sight of his ceiling. He was still in his day clothes; he could feel them uncomfortably pressing against him. Despite having just woken up, he was exhausted. His golden core was depleted, and something was very wrong. 

“Wangji.” 

He turned his head to see his brother kneeling beside his bed, looking grave. 

“You’re awake.” 

It was an empty statement. A sentence one said when they didn’t know how to begin a difficult conversation. 

Lan Zhan sat up and didn't look away from Lan Xichen. “Where is Wei Ying?” 

His brother must have known that was what he would ask the second he woke. He must have thought of ways to answer this question. For however long Lan Zhan was unconscious. But Lan Xichen’s face still pinched, and his jaw clenched. He opened his mouth, and Lan Zhan instantly knew he was not going to answer his question. “Wangji—”

“Where is Wei Ying?” 

The shock of being interrupted sent Lan Xichen into stunned silence. But his face contorted again. His brother was disappointed in him. “Wangji, you attacked the elders.” 

“I defended Wei Ying.” 

“Who was dangerous!” It wasn’t a yell, but it could have been. “He killed—”

“Where is Wei Ying?” 

“He killed Jiang Yanli. He slaughtered—”

“He did not kill Jiang Yanli. She took a blade for Wei Ying.” 

“His puppets attacked her.” 

“An accident. Wei Ying would never hurt his sister.” 

Lan Xichen adjusted his shoulders, but he already had perfect posture, so there was nothing to fix. “He was out of control. He had to be stopped.” 

“Where is Wei Ying?” 

“Wei Wuxian is dead.” 

And there it was. Lan Zhan had known it was the most likely outcome when he awoke. But to hear it gutted him through his soul. Perhaps it wasn’t true. Perhaps Wei Ying had escaped somehow. When Lan Zhan was with him, he didn’t see any crevices or openings in that cave, but he might have created one. Because how could he be breathing if Wei Ying wasn’t in this world? Surely, he would also cease to exist. 

His brother was still talking to him, and Lan Zhan focused on him because the other option was unbearable. “The elders are discussing your punishment.” 

Punishment? For defending Wei Ying? The elders should rethink their methods. Punishments were meant to deter and repent for certain behaviors. He didn’t regret his actions. He would defend Wei Ying one hundred times over. A punishment, no matter what it was, would prove futile. Surely, they must know his heart wouldn’t be deterred. 

“Elder Lan Shan is demanding fifty strikes of the discipline whip.” And even though Lan Zhan could tell his brother was cross with him, it still appeared painful for him to say. “Shufu is trying to negotiate with them and lower the number.” 

Fifty, one hundred, it didn’t matter. He won’t repent for the “sin” of defending Wei Ying. There was nothing to reflect on because there were no regrets. His brother was waiting for him to say something, but he had nothing to say. 

“Please, Wangji,” Lan Xichen pleaded. Lan Zhan had not seen him so distressed since he had to flee their home before the war. “If you show regret and willingness to comply, I can ask them to lower the punishment. Fifty strikes even for you… it would cripple you.” 

That was fine as well. He had failed to defend Wei Ying at his most needed. He did not deserve to wield his sword. 

Lan Xichen sighed and stood. One fist was clenched in front of him. “I’ll go discuss with Shufu now. Stay here until I return.” His brother turned to go and exited his home. 

Lan Zhan couldn’t fathom even moving at the moment. He didn’t even believe he was suffering from grief. He had briefly read about the stages of mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. But for him, the idea simply didn’t compute. He couldn’t deny a concept he didn’t understand. 

Wei Ying was dead. Wei Ying was gone. The sentence didn’t even look right. Even if he wrote it down, it wouldn’t look any more real. Lan Zhan tried to picture Wei Ying’s death. Did he see him die? His back was turned to him, so he could defend them from the elders. He worked tirelessly for hours to keep them away. But the minutes blurred together, and the attacks kept coming, and even his stamina simply couldn’t hold out. In the end, he didn’t know if he fell unconscious because of exhaustion or from an attack. 

It took great concentration and resolve to stand from his bed. He swayed but didn't fall. 

“Get lost!” 

Lan Zhan pressed the lids of his eyes together, but there was no other tension in his body. That was the only thing Wei Ying said to him when they were last together. Over and over. It shouldn’t hurt as much as it did. Wei Ying wasn’t in his right mind. His beloved, elder sister was just killed in front of him, he was consumed by resentment, his mind was clouded and compromised. Nothing Lan Zhan said to him registered. Not even his confession. That was his mistake. He was so panicked, he also couldn’t think clearly. Wei Ying deserved a proper confession, one thought out and intimate. 

But Lan Zhan needed him to know. Unconsciously, even though he fought against it with everything he had, he knew they were nearing the end. He couldn’t let Wei Ying think he held any malice or anger towards him. 

Another instance where he failed him. Waiting until the very end to confess. He was too much of a coward to do otherwise. 

Lan Zhan opened his door like his brother did mere minutes ago. Had it just been a few minutes? It felt so long now. His world seemed to be slowly spinning to a stop. When he was in Wei Ying’s presence, it felt like the world moved faster than usual. And not just because his beloved moved like the wind—swift and loud. But because he dreaded when it would end. 

Lan Zhan would count every minute he and Wei Ying spent together in the Library Pavilion during his punishment. He never wanted it to end. Selfishly, he wanted Wei Ying to keep getting in trouble and keep having to spend time with him. Because whenever they would part, his world was slow and lifeless. 

The draft from the door rushed past him as he stood in his doorway. He wondered how long it would take his brother to talk with their uncle, but he didn’t care. Not really. He should have been regretful. If not for defending Wei Ying, then for inflicting so much distress upon his family. 

Lan Xichen will likely receive much ire from the clan elders when he tries to negotiate down his punishment. He was Sect Leader, but Lan Zhan had gotten the sense that his word did not matter as much as it would in other clans. It was evident that the Jin sect leader did as he pleased with little to no repercussions from those older than him. 

And his uncle will face accusations of favoritism when he tries to do the same. But he wasn’t discussing a different punishment. No, simply a lower number. The discipline whip was the highest form of punishment a disciple could receive—save for execution or banishment. His uncle must have been truly disappointed in him if he was in favor of such a thing. Did he really hate Wei Ying that much? That he would inflict such pain on his nephew in retribution? 

But he simply couldn’t muster up the energy to be sorrowful about such things. His heart was so dearly filled with love for Wei Ying, that now that he was gone, it had nowhere to go and he felt like he couldn’t gain a full breath. 

A pull of his spiritual energy turned his head to the side. Bichen hung tauntingly in its usual place. Evidently his actions didn’t require them to relieve him of his spiritual weapons. Probably reassured that his impending punishment would prevent him from doing anything so foolish. 

But Lan Zhan stepped forth anyway. He grabbed his spiritual sword and unsheathed the blade. He let the scabbard fall to the floor with a clatter because he simply couldn’t walk to his table to set it down. 

Its blade was immaculate. There wasn’t a single smudge of blood on it, though he knew he drew some less than a day ago. Perhaps his brother had cleaned his sword while he was waiting for him to wake. He wondered if it was more to rid the evidence or the memory from existence. 

There had been many stories written about the relationship between a cultivator and his sword. The profound connection they developed as they trained. He had never entertained such frivolous novels. He acknowledged that there was a relationship between him and Bichen that didn’t exist with any other sword. He treated his blade with respect, and in turn, it had not once faltered in its service. 

Not even when it was turned on their superiors. 

Lan Zhan mused about his sword’s spirit. Each spiritual weapon was alive in a way. On rare occasions did one exude an explicit action or preference, but it did happen. And right now, Bichen seemed to want to be wielded. 

Lan Zhan immediately crouched down and slid his sword into its scabbard. It frightened him how much he wanted to obey its sudden bloodthirst. He had rarely been vengeful in his life. Even when Cloud Recesses was burned by Wen Xu or when his leg was broken or when he had to endure the humiliation from the Wen indoctrination, he was never grasped with a violent urge to kill. 

Until it came to Wei Ying. 

When Wen Chao taunted him about throwing Wei Ying into the Burial Mounds, when Jin Guangshan publicly called for Wei Ying’s head, when he heard familiar voices outside that cave. He was seized with something. A desire to let loose with no restrictions. To swing his blade over and over until the feeling finally stopped. Most of the time, he held restraint. Most of the time, he didn’t give into it. 

But Wei Ying was gone now. And holding back seemed like such a fool’s errand when it led to his death. 

Lan Zhan cut briskly through Cloud Recesses. It was actually quite easy to avoid being seen. All disciples were required to stay on the provided paths and there was no running. When disregarding such rules, it was quite simple to get to where he was going. 

The hall where the clan elders gathered was never a place Lan Zhan found himself in often. It was for conversations that even he, one of the inner family, wasn’t privy to. As Sect Leader, Lan Xichen had been inside multiple times, and as one of the elders, Shufu had also attended every time he was required to. 

Right now, it sounded as if the group was in an uproar. None were yelling because one didn’t yell in Cloud Recesses, but all of their voices sounding together made for quite some noise. Lan Zhan had injured each of them when they got too close to Wei Ying and himself. Of course they were going to be cross. But even when news of the Wen’s crimes had come to light, none of them had ever talked with such ire about Wen Ruohan as they did about Lan Zhan now. 

The elders were so engrossed in their conversation, that none of them noticed Lan Zhan pushing open the doors from the front of the room. Their individual tables and cushions were placed in a grid-like fashion across the room, but most had abandoned their places to stand and face each other while they argued. 

Lan Zhan watched them, silent, loathing building in his chest as every word filled the room. These were the men who had killed Wei Ying. Or at the very least had contributed to his death, along with half the cultivation world. If they had not come knocking at their cave entrance, Lan Zhan would have been able to dedicate his entire attention to nursing Wei Ying back to health. But instead, he had to turn away to deal with them. 

It took an entire minute for one of the sitting elders to finally notice him. It was probably a minute, but his perception of time had been so bad as of late, he wasn’t sure. Lan Shan noticed him first and instantly shot to his feet. 

“Lan Wangji! What are you doing here? You were to remain in the Jingshi until your brother calls you for your punishment!” 

Even more outrage filled the room once they all turned towards him:

“Such disrespect!”

“We did not raise you this way!” 

“Wei Wuxian’s resentful cultivation must have warped your mind and temperament.” 

Lan Zhan usually let such hateful words roll off his back. When Wei Ying entered the Burial Mounds with the Wens, he endured much ire for his beloved, even if those people weren’t talking to him. He tried not to let it affect his temper. But now he collected every comment and remark and shoved them down towards his chest, his stomach—his golden core. 

He turned and pushed the doors closed. Wei Ying would probably have had a talisman able to trap them all in here; he was a genius after all. But Lan Zhan wasn’t an inventor. So he would simply have to act swiftly with a silencing talisman.

When Lan Zhan faced them and unsheathed his blade, all eyes were on him. And yet they still didn’t know what he was here for. 

“What is the meaning of this, Wangji?” someone asked. He didn’t care who. He stepped forward once, then dashed, and speared the closest elder to him through the heart. 

It was devastatingly easy to keep going. 

Lan Zhan had almost thought he would crumple to his knees in regret the minute he killed one of his own clan. But the more he swung, the quicker he moved. 

Bichen was a blade of reflective light as he released his restraints and killed without mercy. He didn’t care to make their deaths clean or pretty. Beheaded, stabbed, shredded to ribbons, thrown into a wall; Lan Zhan did whatever his instincts told him to do next. 

The elders were caught off guard, and most tried to run. All being practically defenseless without their weapons, there wasn’t much for them to do. He would have fought them with or without their swords. He didn’t think their presence would have changed the outcome. 

They were weak. Weak compared to Lan Zhan, weak compared to Wei Ying. If he had been thinking, Wei Ying could have torn them all to shreds with a mere whistle. And Lan Zhan was one of the most powerful cultivators the Lan clan had seen in centuries. He was the one to fight the war for them. If he wasn’t so preoccupied with trying not to kill them, Lan Zhan could have easily taken them all out while he was defending Wei Ying. 

The thought threw him into another fit of rage. He saw one elder try for the door and slashed right across his back. He cried and fell to the ground where Lan Zhan finished the job. 

If he had done this earlier, Wei Ying would be alive. 

Another dead. 

If he hadn’t hesitated, Wei Ying would still be drawing breath. 

Another body dropped to the floor. 

If he had been just a little more bloodthirsty, Wei Ying wouldn’t have had to suffer such a violent death. 

Truly, his beloved was wise. When the Wens wronged him, he took his revenge without mercy. When the Dafan Wens were captured, he took lives to ensure their safety. If Wei Ying hadn’t been so quick to kill, he would have been struck down long ago. His reputation kept people away from the Burial Mounds for months, so they could live in relative peace. 

If Lan Zhan had been more like Wei Ying, he wouldn’t be feeling such regret. 

He stopped moving once the only sound he could hear was his own breathing. The gathering hall had been turned into a cemetery of clan elders. The floor was smeared with blood, but his clothes somehow remained untouched by it. He took stock of the men surrounding him. 33 all accounted for. 

Bichen dripped with their spilt blood. Lan Zhan flicked his wrist to rid his sword of most of it, and the liquid created a clean arc along the floor next to him. He would need to clean it properly to avoid rusting, but it was enough for now. 

As he once again made sure that he was the only living person in the room, the doors to the room opened. Initially, he thought that he might have finally gotten the attention the massacre deserved, but Lan Xichen’s face was slack when he walked in. 

Until he saw what was before him. 

The Lan sect leader’s face instantly went pale, and Lan Zhan thought it a minor miracle that his brother didn't just pass out from shock. His gaze swept over every elder lying before him as if making sure they were, in fact, dead. His form trembled, and a hand raised to cover his mouth. 

“What…?” Finally, Lan Xichen saw him standing amongst the bodies, and tension released from his body as if his strings had been cut. “Wangji… What is… What happened?” 

Lan Zhan brought the tip of his blade to the opening of his scabbard. Lan Xichen watched the movement as if mesmerized. He thought the action answered the question quite well. 

“Wangji… You can’t have… This isn’t…” Lan Xichen had always been much better at words than him. He knew how to speak to get others to listen to him, to like him, to trust him. But right now, it seemed all those skills escaped him without a trace. 

Lan Zhan wanted to leave. Now that he had finished what he came here to do, the exhaustion of his grief and the past few days had caught up with him. But his brother was standing in the entryway, blocking his way out. He didn’t know what his brother would do if he approached him right now, but he most certainly didn’t want a fight. 

Lan Xichen’s eyes went back to examining the elders. He walked forward on uneasy steps and approached the closest corpse. He felt for a pulse in vain, but Lan Zhan supposed he knew that. He likely didn’t know what else to do. 

But that had given Lan Zhan a path to the outside, so he took a wide berth around his brother towards the doors. When he reached them, it appeared Lan Xichen had finally found his voice again. 

“Wangji… I don’t…” He was no more elegant in speech. “When Shufu sees this… I don’t know…” But it was clear what he was saying: 

He didn’t know how their uncle would react to this. How much punishment he would be assigned for this egregious act. Lan Zhan hadn’t even thought of that. Most of the people who issued the more severe punishments in their sect were the men lying dead right now. 

“No need.” And miraculously, Lan Zhan’s voice was steady and sure, if a bit hoarse. “I will not be returning.” He left his brother to mourn. But he knew no matter what he was feeling right now couldn’t be compared to the grief he felt for Wei Ying. 

Lan Zhan took the same path back to his house. It was as empty as he left it and just as quiet. He wished he could sink to his knees and dissolve into mist. He had no desire to live, not anymore. But there was still one more thing he had to do before departing from this world. He needed to visit the Burial Mounds. 

He packed everything of value: his sword, his guqin, a few talismans, a copy of Wei Ying’s written punishment from his time at Cloud Recesses, and his drawing of himself. His sect was quite wealthy, and he had access to its treasury, being one of the inner family members. But he didn’t wish to take anything from his sect with him. So he only took the admittedly substantial amount of gold and silver he had personally received while on night hunts. He would have stripped himself of the clothes issued to him by his sect if it wasn’t improper. 

As Lan Zhan turned sharply, his white ribbon caught the corner of his eye. He stopped moving and reached a hand up to brush along the fabric. Within a second of decision, he was reaching back to untie its knot and releasing it from his head. 

This should have been Wei Ying’s. This was the ribbon that should have been tied around their wrists when they wed, should have been something for Wei Ying to play with. He was ashamed to remember that the only two times his beloved had touched it was returned with anger. 

But Lan Zhan was no longer a Lan. Or at least he shouldn’t be. He should not wear such garments if he was not part of the sect. So he folded the ribbon carefully and set it on top of the table in the room. If slaughtering the elders and vanishing wasn’t enough for Lan Xichen to comprehend that he had no intention of coming back, perhaps this last gesture would help the realization along. 

Lan Zhan barely had enough strength to stand on his sword. It was quite a miracle that he was able to make it to Yiling in one piece. He should have stopped at an inn to recover his strength. Eat, drink. But he had no plans to make it to morning, so he thought the effort would be wasted. 

Before Wei Ying had conquered the Burial Mounds, Lan Zhan had never had reason to go there. He never actually rested his eyes on it before it was tamed, so he couldn't speak to the difference between then and now. However, he could say that the Burial Mounds since he visited—it had never been so quiet and destitute. 

When he came across Wei Ying in the market and then followed him to assist with a newly awakened Wen Qionglin, the Burial Mounds had been full of people. Wen Qing’s family accounted for about fifty people, but he knew it would have been more if Wei Ying had known about them sooner. He could tell the Wen occupants were more subdued than usual when he was there, but they were by no means silent. 

So to see their huts and lamps void of any humans was jarring to see when he knew that they had been living here peacefully just a few days ago. 

Lan Zhan scoured the grounds, but he found no bodies to bury. He wondered if the cultivators here had already burned them, leaving nothing to mourn. Their homes had been ruined and ransacked. Their sleeping arrangements had been torn down, their tools and things tread on by merciless feet. There was no reason to damage the camp as much as they did. It was out of simple hatred and disgust. 

Even Wei Ying’s Demon Slaughtering Cave wasn’t spared. Or perhaps, it was targeted just for that very reason. Nothing remained of Wei Ying. His talismans and inventions were plundered. His bedroll torn to shreds. Anything that Lan Zhan would have taken for sentimental value was already stolen for selfish purposes. How quick they were to snuff out Wei Ying while taking anything of value for themselves. 

As Lan Zhan exited the mouth of the cave, he finally started to feel his exhaustion prick at the edges of his vision. He was reaching the borders of his limits. He wouldn’t be able to go on much longer. 

His breathing slowed, and he briefly entertained the idea of shutting down his spiritual energy. Without the use of his golden core, he would not be able to suppress his appetite. Eventually, if he did it enough, he would starve to death. Of course, he did also have his blade. He could slice his own neck, but he had the sense that Bichen would rather not take the life of its master. 

It was a weak way to go, a coward’s way. But he didn’t know if he had it in him to be strong or brave. Not without Wei Ying doing the same thing by his side, only so much better. 

He panted, heavy breathing being drawn from his chest unwillingly. Finally, the shock of Wei Ying’s death had hit him, it seemed. Only… not. He placed a hand on his chest. He wasn’t panting. He was breathing just fine, only a little slow. 

That panting was not his. 

Lan Zhan followed the sound immediately. Foolish hope blinded him, but he didn't care. Perhaps he was right. Maybe Wei Ying did survive. Maybe he managed to fool everyone, even his own brother. Maybe—

The disappointment was just as crushing as the relief. 

Little Wen Yuan was curled up in the hollow space of a tree trunk. His breathing was labored, and his face was flushed. When Lan Zhan knelt and reached forward, he found the boy’s temperature was dangerously high. He wasn’t in a good state. 

He didn’t think as he pulled the bark of the tree apart to get at the boy. The wood shattered under his grip, but he was as gentle as he could be when lifting A-Yuan into his arms. He loosened his outermost layer and placed the boy inside. He was shivering terribly, and he had no idea how long he had been like this. Probably since before the siege. He’d most likely been uncomfortably stuffed inside the dead tree for hours on end. 

Lan Zhan summoned Bichen, and he took an unsteady step onto his sword. He flew as fast as he could manage, even as a headache started to form behind his eyes. He landed in Yiling late into the evening, and he saw no people nor any stands. He cut through the town, looking desperately for a doctor. If only Wen Qing were still alive. She’d have no problem treating her younger cousin, but the boy’s sickness was well out of Lan Zhan’s knowledge. Even if he was in the best of health himself. 

Eventually, he happened upon a sign for a medicine man near the outside of town, and he lunged towards the door. His knocks weren’t gentle, but he felt like he was on the edge of passing out. He needed to get A-Yuan help now. 

His first set of knocks didn’t receive any kind of response. So he tried again. Even louder than before, and the door rattled dangerously as it threatened to buckle until his fist. That finally did something, and he heard rustling and grumbling from the other side. 

A man about a generation older than him swung the door open, and he was more than displeased. “Young man, I’m sure whatever it is, it can wa—”

“Help,” Lan Zhan asked, thrusting Wen Yuan forward. And he must have looked quite a sight because the man suddenly straightened, and the irritation rushed out of his face. “The child.” 

The man’s eyes darted towards A-Yuan, and he felt his face. He looked a great deal grimmer as he stepped backwards and swept a hand across his home. “Come inside.” 

Lan Zhan needed to duck slightly to avoid the doorframe hitting his head, but he followed the man swiftly as they crossed the room. The man pointed. “On the bed.” He obeyed, and as he backed away, the doctor was already crouching over the boy, a bag of medicinal tools at his side. 

Lan Zhan wanted to ask how he was. If he would survive. How long he had. What he needed. But thoughts rushed out of his head as his blood did too and he passed out before he hit the floor. 

~*~

When Lan Zhan surfaced to consciousness, he immediately noticed movement to his left and a distinct throbbing in his skull. 

“Young man, you must have quite a thick head to be up so soon after your fall.” The man from before was bustling about his house, mood and posture casual. 

Lan Zhan pulled himself into a sitting position from his place on the floor. His once white clothes were coated in dirt and near unrecognizable. Most likely, no one would be able to see he was wearing the white robes of the Lan sect. That was probably for the better. 

“Sorry for leaving you there,” the man said, gathering something into a bowl over by the part of his house that must have been the kitchen. “But I wasn’t about to throw out my back to get you on my spare bedroll.” 

Lan Zhan didn’t care about that. Once his gaze fell on A-Yuan, it didn't leave. “The child?” 

The man sighed and offered him a modest bowl of congee. He only answered when the cultivator took it. “I’ll be honest, he’s not out of the thick of it yet. But the fact that he’s lived this long… it’s a good sign.” 

So no guarantees. Lan Zhan looked down at the food and decided to obey the silent order. If A-Yuan really was to die from his sickness, it wouldn’t matter. But if he pulled through, he’d need him at full strength to protect and take care of him. 

“The two of you must have been through quite something,” the man prodded. “Nighthunt trouble?” 

Lan Zhan was not inclined to answer such a question. He didn’t even know if it would be wise to offer his name. His connection to his family would likely only cause trouble now when before it offered endless privileges. He had no idea how his uncle would react to finding out what he had done. He was fairly confident that Lan Xichen would be perfectly willing to let him go, purely because of the pain he had caused, but their uncle might send cultivators out to search for him and bring him back. For punishment, no doubt. 

Lan Zhan had no intention of returning. Now that Wen Yuan was in his care and he had a bit of hope for himself, he was not going to give it up. 

Lan Zhan stood from his resting place, grateful that his headache had already started to cease. He placed the bowl back into the doctor’s hands. He bowed and said, “Thank you,” purposefully avoiding the question. 

The man looked disappointed at his lack of answer but not surprised. “Well, probably better that I don’t know. Better true ignorance than feigned ignorance.” Lan Zhan wasn’t sure he agreed, but he didn't argue with their host. As the man walked off to seemingly wash the bowl, he made his way over to where A-Yuan was. 

He still had not awoken. The little boy’s breathing was labored, though not as much as before. He already soaked through his clothes with sweat, though it was clear the doctor had wiped down the accessible parts of his skin as much as he could. 

Lan Zhan leaned forward to brush away some of the stray angel hairs on the boy’s cheek. “Do you require anything for his treatment?” 

Lan Zhan refused to turn around when he asked the question, but the man answered anyway. “Not anything that I don’t already have. I’m doing my best, young man, but frankly, my best isn’t the best. You may have found better treatment actually at your sect.” 

Most definitely. The Lan sect had the most experienced healers, even of the great sects. Their cultivators and doctors were the ones to contribute the most during their time at war. But Lan Zhan refused to go back up the mountain; even if he begged and submitted to execution, he knew no one would save A-Yuan. And he had no good connections to any other sect that would warrant bringing a sick, Wen child to their doorstep. 

“But even if you only came here in a panic and have somewhere else to go, I wouldn’t recommend moving him. He’s doing well now, but a ride on a sword… that may be the last of him.” 

Lan Zhan nodded in agreement. “We will stay here as long as we are welcome.” 

“No need to fuss about that. You have a sick child in your care. Of course you’re welcome.” 

For the rest of the day, Lan Zhan meditated and attempted to recover his strength. He didn’t refuse any of the food their host gave him; it was a moderate amount but plenty for a healthy cultivator like himself. He watched as the man tried to raise A-Yuan for a bit of food, but the boy was stubbornly refusing to wake. He settled for trickling a bit of water into his mouth with a wooden spoon. 

And evidently his Lan routine was too ingrained into him to change because once night fell and his bedtime neared, his head drooped, and he fell into a deep sleep, despite his fighting it. He woke the next morning early as usual and checked A-Yuan. Satisfied, he exited the house for the first time in over the day and tried to breathe. 

A-Yuan was still alive. He needed to be present and awake. He could not allow himself to fall into mindless grieving. As much as it pained him, he put Wei Ying as far from his mind as he could manage. Wei Ying wouldn’t have such trouble with this. Lan Zhan had no such confusion about their relationship when he died: Wei Ying despised him and likely had no affection for him. If Lan Zhan had died and he was put in charge of A-Yuan, Wei Ying wouldn’t have broken his stride in his attempt to care for the boy. Lan Zhan would do the same. 

The doctor rose several hours later. As he watched the man blink himself awake, he realized he didn't know his name. When he apologized and asked, the man waved him off but gave him a name: “Zhong Fang is just fine. But if you find yourself in trouble and someone asks who helped you, I’m no one.” Lan Zhan nodded his understanding. 

It wasn’t as if he particularly cared about this man. He could die right in front of him, and he wouldn’t blink an eye. But he had done his best in caring for A-Yuan, so he would show the man his due respect. 

It appeared A-Yuan had no plans to wake any time soon, so Lan Zhan spent his time occupying himself. He trained, regained his strength, and stayed out of sight of anyone nearing the doctor’s house. When he stepped out the back door when one of Zhong Fang’s neighbors came to call, he didn't ask why. 

Lan Zhan gathered that Zhong Fang lived alone, but he had a sizable community around him to take care of him. He seemed to be a bit of a recluse, but the older women and younger men who came knocking obviously had a certain affection for him. For treating them, for treating their families, for giving them good and sound medical advice. None of them appeared surprised to see a strange, little boy taking up his bed. 

It took a week for A-Yuan to wake. Lan Zhan had been in the corner playing Healing for the past hour. Once Zhong Fang gathered that what he had wrapped up on his back was a guqin, he encouraged him to play, and Lan Zhan obeyed even though it would clearly connect him to the Lan sect. 

A-Yuan woke as if from a bad dream. Groaning, whimpering, squirming. Once Lan Zhan realized what was happening, he cast Wangji aside and rushed to the boy’s side. “A-Yuan?” 

The boy didn’t answer, and Lan Zhan placed a hand on his head. He was burning up, but that was nothing surprising. Lan Zhan pushed a bit of spiritual energy into him anyway, hoping to raise him from unconsciousness. Even though non cultivators couldn’t wield spiritual energy without a golden core, it rarely did harm to offer a bit more energy to a body. Besides, Lan Zhan fully intended to build off of Wei Ying’s education for the boy by making sure he could defend himself. A golden core would be a good place to start. 

A-Yuan cried quietly, but then his eyes finally started to widen. 

Lan Zhan leaned forward but tried not to overwhelm the boy. “A-Yuan?” he asked. “Do you remember me?” 

A-Yuan’s pained expression turned into worry and apprehension. He tried to sink into the bed and raised his shoulders. 

“A-Yuan, it is alright.” Lan Zhan leaned back and resumed the proper sitting position. “You are alright now. Do you know who I am?” 

A-Yuan kept looking around the room and back at him as if making sure he wouldn’t move from his spot when he wasn’t looking. He eventually turned towards him and gave a hesitant shake of his head. 

That did hurt. But Lan Zhan couldn’t blame the little boy. He had just come from the Burial Mounds and had been rooted with sickness for the past week; he couldn’t be expected to remember a man he had met only once. He would do well to show the boy that he could trust him and build up their relationship as much as possible. 

“That is alright, A-Yuan,” he soothed. “We have only met once. Do you remember your Xian-gege?” Even speaking his name caused pain to Lan Zhan’s heart. 

A-Yuan stared at him for a moment. Blinked. Then shook his head again. 

That wasn’t something Lan Zhan had been expecting. 

~*~

Zhong Fang assured him that it wasn’t surprising that A-Yuan remembered nothing of his life before his sickness. 

But Lan Zhan couldn’t help the sting the amnesia brought to him. He thought he might be able to share memories of Wei Ying with the boy, even if he wouldn’t have been able to process grief and what had actually happened to him. For the boy to forget Wei Ying completely along with the rest of his family…

Lan Zhan couldn’t help but feel as if he had already failed the boy. 

But Zhong Fang did say that A-Yuan was healing nicely. He responded to questions even if he didn’t speak very often. They got him fed and changed into a spare set of child’s robes that the doctor had lying around. He said that A-Yuan’s memories may return and that he shouldn’t have any memory problems so long as he healed properly, but Lan Zhan was too weary and grief-stricken to think about hope. 

It wasn’t a guarantee. That was all he needed to know. 

Zhong Fang waited another week to give them his blessing to leave, and Lan Zhan did his best to hurry them out of the door without being rude. He’d been anxious to leave ever since A-Yuan first woke up. But he listened dutifully to the doctor’s advice: ample fluids, lots of rest, good food, and to rush to another doctor or healer should A-Yuan’s condition worsen. 

Lan Zhan paid the man handsomely for his time and effort but made a note that he would have to be more mindful of their funds from now on. He no longer had the financial backing of the Lan sect to fund his expenses. He finally felt how Wei Ying did when he refused his own child a toy when they were living in the Burial Mounds. 

Lan Zhan bowed deeply to Zhong Fang outside his house. “Thank you for your treatment and hospitality.” 

Zhong Fang waved him off. “Yes, yes, of course. Now you take care of that boy. His body will be weakened a bit because of the sickness. Don’t push him too hard.” 

Lan Zhan wondered what sparked that comment. Did the man often see fathers pushing their toddlers beyond what was responsible? Or did he just look so uptight that he would demand such things from A-Yuan? “I will not,” he assured the man. 

Zhong Fang nodded and waited by his door as Lan Zhan turned around and made sure that A-Yuan was following him. The boy didn’t seem particularly alarmed that he didn’t remember anything at all. Wide eyed and curious, he simply walked silently beside Lan Zhan and watched everything that caught his little eye. But once they began to walk more towards the center of town and more people started to surround them, he looked drastically overwhelmed. 

Lan Zhan was struck with the sudden realization that he didn’t know how to comfort the boy. In his childhood, he rarely disobeyed orders and thus didn’t need any soothing. But during the rare times he did, his brother was always right there to support him as much as their rules allowed. He had never had to comfort or soothe anybody in his life. 

A woman and her daughter passed by them, the little girl on the mother’s hip. Lan Zhan turned to A-Yuan and spotted the boy watching them closely as they passed. “A-Yuan, would you like me to carry you?” 

A-Yuan’s head turned towards him so fast Lan Zhan almost thought he might throw out his neck. “Really?” 

“Yes.” Lan Zhan bent down slightly to grip the boy under his arms then set him on his hip. It felt strange and awkward, but A-Yuan seemed perfectly happy, so he didn't say anything and continued walking. When Wei Ying did this, he made it seem perfectly natural. 

Lan Zhan would have liked to get on his sword to put even more distance between them and the Lan sect, but he didn’t want to risk A-Yuan’s health until he was sure his illness was completely gone. They would be traveling on foot for a few weeks. Which would give him time to sort out the new life he’d created for himself. 

He would need to find a way to sustain them. He could try to buy a plot of land and grow their own food. However, he had no idea how to garden or farm. Plus, they might need to relocate frequently to avoid discovery. Given his skillset, a rouge cultivator seemed to be the best option. Rouge cultivators were rare, given the privileges of those within a sect, even a minor one. But it wasn’t impossible to make a living. Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan came to mind. Perhaps if he ever came across them or similar cultivators of similar circumstance, he could ask for advice. 

A-Yuan clutched desperately at the collar of his robes, as if he might be dropped, but as they continued to walk through town, his grip got less and less tenacious. Finally, he became uncomfortable and confident enough to squirm but didn't say anything. 

“A-Yuan?” 

The boy froze like he had been caught doing something wrong. 

“Would you like me to put you down?” 

He hesitated then looked carefully up at him from his perch on his hip. “Can I still hold your hand?” 

Lan Zhan felt a sudden tightness in his throat, but he nodded. He set A-Yuan down, and he cheerfully grabbed his left hand. He thought back to his own childhood as they continued walking. He had never had the courage to ask such a thing in his youth. Or perhaps he never had the need. Or maybe he never had the need because he knew his wish would have never been granted. 

As they cut through town, they didn’t receive many stares, but it was still more than he was comfortable with. He looked down at himself; he had never been less fit to make an appearance in public. His robes were torn and dirty. And though that wasn’t much different from the people walking around them, his robes were clearly a bright color before. Not something suitable for hard, messy labor. 

He looked up at the sun’s place in the sky. There were still a few hours until nightfall. Plenty of time to put in an order before getting an inn for the night. 

Lan Zhan changed their trajectory toward the tactile district of the town. He quickly located a clothing store, one that didn’t have any customers at the moment. When they entered the store front, they were greeted by a woman old enough to be his mother. 

“Hello, young man,” the woman greeted. “How can this humble seamstress help you today?” 

“Robes.” Lan Zhan was already looking around, seeing if he could spot an example already made. “I’d like to commission two sets of robes each for my son and myself.” It felt foreign on his tongue, referring to A-Yuan like that. Something unfamiliar, but not bad. He would need to get used to it. 

“Of course, of course.” The woman waved them more towards the back of the store. “I’d suggest buying some we’ve already made, cheaper that way and quicker. But I don’t think I have robes suited for either of your sizes.” She smiled good naturedly at them as if they were sharing a small joke. 

They were led to a secluded part of the store, where the woman began to ask more specific questions about the commission. “And what material were you looking for in these robes? What will you be using them for?” 

“Whatever is the sturdiest.” These would be the robes they’d be wearing everyday for the foreseeable future. Lan Zhan would be going on nighthunts, so he’d need something that wouldn’t tear easily. And A-Yuan, with his small body, shouldn’t be cold in the same material. 

“Ah, a wise choice, but they won’t be the most comfortable.” 

“That won’t be an issue.” 

“And the color? Will you want these robes to be the same?” 

Lan Zhan paused. Without his forehead ribbon, no one had recognized him from the Lan sect. He’d never been seen in any clothes that weren’t of his sect’s colors. If Lan Xichen or his uncle were looking for him, they'd be looking for Hanguang-jun. The Lightbearer. Alone. Ironically, traveling with A-Yuan would give them an even better cover to avoid discovery. 

Lan Zhan’s gaze was snagged upon a set of robes, tucked away behind the woman. Likely another commission waiting to be picked up. He made his decision and opened his mouth. 

“Red and black, please.” 

Chapter Text

It was rare for Lan Xichen to be indecisive. 

Guided by his sect’s rules and his own principles, he knew what he believed and why he believed it. Even when his home was attacked, he knew what had to be done. He had to escape with as many ancient writings as possible. He had to stay out of sight. He had to return to Gusu when the time was right. He had to correct the wrongs done by the Wen sect. 

But Wei Wuxian was someone that always gave him pause. 

He was well aware of his little brother’s affections for the man. He briefly entertained a daydream about going back to their schooling days, just to see if he could avoid letting Wangji fall in love with him. But it was most likely pointless. He was gone the moment he set eyes on Wei Wuxian. 

On one hand, Lan Xichen was grateful for Wei Wuxian. Another person that Wangji could care for. Someone he could spend the rest of his life with. They were both excellent cultivators; there was no reason why they shouldn’t lead a long and fulfilling life together. 

But Wei Wuxian always seemed to taunt Wangji. And Wangji didn’t seem to mind, despite how much Lan Xichen could see it caused him pain. Whenever he would tease him, grab his attention, talk to him, mess with him. It never seemed to end. And Lan Xichen began to grow a silent and indistinct resentment for the boy who never seemed to take care of his brother’s heart correctly. 

Lan Xichen talked to Wangji about Wei Wuxian only one time. To try and convince him to let go of the boy. But Wangji only seemed offended by the suggestion and dismissed himself quickly. That was his fault. He should have had that conversation at the Jingshi, not the Hanshi. 

Lan Xichen hoped that through their separation, Wangji’s affections would lessen. But they only seemed to grow stronger. When Wei Wuxian went missing, when the rumors about the Burial Mounds began to circulate, when Wei Wuxian pulled away from Wangji upon returning. Instead of letting go, Wangji’s feelings towards the man soared, until he feared they rivaled his loyalty towards his own family. 

Lan Xichen should have acted sooner than this. 

Lan Xichen stared at the bodies of the Lan elders for a long time, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Wangji did this. The perfect Lan, Hanguang-jun, his little brother slaughtered these men without mercy. There was no hesitation in his blade; it seemed even Bichen was approving of his actions. 

If he was a normal person, Lan Xichen might have vomited. But the food served at Cloud Recesses was bland and solid and his golden core was strong, so nausea wasn’t forthcoming. For the first time in a long time, he had no idea what to do. He could only be thankful that the meeting house was secluded away from the rest of his sect while he waited for his uncle to return. 

After seeing Wangji had awoken, Lan Xichen rushed to Uncle to plead with him one more time. It wasn’t becoming of a sect leader, but this was his little brother. He couldn’t just let it happen. No matter what Wangji had done. 

When he first arrived, he could still hear the elders arguing, so he took his uncle away from the building to give them some quiet and, if not peace of mind, then some distance away from the situation. Their uncle had always been a strict man; he rarely, if ever, bent the rules, even for his nephews. But Lan Xichen hoped he would bend today. Just today. Wangji was hurting so much. There was no need to add to his pain. 

So Lan Qiren agreed, but only after he spoke to Wangji himself. And when the man walked off in the direction of the Jingshi, Lan Xichen headed towards the meeting room. 

And was greeted with his brother and thirty three dead elders. 

All Lan Xichen could do was let his brother go. It was clear he was lost to him and their family forever. Wei Wuxian had ruined his brother, so he had to let him go. He couldn’t stand to see his face for another second. He listened as his brother’s footsteps carried him away from the building, and he was left with the remains of his vengeance. 

When Lan Xichen next heard footsteps, he knew they must be of his uncle. His uncle must have gone to Wangji’s home, saw it was empty, and returned back. He was likely furious, flabbergasted that Wangji would disobey another order. But not as furious as he would be when he entered this room. 

Lan Qiren knocked on the door, and Lan Xichen still had to take another minute to gather himself before facing his uncle. He slid open the door just a crack. “Uncle.” 

“Xichen, Wangji is not in his room. I have searched his house. He must have completely lost his mind. To attack the elders and then to flee his punishment! I’m afraid…,” he trailed off and stiffened. “Xichen, what is wrong?” 

Lan Xichen was relieved of the duty of making eye contact and slid open the door even more. He stepped back, so his uncle could see what was inside. 

“What?” Lan Qiren barked and took a large step into the room. And his uncle, who was always composed, nearly stumbled when he saw. “What… What has happened? Who did this?” 

Lan Xichen watched his uncle take stock of the room, the dead bodies. His head whipped back and forth, uncomprehending. “Wangji… did this.” 

Lan Qiren went still then turned around, and for a split second, Lan Xichen was sure he was going to be accused of lying. “What did you say? How do you know this?” 

“I found Wangji here. His blade was stained with blood. He was standing over them.” 

“How…?” His uncle shook his head. “Was he cursed? How could Wangji have done this?” 

“I sensed no evidence of a curse. It appears Wangji simply… lost it.” 

Lan Qiren’s jaw tightened so much that Lan Xichen wondered how his teeth didn’t crack. He feared qi deviation may actually not be very far for his uncle. “Resentment?” he asked, but he sounded defeated. 

Lan Xichen shook his head. 

Lan Qiren swallowed and moved like he might turn around but aborted the movement, remembering what lay behind him. “So we have a sect with no elders… because one of its heirs has slaughtered those elders…” 

“Yes, Uncle.” 

Lan Qiren closed his eyes and raised a hand to his face. He sighed sharply and then immediately exited the room. Lan Xichen followed, confused. “An intruder has entered Cloud Recesses.” 

“Uncle?” Lan Xichen watched as his uncle closed the door firmly and locked it from the outside. 

“Wangji is no longer a member of the Lan sect. He is a person of interest in the deaths of these elders, and any disciples are to report of his potential or confirmed whereabouts. An intruder has killed our elders, and we must bring him to justice.” Lan Qiren fixed Lan Xichen with an eye he’d only ever been under when he sat in his uncle’s classes. “This must not be known, Xichen. This is a private matter until we locate Wangji and bring him in for punishment.” 

“Punishment? Wangji has already…” Lan Xichen shook his head in disbelief. “Wangji is already gone for us. No punishment could possibly bring him back or make him repent. There is nothing he could possibly do to make right of this.” 

“Punishments aren’t always to correct abhorrent behavior. Sometimes, they are for justice. And right now, we must find Wangji to confirm he will no longer bring more harm to the cultivation world.” 

~*~

Once they reached Meishan, Lan Zhan breathed much easier. 

He still looked over his shoulder, now cautious of the once soothing white, careful not to bring any attention to the two of them. But he no longer felt as if a target was on their backs. Clad in their blacks and reds, he felt strangely invisible in a way he never did when he was Hanguang-jun. When he was the Lightbearer, he commanded soldiers and cultivators. His peers looked up to him. He was someone to aspire to be. 

Now he was a simple rogue cultivator with a son, as ordinary as anyone else. 

Lan Zhan was more than grateful that the more they traveled, the more A-Yuan seemed at ease. His illness was almost completely gone, save for a few times fatigue hit him out of nowhere. He kept a keen eye on the boy as he ran ahead to look at toys or sweets. He felt undeserving of the way he looked back at him and smiled. 

And it seemed everyone else around them thought the exact opposite, the way they referred to A-Yuan as his son so easily. When vendors harassed them at stalls or when servers took their orders, it was “young master” and his son.

Since abandoning his sect, Lan Zhan had struggled with coming up with a new name for himself. He was content with introducing A-Yuan as “A-Yuan” in public because of the anonymity of the name. There was no “A-Yuan” at the Burial Mounds, only Wen cultivators. There was no need to take the boy’s name from him. 

But his name. Lan Zhan. That was something different. 

It felt like lying to say he was “Lan Zhan.” It felt like lying to refer to himself by another name. He was tempted to borrow Wei Ying’s name, but Lan Xichen would likely be suspicious of a “Young Master Wei” traveling away from Gusu, so he resisted the urge. He settled upon letting himself be simply referred to as “young master” and took the slight suspicion he received when he didn’t disclose his name. 

And A-Yuan seemed perfectly content following him around and listening to what Lan Zhan told him. A little too content. He wondered if he would have listened to anyone who took him from the Burial Mounds. He decided not to continue that line of thinking. 

Finding work was relatively easy once he decided to stray from the territory of the bigger sects. The Yu sect was run competently, and any complaints he heard from word of mouth about yaos or vengeful ghosts were quickly silenced when their cultivators took care of the problem. But other smaller sects ever so slightly neglected less dangerous, more annoying night hunts in favor of larger game to increase their influence. So locating where he needed to go wasn’t hard. 

The hard part was deciding what to do with A-Yuan. 

He was only a few years old. More a toddler than a child. He’d feel most secure if he could pay the innkeepers to keep an eye on him, but running out of money to feed the child would be worse. However, leaving him all alone in their room felt equally wrong. But how could he bring a child on a nighthunt, no matter how routine it was? 

Wei Ying suddenly struck his thoughts. Despite his best efforts, the love of his life simply intruded his mind whenever he pleased. Not unlike their schooling days. He didn’t know much about Wei Ying’s past or his home life. He regretted not asking now. But he did know that Jiang Fengmian picked him up off the street sometime after hearing about the deaths of his parents. They were rogue cultivators too, and oh, how things have come full circle. 

Despite having a partner and one of them being a talented disciple of Baoshan Sanren, they were still killed on a night hunt. Lan Zhan was on his own, and he was not arrogant enough to think that that possibility couldn’t happen to him. He could easily make a small mistake and land himself with a fatal injury, leaving A-Yuan to fend for himself with no idea what had happened to his guardian. 

And giving Wei Ying’s son the same fate that he was left with when he was a child was simply not acceptable to Lan Zhan. 

So despite what may possibly be the worst decision of his entire life, Lan Zhan set A-Yuan on his hip when he went out to slay a deer yao. 

“Diedie, where are we going?” A-Yuan asked, looking around the dark woods fearlessly. Apparently being brought up in a place like the Burial Mounds meant that his fear of the dark was nonexistent. 

Lan Zhan shivered at the address. After hearing him and several others around them refer to him as Lan Zhan’s son, A-Yuan had taken up the simple but monumentally significant task of addressing him as “Father.” It would take some time for the boy’s trust to feel mundane instead of otherworldly. “We’re going night hunting.” 

“What’s that?” 

“Night hunting is a cultivator’s duty. I am a cultivator. We’re pursuing a yao to make sure it doesn’t hurt anybody else.” Lan Zhan kept a careful eye and ear out for the creature, but its tracks were faint; they were still a long way off. 

A-Yuan hummed and set his little head on Lan Zhan’s shoulder. “Tired.” 

“Rest, A-Yuan. I will wake you when I need you.” 

A-Yuan blinked, suddenly much more awake. “You need me?” 

“Yes.” 

“What for?” 

“I’ll tell you after you rest.” 

A-Yuan puffed out his cheeks cutely but otherwise settled down for a nap. 

Strapped down with a child and an unusual amount of paranoia, Lan Zhan took about half a shichen before he concluded that the yao wasn’t far off. They had likely alerted it to their presence; there would be no ambush on his part tonight. He turned to A-Yuan and gently shook him. 

“A-Yuan. Wake up.” 

The boy’s eyes blinked awake, and he sat up. “Yes?” 

“This is where I need you.” 

He paused for a second, not understanding, before stiffening in excitement. “Yes! I’m here, I’m awake.” 

Lan Zhan bent down to set the boy on the ground and reached into his qiankun pouch. A-Yuan looked mesmerized when he seemingly impossibly pulled out his long sword from the tiny bag. After departing Gusu Lan, Lan Zhan acquired a new scabbard for Bichen. It didn’t cost much, and it felt wasteful to stop using the perfectly good scabbard that was actually made for his blade, but his white sword against his dark robes stood out far too much. He couldn’t do anything about its blade or handle, but he commissioned a darker covering for his sword to draw less attention to its brightness so it could be less recognizable. But most likely the only people he wanted to stay away were the only people capable of recognizing his sword, no matter its scabbard. 

Lan Zhan stepped onto the blade then picked up A-Yuan, lifting them both into the air next to some thick branches of a thick tree. He placed the boy in a nestle of leaves and twigs, securing him with a couple loops of rope that would be secure but not dig into his skin. “A-Yuan, while I night hunt, I need you to stay here and be quiet.” 

A-Yuan blinked, stunned and confused, as Lan Zhan handed him the qiankun bag. “Quiet?” 

“Yes. This yao is dangerous, but as long as you stay quiet, I’ll be able to kill it quickly. I also need you to keep this safe.” He patted the pouch in the boy’s lap. “Can you do that?” 

Ever so eager to help, A-Yuan shot a hand into the air and nodded. “I will help!” He quickly remembered one of his duties. He leaned forward to whisper. “I will be quiet.” 

“Good.” Lan Zhan petted a hand over the boy’s head. “Just be quiet and stay here. I will fetch you when I am done.” He lowered himself back down to the ground and saw A-Yuan’s head peeking through the branches about twenty feet up. He took another talisman out of his sleeve and placed it on the trunk of the tree. He had never used a silencing talisman like this before; this was one way to find out whether or not it worked on trees like it did buildings. 

Somewhat secure in the fact that A-Yuan was temporarily safe, Lan Zhan poured his full attention into the hunt. He was eager to kill the monster and get back to A-Yuan but refused to rush the killing. The deer’s antlers were sharp and numerous—much more so than a regular deer. It stood two heads taller than Lan Zhan’s already impressive stature, but it fell to the ground just as easily when he pierced it through the heart. 

After he made sure it was dead, Lan Zhan sheathed his sword and rushed back to his child. It didn’t take long to locate the tree, and he craned his head to look for A-Yuan. He didn’t immediately see him, which raised his anxiety a pinch. “A-Yuan?” 

There was a tense second before he saw a small hand through the greenery. Lan Zhan breathed out. He took the silencing talisman off the bark. 

“—you get it? I didn’t see anything, and I was a super good boy. I was really quiet.” 

Lan Zhan stepped onto his sword once again. Well, it was good to learn that the talisman worked perfectly fine on trees. 

When he raised himself to A-Yuan’s eye level, he saw that the boy was a bit dirtier but perfectly fine. He was grinning widely and stretching his arms out in front of him. Lan Zhan secured the bag first but then easily took the boy into his arms after removing the rope. When they were both back on solid ground and his sword was safely tucked away, Lan Zhan pulled A-Yuan into his arms once again and began their journey back to town. 

“A-Yuan was very good. I’m very proud of him.” 

~*~

A-Yuan decided he wanted to become a cultivator the first time a night hunt got a little too close to him. 

If Lan Zhan had known that this night hunt would be this dangerous… he probably would have still taken care of it, but he would have certainly done a better job of keeping A-Yuan away from it. A pair of vengeful spirits had been terrorizing a town for nearly a week, and any attempts at notifying a nearby sect had gone unheard. 

Lan Zhan had created a new routine of placing A-Yuan in a secure tree far enough away from where he presumed the fight would be taking place but also close enough that if something did go sour, he would be able to snag the boy up right away. He was not above abandoning a night hunt to keep himself and his son safe. 

But this had been a bit too much. He had tried to repress and liberate, but the spirits were simply too far gone. And when he eventually slayed one spirit, the other became even wilder and more dangerous. It pushed him back further and further until they were fighting directly under the tree A-Yuan was in. 

Lan Zhan was ever so aware of the boy above them but did a good job of not looking in his direction. He swung his sword and parried attacks. Nails turned claws knocked against the metal of his sword. The spirit was powerful; it absorbed a great amount of resentful energy. But after careful study, Lan Zhan cut through the spirit, slicing it in half where it then disintegrated. 

Lan Zhan took a moment to breathe and sheath his sword. That was close. Too close. He would have to be extra careful from now on. He turned to the tree that housed A-Yuan and removed the silencing talisman. “A-Yuan?” 

“I’m here!” A-Yuan’s cheerful voice rang out into the dark forest. When Lan Zhan lifted himself to retrieve the boy, he was nearly vibrating in excitement. “That was so cool!” 

“Mn.” Lan Zhan set them both down on the ground and took A-Yuan’s hand after securing their things. The rule don’t flatter came streaking through his brain, but Lan Zhan didn't correct him. The pointless rules his life had been controlled by paled in comparison to his son’s flattering adoration. 

“I’m gonna be a cultivator!” A-Yuan declared with all the confidence a small four year old could muster. It was surprisingly a lot. 

Now Lan Zhan hadn’t ever thought of controlling what his son might like to do with his life. He was equally supportive of a farmer as he was a cultivator. He was prepared to wait many years for A-Yuan to decide how he would support himself. And he would have built his life around doing everything in his power to make sure he could do what he loved. But deciding on the dangerous career of cultivator? So soon? Lan Zhan was wary. 

“Is A-Yuan sure? He doesn’t need to decide now.” 

“I’m gonna be a cultivator,” he repeated. “Like A-Die.” 

Lan Zhan’s heart swelled. “A-Yuan can be whatever he wants. He doesn’t have to do what A-Die does.” 

A-Yuan’s eyes narrowed, and his eyebrows pinched together in what Lan Zhan had come to learn was his stubborn face. “No. Gonna be a cultivator.” 

Lan Zhan watched his son for a moment longer before facing forward. “Mn. Then A-Yuan needs to learn the basics. We will start with meditation.” 

A-Yuan seemed ever so eager to learn… up until he learned what meditation actually was. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes like he was meant to, but he struggled to focus and stay still for long, like any other child. Lan Zhan didn’t scold him and allowed him to wander about their inn room, climb into his lap, play with his hair, and do whatever else occupied him. 

He was well aware how different his teaching was from his uncle’s. His uncle was strict and would tolerate nothing but obedience. The one time Lan Zhan tried to be strict with A-Yuan, like his uncle had been with him in his childhood, he only succeeded in making the boy cry uncontrollably when he was only trying to stress that he should eat cleanly and not waste food. Gentle reminders, soft encouragements and rewards, and leading by example, he’d found were much more effective ways to teach his son how to behave. 

So he let him lose interest in meditation. Curating his golden core so early would be necessary if he belonged to a great sect, but he didn’t. He was still not quite sure A-Yuan’s heart was actually set on cultivation, but he’d humor him should he be curious again. 

When Lan Zhan finished with his own bout of meditation, he knelt by their table and called A-Yuan over from playing with his toy. It was more of a puzzle than a toy, but it had completely enraptured him the moment he’d been given it.

“Coming!” A-Yuan set down the wooden cube in the middle of the room and sat next to Lan Zhan, looking up at him patiently. 

Now Lan Zhan wasn’t adamant that A-Yuan learn cultivation, no matter how much it would have his heart sing should he share what he loved with his son. But he was strict on the matter of reading and writing. A-Yuan was very obviously a bright boy, but while he was at the Burial Mounds, his education was stagnant. Any extra money Wei Ying and the Wens had was purely put towards food and clothes and shelter and any other necessities. Purchases for writing were splurged on Wei Ying to supply him with what he needed for his talismans, experiments, and his notes. Even though he was certain he gave some to A-Yuan to draw on. 

Lan Zhan had plans to remedy that. 

So every night, Lan Zhan either procured a book from the innkeeper or bookbinder or another traveler in town to teach A-Yuan how to read and write. If A-Yuan seemed particularly awake and attentive, he had him read along and write some simple words. If he seemed tired or restless, he’d pull him into his lap and simply read to soothe the boy to sleep. Tonight, he seemed quite eager to learn, so he taught and lectured until finally A-Yuan’s eyes drooped too far and he fell asleep writing the character for “tree.” 

Lan Zhan tucked the boy in before securing their room, doors, and windows. At the very beginning, he had attempted to sleep on the extra bed that most inn rooms provided, but A-Yuan had woken up a few times in a panic because he thought he was alone. So he’d taken to crawling into bed beside his son. He hadn’t slept next to anyone in years; the last time he had done so was when his mother had died, and he couldn’t resist climbing into his brother’s bed despite the rules. 

He suspected that A-Yuan would grow out of it and eventually they’d take to sleeping in separate beds and then rooms once his son grew to want his own space. But he would come to that conclusion on his own. Some might say he was too soft and that he coddled the boy too much. That might be true, but Lan Zhan didn’t care. 

For what A-Yuan had gone through… he could stand to be a little spoiled now and again.  

~*~

Lan Zhan shouldn’t have been surprised to find this out, but A-Yuan much preferred staying outside to sleeping in an inn. 

He wasn’t quite sure the reason. Perhaps the people were too much or too imposing. Perhaps he enjoyed the night air. Perhaps keeping him tucked away in trees in the dead of night had him developing an acute appreciation for nature. Either way, Lan Zhan was glad. His purse was gladder. 

A-Yuan’s personality was certainly more free when there were less people. He wasn’t afraid to yell or run when there was no one around to disturb. Like now, for instance. 

“A-Die! A-Die!” 

Lan Zhan turned away from the riverbank where he’d been washing their spare robes. 

A-Yuan thrust something in front of his face. “It’s a frog!” 

And it really was a frog. How A-Yuan, a small child, could have caught such a nimble animal was beyond Lan Zhan’s understanding, but he had since stopped trying to gain answers about children through these weeks of living with his son. “It is. But did A-Yuan go near the river?” 

A-Yuan knew he wasn’t supposed to go near any sort of rivers or lakes unless Lan Zhan was watching him. Of course, he still looked out, so the boy didn't drown accidentally. But his son putting himself in unnecessary danger didn’t please him. 

A-Yuan lowered the frog and shook his head. “I didn’t! I found him over there!” He pointed to a wet part of the forest where a small stream had broken off from the river, frog still somehow clutched in his hand. 

“Mn. Good.” Lan Zhan nodded approvingly and began to wring out the water from their clothes. “But A-Yuan must put him back.” 

“What?” A-Yuan cried, mildly outraged. “But he’s my frog! I found him.” 

“You did, but frogs are not pets. You must return him to his home.” 

A-Yuan frowned deeply, shoulders lowered. “But why? I want to keep him.” 

“I know.” Lan Zhan set a drying talisman on their robes and folded them before placing them in their qiankun pouch. He faced his son. “But we cannot take care of a frog. A pet is a responsibility. Return him here.” 

A-Yuan still looked distraught but walked over to where his father was pointing. He squatted down and looked at the frog clutched in his hands. Then he placed a big kiss on the frog’s head while Lan Zhan tried not to look appalled and disgusted. But because this was apparently the most well behaved frog in history, it only ribbitted before hopping away once released. 

A-Yuan stood up again and looked at Lan Zhan. “What’s a pet?” 

“A pet is an animal you take care of and are responsible for, who either offers you companionship or work.” 

“Work?” 

“Mn. Sometimes farmers will train dogs to help protect and take care of their livestock. Cultivators also train dogs to help them during night hunts.” 

A-Yuan offered his hand, and Lan Zhan took it as they walked away from the riverbank. “Can we get a pet?” 

“We cannot. We would not be able to take care of it.” At least, probably not. Lan Zhan was too occupied with settling into their routines and taking care of his son to even think of being responsible for another living being. 

A-Yuan hummed as if thinking of an argument to present but then came up with nothing. “Alright.” He instantly let go of Lan Zhan’s hand to run off and pick up his favorite stick. He began a game he came up with to play by himself, and Lan Zhan was slightly remorseful and sad when he watched him. 

He never wanted to isolate A-Yuan. He wanted him to be social and have many friends who could be his companions when he was gone. His son wasn’t like him. He could see the Wei Ying in him. He had stayed away from his peers partly out of awkwardness and partly because he knew no one in his sect would be able to treat him like an equal, being that he was the brother of the future sect leader. But A-Yuan was friendly, if shy around people. He could see he wanted to make friends, wanted to play games with the children they saw while traveling. 

Lan Zhan despaired and regretted that he couldn’t give that to his son. 

~*~

Over the next few weeks, A-Yuan became more comfortable around strangers. 

Lan Zhan was grateful. He had feared that being a man of few words himself and awkward at the best of times would be passed onto his son, but A-Yuan talked and chatted like any other boy his age. Mostly this consisted of him telling innkeepers and stall managers he was going to be a cultivator “like his A-Die!” when he grew up. Lan Zhan was only slightly embarrassed because most of the people they talked to were quite charmed by the little toddler. 

A-Yuan allowed people to lower their guard every so slightly. Lan Zhan was aware, should he have been traveling on his own, the common people would have been wary of receiving help from a strange, rogue cultivator who refused to give them his name. But with A-Yuan attached to his hip or hand, he was deemed only slightly suspicious, and that was likely to fade once he took care of whatever was troubling them. 

Lan Zhan admitted that he was expecting to be compensated a little for the work he would do as a rogue cultivator to support them both, but he was blown away by the sheer generosity that he came across. 

“Oh young man, you must simply take some of my husband’s cooking. It’ll only keep for a day or two though, so eat up!” 

“Your son is so well behaved! Here, a trinket from my stall. You must simply take it.” 

“Young master, it’s a day’s walk to any other town or city. You’d have to camp outside. I insist you stay the night as thanks.” 

In the beginning, Lan Zhan was uncomfortable with the help he was receiving. He was terribly unused to needing it. But as the weeks went on and as he realized how it made everyone—the people, A-Yuan, himself—happy, he found he was perfectly agreeable to letting others indulge themselves and his son. And despite being strangers and despite only seeing them for a few days, Lan Zhan didn’t feel so alone in his task of raising his son. 

A-Yuan had Wei Ying and his family before. Now, he had Lan Zhan and an endless amount of aunts and uncles looking out for him. 

~*~

A-Yuan might have enjoyed living and sleeping outdoors, but he most definitely preferred to eat at an inn or a tavern. 

As they traveled and as his son improved his education and as Lan Zhan took care of night hunt after night hunt, he decided eating food inside would be a reward or a celebration. Today, they were celebrating the fact that A-Yuan had done exactly one Gusu Lan sword form with a small stick. It was clumsy and he nearly tipped over, but he congratulated his son anyway. 

A-Yuan was still a few years off from forming a golden core, especially at the lackadaisical pace they were making, but he was now able to sit in meditation with Lan Zhan for almost five minutes before losing interest. He wasn’t sure whether the boy actually found it relaxing or if he was that determined. 

So as a consolation prize for good effort, Lan Zhan allowed his son to select the inn. It wasn’t the nicest inn in town. But it did have a red dragon on its sign, which might have been why A-Yuan decided upon it. 

Lan Zhan pushed aside the door to allow his son to walk through first, and they were greeted by a young teen who looked like he wanted to be doing anything else. “A room for two?” 

“Yes,” Lan Zhan answered. “And a table for service.” 

The boy nodded and paid a glance at A-Yuan who was gripping his hand, looking around the room like he always did when they went to a new place. “Right… This way.” 

The dining room of the inn was populated by only two other parties. It was still early in the evening, well before typical dinner time. It would be a while until it filled up, but Lan Zhan still preferred a quiet dinner atmosphere, reminiscent of his time in Cloud Recesses. 

It was strange thinking about his previous home. It was a different emotion from the longing he felt for Wei Ying. When thoughts of his beloved flooded his mind, there was pain and regret. And perhaps a little joy if he stumbled upon a happy memory. But thoughts of Gusu and his sect were filled with neglect and bitterness. Like looking upon a gravestone of someone you despised. 

Lan Zhan was surprised by how easy it was to break the rules of his sect as soon as he left. He still harbored some habits beaten into him by his uncle—namely his morals and his training. But no talking during mealtimes? Their strict curfew? Meat? It all washed away in front of his son and the more time he spent away from other cultivators wrapped in white. 

“Will here do?” There was definitely a better way to ask your guests if the table you were showing them was suitable, but it wasn’t Lan Zhan’s job to correct another person’s son. So he nodded and helped A-Yuan into his seat before taking the one next to him because the table was a suitable distance away from the other people also having a meal. 

The boy gave them a quick run down of their meal options, along with the alcohol that was suggested to go with different foods. That was another thing Lan Zhan couldn’t shake from his past; he refused any sort of beverage that would lower his inhibitions. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how he would react to it. So to avoid leaving A-Yuan with a drunk father, he resolutely refused any wine or liquor. 

Lan Zhan turned to his son and allowed him to order what he wanted. Whenever they did this, he allowed his son to choose if it was in reason and often based his own order around his son. Food from inns and restaurants often didn’t keep well, so he ate within reason to minimize waste. 

The young host looked surprised at the way they conducted themselves, but he nodded and turned around to put their order in. Lan Zhan turned back to his son, and A-Yuan happily babbled about things that came to his mind. Most of it pertained to games Lan Zhan wasn’t privy to, so most of it made no sense, but he nodded along anyway. Quite like Wei Ying, A-Yuan only needed a slight amount of encouragement to continue speaking. 

After a hearty meal, they retreated to their room and spent the rest of the day in meditation and schooling. But A-Yuan was particularly restless tonight. Even after all the tricks Lan Zhan usually used to get the boy to sleep, A-Yuan was still kicking his feet and pouting. 

“A-Die, I want a story.” 

Lan Zhan blinked at the request. “A story?” 

“Yes! Something exciting!” A-Yuan waved his arms around. “Like a dragon! Or a fairy!” 

Ah, Lan Zhan knew where this was coming from. A week ago, he had borrowed a book that held a collection of fairy tales. He had only made it through about half the book before they had to return it because they were traveling, but it apparently had left a lasting impression on A-Yuan. 

Lan Zhan was well aware he was not a creative person. He was excellent at memorization and understanding material, but a scholar he was not. He wasn’t an inventor like Wei Ying and likely held none of the characteristics that made for a good storyteller. But he would attempt for his son. 

“If I tell you a story, will you then fall asleep?” 

A-Yuan nodded eagerly and was already beginning to snuggle into the pillows and sheets, so Lan Zhan knew his son was telling the truth. So he began to speak. 

Lan Zhan could not come up with a story on such short notice, and he had not consumed any amount of fiction while reading for his own pleasure, so he was forced to draw from his own life. He began to tell a tale about two friends, and he could already feel the heat on his ears, but A-Yuan didn’t seem to notice, completely enraptured. 

He didn’t know where he was going with the story until he finally settled on the fight he and Wei Ying fought against the Turtle of Slaughter. He obviously told a much tamer story than what had actually happened, but he included the major plot points: the bad guys, the trap they found themselves in, the fighting, the escape.

Before he could even finish telling A-Yuan about how they survived and escaped the cave they found themselves in after the battle, his son was fast asleep, his little chest rising and falling. A soft expression crossed Lan Zhan’s face as he prepared to go to bed himself. 

Wei Ying’s reputation was in shambles—with the sects, the common people, and especially the gentry. Despite being killed, Wei Ying simply couldn’t escape people cursing his name. But hopefully, through these silly little stories Lan Zhan told his son, all the good things he did could be remembered, even in the most abstract way. 

~*~

The first time A-Yuan heard Wei Ying referred to as the “Yiling Patriarch” was the first anniversary of his death. 

Lan Zhan was well aware of how this day would affect him. He avoided taking night hunts, feeling the cloud of depression and grief creep up on him the preceding week. He had always tried to keep A-Yuan away from any gossip that might taint his ears about his Xian-gege. He distracted him or simply removed him from the scene if necessary. But this time, he was too late. 

The two men were simply talking far too loudly. They were in a busy street market, people bustling around, but Lan Zhan could still clearly hear their conversation. And A-Yuan was fascinated once he heard “Yiling Patriarch.” 

“...yes, but Sect Leader Jiang is convinced it’s him!” 

“And you believe him?” 

“It’s exactly one year since his passing, it'd be a pretty big coincidence if not.” 

“Or that’s exactly why these rumors are circulating now. Everyone is convinced he’ll rise from the dead like his corpses or possess someone. As if the Yiling Patriarch would make it so obvious. He had the cultivation sects by the balls, he’d not be so easily captured, so quickly.” 

Lan Zhan grimaced at the vulgar language and began to move the both of them away from the pair. But A-Yuan’s legs were sluggish and his feet slow. He didn’t want to move. 

“He wasn’t that great. Besides, I’d bet his ex sect brother could pick him out of a crowd better than anyone else. You laugh now, but when it’s revealed it’s actually him, I’ll be the last to laugh.” 

The other man scoffed. “If he’s actually come back, he’ll be the one to laugh last.” 

Finally, Lan Zhan had had enough. He scooped A-Yuan into his arms and swiftly walked away from the conversation. A-Yuan didn’t protest, but he also didn’t say anything. In fact, he waited until they were getting ready for bed that night to submit his question. 

“A-Die, who’s the Yiling Patriarch?” 

Lan Zhan stopped brushing his son’s hair and froze. He swallowed and continued working his way through the knots. “He was a man named Wei Wuxian.” 

“Was he bad? The men at the market didn’t seem to like him very much.” 

“No, he wasn’t bad. But he did bad things for the right reasons.” That was probably the most unbiased answer he could give.

“How can they be bad things if they were done for good?” 

“It’s complicated, A-Yuan.” And he very much wanted this conversation to end. But he didn’t want to dampen A-Yuan’s curious nature, reducing him to an obedient, unquestioning soldier like he had once been. 

A-Yuan stayed quiet for a moment. “…Did you know him, A-Die?” 

Lan Zhan finished brushing and set the hairbrush to the side. “I did.” 

“Okay.” A-Yuan had likely picked up on his father’s mood. He turned around to face him. “Can I have another story for bed?” 

It was an obvious attempt at changing the conversation, but Lan Zhan was grateful either way. And unbeknownst to A-Yuan, he wasn’t changing the topic so much as changing the way they were talking about said topic. But Lan Zhan had no reason to refuse his son; storytime was another routine that had comfortably settled into their lives. 

“Of course. Which one?” 

“The one about the rabbits!” 

Lan Zhan’s face softened, and he leaned forward to help A-Yuan into his blanketed bed. He smoothed down the sheets and sat near A-Yuan’s head. “Very well. The rabbits had come from far away…”

Chapter Text

Lan Qiren wondered where he went wrong. 

Did he go wrong? Was the world conspiring against him and his nephews? How else could Wangji do such a thing? How could he have gone off the deep end so quickly without warning or hesitation? Was it his parenting? Was it his lack of parents? Or did Wei Wuxian finally lay claim to his nephew in every way even from beyond the grave? Lan Qiren supposed he’d never know. 

When Xichen first explained to him what happened, he simply couldn’t believe it. Not that he thought his eldest was lying; Lans do not lie. But he must have been mistaken or misunderstood. Because how else could Wangji have looked every elder in the eye except for himself, the elders who cared for him and raised him, and simply killed them because of some son of a servant? Wei Wuxian was nothing more than a mistake, a weapon they should have disposed of as soon as the war ended. They all saw the warning signs of him succumbing to his cultivation methods, but they simply dallied and wanted too long to take care of him. They were still paying the price of his greed. 

Lan Qiren was willing to work with Wangji after he submitted to his punishment and seclusion. He wouldn’t exile his nephew or ignore him, despite his mistakes. As long as he admitted wrongdoing, he could be forgiven and take his rightful place beside his brother as “Hanguang-jun.” 

But that was never to be. 

Xichen was dangling by a thread mentally, having stumbled upon the sight, but as soon as he found Wangji’s forehead ribbon, he nearly went into seclusion right then and there. Lan Qiren had to nearly beg the man to do otherwise. They were nearly crippled by the massacre. As such, the sect would need years to recover from it. They couldn’t lose their sect leader too. And he himself was not agreeable to taking on the responsibility of acting sect leader a second time. 

Truthfully, it was Xichen’s sworn brothers that kept him out of seclusion. Lan Qiren might not have always approved of Xichen’s choice of friends, but at least he had friends. Wangji was as self isolating as a tree when he was not chasing after demonic cultivators. Lan Qiren thought Nie Mingjue was too brutish and he didn’t trust Jin Guangyao in the slightest, but their letters and visits kept Xichen in the present. 

Even weeks later, they still hadn’t revealed to the outside world what had happened. Thankfully, their silence wasn’t out of the ordinary. They were the most reclusive of the great sects still remaining. And they intended to keep it that way. There was no need to announce that one of their Twin Jades had lost his mind. 

But they kept a keen eye out. For any such talk that Wangji might have continued his quest of vengeance outside of the sect. But no news was forthcoming. In fact, they received no news of Wangji’s whereabouts at all. They sent out their cultivators, ones that would be able to recognize the man, but no one was able to spot him anywhere. He had either vanished completely or somehow avoided detection. Unfortunately, both were likely when it came to Wangji. 

Xichen was nearly beside himself with worry, convinced that his little brother would end it all. That they would be receiving a missive about his body anyday. But there were no such messages, and Lan Qiren was more convinced by the day that Wangji had simply decided to remove himself from sects altogether. 

All the better, he thought. As much as he wouldn’t want to gaze upon his nephew’s corpse, he also didn’t want him to show his face in front of him ever again. 

Because if he did, there would be hell to pay. 

~*~

Lan Zhan was only mildly surprised that the news of his betrayal and murders didn’t spread through the cultivation sects like wildfire. 

But on the other hand, the Lan sect was particularly secluded and private. They did an excellent job of keeping his mother’s captivity a secret, not to mention the reason she had been forced into seclusion in the first place. If Wei Ying had done what he did, the sects wouldn’t have hesitated to hunt him down. He was well aware that his place, or rather former place, in the gentry allowed him privilege that wouldn’t have included his beloved. 

He had hoped, in a faroff fantasy of his, that Wei Ying would have been afforded more leeway as his spouse. That by virtue of being Hanguang-jun’s husband, he would have been somewhat protected. However, that was never meant to be. 

He still kept careful watch for sect cultivators and Lan cultivators in particular. But A-Yuan and he mostly strayed to areas not carefully watched by the major sects. Where cultivators were still needed, yet did not garner much attention. They had once come close to passing through Yunmeng, but he couldn’t bear to enter the city. Wei Ying had offered to show him around if he ever visited. It felt wrong to see it without him when he had initially rebuffed his offer. 

However, when they did go near their borders, they had a rather… unfortunate encounter. 

Lan Zhan was quite sure he did not ever want to look at Jiang Wanyin in his life, but he especially did not want to see him when it was far past A-Yuan’s bedtime and he had just gotten done with a night hunt of his own. A night hunt that, apparently, was the Jiang sect’s property. 

“Lan Wangji,” Jiang Wanyin sounded mocking even through his greeting. The Jiang cultivators around him looked confused then shocked when they finally figured out that the man in front of them was Hanguang-jun. “Did you think an outfit change would keep people from recognizing you?” 

It wasn’t a foolproof plan, but it had worked well so far. However, Lan Zhan wasn’t under the impression that it would fool anyone he’d spent a significant amount of time with. And, regrettably, Jiang Wanyin was one of those people given the three months they spent together while searching for Wei Ying. 

Lan Zhan didn’t bother answering the man. In the past, he was a member of the gentry and, more than that, a member of the inner family. Lan rules stated that politeness must be exercised with people of similar station. But he didn’t really consider himself that at the moment. Not anymore. 

“What? No response?” Jiang Wanyin mocked. “Finally given up Lan propriety?” 

Truthfully, Lan Zhan could have killed him right there. He was firmly under his banner of hatred, given his contribution to Wei Ying’s death. If he was alone and if he had starved off the desire for death, he would have simply rushed him and stabbed him through before he could even react. But A-Yuan was here. Hiding behind his robes, quivering like never before. Thankfully, Lan Zhan didn’t think that any of the other cultivators could see him. They were standing near some bush and undergrowth, and it was dark. Plus, there was no reason for Jiang Wanyin to think he would be with anyone.

Jiang Wanyin scoffed and sneered, annoyed that he hadn’t provoked a response. But he turned away and threw up one of his hands. “Whatever. Just stay out of Yunmeng. I don’t want to see your face around here again.” 

Lan Zhan shared the sentiment. 

He waited until the group was far enough away that he couldn’t hear them stomping over the grass and foliage. He turned towards his son. “A-Yuan, are you alright?” 

The boy looked up at him, eyes wide. “Who were those guys, A-Die?” 

Lan Zhan bent down and scooped his son into his arms, mostly to comfort himself. He began walking in the opposite direction the Jiang cultivators had taken. “Bad people. A-Yuan, you are to stay away from anyone in purple, white, or gold. Do you understand?” 

A-Yuan settled into his arms and grabbed a lock of his hair like he always did when he wanted comfort or reassurance. “I understand… But if I need help, who do I go to?” 

That, Lan Zhan didn’t know. “I will always be there to help. Do not worry.” 

A-Yuan nodded and set his head on his shoulder. Lan Zhan wondered if the boy believed him or not. 

~*~

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time they interacted with cultivators from one of the great sects. 

After looping around Yunmeng to avoid another interaction with Jiang cultivators, they passed through Guangling, close to Jin territory. As far as Lan Zhan had heard, the heir to the Jin sect, Jin Rulan, was being raised by both Jiang Wanyin and the Jin inner family, particularly Jin Guangyao. In another life, Lan Zhan might have reached out to introduce the boys to each other in an attempt to foster some friendship in honor of both Wei Ying and Jiang Yanli. He knew they both would have been delighted if the boys were to get along. 

But as it was, A-Yuan would be growing up alone, if not for Lan Zhan himself. 

This time, when he took a night hunt in Jin territory, he did a thorough job of making sure that no Jin cultivators should interrupt him while he worked. And the villagers must have either lied or he must have had an extremely bad stroke of luck, because when he went out that night to take care of a bear yao, he found several men clad in gold, setting up traps with spiritual rope. 

Lan Zhan could admit that traps and talismans could be useful at the correct times. If one was not confident in their skills or was recovering their golden core strength, traps would be a good use of rope that would still take care of the problem while also allowing the cultivator to retreat to relative safety. 

However, more and more Lan Zhan was noticing that lazy cultivators were using them to do the work for them. Attaching talismans to the nets that would alert them any time the trap was triggered, then drinking in excess at a local tavern. 

Lan Zhan wasn’t surprised to find that the Jin sect followed these prerogatives. He was displeased to find that his time was wasted, but it also seemed that time was something he had an abundance of nowadays. 

He began to turn away, A-Yuan in his arms, when a small, high-pitched scream rattled in his ears. 

Lan Zhan flinched, and his immediate thought was that A-Yuan had been struck somehow. He moved to pull the boy away from his chest, but his son’s little arms wouldn’t loosen around his neck. They only seemed to grow tighter. “A-Yuan? A-Yuan!” 

The boy didn’t answer and only dug his face into his shoulder. By now, they had garnered the attention of two nearby Jin cultivators. But Lan Zhan wasn’t about to stick around to be wrongly interrogated. He mounted his sword immediately and took off into the air without a second thought. Once he was sure they weren’t being followed, he touched down again and this time managed to successfully dislodge A-Yuan from him. 

“A-Yuan? Answer me, I need to know if you’re alright.” 

A-Yuan simply began crying, inconsolable and overwhelmed. Lan Zhan sighed and brought the boy back into his embrace. He was relatively sure he wasn’t physically harmed, but it was clear that something had seriously frightened him. He would allow the boy to cry himself into exhaustion and allow him to calm down until he could speak again. 

The time happened three minutes later, and Lan Zhan took out a handkerchief to wipe his son’s tears and allow him to blow his nose. The boy sniffled but seemed mostly relaxed. “A-Yuan?” he tried again. 

A-Yuan’s lips quivered, but he didn’t cry again. “I’m sorry, A-Die.” 

“There is no need for sorry.” He ran a soothing hand down his back. “Tell me what scared you so much.” 

“I don’t know. I was okay, and I just don’t know why, but I saw those men… and I just… I don’t know, I’m sorry, but I just don’t know!” 

Lan Zhan shook his head and hugged A-Yuan before he could work himself up again. “It is alright, A-Yuan. I understand.” 

“Y-You do?”

A-Yuan might not remember, but it was clear that the trauma the sects inflicted on him when they raided the Burial Mounds still affected him subconsciously. It wasn’t shocking that the first sect to trigger a panic in A-Yuan like this was the Jin sect; he was well aware of the sheer number of Jin cultivators that contributed to the Dafan Wens’ massacre. They were by far the most numerous. 

“Those cultivators in yellow and gold are Jin cultivators. They are one of the colors that I told you to stay away from a few weeks ago. Can you remember the other colors I said to avoid?” 

“Yes!” A successful strategy Lan Zhan had learned to distract A-Yuan was to ask him about things he already knew. “The other colors were purple and… white!” 

Lan Zhan nodded and straightened from his crouch. “Correct. You may not remember, but a long time ago, those men did something bad. Which is why you may be frightened when you see them and which is why you must stay away from them.” 

A-Yuan followed him as they began to widdle through trees and bushes. “What did they do?” 

“I’ll tell you when you’re older.” 

A-Yuan pouted at that but didn’t argue and thankfully looked considerably less frightened. And Lan Zhan didn’t lie. At least not to his son. If his son later asked, at a reasonable age, he fully intended to educate A-Yuan on exactly what happened at the Burial Mounds. 

They were likely the only two people alive who would care to remember what happened that day. 

~*~

“No, A-Yuan. Like this.” 

Lan Zhan adjusted his son’s hands across the strings, placing them in the correct positions. “Try again.” 

A-Yuan plucked at the strings, firm but cautious. Lan Zhan listened as the novice notes began to fill the air. If they were at an inn, he would have put a silencing talisman on the door, but right now they were in the open space of a valley. Where the notes didn’t seem as loud but were all the more free. 

Lan Zhan had made it clear that A-Yuan could choose any instrument to cultivate with, but the boy was convinced the guqin was the only one for him. And like his studies in meditation and night hunting, he took to it rather well, if not a bit distractedly. Which was good, considering he would have been a poor teacher for any other instrument. 

His uncle probably would have popped a vein if he heard the poor plucks on Wangji’s strings, but Lan Zhan had no such reactions. Even if only every other note was passable, A-Yuan’s skill had improved since last month. Even last week. He wasn’t concerned with exponential growth; better than before was good enough for the both of them. 

A-Yuan’s notes stretched out as far as they could go. Until his memory failed him, and he forgot the rest of the song. “I… don’t know the rest.” 

“That is alright. Pay attention. I will play from where you left off.” Lan Zhan’s hands stretched around his son’s body, playing easily even without seeing the strings or the placement of his hands. He finished the song then guided A-Yuan’s hands back into place. “Try again.” 

A-Yuan managed to finish the song, even if it was with more than a few mistakes. But it was clear he was noting proper posture and plucking technique, as well as timing. 

“Very good, A-Yuan.” Lan Zhan placed a hand on the boy’s head, and A-Yuan turned around to grin at him with all his teeth. 

“Thank you!” A-Yuan then slumped in his lap as if playing had taken all the energy out of him. It was a little theatrical, but playing an instrument probably did tire out a small child like himself. “A-Die, play something for me please.” 

“What would you like to hear?” 

A-Yuan crawled off of his legs and placed himself on the other side of the guqin, spreading out his arms and legs. “A song please.” 

“Very well.” Lan Zhan began the beginning notes of Rest but was promptly interrupted. 

“No!” A-Yuan cried, displeased. “A song!” 

It was commendable that A-Yuan could tell the difference between cultivation music and music meant for simple pleasure only from a few notes, but he wasn’t pleased with his tone. “A-Yuan.” 

His son looked properly chastised then said quietly, “I would like to listen to a proper song please.” 

Lan Zhan took a breath then nodded. “Alright.” And began to play a song he hadn’t played in years. 

Lan Zhan had an excellent memory. When he memorized something, it was permanently fixated in his brain, so he could call upon the knowledge whenever it suited him. This was greatly needed when he worked on restoring the ancient Lan texts after their library was burned. It was even more useful when he was teaching A-Yuan everything he knew about cultivation. So even though he couldn’t bear to play Wangxian for many years even after it was fully completed, he still played it perfectly without a note out of place. 

It seemed A-Yuan could immediately tell that this piece was different from anything he had played before because the boy went quiet and still. As usual, Wangxian was finished after only a few minutes. It wasn’t a particularly long song by Gusu standards, but that made it all the more passionate for Lan Zhan. Really, he was just glad he managed to play the entire song without promptly reducing himself to tears. 

But for A-Yuan it seemed to evoke the exact opposite reaction. “Woah! A-Die, that was so beautiful! So pretty!” 

His son’s praise for the song he wrote for Wei Ying soothed his heart ever so slightly. “Thank you, A-Yuan.” 

The boy climbed right back into his lap, attention fully given once more, energy revived. “Teach me to play it please!” 

Lan Zhan blinked, but his face softened. He began to play again, slower this time. “Watch carefully…” 

Lan Zhan never thought he would ever play Wangxian for a single soul other than Wei Ying. Not even his own brother, not even before his betrayal. But he found it easy to share his love for Wei Ying with A-Yuan, one of the only people who saw his beloved for what he was: a kind soul worth trusting and loving. 

Lan Zhan remembered reading a piece that claimed grief was just love with nowhere to go. He agreed with the sentiment; oftentimes, he found himself choked with desires and emotions he would never be able to express now that Wei Ying was no longer in this world. But through these years with A-Yuan, he’d learned to channel those feelings into love for their son. What should have been Wei Ying’s was now inherited by A-Yuan. 

Lan Zhan was sure Wei Ying wouldn’t have disapproved. 

~*~

Lan Zhan had always made sure that A-Yuan birthdays were subtly special. 

They either went out to a restaurant or did something A-Yuan had been wanting to do. Nothing extravagant. Because of money expenses but also because it simply wasn’t either of their styles. But his son seemed content with the routine. So much so that he began surprising him with his own celebration of his birthday. 

As soon as A-Yuan reached a more responsible age, Lan Zhan always made sure to give his son enough of their earnings, so that he wouldn’t be completely poor should he perish suddenly. He wanted to teach him responsibility, but he also wanted A-Yuan to be able to buy things that caught his eye without asking. And he did, though he confessed he noticed that most of the money went to buying presents. 

Lan Zhan wished he had the creativity to give personalized gifts to A-Yuan. Something he created himself. He knew Wei Ying would have spoiled A-Yuan with crafts and talismans of his own creation. He only heard after the fact that when Wei Ying was ambushed at Qionglin Path, he had been carrying a gift for his nephew. It was probably irrevocably lost by now, but if it wasn’t, he would have made every effort to give it to the boy. 

A-Yuan had a similar proclivity to Wei Ying when it came to giving gifts. Lan Zhan had sold his guan shortly after A-Yuan had recovered from his illness. It was another item from his past that he had forgotten to leave behind in his haste. He ended up getting quite a heavy sum for the expensive piece and bought a cheap wooden one after acquiring their red and black robes. 

Having noticed this, A-Yuan set out to visit endless shops, looking for an affordable yet well made guan. Lan Zhan gracefully pretended not to notice the purpose of these shopping trips and acted ignorant through his weeks of searching. And even though he knew what the gift was before opening it, he still felt immensely grateful. 

That was when he decided that A-Yuan was ready for a sword of his own. 

~*~

There were so many things about parenting that Lan Zhan heard but had never taken to heart until he had a child of his own. 

People said, “They grow up so fast.” But Lan Zhan looked around himself in his youth, at the younger disciples and children of his sect, and they seemed to be growing as slow as ever. 

But now with A-Yuan by his side, he couldn’t believe how true those words were. It wasn’t that he was opposed to A-Yuan growing up. On the contrary, it gave him much joy to see A-Yuan grow into a kind, capable, young man. 

It just simply happened so fast. 

The memories he had of teaching A-Yuan how to hold a brush were stored right next to the memories of him showing his son how to wield a proper sword. Tying up his short hair was located right next to seeing him let down his long hair. Correcting him in etiquette seemed so close to the memory of watching him be flustered by the daughter of a farmer. 

When Lan Zhan commissioned a sword for A-Yuan, that was when he finally began to see the beginning of his son’s independence.

He had begun saving for it several years before the day actually came. Lan Zhan had never given thought to how much a spiritual sword cost before. Bichen was created and issued to him without a second thought. But he needed to plan a bit more than that. 

Firstly, he needed to make sure he could accumulate that amount of money. When he asked a blacksmith what a spiritual sword might cost, he was given a number much higher than what he expected. But it wasn’t impossible to reach. It would just take some time. 

Then he had to make the decision of who he wanted to make it. Sects could easily commission swords of the highest caliber, given their reputation. However, rouge cultivators evidently struggled to get their hands on a suitable sword. After traveling for several months, he ended up settling on a forge in Meishan, who had actually made several swords for the Yu clan. He was confident that whatever product they produced would be worthy of his son’s cultivation. 

When Lan Zhan finally told A-Yuan of his plan, the boy was happier than he’d ever seen him. Up until this point, he had been using Bichen to go through Gusu sword techniques and Wangji to play through cultivation pieces. Bichen had obeyed A-Yuan as well as any sword could, given he was not its proper owner. But having a sword to call your own, that was something every cultivator needed. 

“Really? I’m getting a sword? Of my own?” 

Lan Zhan nodded. Surely, A-Yuan didn’t think he’d have him use Bichen for the rest of his life. “We will head to Meishan in the morning. There is a blacksmith there that I believe will make you a fine sword.” 

A-Yuan bounced on his heels a few times before he couldn’t stand it and dashed forward to push his face into his chest. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” 

Lan Zhan nodded and embraced the boy back. “Mn.” 

That day, for the first time in years, A-Yuan was awake before Lan Zhan. He could tell, as they began to go through their routine of breakfast, that the boy was only barely keeping himself from dragging his father all the way across the country. But Lan Zhan didn’t let him suffer in his impatience any more than he needed to. As soon as they were full, he lifted them both into the air and flew them across Kuizhou into Meishan. 

He touched back down only a few hours later, right outside the borders of the city. The city was busy, as expected of this time of year. Fall was soon approaching, and people were beginning to stock up on supplies for the coming winter. Lan Zhan hoped that wouldn’t delay their commission. 

It was quite easy to locate the forge. They had already been through the city months ago when he settled on this blacksmith and noted its location in his mind. When they entered the store attached to the actual forge, echoes of metal striking metal filled the space, and he had to speak loudly to gain the attention of the storekeeper. 

“Hello? Hello?” 

Suddenly, they heard a rustle from the area behind the counter. An older man of retiring age came around the corner. “Ah, welcome. Sorry about that. Old ears and a loud workspace don’t exactly make a good combination.” 

Lan Zhan had no response to that, so he opted to stay silent. Wei Ying would have definitely known what to say. 

The old man took his silence as an invitation to keep talking. “I assume you’re here to issue a commission?” 

Lan Zhan nodded. “Yes. We’re here for my son.” He gestured to A-Yuan as he stepped forward. “We’d like a spiritual sword made for him.” 

“A spiritual sword?” The man looked momentarily surprised then took a more detailed look at him. “Ah, I see… You do look like a cultivator.” The man’s eyes drifted to A-Yuan. “Want to follow in your dad’s footsteps, eh?” 

A-Yuan nodded and smiled. “Would you be making my sword?” 

“Oh no,” the man chuckled and waved away the suggestion. “I’m way past my blacksmithing days. Back’s finally given out on me. That’ll be my daughter, but she’s excellent. I’m the one who trained her after all.” He laughed for a second then quickly sobered up. “But young master, I should warn you, spiritual swords for rogue cultivators like yourself cost a pretty penny, I’m sorry to say.” 

Lan Zhan bowed his head in understanding. “I came prepared.” 

“That’s what I like to hear. Well, you’re in luck then because we just finished a big order for a sect, can’t say who of course. Customer confidentiality naturally. But that means we’ll be able to start on your sword right away. Let me fetch my daughter. She’ll want to meet you before she gets started.” 

The old man disappeared behind the corner, and they only had to wait a few minutes before two pairs of footsteps joined them. This time, the man was joined by a tall woman with soot streaks across her face. She was a few years older than A-Yuan but still noticeably young. Her outer robes were tied haphazardly around her waist, and Lan Zhan got the sense that she was wearing them more for their benefit than her own. 

“Ah, new customers. Welcome, welcome. I’m Chen Bao.” The girl gave a quick, perfunctory bow, barely giving them time to return it. She waved a hand to her side. “And this is my old man, Chen Dongyang, because I’m sure he forgot to give it to you.” 

The man looked properly annoyed but didn’t correct his daughter. 

Chen Bao fixated her gaze on A-Yuan and put her hands on her hips. “So you must be the one I’m making a sword for. Be grateful. I only make great swords, one’s that’ll last you your whole life. You better thank your dad.” 

“Of course!” A-Yuan almost sounded insulted by the mere suggestion that he might not thank Lan Zhan. 

Chen Bao grinned teasingly. “Good. Now it doesn’t matter all that much, but what sword style are you learning or are most likely to use?” 

“I’ve already started my training. But as for the sword style…,” A-Yuan trailed off and sneaked a glance at his father, obviously unsure how to answer. 

Lan Zhan appreciated the attempt at discretion, but they should answer as accurately as possible to make sure A-Yuan got the best sword for him. “Our style can be best described as ‘firm.’”

Chen Bao nodded. “Kinda like the Gusu Lan style.” If only she knew how accurate that guess was. “Good choice. How long are you both planning to stay in town for? Spiritual swords usually take about a week, and I don’t like to be rushed.” 

“We will stay in town for as long as it takes,” Lan Zhan answered. 

“That’s what I like to hear.” She smiled. “Now final question young man: what do you want to name your sword?” 

A-Yuan blinked. Then a serious expression came to his face as he began to frantically think. 

The woman laughed. “Okay, how about you think on it and come back in a few days? I know it’s a heavy question, but no need to bruise your brain over it. The engraving comes at the very end, so you have some time.” 

A-Yuan flushed in slight embarrassment and nodded. “If that would be alright…” 

“Totally fine. Now I’ll leave you with my old man to haggle over a price.” Chen Bao turned around to head back into the forge, and Lan Zhan focused his attention once more on Chen Dongyang. 

“Lively, isn’t she? Thinks she runs the show already, despite the fact that I’m not in my grave yet!” He waved them both over to the counter where he pulled out a notebook, likely a record of all purchases. “But let’s get that price for you, so you folks can get on with your day.” 

Eventually, they settled on an agreed number, barring they were satisfied with the product once it was finished. Haggling wasn’t something that came easy to Lan Zhan, but he’d learned over the years that it was necessary if one wanted to save money. Plus, he’d been told he had a great gambling face, though he didn’t quite know what that meant because he didn’t gamble. 

When they left the forge, A-Yuan was still deep in thought about the name of his sword. Lan Zhan was content to let him seep in his thoughts as they began to go through their day. He gave a perfunctory glance over the city, but the telling signs of a cultivator being needed weren’t found. But he knew that was likely. Meishan Yu wasn’t exactly a big sect, but from what he gathered, they were competent and didn’t neglect the common people. 

That night, they stayed outside the city, carefully picking a spot well away from the border to hopefully avoid bothering anyone. Lan Zhan lit their fire and prepared their dinner—a simple congee dish with fish for A-Yuan. Although he wasn’t beholden to the Lan rules anymore about meals, he still didn’t develop a taste for any sort of meat. 

A-Yuan made it halfway through his portion before speaking. “A-Die, could you name my sword?” 

“No, A-Yuan. Your sword should be named by you and you alone.” 

“You couldn’t give me like… a little hint?” 

“No. And I am not the person to be asking advice for this particular issue.” His brother and uncle had made it very clear that he wasn’t very creative when it came to names. He was satisfied with the name he gave his sword but admitted the name he gave his guqin was… a bit on the nose.

A-Yuan smiled softly. “You’re right… I just want it to be a good name. Like Bichen. Something that’ll suit the sword, but I don’t know what it’s going to be like until I see it.” 

“I’m sure whatever you choose will fit.” Lan Zhan set his bowl to the side, having finished his meal. “You have a few days to decide. Don’t stress.” 

A-Yuan nodded. “Mn.” 

The next day passed in a similar fashion. Nothing of note happened, but Lan Zhan could tell they were both anxious about the coming sword. He had his son go through the Gusu Lan sword forms once more with Bichen, noting that it would be the last time his son would use his sword. He picked a random song and had A-Yuan play it from memory. He only made a few mistakes, but he was pretty certain they were from distraction and not true negligence. 

But the next day, A-Yuan was awake before him, looking at him with a serious expression. “A-Die, I know what I want to name my sword.” 

So they finished their morning routine, ate breakfast, and set out for the forge. When they usually woke up in the morning, there were seldom other people awake at that time. This morning was no different. Even the earliest shopkeepers were yawning as they began to set up their stalls. 

Lan Zhan had a brief thought that they might have to wait a few hours for the Chen family household to be ready to accept customers. They wouldn’t want to wake them earlier than their usual time. He used to scoff at people who struggled to wake early in the morning, attributing it to lack of discipline. But through raising A-Yuan and interacting with the common people more than ever, he realized that some people simply struggled to wake in the morning, drowsy-eyed and sleepy, unlike himself who did not see the point in sleeping in. 

Lan Zhan decided they would only briefly check in to see if anyone was awake before coming back at a different time. “Hello?” 

They waited similarly like last time but weren’t greeted with Chen Dongyang. But they still heard the familiar sound of metal striking metal. Lan Zhan led them around the store to where the actual forge was held and noted the hotter air. They spotted a familiar back, loading coals into a flaming hearth. 

“Chen Bao?” Lan Zhan called. 

The woman jerked but thankfully didn’t drop the shovel she was using. She turned around then waved when she saw them. She continued shoveling until she was satisfied and closed the mouth of the hearth before walking over to them. “Welcome friends. What are you doing here this late?” 

Lan Zhan gave a pause. “Lady Chen, it is morning.” 

Chen Bao jerked then properly looked around where the forge was lit with the early morning light. “Oh dear… Baba is gonna be mad…” She straightened and cleared her throat; they obviously weren’t meant to hear that. “Anyway, I assume you’re here about the sword name?” 

“Yes,” A-Yuan piped up. “I’ve settled on a name.” 

“That’s great. What is it?” 

“Huo Huaban.” 

“That’s a good name.” Chen Bao waved them towards her as she began to make her way back to the store. She had A-Yuan write down the name, making sure to use the correct characters he wanted before sending them off on their way. She assured them the sword was coming along nicely and would be ready in a few short days. She asked where they were staying, so she might send the sword along to be delivered to them, but Lan Zhan declined. He appreciated the service, but they were more than capable of returning in a few days time to fetch it themselves. 

And in a few days they did. 

A-Yuan was practically vibrating in excitement as they walked over to the forge. They entered the shop where Chen Dongyang was occupying the front desk and greeted them warmly. Lan Zhan admitted that the pair had grown on him quite a bit. They were personal, reliable, and energetic. He appreciated the simple flair they added to their service. 

“Young master, I have your sword right here.” The old man disappeared behind the archway behind the front desk and returned with the sheathed sword. 

Huo Huaban was a fine blade, even if it was drastically different from Bichen. Bichen was heavy even for a spiritual sword, and those without golden cores would be unable to lift it no matter how hard they tried. Lan Zhan could see that A-Yuan was surprised at how much different it felt once he picked it up. 

“It’s so light.” A-Yuan grasped its scabbard then hilt and edged the sword out of its casing slightly. Huo Huaban’s decorations were dark and blended together with its red and black color scheme quite well. While Bichen stood out even under the darkest of nights, it was clear Huo Huaban was going to be a subtle sword that didn’t gain much attention. 

It suited A-Yuan quite well. 

“Well, young man. How does it feel?” 

A-Yuan grinned and fully sheathed his sword, bowing with it in hand. “Everything I have wanted. Thank you so much.” 

“Ah, the gratitude is appreciated but not needed.” Chen Dongyang waved him dismissively. “Just doing a trade and doing it well. A-Bao will be disappointed that she wasn’t the one to give it to you herself, but she worked through the night once again and is currently sleeping.” 

“Please let her know that I will treat it and use it well.” 

“She’ll be satisfied with just that.” 

After seeing that A-Yuan was happy and checking the sword himself, Lan Zhan paid the agreed-upon price, and they were back on the road once more. And he felt like A-Yuan was one step closer to being fully independent. 

Chapter Text

A-Yuan was just coming out of childhood and entering adolescence when he had his first real brush with danger. 

Lan Zhan had been listening to various accounts from various people, and something wasn’t adding up. It was agreed upon by inn managers, businessmen, wives, travelers:

Something was wrong with Yi City. But no one was able or willing to investigate. Lan Zhan decided to take it upon himself to find out what was plaguing the town. 

It couldn’t have been a regular night hunt. Fierce ghosts and spirits and yaos were recognizable and commonplace enough that even the most sheltered commoner would be able to recognize the signs. So something else must have been happening. 

The journey was simple enough. Even though it was close, Lan Zhan still had them fly there on their swords. A-Yuan was making leaps and bounds in his cultivation now that he had his own sword and now that they could spar with each other. But he still needed experience to develop into a full-fledged cultivator. 

At first glance, the town looked normal enough. However, a closer look garnered more than a few questions. 

Firstly, there were far fewer people than Lan Zhan would imagine, given the size of the town. And the few people who were walking around looked tired and weary and soulless. As if their will to live had been taken right in front of them. It was clear A-Yuan had picked up on it as well; he stuck more to his father’s side than usual when they were surveying the town. 

And when Lan Zhan approached a saleswoman, he didn’t gain much information.

“Ah, young man,” the woman said, fatigue clear in her voice. “Can I help you?” 

“Is something wrong with this town?” Lan Zhan asked bluntly. 

A-Yuan interjected when they didn’t receive a favorable reaction, “We heard rumors and were concerned, so we came to investigate.” 

The woman’s face smoothed in understanding. “I’m surprised you’re here, but thank you for it anyway. I thought we’d been forgotten by the outside world.” She winced, and A-Yuan jerked forward to help her sit down on her stool nearby. “Our people are vanishing right out from under our noses.” 

“Disappearances? No one mentioned anything about that,” A-Yuan commented, and Lan Zhan agreed. Crimes like this should have been reported to the nearest sect to be investigated thoroughly. 

The woman shook her head. “No one likes to say so, but that’s what we all think. We tried to get help, but the able-bodied people who left vanished just as well. We all tell ourselves that they simply… left, but we all know that we could soon disappear as well.” 

“Where do you think they’ve disappeared to?” Lan Zhan asked. 

“I dare not say. I’ve been wondering what or who could be taking our people. But I haven’t seen a new face around here in months. Nobody causes any sort of disturbances.” 

“Have any other cultivators come to help?” A-Yuan’s face was earnest and open, and Lan Zhan could see that the old woman was slowly beginning to trust them as the conversation continued. 

“Not recently. Though I do believe one of the men who regularly comes to my stall is a cultivator. He dresses in white and wears a bandage over his eyes. I believe he’s blind, poor thing. Don’t know how though. He doesn’t move like he’s used to not seeing.” 

Lan Zhan instantly tensed at the mention of a white-robed cultivator. But as he began to think, the more he realized it was likely not a Lan cultivator like himself. The Lans, like most Great Sects, operated in groups; rarely would one of them be on their own, save for himself. Lan Zhan suspected he knew who might be this rogue cultivator, but he would have to verify to be sure. 

“Is there an inn you recommend in town? We’ll stay as long as necessary, until the situation is resolved.” 

Based on the woman’s reaction, that was obviously not what she was expecting. “You will? Oh, thank you. Please, go right down this street right here. There’ll be a faded, green sign. That inn is run by an old friend of mine. Tell her Shong Shi sent you, and she’ll get you right in. Not that we’re exactly buzzing with people right now.” 

Lan Zhan and A-Yuan bowed respectfully before departing, taking the woman’s advice. When they arrived, they were greeted with another old woman, this one much grumpier. But she was perfectly hospitable once her friend’s name was dropped as promised, and the pair was led into a suitable, if old, inn room. Lan Zhan attempted to offer payment, but the woman wouldn’t have it. 

“If you’re here for the reason I think you are, you best believe I won’t be taking your money.” Her eyes strayed to their cultivation swords, and they took her hint. “Help my town, and we’ll call it even.” 

Lan Zhan planned on leaving this town with his money sack significantly lighter, but he did not say that and simply nodded to appease the woman. She left with a short comment about dinner being sent up shortly. 

“A-Die, what do you actually think is happening?” 

Lan Zhan looked up at his son. “I’m not sure. Night hunts typically leave bodies. Kidnappings are unusual.” 

A-Yuan nodded in agreement. “So it’s either a really weird nighthunt… or it’s not a nighthunt at all.” 

In other words, it was a person they would have to take care of. 

“It seemed like you might know the person Shong Shi mentioned. The man in white?” 

Lan Zhan was quite pleased A-Yuan was so astute and was able to gather that much. “Perhaps. I’m not sure. We’ll investigate tomorrow.” 

And investigate tomorrow they did. After getting directions from the innkeeper about where they might find the white robed cultivator, they set off early in the morning. Eventually, some steps down the path, they came across an old building connected to some stables. It was dilapidated and worn but obviously lived in, based on the water in a bucket nearby and the fresh footprints across the dirt. 

A-Yuan knocked some knuckles on the wooden gates near the front of the property and called out, “Hello? Is anyone here?” 

There wasn’t any sound for a moment, but then they heard some grumbling and shuffling coming from inside one of the buildings. Lan Zhan and A-Yuan patiently waited by the gates while they saw a young girl tumble presumably out of bed and make her way towards them. She held a stick and moved quite stiffly. When she got closer, Lan Zhan could see that her eyes were white and strangely still. 

“Who’s there?” she asked as she approached them, stopping an awkward distance from them. 

“Just a pair of cultivators, miss,” A-Yuan answered, and they bowed, despite what they both presumed. “We were wondering if you could answer some questions. We are investigating some disappearances in the town near here.” 

A conflicted expression passed over her face. Like she was debating something. Just when she made up her mind and opened her mouth to speak, Lan Zhan heard footsteps behind them and faint voices. The girl jerked, having heard them too, and suddenly abandoned her stick to grab them both. She yanked them through the property, abandoning her apparent ruse of being blind, and hid them all behind the forest of one of the buildings. She held a finger up to her lips, and they both nodded to assure her they understood. 

The footsteps and voices got close enough that Lan Zhan was able to discern it was two men. Their conversation reached their ears, and one voice was irritated. 

“…girl left her stick laying around. Where did she run off to?” 

The other man’s voice was gentle and placating. “A-Qing likes to wander. I’m sure she’ll be back in time for breakfast. You’re sure she’s not still sleeping though?” 

“Can’t see her in her usual bed. Unless she’s decided to take up demonic cultivation in her free time and learned how to hide herself.” 

This time, the other man’s voice was scolding as they moved around the buildings, setting down their loads. “You shouldn’t joke about such things.” 

“Yes, yes… Anyway, want to night hunt again tonight? I think there might be some fierce corpses around the area.” 

“Again? It seemed we just took care of some not too long ago.” 

“Beats me. Maybe the sects around here really are so incompetent. That’s why you’re a rogue cultivator, isn’t it, daozhang?” 

“…Something like that.” 

The pair of voices began to drift, and Lan Zhan heard a snippet about them sparring until A-Qing returned. Slowly, the three of them began to relax. He addressed the young girl, “A-Qing?” 

She stiffened slightly then straightened and nodded. “Yes.” 

“Who were those two?” A-Yuan asked. “They seemed to know you, but you wanted to hide…” 

“I trust Daozhang, not that other man.” A-Qing shivered at the mention. “I think he might be the person you’re looking for. I’ve heard whispers from the people in Yi City. About them disappearing. I don’t know how, but you cannot trust that man.” 

“Who is he?” Lan Zhan asked. 

A-Qing shook her head. “I don’t know. When Daozhang found him, he didn’t give a name. He seems really attached to Daozhang for some reason. He hates me. And almost killed me once.” 

“Almost?” A-Yuan’s voice raised in alarm. 

“I think he was testing me. Obviously I passed or I’d be dead already. I don’t know what to do. I can’t convince Daozhang to leave. He can’t see and seems to actually care about him. I just…” 

“We will investigate,” Lan Zhan assured the girl. “Return to them and act as if nothing has changed. We will follow them tonight when they go on their night hunt.” 

A-Qing didn’t look entirely convinced, but she nodded bravely and returned to her dilapidated home. Lan Zhan only needed to look at A-Yuan, and they were swiftly cutting through the forest to avoid any interactions with the pair of men they eavesdropped on. A-Yuan only began to speak when they were a safe distance away. 

“A-Die, do you think those two men are behind the disappearances?” 

“I don’t know,” Lan Zhan replied honestly. “Don’t jump to conclusions. We will continue investigating and uncover the truth.” 

“Oh, yes. Of course…” A-Yuan’s head dipped a little in disappointment, and he didn’t speak for the rest of their walk. His son had good instincts, but something he got a little too ahead of himself. 

When they arrived back at Yi City, there was commotion near the edge of town. So like all good cultivators, the pair of father and son raced to the scene. There were several people gathered in a large group, yelling and asking questions. Two bundles of food were strewn about the street, clearly dropped and abandoned. Lan Zhan began to listen to the people’s conversation: 

“Where? Where did they go?” 

“I didn’t see! I don’t know!” 

“Well, they couldn’t have vanished, now could they?” 

“Did they simply leave?” 

“And drop their food on the ground? Not likely.” 

“Oh dear… another pair missing…” 

“He’s getting bolder. Right in broad daylight…” 

“‘He’?” 

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Someone is taking them!” 

It wasn’t hard to deduce that another pair of people had been taken. This time on a busy street. Lan Zhan was under the impression that these people were being stolen from their homes or late at night when traveling, but now it was apparent that the kidnapper was skilled and reckless enough to take people right off the street. Lan Zhan didn’t know of any normal cultivator who could do such a thing. It was likely the work of someone using underhanded means… 

“Come, A-Yuan.” Lan Zhan quickly put a hand behind A-Yuan’s back to lead him away from the scene, where people were only getting themselves worked up. He began to head them back towards their inn. 

They would come back later to investigate the scene with fewer witnesses and hopefully interfere with the men A-Qing was worried about. 

~*~

When Lan Zhan and A-Yuan set out that night, they immediately headed towards the location of the latest disappearances. 

It had been cleared since they had last been there. The food and supplies that were originally on the ground were nowhere to be found. Lan Zhan didn’t know who had taken them, but he didn’t particularly care. It wouldn’t have helped them track down the missing people anyway. 

Lan Zhan wasn’t an expert tracker by any means, but he could see through the traffic of a typical day and spot four lines dragging through the dirt; likely the tracks left behind by two people who were dragged away. A-Yuan saw the same. 

“It looks like they were indeed taken. But if they were dragged, how could no one have seen anything?” 

“He could have used a talisman.” Lan Zhan began to lead them into the forest, looking for any more clues or tracks. “Or demonic cultivation if he is versed in it.”

They continued into the forest, following the faint track marks. A-Yuan was just a fledgling cultivator, so he didn’t pick up on what Lan Zhan had noticed since they left the town. He did, however, notice his father acting strangely stiff. 

“A-Die?” 

“Someone is following us.” It was faint, but he could hear footsteps. 

A-Yuan stiffened, and his gait was slightly unsteady. “The kidnapper?” 

“Perhaps.” Lan Zhan wasn’t entirely convinced. He didn’t sense any kind of malice or violence from the person, but he would take no chances with his son next to him. It’d be better to find out sooner rather than later. 

He announced his knowledge of the stalker’s presence by unsheathing his sword with A-Yuan following close behind. There was a tense moment when no one moved, but then they heard movement from behind a cluster of trees. A moment later, a young man walked into the clearing. He was dressed like a cultivator, his hair pulled up in a simple guan. 

“Apologies,” he greeted. He slipped his sword back into its scabbard, and Lan Zhan relaxed slightly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“Ah, it’s alright,” A-Yuan said, and the three bowed to each other in greeting. Lan Zhan allowed the man to approach them but watched his every move. “Are you here about the disappearances as well?” 

“Of sorts,” the man responded. “My name is Song Lan.” And even though Lan Zhan had never met this man before, he instantly believed him. His reputation proceeded him, and this man fit the “distant snow and cold frost” he'd heard him described as.

“This one is A-Yuan, and this is my father.” 

Lan Zhan could tell that his lack of name wasn’t unnoticed by this other man, but he didn’t comment about it. “Why were you following us?” 

“I’m looking for someone. I thought you might be able to lead me to him. Another cultivator, in white.” 

“We may be looking for the same person then,” A-Yuan offered. “We’re currently investigating the disappearances in Yi City and think he might be connected.” 

“Impossible,” Song Lan immediately refuted. “He wouldn’t. Xiao Xingchen wouldn’t…” 

Ah, now Lan Zhan's suspicions had been confirmed. So one of the two men Lan Zhan and A-Yuan encountered earlier was Song Lan’s cultivation partner. The last Lan Zhan had heard of the two rogue cultivators, they had been traveling around the world together, night hunting. Something must have happened in the recent past to cause them to separate and for Song Lan to so desperately search for Xiao Xingchen. 

“We still don’t know the whole story,” Lan Zhan clarified. 

“That’s right! Why don’t we search together and find out what’s going on?” A-Yuan enthusiasm seemed to placate Song Lan for the moment, and he nodded. They continued tracking, but soon the marks left on the ground were too faded to make out. 

“The tracks stop here.” Song Lan stood from his crouch near the ground. “Is there anything else—”

He was suddenly cut off by snapping branches and scuffling a short distance away. There was no screaming but instead a deep, gurgling sound like that of a monster. The trio needed to share no words to race towards the noise. 

Lan Zhan didn’t know what they would find, but seeing a pair of normal men cutting through the trees, running towards them, wasn’t it. He expected them to be screaming, based of the terrified expressions on their faces, but there was none. Blood dripped from their mouths, almost as if…

There was a bright gleam in the trees, and Song Lan raced forward just in time to deflect a silver blade intent on stabbing one of the men. “Xiao Xingchen!” 

A moment later, a man wrapped in white robes with bandages across his eyes appeared and recalled his blade. He appeared stunned at the voice. “Song Lan…” 

“What are you doing?” Song Lan yelled. The man he had saved from his own cultivation partner’s sword was scrambling to his feet to continue to run away. The men were human as far as Lan Zhan could tell, but there was something wrong with them… 

“What am I doing…?” Xiao Xingchen scoffed. “What are you doing here?” 

“I’m here for you!” 

“I don’t want you here.” 

That struck as it was meant to. Song Lan’s expression crumpled, not that Xiao Xingchen could see. It was obvious he wanted to respond to that, but instead he said, “Why are you attacking people?” 

“People?” Xiao Xingchen seemed genuinely confused. “Those weren’t—” 

Song Lan’s figure went rigid so suddenly as another man came into sight that Lan Zhan felt himself tense as well. “You—” 

Xiao Xingchen turned to the new man, sword lowering. “This is—”

And despite the trust that Xiao Xingchen had shown this man, the new man used his own sword to bat Xiao Xingchen’s sword away and place his blade at his throat. “Ah, gege, it looks like the jig is up.” 

“Xue Yang,” Song Lan growled, seeming on the very edge of thrusting himself forward. “Let him go!” 

“Xue Yang?” Xiao Xingchen breathed, recognizing the name. “No… You’re not…” 

“Ah, gege, I’m offended you didn’t recognize my voice.” Xue Yang laughed cruelly. “But it was also so much fun spending time and night hunting with you.” 

Lan Zhan didn’t often listen to gossip, but even he had heard of what Xue Yang had done. He massacred the Yueyang Chang Clan because of a perceived slight, and even after being apprehended by Xiao Xingchen, he was spared the death sentence by Jin Guangshan. After being released, he targeted Baixue Temple and Song Lan’s eyes. The last he heard of Xue Yang, he was reportedly executed by Jin Guangyao. Obviously, that had been another lie spouted by his brother’s sworn brother. 

It wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened since then if Xiao Xingchen was blind and Song Lan’s sight had been restored. 

Now that he had taken Xiao Xingchen as a hostage, Xue Yang took a minute to observe the people in front of him. He grinned madly at Song Lan, but then his gaze shifted towards the only other two people in the area. He didn’t seem particularly interested in A-Yuan, even as the boy tensed. But he jerked in recognition when he saw Lan Zhan. 

“No way!” He squinted at him as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Hanguang-jun? What are you doing here? Gave up being a Lan cultivator to… what? Chase ideals?” 

A-Yuan jerked, and Lan Zhan realized this was the first time his son was hearing the title he was bestowed when he fought in the war. He didn’t respond, didn’t give Xue Yang the satisfaction. He instead turned to A-Yuan. 

“Follow those men and ensure they’re safely returned to town.” 

A-Yuan blinked blankly for a second before nodding. He paid a nervous glance towards Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen, but he obeyed and soon his footsteps couldn’t even be heard in the silence of the night. 

“And who was that Hanguang-jun?” Xue Yang called out. “Don’t tell me our beloved Lightbearing Lord actually had a child? I didn’t think you knew how that worked.” 

“Let him go, Xue Yang!” Song Lan’s outburst stole Xue Yang’s attention away. 

“Hmm, now why would I do that?” Xue Yang leaned forward, tracing the tip of his nose dangerously close to Xiao Xingchen’s neck. The cultivator cringed and leaned forward as much as the sword at his skin allowed. “I think he’s perfectly happy right here. Besides, aren’t you curious? Why dear ol’ Xiao Xingchen was killing people?” 

The weight of the air suddenly seemed to increase while the temperature seemed to drop. Song Lan’s jaw trembled, and Lan Zhan stood perfectly still. Neither of them wanted to break the silence. 

“No?” Xue Yang’s voice was mocking, but when was it not? “Dear daozhang… don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet?” 

Xiao Xingchen’s eyes were covered, but even Lan Zhan could see the look of anguish across his face. “No… that’s not… this isn’t…” 

“What? True? Real? You know I must applaud myself. I thought I was tormenting you by blinding Song Lan, but to think you’d give him your eyes, giving me another opportunity to torture you again!” 

“Xue Yang!” Song Lan took an aborted step forward but had to stop once Xue Yang raised his sword to his partner’s throat once again. 

“Did you know Shuanghua can’t tell the difference between a corpse and a human infected with—”

Just then, two things happened at nearly the same time. Xiao Xingchen took advantage of Xue Yang’s boasting to grab his hand and jerk Jiangzai away from his neck. And Song Lan immediately thrust himself forward to parry Xue Yang’s attack, where Xiao Xingchen was posed, vulnerable on the ground. The two must have had some communication Lan Zhan and Xue Yang weren’t privy to. 

Lan Zhan immediately sprinted forward and engaged with Xue Yang. The demonic cultivator didn’t seem very keen on fighting with him though as he spun away, laughing maniacally. No matter how crafty he was, he was still facing off against three skilled cultivators that wanted his head. Retreating was the smart move. 

As Lan Zhan gave chase to Xue Yang, he saw Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan perched on the ground. Xiao Xingchen had his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. Song Lan was curled around him like armor. That didn’t escape Xue Yang’s gaze. 

“Ah, did I break dear daozhang? I know you consider yourself an honorable cultivator. How does it feel to have killed nearly as many as me now?” 

That was likely a lie. Yi City was not a large town, the people that Xiao Xingchen had accidentally killed paled in comparison to how many Xue Yang had murdered needlessly. It was obviously said to induce further guilt. Lan Zhan wasn’t in a position to see if it was working. 

Xue Yang was barely parrying his attacks. Lan Zhan could tell he was only trying to get into a good position to use a teleportation talisman. But Lan Zhan refused to let up. They couldn’t afford to let him go here. If he managed to get away, it could be months before they hunted him down again. And by that time, he would likely be well hidden by the Jin sect. 

Xue Yang could have made a clear shot away from the other two cultivators, but instead, he circled around them, calling out taunts and threats. Lan Zhan tried to use his distraction to his advantage, but the demonic cultivator’s swordsmanship was too skilled, even though he was confident he could defeat him if the other was actually fighting to win. 

Just when Lan Zhan thought it might be better to switch to Wangji, a bright flash of silver sprung through the trees. It startled them both, and Xue Yang momentarily lost his balance on a tree branch as he dodged Shuanghua aiming for his throat. But it was enough. 

Lan Zhan used the slight hesitation found and struck at the hole in Xue Yang’s defense. He aimed for his heart, but his blade instead sunk into his shoulder as the other man moved. He couldn’t care less and simply twisted Bichen, taking Xue Yang’s arm with him. 

They both fell to the ground—Lan Zhan much more gracefully than the other. Xue Yang cried out a wounded, feral sound as he grasped at his missing arm, blood spurting. Lan Zhan watched carefully to make sure the man wouldn’t do anything drastic in his final moments, but it seemed he really was too distracted by the pain. 

Soft footsteps approached their position, and soon Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan came to join them. Xue Yang managed to compose himself enough to grin and sneer at the pair. “So, daozhang… what n—” 

Xiao Xingchen swung his blade in a clear, graceful arch, and a second later Xue Yang’s head was rolling on the ground. Lan Zhan was grateful he hadn’t taken the man’s life; it was obviously not his place. Lan Zhan sheathed his sword just as Xiao Xingchen’s blade swung once again. This time at his own throat. 

“Xingchen!” Song Lan yelled, barely able to grab the man’s hands before he took his own life. “What are you doing?” 

Xiao Xingchen’s jaw clenched, and he struggled for a moment more before all the fight ran out of him. His knees hit the ground, and Song Lan threw his blade clear across the forest. 

“What were you thinking?” Song Lan barked, his voice anguished. Xiao Xingchen didn’t answer. 

Lan Zhan felt that his presence was no longer wanted nor noticed. He did not need to witness the conversation needed by the other two cultivators. He turned away and began to head towards Yi City before Xiao Xingchen’s expression could cause him any more pain. Because he knew that expression. 

That was the face Wei Ying wore the last time Lan Zhan saw him. The face he wore when he didn’t want to be in this world anymore. 

It didn’t take long to find A-Yuan, tracing his way back to the forest. The boy had sat himself at the trunk of a wide tree with two people laying on the ground next to him. Lan Zhan had a momentary thought that the people were bodies, but as he got closer, he saw the rise and fall of the men’s chests. 

A-Yuan noticed him approaching and sprung to his feet in relief. “A-Die!” He came sprinting into his arms, and Lan Zhan caught him in one of the rare hugs he shared with his son. 

“A-Yuan, is everything alright?” 

A-Yuan pulled away and nodded. “Yes. The men couldn’t really go very far. Xue Yang had cut out their tongues, so they couldn’t speak. And they were hit with an awful dose of corpse poisoning. But I administered the antidote, and they’re now resting.” 

“Good work.” 

“Did you… did you get the guy?” 

“Mn. Xiao Xingchen killed him.” 

“Oh, the guy he was with?” 

“Yes.” 

A-Yuan stood by his side as Lan Zhan checked over the two victims. “It seemed like they knew each other.” 

“Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang have a bloody history,” Lan Zhan confirmed. “We should get these men to a proper doctor.” A-Yuan nodded and bit his tongue even though it was apparent he wanted to ask more questions. 

Between the two of them, carrying the men to the local physician was easy work. Even A-Yuan’s novice golden core easily allowed him to shoulder the weight of a fully-grown man. They didn’t give the doctor much in the way of how these men came to be, merely saying they were hurt on a nighthunt. There was only so much they could do to help shield Xiao Xingchen’s honorable reputation. If these men chose to share what they had witnessed… well, it wasn’t like they could rightly silence them any more than they had already been silenced. 

By the time they finished, A-Yuan’s eyes were drooping, but Lan Zhan didn’t allow them to rest quite yet. They had one more stop before they could completely move on. 

A-Qing’s home was how they left it: run down, dirty, but homey. Upon arriving, they didn’t immediately see anyone, but some filtered voices alerted them three people were inside one of the buildings. It appeared Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen did in fact return to A-Qing. 

A-Qing was the first to greet them. As soon as she heard their footsteps, she came jogging out of the doorway and dipped her head into a bow. “Young masters, thank you for returning daozhang safely.” 

“Of course,” A-Yuan said pleasantly. “We are happy we could help.” 

Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen followed after A-Qing and came to stand beside her. They also bowed before Xiao Xingchen turned to A-Qing. “A-Qing, help Song Lan collect the rest of our things, okay?” 

A-Qing looked quite put out at being dismissed from the conversation, but she obeyed and turned back to go inside the house. Xiao Xingchen gestured forward, and Lan Zhan and A-Yuan followed his lead to step back onto the main road. 

“You’re leaving then?” A-Yuan prompted. 

Xiao Xingchen was slow to nod. “Yes… I believe I’ve done enough damage to this town.” 

Lan Zhan agreed. It wouldn’t do well for the two victims who survived tonight to run away screaming at the sight of the cultivator in the market. Especially if he couldn’t see when they were in his vicinity. 

“Where will you go?” 

Xiao Xingchen smiled softly at A-Yuan’s question. “Probably travel. Like we used to. We used to think about starting our own sect. We’ve returned to the idea now that we’ve… talked through our disagreements.” 

Lan Zhan wished he knew what the feeling felt like. 

“If we do, we’d welcome you both into it. Young master, you’re very skilled, and you’ve both helped us immensely tonight. I fear without your help… it would have gone much differently.” 

A-Yuan opened his mouth to respond but quickly cut himself off. He knew what he thought, but he also was aware of his father’s reservations and mixed feelings on sects. 

“We would be honored to join any sect headed by Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan.” Lan Zhan may have left his own sect for personal reasons, but he couldn’t deny how much more effective they were. His own shortcomings about sects stemmed from the corruption within; he was confident that a small sect managed by the two cultivators would remain righteous. It would also be an appropriate community to leave A-Yuan with once he left this world. 

“Well, if you ever hear of a Xinglan Sect, do try to contact us. We’re not sure where we would settle, but I’m sure word would get around.” 

Their conversation came to an end as Song Lan and A-Qing approached. Lan Zhan noticed that Song Lan still had Shuanghua in his possession, and he idly wondered how long he would have it before he felt comfortable returning it to its rightful owner. 

“Xingchen, ready?” Song Lan asked. 

“Mn. Ready.” 

They paid their goodbyes and thank you’s respectfully (Song Lan bowed a second longer than the others), and soon the trio was sauntering down the path away from Yi City. A-Yuan seemed particularly happy, and Lan Zhan could feel the mood seeping into his bones even as the bitterness struck his tongue. 

Because that picture was so similar to what he could have had in another life. 

~*~ 

A-Die had always been the most important person in A-Yuan’s life. 

Which wasn’t all that surprising, given he was practically the only person in A-Yuan’s life. 

The first memory he had was A-Die brushing a hand over his forehead to check his temperature. The beginning of his life was shrouded in illness and misery, kept only at bay by A-Die’s strong presence. As soon as he felt healthy, they were on the move, and it was the only thing A-Yuan knew. 

He often wondered what it might be like to settle down. He had asked his father about it one time. He said that A-Yuan was welcome to decide on a place to live at any time. 

That was the first time A-Yuan knew something was wrong. Because he didn’t say they could. He said he could. 

It took several years, but A-Yuan eventually figured out that he wasn't A-Die’s biological child. At least, he was pretty sure. He supposed they looked similar enough, but despite being raised by him, he only inherited a small portion of his habits and mannerisms. The rest seemed to be from an unknown source. 

An unknown source that A-Yuan was afraid to ask about. 

He knew that A-Die would answer if he asked. And that was why he didn’t. He was deathly afraid that the answer would destroy their modest sum of happiness. He was afraid that asking would give him a choice he wasn’t ready to make. Stay with A-Die. Or venture out to somewhere new, searching for someone. 

And he knew there was a someone. And that someone was connected to the Yiling Laozu, Wei Wuxian. 

He remembered asking about the man one time when he was a small child. He remembered the suffocating atmosphere asking about the man created. He endeavored not to ask about him again, but that just made him all the more curious. 

Because there was no one else that made A-Die react like that. 

A-Yuan had heard several names and titles uttered through their time traveling. But the set of A-Die’s shoulders always stiffened to a worrying degree whenever a “Yiling Laozu” was said around him. He did his best to naturally guide them away from the people speaking while trying not to draw attention to that very fact. 

But A-Yuan couldn’t figure out whether this mystery person was Wei Wuxian himself or just someone who was involved with Wei Wuxian. 

A-Yuan had listened to countless stories about many people, and he had learned to take things he heard with a grain of salt. He had heard about all the terrible deeds he committed. He often wondered whether or not Wei Wuxian had killed someone A-Die had loved. If Wei Wuxian had killed his biological parents, if A-Die had cared about them deeply, if that was why he was raising him now. 

He also wondered if Wei Wuxian was his original father. If Wei Wuxian had fallen so deeply into demonic cultivation that A-Die had to take him away before he too succumbed to his corruption. 

He wondered many things, his fanciful mind stringing countless theories together because he simply had no hard facts. But he tried not to let his mind run away with him. He tried to focus only on the facts:

A-Die was the most important person in A-Yuan’s life. 

A-Die was somehow connected to Wei Wuxian. 

A-Die worried him greatly. 

A-Yuan wondered if it was because he spent so much time with A-Die and that was why he was so attuned to his inner thoughts. It wouldn’t be surprising. Nobody else seemed to know what was going on in A-Die’s head. 

A-Yuan knew that A-Die had tried to keep this side away from him. He knew he wasn’t meant to know. He was supposed to be a grateful but oblivious child who didn’t question his father or teacher. He was meant to take things for granted until those things vanished from his grasp. Namely, A-Die’s life. 

A-Yuan knew, more on a subconscious level, that A-Die desired death. The things that he said, the things he was teaching, the set of his shoulders. A-Die was tired, and A-Yuan was the only thing tethering him to this life. 

So A-Yuan was doing his best to keep A-Die alive. It petrified him that one day A-Die might deem him mature and independent enough to vanish from his life. He slept almost every night thinking it might be the last time he would see his father. 

He endeavored to do everything in his power to keep death away from A-Die’s mind. 

Chapter Text

Wei Ying almost regretted helping those poor Lan juniors. Almost. 

But they were so young. They were just babies! They didn’t know how to combat whatever that arm was. And the seniors that should have been looking out for them were nowhere to be found. When the loud Lan sent up the signal, he’d only barely dodged an attack right after that would have taken off his head should it have hit. 

Even if it exposed him, he couldn’t let them take the fall for the poor judgment of their superiors. At the time, he wondered where Lan Zhan was. If he had sent the juniors here, if he was nearby, if he was preoccupied with something else. He must have been, or he would have never allowed these children to face this thing alone. 

So although it did expose him as a demonic cultivator, Wei Ying didn’t regret saving the pair of Lans. He just wished they were a little quieter. 

“Well, that was much more exciting than I thought that was going to be,” Wei Ying said, tossing the soul sealing bag up in the air and catching it once again. “If that’s all, I’ll—”

“Hold on,” one of the Lans barked. “What did you do? Are you a cultivator?” 

“No, no. Just a crazy cutsleeve.” Wei Ying waved off the accusation. “Now, let me just—”

“Give the bag here.” The Lan stretched out his arm. “We’ll need to report this to Zewu-jun.” 

And give the very powerful arm over to one of the people who stood by while his family was killed? He thought not. “Hm, I’m afraid I can’t do that. But if you show me Hanguang-jun, I’d be happy to hand it over to him.” He was the only Lan he trusted at the moment. Even if the man possibly hated him. 

The Lan’s face twisted in confusion. “Hanguang-jun? Who—”

The boy was cut off as countless servants of the Mo household poured out of the house to swarm the cultivators with questions. Now that the masters of this house were dead, they were out of work. They were no doubt going to take their frustration out on the people they called here to fix their problems. Wei Ying took the opportunity to flee when the Lans were preoccupied with trying to soothe the survivors of the attack. 

And he tucked the bag safely into his robes as he did so. 

~*~

It really must have been leftover karma, Wei Ying thought, as he avoided another Jiang disciple at the market. Because there was no other explanation for him having this much bad luck as soon as he stepped into the waking world. 

The only thing to do was keep moving. From town to town from forest to forest. He couldn’t be found out by Jiang Cheng quite so soon! Apparently, those Lans had blabbed because now the surrounding area was swarmed with Jiang cultivators, looking for a demonic cultivator with a donkey. And really, he should abandon Little Apple, but he was attached and he was lonely. Even if the cruel creature kept biting his ass. 

So onward he went. Avoiding any and all cultivators he found and sweet talking his way through the aunties at the markets to give him a lot more food than what he paid for. 

Eventually he found a quiet town near the east that seemed devoid of any cultivators, but Wei Ying couldn’t see why. They should be bustling with business! He passed a huge graveyard right before entering town. But Wei Ying sensed no resentment at all. In fact, when he asked around, it seemed like their problems had been recently taken care of. 

But Wei Ying wasn’t going to wish ill will on anyone just so he’d have something to do, so he moved on. 

By the time they reached the next town, Little Apple was cross with him again. Wei Ying had to give him an apple just to keep him moving, and he was running low! By the end of the year, he wouldn’t be surprised if the apple business suddenly became one of the most profitable businesses out there. 

So he looked around the local market for a fruit stand and found one without much trouble. Just as he was haggling with the seller, another person came up to stand right beside him. 

“Just this.” 

The man’s deep and pleasing voice made Wei Ying look over at him. He was unfairly handsome, so much so that Wei Ying might have complained if he weren’t trying to lie low. His face was as smooth as marble, and his expression was nonexistent. He was dressed in modest red and black robes, not unlike his own. But he seemed strangely familiar… In fact, he almost looked like—

“Lan Zhan?!” The yelp left Wei Ying’s mouth without his permission. Surely, this couldn’t be him! But no, it was, the longer he looked. He almost didn’t recognize him without his mourning white robes and his forehead ribbon. What was he doing wearing commoner clothes? Was he undercover? Shoot, did he just blow his cover? 

Wei Ying wasn’t expecting Lan Zhan to greet him like friends would, but he couldn’t help but flinch when he turned towards him. He wore the most severe expression he’d ever seen, like he was poised for an attack. And of course he would be! Only Wei Ying had the face to call Lan Zhan so friendly. He’d totally given away his identity! 

“Ahh, I meant Hanguang-jun—” If anything, Lan Zhan looked even more displeased at the address. “Sorry, sorry, I meant… I must be mistaken! Good day!” 

Before Lan Zhan could question him, Wei Ying yanked at Little Apple’s reins and retreated, heading into the forest. The bites he received were well worth the cost of getting away from that awkward situation. 

~*~

But Wei Ying really should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy. 

That evening, right as night was falling over them, Wei Ying could tell he was being followed. And he didn’t have to guess who it was. 

Wei Ying knew it was futile to try and escape Lan Zhan. The man was strong and swift and fast. No doubt, he’d gotten even more competent in the years he’d been gone. But he couldn’t just give up! Especially when Lan Zhan couldn’t be certain it was him… 

He didn’t have to wait long. Soon he heard the swaying of a branch, and the cultivator dropped from the sky to land right in front of Wei Ying’s path. He chuckled nervously and began to back up. 

“Ahh, good sir, I’m sorry about the market earlier, it really was my mistake. There’s no need for you to…” 

But Lan Zhan paid his words no heed and walked swiftly forward towards the two of them. He reached into his robes and took out an apple, tossing it to the side. Little Apple saw, and Wei Ying immediately felt his reins jerk out of his grip. When he turned back to protest, Lan Zhan was already pressing his back against a tree trunk. 

Wei Ying was so shocked at the feeling of familiarity he felt that he lost his voice. His mouth opened, but no sound came out as the two men looked at each other. 

Lan Zhan looked less angry now but no less intense. In fact, he almost looked… hopeful. He was searching his face for something, probably something that would give away his identity. 

Wei Ying should have felt threatened. Should have grabbed his makeshift dizi from his belt. But even though his body was tense, he didn’t feel afraid. There was nothing to fear, not from Lan Zhan. 

But it seemed he waited too long because suddenly Lan Zhan’s face fell. The expression was so devastated that Wei Ying couldn’t help but feel his heart stir. Lan Zhan pulled and turned away to disappear back into the forest. And Wei Ying was suddenly overcome with the knowledge that that couldn’t possibly happen. 

“Lan Zhan!” This time the name sprung from his lips with purpose. “I—”

But he needn’t have said anything because Lan Zhan was already spinning around and bringing his arms around his body to hold him close. His voice was so anguished yet relieved that Wei Ying couldn’t help the tears springing in his eyes. “Wei Ying…” 

Wei Ying grabbed back, tightening his grip more than he’d ever had in his previous life. “Lan Zhan…” 

There they stood, grabbing onto each other like they never wanted to let go. Wei Ying knew he was unwanted in his past and this life. He knew everyone wanted him dead, wanted him to pay for things he did—or didn’t—do. To think that he’d be welcomed back with open arms… by Lan Zhan of all people… it was almost more than he could bear. 

Wei Ying swept away his tears before he pulled back from Lan Zhan’s embrace. “Really, Lan Zhan, you saw through me so easily.” 

Lan Zhan hummed and let him go but didn’t let him stray far. “Wei Ying looks different.” 

“I should be saying that! What’s with the red and black? Did you miss me that much?” he teased. 

Lan Zhan didn’t miss a beat: “Yes.” 

That closed Wei Ying’s throat right up, but really he’d cried enough already. “Ahh, I…” 

Lan Zhan mercifully let it go and walked over to Little Apple to get his reins. The donkey seemed perfectly happy to follow the man, despite only having been fed one apple from the man where Wei Ying had fed him dozens. But he let it go as there was really no need to be mad at his traveling companion. Wei Ying joined the man’s side, and they began to walk back the way Wei Ying had already passed through.  

“Where are we going Lan Zhan?” 

“I would like you to meet someone.” 

“Oh, please don’t tell me you’re turning me in already!” Wei Ying laughed. “I just got here, I’d like to spend a little more time in the waking world.” 

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan immediately scolded. “Don’t joke.” 

Based on what Lan Zhan had just said, it was a rather insensitive thing to say. Wei Ying felt suddenly ashamed. “Sorry.” 

Lan Zhan shook his head and faced forward. “No need for sorry.” 

They fell into silence as they continued their journey. Eventually they came upon the town they initially met in, and Lan Zhan led them to a nearby inn. After docking Little Apple in their stable, he went up the stairs without checking in, so the person they were meeting must have already been waiting inside. 

Wei Ying was overcome with curiosity over who it was Lan Zhan was introducing him to. It couldn’t be anyone bad. He hoped it wasn’t anyone from his past; he didn’t think he had it in him to face the bittersweet emotions that would fill him with. Perhaps it was someone he hadn’t met yet. But that wouldn’t make sense given the fact that Lan Zhan found it so important he meet them, he directed them to this inn immediately…

Lan Zhan knocked on one of the inn room’s doors three times. They heard the person on the other side swiftly make their way towards the door, and it was pulled open with a grace few possessed. What the person said next nearly shocked Wei Ying out of his new body:

“A-Die!” 

Father? Wei Ying’s face blanched, and he was so startled by the title, he didn’t even take a close look at the child’s face. Surely, he had misheard. Because Lan Zhan simply couldn’t have… a son. It was impossible! He’d only been gone 13 years, and the voice sounded like that of a youth, perhaps 16 or 17 years old. Unless Lan Zhan had a child out of wedlock, but he truly couldn’t be expected to believe that of Lan Zhan…

Wei Ying’s mind continued to whirl, so his response was delayed when the young man turned to him. “Young master…?” 

Wei Ying jerked at being addressed. “I’m… Err, Lan Zhan…” Who was this truly? Should he reveal his identity? 

“A-Yuan, let us come inside, and I will explain.” 

“Mn.” The boy nodded and stood aside to let them in, and finally Wei Ying’s mind started to catch up with what was happening. 

“A-Yuan… But that’s…” Wei Ying turned to his friend, but Lan Zhan wasn’t looking at him, only directing them to the table in the room. Soon A-Yuan joined after closing and locking the door and began to serve tea for the three of them from the pot he’d been apparently keeping for them with a heating talisman. 

Wei Ying allowed it because it gave him time to look at the boy more carefully. Now that he could see him clearly, it was apparent he did look quite familiar. He kept his hair up in a simple ponytail, tied with a red ribbon. He was dressed in matching clothes with Lan Zhan, so they must have had them commissioned together. His face and expression were pleasant, and his movements were smooth and graceful in a way very similar to Lan Zhan. 

The boy looked up at him and smiled gently, and Wei Ying was suddenly hit with memories of smiling faces from his past. He whipped around to Lan Zhan. “Lan Zhan! Who is this?” 

The man set down his cup of tea to face him directly. “Wei Ying, this is A-Yuan. The A-Yuan that you know.” 

Wei Ying felt frozen, and his movements stopped. The A-Yuan that he knew… his little radish… the one he was sure perished with all the others… he was… 

Wei Ying stood on his knees and grabbed the boy’s face, squishing it between his hands. The boy didn’t protest and only blinked up at him curiously. “Senior Wei?” 

It really was him. Of course Lan Zhan wouldn’t lie, but to know it for himself, to see it for himself… Wei Ying’s jaw trembled, and he couldn’t help but hug the boy even as he stiffened at the familiar gesture. “A-Yuan! It really is you!” 

A-Yuan patted him on the back but didn’t return the hug as Wei Ying had hoped. He pulled back to see the boy was looking at him with a pitying, rueful expression. “Senior Wei, I’m sorry, but if you knew me before I came to be in A-Die’s care… I don’t remember.” 

“Ahh, I see.” That did sting. The only other person alive during that time couldn’t remember his own family. Wei Ying rested his hand on A-Yuan’s head. “That’s probably for the best. It wasn’t… the greatest of times.” 

A-Yuan’s face continued to fall though. “I still wish I remembered.” 

“Aiyah, it’s not so bad! Sometimes it’s good to forget. I’ve forgotten lots of things!” 

A-Yuan didn’t seem to know how to respond to that, but he still nodded in agreement, the filial child. “Of course, Senior Wei.” 

“What, no ‘A-Die’ for me? You know, I got you first, even if he’s had you longer. Don’t let him bribe you away like when you were a child!”

A-Yuan laughed. “Bribe me?” 

“That’s right!” Wei Ying held up a finger. “Your A-Die would come to our home and try to whisk you away with toys and sweets. But I said no every time. I refused to give you away even as he begged.” 

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan admonished, but there was no irritation in his voice. 

“What? It’s true. Every time you saw him, you’d give him something new. He loved that butterfly toy you got him, never let it go.” 

A-Yuan began to redden at the tale, even though he didn’t remember such a thing. 

Wei Ying couldn’t help but continue at the delightful responses he was getting. “But I suppose since Lan Zhan has raised you so well, he can get the title of father. You used to call me Xian-gege when you were younger, but you can call me whatever you’d like.” 

A-Yuan blinked at him, dazed. “Xian-gege…” He giggled. “I like that!” 

“But watch out Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying turned towards his friend but looped an arm around A-Yuan. “If you don’t pay close attention, I might steal him back!” 

Lan Zhan seemed amused at the notion. Like he would be content in both keeping A-Yuan and entrusting him to Wei Ying. “It’s time for rest.” 

“Ahh, so soon! You Lans, still have that awful curfew I see.” Wei Ying followed Lan Zhan in standing. “A-Yuan, we’ll talk more in the morning, okay?” 

“Yes!” A-Yuan saw them out the door. “Goodnight.” 

“Sleep well,” Wei Ying returned, and Lan Zhan nodded at his son. The boy closed his door, and the two of them continued down the hall to another room. Lan Zhan let them in, and Wei Ying immediately noticed there was only one bed. 

“Ahh, Lan Zhan, did you not prepare another bed for me? Did you not expect me to come back with you?” 

Lan Zhan looked at him, expressionless. “Wei Ying is free to get another room if he has the money.” 

“Ahh, Lan Zhan! Give this poor man some face!” Wei Ying wasn’t truly bothered by the lack of bed. He just wanted to see if he could mess with the man in adulthood like he had in their adolescence. Unfortunately, it seemed like he had become more unflappable over the years. 

But Lan Zhan remained a gentleman, so he let Wei Ying undress and settle first before doing so himself. The moment felt so quiet and sweet that Wei Ying didn’t dare tease or joke. He simply crawled into the far side of the bed and laid down. He didn’t think of anything when Lan Zhan laid down next to him, and definitely didn’t think of why it felt so easy to fall asleep so quickly when there was someone laying next to him. 

~*~

Lan Zhan couldn’t help but think he was losing his mind. 

“Lan Zhan!” 

It was the exact same tone, the exact same pitch, the exact same cadence. The only thing different was the voice and the face that was attached to it. 

Lan Zhan turned towards the man at the market, unsure how to respond. He had never seen this man before, though he did look a great deal like Wei Ying. But he was shorter, more slender, and his hair wasn’t quite as curly. But the way he carried himself reminded him so much of his beloved, he simply couldn’t find the words to offer anything back. 

The man was immediately flustered at his stare, and he began backing away. “Ahh, I meant Hanguang-jun—”

That was even more concerning, and Lan Zhan’s senses went on high alert. No one knew him by that title anymore, he hadn’t heard those words spoken to him in years. He made sure to distance himself from anyone who might recognize him, and anyone who did know him nowadays called him simple, generic titles like “young man” or “honorable cultivator.” The only one who would possibly address him like that was…

But the man was already turning tail and running away from him. He was accompanied by a grumpy-looking donkey, and he had a hard time pulling it towards the forest they eventually disappeared into. However, with the man’s and the animal’s footprints, he wouldn’t be hard to track down. 

“A-Die?” A-Yuan asked, peaking around his shoulder to see what had made him stiffen so. “Who was that man?” 

Lan Zhan didn’t know, but he would find out. “Return to the inn, A-Yuan, and prepare some tea. If it is who I think it is… I will bring him back.” 

A-Yuan blinked in surprise but nodded his understanding. He knew how important this man was if his father was going after him right away. “Does that mean that man is…?” 

Lan Zhan knew better than to think his son was ignorant or stupid. No child of Wei Ying’s could be anything but bright, clever, and attentive. So he knew his secret about the love of his life couldn’t be kept from him forever, nor his past. They investigated demonic cultivators for a reason, they hunted down resentful spirits for a reason, they avoided hunts on a certain day each year for a reason. 

But he couldn’t afford to hope. Not yet. Not until he was sure. Because if it truly wasn’t him, if Lan Zhan was going out of his mind, then he might finally take his own life out of grief. 

Lan Zhan ushered A-Yuan to the inn before starting his search. The tracks were criminally easy to follow. There must have been rainfall not too long ago because the footprints and the hoofprints were deeply embedded in the mud. 

Lan Zhan admitted he delayed and procrastinated. He could have hopped on his sword and flown through the forest at record speed, likely finding the man within minutes. But he simply couldn’t find out that quickly. He had to prepare himself. If it wasn’t Wei Ying. If it was some other man who was crazy and old enough to remember “Hanguang-jun” and how he contributed to the war effort. He had to be ready. He had to prepare and steel his heart. 

But he was unwilling to lose him. So right as it began to get dark, he quickened his pace and ascended into the trees. He made sure he was as quiet and unnoticeable as possible, but once he saw the man cutting through the forest, he knew he’d already been detected. So he jumped off his sword and sheathed it immediately, landing several paces in front of the strange man. 

He did not seem surprised to see him practically fall out of the sky. “Ahh, good sir, I’m sorry about the market earlier, it really was my mistake. There’s no need for you to…” 

Lan Zhan paid no attention to his excuses and removed an apple from his sleeve. Once the donkey was sufficiently distracted, he approached the man rapidly and shoved him against a nearby tree to make sure he couldn’t run away. 

He did not reach for the dizi at his belt. Nor did he protest the aggression he was shown. He simply started up at Lan Zhan as if he had nothing to say. But shouldn’t he have something to say? If this wasn’t Wei Ying, he should have been entirely offended at his rude nature. If this was Wei Ying, he should be angry and spit every curse he knew at him because of how he had failed him in his past life. 

But there was nothing. Only a blank stare that Lan Zhan couldn’t read. 

Perhaps he really was losing his mind. It had been 13 years, maybe he was forgetting what Wei Ying was like. It’d been so long, and now he was ashamed to admit he couldn’t even tell if the man in front of him was the love of his life. 

He was a fool for thinking this could be Wei Ying. A man who looked frighteningly like him but nothing more. 

Lan Zhan backed away from the man and let him go. He couldn’t look at him any longer. But he needed to return to A-Yuan; he would be getting worried because of his long absence soon. He wouldn’t even need to offer an explanation. A-Yuan would already know. And wasn’t that bittersweet? The fact that—

“Lan Zhan! I—” 

Lan Zhan didn’t even care what Wei Ying could possibly be saying because he was already fitting his smaller form against his. He was right! This was Wei Ying! Once, he might have mistaken another’s call for his, but twice? There was no way. 

Lan Zhan squeezed harder and couldn’t stop. “Wei Ying…” 

There was no other joy that Lan Zhan had felt before that could possibly compare to this. Wei Ying was back, he was alive. He didn’t know how he could possibly be alive in another’s body, but he didn’t care. 13 years he’d been dead… He was just infinitely grateful it wasn’t a moment longer. 

Lan Zhan didn’t know why, but Wei Ying seemed happy to see him as well. He smiled and teased and joked like he always had. The mood he’d seen right before his death was truly his mind being clouded by circumstances and trauma. Wei Ying didn’t want him to leave. Perhaps he never did. 

Lan Zhan’s first priority was to make sure Wei Ying met A-Yuan. It would be the first of many gifts he would give to his beloved. He’d found the son of his heart and raised him as well as he could. He hoped Wei Ying approved. He knew he didn’t do as well as Wei Ying would have, but A-Yuan had become the son he could be proud of no matter what. It was imperative that Wei Ying knew his selfless efforts hadn’t been done in vain. 

Seeing them together, watching them joke and laugh with each other filled Lan Zhan with happiness he’d long since given up feeling. Wei Ying was overjoyed to see his son happy and well, and A-Yuan was eager to know more about one of the men from his past. He could see that they completed each other in a way no one else would. They wouldn’t be parted for anything, and Lan Zhan was determined not to let anything get in the way of his family. 

But for now… Lan Zhan guessed Wei Ying would have to decide. After all, he’d be the one following him to the ends of the Earth. 

~*~

Lan Wangji was a loose end that Jin Guangyao wanted to clean up desperately. 

He never thought the man would be such a pain in his side. He obviously had to keep a close eye on him; a blind man could see his attachment to Wei Wuxian, he couldn’t kill the man unless his hands were completely clean of the crime. But he thought his meddling would be over as soon as the Yiling Patriarch died. Apparently not. 

He grew slightly concerned when Xichen-ge informed him of what Lan Wangji had done and that he had vanished. He didn’t know what that meant for his plans—with Mingjue, his father, or otherwise. But the man simply vanished off the face of the Earth before he could investigate his motivations for doing such a thing. 

He had his spies search far and wide for the man but wasn’t able to ever pin him down. He thought multiple times that what Xichen feared most had come true: that his brother had committed suicide but in such a way that his body couldn’t be recovered. But that wasn’t found to be the case. 

Jin Guangyao never expected their first spotting of Lan Wangji to be from Jiang Wanyin, but it was always good to remind himself he couldn’t control or predict everything. 

According to the man’s account, Lan Wangji was no longer wearing whites and had instead opted for reds and blacks. Irritating sure, but understandable, given his foolish heart. But when he sent out his spies to search in that area, they never found anything of note. Either Lan Wangji had become a master of disguise and evasion (which was possible, given his reputation as being only clad in white and a powerful cultivator) or there was something else preventing his spies from spotting him in a crowd. 

However, his disappearance meant his connection with Xichen grew instantly stronger. He was grateful for that; he lost no affection for that younger brother who clearly didn’t trust him. But that also meant Xichen got infinitely closer with Mingjue, which only quickened his timeline towards his death. 

But now with Mingjue and his father dead, he was quite content with the life he had made for himself. He still didn’t like Lan Wangji traveling around somewhere in the cultivating world, but he could tolerate that and any wrinkles he might make. After all, anyone who would rat him out was dead. 

Which just made it all the more irritating when rumors of Wei Wuxian coming back from the dead began to circulate 13 years later. 

Chapter Text

The next morning, Wei Ying knew he had slept hard. 

He felt simultaneously extremely well rested and sleepy. He hadn’t slept so well in… well, in a very long time. 

He woke to the sound of hushed voices. He parted himself from his very comfortable and very warm bed to squint his eyes open. Lan Zhan and A-Yuan were taking breakfast at the table in their room, waiting very patiently for him to wake up. A-Yuan addressed him first:

“Xian-gege! You’re awake finally.” 

Wei Ying grumbled but pulled himself out of bed and flopped down onto an open cushion. “Hush. I’m not built to get up early like you guys, right Lan Zhan?” 

The man hummed in agreement and watched as A-Yuan began to serve everyone. “Wei Ying often stays up working, ruining his sleep.”

“Exactly!” 

“Wei Ying did not do that last night however.” 

Wei Ying fixed a glare towards Lan Zhan, but he knew it wasn’t very effective, given how sleepy he was. “Whatever. Anyway, what are the plans for today? Why were you guys in town?”

Father and son shared a look between each other that Wei Ying wasn’t too keen on being left out on. A-Yuan was the one to speak up. “Actually, we weren’t doing much. Just traveling around, nighthunting, the usual, before we met you, Xian-gege!” 

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow, but neither of the two gave away what they were being so secretive about. He decided to let it go; far be it for him to ruin a morning when he wasn’t totally awake. “Well, that actually works out great because I have something I’ve been meaning to bring up.” 

Wei Ying stood from his seat to rummage among his belongings on the other side of the room. He came back with the soul sealing bag he acquired at the Mo residence and set it on the table. “This arm was causing trouble when I… woke up. I want to find out who it is. They’re probably connected to whoever brought me back.” 

Lan Zhan reached out a hand then frowned at what he felt. “Strong resentment.” 

Wei Ying nodded. “Exactly. I could barely even get the thing in there with the help of those Lan juniors. In fact…,” he stretched out a hand towards the object, “I don’t have much confidence that this bag will contain it much longer.” 

Lan Zhan nodded. “We will investigate.” 

“Great!” Wei Ying cheered and picked back up his breakfast. “Lan Zhan, I leave this to you.” 

With Lan Zhan’s level of cultivation, it should have been impossible for the soul residing in the arm to resist. But even as Lan Zhan played and played, it refused to answer him. Only once Wei Ying took a closer look at the thing while Lan Zhan was subduing it did he realize. He motioned for Lan Zhan to stop playing, and he secured the arm before it could get too out of hand. After all, a random inn wasn’t equipped to deal with this level of resentment.

“What is it?” Lan Zhan asked, putting away Wangji. 

“Yeah, Xian-gege.” A-Yuan came closer as well. “Why did you tell A-Die to stop?” 

“Because he won’t get an answer.” 

“Huh? But A-Die is the best.” 

Wei Ying grinned at his son’s confident tone and nodded in agreement. “He is. But that’s not why it won’t answer him.” 

Lan Zhan understood what he meant. “Because its soul is split.” 

“Exactly. Whoever killed our friend here really wanted to make sure it couldn’t be identified and split its body along with its soul into however many parts. Truly vicious.” 

“Then what do we do now?” A-Yuan asked. “If the soul can’t tell us anything.” 

“Simple.” Wei Ying pointed down at the arm which twitched but otherwise didn’t move. “We go where it’s pointing. Our own little family adventure. Should be fun!” 

It, in fact, was fun. Wei Ying didn’t know why his luck upon coming back was instantly better once he met up with Lan Zhan, but he wasn’t complaining! Reconnecting with his former friend and getting to know his grown up son was a pleasure he wasn’t sure he deserved, but he dared not take it for granted. 

“So, A-Yuan,” Wei Ying began once they saddled up Little Apple with their things, “what has Lan Zhan been teaching you? Cultivation wise?” 

“Oh, everything!” A-Yuan said brightly. “Everything he knows anyway. He’s been teaching me swords forms and the guqin for years. Though we haven’t been able to get one just for me yet.” A-Yuan eyed his father meaningfully.

Lan Zhan wasn’t swayed. “Once you can play Eradication Tone without mistakes.” 

A-Yuan laughed lightheartedly; he obviously wasn’t super bothered by it. “Yeah, I still get hung up on some parts. But I’ve been getting better! I can show you some time, Xian-gege.” 

“I’d love that. I’m sure you’re doing well though. Your dad, I bet, is a strict teacher.” 

A-Yuan gave him a confused look. “Not really…? I mean, I haven’t had anyone else teach me, but A-Die is very patient and understanding.” 

“Really…” Wei Ying looked over at Lan Zhan who was conspicuously not looking at him. “What’s this I hear, Lan Zhan? Spoiling our child? I thought you’d be as strict as Lan-laoshi.” 

“Children learn well in flexible teaching environments,” Lan Zhan said simply. 

Wei Ying grinned and hung off his shoulders. “Ahh, you’ve gotten soft in your years, I see. Don’t worry I won’t hold it against you. Even if you were hard on me for my unruly behavior during school.” 

Lan Zhan stiffened momentarily under his hands, but his gait didn’t falter. A-Yuan breezed past the sudden mood change, almost as if he didn’t sense it. 

“Xian-gege, you know Jiang sword forms, right? Could you show me?” 

Jeez, how much did this kid know about him? Wei Ying knew he was raised by Lan Zhan, so surely his childhood friend must have come up at some point, but he seemed to know a lot about his life. Most people forgot he was ever a part of the Jiang Sect, unless it was to highlight how he’d betrayed them. 

Wei Ying opened his mouth to eagerly agree before suddenly swallowing his tongue. As much as he’d love to, he was deathly afraid the result from that interaction would be for him to pick up the sword again. After all, he was still taking that secret to his grave, and he’d successfully done it once. He would have to make sure he did it a second time. 

He laughed nervously. “Sorry, A-Yuan, but I’m not sure how much I remember. It was a long time ago, sorry to disappoint.” 

A-Yuan looked concerned, and he really shouldn’t be so sharp for his young age. “Alright… but how about demonic cultivation?” 

Wei Ying stiffened, straight as a board, and glanced over at Lan Zhan, expecting him to fly into a righteous rage. But he continued on as if there was nothing wrong with what A-Yuan had asked. What was up with him? Did he truly change his mind about his cultivation method over the years…? 

“Ahh, I don’t know about that. Maybe some harmless stuff first. You have your golden core, you should use that instead of demonic tricks.” 

A-Yuan looked thoroughly disappointed but nodded his head. “Yes…” 

Wei Ying quickly made sure the conversation took a more appropriate path. He asked A-Yuan about his studies and Lan Zhan about their travels. They were both more than happy to entertain him, though A-Yuan spoke more than his former classmate. He wished he had stories or experiences to tell them, but it was quite hard when you’d been dead for the past ten some years. 

He hoped to make up for lost time. 

Wei Ying didn’t know where he expected the arm to lead them, but it certainly wasn’t Nie territory. He was secretly glad; this was probably the most neutral place he could be, considering his past. But once they passed Xinglu Ridge, the arm stopped reacting, and not even Wei Ying could get it to respond. 

Lan Zhan watched him play with the arm for a moment. “Something nearby must be interfering.” 

“Yeah…” Wei Ying placed his head in his hand then stood from his crotch. 

“Does that mean another demonic cultivator is nearby?” A-Yuan asked. 

Wei Ying laughed. “Possibly, but that’s not the only thing that could have the arm acting weird. It could be a number of things, not just resentful energy.” 

“So what do we do?” 

“Easy!” Wei Ying gestured towards a nearby market. “We ask the common folk. They’re the most in the know about these things. And look! One’s headed for us now.” 

But before Wei Ying could begin questioning, the man had already spotted the severed arm on the ground and dropped his load in fright. And like any other sensible person, simply began running away. Thankfully, Lan Zhan caught him before he could get too far. 

“Ahh, senior, senior, no need to run like that,” Wei Ying soothed. “We just want to ask you a few questions.” 

“Questions?” The man stopped running, so Lan Zhan put him down, but he seemed ready to bolt again at any second. “Why? What—What are you suspicious people doing here?” 

“Suspicious? Come on now, that’s a little harsh.” Wei Ying draped an arm around both his companions. A-Yuan smiled, mildly embarrassed, and Lan Zhan’s expression didn’t change. “Do we look suspicious to you?” 

The man raised an eyebrow and looked at the arm again. 

“Aiyah, no need to answer! We really just want to ask some questions. Anything strange happen lately?” 

The man’s composure suddenly became more serious. “Are you talking about the Man Eating Castle?” 

“Ohhh.” Now that was interesting. “Yes, tell us more.” 

The man coughed, almost like he didn’t want to be caught gossiping, but he clearly wanted to divulge the information he had. “There’s been a bit of a rumor going around that there’s a castle that eats people near Xinglu Ridge. Avoided the place myself for years. Never quite felt right over there.”

“Right…” Wei Ying smirked. “And how would you know that it’s been eating people if, you know, it’s been eating people?” 

The man bristled. “Well, that’s just what I heard! You don’t have to believe me.” He began to gather his stuff, now finished with this impromptu stop on his journey. “But I still think you should stay away from that area. Us common folk should stay out of such places.” 

Wei Ying chuckled as the man walked away and turned towards Lan Zhan. “Lan Zhan, he thought you were a commoner. I bet that’s not happened to you very often.” 

“Hm. I’ve gotten used to it.” The cultivator began to lead Little Apple back the way they came, towards this so-called “Man Eating Castle.” 

Now Wei Ying’s interest was peaked. “How long have you been in this getup anyway? A few years? Surely, you took A-Yuan to see Gusu sometime. You never shut up about the place with me.”

A strange stiffness covered Lan Zhan’s shoulders, but all he said was, “Never the time.” 

Wei Ying looked towards A-Yuan to see if he knew what was wrong, but the boy only gave a weak smile. “It’s true, Xian-gege. I’ve never been to Gusu. We’ve been traveling all my life.” 

“The whole time?” The only reason for that Wei Ying could come up with was that Lan Zhan thought it’d be the best way to keep A-Yuan safe from the other sects. He thought A-Yuan was being referred to as such because of filial bonds, but maybe Lan Zhan really didn’t give his own name to his son to avoid being conspicuous. “Ah but Lan Zhan, surely your brother would have let you keep A-Yuan? He always had such a soft spot for you.” 

But Lan Zhan didn’t respond and kept leading their party further and further into the forest. Wei Ying let it go for now. This seemed like a conversation for adult ears only, one they should have away from their son. Wei Ying made a mental note to bring it up later. 

That is, if he remembered. 

Wei Ying really wasn’t worried about this so-called “Man Eating Castle.” He was plenty competent, and he knew Lan Zhan had only gotten more so in the years he’d been dead. But there just had to be that sound that sent him panicking, no matter where he was or what he was doing. 

“Xian-gege, are you okay?” 

Wei Ying gave an unconvincing smile but didn’t let up his grip on Lan Zhan’s shoulders. “Y-Yeah! Of course! But where did that sound come from?”

A-Yuan looked around curiously. “You mean the barking?” 

“Yes! Is it getting closer?” 

“No? I mean, I don’t know. It seems to be the direction we’re going though.” 

Wei Ying cursed under his breath and stuffed his face into Lan Zhan’s back. He kept his eyes down and watched their feet as they walked, trying to convince himself to just breathe. 

“Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying hummed but jerked again with a squeak when the sound came again, this time even louder. “Will that damn thing shut up?!” 

“Wei Ying… are you afraid of dogs?” 

Wei Ying laughed, his voice pitched high. “What? Of course not! W-Why would you think that?” But then that sound bounded towards them once again, and Wei Ying simply couldn’t contain his reaction. No matter how many times he was near the things or heard their barks, his panic only grew in proximity to dogs. 

A-Yuan tried to soothe him. “Don’t worry, Xian-gege. We won’t let it bite you, okay? I’m sure it’s just some stray dog that got lost and scared out here.” 

But it in fact wasn’t some stray dog that could be sent away with some shooing. It was a spiritual dog, meaning that it wasn’t going to leave without its absent master. 

Wei Ying swallowed and looked around Lan Zhan’s massive frame. They had approached a domed structure where the dog was standing guard outside. It swiveled its head towards them as soon as they approached and even began to come towards them. “Stay away!” 

But thankfully, A-Yuan intercepted the dog, and the dog turned its muzzle towards him. It opened its mouth, and for a horrifying moment, Wei Ying thought the dog was going to bite his son, but it only tugged on his robes with a slight growl. 

“What is this misbehaving mutt doing alone?” Wei Ying muttered, watching as the dog began leading A-Yuan away.

“Its master should be nearby.” Lan Zhan led Little Apple to a nearby sturdy tree and tied his reins to a branch. Far enough away to hopefully avoid any trouble they’ll find ahead but close enough to hear should anything happen to the stubborn donkey.

“Its master should be teaching it some damn manners.” But they did end up following the dog. However, the dog led them to a dead end. Or rather, a plain, stone wall with no windows or doors in sight. 

“Damn thing,” Wei Ying muttered as he watched the dog become more and more agitated, barking and clawing at the structure. “Has it gone crazy?” 

“I don’t think so, Xian-gege,” A-Yuan said because of course his son was actually fond of dogs. Lan Zhan obviously didn’t let him have any pets; how could he actually like these creatures? 

“Its behavior is strange,” Lan Zhan agreed, unfortunately moving more towards the wall and the dog, so Wei Ying had to make a choice. Stay close to Lan Zhan but get closer to the dog or let go and give up his one source of protection against the thing. He chose to keep holding on. 

Wei Ying couldn’t think through his panic, but thankfully both Lan Zhan and A-Yuan were quite calm in this situation. He could afford to sit this one out. At least until they sent the dog away. 

“There’s an array protecting the castle.” See? Perfectly capable Lan Zhan could handle this. No need for him to be around this dog anymore. Now just how to elegantly excuse himself from the scene…

But Wei Ying didn’t get a chance because Lan Zhan stretched a hand forward to expel a grand amount of spiritual energy to crumble the wall in front of them. Which only made the dog bark even louder, instantly jumping through the wall to chase after something. He really should learn the dog’s name so he could scold it for being such a bad spiritual dog.

Wei Ying peeked around Lan Zhan’s massive shoulder to see into the opening he just made. The castle exuded a strange amount of resentful energy. Given how the rest of the place and the surrounding area looked abandoned, it was rather unusual. Unusual enough for him to want A-Yuan to stay out of it. 

Wei Ying sighed heavily. “Alright, Lan Zhan and I will go inside and investigate. A-Yuan, you stay out here. We don’t know what on Earth could be in there.” 

For a second, A-Yuan looked like he might protest, but the fight instantly flooded out of him and his lowered shoulders. “Yes, Xian-gege.” 

“Good boy. Scream if anything happens.” Wei Ying patted the child on the head before following Lan Zhan into the hole, following the barking that didn’t stop for a second. 

Wei Ying had no idea what instincts or what scent the dog could have possibly been following. It wasn’t like he ever studied spiritual dogs or their uses or training; he was more concerned with staying away from them. But he supposed he was rather grateful that the dog was rather certain of where it was going. The last thing they needed was a dog that led them in circles. 

Eventually, the dog stopped running around and arrived at a random wall within the castle. 

Wei Ying nearly groaned. “Another wall? Really?” 

Thankfully Lan Zhan had no trouble with this one either, and the stone fell away with ease, revealing a young boy in yellow robes. (He should have known a Jin would have such a loud dog!) Wei Ying instantly stepped forward to begin extricating him. “Jeez, what is this young master doing out here all alone?” He was clearly too young to be running around nighthunting by himself.

But as soon as Wei Ying began to pull the boy from the wall itself, the entire building began to shake as if in anger. Wei Ying looked back towards his companion. “Well that’s not good.” 

With no words needed to be said, Lan Zhan took charge of carrying their new child, heaving him into his arms without trouble. As soon as the boy was completely freed, the rumbling instantly grew more thunderous, and the dog beside them began to whine but still did not flee. At least the beast was loyal. 

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying made haste, hurrying back the way they came. Roots and vines began to chase after them, bursting up through the stone walls and floors. Wei Ying fended off as many as he could with the small amount of resentful energy he could summon through his winded breath. As they neared the exit, they heard A-Yuan’s concerned voice calling out for them. Only by the skin of their teeth did they manage to escape the castle’s clutches. Wei Ying grabbed A-Yuan’s arm to drag him away as they passed. 

Only when they were a good twenty paces away from the structure did they stop running. When Wei Ying looked back, he saw the opening Lan Zhan had carved was already filled. 

Wei Ying breathed a breath of relief and let go of his son to catch his breath. “This body really isn’t used to running. I was in way better shape.” 

“A-Die, who is that?” A-Yuan had come closer and began to observe the boy in Lan Zhan’s arms who was still unconscious and actually looked to be getting worse by the minute. 

“I do not know,” Lan Zhan answered honestly, crouching towards the ground so he could set the boy on the ground at the base of a nearby tree. 

Wei Ying instantly began to poke and prod and wasn’t surprised to find an ugly curse mark curled around the boy’s calf. It wasn’t surprising that he had gotten one surrounded by all that resentful energy. What was surprising though was how quickly he must have gotten it. Looking at how severe the curse was, the boy couldn’t have been in that castle for very long, but the mark was already reaching his knee. There must have been some severely resentful souls in there to have managed to cast this. 

Lan Zhan got to work immediately and sealed the curse with his spiritual energy. “He will need a more thorough cleansing soon.” 

“But he’ll be alright?” A-Yuan asked. He brushed the boy’s sticky hair away from his forehead and began to pat down his sweat with a spare cloth. 

“Of course! But this is no place to do it. We can head back to town. Besides,” Wei Ying reached into his robes to pull out the soul sealing bag and tossed it into the air, “this one has been having a field day in my robes.” 

“It’s reacted?” Lan Zhan asked, and he nodded. 

But A-Yuan looked perplexed. “What does that mean?” 

“It means that another part of our friend is likely in that castle right over there.” Wei Ying tucked it back away. “But for now, we really do need to see to this little one.” 

So once again, Lan Zhan lifted the boy into his arms—this time, to put him on the back of Little Apple who was waiting patiently nearby—and they began their much more sedate pace back to town. A-Yuan spent their trip asking about the specifics of various curses and curse marks, and Wei Ying was happy to answer any and all questions he had because it was a good distraction from the fact that the dog was still following them. Good for the young master that had such a loyal dog; bad for the cynophobic cultivator.

Thankfully by the time they got back to town, it was dark with not many people around to judge them for having an unconscious boy with them. The first person to actually say something was their innkeeper.

“And young masters… is that um… that boy, is he…?” 

Wei Ying and A-Yuan smiled easily to win her over. “He’s just fine, aunty. We found him on a nighthunt. Don’t worry. We’re only going to wake him up and send him on his way again.” 

The woman seemed revealed and asked no more questions while leading them to their rooms. Wei Ying exchanged some meaningless small talk with the woman, mentioning their precious donkey was parked in their stables. As the woman left to let them settle in, she assured them she would give the animal some food and water. He conspicuously didn’t mention the dog.

Lan Zhan set the boy on one of the beds in the room but instead of getting out Wangji and sitting down to play, he approached A-Yuan and held out the instrument. “A-Yuan should practice.”

A-Yuan blinked while Wei Ying grinned. “Me? Is that really okay?” 

“A-Yuan is capable. Just play as you usually do.” 

A-Yuan looked back at Wei Ying just to make sure this was a good idea and only took Wangji after he nodded encouragingly. Looking a little flustered but mostly capable, A-Yuan set up and began to play after a deep breath. And Wei Ying was no guqin master, but he was quite sure A-Yuan must be one of the best in his generation. Which was no surprise, given his teacher. 

After he finished Cleansing, A-Yuan smoothed the strings down and watched nervously as Wei Ying lifted the boy’s pant leg. He only relaxed after he saw the boy’s newly smoothed and curse-free skin. 

“See, A-Yuan? You did great.” 

A-Yuan smiled but then looked suddenly concerned. “Why isn’t he waking up though?” 

Wei Ying patted his back soothingly. “He’s just recovering. He’ll wake up soon, no need to worry.” 

“Oh good…” 

As if summoned, the boy began to stir and groaned from his place on the bed. And, like any other sane person, yelled when he saw three men he didn’t know looking at him. “Who the hell are you?” 

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You first little one. Why were you in the Man Eating Castle?” 

But the boy only grew more indignant. He sprung up from the bed. “I don’t have to tell you! Wait, you’re…” His face suddenly dawned in understanding, and he pointed an accusing finger at Wei Ying. “You!” 

Wei Ying blinked blankly. “Me?” 

“You! You’re Mo Xuanyu!” 

Ah, this kid must have encountered his host before he came into it. He hoped Mo Xuanyu didn’t do anything too nefarious to the kid. 

“You harassed Uncle Yao and got yourself kicked out! What are you doing here?” 

Well, so much for that. 

Wei Ying laughed nervously and leaned over towards Lan Zhan. “Uncle Yao?” 

“Sect Leader Jin Guangyao,” Lan Zhan supplied. 

Jin Guangyao. Not Jin Guangshan. Seemed like he missed a lot. He’d have to ask Lan Zhan about an update. 

Lan Zhan continued, “This must be his nephew, Jin Rulan.” 

Wei Ying froze in realization. Jin Rulan… Then this was Shi-jie’s…

Jin Ling wasted no time in locating the youngest member of their party and began interrogating A-Yuan. “Why are you two with him? You do know he’s a lunatic, right? You’d be better off staying away from him.” 

“Hey!” Wei Ying protested, even though he really had no idea what he was defending Mo Xuanyu from. “I’m not that bad!”

But Jin Ling was no longer listening to him, instead taking a rather thorough look around the room. “Wait a minute. Where’s Fairy?” 

“Fairy?” Wei Ying asked. 

“My spiritual dog. You better not have hurt her or I’ll call my—”

“Young master Jin, we really didn’t do anything to Fairy,” A-Yuan said, quickly coming to the rescue. “We just left her outside. She’s totally fine.” 

“Outside? She’s perfectly behaved, why didn’t you let her come up here with me?” 

“Well…” A-Yuan paused but quickly recovered. “This inn doesn’t allow dogs inside, even spiritual ones.” 

Jin Ling thankfully didn’t think any more about it and simply rolled his eyes. “Fine. If that’s all, I’m getting back to—”

“Oh no, you don’t.” Wei Ying got up from his seat and placed himself in front of the boy, with him backing up as he did so. “What were you doing nighthunting alone? Even with a spiritual animal, at your age it’s extremely dangerous.” 

Jin Ling stiffed at the reprimand. “Who are you to lecture me? You’re not my dad.” 

Wei Ying’s throat almost closed with the surge of guilt and grief that rose up in him. He wanted to say he was his uncle. He wanted to say that his mother was his shi-jie. He wanted to say he’d be terrified to learn he was in danger. But he also knew how hypocritical that was coming from him, so he tramped down the urge. “I’m someone who’s older and wiser who found you unconscious in said Man Eating Castle with a severe curse mark on your leg.”

“Curse mark?” Finally, Jin Ling started to look a little concerned and began to feel his leg like he wouldn’t have noticed such a thing as soon as he woke up. 

“We removed it already. You can thank A-Yuan over there.” 

A-Yuan gave a friendly wave and smile, and Jin Ling’s shoulders drooped. 

Wei Ying sighed and wanted to lecture the boy more. This was Shi-jie’s son! Whoever was looking after him obviously wasn’t watching him closely enough. That, or he had a rather great talent for getting himself into trouble. “I won’t lecture you anymore. Just be careful next time and don’t go near that castle again. Alright?” 

Jin Ling dropped his head but muttered a vague agreement before scurrying out of the inn room. Just as well. He’d have never agreed to their invitation to dinner. 

“Alright, with that settled, I think it’s time we have a nice, family meal.” 

And that they did. Nothing extravagant, but Lan Zhan’s purse supplied them with plenty of good food provided by the inn. After filling his stomach, Wei Ying wanted nothing more than to curl up into bed, but he and Lan Zhan got to their feet anyway. 

A-Yuan began to follow. “Are we going back?” 

“Oh no.” Wei Ying wagged a finger. “You’re staying here.” 

The boy began to pout. “What? But—”

“No buts. That castle is dangerous, and Lan Zhan and I won’t be able to properly investigate if we have to watch you. You’re staying and holding down the forte.” 

A-Yuan looked to Lan Zhan pleadingly as if he might have a different opinion. But the man only shook his head and said, “Wei Ying is right. A-Yuan should stay safe here.” 

But because he was a smart and filial child, he lowered his head and nodded. “Yes, A-Die.” 

“We’ll be back soon, okay?” Wei Ying patted the teen’s head and suddenly got deja vu. Of his own father petting his head and assuring him they’d be back soon. Of both his parents walking out of an inn’s door and never coming back. 

Lan Zhan’s voice startled him out of his reverie. “Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying jerked and laughed awkwardly. “Nothing!” He glanced back at A-Yuan to see him looking concerned. “Don’t worry! And don’t go anywhere!” 

Because he would come back. He’d never leave his son ever again. 

~*~

During their journey back, there were no dogs in sight, so Wei Ying was able to focus. And notice something strange. 

As they made their way through the forest, Wei Ying had been supplying them with a grand amount of high quality small talk because his mouth didn’t know how to do anything other than talk. And thankfully, Lan Zhan seemed perfectly happy to let him ramble, giving a slight hum here and there to indicate he was listening. But halfway to their destination, Wei Ying noticed it. 

He leaned even closer to his friend, lowering his voice. “You feel that?” 

Lan Zhan glanced at him briefly, shoulders taunt. “Yes. Someone is following us.” 

“I only sense the one. What about you?” 

Lan Zhan shook his head. “I only feel one as well.” 

Without saying anything more, Lan Zhan summoned Bichen and sent the sword flying through the air somewhere behind them. Right before it reached its mark, it stopped and received a rather indignant squeak. 

Wei Ying was expecting a competent cultivator to be found on the other side of Lan Zhan’s sword, but instead they found Nie Huaisang. Who wasn’t bad by any means. Wei Ying was just surprised that he had the ability to be sneaky beyond smothering erotic novels. 

The man was stuttering and blabbering by the time they reached him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to follow you! Or I didn’t mean to spy… But really—” 

“Sect Leader Nie,” Lan Zhan interrupted, and really Wei Ying was behind. Shouldn’t Nie Mingjue be sect leader? “Why were you following us?” 

Nie Huaisang paused and blinked at the address. Then he straightened in astonishment. “Hanguang-jun? I’m so sorry, I really didn’t recognize you.” 

Lan Zhan seemed nonplussed. “I am no longer Hanguang-jun.” 

Nie Huaisang didn’t seem to know how to respond to that. “Of course… And who’s your companion?” 

Wei Ying jerked forward. “Mo Xuanyu here! We just stumbled upon each other and decided to travel together.” 

“A-Yu?!” Ah, it seemed Huaisang knew his host as well. “Why didn’t you say anything? I haven’t seen you for months. You haven’t written, nothing!” 

Wei Ying chuckled nervously. “Well… you know… things happened.” 

Nie Huaisang sighed and hid behind his fan. “Hm. If you say so.” 

“Anyway! Why were you following us?” Wei Ying longed to address the man, but he really had no idea how Mo Xuanyu called Nie Huaisang, and he didn’t want to get it wrong. 

“Some of my subordinates told me our stone castle was disturbed recently, so I came to investigate. I didn’t expect it’d be you two. And come back to disturb it a second time.” 

“Well, we’re really just finishing our first investigation. We got interrupted when your castle ate a kid.” 

Nie Huaisang looked suddenly alarmed. “What?” 

Wei Ying waved him off and turned to lead them back towards their intended path. “Don’t worry. We saved him, he’s fine.” 

Nie Huaisang sighed. “That’s good. I knew we had strong wards and defensive measures around the castle, but I didn’t think it’d ever go that far. Most of that is to keep people away, not trap them.” 

“And why would you have such extensive wards?” Lan Zhan asked smoothly, getting right to the point. 

Nie Huaisang looked away, suddenly cagey and nervous. “Well, you know… private sect matters.” 

“Hm.” Wei Ying squinted at his former classmate. “I think we’re gonna need a little more than that. Considering the boy you accidentally trapped was Jin Ling.” 

Nie Huaisang stopped walking at the admittal then groaned. “Fine. But only because it’s you two. This is not supposed to be public knowledge.” 

It took the rest of the way for the sect leader to explain the true nature of the Stone Castles. And Wei Ying did admit, it was a rather creative solution to their problem. Having the souls of their sabers fight resentful ghosts for eternity to curb their resentment? It certainly wouldn’t have been the first solution Wei Ying would come up with. 

But even knowing that and even knowing about the wards surrounding the buildings, they couldn’t get the arm to react accurately. 

“You said that there are dozens of bodies buried here, correct?” Wei Ying asked. 

Nie Huaisang nodded. “Yes! Most are Nie, but we also collected a few others from various locations.”

“We need to remove all of them.” 

The man blinked. “What?” 

“Our arm friend pointed us in this direction. I suspect it reacted with another one of its parts, but because of the resentment and wards around, it can’t point us to a specific body.” Wei Ying tucked the soul-sealing bag into his robes once again. It was getting restless again; Lan Zhan would have to play Clarity for it tonight. 

Nie Huaisang opened his mouth to protest but lost the gall. He lowered his head. “I’ll call some disciples.” 

The Nie took no time at all to respond to their sect leader’s request, and they with Lan Zhan’s help had the bodies laid out front within a shichen. Seeing just how many there were, Wei Ying could tell this might take a while. Unless… 

“I might have a solution, though you might hit me for the suggestion.”

Nie Huaisang looked at Wei Ying with apprehension. “A-Yu, what do you mean…?” 

“Strip the bodies.” 

That did have Nie Huaisang’s mouth hanging open. 

“What?! Why?” 

“I suspect our murderer wanted to hide our friend, and what better way than hiding a corpse on another corpse? It’ll be the fastest way to find what we’re looking for.” 

Nie Huaisang, again, looked like he wanted to argue but instead his face just crumpled. He hid behind his fan. “My ancestors are going to kill me…” 

In the end, they didn’t need to strip all the corpses, merely a third. The rest got to keep their dignity, and they found the second body part in the form of a very toned pair of legs. 

“God, these thighs could kill a man.” Wei Ying had to hand it to their friend: whoever he was, he had a very impressive body. “I mean—god.” 

Lan Zhan, for some reason, was very prompt in sealing the next part of their friend. Wei Ying didn’t know why; the legs were clearly weaker and less resentful than the arm, but he decided to pay it no mind. 

He instead turned towards Nie Huaisang who looked about ready to keel over. “Well, we’ve got that settled, so it’s time for us to depart. Thank you for the help.” 

“Sure, A-Yu. Just let me know if you ever find out who’s body that is. And we should catch up! It’s been so long.” 

Wei Ying smiled, though he really didn’t know if he’d be able to take him up on that offer. “Why not? Now, looks like we’re—” 

But he didn’t get to finish that sentence because two familiar figures descended from the sky on two swords: Zewu-jun and Lianfeng-zun. And both their attentions were focused solely on Lan Zhan. 

Wei Ying expected a warm welcome or at least a friendly one. He, however, did not expect Zewu-jun’s furious face and angered voice, barking, “Wangji! What are you doing here?” 

~*~

Wei Ying couldn’t make heads or tails of it. 

Siblings fought all the time. He and Jiang Cheng were prime examples. But the relationship Lan Zhan had with his brother had always been slightly stiff but mostly affectionate. He knew Lan Xichen loved to dote on his younger brother, and Wei Ying had never seen otherwise. But this fury was not doting.

It was cutting. 

Wei Ying stood nervously and awkwardly to the side as Lan Zhan stood off with his brother and Jin Guangyao. Ever since Lan Xichen’s greeting, none of them had said anything. And Wei Ying wanted to call to Lan Zhan at this moment, but he was still trying to play the part of Mo Xuanyu and couldn’t risk it. 

But Lan Zhan wasn’t paying him any attention. Or rather, he was the only thing he was paying attention to. He stood in front of him, his hand an inch away from Bichen as if their new visitors might sprint forward to attack at any second. 

Nie Huaisang didn’t seem to know what to do either, looking back and forth between either party. “Er-ge…?” 

The only person who seemed to have their wits about them was Jin Guangyao. He stepped forward but quickly stopped when Lan Zhan tensed instantly. He tried a different approach. “Hanguang-jun, you simply caught us off guard. We didn’t expect to see you here. Er-ge, maybe we should… relax?” 

It was odd to see acute fury on Lan Xichen’s face. It looked like he didn’t know what to do with the anger he was feeling. Anger he was supposedly feeling towards Lan Zhan. What could he have possibly done to warrant this? 

But Lan Xichen took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. “Wangji. It is rather shocking to see you here when you’ve been absent for the past thirteen years.” 

Wei Ying tried to hide his shock. Thirteen? As long as he’s been dead? He knew A-Yuan said they’d been on the road and he’d never been to Gusu before, but for Lan Zhan to go all that time without seeing his brother… Something was terribly wrong. 

When he saw they weren’t going to get anything out of Lan Zhan, Jin Guangyao turned his attention to Wei Ying. “Xuanyu? I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

Wei Ying almost winced. Oh right. Mo Xuanyu had also been in the Jin sect before he was kicked out. Of course he’d met Jin Guangyao. But just as he opened his mouth to spout some deflecting bullshit, Lan Zhan stepped forward to cover him once again. 

“Why are you here?” Lan Zhan’s voice had always been cold, but now it was frost covering ice. 

Lan Xichen answered, “A-Sang called us about a disturbance with his Stone Castles. Why are you here?” 

Wei Ying could feel that the tension between them was only growing, so he grasped at anything that might tone it down. “We were just passing through. We’ll get out of your hair now.” 

But there wasn’t any opportunity. As they talked, Lan and Jin disciples had begun to surround them from the back and from the sides. Nie Huaisang and his disciples were wisely backing away from the fray, not wanting to get involved. 

Jin Guangyao smiled fakely. “I’m afraid that’s going to be rather difficult, considering Hanguang-jun’s unfinished business in Gusu.” 

“Wangji, stop making this difficult,” Lan Xichen snapped. “Come back to Gusu.” 

Lan Zhan didn’t entertain the possibility for a second. “I will not.” 

Wei Ying felt an uncanny familiarity. He’d heard this conversation before. It never ended well. 

“Hanguang-jun, I’m sure your troubles with your brother could be smoothed over if you simply talked,” Jin Guangyao said sweetly, obviously trying to coax a rather un-coaxable Lan Zhan. “There’s no need for violence.” 

Lan Zhan looked at him cooly. “I think there is.” 

The next moment, Lan Zhan tensed, and Wei Ying followed through. He didn’t know why it was so imperative they didn’t get caught, but he didn’t question it. He simply trusted Lan Zhan’s judgment. 

In a flurry of movement, Lan Zhan summoned Wangji and flicked the strings, sending a dozen Jin cultivators flying through the air. Wei Ying did the same with resentful energy, leaving them a nice hole to slip through. 

In his previous life, at the height of his cultivation, Wei Ying could keep up with Lan Zhan easily. The same couldn’t be said right now. After a dozen paces, he was already falling behind. 

But Lan Zhan reacted without hesitation, picking him up and placing him over his shoulder. Wei Ying’s instinct was to protest but knew it wasn’t the time so he set about scribbling. Even being jostled around as he was, Wei Ying could still write a talisman. After completing it, he handed it to Lan Zhan who accepted it without hesitation. Right before the teleportation talisman was activated, Wei Ying heard several curses and shouts, but they still made a clean getaway. 

In the next step, they were right outside town, and Lan Zhan set Wei Ying down with as much dignity as he had left. They wasted no time in getting back to their inn room. Wei Ying flung the doors open, calling, “A-Yuan? Pack up, we need to leave now.” 

But the room was completely silent. They checked the other room they rented just to make sure, but that one was empty too. 

Wei Ying’s heartbeat began to quicken. “Lan Zhan… where is A-Yuan?” 

Chapter Text

A-Yuan shouldn’t have been surprised he was left behind.

So he wasn’t. He was only disappointed. 

He knew it made sense. He wasn’t as skilled or as experienced as A-Die or Xian-gege. They needed to be able to watch each other’s backs without having to keep an eye on him. But it still didn’t make him feel any better. 

Plus, he really didn’t have much to do. They’d already had dinner. And he needed to stay in or near the inn to prevent his parents from totally panicking. A-Die and he always packed light, so he had no books to entertain himself with. The room was too small for him to practice his sword forms. So he ended up staring out the window at the street below. 

It was a nice night. Cool with no clouds in the sky. It was late enough that all the shopkeepers and buskers had gone home for the night. Not too late, however, for a certain Jin heir. 

A-Yuan watched with amusement as he saw Jin Ling approach their inn from across the street. He looked like he was half talking to, half scolding Fairy. With nothing better to do, he descended the stairs of the inn and exited the building. When Jin Ling spotted him, he jerked like he was taken off guard but lowered his head to meet A-Yuan at the corner. 

A-Yuan was perfectly friendly; he wanted to make a good impression, after all. “Hi, Young Master Jin. What brings you here?” 

Jin Ling crossed his arms and looked away. “You don’t need to call me that. We’re the same age after all.” 

A-Yuan was quite sure he was a few years older than Jin Ling, but he didn’t correct him. “Jin Ling then.” 

A slight flush covered his cheeks, and A-Yuan, again, didn’t say anything. 

“So… can I help you? I’m afraid it’s only me right now. A-Die and… Mo-gongzi are out at the moment.” 

Jin Ling’s interest peaked. “What are they doing?” 

“Checking out those castles we found you in earlier.” 

“But they’ll leave us behind and tell us not to go near it? What makes them so special?” 

A-Yuan supposed that if one hadn’t seen A-Die’s raw power or Xian-gege’s expertise, it’d be hard to believe that there was no one better equipped to handle the situation. Still, he tried to empathize. “It’s kinda annoying being left behind, but A-Die trusts me with a lot of things. If he says it’s better I stay behind this time, then I trust him.” 

Jin Ling watched him for a moment. “I guess you have a good point. I came to… well, I came by to thank you guys for saving me. I guess running off like that wasn’t very courteous. Even if you were traveling with Mo Xuanyu.” 

“Oh, of course. It’s not like we could have left you there.” A-Yuan’s eyes drifted down to see Fairy, happy and attentive. He squatted down to give her some attention. “How long have you had Fairy?” 

Jin Ling joined him and sat on the ground. “Six years now. My uncle gave her to me.” He paused, contemplating. “She really is a good dog. She wouldn’t bite anyone unless I told her.” 

Ah, it seemed Jin Ling really cared about his dog to still be offended at the supposed implication she was untrained. “Oh, are you talking about Mo-gongzi? He didn’t mean anything by it. I get the sense he’s a little… scared of dogs.” 

“Scared?” Jin Ling’s voice was amused, almost laughing. 

“Yeah, it is kinda silly. But don’t mention it in front of him. I’m sure he’d be embarrassed.” 

Jin Ling hummed. “Alright, fine. Unless he really gets on my nerves.” 

A-Yuan was quite sure Jin Ling wasn’t so harsh or mean-spirited, so he didn’t take it to heart. “I always wished I could have had a pet. I’ve asked A-Die several times, but we’ve never been in a good position to take one in.” 

“You guys move around a lot?” 

“My whole life. I’m not complaining, really. I just wish I had a dog as cute as Fairy!” A-Yuan leaned forward to give her a good scratching and got a cheek lick in return. 

Jin Ling cleared his throat. “Well, if you guys are ever near Lanling… I wouldn’t mind hosting you guys. Uncle wouldn’t object. He’s always saying I need more friends.” The boy suddenly flushed, realizing what he just said. “Not that I couldn’t make more if I really wanted more friends! It’s just that—that the boys in my sect are assholes. They’re jerks, so I don’t ever want to be around them.” 

A-Yuan looked at him for a moment in silence. “You know… I don’t have many friends either.” 

Jin Ling’s flush began to fade from his face. “Then you would—”

“Jin Ling!” 

The shout cut through the street more like a bark than an actual voice. Both boys jerked upright once they heard it, suddenly on high alert. It wasn’t hard to pinpoint where the sound had come from.

A cultivator in purple robes was striding towards them like he was late in giving someone a beating. He was followed by a handful of disciples, also dressed in dark robes. Clearly from the Jiang sect. He wore a stern expression like his face didn’t know how to wear anything else. He fixed Jin Ling with a glare before moving it over to A-Yuan. 

“Jiujiu…,” Jin Ling greeted meekly. A-Yuan really should bow and introduce himself to this cultivator of an obviously higher stature than himself, but he didn’t want to show this man the courtesy. 

The man addressed his nephew, despite still examining A-Yuan. “Where have you been this time? Having fun? The last time you disappeared, I had to hear about you getting a curse mark on yourself. Now, you’re having fun with friends. Do you really think you have the luxury?” 

“Jiujiu, it’s not like that!” Jin Ling said. “A-Yuan is one of the people who saved me. I was coming back to thank them.” 

“Really?” Jin Ling’s uncle looked thoroughly unimpressed at that statement, as if he couldn’t believe A-Yuan would be in any way useful. “And is there a family name that goes with that?” 

A-Yuan smiled pleasantly. “No. Just Yuan.” 

“Hm. Then might you tell me where your traveling partners are? I need to have a word with them.”

“They went out to nighthunt. I’m afraid I don’t know the exact location.” A-Yuan glanced at Jin Ling, wondering if he was going to rat him out, but the boy was oddly still and quiet. 

“Really? Then if you’re alone for the evening, might you join us for a meal?” The invitation was anything but friendly, and the invite to dinner had nothing to do with food. 

A-Yuan bowed gracefully and began to back away. “I appreciate the offer, but I already had dinner for the night. I should get back to our rooms.” 

“I insist .” The man took another step forward, and A-Yuan took a glance around at the situation. 

The Jiang disciples didn’t seem surprised or overly concerned their sect leader was intimidating a boy nearly as young as his own nephew. They seemed like they were ready to surround and apprehend him the moment he tried to make a break for it. Jin Ling was looking increasingly uncomfortable. But despite being unwilling to correct his lie, he was not about to step in front of his aggressive uncle to save a new acquaintance. It seemed there really were no other options. 

A-Yuan took a breath then relaxed his shoulders. “Well, if you’re being so courteous, then I really can’t refuse.” 

The man relaxed but looked no more happy at having gotten his way. He continued his slump all the way to their inn, personally escorting A-Yuan and Jin Ling. Jin Ling opened his mouth to say something multiple times on the trip but lost the courage every time. He likely felt the need to explain himself, but A-Yuan didn’t care nor was he mad. He just had to find an opening to leave and meet back up with A-Die and Xian-gege. They’d likely be done with their excursion before he was done with his “meal.” 

The inn was quiet and barren when they entered, which wasn’t surprising given how late it was. The Jiang disciples filed into a room separate from the one Jin Ling’s uncle herded them into. Even with less eyes watching him, A-Yuan was no less on edge. 

A-Yuan, Jin Ling, and his uncle all took a seat at the proffered table inside. The man ordered a pot of tea to be brought up along with some dishes he didn’t care to listen to. By this point, A-Yuan knew this man must be Jiang Wanyin. No other sect leader had such a bad temper it preceded him. He’d heard plenty from gossips and muckrakers about the Jiang sect leader, and from A-Die’s reactions to the name, he wasn’t someone to get involved with. 

Oops. 

When the tea and food were brought, no one moved. A-Yuan really wasn’t particularly hungry. Jin Ling was likely too stressed. And Jiang Wanyin likely didn’t want to have to serve his “guest” when he was really just a prisoner at the moment. So the meal went untouched. 

But the silence didn’t last forever. The Jiang sect leader spoke first, “Who is it you’re traveling with?” 

A-Yuan blinked calmly. “My A-Die and a friend we’ve just recently began traveling with.” 

“That’s going to be Mo Xuanyu, isn’t it? Last I heard he was a lunatic and messing around with the demonic arts.” 

“I wouldn’t know,” A-Yuan responded calmly. “I just met Mo-gongzi a few days ago. But he’s been perfectly reasonable.” 

Jiang Wanyin managed to scoff and sneer at the same time. “No demonic cultivator is reasonable . Any honorable cultivator wouldn’t be caught dead affiliating with the likes of them. Better to kill them where they stand.” 

Jin Ling shifted uncomfortably, but A-Yuan managed no reaction at all. He was quite certain Sect Leader Jiang had a good reason to hate demonic cultivators, but he still wasn’t happy with the threats against his family. 

“If Sect Leader Jiang says,” A-Yuan responded neutrally. 

“What? You a demonic cultivator too?” 

“Jiujiu!” Jin Ling cried. 

“It’s a reasonable question.” Jiang Wanyin didn’t take his eyes off A-Yuan. “Pick up any demonic tricks from him?” 

He nor A-Die rightly cared whether he used demonic cultivation, as long as it was for the right reasons, but he wasn’t about to go and say that in front of this man. “And if I had?” 

If Jiang Wanyin was surprised at the blatantly ambiguous response, he didn’t show it. “You won’t like the answer.” 

“Then no. I’ve never picked up demonic cultivation. I’ve only used my golden core and my sword techniques for night hunts.” 

“And you expect me to believe that?” 

“If you weren’t going to believe me, why ask?” 

“Jiujiu, please!” Jin Ling sprung up from the table and reached out a hand to cover A-Yuan’s arm protectively. “He’s really just a rogue cultivator! He plays the guqin. He used it to get rid of the curse mark on me.” 

That just made Jiang Wanyin more suspicious. “And where’d you learn how to play the guqin?” Common spiritual weapons like swords were hard to come by for a rogue cultivator. This would be doubly true for a secondary spiritual weapon like a guqin. 

“My father taught it to me.” 

“Right… And who is this ‘father’ of yours?” 

“I’m afraid I’ve only ever known him as ‘A-Die.’” 

“What kind of son doesn’t know his own father’s name?” 

“This one.” A-Yuan smiled like he wasn’t even bothered by the insult. It was several years into his adolescence when he first heard his father’s title then his courtesy name. And now that Xian-gege had come back, his given name. But this man didn’t need to know who his father was. It’d likely lead to more trouble. 

“Well, we’ll see if you can keep that up as we head back to Lotus Pier.” 

Jin Ling’s hand grew tight and trembled on A-Yuan’s forearm. “Jiujiu, please don’t!” 

“Sit down, Jin Ling.” 

“He hasn’t done anything—”

“Sit down!” Sect Leader Jiang bellowed, and Jin Ling withered under the glare and the voice. His hand fell away forlornly, and he sat down meekly. Whatever awaited him at Lotus Pier was obviously bad news. It was likely one of the reasons he and A-Die searched for demonic cultivators on their own. 

But before A-Yuan could wonder any longer, an eager knock sounded at their door. Sect Leader Jiang barked an answer, and a Jiang disciple came bowing into the room. 

“Sect Leader. There’s been a commotion outside. Evidence of a demonic cultivator fleeing the city.” 

Jiang Wanyin’s eyes widened, and he quickly got up from the table. He ordered a few disciples to watch A-Yuan before he was already racing out of the room and down the stairs of the inn. Jin Ling chased after him, shouting, and soon A-Yuan was left with two Jiang disciples as guards. 

Even though the food and tea had gone cold by now, he began to eat with nothing better to do. He was mostly confident in his abilities as a cultivator and as a swordsman, but he didn’t have Huo Huaban with him. After all, when he left the inn, he only thought he was going to briefly talk with Jin Ling before returning. Not be promptly kidnapped. 

At least the food was good. 

After being thoroughly stuffed, A-Yuan rested his head on the table in boredom. The Jiang disciples seemed perfectly attentive, but they paid him no mind. A-Yuan briefly thought about trying to talk them into letting him go but decided against it. It would likely go nowhere. Disciples were already extremely loyal to the sects they belonged to, and you had to be super loyal to follow a man like that . 

A knock jostled the door, and it was opened before anyone could react. On the other side stood Jin Ling with his arms crossed, trying to look as stern and intimidating as he could. “Jiujiu needs more help with the demonic cultivator. I’ll watch our… guest.” 

Surely, this wouldn’t work. But just as A-Yuan thought that, the two Jiang disciples shared a look before shrugging and making their way out of the room. He blinked, astonished. Was this the power of a sect heir? 

Jin Ling watched them leave calmly, but as soon as they were down the hall, he dashed into the room and closed the doors. He rushed over to the window and threw it open, peering down. “Hurry, you don’t have much time. I think Jiujiu will be back soon empty handed. And you don’t want to be here when he’s in a bad mood.” 

A-Yuan was quite sure he’d already seen the man in a bad mood but instead said, “Jin Ling, is this alright? If your uncle finds out—”

“My uncle won’t hurt me, okay? Just go. It’s better if you’re gone by the time he gets back.” 

With that reassurance, A-Yuan got up from his seat at the table and joined Jin Ling by the window. It’d be simple to jump and escape; they were only on the second floor. A-Yuan tugged the boy’s sleeve to get his gaze on him. “Thank you.” 

Jin Ling stiffed and turned away, clearing his throat. “Just go. Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.” 

A-Yuan smiled and briefly paid Jin Ling another thank you in the form of a hug before launching himself out the window. He landed safely and softly, disappearing into the night. 

Now to meet up with his parents. 

~*~

“No, no, no, no—where is he?!” 

Wei Ying darted across the room, looking behind curtains and under the bed sheets as if his son might be hiding under there. “A-Yuan, where are you?” He tugged at his hair and began to pace. 

The room was undisturbed; there was no sign of a struggle. A-Yuan’s sword was still here too. There’d be no reason for him to leave it behind. And A-Yuan wouldn’t just leave without leaving a note. Was he threatened? But then why and how would anyone know they’d be staying here? 

“Wei Ying, calm down. A-Yuan is fine.” 

“Fine?” Wei Ying cried. “How can you say that? Our son is gone, and we have no idea where he is. And I just—I just…” He just got him back! 

“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan stepped across the room to take Wei Ying’s shoulders into his hands. “A-Yuan can take care of himself. But we need to leave.” 

“And go where? He’s…” 

Lan Zhan was already striding around the room, collecting their things. “A-Yuan and I have a system. To find each other when we get separated.” 

Finally, Wei Ying’s heart began to calm. “Really?” 

“Mn. But we need to leave now.” 

That was also true. Whatever was the true meaning behind the confrontation they’d had with Zewu-jun and Lianfeng-zun couldn’t be good, and they’d likely search the nearest town for them. It’d be better to avoid them as long as they could. 

Making haste, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan gathered their remaining things, stored them in their qiankun bags, and went to the stalls to retrieve Little Apple. The donkey was probably a liability at this point, but Wei Ying couldn’t think about leaving him behind just yet. They needed to find a better place for him. Better than that shed at Mo Xuanyu’s place. 

But before they could make a clean getaway, they turned the corner and were immediately spotted by a few cultivators in purple. 

“Damn it!” Wei Ying cursed as they began to run again. “How many people are after us now? And why?” He didn’t remember doing anything piss off Jiang Cheng recently. 

But with some demonic tricks and Lan Zhan’s deflection skills, they were able to escape their pursuers with minimal trouble, leaving purple robes and purple lightning behind. 

The system that Lan Zhan spoke of earlier was actually quite simple. If Lan Zhan and A-Yuan were to ever need to separate because of a nighthunt or otherwise, they’d meet up at the nearest location, previously determined by the two of them. There were several points in each region, and no matter where you were, you’d never be more than half a day’s sword flight from any of them. Of course for them, it’d take a little longer because they had Little Apple, but luckily, the closest meeting location wasn’t far from where they were currently. 

These meeting spots were never obvious. A random tree, a specific part of a river bank, some bushes. Even marked on a map, Wei Ying would have a hard time finding these specific spots. A-Yuan and Lan Zhan must have personally traveled to each of these spots to decide. It seemed they really were as well-traveled as they claimed. 

Just as two hours passed, Wei Ying spotted a dark figure in the distance. He stiffened before relaxing completely. “A-Yuan!” 

The boy whipped around at the voice and charged at full speed towards them. He didn’t stop until he was in Wei Ying’s arms. “Xian-gege!” 

Wei Ying couldn’t have been more relieved. “Oh, A-Yuan!” He pulled back and gripped his shoulders firmly. “What happened? Why weren’t you at the inn?” 

A-Yuan looked a little guilty and began to explain his impromptu dinner with Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng. Wei Ying went silent at the mention of his sect brother. He was happy to hear that Jin Ling was feeling no apparent effects from the curse mark he got, but both people were so entangled in his past that it was impossible for Wei Ying to not feel complicated about both of them. 

“Either way, I’m glad you managed to get away. Let’s not make it a habit, okay?” 

“Of course.” A-Yuan separated from Wei Ying and turned to his father. The man held out his sword, which he took with gratitude. “Where are we headed to next?”

Wei Ying paid a glance at Lan Zhan, but the man didn’t seem inclined to divulge into their own impromptu meeting with people they didn’t expect to run into. He needed to talk to him about what Zewu-jun said at some point. Maybe Lan Zhan didn’t want A-Yuan to know, but Wei Ying needed to be on the same page. Whatever his brother was mad about wasn’t something to be brushed under the rug. 

But that was a conversation for a different time. 

“Well, let’s find out—oh shit!” 

They only found out where they were headed to next once Lan Zhan completed a full round of Cleansing on the hand. Having gotten in range of another one of its parts, the arm nearly escaped the capture of the soul sealing bag. They’d likely have to keep a closer and closer eye on it as they gathered more of their mystery man’s body parts. 

For some reason, when A-Yuan saw where it was pointing, he smiled. “Oh, this will be great! That’s towards Yi City.” 

“Yi City?” Wei Ying had heard of the name and knew it was near the Shudong region, but he’d never been. “Have you guys been there before?” 

“Of course! Many times!” A-Yuan said cheerfully. “We’ll be able to introduce you to some old friends. It’s about time we pay a visit anyway.” 

Wei Ying was terribly intrigued about these old friends, and so he took not another look at the direction the hand was pointing. “Alright then. Lead the way!” 

~*~

It took them another several days to reach their destination. 

It wasn’t so much that Little Apple was slow (though he was), it was more that they had to be extra careful about any sect cultivators from now on. Anyone dressed in purple, gold, or white couldn’t be trusted, lest they report back to their sect leaders. Wei Ying had to make increasingly effective disguise talismans for them to walk by undetected, which he attached to himself and each of his companions. 

A-Yuan offered several times to help, but Wei Ying was still so wary about his son using such a dangerous method of cultivation when his golden core was right there. Of course, demonic cultivation could do several things that regular, conventional cultivation couldn’t, but Wei Ying would rather take on that burden himself. Maybe he’d write another guide to demonic cultivation before he died and leave it with A-Yuan to prevent him from making any beginner mistakes. He wouldn’t be able to protest his use of the method if he was dead again anyway. 

And he was surprised to see that Lan Zhan still didn’t make any sort of protest about it! Even with instruction, there were still risks. (This applied to other cultivation methods, but that was besides the point.) Wei Ying really needed to have a good, long talk with Lan Zhan about a lot of things. 

Thankfully, as they got closer and closer to their destination, they began to see less and less sect cultivators. It became apparent why once they reached Yi City. 

The city was as buzzing and lively as any Wei Ying had ever seen. The streets were flooded with people, shoppers and sellers alike. Children ran between adult legs, carefree and unafraid. He spotted dozens of rogue cultivators in the crowd, friendly and social as they conversed with each other. The atmosphere reminded Wei Ying so much of his first home, Lotus Pier, that he had to blink back tears. 

Wei Ying, Lan Zhan, and A-Yuan huddled together to get through the crowd, arms and elbows brushing strangers. “I’ve never seen a city like this,” Wei Ying admitted. “I would have visited in the past, had I known.” 

“Ah, it probably wouldn’t have been the same, Xian-gege.” A-Yuan had taken his turn on Little Apple’s reins and was carefully making sure the donkey wasn’t stepping on anyone’s toes. “It only became like this in the past couple years.” 

“You don’t say.” Wei Ying looked around, equal parts awed and nervous. As lively as the city was and as enjoyable that was in itself, there were far too many faces in the crowd for him to properly scan for anyone they should avoid. “And I’ve never in my life seen so many rogue cultivators! What are they all doing here? I haven’t sensed any resentment around for miles.” 

A-Yuan giggled coyly. “Oh, those aren’t rogue cultivators.” 

Wei Ying was astonished. “No?” 

A-Yuan shook his head. “They’re from the Xinglan Sect. Rather than marking themselves with a specific color, they have pendants to show who they are.” 

Sure enough, with careful observation, Wei Ying was able to spot the tokens his son spoke about. They weren’t eye-catching, but you could glimpse them quickly if you knew to look for them. They were too far away to see any details on such pendants, but they were a pale ivory color that shone slightly blue in the right light. There also didn’t appear to be any uniform for where they should wear them. One cultivator in dark green had it tied around his belt; another had it attached to the hilt of his sword; and one was dangling from a female cultivator’s headdress. 

“Quite a sect.” Wei Ying appreciated the abstract thinking. “I haven’t heard of this sect before. Are they new?” 

“They appeared after Wei Ying passed,” Lan Zhan provided. 

“Ah.” Well, that explained it. 

“We’re headed to their headquarters now actually. The founders are friends of ours!” A-Yuan sounded so proud of the fact, and Wei Ying couldn’t help but ruffle his head to tease him. 

“Wei Ying knows the sect leaders as well.” 

Wei Ying turned his wide eyes towards Lan Zhan. “Really?” 

“Mn.” 

It took the better part of an hour, but they made it to Xinglan Sect, whose building laid nestled in the middle of Yi City. The building was expansive and rivaled that of Lotus Pier, most impressive of what was a recent and minor sect. The courtyard that welcomed newcomers was open to everyone, and people from cultivators to little kids weaved in and out of their gates. It seemed the area just inside was a place of casual social gathering, but the farther one went in, the more sect activities could be seen plain as day. 

Perhaps “minor” wasn’t a correct way to describe the Xinglan Sect of Yi City. There was no shortage of cultivators at any age. Wei Ying spotted little ones only reaching the age of ten following an instructor's orders in sword forms. As they continued walking, they passed a group of adolescents around A-Yuan’s age being lectured to about the differences between yaos, beasts, and fierce corpses. There was even a humble group of adults taking instructions and critiques from a stern looking man dressed in black and blue. He held a simple rod and used that to move his students in the appropriate direction. They were obviously making their way over to him. 

Once they got closer, the man looked up and recognition flashed in his flat expression. He addressed his class, seemed to dismiss them, then walked over to greet Wei Ying and his group. 

“Lan Wangji, A-Yuan, newcomer.” The man bowed at each of them politely, slightly deeper towards Wei Ying, given this was their first meeting. “Welcome and welcome back.” 

“Song Lan-jiujiu,” A-Yuan greeted with a smile, and something familiar registered in Wei Ying’s mind. 

“Sect Leader Song.” Lan Zhan was stiff still in his bow, but it was obvious this man wasn’t a stranger to him. 

Song Lan raised up from his bow, looking at Wei Ying expectantly. He scratched his cheek awkwardly. “I’m… um…” 

Thankfully, Lan Zhan came to his rescue. “This is not a social visit.” 

“I see,” Song Lan rumbled and turned away, leading them away from the courtyard and towards the actual headquarters of the sect. “Then we may discuss inside. Xingchen is inside with A-Qing.” 

Xingchen… Song Lan… Finally, Wei Ying connected the dots. The Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan? These were the founders of the Xinglan Sect?! He felt suddenly embarrassed. Here he was with one of the legends of their cultivation time, and he couldn’t even properly introduce himself. How mortifying. 

But Song Lan didn’t seem overly perturbed or bothered by it as he led them through their halls. The building itself was aptly named “Frost House;” a plaque labeling the structure as such greeted them as they entered, calligraphy free flowing and elegant. A-Yuan had peeled away from them to dock Little Apple and promised to join them inside once he was done with the task. 

As they walked through the halls, Wei Ying couldn’t help but admire the workmanship contained within its walls. This was a massive undertaking for only two people starting a sect from scratch. Erecting a building like this probably cost a small fortune; he wondered how they managed to pull it off. 

When they reached their destined room, Song Lan knocked without preamble, cutting off the soft voices contained inside. After only a second, they were told to enter by a soft, masculine voice. 

Inside, there were two people. A man sitting at a desk—obviously Xiao Xingchen. And a young woman standing with a couple of papers in her hand—who must have been A-Qing. Xiao Xingchen was dressed in his usual white but added to that was a bandage covering his eyes. Similarly, A-Qing’s gaze was white, and Wei Ying would have thought her blind if she was not clearing holding several papers in front of her. 

Song Lan addressed his partner first, “Xingchen. Lan Wangji, A-Yuan, and a friend have come. A-Yuan is currently docking their new donkey.” 

“A friend?” Xiao Xingchen asked. 

“Hello,” Wei Ying piped up sheepishly, and Xiao Xingchen straightened as he registered the new voice. “Thank you for the hospitality.” 

“Oh, of course. A friend of Wangji’s is a friend of ours.” Xiao Xingchen pushed himself to stand and came around his desk to approach them. A-Qing set down the papers she was holding as well. “You must be tired from your trip. We’ll organize a dinner for the six of us.” 

Lan Wangji bowed even though Xiao Xingchen could not see it. Perhaps he could sense it. “Mn, many thanks.” 

So dinner was prepared, and everyone gathered in the dining room once the cooks had finished. Wei Ying took his time looking around as they walked through Frost House, but it seemed like Lan Zhan was plenty familiar with the place. He wondered how often they visited. They were obviously VIP members of the Xinglan Sect. But if they had a sect they could join, why weren’t they spending all their time here? Surely, this place was more secure than traveling around haphazardly. 

Another thing to pester Lan Zhan about later. 

Dinner was plentiful and delicious. Though the palette wasn’t as spicy as Wei Ying preferred, it still went down quite enjoyably. There were a variety of dishes to choose from; Lan Zhan had no trouble sticking to something vegetarian. Though Wei Ying did notice that A-Yuan ate the meat. Wei Ying thought banning meat would have been a rule Lan Zhan would place on his son. It wasn’t the worst of their rules after all. It seemed like there was a lot he didn’t understand about this new Lan Zhan. 

Xiao Xingchen let them enjoy the food for a minute before breaching the subject. “So Lan Wangji’s new friend. Do we get a name?” 

Wei Ying’s identity was still meant to be kept a secret, but if Lan Zhan and A-Yuan both trusted these people, he had no qualms about being transparent. He cleared his throat after swallowing. “Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian. Sorry to be… suspicious.” 

“I suppose we should have expected that,” Xiao Xingchen said with a smile, and Wei Ying was baffled for a second. What did that mean? “And not to be rude, but weren’t you… dead?” 

Wei Ying laughed. “Sure was! But I was summoned back using my own invention. Someone was stupid enough to perform the ritual, I guess. We’re actually investigating something related to why I was brought back.” 

He reached into his robes and brought out the soul sealing bag that contained the original arm. He stretched out a hand to offer it to Song Lan. He inspected the bag with a frown and turned to give it to his partner. “Strong resentment. Where did you happen upon this soul?” 

“Mo Village. But it’s actually not a full soul. It’s been split along with its body parts. We’ve only been able to recover two parts of the body.” 

Xiao Xingchen scowled as he used his own spiritual energy to investigate the bag. “Barbaric. And you say this has something to do with you being brought back?” 

“Yes. This arm appeared right when I was brought back. I think I was meant to find it. To destroy it or investigate the soul, I’m not sure. Lan Zhan and A-Yuan have been helping me with the search.” 

Xiao Xingchen’s face suddenly turned more severe, and he turned towards Song Lan. “A-Lan, did you…?” 

“Yes.” 

Wei Ying watched the exchange with curious eyes. “What is it?” 

“I believe we’ve come across your friend before.” Xiao Xingchen passed the bag back to Song Lan who gave it back to Wei Ying. “We had a rather stressful nighthunt a few months ago. A dismembered arm that was particularly hard to subdue. It took us an entire night with our best cultivators. I actually wrote to Sect Leader Lan for assistance in their musical cultivation once we had a handle on the situation but did not receive a message back.” 

Lan Zhan said nothing about the admittal, but his expression grew serious. 

“It’s actually being contained here. We weren’t able to relieve it of its resentment, so we’ve been keeping it on lockdown to prevent further casualties. We’ll show you the hall once we finish dinner.” 

The rest of the meal was spent discussing much more pleasant topics. Wei Ying was dying to know about the circumstances that brought Lan Zhan and A-Yuan to Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. They skimmed over the details (it was obviously not a pleasant time in their lives), but Xiao Xingchen delighted in telling him all about the making of the sect. Song Lan and Lan Zhan mostly kept quiet during the meal, but it was lively anyway. That young woman, A-Qing, was chipper yet sassy, and she and A-Yuan seemed like close friends. 

When they finished, A-Qing was practically dragging A-Yuan away from the adults. “A-Yuan, please! I don’t want to watch them discuss corpses and gross stuff.” 

“Ah, but A-Qing, I was really interested in—”

“Please!” The girl batted her eyelashes, though it didn’t seem to be working particularly well on her friend. “If you go, then I’ll be left alone, and it’ll be so boring.” 

“Go on now,” Wei Ying encouraged and almost laughed at A-Yuan’s face. He obviously expected to be rescued. 

“Xian-gege!” 

“It really will be boring. Go play with your friend. We’ll be discussing things you shouldn’t hear anyway.” 

A-Yuan deflated but obeyed and allowed his friend to merrily drag him away. Wei Ying watched him go, and the scene suddenly had a vice around his neck. Wei Ying had worked so hard, his family had worked so hard, just for a scene like this. Just so A-Yuan could have a chance at life—a good life. One with warm clothes and good food and close friends. 

“Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying broke out of his reminiscing and turned towards the voice. Lan Zhan’s voice. The one who managed to give all this to his son. And the man was looking at him right now, offering his arm. He took it. “Nothing. Just thinking.” 

Frost House’s containment room was built just as well as the rest of the establishment. In addition to being able to hold powerful resentful spirits, it also held their collection of spiritual weapons that no one was currently using. Wei Ying was dying to go through them and test them himself but held himself back. It would be a betrayal on his part anyway; how could he touch another sword when he didn’t even know where Suibian was? 

And though the arrays and suppression surrounding the building were top-notch, Wei Ying saw room for improvement. He wondered whether or not it would be appropriate to offer some advice. He’d ask Lan Zhan if it was a good idea later. 

Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen lead them down to a level underneath the weapons, deep underground. As they descended, the air became thick, and Wei Ying could practically smell the resentment being contained here. He felt at the pocket at his chest. Sure enough, the arm was reacting like a caged beast—dangerous and ready to lash out at any moment. Lan Zhan was the one who held the legs. They felt it necessary to keep the parts as separate as they could manage. He was sure he was also feeling the reaction from his part of the soul.

When they entered the room containing the other arm, no one could act as if they were unaffected. Even seasoned cultivators like themselves stiffened at the stench of the resentment in the soul. The right arm was tied down to the stone floor with thick chains, surrounded by a suppressing array. Although it was contained at the moment, there was no way to tell how the two additional parts of the soul would make it react. 

Xiao Xingchen turned to them. “Wangji, if you would.” 

With a simple nod, Lan Zhan knelt in the middle of the room and summoned Wangji. With his expert playing and solid cultivation base, the arm had no option but to submit, and its resentment lessened where they were all able to breathe easier. This arm wasn’t as powerful as the original arm (the legs were laughable in that regard), but it was still extremely dangerous. None of them could afford to let down their guard. 

“Well, I guess the only question is if Master Song and Xiao would allow us to leave with the new body part of our friend.” 

Xiao Xingchen looked over at Wei Ying amiably. “If you assure us that you will not allow it to harm anyone else, we have no qualms with this. Its suppression is most suited to Lan Wangji’s musical cultivation anyway. I’d rest easier knowing you’re both keeping an eye on it.” 

Wei Ying smiled. “Well said.” 

Lan Zhan produced another soul-sealing pouch, and another part of the puzzle was acquired. The only other parts they needed were the torso and the head. Unfortunately the best parts of a person used to identify them. 

When they exited the building, night had already fallen, so they collectively decided to retire. Wei Ying was assured A-Yuan wouldn’t stay up late, but he wasn’t overly concerned. His son was a responsible, young man, and Frost House seemed especially safe. Nothing should befall him within these walls. 

Wei Ying was expecting to be led to a room by them, but Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen bid them goodnight with the promise of breakfast in the morning, leaving Wei Ying and Lan Zhan alone. Having no other options, he followed the man down a series of hallways before they arrived at a more private part of the estate. Without waiting for an invitation or even a knock, Lan Zhan pulled the doors open and ushered them inside. 

Wei Ying looked around the room as he set his load on the table. Though it was clearly styled like the rest of the house, it inexplicably reminded Wei Ying of the guest room he stayed in during the Gusu lectures. Simple bed in the corner, neat feng shui, plenty of empty space. Only when Lan Zhan pulled open a cupboard and began to make the bed did Wei Ying realize this must be his personal room at Frost House. After all, it seemed Lan Zhan and A-Yuan knew the sect leaders quite well and visited often enough. It made sense that instead of being offered guest rooms every night that they’d instead have their own reserved for when the time came. 

Wei Ying really thought he’d be given his own room during his stay here, but he didn’t think it appropriate to kick up a fuss. After all, he and Lan Zhan had shared a room plenty of nights during their stays at inns ever since his return, and they’d be going back to sharing one once they were on the road again. Truly, what did it matter?

He did wonder why Xiao Xingchen or Song Lan didn’t even think to offer him a room though. 

Once Lan Zhan had finished with his task, he straightened. “I will go fetch a bath.” 

Wei Ying hummed. “Mn, thanks.” Having nothing better to do he spread out onto the newly made bed and continued looking around the room. Suddenly, his blood ran hot. There was no privacy screen in the room! 

Which, of course, made sense. Lan Zhan had always stayed in his room alone. There’d be no need for a screen when no one else was ever in the room. But now Wei Ying was also here. Were they meant to leave the room to allow each other the privacy? Wei Ying truly didn’t mind bathing in front of Lan Zhan—privacy screen or not. But when they were young in the Cold Spring, Lan Zhan had seemed so very embarrassed about it. He seemed perfectly fine with it when they bathed in the same room at the inns they stayed at, which always provided a privacy screen. Would he be okay with it here without one?

Before Wei Ying could think himself into a knot over it though, Lan Zhan returned to the room with a sizable, wooden bath. And several trips later, with buckets full of hot water. Wei Ying wrote a heating talisman and placed it on the side of the tub. He turned to ask Lan Zhan whether bathing like this was really okay, but when he looked up, he saw the man was already carrying a privacy screen through the door. Well, so much for thinking about all that. 

He didn’t quite know why he was disappointed. 

Lan Zhan tried to convince Wei Ying to bathe first, but he’d hear none of it. Lan Zhan was the one to fetch and bring everything; it was only fair if he reaped the benefits first. Lan Zhan didn’t seem to quite agree with him but gave up quickly enough and began to strip on the other side of the room. 

But now that Wei Ying had started to think about bathing in front of each other… he couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

Before, he’d never really thought much of it. When they were teens, he only thought of teasing Lan Zhan with his clothes just to get a rise out of him. And during their travels, it was only out of practicality. Out of sight and out of mind. 

But now it was in his mind. And it wouldn’t get out. 

What would happen if they stripped right in front of each other? How would Lan Zhan react? The same? Shout, “Shameless!” then leave the room? Would he even care? How would Wei Ying react? Wei Ying knew he’d have to take a look. Just a small one! Lan Zhan had the cuttest body when they were younger. He had to see how he turned out as an adult. It was only fair he knew the results of—

“Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying jerked from his place on the bed. He turned around to see Lan Zhan looking at him with a concerned expression. “Ah, Lan Zhan! Sorry, just daydreaming.” He launched himself out of the bed and whirled around the privacy screen. Maybe this thing was useful after all. 

One purifying talisman later, Wei Ying was sinking into the hot water with a bone-deep sigh. He pooled some water in his hands and watched as it slipped through his fingers. “Hey, Lan Zhan. Can I ask you something?” 

“Anything.” 

Wei Ying tried not to blush, but it was impossible in the hot bath. “What was up with you and your brother? I didn’t think you really wanted to talk about it in front of A-Yuan, but… it seemed so strange to me. Weren’t you really close?”

Even though Lan Zhan had said “anything,” it was obvious this wasn’t something he wanted Wei Ying to ask him about. He answered anyway. “We had our differences. So I had to leave.” 

“Leave…,” Wei Ying parroted dumbly. Then he jerked. “The Lan sect? You left the Lan sect?!” 

“Yes.” 

“What—how? They’re your family. What could they possibly have done that made you decide you couldn’t go back?” As he said this, Wei Ying knew how much of a hypocrite he was being. But he willingly burned his bridges with the Jiang sect. Surely, any valley between Lan Zhan and his brother could be mended with blood. 

There was silence on the other side for so long that Wei Ying thought the conversation was over. But finally a response came drifting into his ear: “Moral differences.” 

Wei Ying began to sink deeper and deeper into the tub. “A-Yuan?” 

“…Yes.” 

“I never did thank you for taking him in. I’m so glad you found me and brought me to him.” 

“There’s never a need for thank you between us.” 

Wei Ying smiled. He truly was so lucky Lan Zhan treated him so well. 

Wei Ying didn’t take much longer in the bath. After washing himself and his hair, he had no desire to soak any longer. He’d rather be lying next to Lan Zhan, getting the best night sleep of his life. 

So that’s what he did, curled up at Lan Zhan’s side. Right where he always wanted to be. 

Chapter Text

“Wait, wait, wait—you’re telling me Sect Leader Jin, Jin Guangshan, the leader of the richest sect, just died one day? Just up and died? And we don’t know how.” 

Wei Ying couldn’t contain his curiosity. At breakfast the next morning, he was determined to get caught up on everything that had happened since he died. The deaths of a few sect leaders seemed like a good place to start. 

“I mean, he was getting pretty sick near the end of his life.” A-Yuan shrugged, serving himself more rice. 

“And Nie Mingjue?” Wei Ying asked. 

“The Nies have a long history of qi deviation for their sect leaders.” Xiao Xingchen set down his cup of tea and moved to get himself more vegetables from across the table. Song Lan moved several items out of the way for him. “No one was surprised per say when he died.” 

“Yeah, but wasn’t he receiving treatment from Sect Leader Jin at the time? And he just suddenly lost his mind.” A-Yuan shivered. “He almost killed Nie Huaisang.” 

Wei Ying blinked in confusion. “Wait, why Jin Guangyao? Isn’t Zewu-jun the one versed in healing cultivation?” 

Lan Zhan seemed reluctant to speak but did so anyway. “Xiongzhang decided to teach Sect Leader Jin the guqin to aid in Sect Leader Nie’s recovery.” 

“…But you think that was a mistake.” 

Lan Zhan regarded him coolly. “It was a mistake.” 

“Now that I think about it, the timing of both did seem rather odd.” Xiao Xingchen set down his chopsticks as he began to think. “Jin Guangshan died shortly after Jin Guangyao was betrothed to Qin Su. And as soon as Jin Guangyao’s position as sect leader was solidified, it seemed Nie Mingjue’s condition worsened. Nothing has come to light that could be deemed suspicious, but the Jin sect has always used underhanded means to shadow their secrets.” 

It was no question who Xiao Xingchen was talking about. 

“Do you think the deaths might be connected?” Wei Ying asked. 

“Not so much the deaths, as the person,” Song Lan said. 

Xiao Xingchen nodded. “Right. Jin Guangyao is the only person who could be connected to both deaths. He was right there when Nie Mingjue died and assumedly with his father when he passed. If there was any foul play going on at either, it would have been him.” 

“Has there been anything else suspicious going on with the gentry?” Wei Ying asked. 

“Maybe not suspicious necessarily, but Jin Guangyao’s son was killed shortly after he was born. They claimed an assassination attempt because of the observation towers the Jin were building and quickly disposed of the killers.” Xiao Xingchen frowned. “Do you think that’s also connected?” 

“I think Jin Guangyao has been surrounded by a little too much death to be completely innocent.” And if he was talking about himself as well…

No one needed to dwell on it too much. 

“Of course, we still need to collect a few more body parts.” Wei Ying grabbed the offered chili paste and poured so much onto his new serving of rice that it was practically drooling. A-Qing, who had her own mouth stuffed full, was looking at him in horror. He decided to ignore her. 

Xiao Xingchen seemed to hesitate before speaking again. “You know, the annual discussion conference is actually being held in Lanling City this year. It’s coming up if you felt the need to have an excuse before you go investigating. Song Lan and I were going to pass up as usual, but we always get an invitation.” 

“That’s great!”

“No.” 

Wei Ying made a face and turned towards the man sitting next to him. Lan Zhan was wearing a severe expression on his face. One that spoke of true stubbornness. “Lan Zhan, come on. This is a great opportunity! We can’t pass this up.” 

“It is a bad idea.” 

Wei Ying rolled his eyes. “I know it’s still worrying with the situation of… everything. But it’s not like they’re gonna be able to drag us off quietly for interrogation with everyone there. We’ll be in plain sight.” 

Lan Zhan said nothing, but they began staring at each other without reprieve. Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan wouldn’t be changing his mind about wanting to go, but if given the chance, Lan Zhan also knew Wei Ying would go without him. A true stalemate of the ages. Wei Ying was just curious about whether or not Lan Zhan would put him on lockdown to keep him from leaving. 

“Um… Jin Ling as well actually extended an invitation for us to visit,” A-Yuan piped up, carefully avoiding his father’s eyes. 

“Really?” Wei Ying was delightfully surprised. “Well, now we really can’t disappoint him!” 

Lan Zhan sighed and said no more, knowing he lost. 

So with most everyone’s approval, Wei Ying, Lan Zhan, A-Yuan, and Xiao Xingchen set out for Lanling City. To avoid another liability, they left behind Little Apple and flew on their swords. Well, Wei Ying traveled on Bichen with Lan Zhan. The panic rose in him slightly as they began to ascend into the air, but with Lan Zhan’s arms gripped in his hands, he was able to get ahold of himself. 

They weren’t terribly far from the discussion conference, but they still decided to dock at an inn before arriving the next day when it would start properly. This would allow them to plan and prepare more thoroughly before entering the lion’s den. Xiao Xingchen retired on his own, Lan Zhan provided A-Yuan with a room, and so the two of them were once again sharing quarters. 

As Wei Ying took his hair down, he wondered if this would be the new normal. If after they got all this taken care of, he could expect to be by Lan Zhan’s side for the rest of his life. That never seemed to work out for him in the past; the situations with the Jiang and the Wen were never going to be permanent. But Lan Zhan had given no indication that he expected or wanted Wei Ying to leave. After all, A-Yuan was still here. He wanted to get to know him better, get to know the young man he’d turned out to be. 

So… could this be forever? Could Wei Ying and Lan Zhan travel and cultivate and save people until the end of their days? Was that in his future? The more Wei Ying thought about it, the more he wanted it. 

He’d give anything to make it real. 

~*~

Golden Carp Tower was just as gaudy and overbearing as Wei Ying remembered. He wondered if that was the point of the design. To make everyone feel as small and insignificant as possible. 

But as much as Wei Ying hated looking at it, the layout was pretty ingenious. You either made the choice of walking up the stairs that stretched for more than half a mile, or you favored being ferried up by an enchanted carriage. Both of which gave you the perfect opportunity to “admire” the murals that boasted about all the feats of the Jin clan and its sect leaders. The perfect plan to convince your arriving guests of your greatness. A captive audience like no other. 

At least, he had good company. 

Xiao Xingchen seemed perfectly serene—unsurprising since he couldn’t see what was going on around him. A-Yuan was as poised as ever, but he was obviously excited. A mixture of anticipation for the discussion conference and seeing Jin Ling, no doubt. He was hoping the two could squirrel off together and avoid the whole thing, no doubt. It was going to be rather boring for the two teenagers. And of course, Lan Zhan looked as untouchable as ever, though there was a distinct stiffness to his shoulders that couldn’t be overlooked. 

Wei Ying hoped he was overreacting. 

Once they reached the top of Golden Carp Tower, they were escorted off their carriage and came to find the place bustling with people. Familiar and unfamiliar faces strolled about, and Wei Ying tried to avoid catching the eyes of anyone around while also trying to take everything in. 

It wasn’t long before he spotted Jin Guangyao not far off, greeting another guest. The man seemed vaguely familiar, though Wei Ying was quite sure he’d never seen a cultivator dress in white and purple. Their meeting was short and professional, but there seemed to be a certain level of familiarity between them. They must have known each other. 

In front of him, Xiao Xingchen suddenly stiffened, and Wei Ying’s eyes flew to him in worry. “Sect Leader Xiao?” 

Xiao Xingchen relaxed swiftly and turned his head to acknowledge Wei Ying. “It’s nothing.” 

Wei Ying was quite certain it wasn’t nothing. He flicked his eyes back over to the pair to see their meeting was rapidly coming to an end. Seeing a slim opening, Wei Ying closed his eyes and reached a hand behind his back. Hopefully, the movement was unseen, but there wasn’t any time to dwell on it because Jin Guangyao was already approaching them. 

“Sect Leader Xiao.” Jin Guangyao bowed to their foremost member first before turning and addressing each of them individually. “Hanguang-jun, Xuanyu, and you must be A-Yuan. I am most pleased you decided to attend this year. But I was surprised by the letter you sent accepting, stating you would be bringing guests.” 

“Just for company,” Xiao Xingchen explained easily. “Song Lan needed to stay back with A-Qing, and I didn’t think it would poke a hole in your purse to feed three more mouths.” 

Jin Guangyao smiled. “Of course not. Your guests are most welcome. Though I don’t think company is the only reason they’re here.” He looked at Lan Zhan meaningfully. “Er-ge was most eager to hear you would be coming, Hanguang-jun. He is hoping to speak with you before the conference is over.” 

Lan Zhan hummed. “I will speak to Xiongzhang before I leave.” 

Jin Guangyao’s shoulders instantly relaxed. “I am relieved to hear it. Sect Leader Xiao and Hanguang-jun of course will both have seats reserved for them, but it’s no place for a child. And Xuanyu, with your reputation, I’m afraid…” 

“Sect Leader Jin is most capable.” Xiao Xingchen stepped forward to pat him softly on the shoulder. “I’m certain he can find just one more place setting for my friend.” 

Jin Guangyao’s acting had been impeccable up until this moment, and Wei Ying was sure they were going to see his facade crack ever so slightly as Xiao Xingchen insisted, but there was no such thing. The man only bowed his head. “Sect Leader Xiao flatters me. I will do my best to accommodate.” 

Wei Ying had to hand it to him; it was probably the best humble acting performance he’d ever witnessed. He might be the best liar alive. But that was to be expected. If he truly was the man able to get away with three murders without anyone suspecting anything for years, he couldn’t be anything less than the best. 

“Hmph. I see they’ll allow anyone into these conferences these days.” 

And that was a voice Wei Ying would know anywhere. 

Wei Ying tried not to seem like he was hiding behind Lan Zhan as he was hiding behind Lan Zhan. Jiang Cheng had grown into an adult that was powerful, unrelenting, and angry. That is to say, nothing surprising. Unfortunately, it seemed that anger was directed at A-Yuan and Lan Zhan. 

Jin Guangyao tried to play mediator, coming between their two parties to greet the Jiang cultivators, but it seemed Jiang Cheng’s attention was for no one but his son and Lan Zhan at the moment. 

“So this is the ‘A-Die’ you spoke of,” Jiang Cheng sneered, but A-Yuan held his ground and didn’t rise to the bait. A lack of a reaction only made him more angry. “Lan Wangji, I see you’ve raised a lying brat. He said he didn’t know his father’s name.” 

A-Yuan was quite astute when he decided not to reveal that. Within Jiang Cheng’s custody, it was a rather good idea not to admit to being related to people he hated. If A-Yuan fibbed a little to avoid being struck by Zidian, he could only applaud him for his good instincts. Of course, Wei Ying was also horrified to learn that no one seemed to care that Sect Leader Jiang was kidnapping people off the street for who knows what reason, but he also learned a long time ago that honor was a bit subjective between the sects. 

Seeing both A-Yuan and Lan Zhan’s stone cold faces, Jiang Cheng scoffed at not being given a proper reaction but dropped it anyway. He finally turned towards Jin Guangyao properly. “And where is my nephew? Still hiding?” 

Jin Guangyao’s smile looked pained this time. “Sect Leader Jiang, I’m certain he’s not hiding from you. It’s just—”

“A-Yuan!” 

Jin Ling’s vision apparently became as narrow as a fox’s tunnel when he was excited because he sprung out of Golden Carp Tower with A-Yuan’s name on his lips and didn’t even see he was interrupting a rather tense meeting. But when everyone’s head, even Xiao Xingchen’s, swung his way upon his arrival, his excitement dimmed completely, and he flushed in embarrassment. 

“Jin Ling!” Jiang Cheng barked. “Is this how you conduct yourself? Don’t even greet your uncle, and now you’re chasing after rogue cultivators?” 

Wei Ying winced with Jin Ling as the boy immediately darted around Jin Guangyao to hide behind him. “Jiujiu, it’s not like that. It’s…” 

“Isn’t it?” 

Wei Ying swallowed and wished he had the place to intervene. This is not how Shi-jie would want her son to be talked to. Of course, Jiang Cheng was never going to be a gentle sort of guardian, but that didn’t mean he had to yell at the boy in front of everyone. If he only had the right to get between them. 

“Sect Leader Jiang, A-Ling meant no offense. He was just excited to see a friend.” Jin Guangyao seemed practiced in the role of defending Jin Ling, which he probably was. The boy was raised by him and Jiang Cheng. They must have had conversations like this often. 

Seemingly emboldened by being defended by his uncle, Jin Ling peeked out from behind Jin Guangyao. Without another word, he dashed forward and grabbed A-Yuan’s hand, pulling him away from the scene. A-Yuan faltered momentarily, but after seeing a nod from Lan Zhan, he grinned and ran off with the other boy. 

Jiang Cheng began to sputter in indignation. “Jin Ling—”

“Let them be, Sect Leader Jiang.” Jin Guangyao sighed a breath of relief. “They won’t be needed at the welcoming meal anyway.” 

Jiang Cheng huffed but crossed his arms. Seeing as the boys were already gone and there was nothing more to do, he began to lead his disciples away. 

Wei Ying was still quite wary of Golden Carp Tower in general, but he was confident enough to let A-Yuan out of his sight. Especially with Jin Ling, the literal sect heir, they were sure to be quite safe. They’d watch each other’s backs and hopefully stay out of trouble while the adults sought out the actual trouble. Plus, A-Yuan had a failsafe talisman Wei Ying had given to him before they left should anything go awry. 

A voice began to call out various sects from the main hall of Golden Carp Tower. As their sect names were announced, clans began to file in, and Wei Ying and Lan Zhan followed Xiao Xingchen after the Xinglan Sect was asked to enter. The actual discussion conference wouldn’t start until tomorrow morning, but this first meal allowed for all the sects invited to be accounted for and also to feel out any stress between clans that might later affect their discussions. 

Such stress was revealed quite promptly. 

Now Wei Ying was practiced in facing backhanded talk about himself—either said to him directly or behind his back. It came with the whole package of being the public enemy of the cultivation realm. The Yiling Laozu was always met with scorn and hatred no matter where he went. 

What he wasn’t practiced in was hearing similar talk about Lan Zhan.

It was like the cultivators didn’t even try to lower their voices. Almost as soon as everyone reached their seats, there began talk about the man seated next to him.

“Hey… that couldn’t be Hanguang-jun, could it?” 

“Of course not!” 

“No, it’s him, I swear!” 

“What’s he doing with the Xinglan Sect?” 

“Didn’t you hear? He defected from the Lan Sect.” 

“Impossible! What nonsense are you spouting? That’s clearly someone else.” 

“It’s true! There was a confrontation between him and his brother. Lianfeng-zun witnessed it.” 

“I thought he abandoned the sect years ago. Why’s he only now showing his face?” 

Wei Ying winced as he felt the whispers and rumors reach a feral pitch. He was used to such talk about himself, but Lan Zhan? The most virtuous of them all? How could they have such face to talk about him like that? 

“Wei Ying.” 

Wei Ying looked over at the soft voice of the man everyone was talking about. His expression was gentle and clearly unbothered by the talk about him. He pushed over his cup of liquor to Wei Ying’s side of the table. Good thing too; he didn’t even realize how harshly he was gripping his own cup. But seeing as Lan Zhan was completely nonplussed by the buzz going on around him, Wei Ying forced himself to relax as well. 

However, it seemed Zewu-jun was doing the exact opposite. 

As soon as Wei Ying’s party took their seats, he immediately spotted Lan Xichen’s place near the front of the room. While the Xinglan Sect wasn’t minor by any means, it still wasn’t considered a major sect, which would have earned them a place among the Lans, Nies, Jins, and Jiangs. That meant that while they were closer to the riff raff gossipers, they were also thankfully farther away from Lan Zhan’s brother who was looking more and more unlike his normal self. 

He was still obviously trying to keep a level head, but something major must have shaken him for the elder of the Twin Jades to be nearly losing his composure in public. Of course, Wei Ying could understand the strife. Having your estranged brother appear in a very public way not with you did not stand to paint you in a good light. 

But with practice, Lan Xichen managed to address the room with a level but firm voice: “Gossiping about others is untold. The sects of the world must think very highly of themselves to speculate about Gusu Lan’s affairs.” 

The hushed voices immediately quieted, though noticeably didn’t disappear entirely. Wei Ying wasn’t surprised. This was a scandal of the ages; anyone would be hard pressed to make everyone stop talking about it. 

Lianfeng-zun came to his sworn brother’s rescue and also addressed the room, “Everyone, this is a time to bolster relations between sects, not sow grievances. Let us have a more pleasant conversation to lead into a beneficial discussion tomorrow.” 

Scolded twice by two of the most powerful cultivators in the realm, the remaining whispers died, and the murmurs in the room changed to those of a more easygoing nature. The welcoming meal ended on a positive note, but Wei Ying noticed three empty seats among the cultivators. 

Two could be attributed to Jin Ling and A-Yuan. He supposed he probably wasn’t going to be seeing either of them for quite some time. A quick look around the room confirmed his suspicions. 

That cultivator in white and purple was nowhere to be seen. 

~*~

Wei Ying couldn’t shake his uneasiness. 

He tried to play it cool. After all, he had nothing to hide. He wasn’t a demonic cultivator, he wasn’t Wei Wuxian, so he had nothing to worry about. His estranged brother was not on the other side of the room, and their possible murderer was not hosting the entire thing. 

He was completely calm. 

Thankfully, Xiao Xingchen and Lan Zhan actually did look calm. Lan Zhan was never ruffled by anything, but Xiao Xingchen’s soothing presence also made it easier to breathe. And no one seemed to want to approach the strange trio. No one except Zewu-jun. 

When Lan Xichen approached, he didn’t even verbally acknowledge any of them. He simply bowed to Xiao Xingchen, ignored Wei Ying, and then turned to his brother. Wei Ying was so thrown by the lack of manners, he almost mentioned it. 

But Zewu-jun was already moving on. “Wangji, A-Yao said you were willing to talk to me. I was hoping we could discuss now.” 

Lan Zhan didn’t seem at all thrilled by the obligation, but he nodded his head. He turned to Wei Ying and only moved forward when he assured him that, “I’ll stay with Sect Leader Xiao. No need to worry, we won’t get lost.” 

Lan Zhan nodded in confirmation, paid Xiao Xingchen a quick goodbye, and left the room with his brother, disappearing through one of the many Jin hallways. 

Wei Ying watched him go, feeling strangely forlorn. He felt a gentle hand on his elbow and turned to see Xiao Xingchen’s kind expression. “Come. Let’s get some fresh air.” 

Normally, sects were encouraged and almost required to socialize after the proceedings, but seeing as no one had taken an interest in them, it couldn’t hurt to leave early. Elsewise, they’d just be standing around awkwardly without any sort of food or drink to occupy them.

They found their way to the Jin gardens, and Wei Ying led them down a few paths to a more secluded part where prying eyes couldn’t see. He pulled the arm from his sleeve and crouched down to lay it on the ground. But he was met with disappointment. Wei Ying didn’t expect to find their missing two parts so easily in Golden Carp Tower. Still. It would have been nice.

“Nothing?” Xiao Xingchen asked when he didn’t hear anything upon Wei Ying taking out the left arm. 

Wei Ying sighed and quickly tucked the bag back into his robes. As alone as they were at the moment, it wouldn’t do to dawdle and let anybody passing by see the severed arm. “Nothing. I can’t get a good read on where the two pieces might be. They both could be nearby, and that might be what’s throwing it off. Or they might be well hidden, giving our friend no opportunity to help us find the rest of him. Either way, tracking down the remaining pieces is useless this way.”

“But wandering around will be like finding a needle in a haystack.” Xiao Xingchen sighed. “We truly are stumped.” 

“Sect Leader Xiao—”

“Wuxian, you don’t have to call me so formally,” Xiao Xingchen said with warmth. “We’re practically peers and…” A forlorn expression came across the man’s face. 

Wei Ying waited for more, but none was forthcoming. “Xingchen?” 

The man shook his head and tried to brush away the sudden, melancholy atmosphere. “It’s nothing. Don’t mind me.”

Wei Ying knew there was something more there, but he also knew now wasn’t the time. “What do you know about the falling out with Lan Zhan and his family? I’ve tried to ask him about it several times, but he never gives me a clear answer.” 

Xiao Xingchen’s expression sombered. “I confess, I don’t know much either. Only that their falling out happened right before he found A-Yuan and before he decided to travel the world as a rogue cultivator. But I know it was something serious. Whatever Wangji is going to discuss with his brother is not going to be pleasant.” 

“I’ve never seen Zewu-jun act like that before. He was always smiles and pleasantries when I was alive before. Seeing him now… he’s like a different person.” 

Xiao Xingchen hummed. “I never knew Zewu-jun before becoming a sect leader. He’s always given me the impression of being very sharp and standoffish. But with you… he was almost hostile.” 

“Right?!” Wei Ying was glad it wasn’t just him who felt that. “I didn’t think Mo Xuanyu had ever had contact with Zewu-jun, I can’t imagine what he could have done to offend him like that.” Jin Guangyao made sense. Lan Xichen not so much.

“Wuxian… you don’t think Zewu-jun knows who you are, do you?” 

“What, no? How could he?” They’d been very careful since coming here. A-Yuan hasn’t referred to him wrongly. He hadn’t called Lan Zhan familiarly where anyone could hear. And Xiao Xingchen made sure to always refer to him as Mo Xuanyu. 

Xiao Xingchen pursed his lips. “I’m afraid we might not have been as subtle as we thought. Like you said: it’s very unlikely for Mo Xuanyu to have offended Zewu-jun. You on the other hand…” 

He had offended Zewu-jun plenty. 

If that was true, they were in a more dangerous position than they thought. But there was nothing to be done about it now. If Zewu-jun knew it was him, then that was that. They’d just have to factor that in from now on when they decide their next move. 

“Xingchen, I haven’t asked you yet… Why is it you aren’t bothered that Lan Zhan brought me to you? You must have mixed feelings even if Lan Zhan is your friend.” 

After all, stories about the Yiling Patriarch spread fast and far. Even though Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan did not participate in the Sunshot Campaign, opting to night hunt across the world while almost every cultivator was fighting in the war, there was no doubt they knew who he was in his past life. 

Xiao Xingchen smiled softly, and Wei Ying was struck with the sudden understanding of why this man was described as being a soft, clear spring. He turned away to lead them down the opulent path they came from. “Wuxian, you don’t know how I first met Wangji, do you?” 

“No, it’s never come up I don’t think.” 

“Wangji found Song Lan and I when we were at our lowest. We had actually separated for some time due to… certain circumstances. I was vulnerable and easily manipulated at the time. I didn’t want anyone’s help, much less Song Lan’s. I believe only through Wangji’s interference that I am here today. 

“He and A-Yuan prevented me from doing something truly horrible. They returned Song Lan to me and gave me a second chance I don’t think I would have found on my own. Ever since they visited us when we first established our sect, he has been nothing but a steadfast friend with impeccable judgment. 

“Wuxian, it’s not that I haven’t heard the stories about you. Believe me, I’ve heard them all. It’s just that I trust Wangji more than those stories. If he brought you into our lives, then I trust that he knows the true nature of your character. And you have not proven his judgment to be false. Certain things may or may not be true, but I have found you agreeable and reasonable, so I don’t see why I should change or care.” 

Wei Ying swallowed and cleared his throat. “I see.” It had been so long since he’d heard such kind words directed towards himself. And not even because he’d been dead for 13 years. It meant so much to him that not everyone hated him since he’d come back. 

“I confess I’ve been withholding something though, Wuxian,” Xiao Xingchen said with conviction. “Are we still alone?” 

The man seemed deadly serious, so Wei Ying was thorough in examining their surroundings. When he was certain there was not another soul hearing them speak, he turned back to his companion. “No one else is around.” 

Xiao Xingchen nodded and lowered his voice even further. “When we initially captured our friend’s arm, there was another man fighting to get a hold of it. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I thought he might be a stray graverobber or a demonic cultivator. But as soon as Song Lan appeared at the scene, he quickly gave up the chase, and we didn’t pursue him, seeing no point. 

“Of course, I couldn’t see what he looked like. And the man didn’t speak. But I remember his spiritual energy. One of the first men we encountered when we entered Golden Carp Tower. That was him. The one speaking with Jin Guangyao.” 

Wei Ying realized he must be referring to the cultivator in white and purple robes. He did remember Xiao Xingchen having an odd reaction once they ascended the steps. He must have concealed his reaction and surprise to the information to not set off the man. But it appeared that that did little, seeing as the man had made himself scarce and was not at the welcome banquet. 

He wished Lan Zhan was here. He had a much better memory. Perhaps he’d even know the man’s name. 

“I know who you’re referring to, though I don’t know who he is. He looked vaguely familiar when I spotted him. I honestly didn’t think he was very important.” 

“Important enough for our murderer to entrust him in collecting one of the pieces if he is not the murderer himself. Seeing as we have no other leads, I believe it prudent to track him down. Unfortunately, I don’t sense his spiritual energy anywhere near here.” 

“Oh, no need.” Wei Ying waved a dismissive hand. “I already took care of it. I put a simple tracking spell on him when I noticed you reacting to him.” He rustled in his robes to pick out a talisman and draw across it. Connecting the spell and the talisman allowed him to track the cultivator wherever he may be, with the paper glowing brighter and brighter the closer they got. 

Xiao Xingchen smiled and followed Wei Ying as they began to lead them away. “Demonic cultivation can be rather useful at times, can’t it?” 

Wei Ying grinned. “Sometimes demonic ways truly are inferior to no other.” 

~*~

Jin Ling wasted no time in showing off. And A-Yuan wasn’t complaining. 

He rarely found time to goof off with friends. The friends he had were few and far in between. And even more so, he was rarely out of his father’s sight, giving him no opportunity to be anything but a dutiful and attentive son. 

So this chance couldn’t possibly be overstated. Especially with his father’s express permission. 

The Jin’s archery arena was as glossy and grand as everything else. As pretty as it was, A-Yuan much preferred the sleek yet simple style of the Xinglan Sect. Even if it might have been a little rough around the edges in some places, at least you didn’t feel like you were swimming in gold. 

“You practice?” 

A-Yuan’s gaze was directed towards Jin Ling who was offering him a practice bow. He took it with a smile. “I think you’ll be disappointed, Jin Ling. I don’t practice archery very much.” 

“Why not?” Jin Ling swung a quiver of arrows over his shoulder and took up a spot in the very middle. Not that they needed to mind other people; they were the only ones there. “It’s fun. Even better than sword practice.” 

A-Yuan watched, a little dazed, as the young boy notched an arrow and let it fly towards the unmoving target. He wasn’t surprised to see it hit the dead center. He sheepishly took up a spot next to his friend. “I just never got into it. A-Die taught me the basics, but I was always more interested in sword forms and my guqin practice.” 

As if to demonstrate, A-Yuan notched an arrow, aimed, and released. Jin Ling could only stare. At least it had hit the target. 

A-Yuan chuckled and stepped back. “See? I’m afraid I’m not going to be a very good partner if you want a competition.” 

“I didn’t bring you here to kick your ass at archery,” Jin Ling said, smirking. Even if that’s what he said, it was obvious he was having a good time of it. “You just need to practice more. Every time you come visit, we’ll come here.” The boy notched another arrow and let it fly. Another bullseye. 

A-Yuan hummed and fired off a few of his own. These were at least closer to the center. “I have no problem with that.” Jin Ling grinned widely at the agreement, though he quickly turned away to hide it. 

They continued to practice, letting arrows fly free. Jin Ling offered some advice, but it wasn’t a posture correction that he needed. It was simply more practice. This was genuinely beneficial to A-Yuan who’d only picked up the bow every once in a while. But for Jin Ling who could hit a still target with his eyes closed, it must have been dreadfully pointless. 

A-Yuan began to look around. “Jin Ling, is there anything we could destroy around here?” 

Jin Ling lowered his bow from his stance. “What do you mean? Don't worry if you accidentally break anything, it’s fine.” 

“No, I mean… can I break something on purpose?” 

Jin Ling looked at him, befuddled. “What do you…?” 

But then A-Yuan gestured throwing something in the air, and Jin Ling’s eyes lit up. Five minutes later, they were hurrying back to the practice arena, smuggling in plates of various sizes. 

Jin Ling giggled in excitement and grabbed his bow. “My uncle is going to kill me for this. I’ve never done this before.” 

It turned out A-Yuan was a very bad influence. But he was not about to stop. “My father is not going to be pleased. But he is not here right now. We should hurry though. Someone is bound to come investigate once we start.” 

Jin Ling nodded eagerly, nervous and excited at the same time. “Okay, I’m ready.” 

With that, A-Yuan grabbed one of the biggest plates they had and threw it up into the air, towards the targets on the other side of the field. Jin Ling took one look and shattered the plate with ease. That only made the two boys more rabid. 

A-Yuan found he was barely able to keep up with Jin Ling’s talents with a bow. At first, he suggested this because he thought it would be a more fun and useful exercise, but his friend shot the plates before they hit the ground without fail every time. He tried throwing them higher, faster, farther away. But Jin Ling only seemed more eager after every one.

Unfortunately, A-Yuan was right about garnering attention. After about two dozen broken plates, they were interrupted. 

“Who the hell is making so much noise?” 

A-Yuan and Jin Ling stood from crouching where they were collecting Jin Ling’s fallen arrows, carefully picking them out from between the broken pieces of porcelain. It seemed a group of four Jin disciples had decided to join them. A-Yuan immediately clocked them for what they were: bullies. 

And ones that seemed to be familiar with Jin Ling. 

“Jin Ling, what are you doing? Fucking wrecking the place for fun?” 

Jin Ling scoffed and rolled his eyes. “What’s it to you, Jin Chan? Leave us alone, we’re busy.” 

The ringleader was not the type to give it up, it seemed. His eyes drifted over to A-Yuan, and he sneered a smile. “Hanging out with commoners now? Why, is it because no one wants to play with an orphan like you?” 

Jin Ling flushed with indignation. “Who the hell said you could talk about him like that? Better than hanging out with bastards like you.” 

Well, now A-Yuan really did get why Jin Ling had no friends. He’d rather be friendless than have to hang out with guys like this. 

“What, you think ‘cause you’re the heir, you get to just do whatever you want? I doubt you’ll be so confident when I tell your uncle what you’ve been up to.” 

“If he’s so mad, he can bill me.” Which wouldn’t be very fruitful, considering the money would just be going from one Jin’s hand to another. “So beat it! Like I said, we’re busy.” Jin Ling turned around to dismiss their unwanted visitors, but they didn’t seem so eager to let it go. 

As Jin Ling moved, Jin Chan stiffened and pulled back a fist. But A-Yuan was faster. He darted forward, moving like water, to get right in his opponent’s face. The boy flinched when his wrist was immediately captured and twisted. But he only froze when he felt the cool metal of an arrowhead right up against his jugular. These practice arrows weren’t of a spiritual nature, ergo they weren’t as sharp or as dangerous, but like any reasonable person, one would get rather nervous with one being held right up against one’s neck. 

A-Yuan’s voice was devastatingly calm when he spoke. “Like Jin Ling said. We’re busy.” 

The leader quivered in his grasp as he pressed the arrow in just a little more. But before he could call for help, his friends were already turning and running. Satisfied, A-Yuan let go of the bully with a shove. “Now off you go.” 

Too flustered and embarrassed to speak, he didn’t even shout a, “You’ll pay for this!” before running off. A-Yuan picked at the arrow he just used. It seemed he applied a little too much force; the wood below the arrowhead was fractured, though not completely snapped. This one would have to be thrown away. 

When A-Yuan lifted his head to ask where he should put it, he found Jin Ling looking at him with an awed expression. “Jin Ling?” 

“That was… so cool!” Jin Ling laughed and darted over to him. “There were like four of them, and you just scared them away like that! They ran away like a couple scaredy cats.” 

A-Yuan scratched his head, flushing slightly at the praise. “Well, I couldn’t have you be the only one to show off today.” 

Jin Ling, apparently emboldened by his friend, picked up his bow again. “Let’s continue!” 

“Let’s!” 

~*~

Okay, so maybe Jin Ling was also a bad influence. 

A-Yuan didn’t mean to get so carried away with the alcohol. He’d never really drunk any before, but Jin Ling had looked so excited when he swiped some from the kitchens that he couldn’t bear to say no. After all, who would miss one or two jugs? They were only going to be in Jin Ling’s room. He’d make sure they didn’t leave and cause a fuss. 

But it was getting harder and harder to think straight as he swallowed more and more liquor from his bottle. 

“We should go on a nighthunt together,” Jin Ling blurted, completely sprawled out on his bed. A-Yuan was spread out as well, but the bed was so freakishly big that they didn’t even touch each other. 

“Maybe after everything’s over, we can.” He’d look forward to it. He always enjoyed spending time with his parents, especially Xian-gege because he’d been dead for so long, but hanging out with a friend was good too. 

Jin Ling snorted. “‘Everything’? It’s just the discussion conference. You make it sound like such a huge thing.” 

A-Yuan swallowed around a relieved breath. That’s right. Not everyone knew what was going on. Jin Ling had no idea his uncle could be a murderer if their theories were correct. He needed to keep a tighter lid on things. Maybe he shouldn’t have drank this much. “Yeah, that’s what I meant. It’s just, I’ve never been to one before. It sounded all… big and official.” 

Jin Ling rolled over on his side so he could see his companion. “I guess it is. It’s hard to be awed and impressed by it though when you’ve seen so many. With Uncle Yao being Chief Cultivator, we get saddled with hosting it almost every year.” 

A-Yuan nudged his friend with his foot. “Get used to it. ‘Cause you’re gonna be the next sect leader.” 

Jin Ling groaned at once, causing A-Yuan to laugh. “Oh my god, don’t remind me! I already have both my uncles lecturing me about it. Do this, don’t do that! I can’t wait ‘til I’m sect leader, so they can’t tell me what to do anymore.” 

“I doubt it’ll stop there. That’s what guardians do.” A-Yuan rolled over and stared at the gaudy ceiling of Jin Ling’s room, feeling the conversation take a more somber tone. “Doesn’t matter how old you are. They’ll always find something to scold you about. Though hopefully their scolds won’t be as harsh.” 

There was a pause as Jin Ling looked at A-Yuan. “Hey, your dad is Hanguang-jun, isn’t he? Why didn’t you say anything? Isn’t he supposed to be this crazy strong cultivator? He like fought in the Sunshot Campaign, didn’t he? Why didn’t you want to say he was your dad? If—” 

Jin Ling cut that sentence off at the root, the impropriety of what he was about to say striking him frozen. Of course, he didn’t want to talk ill of his parents, but he barely knew them. And no one talked to him about them, so he didn’t even have any stories to cling to. Any orphan would love it if their dead parents did great things, so they could brag about them. But saying it outloud—that was too disrespectful. 

But A-Yuan didn’t judge. He knew being disconnected from your family like that could feel like you weren’t whole. That you were made incomplete, half-assed. He knew his birth parents had to have been long dead when he came into Xian-gege’s and A-Die’s care. But he felt so loved that he barely felt that emptiness.

A-Yuan watched as Jin Ling turned away, curling into himself. He wondered if stretching out a hand would be welcome at the moment. He decided to answer instead, to cover up the blunder, “It’s not that I’m not proud that A-Die is A-Die. He’s amazing, I know that. It’s just… he’s made some enemies, so I figured it’d be better to stay quiet about it. Plus, I wasn’t lying. I really didn’t know his name until I was like 13.” 

Jin Ling sniffed from where he was hiding, laughing even through his clog of tears. “No way.” 

“Way! I just never thought to ask. And he never told me.” 

A few minutes later, Jin Ling was able to collect himself, and they both politely pretended that the crying didn’t happen. It didn’t really count anyway. When one was drunk, that was an excuse for a variety of embarrassing things to not matter. Crying included. 

Just as their appetites were rising again and they were debating if it was worth it to raid the kitchens a second time, there was a knock on Jin Ling’s door. Without even being asked for permission, the door swung open, and A-Yuan stiffened with uneasiness. 

“Uncle Yao!” Jin Ling got up from his bed to walk over to the man. “What’s wrong? What are you doing here?” 

The man smiled pleasantly, looking at both boys who were in various stages of sobriety. “Nothing too wrong, I suppose. I just heard my only nephew got into a bit of a fight at the archery arena and left quite a bit of a mess.” 

Jin Ling’s head lowered at the reminder. “Ah, that. We were just…” 

A-Yuan came to stand next to his friend, but they didn’t really have an explanation. After they were finished breaking every plate they brought, Jin Ling had dragged him away, assuring him he’d send someone to clean it up. A-Yuan had felt bad but didn’t protest. He just hoped the servants who cleaned up after them hadn’t cut themselves. 

Jin Guangyao sighed but didn’t seem genuinely mad. “I’m not here to scold you, though I don’t think I have to say it out loud for you to know it won't be happening again.” 

Jin Ling nodded. “Of course.” 

“Good. And I don’t suppose you acted completely alone.” The man’s attention shifted to A-Yuan, and he tried to steady his breathing under such a gaze. “Though not entirely surprising coming from Hanguang-jun’s and the Yiling Patriach’s child.” 

The room fell out from under A-Yuan’s feet. 

He couldn’t even summon a response. He barely heard Jin Ling’s confused questions. He could only freeze. His mind couldn’t come up with any excuse, any statement. He could only stare at Jin Guangyao’s still pleasant smile and know he’d given everything away with his reaction. It didn’t matter if the man was only bluffing when he said that because A-Yuan was so unprepared he just gave it away.

He knew. The man knew. And A-Yuan couldn’t do anything about it. 

“—what do you mean?” Jin Ling was saying when A-Yuan could hear words again. 

“Oh, nothing A-Ling. I’m only kidding. Now you two have a good night. Get some rest. We all have a big day tomorrow.” Jin Guangyao slipped out of the room as silent as he’d arrived. 

How did he know? How did he suspect? Was Xian-gege so obvious? Was A-Die? How many other people knew? Should he try to contact his parents? Would that be a good idea? Or should he stay with Jin Ling? He wished he wasn’t so fucking drunk, maybe then he could think straight and maybe then he could stop shaking. 

Jin Ling was trying to talk to him. Something about asking if he was alright, something about that being a bad joke on his uncle’s part. But A-Yuan had no ears for such talk right now. This wasn’t a game anymore. He didn’t have time to play around. He did what he could only think of, what he always did when he was lost: 

He ran to his parents. 

He was drunk and scared and the lights seemed to be dimming, and maybe that’s why he was so easy to pick up. Because as soon as he got a breath of fresh air, he stopped to realize he didn’t know where his parents were staying. And that’s when something pricked his neck, and he didn’t see anything anymore. 

~*~

Finally, Jin Guangyao was getting a better hold on things. 

Truly, Er-ge’s advice that Mo Xuanyu was actually Wei Wuxian helped immensely. And his gamble paid off with Jin Ling’s friend. It didn’t take a genius to conclude that yes, Mo Xuanyu was Wei Wuxian but also that A-Yuan had known that from the start. 

He still wasn’t quite certain of the dynamic between Hanguang-jun, Wei Wuxian, and A-Yuan, but he didn’t concern himself with it just yet. There’d be time to figure it out and use it to his advantage later. 

Jin Ling sequestering his friend away truly helped in the long run. At first, he wasn’t thrilled about a potential ally running around his home, but with him being away from prying eyes, in the sect heir’s quarters no less, that made it infinitely easier to capture and spirit him away. 

Which was why it was so puzzling when he watched Lan Wangji so easily agree to letting his son explore Golden Carp Tower. He thought there might be something beyond that, something he was missing. But it simply seemed Hanguang-jun was overly confident in himself or A-Yuan’s abilities. 

And although he couldn’t afford to kill A-Yuan right now (after all, he was more useful alive), he was getting a better handle on things. 

A-Yuan was locked away where no one could find him. Er-ge was occupying Lan Wangji. Xiao Xingchen and Wei Wuxian were still meandering about Golden Carp Tower, but there wasn’t much they could afford to do at the moment. He’d already assigned Su She to take care of the torso, and Nie Mingjue’s head was still safely tucked away behind his secret, treasure mirror. After all, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji still didn’t know whose body they were carrying around, and they couldn’t accuse him of killing someone they didn’t even know the identity to. 

Chess pieces were still being moved across the board, and he’d lost some along the way, but he was finally cornering the king.

Which was why he was irritated beyond imagining when he entered his own bed chambers to find his wife agonizing over a dreadful piece of paper that was yet another wrinkle he had to smooth out.

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan wasn’t happy to be having this conversation at all. 

Still, he acknowledged it had to happen. He couldn’t suddenly surface in the cultivation world and expect his family to leave him alone. He had to settle this matter if he at all expected him and Wei Ying to live peacefully in the future. 

The room his brother led him to was near the center of Golden Carp Tower, tucked away for maximum privacy. The room was lavishly decorated but conspicuously windowless. There was a table in the middle of the room, and after they sat down, a servant came to serve them tea. 

In the past, Lan Zhan would have served his brother, seeing as he was the junior between the two of them. But he wasn’t inclined to do so now. He made his decision 13 years ago to cut off ties with his family; he wouldn’t act as if he was a familial brother now. 

Lan Xichen noticed his lack of manners but didn’t address it. “Wangji, it seems you’ve been well.” 

“Mn.” He didn’t even return the gesture of goodwill. 

His brother sighed. “Wangji, I know it’s been a long time. And I know things have changed and we have fallen out of touch. Is it too much to think you might accompany me back home?” 

“Yes.”

Lan Xichen’s mouth pursed. “Uncle still wishes to see you. Despite… everything. Arrangements could be made. You are still wanted back home.” 

“I do not wish to return to Cloud Recesses.” The statement was quiet, yet clear. There was no ambiguity; Lan Zhan would not be returning to his birth sect. 

“Wangji, this has gone on long enough. You’ve made Uncle and our sect lose face because of your selfish actions. Did you not think how it would make me look if you showed up as a member of the Xinglan Sect unannounced?” 

“I informed Xiongzhang of my seceding 13 years ago. Xiongzhang is the one who did not formally address the cultivation world.” 

“How could I?” Lan Xichen cried. “I thought you would come back! How could I say that to people when everyday I hoped and prayed you would see your mistakes and come back for forgiveness. I waited for you everyday. I worried for you everyday. How could I simply inform the other sects of your disappearance and say with a straight face that you had nothing to do with the Lan Sect?” 

What Lan Xichen said had merit. Lan Zhan knew that his brother was often overly attached to people he shouldn’t be. People that had already informed him that they should be let go. He became one of these people. 

But there was nothing else Lan Zhan could have done differently. He left his forehead ribbon and disappeared off the map. He couldn’t afford to do anything other than focus on the wellbeing of his son. He feared communication even via letters would allow his brother to track him down and drag him back. And he couldn’t allow that to happen. 

Lan Xichen’s face crumbled as he realized the reason for the silence. “Well, that’s all in the past now. There is still a place for you at home. Even your ward, if you choose to—”

“My son.” 

A pause. “Excuse me?” 

“A-Yuan is my son.” 

“…Even your son would be allowed as a disciple. You know the Lan Sect has many more resources than the Xinglan Sect. We’d be more capable in housing and teaching—”

“A-Yuan is healthy and educated. That is all I need for him.” After all, Lan Zhan had raised and taught and fed him himself. He studied under Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen once they began to take students. He trained everyday on his own. There wasn’t another youth more capable. Anything his brother could offer would be redundant or unnecessary. 

His goodwill rebuffed, his offerings shot down, his temptations met with frost, Lan Xichen had used everything he could think of to convince him to come back home. Lan Zhan could see it weighing on his shoulders. Uncle would likely be livid once he heard of what had happened here. Lan Zhan truly felt bad for his brother, but there wasn’t anything different he could do. He knew which path he was taking. He’d taken the same one for the past 13 years. 

Seeing as his brother’s head was lowered and he was silent, Lan Zhan stood from the table and bowed. He turned away towards the door, and that was when Lan Xichen found his voice again. 

“Wangji, that man is not who you think he is.” 

Lan Zhan stopped in his tracks. He knew of whom his brother spoke, but he refused to completely give it away. It was too much to hope his own brother would overlook who was at his side. The combination of what had happened at the Stone Castles and the banquet, his actions and attitude practically screamed the truth. 

Lan Xichen continued, “I know who he is. And I know you do too. Wangji, you really are quite obvious to people who know you.” 

Lan Zhan heard his brother stand up from the table, but he still refused to turn around. 

“Wangji, you have a choice. Come with me back to Cloud Recesses. Submit to your punishment as you should have done 13 years ago, and you will be forgiven. For everything. But if you refuse… I cannot say whether or not that man’s identity will be kept a secret.” 

Now Lan Zhan turned. 

He had always respected and loved his brother. Even 13 years ago when he was at his lowest, he still loved his brother. He did not raise Bichen to commit fratricide. His hatred was completely dominated by the 33 elders whose actions directly resulted in Wei Ying’s death. After leaving, he only had the best of hopes for his brother because he could no longer stand by his side. 

But those feelings now dripped down and away from his heart. Because his brother dared threaten Wei Ying, his beloved. Who he had miraculously gotten back after 13 years. There was no forgiveness for that. 

“If Wei Ying is hurt, I will have no hesitation.” 

Lan Xichen stiffened and swallowed. His brother had seen many sides of him. He had seen him rigid and righteous and good in his youth. He had also seen him bloody and murderous and unrelenting during the war. But he had never seen such an expression on his face directed at him. Threatening him. Choking him with a malicious and threatening aura. 

Because they both knew who would be winning in a fight between them. There was a time when the Twin Jades of Lan were evenly matched. It wasn’t often they would spar together, but a fight could go to either one of them. Now?

There was no question. 

So Lan Xichen could only watch as Lan Zhan exited the room. He did not say another word. He did not chase after him. 

Because he knew Lan Zhan was still the same man who murdered his clan elders in cold blood 13 years ago. 

~*~ 

A-Yuan woke with a slight headache. 

The ground he slept on was hard and cool. Even in the dim light, he could see it was stone. Taking a closer look, it was easy to identify that he was in a cell. Well underground, it seemed, taking account of the chill in the air. 

He didn’t dare call out or say anything. Jin Guangyao had taken him here, but he wasn’t quite sure the reason just yet. Information? Hostage? It was better to keep quiet until he knew more. 

A-Yuan stood and stretched, finding his golden core undamaged. It must have been a demonic cultivation technique that caused him to fall unconscious. Although he was unharmed, he was weaponless. He found it was becoming a rather bad habit of his to leave his sword behind. Hopefully, Jin Ling would take care of it in the meantime. 

He struck against the metal bars that caged him in, but they didn’t do more than give a slight groan. They were resistant to strength from golden cores, and their sound was dampened. Even if he decided to scream, no one was likely to hear him. 

Even though it seemed no one was watching him, A-Yuan wasted no time in ripping a seam in his inner robe. He felt around and yes! The talisman was still there. Infusing it with a little bit of spiritual energy caused the thing to go up in flames, not even leaving ashes behind. Xian-gege had made sure to give this to him before they traveled to Golden Carp Tower. A simple trick that would alert him if something went wrong or if he was in danger. He flushed, realizing through his drunken panic he should have simply used it instead of running through the halls where he could be taken, but there was nothing to do about it now. 

He was not going to be touching a bottle of liquor anytime soon. 

Parent successfully alerted, A-Yuan took a closer look at his imprisonment. There weren’t many cells in this jail, only half a dozen. They were separated by stone walls and kept in by metal bars. The cells themselves were rather roomy, but there was no bedding, water, or food. 

At first, A-Yuan thought he was alone. He heard no breathing and sensed no life anywhere near him. But as he peeked his head out to peer around corners, he nearly gasped in shock because the cell kitty corner to him was occupied… 

By what looked like a chained corpse with needles in his head. 

~*~ 

Just as Wei Ying thought they were on top of their mystery cultivator, he felt a harmless heat on his chest. 

Despite the lack of pain, his heart rate spiked, and he snagged the paper from his robes, watching as A-Yuan’s alert talisman burned away right in front of his eyes. He sucked in a breath of panic. 

“Wuxian?” Xiao Xingchen asked, stopping once he sensed Wei Ying arrest his walking. “Something wrong?” 

“A-Yuan is in trouble,” Wei Ying informed his friend, and his expression became severe in understanding. “The alert talisman I gave him just burned away. Something’s wrong.” 

Xiao Xingchen paused before saying, “You must go to him.” 

Wei Ying agreed, but he’d promised Lan Zhan they’d stick together. But if they didn’t pursue this lead, then it might be lost forever. At some point, this cultivator would notice the mark on him or he’d change robes. They had to act now. “I know but…” 

Xiao Xingchen shook his head. “You must look for him now. He’s in Golden Carp Tower with those vipers. There’s no telling what trouble he’s found himself in. I can sense our target’s spiritual energy now. I should be able to track him down myself.” 

Wei Ying could not argue with that. “Alright. Stay safe!” 

And he was off, racing back to Golden Carp Tower. 

At first glance, everything seemed as normal. There was no big confrontation, no big fight. But the closer he looked, the more he realized how quiet it was. Too quiet. There should be more cultivators milling about, especially because of the conference. Had everyone decided to retire early? 

But Wei Ying had to locate Lan Zhan first. He needed to alert his zhiji that their son was in danger. Because if he got in trouble before he could alert him, then they’d both be in trouble, and Lan Zhan still would be none the wiser. 

He made quick work of entering the Jin’s courtyard and avoiding some of the guards that were still around but didn’t get much further than that. Because he was accosted by a smiling Jin Guangyao. 

“Xuanyu, you shouldn’t be out and about this late.” 

Wei Ying stopped short, immediately spotting the pair of Jin cultivators at the sect leader’s side and more coming up from behind him. So much for being discreet. The man must have known he’d come back after taking A-Yuan and lied in wait. He wasn’t quite sure of the best strategy at the moment. “Where is A-Yuan?” 

Jin Guangyao shrugged, playing innocent. “Last I saw, he was still with my nephew, playing.” 

“Then where is Jin Ling?” 

Jin Guangyao smiled without any friendliness. “Xuanyu, I don’t think you’re close enough to Jin Ling to use that name.” 

Wei Ying only just managed to not flinch. 

“But anyway, I really can’t allow you to roam Golden Carp Tower without an escort, not with your reputation. I’m sure you understand that I’ll have to lead you to your guest room myself.” 

The Jin cultivators were getting closer. What was better? Playing along and also being kidnapped? Maybe he’d be able to see A-Yuan that way. Or should he fight back and make as big of a commotion as possible? Attract as many eyes here as possible? They didn’t have any solid proof that he was Wei Wuxian. He could still pretend to be Mo Xuanyu. 

He stalled instead. “Where’s Lan Wangji? If you tell me where he is, I’ll allow him to escort me—”

“I’m afraid Hanguang-jun is still speaking with Er-ge. And we can’t just wait around for them to finish. They have a lot to catch up on.” 

Wei Ying began to reach into his robes for his bamboo dizi. He’d be fighting back after all. If Lan Zhan was trapped the same way A-Yuan might be, they couldn’t afford for him to fall prey to their schemes as well. Everyone in the vicinity tensed once they saw where he was reaching then flinched as another in black and red robes swung around the corner. Before he knew it, Lan Zhan had slid through their ranks and was standing between Jin Guangyao and himself. 

Wei Ying instantly breathed easily. “Lan Wangji—” Even saying that name for pretenses felt wrong, “—I can’t find A-Yuan.” 

Lan Zhan turned his head to acknowledge what he said, but his entire focus was on Jin Guangyao. Now that Lan Zhan had showed up, he was in a much worse mood, though he still kept up appearances. “Hanguang-jun, so glad you could join us. Did Er-ge not keep you long?” 

“Where is A-Yuan?” 

Jin Guangyao sighed. “I’ve already told Xuanyu I don’t know. He was with Jin Ling. I’m certain they’re just having fun somewhere.” 

Lan Zhan took one small step forward, but it seemed to completely unsettle Jin Guangyao. He stiffened like he’d never seen before, and his eyes didn’t stray from Bichen. Even when Wei Ying was the Yiling Patriarch, he’d never received such wariness face to face. Especially not from someone like Jin Guangyao. 

The man decided on a different tactic. “Hanguang-jun, I assure you he’s fine. If we could take this inside, I’m certain we can work things out.” 

Lan Zhan must have really scared Jin Guangyao if he was already admitting that their son was okay. Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan was a powerful cultivator and he could kill anyone he wanted at any time if he chose to do so, but it wasn’t like he’d ever snap and actually do it… 

Right? 

But such pondering mattered little to Wei Ying when their options were so limited and their goals so vital. 

After Lan Zhan had entered their ranks so easily by catching them off guard, the Jin cultivators closed that side tightly. Which left the other side quite open to another break in their formation. Without saying another word, Lan Zhan summoned Wangji and blew a powerful blow, leading to an even greater hole. No words were necessary as the pair took the opportunity and dashed forward. 

As they fled, Wei Ying couldn’t help a troublesome voice from speaking in his head. Why were they running? Wouldn’t it be better for Lan Zhan to summon his brother and ask for them to search for A-Yuan to ensure he was alright? Since when was it his style to fight first and ask questions later? Would their actions not indirectly put A-Yuan in danger? 

But this was Lan Zhan. If this was the path he was taking with full confidence, then he believed he knew it to be the right one. Lan Zhan hadn’t led them astray yet, and he wouldn’t doubt his zhiji in his second life when he had no reason to. 

Almost as if his thoughts had summoned him, Zewu-jun appeared in their path just as Lan Zhan was about to draw Bichen to spirit them away like last time. Instead, Lan Zhan was actually forced to use Bichen to defend against a spiritual attack from his brother. Wei Ying was so shocked by the development, he could only watch. Although it wasn’t a particularly powerful blow, one meant more to subdue than cause true harm, it was still force Lan Xichen raised against his beloved, younger brother. 

Obviously that conversation between the two of them had not gone well. 

Lan Xichen quickly occupied Lan Zhan’s attention, leaving Wei Ying to deal with Jin Guangyao and his Jin cultivators. And though this wasn’t a resentful battlefield, Wei Ying knew he wasn’t powerless here. He knew the Jins had plenty of skeletons in their closets. 

The only tricky thing was getting enough time to use his dizi. These mediocre cultivators Wei Ying could handle easily; even his weak weapon of bamboo was plenty to bat them away. What really concerned him was Jin Guangyao who was watching from the sidelines. Although his cultivation wasn’t anything impressive compared to someone like Lan Zhan, he was sly and observant. He’d likely wait until he could attack, uninterrupted, from either of their blind spots. 

It was another party arriving at the scene that gave Wei Ying the chance. 

Obviously such a large commotion was not going to remain unnoticed. Countless sects were gathered in Golden Carp Tower at the moment for the discussion conference. Although they weren’t close to the guest chambers, they weren’t far either. With Lan Zhan’s strokes of the guqin and Lan Xichen’s notes on his xiao, they were bound to disturb the other guests. 

“Lianfang-zun, what the hell is going on at this time of night?” 

Jin Guangyao winced as he turned to intercept Jiang Cheng. “Ah, Sect Leader Jiang, this is just…” 

Wei Ying couldn’t be more grateful for his sect brother causing a fuss and dragging some of the attention away from him. With Jin Guangyao temporarily distracted, Wei Ying could find just enough time to blow a few notes into his dizi. Although it wouldn’t look good for either him or Lan Zhan to be practicing demonic cultivation, it wasn’t a dead giveaway. Mo Xuanyu was also a demonic cultivator, so hopefully his identity could remain unknown, especially with his brother not ten paces away. He just needed to summon a few fierce corpses… enough to make their escape… as long as he didn’t summon anything too powerful—

A growl of an almost animalistic nature suddenly struck the eardrums of everyone in the vicinity. 

Wei Ying could only watch, stunned, as Wen Ning appeared before him and instantly struck at the Jin cultivators attacking him with the broken chains attached at his wrists. Once controlled by his resentful cultivation, Wen Ning didn’t need any more instruction, so even though Wei Ying had stopped playing, he continued to attack without reprieve. 

Wei Ying watched, dazed, as his dear friend—who he thought gone beyond even what he could do—defended him from Jin cultivators once again. Truly, he could never begin to repay the debt he incurred from the Wen siblings. 

But how was he here? Wei Ying thought him destroyed, but that must have been another lie told by the Jins. Either way, he was here now, and although Wei Ying was glad to see his old friend was not truly lost, he’d still given away everything by summoning him. As such, the following shouts began: 

“Is that the Ghost General?” 

“Isn’t he supposed to be dead?” 

“Capture him!” 

“Kill him!” 

Wei Ying realized he was running out of time rather than buying them more of it. Although Wen Ning could handle the Jin cultivators with ease, Jiang Cheng immediately engaged with him, demanding all of his attention. This situation was quickly getting out of control. 

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying called, but of course Lan Zhan already saw what was going on. He disengaged with his brother as swiftly as possible and launched himself over to Wei Ying with incredible speed. Wei Ying met him with open arms, and in the confusion of the battle and changing tactics, Lan Zhan swept them both onto his sword. 

With Lan Zhan occupied with flying them, Wei Ying was the one tasked with making sure they weren’t shot out of the sky. Zewu-jun jumped up to meet them, but Wei Ying blew some notes into his dizi that roughly translated to “defend.” 

In the next moment, one of Wen Ning’s chains was wrapped around Lan Xichen’s ankle and bringing him down to earth. The man managed to free himself before he was thrown to the ground, but he still made a rather rough landing. Wei Ying winced in apology and sympathy, but Lan Zhan didn’t seem at all concerned about his brother. 

Lan Zhan was rapidly making the chaos they left behind look small, so with no other foreseeable obstacles, Wei Ying blew as loudly into his flute as possible, urging his friend to run in the opposite direction they were headed. Wen Ning immediately abandoned the fight and disappeared into the trees surrounding Golden Carp Tower, and Wei Ying breathed a little easier. As long as he didn’t stop, no one would be able to catch him. Also with them splitting up, they’d have to divide their manpower, which would hopefully help both of them. 

Fight over and confrontation left behind, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan flew overhead in silence. In an impressive burst of qi, Lan Zhan put significant distance between them and their enemies.

But also A-Yuan. 

When he deemed it far enough, Lan Zhan chose a thick set of trees to descend upon. One whose canopies would shield and hide them from their enemies if they somehow managed to catch up to them. 

Once Wei Ying’s feet touched the ground, he sat down right where he was. Head in his hands, he began to shake his head. 

He’d messed up. He’d messed up so badly. They knew, with irrefutable proof, that he was Wei Wuxian. How would this affect Lan Zhan’s standing in the gentry? The Xinglan Sect? A-Yuan was trying to build a friendship with Jin Ling. Had he just ruined that as well? 

“Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying lifted his head to see Lan Zhan kneeling in front of him. He had a half mind to protest and comment about Lan Zhan’s pristine, white robes, but he didn’t wear those anymore, did he? He wore red and black, and he was still immaculate in his appearance, though less impressively to a degree. 

“We messed up, didn’t we Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying couldn’t help the tremble from entering his voice. “They’re gonna hurt A-Yuan, aren’t they? We need to go back, don’t we? What if—what if they’re trying to get him to divulge information? A-Yuan is such a filial child, he’d never say anything willingly, but then they’d—”

“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan covered his hands with his own, and since when were they so big? Had they gotten bigger during these 13 years, or was Mo Xuanyu really that small? “They will not hurt him.” 

“How could you know that?” Wei Ying cried. “They have him! They could do anything to him. He has no allies there. Xiao Xingchen is pursuing a lead, and we ran away. He only has maybe Jin Ling but—”

“Wei Ying.”

A third time. Would Lan Zhan ever tire of saying his name? If that did happen, Wei Ying thought he might as well just die a second time. 

Lan Zhan’s voice was deep and confident. His words were sure, but his tone was severe. “They will not dare.” 

That gave Wei Ying pause, and he tried to slow his breathing. “You’re sure?” 

Lan Zhan nodded and said no more, but that was that. Wei Ying still didn’t understand why Lan Zhan was so confident, but this was his zhiji. He trusted him above all else. After all, he’d been the one raising A-Yuan for thirteen years, not him. If he wasn’t worried, did Wei Ying have any right to be? 

“Alright. If you say so.” Wei Ying patted his cheeks and resolutely pretended he hadn’t been close to tears seconds before. “But now everyone knows who I am. And somehow Wen Ning was alive for all this time. The Jins must have had him, right? That’s why he came so quickly to my call.” 

“Mn. After Xue Yang’s death, the Jins’ descent with demonic cultivation slowed but never stopped completely.” 

“They must have been using him for experiments. But given how close he must have been, they couldn’t have been keeping him far from Golden Carp Tower. There were still chains attached to him. He must have broken out, and I bet the place was wrecked. If we can locate it before they cover it up, we might be able to find something to do with our mystery body.” 

Lan Zhan stood from his kneeling and offered a hand. Wei Ying smiled at the silly gesture of chivalry but took the offer. Wei Ying still couldn’t shake the almost involuntary worry about A-Yuan, but after his modicum of panic and Lan Zhan’s assurances, the situation no longer felt so dire. 

After all, Lan Zhan was on his side this time around. He wasn’t facing such things alone. 

Chapter Text

A-Yuan was rightfully shocked when the corpse he’d been watching so closely had suddenly come to life with an undead scream. 

A-Yuan almost screamed himself when the man tore his chains from the wall like they were nothing more than strips of grass feebly tugging on his wrists. A-Yuan had a brief moment to wonder why the corpse hadn’t done that before if it was really so easy to break out, but then the man shoved a shoulder into his cell door, and A-Yuan covered his head and shut his eyes, tucking himself into the far corner of his own cell. 

The screams and rampage continued for a few moments longer, where A-Yuan felt the stone shake beneath him and heard the screech of metal bars being bent. But then it stopped, and the murderous aura from before vanished. 

When A-Yuan next opened his eyes, the corpse was gone, and in his wake the prison before him was ruined. The metal from the bars of the cells were crooked and bent, all unusable. The man must have been trying desperately to find a way out because there were plenty of smashed holes and dents along all the walls. And he eventually found one. Or rather, he created one. A-Yuan stared, astonished, at the actual hole in the stone wall, leading to the dark outside. 

His savior also managed to create a hole in A-Yuan’s cell large enough for him to slip through. 

A-Yuan wasn’t sure if it was luck or fate, but he wasn’t about to wait around to find out. 

The Jin cells were located in a discrete collection of hills close to Golden Carp Tower. With terrain that concealed the paths and forestry making it hard to traverse, even an experienced cultivator would have trouble finding it. Which worked well for A-Yuan because it meant Jin Guangyao was so confident in its concealment, that he didn’t stage 24 hour guards outside.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t check up on them, so A-Yuan didn’t dally. Although his archery skills were lacking, his qinggong remained highly refined. Since it wasn’t much different from the training A-Yuan subjected himself to for his sword forms, he had no hang ups about running and gliding across the Earth. Whatever had made him pass out before affected him no longer as he bounded his way back to Golden Carp Tower with superior footwork. 

Once he approached the outer ring of Golden Carp Tower, A-Yuan made sure to avoid being seen. It was likely no one had quite yet realized he was free, but sooner or later, they’d catch up, and he didn’t want any sightings of a teen in black and red to give him away. 

But he need not worry too much about being spotted because it seemed almost everyone at the tower was in a panicked frenzy. As A-Yuan picked up bits and pieces, he was able to discern that Xian-gege’s cover was blown, and he and A-Die had to flee while being attacked. There were also angered whispers about a “Ghost General” appearing out of nowhere, and A-Yuan didn’t take long to realize that must have been the corpse who’d unknowingly helped him escape. 

There was no talk of Sect Leader Xiao, so A-Yuan surmised he must not have been present during the altercation. Which also meant all the adults he’d been wanting to find weren’t anywhere close to here. And he didn’t know how to find them. 

However, A-Yuan didn’t allow himself to panic. He’d already done enough of that, and that’s why they’d gotten into this mess in the first place. Because he was sloppy. Instead, he looked at what he could do. 

Now that he was free to roam without being monitored, A-Yuan knew he couldn’t pass up the chance to lurk around the Chief Cultivator’s private rooms. He was bound to have something incriminating near him; he couldn’t be expected to banish all evidence, especially when it was so crucial he keep a close eye on some things. 

And he had just the person to help him. 

A-Yuan made sure his steps were light and swift as he made his way to Jin Ling’s room via rooftop. He landed on the balcony outside, a thin, sliding door separating him from the place he’d been only a few hours earlier. There were no voices on the other side, just the sound of someone pacing across the room. A-Yuan slid open the door as quietly as he could and opened it fully when he confirmed who was inside. 

Jin Ling’s head immediately perked up when he saw A-Yuan enter the room. “A-Yuan! Where have you—”

“Shhh!” A-Yuan hissed and covered his friend’s mouth. He listened outside to see if they were being listened in on but could sense no other presence. He sighed in relief and let go of the other boy. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Jin Ling demanded in a still-too-loud voice. “You disappear without any explanation, and now you’re coming in through the balcony!” 

A-Yuan winced and looked away. How much should he divulge to his friend? He was here to get help, so it would probably be best to answer. But he didn’t know whether or not the information would put Jin Ling in danger. 

Seeing his friend’s hesitation and nervousness actually seemed to sober Jin Ling up. “What is it? What’s wrong?” 

A-Yuan was touched by the sudden concern and so decided to answer. “I was sort of kidnapped.” 

“Kidnapped!” Jin Ling’s volume was back. “By who?” 

“Lianfeng-zun.” 

A-Yuan thought it a minor miracle that Jin Ling didn’t immediately call him a liar. “Why would he do that?” 

“I know some things I shouldn’t,” A-Yuan said cryptically but didn’t elaborate. “But I’m here because I need some help.” 

“What kind of help?” 

This was where it was going to be troublesome. “I need to get into Jin Guangyao’s chambers.” 

“What?” Jin Ling was instantly outraged. “Why? Does it have to do with you being taken?” 

“Yes.” 

Jin Ling looked at him doubtfully. “…And you’re sure it was Uncle Yao that took you?” 

“I’m sure.” 

“You saw that it was him?” 

A-Yuan sighed. “I didn’t see, but I know it was him.” 

“Then how could you know ?”

“I just do.” A-Yuan’s spirit was lowering. He knew it was going to be a long shot for Jin Ling to take his word over the trust he had in his uncle. “Look, Jin Ling, I understand if you won’t help me. I only ask that you do not say you saw me if someone asks.” A-Yuan turned away from his friend to head back to the balcony, but his wrist was seized. 

Jin Ling’s head was lowered when A-Yuan turned to look back at him. “What… do you need with Uncle Yao’s chambers?” 

~*~

A man on the inside truly did help greatly. 

Jin Ling of course knew his home like the back of his hand. The best hiding spots, the places guards didn’t look, the quickest routes. Either to avoid bullies or to avoid lessons, Jin Ling had spent his adolescence perfecting the best way to get around. 

A-Yuan was a little worried about being spotted. After all, bright yellow wasn’t as discrete as his red and black, but Jin Ling had no such trepidation. He swung around corners and over walls without hesitation. Sooner than A-Yuan could have imagined, they were already approaching Jin Guangyao’s private quarters. 

“Alright, no one is allowed inside other than Aunty Su,” Jin Ling explained. “Not even guards usually. I don’t know where she is at the moment. But I can find Uncle Yao and distract him for a few minutes if he comes around. But he’ll probably know something’s up immediately.” 

A-Yuan nodded. That was to be expected. The man was careful and shrewd in every aspect of his life. A mere distraction wouldn’t do much and might even arouse more suspicion, depending on how good Jin Ling’s acting would be. 

“And you’re just looking for something, right?” Jin Ling’s doubts weren’t completely washed away, so he was compelled to ask for more assurance. “You’re not going to hurt Uncle Yao or Aunty Su, right?” 

“Of course not. I just need to confirm something.” A-Yuan gave as sweet of a smile as he could muster to assuage his friend’s worries. Jin Ling didn’t look completely convinced, but he didn’t say any more. 

As he was about to turn away, A-Yuan grabbed his wrist and swiftly pulled them into a hug. “Thank you. I’ll explain more later when we have the time.” A-Yuan might have caught a blush across Jin Ling’s cheeks as he pulled away, but he was already flinging himself down to the doors of Jin Guangyao’s chambers, so he couldn’t be sure. 

As expected, the doors were locked. However, A-Yuan gave no pause before forcing the door open with Huo Huaban, which he had retrieved while back in Jin Ling’s room. Closing the door behind him, A-Yuan took a look around the room to see if he was alone. Other than his breathing, he heard nothing else. 

Wasting no time, A-Yuan began to snoop. Under chairs, in drawers, behind bookshelves, he left nothing uninvestigated but didn’t manage to find anything incriminating. All the documents on or around the desk were of a reasonable nature—for a sect leader and for the Chief Cultivator. Even when he searched the bedroom, he found nothing. As frustrating as it was, it made sense. Even if it caused A-Yuan only grief. 

Just as he was about to give and return to ensure he made a clean getaway, a mirror that stood off to the side of the initial room caught his eye because why would Jin Guangyao, who was a notably humble man, need or want a mirror in such a room? 

As A-Yuan approached, he saw that the mirror had a rather unnatural glare in the dim light of the room. Although unassuming, it was quite large and easily enveloped A-Yuan’s figure. 

The bronze mirror actually reflected one’s image quite poorly, but that was obviously not its purpose. When A-Yuan introduced a little bit of spiritual energy, the mirror’s surface rippled, and he was able to pass through. 

Entering the new room, A-Yuan was even more cautious. The secret chamber was rather spacious but lacked the Jin elegance the rest of Golden Carp Tower retained. Inside were several rows of shelves, each containing dangerous or rare treasures. Torches lit the walls as A-Yuan continued inside, illuminating his path but also announcing his presence. 

Seeing as Jin Guangyao hadn’t yet sprung out to attack him, A-Yuan assumed he was alone. Which was why he almost had a heart attack when he realized that wasn’t true. 

A woman dressed in yellow robes laid prone near the back of the treasure room on a large stone slab covered in talismans. At first, A-Yuan thought the worst and assumed the woman was dead. But as he looked closer, he realized the woman was not only alive but trembling. 

Instantly, he rushed over. The woman’s eyes found him and seemed surprised at his appearance. Interestingly, she actually seemed to relax once they connected eyes. But she still did not move nor did she say anything. 

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a wonder why. The woman’s meridians were sealed, leaving her with no way to do anything. Thankfully, A-Yuan was a cultivator himself and could lift the lock on such a thing with ease. 

As soon as he did so, the woman jerked upright with a gasp, breathing heavily. 

“Madam Jin?” A-Yuan guessed. 

Qin Su looked at him. “Who are you? How’d you get in here?” 

A-Yuan didn’t answer and moved on to much more important things. “Did Jin Guangyao bring you here?” 

Qin Su’s eyes widened, and some of the tension dropped from her shoulders. “How did you know that?” 

“He kidnapped me too.” A-Yuan stood and took another look around the room. They didn’t have much time to linger. Now that he discovered a potential ally, it was imperative they make a clean getaway. Thankfully, he didn’t have to look too hard. 

The head of their mystery man exuded massive amounts of resentful energy even behind the enchanted curtain and under the various suppression talismans. A-Yuan dared not get too close as he pulled a qiankun pouch from his robes. When he revealed what he was looking for, Qin Su was immediately horrified, and he couldn’t blame her. 

“What the… what the hell is that?” Qin Su gasped, and A-Yuan quickly tucked the body part away so she wouldn’t faint. 

“Something that will help us later. But right now, we need to go.” 

Qin Su observed the hand he was offering her for a moment but took the initiative and his hand after a moment. A-Yuan followed her lead as they exited the mirror and then hurried out a secret door near the back of her bedroom. It seemed there were passages and secrets within Golden Carp Tower that even Jin Ling didn’t know about. 

A-Yuan didn’t know where they were going, but with Qin Su’s confidence, he was fine with placing his trust in her at the moment. She seemed to have a plan. 

He could only hope that his parents had one as well. Whatever they were doing.

~*~

Wei Ying thought he was over the suffocation of missing his cultivation. 

Thinking about what he lost hurt, not just because it was a literal emptiness and ache in his chest. He loved cultivation. He thought himself so blessed and honored to be able to learn such a practice and be so good at it. He didn’t mean to sound arrogant, but at the peak of his skills in his adolescence, there wasn’t anyone who could match him at Lotus Pier. So when he arrived at Cloud Recesses, and Lan Zhan had been there who matched every move of his without flinching, he was so excited. 

But then he had to give it up. It was painful—like setting a broken bone—but necessary. So while it hurt and hurt and hurt when Lan Zhan kept asking him to cultivate again, he simply had to ignore it. Thankfully, not long after, the Wens needed his assistance, and he was no longer surrounded by terrible reminders of what he could no longer have. He and the Wens were too busy making ends meet to waste time on such sentimental feelings. 

However, he was brought back to life. And thrust into a situation where he was required to think about such things. So nearly every day he’d been back he needed to think about it. And he wouldn’t ever admit it, but he was jealous. In a terribly proud way. 

He was proud that A-Yuan could cultivate and loved what he loved. He was glad that Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan were able to build a sect. And he endlessly admired Lan Zhan for his continued study and immeasurable cultivation. Would Wei Ying have been able to stand beside him in strength if he still had his golden core? He liked to think so.

Such thinking was pointless now, though Wei Ying couldn’t help but indulge in the thought. He had his demonic cultivation now. He didn’t need to cultivate the orthodox path anymore. But he couldn’t help but think… in a different life…

Could they have been cultivation partners? 

Wei Ying was brought out of his foolish wondering when they began to descend. 

It was expected from Jin Guangyao, but it was a struggle to find anything out of the ordinary around the hills of Golden Carp Tower. Of course they weren’t able to search freely for fear of being seen, but Wei Ying was still impressed at the level of concealment. He wouldn’t be surprised if some demonic talismans were used around the area to make it less attractive to cultivator eyes. 

In the end, it was Jin cultivators in bright yellow who led them to the secret prison where they housed Wen Ning. The Jins had a separate jail for show that they would use for low level criminals, but this area was obviously not meant to be seen by eyes that weren’t Jin Guangyao’s. The Jin cultivators that raced in and out of the jail were angered, frantic, and stressed. It made them much easier to follow. 

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying made sure they weren’t seen from the shadows as they followed the pair of Jin cultivators. Their voices were hushed but urgent. They were talking about the Ghost General suddenly breaking out of confinement, but that worry seemed to be taking a backseat to the “brat” they’d picked up not too long ago.

Wei Ying’s throat was seized by an invisible force. That must have been A-Yuan! They must have taken him here to get him out of the way. Why was yet to be seen. Lan Zhan, Wei Ying, and Xiao Xingchen had been separated from A-Yuan since they’d arrived. Why was it only recently that Jin Guangyao thought it necessary to get rid of him? 

Said brat was also unaccounted for, and the pair of cultivators raced off into the night to inform their sect leader. Whether or not Jin Guangyao would find it necessary to investigate the place himself for clues left Lan Zhan and Wei Ying with an undetermined amount of time, so they got started immediately. 

As soon as they entered the prison, it was readily apparent that there was a gaping hole in the back that led to the outside. Every cell block was damaged, so much so that not a single prisoner could be held there. At first, Wei Ying regretted calling on Wen Ning, but if it allowed his son to escape enemy clutches, then he couldn’t complain. 

However, other than the relieving information that A-Yuan was no longer kidnapped and that Wen Ning had in fact been kept here, the prison wielded no other useful information. If Jin Guangyao had been experimenting with demonic cultivation and Wen Ning, he made sure to leave no damning evidence—other than the secret prison cell. 

 After all, they still needed to find out who their body was. Only after would they be able to accuse Jin Guangyao of murder. As it stood, the only thing they could prove was that he held a fierce corpse underground for a decade. Despite the deception, that wasn’t going to get the cultivation world on their side. Wen Ning didn’t meet justice when he was alive; he was less likely to find some in his death. 

So they were back at square one. Which meant they should try to find their son and reconnect. Only after could they decide their next move. 

“Lan Zhan, is there another meeting place of yours somewhere around here?” 

Lan Zhan nodded, immediately understanding his meaning. They exited the stone prison, and Lan Zhan pulled them both onto his sword without hesitation. “Not too far from here.” 

Wei Ying hummed and hung on. They could only hope to find A-Yuan safely on the other side like last time. 

~*~

Xiao Xingchen had gotten very good at being blind. 

Before Song Lan had found him again, he’d been a bit overconfident and naive. Although he had given up his sight, he was still a master cultivator; his skill in hunting down yaos and resentful corpses hadn’t diminished. His judgment though had. 

Since that awful day in Yi City, he’d not had the heart or confidence to take another life while he was alone. Unless someone he greatly trusted was present like Song Lan, he would not take another life. Just in case something went wrong. Just in case he was being tricked again. Just in case he were to raise his sword at another innocent. 

However, that vow to himself didn’t heed him at all at the moment. Because right now he was only looking to capture someone. 

After Wei Wuxian and he had parted ways, Xiao Xingchen picked up the pace. He didn’t mean to disparage the man, but he really was a hindrance when it came to chasing someone down. With no other distractions, he was able to dedicate himself to pursuing the familiar cultivator. 

It didn’t take long. Although his qinggong couldn’t be compared to before his eyesight had been taken, Xiao Xingchen was still miles more capable than this man in front of him. As soon as he felt Xiao Xingchen approaching, he changed his dash into a sprint, but he still managed to close in on him. 

As soon as he was in range, Xiao Xingchen drew Shuanghua, and it zipped through the air like lightning. Through his cultivation, Xiao Xingchen was able to perceive many things. Vague outlines of grass and trees and people included. Which prevented him from running into tree trunks on nighthunts. However, it also made it easy for him to perceive the qi of other cultivators. Which was what allowed him to recognize this man even after only having a single, brief interaction with him. 

This man had no way of knowing Xiao Xingchen did not intend to take his life, so when a sword was sent hurling towards him, he immediately drew his own blade to deflect it. 

They engaged in a series of blows that sent the other cultivator into a nearby tree. Although Xiao Xingchen swore not to take the man’s life, he did not need to be in perfect condition. He could be roughed up a bit. 

But even after being disarmed and defeated, the man was as tight lipped as ever. He’d clearly seen that Xiao Xingchen was blind and unable to identify him. He deduced the best course of action was to remain silent to prevent giving away any information. 

Xiao Xingchen was irritated but ultimately let go of the feeling. Although he wasn’t able to subdue the man completely, he sealed several of his meridians, limiting the man’s movement, which allowed him to search the man. 

He had several talismans, his purse, and of course the missing body part also sealed within a qiankun pouch. When Xiao Xingchen felt inside, he could identify the firmness of a man’s chest. Now with Wei Wuxian having possession of both arms and the legs, there was only the head unaccounted for. 

The man kneeling in front of him was shaking with indignity and rage but still refused to say a single thing. Xiao Xingchen admired the dedication but didn’t have time for it. He seized the man by the back of his neck and lifted them both onto his sword. 

If he wasn’t going to tell him who he was, he’d find someone that would. 

Chapter Text

A-Yuan let himself be tugged along by Madam Jin. She was quite vital to getting them out of Golden Carp Tower unseen, but now that they were away from prying eyes, she seemed unmoored. Like she didn’t actually have a plan beyond this. 

But that mattered not. Because A-Yuan quickly took the lead. 

“Madam Jin, let me take us somewhere.” 

Qin Su looked around frantically, as if she’d be able to spot someone spying on them better than A-Yuan. “You know somewhere safe?” 

The Xinglan Sect would be a good place to hide and reconnect with everyone, but it was simply too far away. No, he’d go back to their rudimentary method of finding his parents once again. “No. But if you allow me to fly us, I can take us to people who will help us.” 

Given there was little else she could do, Qin Su nodded and allowed him to take them both onto his sword. A-Yuan was an excellent flier, but he didn’t have much practice with taking an extra person. His golden core still needed some training before he could do so effortlessly like A-Die. He made sure the flight was steady, but their speed had much to be desired. 

Once they arrived at the meeting location closest to Golden Carp Tower, A-Yuan began to breathe a little easier. He quickly explained to Qin Su that if they simply waited a little help would come. He was confident that his parents would use the system; all they needed to do was be a little patient. 

They were patient. Unfortunately, that allowed the enemy to catch up. 

Through the quiet of the forest, it wasn’t hard to pick up several people swiftly closing in on them. Though A-Yuan didn’t want to move them from this spot, they’d obviously been followed. 

A-Yuan moved fast: he made to grab Qin Su to hopefully get them out of there. But the enemy was faster; a sword sailed towards them, cutting a line between the two. A-Yuan jumped back out of reflex, and Qin Su shrieked in fright and jerked back as well. Before A-Yuan could close the distance, a dozen cultivators surrounded them and engaged. 

A-Yuan had already given up the fight before it even started. Allowing his companion to be separated from him—one who had no combat skills—gave the enemy a great advantage. Still, he did his best in trying to get back to Qin Su’s side. 

However, she was swiftly subdued, falling limp into a nameless cultivator’s arms. A-Yuan’s throat seized in panic. For a second, he thought these men might threaten Qin Su to get him to lower his weapon, but he quickly realized that was simply unnecessary on their part. They had him clearly outnumbered. He was doing quite well fighting off three of them, but the rest quickly surrounded and overwhelmed him. Even with A-Die’s guqin, he didn’t think he could have fought off so many trained cultivators. 

As A-Yuan was parrying a sword strike, one of them cut into his blind spot and performed a palm strike on his right shoulder—the one that held his sword. He managed to not drop Huo Huaban but that proved quite futile when he found a sword hilt striking his core, right above the area that held his diantian. With the wind knocked out of him, he fell to his knees. 

Right before losing consciousness, A-Yuan had the distinct thought that it was rather odd these people kept capturing instead of killing him. 

~*~ 

Jin Ling’s home was turning into a very scary place. 

He was used to strangers being at Golden Carp Tower. Such was the life of the sect that held the Chief Cultivator. Although Jin Ling didn’t like it, he learned long ago that he had to accept it, and even though he’d thrown tantrums when he was younger, that didn’t mean they’d actually give him what he wanted. Sure, he got bullied and beat up every once in a while, but those guys never made him scared. 

He couldn’t say the same when A-Yuan disappeared. 

They were having such a good time before. They were hanging out, talking, playing. His first friend! His first, real friend that he could attest to getting based on his actions alone. He’d never felt so content. And since he knew A-Yuan wasn’t an important disciple or an important member of a sect, that meant he could visit as much as he wanted! He didn’t have pesky responsibilities like Jin Ling did! 

And when Uncle Yao came to pay them a visit, he thought nothing of it. He felt a little ashamed at the damage they’d caused, but his uncle truly didn’t seem that angry. So, when he eventually left, he didn’t know why A-Yuan looked like his soul had been sucked through his chest. 

He tried to ask. Maybe he truly thought Uncle Yao was mad? Maybe he wasn’t actually as cool and fearless as he’d shown off? Jin Ling didn’t care about that part at all. A-Yuan would still be cool even if he wasn’t the perfect junior disciple every sect wanted to have. But his friend had run off without another word, leaving him bereft and behind. 

Jin Ling took a moment to run after him, but it was a moment too late. Because he ran down the hallway, down the stairs, and outside but didn’t see hide nor hair of the boy. He felt chilled to his bones. Even if A-Yuan had run at breakneck speed, he should have still been within his sight. He’d obviously panicked and run off to Hanguang-jun and Mo Xuanyu. 

Jin Ling couldn’t imagine how or why A-Yuan had seemed to suddenly vanish. But it pricked the back of his neck. Something was wrong. But that something wasn’t within Jin Ling’s power to correct. 

So he could only sit around and wait. He grew restless every hour or so but couldn’t bring himself to venture far from his room because what if he came back? A-Yuan’s sword was still in Jin Ling’s room; he’d need to come back for it at some point. There was some commotion outside, a rushing of guards, but Jin Ling couldn’t afford to investigate. 

In the end, A-Yuan did come back. Seemingly unharmed but with a strange request. Jin Ling couldn’t bring himself to deny his friend, not after the hours he’d spent worrying over him. 

It seemed innocuous enough. A-Yuan wasn’t going to hurt anyone, he’d said. He just needed his uncle a little distracted. And seeing as how Uncle Yao was the one who scared A-Yuan so much he disappeared—or rather was kidnapped—in the first place, Jin Ling was okay with performing this little show. 

But A-Yuan disappeared again. After doing what he needed to do, Jin Ling expected him to come back. Reconnect. Explain. He was waiting eagerly for him. Instead, he was greeted with yet another commotion, this time in the Jin gardens—one of the most public places at Golden Carp Tower. 

Since Jin Ling wasn’t holed up in his room this time, he made his way towards the raised voices. At the moment, there were only a few figures, but more were starting to gather as the conversing continued. Jin Ling recognized Sect Leader Xiao who was dragging a rather mortified Sect Leader Su with him. Jin Ling had never had many interactions with either men, but he could place them with ease, given it was one of his responsibilities to know people of the gentry. 

“Where is Sect Leader Jin?” Xiao Xingchen demanded. His voice was stern, but the grip he had on Su She was even sterner. He seemed determined not to let this man go. 

Some Jin disciples had come to placate the man. Jin Ling was wondering why on Earth Uncle Yao hadn’t come himself—he usually liked to smooth such matters over himself—when one of the men explained the sect leader was absent at the moment. 

Absent? Jin Ling jerked. Where would Jin Guangyao go and why? The Discussion Conference was happening, here, at his home, right under his nose. There were so many cultivators from other sects that needed to be watched. How could he simply have gone? 

It seemed Xiao Xingchen thought the same because his expression instantly became stormy. But before he could cause an even bigger fuss, another voice joined the fray. 

“What’s happening now? Hm, it seems Sect Leader Xiao has decided to join us finally.” 

Despite his displeased tone of voice, Jin Ling became more at ease with Jiang Cheng there. He instantly gravitated towards his uncle as more and more people began to gather in the gardens. 

Xiao Xingchen closed his eyes in what Jin Ling assumed must have been exhaustion. “Please forgive me for being absent, Sect Leader Jiang. I was attending to an urgent matter.” 

“So convenient that you were absent the moment Wei Wuxian’s identity was revealed. The man who accompanied you here.” 

Jin Ling flinched, and he felt a chill run up his spine. Wei Wuxian? The demonic cultivator, the Yiling Patriarch? He was here? Was that the commotion he’d heard earlier? If he knew, he never would have allowed himself to stand aside. And what was that about coming with Sect Leader Xiao? He couldn’t have been talking about Hanguang-jun or A-Yuan, so that only left…

Xiao Xingchen swept over the issue without haste or impatience. “I don’t know of the incident you speak of. Like I have said, I was pursuing another matter entirely.” And before one of the increasingly numerous cultivators around could protest, Xiao Xingchen threw a qingkun pouch at Jiang Cheng’s feet. 

His uncle scowled. “What is this?” 

“What I was looking for.” Su She began to squirm, and Xiao Xingchen jerked his collar back. “I found this piece of resentful energy on this man’s person though he refused to reveal his identity to me. I trust you know who he is?” 

“Su She.” Jiang Cheng didn’t even try putting up a pretense of respect by referring to him as a sect leader. He began to inspect the bag he was thrown. “Quite a bit of resentful energy in here. Why would you be looking for such a thing?” 

“A friend has been tracking and finding similar body parts across sect territories in an attempt to discern the man’s identity.” 

Jiang Cheng sneered. “By friend you mean Wei Wuxian.” 

Xiao Xingchen naturally couldn’t see such an expression, so he was unperturbed. “Sect Leader Jiang of course has the right to be dissatisfied, but regardless of Wei Wuxian’s identity, I believe this matter needs to be looked into thoroughly.” 

“Why did you ask to see Uncle Yao?” Jin Ling interrupted, even at his other uncle’s glare. A-Yuan, now Sect Leader Xiao. Everyone seemed to be attacking Jin Guangyao for no good reason as far as he could see. 

“Why do you think so highly of yourself, Sect Leader Xiao, that you’re able to make such demands?” a Jin cultivator butted in. “Are you accusing our sect leader of something?” 

Xiao Xingchen’s tone remained calm and even. “I accuse Sect Leader Jin of nothing. I only believe that he may have insight on this matter and seeked him out accordingly. Instead, I found him absent. Are we not allowed to comment on his odd behavior of disappearing?” 

The Jin bristled. “The whereabouts of our sect leader aren’t at your discretion!” 

“Normally, I’d agree with you. But considering the discussion conference is tomorrow, and there have already been several disturbances tonight, who could blame us for being confused?” 

For one, Jin Ling couldn’t. He knew he saw his uncle earlier in the evening, yet hadn’t seen him since. Even when A-Yuan was sneaking into his rooms, the time he thought most likely for him to make an appearance, he was still nowhere to be seen. But he must have been here not too long ago since several people from his sect knew he departed. But why would he leave so suddenly? 

“Well, until Sect Leader Jin deems to grace us with his presence, we can occupy ourselves with another matter.” Jiang Cheng moved closer to Xiao Xingchen and Su She. “Did Sect Leader Xiao know whose company he kept?” 

Xiao Xingchen paused before responding, and even though Jin Ling wasn’t his uncle’s focus right now, he could still feel the pressure he was under. “I honestly haven’t spent much time with the man who introduced himself as Mo Xuanyu. I didn’t meet Wei Wuxian when he was alive, so I’d be a poor person to recognize him now in the body of another.” 

“Yes or no,” Jiang Cheng growled. 

“My friend brought the man to me to stay as a guest for a few nights. I did not ask many questions.” 

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “I didn’t know Hanguang-jun had friends.” 

“I can see why Sect Leader Jiang thought he found a kindred soul in Lan Wangji.” 

Jin Ling winced and could practically see the steam wafting off his uncle’s body. The ring on his finger began to spark, and Jin Ling actually began to panic, thinking his uncle was just going to attack this man without restraint. “Uncle!” 

“Jin Ling, stay out of this!” 

Xiao Xingchen only sighed, even as the attitude towards him began to wither. “If Sect Leader Jin isn’t available, could someone not fetch Zewu-jun? He should be able to field some questions for his sworn brother until he returns.” 

But Xiao Xingchen was rebuffed once again because not only was Jin Guangyao absent, it seemed Zewu-jun was gone as well. What were two of the most important people in gentry doing, disappearing like this? Some disciples claimed they saw them leaving together, and that was even more strange. 

Given that Xiao Xingchen’s inquiries had warranted no progress, Jiang Cheng returned to interrogating Xiao Xingchen’s involvement with Wei Wuxian. It soon became a mad house of disciples and cultivators, vying for answers from the man. The way these men surrounded Xiao Xingchen reminded Jin Ling of a mob, and he felt the unrest in his heart begin to increase. Su She began to struggle more earnestly now, seeing the coming chaos as an opportune time to escape. Xiao Xingchen kept his grip firm and refused to let go, though that was becoming increasingly difficult given how aggressively these men were surrounding him. 

Jin Ling found himself powerless against the roaring yells and indignant cries. He hated Wei Wuxian as much as the next cultivator, but wasn’t there more important things at the moment? Like how Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen were missing? Or the urgent matter Xiao Xingchen described of a possibly murdered member of the gentry? Xiao Xingchen was being completely fair and reasonable. Why couldn’t they calm down and look for him? 

But the yells of the crowd only grew more insistent. Jin Ling was shouldered and shoved to the side, but no one seemed to care much. But somehow through the mob, he spotted something. Something that he knew couldn’t be ignored. 

Jin Ling joined the fray wholeheartedly, savagely digging his elbows into men that were in his way. He left behind yells and scolds in displeasure, but he ignored them to get to the front as soon as possible. No one but himself had noticed. Everyone was too distracted to see. And Xiao Xingchen might have actually been able to notice himself—that is, if he wasn’t blind.

Jin Ling grabbed onto his uncle’s shoulder as soon as he was able to. He yelled to be heard over the other voices, “He has something on his chest!” 

Jiang Cheng was baffled enough to actually turn and look at him. “What?” 

Jin Ling pointed. “On his chest! There’s something there.” 

Jiang Cheng followed his eyes, and Su She wasn’t quick enough in pulling up his robes to hide it. Through his yanking and squirming and because of Xiao Xingchen’s iron grip, Su She’s robes had actually come loose enough that they showed more of his chest than was proper. But more importantly, something beneath the robes was revealed. 

Jiang Cheng’s anger suddenly shifted from Xiao Xingchen to Su She, and he dashed forward to grab the man himself. Xiao Xingchen looked uneasy at handing over his prisoner to the other man, but he let go without saying anything. 

Su She snarled and bucked, trying to get Jiang Cheng’s hands off of him. “Let go! How dare you! You don’t have the right to—”

But the rest of what he was saying didn’t matter because Jiang Cheng managed to grab the edge of his lapels and yank down. The sight made everyone settle instantly because where smooth skin should rest instead housed an ugly marring of a hole-filled chest, almost as if the skin had been burned repeatedly before healing incorrectly. 

Seeing as Xiao Xingchen was the only one who couldn’t see, he was the only one who asked, “What is it?” 

Jiang Cheng was the only one who dared to answer. “The Hundred Holes Curse.” 

Then chaos erupted once again for an entirely different reason. 

~*~

Jin Ling was swiftly ignored after revealing that development. No matter who he talked to, they only pushed him aside and told him that the adults would handle this. Even though he’d never exchanged any words with the man, Jin Ling had the urge to ask Xiao Xingchen—thinking he would be the one most willing to actually speak and explain things to him—but he was engaged in a serious and rapid-fire discussion with his uncle and other cultivators. He had no chance of getting in a single word. 

So he was left behind. Again. By A-Yuan, by his uncle. Both of them. Everyone was constantly forgetting he was the heir to the Jin sect. Treating him as if he was nothing more than hot air. 

But he supposed it was kind of nice, not having to deal with the real, dangerous stuff of the cultivation world. He liked night hunting as much as any other cultivator, but he always knew Jiujiu or Fairy was right around the corner should he need any help. Although he felt alone a lot of the time, he almost always had backup. Unless he ran off. And even then evidently. 

From what he saw with A-Yuan, entering the adult cultivation world was scary. Trying to help, not knowing what to do, making mistakes. He knew this was a part of learning, but when there were real consequences, real lives at stake… 

Jin Ling wanted to take a step back, not forward. 

So he’d had enough for the night. Jiujiu and Sect Leader Xiao and the others would solve the mystery, and things would go back to normal. Right now, it was quite late into the evening, and he just wanted to crawl into bed. He didn’t even have the energy to draw a bath. He simply retired to his room and began to undress. 

But he only removed his sword from his waist when he sensed something was wrong. 

Even since A-Yuan mentioned being kidnapped, Jin Ling had been looking over his shoulder at every turn. The once familiar and welcoming halls of his home felt spacious and eerie. Like eyes could spring from the walls at any moment. 

Jin Ling had the urge to call out. He knew it would alert the person or person of his attention, but more than that, he wanted confirmation that he was overreacting. That actually there was no one there or that it was a simple servant lurking around for no good reason. But that wasn’t likely, given the fact he was supposed to be alone in his own room. 

Springing into action, Jin Ling made his way to his open balcony. He had to close that first. It gave A-Yuan a way in before, but now it was only a liability. He could close and lock it, and then he could turn towards his door to lock that as well. 

Unfortunately, his good instincts only lead him into enemy hands. Because as soon as he reached the doors leading outside, he was met with cultivators dressed in black who swarmed and instantly overwhelmed him. Just before being knocked out, he had the repeated thought from before:

His home was truly becoming a very scary place. 

~*~ 

There was no one at the meeting spot when Wei Ying and Lan Zhan arrived. 

At first, Wei Ying didn’t allow himself to panic. They’d simply arrived here before A-Yuan, that was all. He’d been kidnapped, so they’d obviously have taken his sword away from him. He had to get here on foot. All they had to do was be patient. 

But as they took a closer look around, they discovered that was not the case. 

There were signs of a struggle. They walked further out to see tracks leading in and dragging marks leading out. There was evidence of a fight but not a long one. It seemed the cultivators attacking his son didn’t take long to subdue him. It also appeared like there was someone with A-Yuan, someone he was traveling with. Wei Ying couldn’t imagine who his son would be accompanying, but it was apparent that this person was of interest as well because they were taken as well. 

Wei Ying told himself to breathe. It would be fine. A-Yuan was strong, smart. He’d gotten out of a situation like this before, he could do it again. They just had to find him. 

“If they took him again, that means they really don’t intend to kill him,” Wei Ying said, resting on a nearby boulder. He brushed the side of his nose. “But that also means they need him for something.” 

“A hostage. Or perhaps a trade.” 

“A trade for what?” Wei Ying couldn’t pick up on Lan Zhan’s line of thinking. 

“Maybe the enemy knows we’re closing in on him. Wants to trade A-Yuan for a deal.” 

Wei Ying sighed. “I mean, we practically know it’s Jin Guangyao, but we have no proof. Why would he be so worried…? Wait. Do you think A-Yuan had proof? And that’s why they’ve taken him?” 

Lan Zhan hummed. “It’s possible.” 

“Shit!” Wei Ying cursed. “If that’s the case, then there’s no way he’s going to give A-Yuan up. There’s no way he’d believe we’d keep silent.” 

While Wei Ying ruminated on what they should do, Lan Zhan knelt before him and placed a hand on his knee. “Wei Ying.” 

Wei Ying looked up at his zhiji but couldn’t see how he was so calm. “Lan Zhan… how do you know he wouldn’t hurt A-Yuan?” 

Lan Zhan stared at him for a moment before speaking. “Because he knows I would hunt him down and kill him.” 

Wei Ying almost flinched at the ruthless words coming out of his mouth. Since when did Lan Zhan think like that? Whenever Wei Ying had taken lives in his past life, Lan Zhan had always been the first to scold him, to urge him to think about better, less violent paths to take. But now he seemed willing and ready to spill blood at the drop of a hat. At the Stone Castles, when he was cornered by Jin Guangyao… 

Wei Ying suddenly had a worrying thought. Did this bloodlust have anything to do with Zewu-jun’s sudden, unbridled anger? Was this why Jin Guangyao seemed so uneasy in his presence? So much so that he wouldn’t dare to harm A-Yuan for fear of how Lan Zhan would react? 

What had happened 13 years ago? 

But Wei Ying wasn’t allowed the luxury of thinking about it because a sudden cacophony of sound was coming right at them. He stood instantly, thinking they’d finally been found. Yet… the sound wasn’t quite right. 

It was far too loud and boisterous. Even a group of cultivators wouldn’t have made this much noise. And they certainly wouldn’t have been so destructive. As Wei Ying and Lan Zhan listened, they could hear snapping branches and broken bark. And the distinct rattle of chains… 

Wei Ying jerked and raised his dizi to his lips. Thankfully, his reaction time was swift, so he managed to stop Wen Ning before he barreled right into them. He’d nearly forgotten that he’d ordered the man to run and keep running. He must have never stopped and left behind his pursuers hours ago. It was quite lucky that Wen Ning had only been circling Golden Carp Tower, never going far but also never stopping. 

It pained something deep in Wei Ying’s heart to see his friend like this. Now that he was back under his control, Wen Ning was quiet and subdued. He was often like this when he was in control of himself, but that was always accompanied by a certain endearing quality Wen Ning always possessed. When he was awake, he hunched his shoulders and laughed nervously while walking as softly as he could. Now he had reverted back to the state he was in before he regained his consciousness. As listless and lifeless as a zombie. 

Wei Ying approached his friend gingerly, though not out of fear of him attacking. The grief and guilt were choking him as he examined Wen Ning for anything out of the ordinary. He found such things in the form of nails embedded in his friend’s skull. His jaw quivered in fury. It took several minutes to fish each of them out with Wen Ning groaning and moaning in agony every time one pulled free. 

But he did manage to get every single one out, and he called upon some resentful energy to make sure nothing else was amiss. Finding nothing, Wei Ying summoned Wen Ning’s consciousness back, and he began to blink some awareness into his eyes. 

Wen Ning swayed slightly, and Wei Ying held out his arms on reflex. He probably wouldn’t have been able to catch him should he truly fall—given Wen Ning’s rather robust figure and his own rather skinny arms—but that wouldn’t stop him from tumbling to the ground with his friend. Thankfully, it never came to that, and Wen Ning’s eyes found his. 

“Gongzi…” 

Wei Ying shook his head with a tired smile. “Wen Ning, I told you you don’t need to call me that.” 

“Ah, sorry, gongzi.” Wen Ning bowed his head then saw Lan Zhan standing in the background. He bowed in acknowledgement. “Hanguang-jun.” 

Lan Zhan bowed in similar courtesy. “Young Master Wen Qionglin.” 

Wen Ning flinched at being addressed so respectfully—by Lan Zhan no less! “Ah, Hanguang-jun need not call me so formally. Wen Ning is fine.” 

Lan Zhan nodded, but Wei Ying found it unlikely he would obey. 

“Wen Ning, what happened? I thought you were killed when you gave yourselves over to the Jin sect. Is it possible Wen Qing…?” But Wei Ying’s foolish questioning was cut off by a head shake. 

“A-jie died. I know that. And the Jins tied me up and brought me someplace different. Someplace underground… I remember seeing Sect Leader Jin there and Jin Guangyao, but everything is messy… I can’t quite remember.” 

“Do you remember anything about what they wanted with you? What did they do to you?” 

Wen Ning shook his head. “I don’t remember a lot. Some… experiments I guess. I don’t think they worked completely, so they were frustrated. I remember seeing someone there multiple times. I didn’t recognize him, but he stopped showing up at some point. I don’t know if that’s significant.” 

Wei Ying patted his friend’s shoulder. Unfortunately, his memories were damaged and unclear. So although he would have believed anything Wen Ning would have said, it didn’t lead to anything useful. “That’s alright, Wen Ning. I’m just glad you’re alive. Or well… that you’re still around.” 

Wen Ning smiled goodnaturedly. “It’s good to see gongzi too again. How did you find me? What has happened? Did… did gongzi not die in the siege?” 

Wei Ying flinched at the mention and caught Lan Zhan tensing out of the corner of his eye. “Well… that is…” 

“Sorry, sorry! I shouldn’t have asked!” 

“Aiyah, don’t look so guilty! You couldn’t have known. And I’ll explain everything later, but right now’s not a good time. A-Yuan has been taken… again.” 

“A-Yuan?” Wen Ning blinked dumbly. “Do you mean…?” 

“Yes, our A-Yuan. But he’s kinda been taken by Jin Guangyao we think because we’ve been trying to solve the mystery of a corpse who he probably killed and like I said it’s not a good time! We have to—” 

“Wei Ying.” 

Wei Ying turned, feeling quite eerie at Lan Zhan interrupting him. He wasn’t mad—god no, he wasn’t so petty—but Lan Zhan never interrupted him. If he did, it couldn’t be for anything good. “Lan Zhan?” 

The man was staring into the sky, facing away from where Golden Carp Tower rested, through the trees. Wei Ying couldn’t see much, but something was clearly wrong with the sky. Clouds were scattering and reforming at a rapid pace, and a dull glow seemed to be emanating in the direction they were facing. “What the hell?” 

Lan Zhan unsheathed Bichen and pulled them both onto the blade. Wei Ying was quite practiced by this point, so he didn’t pause in steadying himself and placing a hand on Lan Zhan’s shoulder. He lifted them into the air, well above the trees, to get a better look. Which only made the scene more bizarre. 

“How could this be?” 

Because Wei Ying was quite certain he’d destroyed the Yin Tiger Tally before promptly dying in his past life. He’d been very specific about that. He couldn’t allow the world to descend into further chaos over the dangerous weapon, so one of his last thoughts had been that he had to destroy it no matter what. 

However, it seemed others had plans for the weapon. 

Evidently, although the Jins had failed in regaining control over Wen Ning, it didn’t mean their studies of the demonic arts were totally fruitless. They had managed to find and repair the amulet, biding their time before using it. Wei Ying knew that couldn’t have been any small feat; whoever did it was truly gifted in demonic cultivation. 

And even worse, the direction from which its immense display of power was coming from… 

Was that the Burial Mounds?

Chapter Text

A-Yuan woke up somewhere dark. 

Which didn’t alarm him, not at first. He and A-Die often slept outdoors, and sometimes he’d wake in the middle of the night for some reason or another. It was never cause for concern. Not until he realized the darkness wasn’t due to the lack of sunlight but rather the cavern surrounding him. 

A-Yuan lifted his head from where it rested on his chin only to be met with the vision of the Earth swaying beneath him. His body seized on instinct before he realized he wasn’t falling at all. He wasn’t being tossed off a cliff or thrown to the ground. He was suspended in the air, ropes tied around his arms and torso, hanging from the ceiling above him. 

A-Yuan felt groggy but not too awful. He’d made a rather bad habit of getting knocked out and kidnapped. He knew A-Die and Xian-gege would be giving him a rather thorough lecture when he saw them next. But he didn’t know when that would be. 

Despite the lack of light, A-Yuan still attempted to observe his surroundings. 

Like mentioned, he was in a dark cave, but it was rather large and expansive. He couldn’t see an opening anywhere near them, but there must have been one somewhere around because it wasn’t completely black. He could see that he wasn’t the only one hanging around either; there were at least a dozen juniors from various sects that were swinging from the ceiling. None of them seemed truly harmed, just knocked out like he had been. 

There was also nothing around to help them escape. Even if they began to purposefully swing, they were far enough away from any of the cavern walls that they’d never reach them. A-Yuan squirmed in earnest, but the ropes were firm and the knots tight. He wouldn’t be able to wiggle free. 

And he’d lost Huo Huaban and the qiankun bag containing the head as well! So much for their proof he’d gone to such trouble for. Which reminded him…

He didn’t see Qin Su around either. He checked each junior to make sure he hadn’t missed her then the ground but didn’t see hide nor hair of the woman. His throat closed in worry. He hoped she was alright. As alright as one could be in Jin Guangyao’s hands. A-Yuan had already surmised that the reason he and the juniors were here was because they were either being used as hostages or as bait. If she wasn’t here with them, then that probably meant Jin Guangyao needed her for another reason. He wondered if it had anything to do with why he’d found her kept away in the secret weapons room. He never got the chance to ask her why she was in danger.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He didn’t think there was a better choice for him to have made except perhaps running away from the beginning. But he wouldn’t be in this mess and Qin Su wouldn’t be in danger if he’d only been a stronger swordsman. A-Die or Xian-gege would have had no trouble defending them from their attackers. This only provided more motivation for him to improve his skills. 

A-Yuan wiggled in his bonds, beginning to grow bored and uncomfortable. Even sleeping on the dirt floor in the forest was cushier than this! He knew his chest and arms would be sore for hours after he was cut down. But as he began the squirm, he realized he wasn’t the only one moving like this. 

Most of the young cultivators being kept in here with him were still unconscious and thus barely moved. However, there seemed to be a Jin that was actively trying to appear unmoving while also wiggling in a way that made his back face A-Yuan. He hadn’t recognized him at first because of the angle but now it was terribly obvious who this was. 

“Jin Ling!” 

A-Yuan expected a rather scared or frustrated greeting from his friend. After all, not everyday one gets kidnapped as a sect heir. But instead the boy refused to acknowledge him at all. 

A-Yuan knew this wasn’t an ideal situation, but he expected some kind of friendly relief at being held together. “Jin Ling? What’s wrong?” 

Jin Ling gave up ignoring him and turned as viciously as he could given the circumstances. “Did you know?” 

A-Yuan blinked at the truly furious expression on his face. “Know what? What are you talking about?” 

“You know what I’m talking about!” Jin Ling cried, and he seemed like he was trying not to cry. “That Mo Xuanyu is Wei Wuxian!” 

A-Yuan stiffened but couldn’t come up with a proper response. Of course he knew Xian-gege’s identity couldn’t be kept a secret forever. But he didn’t expect to be confronted about it strung up into the air in a cave who knows where. In the end, he stayed silent. 

“You knew, didn’t you?” Jin Ling snarled. “And you still had the gall to act like my friend! While being friendly with that man!” 

“I am your friend.”

“No, you’re not! I don’t want to have anything to do with you if you associate with him.” Jin Ling’s lip trembled, and tears beaded in his eyes. “Was it fun? Playing me for a fool?” 

“A-Ling…” 

“Don’t call me that!” 

A-Yuan swallowed as he tried to figure out how to explain himself. “I did know, Jin Ling, but Xian-gege has nothing to do with how I treated you. I was your friend—I am your friend because I wanted to be. The thing with Xian-gege… it’s a lot more complicated than you think.” 

“Complicated? Complicated! He killed my parents. He’s nothing but a traitorous dog, backing stabbing his own sect!” 

A-Yuan’s face twisted as he winced at the nasty words. “I’m sure Xian-gege didn’t mean to hurt either you or your parents.” 

“How could you defend him? He’s a demonic cultivator, he killed A-Die and A-Niang, he massacred so many cultivators, and he defended Wen dogs even after the war. And you still have the face to call him so friendly?” 

A-Yuan had suspicions about his origins for some time now. He had the time to wrap his mind around the unpleasant possibility of where he came from, why he had no living relatives, and why he was taken care of by A-Die instead. He’d managed to comprehend the fact that many cultivators would indiscriminately kill him without a second thought if they knew where he came from. But he wasn’t quite prepared to face that kind of frightening hatred from his own friend. 

“I know Xian-gege has done some bad things and his actions weren’t always right. But the past has nothing to do with how he treats you now. He cares about you so much! You didn’t see because you were unconscious, but he was so frightened when he saw you’d been hurt after he realized who you were. He’s always been good to you and I’m sure he would have wanted—”

“Lies! Lies! You’re lying! He doesn’t care about me and neither do you. If you did, you wouldn’t have tricked me.” 

“I didn’t trick you! I just—”

“You knew who he was and kept it a secret! That’s the same thing!” Jin Ling snapped. “You knew I wouldn’t tolerate that thing, no one would, if they knew who he was. You and Hanguang-jun are both fools for hanging around him. Look where we are right now! Tied up and powerless thanks to your ‘Xian-gege.’”

A-Yuan shook his head instantly. “Xian-gege didn’t bring us here.” 

“Who else would? He’s obviously gone crazy again and—”

“It’s not Xian-gege. I don’t know what you last remember, but Madame Jin and I were ambushed by several cultivators.” 

“Aunty Su?” Jin Ling blinked, momentarily forgetting his anger. “Why were you with her?” 

“Jin Guangyao locked her in their bedroom. When I went to investigate, I found her meridians sealed. We tried to get away but were obviously unsuccessful. I don’t know where she is now.” 

“But… why would…” Jin Ling’s voice trailed off as he tried to rationalize the new information. 

“Like I said. This isn’t Xian-gege.” 

Jin Ling frowned and ground his teeth. He was obviously conflicted but didn’t say anything more. 

A-Yuan took another look around but didn’t see anyone else awake yet, despite their yelling. He continued, “I also found a severed head in that same weapons room. I don’t know who it is, but it must be part of the body we’re searching for.” 

Jin Ling frowned in confusion, and it seemed his strategy was working because he only began asking questions instead of calling him a liar. “Body? Why are you searching for a body?” 

“When Xian-gege came back, there was this resentful arm that attacked the area he was summoned to. Over time, we’ve gathered almost all the pieces but never quite managed to figure out who exactly it was. We suspected he was killed by Jin Guangyao. That’s why we came to the discussion conference, so we could look around and investigate. But then I messed up and spoiled everything…” 

Jin Ling watched him carefully, putting the pieces together. “Then when Uncle Yao said that you were the Yiling Patriarch’s kid…?” 

“I wasn’t kidding. He was testing me, and I totally blew it. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t given it away.” 

Jin Ling’s anger for him seemed to temporarily subside as he looked at him a little sadly. “Then you think Uncle Yao brought us here?” 

“Yeah. Or at least people who work for him. Now that the head is gone, we don’t have any actual proof he’s done anything wrong. All he’ll need to do is lie low and let the whole thing blow over. Probably…” A-Yuan suddenly jerked in remembrance. “Wait, you said this is the Burial Mounds, right?” 

“Yeah?” Jin Ling gave him a strange expression. “Where the hell else could this be?” 

A-Yuan sighed and cursed, “Damn it!” 

“What?” 

“If that’s truly where we are, then Jin Guangyao is not just letting this blow over. He’s obviously trying to frame Xian-gege for this. Some kidnapping, some resentful energy, and the cultivation world will be foaming at the mouth to pin this on him. Shit! If only I kept that head. Or hid it somewhere. If we could have restored the corpse, Xian-gege could have performed Empathy and asked him what happened. But now…” 

“Hey, A-Yuan?” 

A-Yuan raised his head, but Jin Ling wasn’t looking at him. “What is it?” 

“What’s that?” 

A-Yuan followed his friend’s line of sight to see a strong red glow emitting from the far end of the cavern. Probably in the direction of the entrance. They couldn’t see exactly what the energy was doing or who was controlling it, but it was obviously very powerful. He’d seen this same red glow plenty of times by now; he’d know it anywhere. 

“Like I said. Some kidnapping, some resentful energy, and Wei Wuxian is the undisputed cause. We’re about to see some very angry cultivators, and Xian-gege and A-Die are going to run right into them.”

~*~

Finally hours later, they seemed to have something settled. 

Jiang Cheng didn’t have “wrangling dozens of raging cultivators” on his schedule during this particular discussion conference, but that’s what happened when you were one of the only people with a half decent head on your shoulders. 

Through Su She’s reveal of being the caster of the Hundred Holes Curse, there was a commotion so chaotic that it almost caused him and Xiao Xingchen to lose the man completely. Which was obviously the man’s go to plan, so when that didn’t work, he could only glare at them fiercely through his binds. 

Jiang Cheng wanted to investigate the matter immediately. After all, this was the man who caused the entire chaos at Qiongqi Path in the first place. If Jin Zixun hadn’t been cursed, then Jin Zixuan might not have been killed and A-Jie might not have been killed and Jin Ling wouldn’t have been left—

Speaking of which, where was the boy? 

Jiang Cheng clearly remembered him by his side a few hours prior. He was the one to reveal Su She’s secret in the first place. But Jiang Cheng got caught up in gaining custody of Su She, then locking him away, then conversing with Xiao Xingchen about how to handle the spiraling situation, and he’d lost sight of his nephew. 

Just as he was about to seek him out in his rooms, a frantic Jiang disciple ran up to him and bowed.

“What now?” Given his luck, he’d say that Su She had somehow escaped the three Jiang disciples posted outside his cell and left them for dead. 

Unfortunately, the news was actually worse. 

“Sect Leader! Young Master Jin has disappeared!” 

“What?!” Jiang Cheng’s immediate reaction was to growl and yell. Which others might say was a little bit of an overreaction, but most things called for a growl and a yell, thank you very much. “How do you know this? When was he last seen?” 

The Jiang disciple only quivered slightly in response to his sect leader’s anger. “I’ve asked around, and no one has seen him since the confrontation with Sect Leader Su a few hours ago. His room is empty, and we’ve searched Golden Carp Tower. He’s nowhere inside.” 

Jiang Cheng wanted to growl again. That meant that Jin Ling had actually gotten himself kidnapped and not just run off to mess around. He knew he had to remain in Golden Carp Tower during the discussion conference, so Jin Guangyao and Jiang Cheng both could keep an eye on him somewhere safe and familiar. (At least, as safe as Jin territory could be.) He wouldn’t leave by himself for any reason, not even to impress that new friend he made. 

Jiang Cheng wished he would have just run off. 

After wallowing in his own anger for a moment, Jiang Cheng opened his mouth to order his disciples to do a sweep of the area around Golden Carp Tower when raised voices nearby caught his attention. 

It seemed Jin Ling hadn’t been the only one taken. Several other juniors from various sects had vanished in the past few hours with no trace leading anywhere to be seen. It appeared this was a lot more involved than just kidnapping the Jin heir. He didn’t know if that boded well for Jin Ling. 

And then, more shit. Because it was neverending with Wei Wuxian. 

A rather strong beam of resentful energy surged into the sky. Despite being miles away, Jiang Cheng and the other cultivators could see it clear as day. Last Jiang Cheng had heard, the Yin Tiger Tally had been destroyed by Wei Wuxian. One of the few good things he did before his death. But it seemed someone had found another smart enough to put it back together. 

An obvious ploy, but a ploy they’d have to investigate nonetheless. 

“Sect Leader Jiang?” Xiao Xingchen asked, and Jiang Cheng had to remember the man was blind. He’d have no idea what on earth people were cursing about until someone said it outloud. 

He sighed. “It appears someone has activated the Yin Tiger Tally near the Burial Mounds.” 

Xiao Xingchen’s expression became severe. “Was it not destroyed 13 years ago?” 

“It was. Seems someone put it back together again though.” And he had an inclining as to who. Wei Wuxian was obviously more than capable of doing it, but he’d been dead for the past 13 years until recently. He’d have had no time to locate the pieces. But Jin Guangyao had. And it seemed like he’d been keeping the Ghost General right under Golden Carp Tower or at least quite close to it. As far as cultivators dabbling in the dark arts, he seemed to be pulling first place when you didn’t count the literal grandmaster. 

All this meant a bigger headache for Jiang Cheng. 

He located his closest disciples. “You! Gather everyone here. We’re flying to the Burial Mounds now. And when you get back, I have a job for you. I need you to get something from Lotus Pier.” 

~*~ 

Wei Ying wasn’t prepared to return to the Burial Mounds. 

It went without saying, but when he killed himself last time, a major upside to that was never setting foot on this cursed ground ever again. It hurt him deeply that the only place he could keep the Dafan Wens safe was in the place he faced such acute torture and pain. It wished he was strong enough, smart enough to give them a better home. 

Alas, they were both people with nowhere else to turn. 

Wei Ying steeled himself as they approached the scorched Earth. Even though the cultivators from Golden Carp Tower had departed before them, Lan Zhan and he had left them behind hours ago. Despite giving them a wide berth to avoid detection, Lan Zhan’s cultivation level was so powerful that he had no trouble overtaking the group and stretching that gap further and further, even with an additional person. Wen Ning traveled below them, racing through trees and foliage. He trailed behind them slightly but reassured them before he would not lose sight of them. 

Lan Zhan really had cultivated and raised A-Yuan while doing nothing else these past 13 years. 

By the time they actually reached the Burial Mounds though, the light from the Yin Tiger Tally was long gone. Wei Ying couldn’t sense any residue from using the weapon through the resentment still permeating the place. He may have cultivated the land enough for him and his family to live there, but he feared the land was forever marked with dark energy. 

Overall, the Burial Mounds really didn’t look much different from when he’d last been alive. Their humble and meager campsites were still torn and trampled. Their radish field was destroyed. Nothing remained from the time they’d lived here. It was probably for the best. 

Wei Ying’s eyes strayed over to Wen Ning. He lived here as well, and he could see how the remains of their home affected him. He couldn’t resist walking over to him. “Wen Ning, perhaps you should stay out here. Let us know when you see the other cultivators.” 

Wen Ning nodded and drifted away from the pair. Wei Ying watched him go for a moment before forcing himself to move on. 

As they walked further and further into the heart of the Burial Mounds, they began to hear raised voices. The voices were young and panicked, and Wei Ying’s chest seized at the sound. Without hesitation, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan rushed into one of the biggest caverns the Burial Mounds had to offer and came upon a rather surprisingly… humorous scene. 

Their big bad that they’d been oh so worried about had, for some reason, strung up a bunch of sect juniors from the ceiling. Other than being quite uncomfortable and undignified, it seemed the children were quite fine, especially with how venomously they were arguing with each other. 

“…Well, weren’t you walking around when you were taken, young mistress? At least I was asleep in my bed for the night!” 

“How can you have the gall to call me that when you were the one dozing around like a maiden when everyone else was up?” 

“How is it my fault that people were making a racket so late at night? We have a strict sleeping schedule!” 

“Good to know that I shouldn’t ever ask a Lan for anything after nine!” 

Wei Ying wasn’t surprised to find it was Jin Ling and the loud Lan from the Mo manor who were arguing. It seemed other juniors were trying to intercept the conversation, but they needed some stronger lungs if they were going to try and out-yell those two. 

“Alright, alright! I think that’s enough out of you two,” Wei Ying called, catching the attention of everyone in the room. 

The loud Lan looked at him bizarrely and asked, “Who are you?” as Jin Ling shouted, “You!” at the same time. Jin Ling, of course, recognized him easily, but Wei Ying was a little miffed that the Lan didn’t. He didn’t realize the ugly makeup Mo Xuanyu put on had concealed his identity so well. 

A-Yuan was the only one who looked relieved at seeing them. “Xian-gege! A-Die!” And naturally, he was the first one for Lan Zhan to free from his binds. 

As soon as his son’s feet hit the ground, Wei Ying instantly swept him up into a hug and swaddled him into his sleeves. “A-Yuan! Are you alright? Are you hurt? We were so worried. Don’t ever do anything like that again! What the hell happened?” 

A-Yuan laughed nervously and tried to play off how shaken he was, but Wei Ying could feel his grip around his robes quivering in relief. He mercifully decided to ignore it. “Well, it’s kinda a long story. I was captured, broke out, captured again. I tried to help but well… I lost the head.” 

Wei Ying blinked. “The head?” 

“The head of the corpse.” 

Wei Ying gasped. “You found it?” 

A-Yuan nodded. “It was in Jin Guangyao’s secret treasure room. I snooped around a bit and found it there, covered in talismans. But someone must have taken it back when I was knocked out. I don’t have it anymore, and I don’t know who it was.” 

Wei Ying wanted to shake the boy in aggravation. “You were creeping around his rooms?! No wonder you got caught! What were you thinking?” 

A-Yuan at least had the sense to look a little shamed. “I was trying to help.” 

“Aiyah.” Wei Ying truly couldn’t be mad at this boy. He smoothed his hair back from his ponytail, patting down his robes like an overly attentive aunty. “Next time—”

“Hey!” the loud Lan interrupted. “Up here! Aren’t you going to let us down?” 

Wei Ying looked up at the boy and crossed his arms. “Why should we? Aren’t you just going to attack us the second we do?” 

“No!” the boy protested. “We don’t even have our swords!” 

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow and looked at the other juniors hanging around. They didn’t seem to share this one’s sentiment. Still, they couldn’t just leave them up there. “Lan Zhan.” 

The man wasted no time and first began cutting down the Lan juniors and Jin Ling. Technically being cultivators, Lan Zhan could simply have sent his sword up to cut through the ropes, and the children would probably have been fine. But it seemed his heart had softened slightly because he cut through the ropes dangling them from the ceiling and caught each of them around the torso before depositing them back down to Earth. 

Wei Ying made an aborted motion towards attending to Jin Ling, not being able to resist, but the boy swiftly turned away from him. Ah, right. It seemed that fragile trust that he’d tried to build up had come crashing down once his identity was revealed. He was saddened but not surprised. The real surprising thing was how awkward and stunted the air was between Jin Ling and his son. They must have had a not-so-pleasant conversation, and he could already guess who it was about. 

Wei Ying had the brief thought of trying to explain himself but quickly rid himself of the notion. It would only make things worse, and he really didn’t have anything to say for himself. He should count himself lucky that Jin Ling was weaponless, and he wasn’t trying to attack him already. 

It took several minutes and many cranky teenagers, but Lan Zhan managed to get everyone down safely. Other than being a little sore, the kids seemed completely unharmed, which was good in most ways but bad in some others. 

Good, obviously, that the kids were okay. It also probably meant that Jin Guangyao didn’t need the kids killed or injured. But it could also mean that he simply didn’t have the time. Which meant that he needed to spend his time elsewhere, and it surely wasn’t for anything good. 

The kidnappings and the Yin Tiger Tally were both an obvious ploy to get the sect leaders from the discussion conference to rush over to the Burial Mounds. The location was obviously to implicate Wei Ying as the aggressor, now that his identity was recently revealed. Despite the evidence being circumstantial at best and nonexistent at worse, he knew it wouldn’t matter. The sects didn’t need a reason to vilify him. What worried him the most was how easy the hostages were to take back. What was Jin Guangyao planning from here? 

“Gongzi!” Wei Ning’s voice sounded, and Wei Ying turned towards his friend. Most of the juniors shrank back in fear, but neither of them paid them any mind.

“What is it, Wen Ning?” 

“The cultivators are approaching the edges of the Burial Mounds. I don’t think any of them saw me yet. I hid before they could see.” 

“Good. In that case, stay inside the cave. We’ll go out and return the juniors to them.” Wei Ying turned towards the kids still milling about the cave. “Alright, kids! Out you go. Your parents are here to pick you up.” 

The young cultivators perked up at hearing the news, and they all made a mad dash for the exit. Wei Ying watched them go one by one, lingering on Jin Ling, but the boy seemed determined to ignore his existence. He didn’t express how much that pained him. Once the last of the boys had left, Wei Ying, Lan Zhan, and A-Yuan followed them out. 

As soon as they stepped outside, they were greeted with the heart-touching scene of kidnapped disciples reuniting with their fellow sect cultivators. He purposefully avoided looking at Jiang Cheng because as soon as he was done looking over Jin Ling, he glared at him without restraint. There was a good deal of angry scolding but mostly gruff admittances of relief from the crowd. 

But of course it was a Jin who interrupted the touching moment. 

“Wei Wuxian! What do you have to say for yourself?” 

Wei Ying lazily turned his attention towards the man but found he didn’t recognize him. Not surprising. “Why do I have to say something?” 

“How do you have the face to kidnap children and then deny it?” another barked. 

Wei Ying rolled his eyes. “I didn’t kidnap anyone.” 

“So your identity is conveniently revealed just a few hours before our disciples go missing, and that’s just a coincidence?” 

“Duh.” 

“And what about them being brought to the Burial Mounds?” 

“What, I own the Burial Mounds now? No one seemed to think that 13 years ago when you stormed the place.” 

“That resentful energy was clearly from your Yin Tiger Tally! Who else could exude so much demonic qi?” 

It was like this again and again. No matter the logical points and arguments that Wei Ying brought to the table, it never mattered. They always ignored it when he pointed out they were wrong and exacerbated points he didn’t fully explain. His name was dragged through the mud so thoroughly, he might as well have been labeled the next devil incarnate. 

“Nothing to say for yourself?” The first Jin disciple taunted. “Turn yourself in to receive punishment!” 

“Isn’t there usually a trial before the actual punishment?” 

“What use do we have for a trial when the proof is directly in front of us?!” 

Wei Ying’s throat began to close. Such a similar scene to the one from 13 years ago. Angry cultivators at his doorstep, vying for his life. Past the point of reason or compromise. He didn’t like that A-Yuan was witnessing such a scene, but it felt so nice that he wasn’t alone this time. That his son was safe by his side and that Lan Zhan was behind him, carefully watching over everything that was unfolding. 

But suddenly there was a ripple coming through the crowd. Wei Ying looked over the group, confused, as they did the same thing. Something wasn’t right. There was a stirring in the air. He realized: the resentment around them had suddenly surged. Naturally, this meant the cultivators were back to pointing fingers at him. 

“Wei Wuxian! What do you think you’re doing? Stop this at once!” 

“I’ve already said—” Ah, forget it! They’d never listen. 

“Wei Ying.” 

Wei Ying turned at Lan Zhan’s voice, and he was directed to look up into the sky. It appeared not everyone had arrived with the first group. Xiao Xingchen descended from the air like an immortal, which suited him quite well when he remembered where he came from. 

He landed in front of their small group of three, paying no attention to the increasingly agitated mob. “Wuxian, Wangji. We must take shelter. The resentful energy in this area has increased. Dozens of fierce corpses are on their way here right now.” 

So Jin Guangyao was still here, causing trouble. “Then you better tell them to get inside the cave because they’re not listening to me.” 

Xiao Xingchen was already nodding and turning around by the time he finished that statement. “Everyone! There are fierce corpses heading our way right now! We need to regroup inside the cave!” 

“Hah?!” 

Many cultivators instantly began to protest, but their rebuffs were quickly swallowed by the screams and growls of undead humans. The group beneath their feet began to shake, and finally they were able to see the bodies sprinting towards them at breakneck speed. Wei Ying had no idea where Jin Guangyao got so many strong bodies to control. Wei Ying made sure to clean house when he’d brought the Dafan Wens here initially. 

The juniors recently kidnapped were the first to begin begging their guardians to enter the cave. After all, they didn’t have any of their swords or spiritual devices; they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves against such a vicious attack. Realizing this, their seniors glared at Wei Ying but ultimately ran towards the entrance. 

Wei Ying shoved A-Yuan along with them. “Go to Jin Ling and stay close. We’ll be right behind you.” 

Any other day A-Yuan had his sword, he’d ask to stay, but seeing as he really couldn’t provide any help, he just nodded and blended into the crowd. Wei Ying wasn’t surprised when Jiang Cheng brushed past him but didn’t say anything; he knew his sect brother was only barely containing his anger because of the circumstances. Though, as more and more cultivators passed him by, Wei Ying thought there was a surplus amount of yellow. He knew Jin Ling was quite important, but there were twice as many Jin cultivators as any other. However, he didn’t get time to think about it because Lan Zhan was jumping into the sky on Bichen and brandishing Wangji. 

Xiao Xingchen joined the fray, and a gray blur blew past Wei Ying from behind. He wouldn’t be able to regain control of these corpses because of the strength of the Yin Tiger Tally, but Wei Ying could still keep an eye on the battlefield and bolster his Ghost General’s attacks with his own cultivation. Although nothing would be as effective as Chenqing. He really wished he had his spiritual weapon on him. 

Lan Zhan, Xiao Xingchen, and Wen Ning were all powerful fighters, but they were still facing off against what was essentially a small army being powered by the strongest martial weapon in existence. Thankfully, they only needed to buy enough time for everyone to get inside. Once they were there, Wei Ying could handle it. 

As soon as the last stragglers crossed the threshold, Wei Ying began to shout, “Lan Zhan! Xingchen! Wen Ning! Everyone is inside! Fall back!” 

Xiao Xingchen obeyed the order first and rushed past Wei Ying’s last line of defense which was slowly backing up. Lan Zhan was second after he sent one last spiritual blast towards the corpses. But he still didn’t leave, opting to remain at Wei Ying’s side. 

“Wen Ning, I’m going to activate the barrier in 30 seconds. Be across it by that time.” After all, Wen Ning once lived here; he knew what barrier Wei Ying was talking about and exactly where it was. He’d be able to time his last blows perfectly with crossing the array right before Wei Ying activated it. 

Getting a sign of understanding, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan rushed back to the cave. It seemed Xiao Xingchen and A-Yuan were creating a feeble line, keeping anyone from the entrance of the cave. But that worked just fine for Wei Ying. He didn’t want anyone getting in his way. 

Keeping count in his head, Wei Ying knelt down towards the array he’d long erected. A few more seconds, and Wen Ning came racing around the corner. As soon as he was safely inside, Wei Ying activated the barrier and a red glow emanated from the edges. The mass of corpses chasing them slammed into it but could do nothing else other than growl and writhe against it. 

Wei Ying breathed a sigh of relief and took Lan Zhan’s hand to help him up. It wouldn’t hold forever. He learned that when the place was sieged last time, but it would give them enough time to regroup and think up a way out of here. 

But apparently the cultivators inside thought the best way out was to accuse him more. 

Thankfully, Xiao Xingchen and Lan Zhan provided a very strong barrier from the men who wanted his head. As a group, they would probably have been able to take over the two cultivators, especially if Jiang Cheng joined the battle, but no one wanted to be the first to fall to Shuanghua or Bichen. 

Wei Ying wanted to get away from the thin barrier he’d created between them and the fierce corpses, but how could he when there was a crowd of angry cultivators in front of them? They’d filled up the entire cavern with no way to go around them. And Wei Ying certainly wasn’t going to try and go through them. 

As he was trying to think over the yelling—could they afford to fly over the corpses? Lan Zhan could carry him, and Xiao Xingchen could carry A-Yuan, and Wen Ning could run by himself. The juniors without swords could probably be carried by their seniors. But the opening to the cave wasn’t that large; they could only get so many people through at a time. The corpses might get smart enough to start jumping and grabbing at them. Not everyone had a second spiritual weapon like Lan Zhan or Jiang Cheng. They’d be easy to knock down without a defense—Wei Ying felt something much more urgent. 

The pieces of the body he’d been carrying around for weeks began to fuss and fight with an uncanny urgency. Even though it was late into the night and Lan Zhan hadn’t played to calm them yet, they shouldn’t have been acting so volatile. Unless…

A little too late, Wei Ying turned to Xiao Xingchen. “Xingchen, did you actually—?” 

In a mass of darkness and resentment, the pieces that Wei Ying had flew out of his robes, and more flew from Lan Zhan and Xiao Xingchen’s persons. Apparently, he was successful in hunting down the piece they were tracking at Golden Carp Tower. 

Before anyone could do anything, the resentful pieces of the body broke out from their binds and connected with each other. Even without a head, this corpse’s level of resentment was immensely high. Even if Lan Zhan had played Calming tonight, Wei Ying didn’t know if it would have made a difference. 

Of course this development only sent the cultivators into another mass panic. And it certainly didn’t make Wei Ying look any less guilty. Most of the pieces came from him after all. 

The corpse was massive, clearing a height well over six feet. Unfortunately, his robes were ragged and darkened, so much so that it was impossible to tell which sect they had originally belonged to. But Wei Ying didn’t need much more than that. Given the list of powerful cultivators who died after Wei Ying was killed, he could guess who it was they were looking at. 

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan immediately began playing in an attempt to subdue the corpse. For some reason, it constantly spun around and made aborted motions towards both them and the mass of cultivators, as if it couldn't decide who it wanted to attack. Xiao Xingchen also began sending out Shuanghua to attack, swiping and scratching. A small mark of his frost seal appeared on the dead man’s chest, and frost tried to crawl across his skin in an attempt to hinder his moments, but it didn’t do much other than slow him down and make him angrier. 

In fact, in an impressive move of predicting when Xiao Xingchen was going to strike next, the corpse managed to grab Shuanghua right out of the air. And well, that was just a nail in the coffin about this man’s identity when he began to use the sword like a saber. 

Xiao Xingchen frowned deeply as his sword was used without his permission. He tried to take it back without success, and the fierce corpse almost managed to take his head off. Wei Ying couldn’t even call out a warning shout because he was so preoccupied with playing his makeshift dizi. 

He knew it wouldn’t last very long against this kind of enemy. And he knew Lan Zhan could play practically indefinitely, but he wouldn’t be able to control him completely without help. Without them holding the line, their corpse friend would slaughter everyone in here. But he also couldn’t lower the barrier, so they could escape with the other fierce corpses on the other side. 

A crack appeared on his dizi as he played. 

Wen Ning and Jiang Cheng stood in front of the crowd, tense and ready for their grip to falter. With Xiao Xingcheng taking the lead to attack, there wasn’t much room for them to join with their flexible weapons—namely Wen Ning’s chains and Jiang Cheng’s whip. All they could do for now was stand aside, which he knew they both hated. 

Wei Ying’s dizi began to splinter even more, and he knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he would be of no help. He and Lan Zhan connected eyes, and the other man couldn’t help but to look over towards A-Yuan who was standing cautiously by Wen Ning. Staying out of the way but also not wanting to get any closer to the other cultivators in the room. 

Then two very small things happened at once. 

Wei Ying’s weapon completely shattered, unable to handle the amount of resentful energy being poured through it. Wei Ying’s contribution to containing their aggressive friend began to dissipate, and the corpse only screamed, feeling their reins around him loosen. 

And then a dark smudge appeared on his array keeping the fierce corpses out. Wei Ying’s array was one of the strongest out there. He practically pioneered how modern arrays were drawn and operated. But like any other array, it needed to be spotless or else it would be rendered useless. Just this small smudging of his flawless handiwork crumbled the entire thing. 

In the chaos of containing the biggest threat, both he and Lan Zhan hadn’t been paying close attention to the barrier. They were confident that it would hold long enough for them to get a handle on the situation inside. But they apparently had a mole within their group because once Wei Ying turned to see what on Earth could have caused the barrier’s complete and utter collapse, he saw a cultivator in yellow dragging his toe through it. 

Wei Ying thought the Jins were determined to keep Jin Ling alive! Why the hell was this one sabotaging them?! 

Naturally, this resulted in all the fierce corpses running freely. Wei Ying wasn’t surprised to see that their main corpse attacked him first; he was one of the closest after all. He managed to dodge and weave long enough for the rest of the corpses to catch up and bodily shove the dead man away, carrying him away as if the bodies were a massively muscled tidal wave. Lan Zhan grabbed the back of his robes and quickly pulled them both onto Bichen, flying as high as the ceiling allowed. 

It appeared Wen Ning was mostly fine, trying to get enough room to be able to effectively fight back against the rabid mob. Xiao Xingchen had done the same thing Lan Zhan had done and flew both himself and A-Yuan into the air. He’d managed to get back his sword somehow in the mad scramble. The other cultivators had formed a frantic circle around their defenseless juniors, doing their best to fight back against the fierce corpses. It looked like they might have actually been able to fight their way out of there if it wasn’t for the main enemy of this evening. 

No cultivator was a match for the headless corpse. He cut down men like they were nothing more than rice stalks. Wei Ying could see that Lan Zhan wanted to get into the fight, but there was no way he could join without leaving Wei Ying defenseless. Without a dizi, he was almost useless in combat. 

But as Wei Ying watched more and more, he saw that their headless friend wasn’t just cutting down cultivators randomly. The only ones he was dropping were ones that wore yellow robes. If Jin Guangyao really was the one to kill him, it would make sense why he would have a thirst for Jin blood. However, that didn’t help them at the moment because he seemed to have set his eyes on Jin Ling after most of the Jin cultivators were already dead. 

Wei Ying’s stomach leaped into his throat, but of course, Jiang Cheng leapt into action first. When they were younger, Wei Ying was much stronger than his sect brother and could easily best him even if he didn’t actually show how easy it was. But that didn’t mean that Jiang Cheng sat idly by and neglected his cultivation. Nowadays, he was definitely one of the strongest cultivators and likely stood on even ground with Zewu-jun. That is to say, he could hold his own against their main fierce corpse. 

But they couldn’t hold on forever. 

“Lan Zhan, I have to do something.” 

The hand on his waist tightened. “I will go with you.” 

Of course, that went without saying. 

It was only due to his superb balancing skills and excellent disposition that Wei Ying did not fall off Bichen when he bent down to cut his hand along the blade. He shed his outer robes, handing them off to Lan Zhan without a second thought. 

Although he could technically use one of the blank talismans he had on hand, he needed massive and immediate effectiveness. Which meant when he drew his spirit-attraction flag, he drew it right onto his inner robes, smearing his blood across the poor clothing. With a crowd this large, he needed to make the array as large and as deep as possible. Only then did he have a chance of luring them all out of the cave and away from the poor cultivators who were certainly losing this fight. 

Naturally, such a large gash in his hand dripped onto the faraway floor below. Lan Zhan’s face appeared more stony and displeased than usual, as if he was regretting not having seen into the future and not offering his own hand for mutilation. Too bad for Lan Zhan though because Wei Ying would have declined anyway! 

Wei Ying made quick work of drawing the array across his chest, hand bloody but effective, given how deeply he made the cut. Below, cultivators were yelling and cursing, and he prayed they could hang on for just a little longer. 

But when he was halfway through completing his man-made, self-insert flag, yet another rumble struck the ears of the cultivators inside the cave. 

Seriously, again?! Did Jin Guangyao summon even more corpses? Was he determined to wipe them all out, along with the body of his victim? 

However, these corpses did not come from the outside. They appeared from within the cave, unearthing themselves from Wei Ying’s own blood pool from the back of the room. Upon seeing the new bodies, Wei Ying’s hand froze, and he was unable to continue moving as he saw these new corpses rush forth. 

Obviously, the other cultivators present did not recognize who these corpses were or who they used to be. Upon seeing more undead bodies rushing towards them, they turned around to engage with the enemy head on as unnecessary as that was. Because these new corpses simply raced by them without raising a single hand towards them. The other corpses were not so lucky. 

It took several moments for the trapped cultivators to realize these new ones were allies, but eventually they turned right back around to fight their original enemy. Bolstered by a seemingly random stroke of good luck, they were able to eradicate the rest of the fierce corpses summoned by the Yin Tiger Tally. That left only one foe left. 

Finally, Wei Ying gathered himself. Without needing to say a word, Lan Zhan lowered them to the ground, sheathed Bichen, and armed himself with Wangji yet again. Wei Ying finished his spirit-attraction flag and watched how their strongest enemy was forced to react. He may have wanted to spill Jin blood more than anything, but with the flag present, he wasn’t able to resist its pull and therefore headed straight for him straight away. 

Wei Ying still did not have a weapon on him but with the threat of the fierce corpses gone, they could all focus their energy on subduing this particular enemy. Lan Zhan and Xiao Xingchen instantly resumed their first attacks, and Wei Ying wasn’t surprised to see Jiang Cheng spring forth, Zidian flaring to life. 

He was surprised however when a certain black flute was tossed to him by that same man. 

Wei Ying stared blankly at Chenqing for a moment before trying to catch his brother’s eye. Jiang Cheng wouldn’t look at him, and Wei Ying couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in his mind. Why did he have this? How long had he kept it on his person? Why was he only giving it to him now? Did he groom and clean the dizi everyday? When Wei Ying blew into it, he didn’t sense a hint of dust or debris within the holes or grooves. 

Wei Ying set those questions aside for another day. 

Naturally, with four high level cultivators attacking and subduing him, their fierce corpse friend obviously had to yield. It took several minutes of acute focus, but they were able to securely bind him in spiritual rope ladened with talismans. But Wei Ying wasn’t fully confident about that, so he assigned Wen Ning to guard and watch over him. 

“Now that that’s settled… I suppose we have a bit of explaining to do.”

Chapter Text

It’s not like Jiang Cheng wanted to hold onto Chenqing. 

It just sort of… happened. After the events of the first siege, he went through a sort of daze. His sister was dead. His (practically, not really, in only words, in every way that mattered) brother was dead. His brother killed his sister. But no he didn’t. Nothing made sense. 

So how he exactly came to be in possession of the weapon was unclear. Jin Guangyao might have handed it to him, or he might have grabbed it himself. 

But the damn thing sat in his office like a curse, day after day. The first week, he refused to touch it. As soon as Wei Wuxian showed up with that fucking dizi, it all began to fall apart. He wanted nothing to do with it, but he couldn’t just throw it away. So it just sat there staring at him from its stupid perch like it was sentient. 

After the first week, Jiang Cheng was feeling ridiculous. He was not scared of the damn thing. He wasn’t feeling guilty about anything either! He had done nothing wrong; Wei Wuxian was the one who had messed up. 

So to prove his point, he had gotten up from his desk to examine the thing. 

At first, he wasn’t quite sure if it was safe to touch for long periods of time. Would it be able to manipulate him even if he himself wasn’t channeling resentful energy? No one but Wei Wuxian had been able to create a weapon that was for the demonic path. As he began to examine it more closely, he could sense nothing amiss. He could however see it was beginning to collect dust from lying on his shelf. 

Which was even more ridiculous to him. It was the feared and awed Chenqing. That could petrify cultivators where they stood as soon as Wei Wuxian blew into it. But apparently it was vulnerable to everyday maintenance like any other dizi. Jiang Cheng couldn’t explain how stupidly ironic that was. 

So of course he was forced to tend to the thing regularly. What if someone saw that the weapon in his possession was slowly withering away? It would be embarrassing, not to mention pathetic. And since it looked stupid just sitting on his shelf like he’d misplaced the thing, he also had to commission it a stand to rest on. 

It sat there in his office for 13 years. Haunting him everyday he stepped into the room. He didn’t ever look at it directly unless he was cleaning it. Maybe he was a masochist because he hated being reminded of the thing, but he refused to move it to another part of his home that he visited less often. Or maybe this was his self-inflicted punishment. 

For letting Wei Wuxian go too far. For not interfering. For failing his sister. He wasn’t unaware. Wei Wuxian didn’t make himself. The war made him, the sects made him, their crimes made him, Jiang Cheng made him. 

Wei Wuxian may have acted alone, but everyone played a part in constructing the scene. 

But of course a character like Wei Wuxian never permanently left the stage. And it was his own Ghost General to give him away funny enough. (Jiang Cheng found none of this funny.)

So after the alteration, he sent one of his fastest disciples to fetch Chenqing. He was indecisive at the moment as to whether or not he’d give it back. But he wanted the option to be there. He wanted to be rid of this reminder, this curse. 

The disciple had managed to make it back hours later, winded but successful. And just in time for the explosion at the Burial Mounds to appear. 

So he had Chenqing on his person. He had it when they found Jin Ling. He had it when the corpses showed up. He had it when the headless corpse began to attack. He had it when they were saved. 

He threw it at the last possible moment.

But he wasn’t about to acknowledge that fact because there were far more pressing matters to investigate. Namely the headless fierce corpse and the traitorous Jins. Thankfully, Xiao Xingchen was the one to explain the murder mystery because Jiang Cheng couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge Wei Wuxian at the moment. 

“So you’ve been playing scavenger hunt with this man’s body?” 

“If Sect Leader Jiang must phrase it that way…” Xiao Xingchen grimaced. 

Jiang Cheng shifted his gaze to look at the fierce corpse they’d finally managed to capture. The other corpses summoned by the Yin Tiger Tally had been defeated by the corpses coming from the blood pool near the back of the cave. Jiang Cheng had no idea who they were or why they were summoned, and he wasn’t about to question it. All that mattered was that they were relatively safe for the time being. 

As he began to look more closely at the corpse, still twitching and struggling in his binds, Jiang Cheng was able to put the pieces together. “So… this is Chifeng-zun then?” 

That caused a ripple to glide through the other cultivators present, eavesdropping off to the side. 

“I thought so too,” Wei Wuxian said quietly, and Jiang Cheng just wished Lan Wangji would speak for once, so he didn’t have to exchange words with his ex head disciple. 

“It’s pretty obvious,” Jiang Cheng snapped, though he knew he could only say that now because the man was mostly put back together. If they’d only had an arm to go off of in the beginning, he wasn’t sure even Nie Huiasang would have been able to identify his brother. “You think someone killed him then?” 

“Jin Guangyao,” Lan Wangji replied in full confidence. 

“Do you realize how insane that sounds? Chifeng-zun died from a qi deviation. And even if he didn’t, he was a much stronger cultivator than Jin Guangyao. How the fuck would he have managed to kill the man?” 

“We don’t know yet,” Wei Wuxian started. “But we’ll know as soon as we—”

“Are you stupid? This is nothing more than a fucking theory. You have no proof, just a disassembled body. Jin Guangyao has Zewu-jun as his ally. Do you really think the rest of the cultivation world is gonna let you run around long enough for you to find the head and ask it nicely?” 

Wei Wuxian bristled immediately. “A-Yuan found his head in Jin Guangyao’s room!” 

“And where is the head now?” 

The boy’s head dipped when Jiang Cheng turned to him. 

“That’s what I thought. Then it’s going to be the random brat’s word against the Chief Cultivator’s! I’m sure that’ll go over really well!” It was always like this with Wei Wuxian. He constantly got into deep shit without thinking about the long lasting consequences. He surely wasn’t stupid enough to think the cultivation world would give him the benefit of the doubt—even if he’d saved the cultivators present right now. 

“Whatever. We can talk about this stupid guess of yours later. Now,” Jiang Cheng walked over to the remaining Jins that the other cultivators were keeping an eye on, “who wants to go first in telling me why you were trying to kill us?” 

Naturally, the cultivators in yellow didn’t say anything. But they did begin to tremble when he summoned Zidian. He was fully prepared to torture these men here and now. They’d betrayed them all and put his nephew at risk. They deserved everything they got. 

When no one spoke up, Jiang Cheng moved, grabbing the closest one and lifting him up high. The man whimpered, and the rest of the group squirmed, but none of them spoke. That was alright though. Jiang Cheng already identified what was wrong with this picture. 

“They’re not actually Jin.” 

Xiao Xingchen was the first to react to his statement. “What does Sect Leader Jiang mean?” 

“Their robes. They’re too loose. They’re not tailored to fit them. And,” He grabbed one of the swords they’d confiscated, “their swords. They don’t match their robes at all.” Jins were especially vain; almost all of them commissioned swords that would match and accentuate the color of their robes. These swords were mostly white, and Jiang Cheng was getting a very bad feeling. 

“We need to return to Golden Carp Tower.” 

Xiao Xingchen seemed to be the only one understanding him. It wasn’t surprising though, given they were the ones to come from there. “Su She.” 

“Su She? Who’s that?” Wei Wuxian parroted dumbly, looking back and forth. “What does he have to do with this?” 

“He was the one I obtained the torso from,” Xiao Xingchen supplied. “We also uncovered that he was the one who casted the Hundred Holes Curse on Jin Zixun years ago.” 

“It was Jin Ling who discovered that,” Jiang Cheng snapped. 

Xiao Xingchen took the correction gracefully. “Of course. Young Master Jin’s contribution could not be overstated.” 

“So if these are his cultivators, I have a feeling Su She’s not gonna be in a Jin cell when we return.” Jiang Cheng couldn’t wait to leave this place. He called out to the remaining cultivators, “Make yourselves useful, and carry this lot back to Golden Carp Tower. We’ll deal with this there.” For cultivators who were so keen on taking Wei Wuxian’s head an hour ago, they sure were quiet now that they’ve been reminded how powerful he really was. 

But someone still had to take care of Nie Mingjue. Jiang Cheng volunteered himself just so he could walk away. 

Seeing Wen Qionglin after all these years still managed to summon all the anger he’d felt for the dead man before. He was the instrument of Jin Zixuan’s murder, but more than that, he was the one to replace Jiang Cheng. He was the one who was able to stand at Wei Wuxian’s side, not him. Even if he’d recovered his parents’ bodies, that alone couldn’t dissipate his anger. 

So he immediately barked at seeing him watching over Nie Mingjue, “Alright, fuck off! I’ll take him from here.” 

Wen Qionglin started. “Wait! Sect Leader Jiang!” 

But obviously Jiang Cheng wasn’t going to listen to him. His fist was already grabbing the fierce corpse’s robes. And maybe he should have listened because the next moment, things went dark. 

~*~ 

Wei Ying wasn’t ever expecting to set foot in Lotus Pier ever again. 

As soon as he told Jiang Cheng he was leaving the Jiang Clan, he made peace with the fact he’d never step foot on these docks again. And he never thought he’d have reason to come visit in his second life. But things never went how he planned. 

At first, when Jiang Cheng collapsed back in the Burial Mounds, Wei Ying panicked. His brother just dropped like a stone! He never did that! Besides being incredibly proud, Jiang Cheng was a powerful cultivator. No one should be able to take him down so easily. But Lan Zhan calmed him down when he pointed out the connection between Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue’s corpse. It appeared that the fierce corpse had so much resentful energy, he was able to suck Jiang Cheng into Empathy just by being in close proximity. It would have been the cultivators who had put the ropes on him initially if Wei Ying hadn’t interfered and had Wen Ning do it instead. 

Jin Ling was instantly distraught, and Wei Ying swept the boy into his arms before he could get himself into even more trouble. “Jiujiu! Jiujiu! What’s wrong with him?” 

“He’s gonna be fine, Jin Ling.” Wei Ying tightened his hold, but now it seemed Jin Ling was hanging onto him as much as he was trying to break out of his hold. “Jiang Cheng got sucked into Chifeng-sun’s Empathy.” 

“What—What does that mean?” 

“It’s a cultivator’s tool. It allows the user to see the memories of a ghost or a fierce corpse. Normally, you’d have to initiate it yourself, but our friend here is so resentful, he’s managed to pull your uncle into his… well, not head but body, just by touching him.” 

Jin Ling did not seem very soothed by his explanation. For good reason too. Empathy was a very dangerous method, even when employed by experts. If they didn’t watch him carefully, Jiang Cheng could very well lose his mind. 

Not that Wei Ying was going to voice that. “Here, Jin Ling. See this?” He tugged at the clarity bell on Jin Ling’s waist. Most of the boy’s clothing and style were Jin themed, but obviously, this was some of Jiang Cheng’s influence. “Your clarity bell can bring him back.” 

Jin Ling sniffled and thumbed at the bell in disbelief. “It can?” 

“Yes. I’ll tell you when to ring it.” 

“Well, why not right now?” 

“Right now, we need Jiang Cheng to see Chifeng-zun’s memories. He might be able to give us irrefutable proof about his murderer. Plus, if we wake him too early, he’s definitely going to use Zidian on us.” 

Jin Ling seemed to think on his words for a moment and studied him up and down. But he didn’t ring the bell and decided to sit attentive near his uncle’s fallen body. 

Wei Ying kneeled as well. 

As was expected, Jiang Cheng’s body began to twitch and groan as the process went on. Jin Ling flinched at every moment, looking at Wei Ying several times. But Wei Ying needed them to wait as long as Jiang Cheng could hang on. There was no way to know at what point in Nie Mingjue’s memories Jiang Cheng would be brought back to. It could be right at the murder, it could be years before. They might not even be in order. They needed as much information as he could take. 

But Jiang Cheng did reach his limit. His brow was soaked in sweat, and his limbs trembled. His jaw was clenched tight, trapping his voice in his throat. Wei Ying too couldn’t handle seeing him like this for any longer. 

“Now.” 

Jin Ling rang his clarity bell, letting the ring chime for a long moment before doing it again. It took several seconds for Jiang Cheng to regain any consciousness, and Jin Ling instantly rushed over to help him sit up. “Jiujiu!” 

Jiang Cheng tried to shrug his nephew off, and Wei Ying backed away, suddenly feeling like he was too close. Jiang Cheng blinked his eyes open, but it was several minutes until they regained any clarity. The first words out of his mouth were: 

“We need to go to Lotus Pier.” 

But in reality, they first headed back to Golden Carp Tower to see about the situation there. Where they found Su She and all his disciples had escaped custody (minus the ones they were holding) and two dead Jiang disciples. Jiang Cheng nearly destroyed the Jin cells when he discovered their bodies. 

Wei Ying wanted to behave similarly. Even if he did leave, this was still his clan. He never wanted to see dead Jiang disciples ever again. 

So naturally with the Jin cells being inoperable and with Jiang Cheng armed with the new knowledge he’d gotten from his impromptu memory trip, he moved their Moling Su Clan prisoners to Lotus Pier and invited everyone present to visit Lotus Pier where they could explain and discuss Jin Guangyao’s transgressions. He obviously wanted to have a better control of the situation in a location he had more power in. All of the cultivators and juniors that were present at the Burial Mounds naturally took up his invitation. If not to help, then to eat good Yunmeng food and participate in gossip. Thankfully, before they departed, they managed to find the juniors’ swords carelessly cast aside in a random cave in the Burial Mounds. It seemed whoever kidnapped them in the first place were acting hastily. 

So that was how Wei Ying found himself back at Lotus Pier after all this time. 

“Wen Ning… I think it’s better if you stay out here.” Wei Ying looked at his friend regretfully. He knew Jiang Cheng would react badly if he saw a Wen walking around his home. Thankfully, he hadn’t figured out A-Yuan’s origins, and Wei Ying was determined to keep it that way. 

Wen Ning lowered his head. “I understand, gongzi. I’ll wait here.” 

“I’ll stay with Uncle Ning,” A-Yuan volunteered. “At least for a little while.” Lan Zhan really had raised the boy right, hadn’t he? 

“Oh, A-Yuan really doesn’t have to!” Wen Ning, of course, protested, but he wasn’t able to dissuade the young boy. The pair began their conversation before the remaining three even stepped away. Wei Ying thought he’d have to explain to A-Yuan who they were to each other, but it seemed like the pair had it covered. 

Wei Ying led their small party further into Lotus Pier, passing sect leaders from other clans and Jiang disciples. When they came to the main building, Wei Ying spotted Jin Ling looking around as people walked around. Once they were close enough, Jin Ling noticed them and perked up but slouched just as quickly once he noticed a certain member of their party was absent. 

Jin Ling immediately scowled at Wei Ying. “Where is A-Yuan?” 

“Talking with Wen Ning by the docks. They might be a while.” Wei Ying watched him closely as his expression darkened further. “If you’re waiting for him…” 

“I’m not!” Jin Ling squawked before coughing awkwardly. “Jiujiu isn’t going to host the meeting since it’s so late. We’ll start in a few hours after everyone’s gotten some rest.” 

Wei Ying hadn’t even noticed. He glanced towards the sky to see Jin Ling was right; daybreak was just upon them. Had everything only happened in one night? Less than a day ago, they were arriving at the steps of Golden Carp Tower. Now that he thought about it, he felt dead tired. Cultivators didn’t require as much sleep as the average person. Some could even completely substitute sleep for meditation. But Mo Xuanyu’s body only had a fledgling core; he could already feel himself beginning to wither away. 

And evidently Jin Ling had noticed too because his stern expression eased just slightly. “Jiujiu said to tell you to use your old room. He doesn’t want to waste time preparing one for you. Sect Leader Xiao can follow me. I’ll lead you to your guest room while I wait for—while A-Yuan takes his sweet time.” 

Xiao Xingchen smiled graciously. “I would much appreciate it, Young Master Jin.” 

Jin Ling shrugged, not seeming to remember the sect leader couldn’t see him. He began to walk away, and Wei Ying called out before he could completely disappear. 

“Hey! What about Lan Zhan?” 

Jin Ling gave him a puzzled look over his shoulder. “Can’t you just host him in your room? Aren’t you going to be together anyway?” 

Wei Ying’s mouth hung open, but nothing useful fell out. He supposed that was true. It’s not like he actually wanted Lan Zhan to sleep away from him. He’d get much more rest if he was nearby. He was just annoyed that Jiang Cheng hadn’t given Lan Zhan much courtesy. But he supposed they had never really gotten along… 

As Wei Ying was ruminating on this, Jin Ling and Xiao Xingchen had already walked away, leaving him with Lan Zhan once again. He turned to his companion. “Guess you’re stuck with me again, huh Lan Zhan?” 

But instead of looking annoyed or stern, Lan Zhan looked almost… affectionate. “Mn. Will Wei Ying show me his room?” 

Wei Ying jerked out of his mild daydream. “Of course… Of course! This way.” 

It felt strange to walk these halls again. He felt misplaced, an imposter. But if Jiang Cheng truly wasn’t banning him from the place, he should get over his feelings. Despite being away for so long, Lotus Pier still felt a little like home. 

Walking to Wei Ying’s old room took them away from the majority of the other cultivators milling around. There were still Jiang disciples running back and forth; poor things were probably trying to handle the surprise influx of guests. But none bothered them. Some even seemed to skurry away. That did make sense though. His identity had long been revealed, and he supposed no one wanted to get on Hanguang-jun’s bad side. 

Wei Ying felt mildly embarrassed when he swung open the doors to his old room. He expected it to be musky and filled with dust, but the air was surprisingly fresh. It seemed all of his things had been left as they were, though he did notice some new sheets were placed on the otherwise barren bed. It was messy and chaotic, just like him. 

“Well… here it is. Nothing much to see.” Wei Ying moved towards the bed and began to make it. “The bed’s a little small though. We might be a little cramped.” 

“No need. I will meditate tonight.” 

Wei Ying paused in his movements momentarily. “O—Oh! No worries then.” He didn’t look up from his ministrations, refusing to admit that he was a little disappointed. They’d been sleeping together all this time, but now Lan Zhan didn’t want to sleep with him? Why? He knew the bed was really small for two fully grown men, but they could be mature about this, couldn’t they? 

Really it didn’t matter! Because it’s not like Wei Ying wanted to sleep with Lan Zhan! He’d just gotten used to it, that’s all. And the abrupt change was throwing him off. But he refused to address it, lest he sound whiny and clingy. 

Once the bed was made, Wei Ying turned towards Lan Zhan to see he’d already fallen into a meditative pose by the door. “I’m going to go fetch a bath, okay? We probably won’t be able to bathe for the next couple of days.” He had a feeling things were coming to a head. Who knows when the next time they’d be able to rest peacefully came? 

Despite the sudden standoffishness, Lan Zhan hummed happily in response. Wei Ying was able to get a bathtub and water with minimal trouble. He tried to offer the bed to Lan Zhan even though he knew it was futile. It was only polite; between the two of them, Lan Zhan was more of a guest than he was. But he didn’t get anywhere, so he crawled into bed wet and unsatisfied. 

He did exchange goodnights though, so he’d have to be satisfied with that for now.

~*~

Lan Zhan was in Wei Ying’s bedroom. Of course, he couldn’t fall asleep. 

He couldn’t possibly think to rest right now. He needed to examine every corner of this room, every trinket. He never thought he’d get an opportunity like this. Not since their relationship deteriorated after Wei Ying renounced his position at the Jiang sect. With Wei Ying resting peacefully, his soul was at ease, and he allowed himself to snoop a little. 

After all, Wei Ying hadn’t said not to look at anything. He seemed worried in the beginning, but he suspected it was because he didn’t know the state the room was going to be in. But he seemed perfectly fine falling asleep with not a mention to privacy. Obviously, he was going to take advantage. 

However, he was still an upright gentleman. Despite feeling greedy towards everything Wei Ying, he limited himself to looking at things in plain sight. Strewn papers, mismatched nicknacks, random trinkets. Some things must have been from when he was a teen, but others must have been from his time during or after the war. Several talismans and notes were about demonic cultivation. 

Once he was done studying (others would call it snooping), Lan Zhan wandered back to Wei Ying’s prone form. 

His hair was still damp from his bath, water soaking into his pillow and sheets. Looking at him, he felt so unfailingly fond, he couldn’t help but touch just a little. A brush of hair here, a stroke there. He reached into his qiankun pouch and pulled out a spare blanket to lay over his beloved. He didn’t want him to catch a cold with his wet head. 

At last, Lan Zhan couldn’t resist and poked Wei Ying’s nose. He didn’t wake and only stirred, nose twitching. Just like a little bunny. Only then was he able to pull himself away. 

Lan Zhan made sure he was silent and diligent as he strode across the walkways of Lotus Pier. He knew Jiang Wanyin must be awake now. With so many thoughts running through his mind and with so many unexpected guests, there was no way the sect leader was sleeping tonight. 

Lan Zhan found the man where he expected: in his grand meeting hall, sitting atop his throne. Lan Zhan always found Jiang Wanyin undeservedly arrogant. Yes, he was an heir to a great sect, but Wei Ying always outshone him in every aspect. He could never understand why Jiang Wanyin felt so envious of his sect brother’s abilities. He never felt that way with his own brother. What Xiongzhang could do had nothing to do with Lan Zhan. 

But he didn’t need to like this man to ask him a few questions. 

Ever since Jiang Wanyin had thrown Chenqing to Wei Ying, he’d had questions. Why did he even have the dizi? Why did he have it on his person? Did he send for it? Or did he always carry it? Lan Zhan doubted it, but he also wondered if Jiang Wanyin felt any guilt towards Wei Ying. If he went back in time, would he change anything? 

Lan Zhan knew he’d change everything. 

“Oh goody, Hanguang-jun has decided to bless me with a late night meeting,” Jiang Wanyin drawled. “What do you want?” 

Lan Zhan saw no point in wasting time. “Why did you have Chenqing?” 

If Jiang Wanyin wasn’t glaring before, he sure was now. He sneered. “Why do you think you have the authority to ask me that question? You defected from the Lan Sect. You’re no longer their heir. I don’t even think you’re Hanguang-jun anymore, are you Lan Wangji? Why should I answer to you?” 

“I will ask again at tomorrow’s meeting,” Lan Zhan stated, but it was more of a threat. He came here now because he was restless and because he thought he was more likely to get an answer. He’d be fine with asking as many times as needed. 

Jiang Wanyin glared. But he did answer, “I was trusted to keep the thing out of troubling hands after the siege of the Burial Mounds. What does it matter? I gave the thing back anyway.” 

“Then where is Suibian? Do you also have that?” This is what Lan Zhan was really interested in. If he knew where to find Wei Ying’s weapons, he’d have fetched them long ago. Now with the appearance of one, he was eager to obtain the rest. 

Jiang Wanyin sneered again, but this time he looked smug. “So the great Hanguang-jun does want Wei Wuxian to walk the righteous path. And here I thought you’d given that up this time. Go ahead, I won’t stop you. I’m sure Wei Wuxian will react much better this time.” 

Lan Zhan had no intention of forcing a path of Wei Ying; that had been his mistake 13 years ago. But he also had no intention of explaining this to Jiang Wanyin. “Where is it?” 

Jiang Wanyin rolled his eyes. Perhaps he realized Lan Zhan’s stubbornness would win against his own. “Last I heard, Jin Guangyao had it. Don’t know if he still does though, considering it’s useless. The damn thing sealed itself.” 

Of course it did. Wei Ying must have had a profound connection with his sword. It didn’t surprise him that Suibian refused to be wielded by the same hands that killed its master. 

Satisfied, Lan Zhan bowed. He still didn’t respect Jiang Wanyin, but he had been helpful. He turned to leave, but it seemed like Jiang Wanyin wasn’t finished with him. 

“Does Wei Wuxian know what you did?” 

The sentence struck a bolt of panic through Lan Zhan’s spine, but he didn’t let himself give a reaction. There was no way for Jiang Wanyin to know. And he knew this because the man wouldn’t have acted like this towards him if he really knew what he had done. So he didn’t give anything away as he turned back around. 

Jiang Wanyin watched him carefully, but unfortunately for him, he was never able to read or understand Lan Zhan. “I don’t know what you did either, but it couldn’t have been good for your brother to look at you like that. Didn’t he always dote on you before?”

Jiang Wanyin seemed quite pleased that that was no longer the case. Expected of a petty and vindictive man like himself. But Lan Zhan couldn’t care either way. He had made peace with the fact that the bridge between his brother and himself was thoroughly burned. Even if Lan Xichen himself hadn’t quite accepted it. 

“You should watch your step, Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian likes to posit himself the hero, but he’ll turn his back on you sooner or later. Especially if you’ve done something he doesn’t approve of.” 

Lan Zhan allowed himself a scowl then continued on his way out of the meeting room. He had no interest in hearing more spats and insults towards his beloved. Jiang Wanyin spoke of Wei Ying like he knew him. He hadn’t known him for a long time. 

And yes, Lan Zhan was aware that Wei Ying would not approve of his actions from thirteen years ago. He knew that A-Yuan likely wouldn’t approve of it either. But he wasn’t willing to break up his precious and small family for the past quite yet. If Wei Ying found out and left him…

It was better to act like the possibility could never occur. 

Jiang Wanyin thankfully didn’t try to stop him again, so Lan Zhan found himself wandering back to Wei Ying’s room. But before he did, he heard familiar voices. Coming around the corner, he spotted A-Yuan and Jin Rulan in quiet conversation. Everyone else that came to stay as guests had already retired to their guest rooms. The only ones who should be out and about were Jiang disciples who no doubt were being run ragged by their sect leader at the moment. It seemed A-Yuan’s conversation with Wen Qionglin had continued for some time, and Jin Rulan had finally managed to catch him alone. But the pair didn’t seem to be fighting, only conversing, so Lan Zhan drifted away without being noticed. 

He’d give his son his privacy. 

~*~

A-Yuan talked with Uncle Ning for longer than he realized. 

It was hard to pull himself away. He just wanted to talk and talk and talk. 

He had suspicions for years, but now it was confirmed! Verbally! He actually had blood family he could speak with. He had always known that he could have asked A-Die for the information any time during his childhood, but he never thought it to be the right time. In addition to knowing it would cause his father pain, A-Yuan just couldn’t bring himself to ask. 

But Uncle Ning seemed familiar. And the bloody corpses that helped them at the Burial Mounds felt strangely nostalgic and docile for what they were. And Xian-gege seemed to confirm his thoughts. So Uncle Ning didn’t have any reservations about answering any of the questions A-Yuan had. 

A Wen. No wonder A-Die didn’t give him a family name. One was the equivalent to labeling him a war criminal and the other would have caused a great clan to swarm them like flies. Even taking Xian-gege’s name would have raised suspicion. 

So no, A-Yuan (really Wen Yuan now) didn’t resent any part of his upbringing, nor did he feel betrayed or slighted by A-Die or Xian-gege. Under the circumstances, he couldn’t ask for better parents. 

But it did soothe a neglected part of him to know . Completely and fully who he was. It wouldn’t change much for him. He certainly wasn’t going to announce his heritage to anyone nor leave his family. But after all this, he did plan to reconnect with Wen Ning. They even made some loose plans to travel around! Wen Ning said there were some places he deserved to see that had to do with the Wen clan. Even if he had no desire to resurrect the clan or use the name, by virtue of being alive, he should still see and know about them. 

So hours later, Wen Yuan was leaving his cousin behind at the gates to enter Lotus Pier. With no one around, he took the time to take it in. This would probably be the first and last time he would be here. He didn’t fully understand why A-Die had them avoid this place (he did know it had to do with the Jiang sect leader), but he could also see why Xian-gege talked about the place fondly. It was without a doubt one of the most beautiful sect headquarters there was. He’d been to the Frost House countless times, and he just saw Golden Carp Tower. Granted, he’d never been to the Nie clan, and he’d likely never visit Cloud Recesses, but frankly, he didn’t seem himself changing his mind. The architecture and the water just complimented each other perfectly. 

So perfectly, he nearly missed Jin Ling before running into him. 

“I see you took your sweet time.” 

Wen Yuan really hadn’t expected Jin Ling to wait up for him. He thought they were rather on bad terms lately, especially with their argument in the Burial Mounds. The fact that he was still hanging around lightened his spirits. “I apologize. I hadn’t realized Young Master Jin was waiting on me.” 

Jin Ling bristled. “I wasn’t… Whatever. Come on. I’ll show you to your room.” 

Wen Yuan gladly did. But as they began to walk the halls of Lotus Pier, Wen Yuan began to realize Jin Ling wasn’t as happy as he was. There was a certain stiffness to him that he didn’t like. He didn’t expect Jin Ling to try any sort of connection with him, but because he’d waited for him, he thought they might be able to move past their disagreements. The rigidness of his back told him otherwise. 

Wen Yuan didn’t know how to approach the subject, so he just allowed Jin Ling to lead him towards the guest rooms. 

The accommodations were lovely as expected. Even if they weren’t, Wen Yuan wouldn’t have complained. It wouldn’t be his place nor polite. Not to mention, they’d likely only be staying for a night. He could meditate if he truly couldn’t be comfortable. 

Wen Yuan nodded as he looked around the small room. “Thank you. This room is—”

“Why were you talking with him ?” 

Wen Yuan turned at the sudden viciousness of Jin Ling’s voice. He watched, belatedly as the boy closed the door behind him, waiting for him to respond. “Him?” 

Jin Ling sneered, and he must have gotten that from Sect Leader Jiang. Jin Guangyao wouldn’t ever make a face like that. “The Ghost General!” 

Ah. Now Wen Yuan felt a little stupid. He’d been so elated to talk with a newfound family member of his, he’d forgotten what Uncle Ning was known for. His shoulders drooped; he wouldn’t be getting any rest until Jin Ling vented his—granted—justified anger. “Uncle Ning and I were just—”

“Uncle Ning?!” Jin Ling stomped further into the room and shoved his shoulder. “Why the fuck are you calling him that? He’s a monster!” 

“He’s not!” Wen Yuan quickly reined in his anger. This was not the time. “We were just talking. I had some questions for him.” 

“What the fuck could you possibly ask him? At Lotus Pier no less! He’s lucky my uncle didn’t burn him alive for stepping foot on the docks.” 

“Why do you think he never went any further? He’s well aware of how it might make you feel. So he’s respectfully waiting outside, alone, to not cause trouble.” 

“Respectful?” Jin Ling scoffed. “Was he respectful when he killed my dad?” 

There was no way to save this conversation. Jin Ling might have initially thought to extend some goodwill to him after Xian-gege saved them, but that went down the drain when he saw him talking with his father’s murderer. “Jin Ling, you can feel however you want towards Uncle Ning. Even if the circumstances were strained, he did kill your father. But Uncle Ning isn’t malicious. I’m sure he feels incredibly guilty about what happened to Jin Zixuan. He never wanted that—”

“Shut up!” Jin Ling’s voice wobbled, and tears began to blur his eyes. “You don’t get to say his name! I don’t care how fucking terrible he feels. My dad is still dead! He can’t do anything to make up for that!” 

Wen Yuan only bowed his head and said, “You’re right.” 

“At least you know. If you ever speak to that Wen dog again… I won’t ever speak with you again.” 

Something in Wen Yuan’s gut turned cold and vicious. Would this boy use such language if he knew of his birth? Would he feel guilty or would he be even more disgusted? Wen Yuan was prepared to let Jin Ling air out his tangled emotions, but he wasn’t prepared to allow him to walk all over him.

“Young Master Jin is free to do whatever he wishes, but he may not tell me who I can and cannot converse with. After all, I don’t demand he cut off his murderer of an uncle for my sake.” 

Jin Ling’s expression shuttered and faltered. Like he couldn’t understand what he meant. “Uncle Yao… he’s…” 

“I’m not talking about Jin Guangyao.” 

“Jiujiu? He’s not—”

“ He is .” Wen Yuan wouldn’t allow Jin Ling to hide behind nor hide from his uncle. “He killed Xian-gege. A person very important to me.” 

“He didn’t!” Jin Ling insisted. “He just—”

“Lead the siege of his home that resulted in his death? That’s the same thing to me. From what I understand, Xian-gege never sought out trouble. It was always trouble that found itself at his door, and he was therefore accused of courting it.

“But even then, why would you deny him killing Xian-gege? Wasn’t killing the Yiling Patriarch supposed to be good? Why now do you take that as a bad thing? Could it be because you feel just a little guilty about the things you’ve said about him now that he saved you?”

“Just because he did one good thing, doesn’t mean it erases everything he’s done in the past! People are still dead because of him! I can admit he’s saved me a few times while realizing the world would be better off without him.” 

“Then you can see why I would rather not be subjected to Sect Leader Jiang’s presence.” 

“That’s not the same thing! Jiujiu is good! He’s—”

“I suppose you expect me to forget he kidnapped me when we met that second time.” 

Jin Ling stopped moving and didn’t speak. It appeared like he’d been the one to forget it. “That’s…” 

“What? Different? We both know I’d have been tortured at best or killed at worse if I hadn’t been able to escape. Accusations of demonic cultivation and no proof. That’s how your uncle operates. Saving you didn’t mean anything in the face of his hatred. 

“Young Master Jin may feel anything he wishes. He may converse with and talk to anyone he wants. I will not say another word about his connections. I will do the same. But the difference between you and me is that I can see the faults in my loved ones. You refuse to.” 

Jin Ling didn’t say another word. He appeared lethargic and drained, like the conversation had taken everything out of him. He stared at Wen Yuan for a long time, examining him, taking him in. Wen Yuan didn’t allow himself to flinch or cower. He said his piece; Jin Ling could think on it or not. 

Eventually, Jin Ling had enough of standing around in silence. He huffed a small breath then left the room without another word. He closed the door behind him firmly but without any excess anger. 

Wen Yuan didn’t know if he just completely burned the bridge between them or not. Either way, he didn’t regret his words. Whether or not they’d be able to reconnect… that was entirely up to Jin Ling.

Chapter Text

Wei Ying woke to a gentle yet strong hand on his shoulder. 

“Wei Ying? Wei Ying, wake up.” 

Wei Ying grumbled at the voice and turned towards the darker part of his bed. But that was quite hard when the entire room was swathed with sunlight. Why was it so bright? Even when Wei Ying normally rolled out of bed, he wasn’t this blinded. Only when he blinked his eyes awake did he realize and recognize his long lost room from before. 

He was back at Lotus Pier with Lan Zhan and the others. 

Wei Ying sat up and rubbed his eyes, smacking his lips. “How long has it been?” He knew he should have only allowed himself a nap, but he fell so deeply asleep that it was hard to completely pull himself from his dreams. He didn’t even know what he had dreamed of—only that it was extremely pleasant.

“Four hours,” Lan Zhan answered. “Sect Leader Jiang has sent breakfast. The meeting will commence shortly.” 

At least he had the motivation of familiar food to get him out of bed. Wei Ying slumped over and began to serve himself. It was just like he remembered, maybe even better considering the nostalgia. His stomach only took a few bites to wake up fully, and soon he was devouring his meal. 

Lan Zhan occupied himself by trying to comb through his wild hair. It certainly didn’t help that he hadn’t completely dried it before laying down. But his hands were either magical or just perfect because it didn’t take too long for him to sort through the tangles and tie it up in his usual ponytail. 

The whole thing felt so domestic and natural that Wei Ying was too flustered to comment on it. To save face, he could only throw on his outer robe and act like everything was normal. 

It didn’t surprise Wei Ying that most people had already gathered in the Jiang’s meeting room by the time they got there. He quickly spotted Xiao Xingchen and A-Yuan standing together. Jiang Cheng sat at the head chair near the back, and it seemed like he hadn’t gotten any sleep. Jin Ling stood next to him, also looking tired but mostly troubled. Most cultivators present were kneeling on provided cushions, but some were standing near the back of the room to save space. This is where they fit in. Wei Ying didn’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to them and found it a minor miracle they weren’t already being kicked out. 

And Lan Zhan must have timed their morning perfectly because only a minute after they arrived, did Jiang Cheng start the meeting. 

“I’m sure the esteemed cultivators here today know why I have gathered you here.” Jiang Cheng gestured to the space before him, and Wei Ying’s attention was brought to the kneeling, beheaded corpse before him. Jiang Cheng had taken personal responsibility in securing and moving Chifeng-zun from the Burial Mounds to Lotus Pier. Nie Mingjue was trussed up in countless spiritual ropes and talismans to ensure they wouldn’t lose control of him again. Of course that was impossible to guarantee, but Wei Ying would bet Jiang Cheng chose the risk so the men present would take the matter seriously. 

“It appears someone has murdered and dismembered the great Chifeng-zun under the noses of every cultivator alive. I believe that everyone here can agree this matter takes priority over all others.” 

Instantly, murmurs began to travel through the crowd. As serious as the claim was, no one was able to dispute it with the disrespected body right in front of them. Even if by some miracle Nie Mingjue wasn’t murdered, there was still the very obvious crime of disturbing his grave and severing his body parts. 

“I’m sure several of you will protest but it needs to be said… Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue.” 

As if compelled, men jumped to prove him right:

“How dare you!” 

“He’s the Chief Cultivator!” 

“Where’s your proof?”

“Enough!” Jiang Cheng roared. “This is not a discussion. Whether or not you believe the truth is up to you. But killing Nie Mingjue is not the only crime that man has committed.” 

Jiang Cheng turned his head and motioned to someone behind him. Three women entered through the doors near the back—one youthful, two aged. The young woman was dressed in Jin yellows of exquisite taste, but the clothes themselves were ruined. Dirty and ripped like she’d been thrown to the ground. The older women actually seemed more put together, helping their companion along and flanking her sides. As Wei Ying examined the three of them, he realized he actually recognized the younger woman. This was Qin Su, Jin Guangyao’s wife! What on Earth happened to her, and what was she doing here? 

The protests died down as soon as everyone else laid eyes on the Chief Cultivator’s wife. Expressions of concern and confusion were directed at Qin Su, though she paid them no mind. She instead bowed and addressed the crowd. 

“Honorable cultivators, I ask that you listen to our stories. My… husband is not the man you all think him to be.” Despite her haggard appearance, Qin Su stood firm, and her voice did not waver. She would be heard. 

“Firstly, I must thank the young man standing towards the back.” 

To Wei Ying’s astonishment, Qin Su gestured over to A-Yuan. The boy jerked at the sudden address, also taken back by her sudden appearance. How did these two know each other?

“This young boy saved me from confinement, and I’m certain death, not a day ago. Yesterday evening, I was delivered a sensitive letter. I didn’t know who it was from at the time, but its contents disturbed me horribly. Upon finding myself with the letter, Jin Guangyao denied its veracity but interrogated me on who gave it to me. When I refused to answer him, he sealed my meridians and locked me up in his treasure room.” 

More heated whispers. This time, there were no accusations of deceit or lying. After all, Qin Su had always been known for her affection and good treatment of her husband. If anyone, it should have been her defending his name. If she wasn’t… well, that didn’t spell good things for Jin Guangyao. 

“I’m certain he meant to keep me out of sight until he could dispose of me cleanly. Thankfully, this young man entered the room and freed me. Before leaving, we also discovered a severed head, heavily warded.” Her gaze drifted down to Nie Mingjue. “I can only imagine it belonged to this man here.” 

A brave soul in the crowd spoke up, “Madame Jin, what was in the letter that frightened your husband so?” 

Up until this point, Qin Su had put on an admirable, brave front. But now her face crumbled, and it seemed she couldn’t bring herself to speak. One of her companions squeezed her arm and took a step in front of her. She bowed deeply. “Please allow this lowly servant to address this for my lady. This topic is incredibly distressing and not for the faint of heart.” 

No one dared disturb the suddenly somber energy that entered the room. The woman who spoke up introduced herself as Bicao and the other woman with her as Sisi. 

Wei Ying sensed this was not going to be a jovial tale. 

~*~

Wei Ying knew he couldn’t be the only one with shivers traveling up his spine from the stories of the three women. To think that not just Nie Mingjue’s murder was on Jin Guangyao’s hands, but those of his son, his father, and several innocent women. Necrophelia, incest, murder, rape—was there anything this man wouldn’t stoop to? 

Wei Ying’s gaze was drawn over to his son. A-Yuan looked pale and faint. Thankfully, Xiao Xingchen stood by his side, murmuring into his ear and holding his arm. Jin Ling also looked like he might faint, and he desperately wished these two boys hadn’t heard such a gruesome tale. 

Finally, it seemed the cultivators in the room were getting with the program. Shouts and demands for the man’s head began to ring through the room. Calls for his death were certainly understandable, but Wei Ying couldn’t help the sick feeling in his stomach. Jin Guangyao deserved punishment and execution for his crimes, but the energy in the room reminded him too much of his days as the Yiling Patriarch. There was a time when calls for his death rang similarly through people’s ears. 

The eventual mob mentality of cultivators… it disturbed him to no end. 

A brush of a hand at his side had Wei Ying looking up at Lan Zhan. It seemed he sensed his sour mood and seeked to soothe it. But as soon as Lan Zhan’s hand was on him, Wei Ying simply couldn’t feel as bad anymore. He didn’t even need to do anything special. 

But apparently sudden reveals and arrivals weren’t over quite yet because a man suddenly threw open the main doors to the meeting room. 

Through all this commotion, Wei Ying had almost forgotten whose brother they were all discussing. Nie Huiasang looked as though he had run here. His breathing was labored, and his eyes were frantic. That is until he saw who was kneeling at the center of the room. It was as if all the air was sucked from his lungs. Upon seeing who had interrupted, the calls of action died down, and cultivators parted a path for Nie Huaisang to reach his brother. 

“Da-ge… this is… Sect Leader Jiang?” 

Jiang Cheng sighed and stood from his throne. It appeared that he’d sent for Nie Huiaisang to join them at Lotus Pier. After all, he hadn’t been involved in the incident at the Burial Mounds; he had no idea what had gone on. The last time Wei Ying recalled seeing the man was at the welcoming meal at Golden Carp Tower. 

Jiang Cheng took Nie Huaisang’s arm and began to lead him over to the side, around his brother’s dead body. Having concluded the main reason for the meeting, cultivators began to file out, but Wei Ying’s mind was whirling. There were too many loose ends. 

First of all, Jin Guangyao hadn’t been spotted since he and Lan Xichen left Golden Carp Tower. He likely felt the crumbling situation and seeked to separate himself just in case his crimes were revealed. Roping Lan Xichen into helping due to his ignorance seemed likely. He also probably had the juniors kidnapped from Golden Carp Tower, so most sect leaders would be busy rescuing them rather than observing what he might be doing. There was an added bonus of using the Yin Tiger Tally to make it seem like Wei Ying did it. 

And then there were the Su disciples. Su She had escaped, but they still did have a few of his minions who tried to kill them at the Burial Mounds. The fake yellow robes they’d gotten from the Jin sect weren’t too surprising, considering their sect leader was close with Jin Guangyao; he could have easily gotten those robes to fake being Jin. But if Jiang Cheng hadn’t brought them up, that likely meant his interrogations of them hadn’t revealed anything useful. 

But there was also the question of Qin Su. She explained earlier that she was forcibly separated from A-Yuan when they were attempting to run away, and that made sense. Jin Guangyao would not want his wife to spill what she knew. But how had she escaped? She claimed that some figures in masks and dark robes rescued her from her assailants, but how could anyone know where to find her? And the other two women, Bicao and Sisi. They claimed to have reconnected at Lotus Pier, but their appearances were too convenient, showing up just at the right time. 

It appeared that there was a third party they hadn’t considered. Could this third party be the person who released the original arm at the time of his resurrection? After all, they had never been able to figure out who that was. 

“Hey Lan Zhan… your brother was last seen with Jin Guangyao. Do you think he’s alright?” Despite everything, Lan Xichen was still Lan Zhan’s brother. They might have had their differences, but nothing could truly erode their worry for each other. Wei Ying knew he’d be worried sick if Jiang Cheng was in Lan Xichen’s place. 

“Mn. Likely he’s fine. Doubt Jin Guangyao would hurt him.” 

Wei Ying nodded. At least Lan Zhan sounded sure. “Well, we still need to find them. I guess we could go back to that secret treasure room and look around. But with all the commotion and with us being gone, I bet he’s already raided the place of anything useful.” 

Wei Ying’s gaze drifted over to the other side of the room. Qin Su and her companions were conversing with A-Yuan and Xiao Xingchen. The conversation seemed amiable. Not surprising, considering Qin Su was indebted to A-Yuan and he would no doubt be happy she was found alive. Jin Ling hovered around the group, glancing at A-Yuan but always darting his eyes away. 

Wei Ying’s shoulders drooped. It seemed his son’s relationship with Jin Ling wasn’t as close as before. Just yesterday, they acted like best friends. Now they felt like ex friends. 

“Not Wei Ying’s fault.” 

Wei Ying frowned in confusion. He turned his head to look at Lan Zhan. “Hm?” 

“They will reconcile if they want. Not Wei Ying’s fault.” 

It was sweet that Lan Zhan thought so, but Wei Ying knew the truth. If Jin Ling found out that his friend was close with his parents’ murderer and knew that but kept it to himself… Oh yes, he was going to be mad. 

But maybe Lan Zhan was right. At the moment, Jin Ling didn’t seem angry or betrayed. He looked… lost. And confused. Like he didn’t know what to think. Hopefully after all this was done, they’d be able to make up. Wei Ying would happily step out of his son’s life if it meant he could get along better with his peers. Not to mention, this was Jin Ling, Shi-jie’s son, the Jin heir. A friendship with him was nothing to sniff at. 

There were still murmurs traveling through the lingering cultivators. Wei Ying listened to them closely. Some were saying they should try and hunt down Jin Guangyao. Another said the same thing with Su She. One advised they go back to Golden Carp Tower to “investigate” the treasure room’s belongings for clues. It was clear that man only wanted an opportunity to lay his hands on something valuable. 

Which reminded Wei Ying that if Jin Guangyao truly abandoned his position, there was not a sect leader for the Jins. With their heir being a young, inexperienced boy, it was entirely possible the position could be usurped or the sect to be completely taken over. At the moment, they were extremely vulnerable. Wei Ying had no love lost between him and the Jin sect, but it was still Jin Ling’s sect, his home. He wanted it to be safe and whole for him. 

But before he could bring up such a thing, a frantic Jiang disciple addressed his sect leader. 

Jiang Cheng was instantly annoyed. “What is it now?” 

The disciple raised his head. “Sect Leader Su has been spotted leading an army of fierce corpses to Yi City!” 

What the hell?! Another army of corpses? Made with the Yin Tiger Tally no doubt. But why would Su She, and therefore Jin Guangyao, attack Yi City of all places? Glancing at Lan Zhan, Wei Ying had to conclude it had to do with them. They were imperative in exposing their crimes; of course, they’d attack their friends as well, being they were practically untouchable here at Lotus Pier. 

Xiao Xingchen jerked at the news, and the statement sent Jiang Cheng into a rage because of course it did. He still had two Jiang disciples to avenge. And despite withdrawing from the sect, Wei Ying didn’t want to see another dead Jiang disciple for as long as he lived either. 

Jiang Cheng began to gather disciples to fly in that direction immediately. Sect leaders from other sects also began to offer their cultivators, chomping at the bit to do something productive. Wei Ying of course moved towards Xiao Xingchen to come with him to investigate his sect but didn’t have the opportunity before a Nie disciple came running, delivering another piece of bad news: 

Nie Mingjue had escaped Sect Leader Nie’s custody! 

It seemed everything was falling awry! Wei Ying could confidently say that Su She being spotted near Yi City was likely planned, but Jin Guangyao certainly didn’t want Nie Mingjue running free. But whether it was planned or an accident didn’t matter; both were bad for them! 

Wei Ying instantly saw how this needed to play out. “Wen Ning!” 

His loyal friend appeared at his side without delay. “Yes, Young Master Wei?” 

“Follow Chifeng-zun immediately. You should be able to pick up his trail. He’s likely heading towards Jin Guangyao now if he’s passing up the chance to attack Jin disciples here. That means he’s actually quite close by. Follow him and make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.” Why Jin Guangyao was near Lotus Pier was a mystery at the moment. Wouldn’t the man want to get as far away from his enemies as possible?

“At once!” Wen Ning vanished without another word, chasing after his fellow fierce corpse. 

Wei Ying turned slowly, but Lan Zhan was already looking at him. He already knew what he was going to ask. “Please.” 

Lan Zhan’s face twisted slightly, and he shook his head softly. “No. Want to stay with Wei Ying.” 

“I will be fine. Xinglan might not be.” After all, they both had seen the sect. As expansive and impressive as it was, it was still a young sect. It did not have the old, embedded wards against outside threats as other sects did. They also housed a great many young and inexperienced cultivators. They were starved for defense, and even a few fierce corpses would be hard to handle, let alone an army and ones summoned from the Yin Tiger Tally. 

“You were attacked the last we separated.” 

“Hardly!” Wei Ying scoffed. Jin Guangyao didn’t even have the opportunity to lay a hand on him because Lan Zhan had rushed back to his side so quickly. “It doesn’t matter though. They need your skills, and I need to follow Chifeng-zun to lead us to Jin Guangyao. If Su She is in Yi City, that means his only major ally right now is Zewu-jun. I know you’ve had your differences, but he’s not an unreasonable man. I’m certain he’s acting out of ignorance to his sworn brother’s actions.

“And…” This was a dirty card to play. “A-Yuan still needs to get somewhere safe while this all plays out. Jin Ling will likely stay here, but A-Yuan should be at Xinglan Sect, where he can hole up until all this blows over. At least one of us needs to make sure that happens.” 

Lan Zhan’s expression seemed to become more and more stern, which meant he knew he was losing the argument. They both saw Xiao Xingchen conversing with Jiang Cheng and a few other sect leaders. They were likely discussing the best route and general layout of the sect. They would be departing in minutes. 

For such a morbid scene, Wei Ying still felt so touched. For Lan Zhan to so clearly not want to separate… It meant more than he was willing to examine right now. 

But like setting a bone, separating from someone was best done without looking and without warning. Wei Ying turned away from his zhiji and raced down the docks of Lotus Pier. Wen Ning was long gone, and Wei Ying no longer had a sword. He couldn’t waste any time. 

Thankfully, he had put a meager tracking spell on Wen Ning before he left, the same one he and Xiao Xingchen used to track down Su She. It also helped immensely that he was so familiar with the area. Despite spending so much time away, Yunmeng’s layout would always be permanently affixed in his mind. 

As Wei Ying followed behind Wen Ning, he noticed that the man appeared to have already caught up to Nie Mingjue. They were moving erratically, but Wen Ning seemed to be able to mostly corral Chifeng-zun away from populated areas. As Wei Ying traveled through town, he heard murmurs of disturbances and complaints of growls and screams. But despite the worry, no one had actually been injured. 

Wei Ying spent most of the day tracking the pair of fierce corpses and watching their movements. Wen Ning might be trying to contain Nie Mingjue as much as possible, but where the headless corpse was trying to go was important information too. Eventually, many shichen later, when the sun was low and close to setting, Wei Ying was able to deduce that Nie Mingjue kept circling Yunping City. 

Of all places, Wei Ying had no idea why Jin Guangyao would be here. It wasn’t an ideal hiding spot, especially being so close to the base of one of his enemies. This wasn’t a good choice, strategy-wide. He could only conclude that this place wasn’t “chosen” by Jin Guangyao. There was significance to this city that he couldn’t change. 

Now that he had narrowed down the general area, Wei Ying knew his next move needed to be to locate Wen Ning and Nie Mingjue. Even without a head, and therefore both blind and deaf, Nie Mingjue was still an impressive opponent, and it was a great feat that Wen Ning had been able to hold off against him for so long. If they were able to keep a significant distance between Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao, the two of them should be able to subdue him. 

But before Wei Ying could exit the city, he felt an itching in the back of his head. A distinct tug that turned him around to instead head farther into the city. As he kept leaping from rooftops and sliding against roof tiles, the feeling grew and grew until he was able to recognize the resentful spirits pulling him in. 

However, he wasn’t led to a desecrated grave or a dilapidated mansion like he expected. Instead, Wei Ying was led to a temple. One labeled “Guanyin Temple.” 

Wei Ying had never heard the name before, nor did he recognize the building. The temple was empty, but that made sense given the time of day. By this point, it was nearing dark, and almost everyone prayed long before the day ended. And even though it was rightly empty, it was obviously well taken care of. Swept courtyard and dusted statues. This wasn’t an abandoned temple that would attract homeless spirits. But there were spirits here nonetheless. 

Being that it was so peculiar and unusual, Wei Ying took the proper steps to be cautious. He looked around then looked again. Listened to see if there were any ambushes waiting outside. Once he felt safe enough, he activated his cultivation and reached out towards the temple. 

Almost immediately he was hit with a strong wall of resentful spirits. But not ones wild and free. Ones kept specifically in place by a suppression array. It only took one loop around the temple to confirm that was what it was. And with even further investigation, he found the spirits were strongly tied to this place. This was where they died. But how they could have died so horribly in such a serrend looking temple was beyond Wei Ying. He’d been dead for the past 13 years, and he rarely kept up with news that didn’t have anything to do with him. 

However, there was only so much lurking Wei Ying could do. He needed to actually go inside the temple to obtain more information. Ideally, he’d be able to subdue Nie Mingjue with Wen Ning and return with backup, but that would take too much time. And would be much too responsible for Wei Ying’s style. 

He launched himself over the wall without another thought. 

The temple was empty at this time, but there was still ample evidence that people had been here. And not just regular temple goers from earlier today: there was evidence that a significant amount of people had traversed the stone courtyard. Naturally, this gave Wei Ying pause and told him to investigate quietly. They may still be around, and he had a feeling that they weren’t friendly parties. 

From what he could see, there wasn’t an open window for him to climb through to gain access to the temple, so he had no choice but to go through the front door. They swung open with not a single creak, and he was greeted with a silent, dark room. He lit one of the torches inside, just enough that he could see without gaining too much attention. 

The inside of the temple looked inconspicuous enough. There was an offering table and kneeling pads for people praying. It was only when he walked farther inside did he see anything amiss. 

Near the back of the temple housed a statue and below that statue lay a sizable hole in the ground. Rubble was scattered around the area, and it was clear someone had dug it up with haste. A discarded coffin lid lay nearby, matching the coffin that rested inside the hole. Curiously, the coffin itself was empty and displayed evidence of tampering. He also sensed something distinctly wrong with the aura of the coffin. He dared not get any closer. 

But as he was bending over to examine the area’s contents, the air of the temple grew heavy, and his hair stood on end. He stood upright just in time to see two separate swords streak towards him. Thoroughly caught off guard, Wei Ying was only able to deflect one sword with Chenqing while the other sliced his arm to touch his jugular. 

He dared not move another muscle as his assailants revealed their positions—one from a far corner of the ceiling and another from behind a column near the entrance. It didn’t surprise him at all to see it was Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen. The latter being the one currently holding him at swordpoint. 

“Ah, Young Master Wei, I do suggest you not get any closer to that coffin. It wouldn’t end well for you if you touch it.” 

“I thank Sect Leader Jin for his advice,” Wei Ying returned sardonically. 

He quickly took stock of the situation. His opponents were clearly prepared and ready for him, perfectly hiding their presences and auras. It also didn’t help that Jin Guangyao was somewhat familiar with demonic cultivation; he probably used the suppressed spirits held here to cover their spiritual cores. And frankly, Wei Ying was weak against strong, sword-wielding opponents. He could send armies running away, but the minute someone managed to break through his line of defense to get close was where he ran into trouble. 

So he had no choice but to hand over Chenqing to Jin Guangyao as Lan Xichen silently threatened his throat. 

But if only he had delayed a moment longer, because as soon as Jin Guangyao finished tying his arms, Lan Xichen’s sword dropped and clattered to the floor, and he swayed where he stood. 

“Er-ge!” Jin Guangyao cried and dashed over to make sure his friend didn’t collapse to the ground. It appeared Lan Xichen’s strong aura was a mere bluff because his face quickly took on an unflattering sheen of sweat, and he could no longer stand. If Wei Ying hadn’t been so thoroughly convinced he couldn’t win, he might have been able to get out of this mess. 

Still, Wei Ying couldn’t help but feel concern at the state of his zhiji’s brother. They spoke to each other quietly, but Wei Ying was able to catch a glimpse of Lan Xichen’s arm as Jin Guangyao pulled back his sleeve to examine it. Green and purple coloring crept over his forearm where it should have been as fair as snow. It contrasted terribly with the pallid coloring of the man’s face. 

Wei Ying couldn’t help but speak. “If Zewu-jun doesn’t mind me asking… what could have caused that?” 

Lan Xichen’s face turned stern, but it was Jin Guangyao who answered, “I suppose it was too much to hope it was you who set this trap. I had hoped you were coming back to see the effects of your handiwork, but it’s clear you have never been here before.” 

“Trap?” Wei Ying thought back to the odd feeling he had when he went near the empty coffin. Had someone boobytrapped it? But who? Wei Ying had no idea Guanyin Temple was a location of interest to Jin Guangyao until just now. 

“Precisely.” Jin Guangyao sighed and looked at his friend with what appeared to be genuine guilt. “It would have made things much simpler if you had been the one to do this. Then I would have had no qualms about killing you.” 

Wei Ying’s throat went dry, and he passed his gaze to Lan Xichen, hoping he looked at least a little alarmed by the admittance. But the man seemed nonplussed by such a thing. Thankfully, Wei Ying wasn’t the one to poison Zewu-jun. Otherwise, it seemed his fate here would have been much different. 

“Then is Zewu-jun going to be alright?” 

Instead of getting on Lan Xichen’s good side like Wei Ying hoped, his genuine concern only seemed to stroke the flames of his bad mood. Like at Golden Carp Palace, Lan Xichen seemed to possess a strange loathing for him that Wei Ying couldn’t quite comprehend. It might have been because Lan Zhan chose to travel with him rather than his own brother, but Lan Xichen never struck him as that sort of controlling, possessive family member. He always thought Lan Xichen was happy that Wei Ying had befriended his brother. 

“You’ll forgive Er-ge if he doesn’t want to answer you,” Jin Guangyao said with a sharp smile. “You’re not his favorite person at the moment.” 

Wei Ying gathered as much. 

“But to answer your question, yes, he’ll be just fine. With Er-ge’s cultivation level, he’ll be able to fight off the poison by next sunrise. Thankfully, he didn’t get the worst of it.” 

Wei Ying got the sense that he was saying this not to soothe his worry but to discourage him from trying to escape. It didn’t really matter to him. He didn’t have much opportunity. Jin Guangyao’s knot skills were flawless, and even worse, he’d tied his palms together in front of his body. He wouldn’t be able to do any sort of slight of hand to get out of these under their watchful eyes. 

“But we really don’t have much time to dally, now do we?” Jin Guangyao had sheathed his sword as soon as Wei Ying was contained, but now he reached into his robes to grab another, much smaller blade. He began to approach his prisoner, and Wei Ying couldn’t help but stiffen. “Let’s get this over with.” 

Wei Ying had nothing to escape with. His weapon was confiscated, his body bound. They’d taken any and all talismans from his person. His only hope would be for Nie Mingjue to bust in here and cause enough chaos for Wen Ning to untie him. It looked like he’d be dying a second time. He could only hope Lan Zhan would be able to track Jin Guangyao’s trail to bring him to justice. 

But instead of slitting his throat, Jin Guangyao merely squatted down in front of Wei Ying. He leaned away with discomfort as the man grabbed a lock of his hair. A brief thought flickered through his mind that Jin Guangyao had in fact inherited some of his father’s perversions, but he only cut a small chunk of his hair off at the tips. Then, seeing the cut he’d left on his arm during their brief fight, dragged the hair through the blood enough to clot and bind the locks together. 

Wei Ying was only feeling more and more bewildered. “What… What are you doing with that?” 

Jin Guangyao smiled; he was clearly enjoying this. “Merely a precaution. I’d hoped to escape wrongful imprisonment cleanly, but with you here, that complicates things. This will buy me just enough time to go into hiding. Just like Hanguang-jun. Though I’ll make sure my disappearance is permanent. You have done an excellent job of sullying my name.” 

Wei Ying’s expression twisted despite himself. The gall of this man! To do all those horrid things and still put on an innocent act. And not only that, but to pretend he was the one who wronged him! 

Wei Ying thought he was shameless, but Jin Guangyao truly outclassed him. 

“Er-ge,” Jin Guangyao addressed, playing the part of the reluctant hero perfectly. “Is this alright? I know this is the best way, but it’s still Wangji and—”

“A-Yao,” Lan Xichen interrupted, seemingly weary and tired beyond his years. “I appreciate your concern but Wangji… The matter with Wangji, I will have to deal with. Do what you need to do to escape.” 

Tenderness filled Jin Guangyao’s eyes, and Wei Ying had the sudden urge to turn his head away and vomit. In the end, the man only nodded. He stuffed the hair into an envelope with a letter, and exited the room to presumably have it delivered. Wei Ying didn’t have much time. 

“Zewu-jun, I know you have no affection for me right now, and I understand, but you must listen. Jin Guangyao is not the man you think he is. He is a murderer and a—”

“Young Master Wei is very bold to think that I’d take any of his advice.” A few minutes ago, Lan Xichen looked like he might fall over, but now his back was Lan straight, and he spoke with a coldness Wei Ying never associated with the man. “Considering what you have done to my family.” 

“Your family?” Wei Ying continued to be baffled by this confrontation. It was very likely that Wei Ying might have hurt or killed Lan disciples during the fight of Nightless City or during the first siege of the Burial Mounds. But he didn’t say his sect. He said his family. Wei Ying never had any dealings with his father or his mother. He never hurt Lan Qiren, unless he meant his disrespect during his schooling months. He’d also never raised a sword to Lan Xichen. Did he mean Lan Zhan then? He was well aware they’d fought several times after the war and leading up to his death, but he’d never seriously fight him, too afraid to seriously injure him. Sure, they’d had their disagreements, but their relationship right now was excellent! In fact, he thought them closer than they’d ever been. What was Lan Xichen talking about? “Zewu-jun, forgive me. I truly don’t know what you’re referring to.” 

“Of course not,” Lan Xichen snapped. “A cruel man often forgets who he’s wronged.” 

“‘Wronged’?” Wei Ying parroted dumbly. “Do you mean Lan Zhan? How would I have…?” 

“Wronged! Ha!” Lan Xichen barked, his temper unrestrained and wild. “You didn’t only wrong my brother. You have ruined him completely!” 

Wei Ying could only stare, stunned. 

“My brother cannot return home, and it’s because of you!” 

~*~

Jin Guangyao had become a cornerstone of Lan Xichen’s life. 

Ever since he’d saved his life during the Sunshot Campaign, he’d felt a connection with the man that hadn’t been replicated. Lan Xichen would always remember and hold Nie Mingjue close to his heart, but their relationship took years to become so close. With A-Yao… it was almost devastatingly easy. 

Which made them all the closer when Da-ge had died and when Lan Xichen told him about what Wangji had done. By the time he’d wrapped his mind around what had happened, Da-ge had already passed, and he needed to confess his sins to someone—anyone. Jin Guangyao had been that person. 

And he’d never had cause to regret his decision. A-Yao was the sole person keeping Lan Xichen tethered to the world. It seemed he might almost drift away if it wasn’t for their friendship. This only grew more true when Da-ge passed, and they only had each other. Jin Guangyao became the head of his sect as well when his own father died, and with every passing year, they only seemed to grow closer and closer. 

So of course, Lan Xichen confessed his suspicions of Wei Wuxian’s identity to his sworn brother. He needed someone to talk to; he felt like he was going crazy! Wei Wuxian was dead, he shouldn’t have been able to haunt them after all this time. But no, he wasn’t haunting them. It was something far worse. He was simply alive once again, able to ensnare and bewitch his brother’s mind a second time. 

It wasn’t like Lan Xichen was surprised to find out that Wangji’s bloodlust hadn’t abated in 13 years. It was just that he hadn’t ever expected to witness it right in front of his eyes. First, when Wangji actually had the gall to threaten him over Wei Wuxian. Then to actually come to blows with him over the man. But he should have learned his lesson years ago. He should have learned his lesson with 33 dead elders. 

But at least he had Jin Guangyao. To speak with and discuss how best to save his brother. Killing Wei Wuxian didn’t seem like a viable option. But perhaps they could take them both back to Cloud Recesses. Perhaps they could confine Wei Wuxian there, therefore tethering Wangji back home. 

(He told himself this plan was entirely different from the situation with his mother. It was. It had to be.) 

But then the situation disintegrated so quickly. When Jin Guangyao came to him in as close to a panic as the man could ever get, Lan Xichen dropped everything to help in any way he could. He questioned nothing. 

A-Yao wanted to run away? Done. He wanted to separate for a while? Fine. He wanted to meet later at a random temple? He could do that. He explained that Wei Wuxian was framing him to clear his own name for his resurrection? That made complete sense. He wanted to take his mother’s body with him before being forced to disappear? He couldn’t think of a more reasonable request. 

And when he explained his contingency plan to manipulate Wangji’s love for Wei Wuxian to concoct his own escape, Lan Xichen didn’t bat an eye.

Chapter Text

Xiao Xingchen felt the world fall out from beneath his feet when he heard the news of his sect being attacked. 

There was not another thought in his mind. He barely registered that Nie Mingjue was free again. He didn’t even care that Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were moving away. He could only focus on speaking with Jiang Wanyin about logistics and how much time it would take to get enough people to defend his home gathered so that they could depart. 

He knew it was callous of him, but he was grateful that the Jiang sect leader had a reason to pursue Su She. He knew himself, A-Yuan, and Lan Wangji wouldn’t be enough to ensure his sect’s safety. Thankfully with Jiang Wanyin’s support, other sect leaders began to fall into place and volunteer their disciples for the fight. He didn’t care about their reasoning. He only cared that they were coming. 

In record time, their small army of cultivators was soaring into the sky. Xiao Xingchen led the way after he was oriented by A-Yuan, having him and Lan Wangji flanking his sides. A-Yuan’s sword was steady and focused; Lan Wangji’s was not.

“Wangji,” Xiao Xingchen addressed the man after several minutes of flying. He heard the man shift to give him his attention. “I need you here.” 

He was well aware it was a lot to ask of his friend. His beloved just took off in the opposite direction they were going. Nothing good happened when Wei Wuxian acted alone, whether it was his fault or not. Obviously, Lan Wangji would be preoccupied with thinking about him. But Wei Wuxian was safe as far as they knew. The Xinglan Sect wasn’t. 

“The sooner we settle this matter, the sooner you can return to Wuxian,” Xiao Xingchen encouraged, and finally Lan Wangji seemed to focus and his sword straightened. 

Xiao Xingchen made sure they made good time, so they were settling down at his sect only a few shichen later. It was a small mercy that Yunmeng was so close to Yi City, the closest sect to them in fact. If Song Lan was agreeable to it, he’d like to extend an invitation of an alliance to Jiang Wanyin. He was aware of Lan Wangji’s dislike for the man and Wei Wuxian’s past, but he had doubts that either of them would refuse. He might also extend a similar courtesy to Jin Rulan because of A-Yuan’s favor for the boy. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t arrive before the wards fell. Xiao Xingchen could feel that their barriers were broken and no longer functioning. For once, he was mildly glad for his blindness; he would not have to witness the no doubt terrible state his sect was in. He didn’t want to think about the possible blood on the ground or wrecked buildings. 

It soothed the terrible, frantic part of his heart to sense Song Lan still standing. It seemed he and a few chosen senior disciples were guarding the front doors to the Frost House. How many disciples lay on the other side, Xiao Xingchen was afraid to find out, given that he couldn’t quite see who had already fallen. Until he laid a hand on their bodies, he wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the fallen shimeis and shidis of his sect. 

As they flew into town, several sects had already peeled off to fight and round up some straggling fierce corpses plaguing the town. As impressive and dangerous the Yin Tiger Tally was, it seemed whoever was wielding it wasn’t as accurate as the previous time because not all the corpses were laying siege to the Xinglan Sect. Still, there was a significant number of monsters attacking his cultivation partner and his disciples, so he wasted no time in descending and joining the fray. 

Xiao Xingchen’s first action was to sever the head of the closest fierce corpse to him. He, along with the remaining cultivators flying by his side, had quickly made a circle around the poor, exhausted Xinglan cultivators. Seeing that backup had finally come, several of them collapsed on the spot, passing out and crying in relief. As soon as they managed to create a little bit of space between themselves and the corpses, Xiao Xingchen approached Song Lan eagerly. 

“Song Lan.” Xiao Xingchen could have almost wept with relief. He understood that Song Lan was a master, one of the greatest of their generation, but he also knew his heart. If it was demanded, he would sacrifice everything for their disciples without hesitation. It was a blessing from the heavens that he hadn’t had the opportunity. 

“Xingchen.” Song Lan’s voice was just as tender. And even though Song Lan despised touch, he couldn’t prevent himself from taking Xiao Xingchen’s hand and placing it to his cheek. “I am glad you are here.” 

“I came as soon as I heard the news.” Xiao Xingchen stroked his face. “Where is A-Qing?”

“Inside. She is fine.” Song Lan paused, no doubt looking around. “I see Wangji and A-Yuan. But where is Wei Wuxian?” 

“Fine, as far as we know. He was prevented from coming.” Xiao Xingchen had no doubt that his friend would have extended a helping hand if he’d been able to. But he also understood the importance of chasing down Nie Mingjue. “There’s a lot to talk about, but first, we must weather this storm.” 

The storm ended up taking several more shichen of their time. The corpses made from the Yin Tiger Tally were relentless and difficult to defeat. In an effort to avoid losing more disciples, Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen ordered the rest of their cultivators to take shelter in Frost House. There was also no sign of Su She throughout the entire ordeal. It seemed he made himself known just enough to taunt cultivators to their location but swiftly made himself scarce once the fighting reached a boiling point. 

But finally the last fierce corpse fell, and they were able to breathe easier. 

As soon as Xiao Xingchen was able to verify for himself that A-Qing was well, he took Song Lan aside to brief him on their rather exciting couple of days apart. Song Lan returned the favor, but other than this attack, days at the Xinglan Sect were quiet and normal. Xiao Xingchen postulated that this attack must have been another misdirection, and his partner agreed. Jin Guangyao either specifically wanted them at Yi City or he wanted them away from Lotus Pier. Seeing as there wasn’t a second attack once the first one failed, they could only conclude that destroying their Xinglan Sect wasn’t an actual goal of their enemy. Merely a small perk. 

That only made Xiao Xingchen more nervous. 

However, now with the fighting over, he had several dozen cultivators hungry and tired from fighting for his sect. Their coffers weren’t deep, and their base was thoroughly trashed; they wouldn’t be able to pay back or host these men for quite some time, if at all. Xiao Xingchen would have felt more guilty if he didn’t know they’d only come because Sect Leader Jiang had led the way. 

But instead of the energy around him calming down, Xiao Xingchen began to hear more raised voices. He headed towards the sound with Song Lan at his heels and found Lan Wangji and Jiang Wanyin at odds with each other near the entrance of their sect. 

“Wangji? Sect Leader Jiang? What is the matter?” 

He did not receive a response. There was a ringing of metal, and Xiao Xingchen knew one or both of them had drawn their swords. However, it was Jiang Wanyin’s voice that cut through the commotion. 

“You dare?” 

So it really wasn’t a small disagreement, Xiao Xingchen gathered. 

~*~

Lan Zhan knew that separating was the correct course of action. That didn’t mean he had to like it. 

He knew Wei Ying was strong, capable. He was able to defend himself if needed, he was resourceful. But he’d already died once. He’d already lost him once. The fear of a repeat scenario wouldn’t leave his heart. It probably would never leave his heart. 

But he climbed on Bichen and followed Xiao Xingchen to his home. 

The fight that followed was dangerous but necessary. To avoid any more casualties, civilian or otherwise, they needed every cultivator present. The fierce corpses were strong and fast, and Lan Zhan kept one eye on his son the entire fight. It wasn't strictly necessary, given how skilled A-Yuan was becoming. He was even better than the last time he witnessed his son’s swordsmanship. As soon as he’d developed into a fully-fledged cultivator, he truly would have nothing to worry about. 

The fight was dragged on by their strong, unrelenting opponent, but that wasn’t what worried Lan Zhan. He didn’t fear losing; already they were on the path to winning. He feared how long it was taking. Because the longer he was here, the longer he wasn’t by Wei Ying’s side. 

There wasn’t much to do about it in the heat of the moment though. He defeated opponent after opponent, destroyed his friend’s enemies, and continued moving. Hours later, they had secured victory, and Lan Zhan was restless to fly back to Lotus Pier. 

He’d already instructed A-Yuan to wait with Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan here, at their sect, where he’d be safe. Their role in this had swiftly come to an end, and it was up to him and Wei Ying to finish what was started. 

But before he could say his goodbyes and depart, an arrow flew through the air and embedded itself into the pillar next to his head. He instantly located the shooter and found a rather smug-looking Su She. 

Thrown by his sudden appearance, Lan Zhan raised his sword and prepared to attack. 

The man didn’t look at all concerned though, even though they both knew his cultivation level and his swordsmanship were well below Lan Zhan’s. “You’ll want to read that before you do anything.” 

Lan Zhan instantly thought he was trying to distract him, but there was no need for such a thing. He obviously wanted to be seen, and the arrow wasn’t meant as an attack. Not even Su She was that bad of a shot. Lan Zhan turned to examine the arrow more closely and found a letter attached to the arrow’s shaft. Confident but wary, he sheathed Bichen and untied the letter. He opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside, inadvertently pulling something else out as well. 

His neck went cold when he found it was a bloodied piece of hair. 

Panic slowly creeping through his veins, he read the short and to the point hostage note. He would have doubted its authenticity, but this was Wei Ying’s hair. He’d been staring at it and cleaning and touching it for the past several weeks. He wouldn’t have mistaken it for anyone else’s. Added to the fact that Wei Ying had a talent for getting into dangerous situations, it was almost guaranteed that Jin Guangyao had control of Wei Ying. But even if it was a bluff, it was not a bluff he could call. He wouldn’t—couldn’t risk such a thing. 

Lan Zhan’s attention was brought back to the present when he heard commotion rising behind him. Su She grinned in amusement. “Looks like we’ve been spotted. I’ll take my leave now!” The man turned tail and began to retreat, though not in a very rushed manner. He seemed more lazily confident than anything. 

The news of spotting Su She had spread like wildfire through the various cultivators around, even though Lan Zhan hadn’t done anything to fan such flames. Naturally, the Jiang disciples were more motivated than anyone, and Lan Zhan sympathized with them, but he couldn’t let them pass. He soon found himself on the other end of Zidian, purple lightning crackling through the air. 

“Lan Wangji!” Jiang Wanyin snarled, already murderous. “Why are you defending that snake?” 

Lan Zhan tossed the letter he received without explanation. After all, the Jiang sect leader wasn’t stupid. Only brash and hotheaded. 

Jiang Wanyin sneered and burned the paper after he finished reading it. “You expect me to sit back because of this? I have two disciples to avenge.” 

Lan Zhan thought he might have been a little more hesitant, given his recent disposition towards Wei Ying, but it appeared he gave the man too much credit. Whether or not he actually believed Wei Ying to be in danger didn’t matter; he wouldn’t give up his quest for revenge. However, this just simplified things for Lan Zhan. 

He pulled Bichen from its sheath. He vaguely heard Song Land and Xiao Xingchen approach, but he couldn’t afford to pry his eyes from Jiang Wanyin. He’d dispatched a few weaker cultivators who tried to get around him, only needing to expend a small amount of chi to get them to submit. But Jiang Wanyin was strong. Maybe not as strong as Lan Zhan himself, but he wouldn’t be able to take this fight lightly. 

“You dare?” The words were phrased like a question, but they weren’t really. 

Lan Zhan didn’t falter. “You put Wei Ying in danger because of your actions. I will intervene.” 

“Then it’s his own damn fault for getting in that situation in the first place! You don’t even know if he’s actually been captured.” 

Lan Zhan held up the bloodied hair he still kept. Until he saw Wei Ying healthy and whole in front of his eyes, he wouldn’t be able to let it go. “This is Wei Ying’s.” 

“That could be anyone’s hair!” Jiang Wanyin rebuked. Zidian sparked to life again, and Lan Zhan didn’t see them settling this confrontation without violence. That was fine by him. Even if he was playing right into Jin Guangyao’s hands. 

The attack on the Xinglan Sect was likely just a simple misdirection. Made to give him enough time to escape without any obstacles or witnesses. But if the hostage note was to be believed, Wei Ying had gotten in the way, and now he was being used to ensure Jin Guangyao’s second escape attempt. The order to not pursue Su She… Well, that was probably a simple favor to repay his friend for delivering this note. A slight protection given, considering he was venturing into enemy territory with cultivators that wanted his blood. And he knew Lan Zhan would be forced to run interference, fearing for his beloved’s life. As much as Jin Guangyao couldn’t afford to kill Wei Ying out of fear of Lan Zhan’s retaliation, Lan Zhan couldn't afford to pursue him. 

So here he was forced to allow a despicable man to get away. 

“If that’s how you want to do this, fine,” Jiang Wanyin snarled and dashed forward. 

Lan Zhan made to meet him halfway and was surprised to find the man simply swept around him, clearly ignoring him in favor of following Su She. He changed his direction to follow and put himself between the two, holding up Bichen. Not one to be countered, Jiang Wanyin swept Zidian towards him, and he was forced to block with a sword glare. 

Although flexible weapons like a whip were dangerous and unpredictable, the risk could mostly be mediated if one took that first attack to disarm their opponent. Unfortunately for Lan Zhan, Zidian was no ordinary whip and instead was a high ranking spiritual weapon. He couldn’t simply grab the whip out of the air. Its shocking effect would have adverse reactions to his muscles. If his hand was exposed to it for a certain length of time, he could certainly lose function of his entire arm. 

Having his first attack blocked had Jiang Wanyin pulling back, landing on the tiles of the rooftops they occupied. Seeing as he wasn’t drawing his sword, Lan Zhan sheathed Bichen and summoned Wangji. A prudent decision by the Jiang sect leader. They both knew who was the stronger swordsman between the two of them. 

But Jiang Wanyin didn’t seem all that pressed about beating him. He dashed forward only to immediately retreat once Lan Zhan moved to retaliate. He soon realized why. 

Not so subtly, Jiang Wanyin had been diverting the fight away from where Su She was last spotted. Odd, if his goal was to recover the man. In the distance, Lan Zhan understood why: his disciples had taken up the race in his stead while he occupied Lan Zhan’s time. 

Recognizing the bait for what it was, Lan Zhan abandoned the fight with Jiang Wanyin and settled on Bichen. He raced over to the Jiang disciples in the distance who were trying to surround a grinning Su She. Of course the man was enjoying this farce. Whether or not they followed him or left him be, he won. He didn’t want nor need to activate a teleportation talisman when he was perfectly happy seeing cultivators fight over him. 

Lan Zhan struck at the Jiang disciples with Wangji, taking them off guard. He wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, especially of younger cultivators, but he would draw blood if they insisted. One stroke of his strings brought most of the disciples to their knees. However, once he was occupied, Jiang Wanyin had mounted Sandu and flew towards Su She with haste. 

Seeing how this was playing out, Lan Zhan resigned himself to the fact that he would be fending off cultivators for many shichen to come. 

~*~ 

Wei Ying couldn’t wrap his head around what Lan Xichen was saying. 

“W-What?” he stuttered and looked at the sect leader in bewilderment. “What are you talking about? Lan Zhan is… I knew you had your disagreements but—”

“‘Disagreements’?!” Lan Xichen scoffed. “Is ruining my brother’s life just that? A disagreement?” 

“Of course not! But I don’t understand what you’re talking about. He left the sect, yes, but… he’s still your brother. Wouldn’t you want him to be happy?” 

“Yes… he’s still my brother, though I’m not sure he’d be willing to admit it at this point. And yes, all I’ve ever wanted was him to be happy and whole. Unfortunately, you have always been the one to stand in his way.” 

Wei Ying felt his mouth run dry. The sentence struck him because he knew it was true. In the past, he’d been callous and rash and didn’t see Lan Zhan’s concern for what it was. But that was in the past! He’d been trying to do better this time. He spent all his time with Lan Zhan now, how could Lan Xichen say he wasn’t being careful with him? “I have only thought the best of Lan Zhan. And I know I haven’t always been… appreciative of him before. But he is whole and happy, even if he’s away from the Lan Sect. Can you not be happy for him despite that?” 

“You don’t know, do you? He hasn’t told—”

“Er-ge, I suggest you give it a rest.” Jin Guangyao’s voice was silky smooth as he entered the room once again, task apparently finished. “As much as Wangji’s feelings have been obvious to you, he has been very secretive towards Young Master Wei.” 

Lan Xichen hummed. “I suppose you’re right. Wangji wouldn’t have revealed that to him, would he?” 

“Reveal what? What are you two talking about?” Wei Ying thought he was going to vibrate out of his skin. Why were they talking themselves in circles, blaming him but also somehow blaming Lan Zhan? It didn’t make any sense. 

“I’m afraid you won’t like the answer, Young Master Wei.” Jin Guangyao’s smile was filled with mirth. “Sometimes ignorance is bliss.” 

“I don’t care!” Wei Ying snarled. “What did Lan Zhan do? Why are you talking about him like this?” 

Jin Guangyao shook his head like he was an ignorant, uncomprehending child. “I’m afraid I can’t reveal that either.” 

But Lan Xichen was the one who gestured forward for him to do so anyway. “It’s alright, A-Yao. He should know. He should bear the burden of knowing.” 

Jin Guangyao’s face looked stricken as he looked at his friend. “Er-ge, are you sure? Your sect—”

Lan Xichen signed and looked like he had suddenly aged a decade, despite his golden core. “Whatever happens will happen. We kept it a secret to protect the sect but also to protect Wangji.” Lan Xichen locked eyes with Wei Ying. “But I cannot protect him anymore.” 

“Secret?” Wei Ying said the word, but it didn’t help him parse together the mystery. “What secret?” 

Jin Guangyao appeared remorseful as Lan Xichen got to his feet and turned away, unable to be fully present for whatever followed. Wei Ying was realizing a lot of things were genuine with Jin Guangyao when it came to Lan Xichen. “The secret that Wangji killed 33 of his elders.” 

Wei Ying’s instinct was to say no, to deny it. After all, Jin Guangyao was a notable liar and manipulator. He’d be able to twist cold-blooded murder into mercy. But Lan Xichen wouldn’t allow him to lie about this. He’d never allow even his closest friend to spout such follies. But did that mean it was true? Or did Jin Guangyao somehow make Lan Xichen believe it? Convincing Lan Xichen that Wei Ying had killed someone was obviously very doable. Convincing him his beloved, younger brother had was entirely different. 

“No… that’s not… You must be mistaken. Zewu-jun… Zewu-jun, he’s lying, isn’t he?” 

“I’m afraid not,” Jin Guangyao intoned, blunt and slightly irritated. “He saw it with his own eyes. And as much as you resent me, Young Master Wei, I’m afraid there’s no way for you to twist this into a ‘scheme’ of mine.” 

Wei Ying glared at the man. Still ever the manipulator! But his attention was swiftly overtaken by Lan Xichen again. “Zewu-jun, please. Explain. How could Lan Zhan do such a thing?” 

“You ask as if you aren’t the very reason why!” Lan Xichen’s head whipped back around to face him. His eyes were red, like he was trying not to weep. “You were there! Right after Nightless City!” 

Wei Ying’s memory was patchy at the best of times. It might have been the malnourishment of his childhood, the resentment, or his death, but he’d long since had memory troubles. And it just so happened that that was one of the times most damaged. He remembered… a cave maybe? Was Lan Zhan there? But why would he be there? They were just fighting at Nightless City, weren’t they?

Lan Xichen continued on, remorseless. “After you massacred all those cultivators, Wangji took you away from the fighting, back to the Burial Mounds. Naturally, we pursued you and tried to get Wangji to see reason. He attacked our elders, me. Once he finally tired, we took him back to Cloud Recesses. But before we could administer his punishment… he killed all elders present. Without remorse. Without hesitation.” 

Lan Zhan… did that? He saved him, even back then? Even when Wei Ying was so hurt and wrapped up in resentment, even he couldn’t separate himself from it? He defended him from his own sect after all the mistakes he made? Wei Ying desperately wished he could have remembered such a thing. He’d have run straight for Lan Zhan as soon as he came back if he had known. 

Wei Ying was dazed as he responded. “I didn’t know…” 

“You didn’t know?!” Lan Xichen cried. “After everything he did for you, you dare to claim you didn’t know?!” 

“I didn’t!” Wei Ying shouted back. “I don’t! I don’t remember a lot of things. I just thought I somehow dragged myself back after…” After losing his mind? Yeah, that was a stupid thing to think. 

“You—”

Lan Xichen made to dash forward, but he was still recovering and ended up collapsing. Jin Guangyao managed to catch him before he fell completely. “Er-ge, please. I believe he’s telling the truth. If he had known… I believe Young Master Wei would have acted a lot differently, given his feelings. After all, it’s clear he doesn’t return them.” 

“‘Feelings’?” Wei Ying parroted dumbly. Even now, they were talking over his head. 

Jin Guangyao looked at him pittingly. “Young Master Wei, you don’t think Wangji would have done all these things for someone he wasn’t irrevocably in love with, do you?”

Wei Ying’s mind drew up a total blank. Lan Zhan was… in love with him? Since when? Why didn’t he say anything? How could he not notice? He began to play every interaction between himself and Lan Zhan in his head since he’d been back. He had been noticeably gentler and more mellow. But he mostly attributed that to him finally coming around to his cultivation style. Really, he was so stupid! Were these feelings recent? He really didn’t remember doing anything different this time around. But if he hadn’t fallen in love with him after he came back, then that meant—

Wei Ying’s romantic daydreams were rudely interrupted when the ceiling caved in and a crater was made in the center of the temple. As they’d been conversing and arguing, he’d somehow forgotten whose tail he’d been on before he’d been captured. It seemed Wen Ning had finally met his match, and Nie Mingjue now had a head once again and seemed all the more angry about it. 

As thrown and shocked as Wei Ying was, he was taking this much better than Jin Guangyao or Lan Xichen was. As soon as Jin Guangyao registered who had interrupted them, all the blood drained from his face, and he began to back away as if in a daze, muttering. Lan Xichen wasn’t fairing any better, shock having slackened his face. It was then that Wei Ying realized the man didn’t even know of their search for his sworn brother’s body. They’d kept their searching on the downlow to avoid Jin Guangyao’s detection, but the man himself had spirited him away before all this came to light publicly. He had no idea of the depth of his friend’s betrayal and deception. 

Nie Mingjue didn’t take long to collect himself off of the floor and sprung forward towards the closest person to him: Lan Xichen. 

It was only due to his superior cultivation and Jin Guangyao’s cry of warning that allowed Lan Xichen to live. He raised his sword just in time to avoid a strike of Nie Mingjue’s hand, but the blow sent him flying backwards across the temple. Jin Guangyao dashed to help his friend up, just in case of another attack. But he needn’t worry because the fierce corpse didn’t set his eyes upon the pair but rather the very prone and vulnerable man tied up not far from him. 

As soon as Nie Mingjue arrived, Wei Ying had gotten to his feet and set to work freeing his own hands. He wasn’t given the opportunity though when Nie Mingjue began to claw and grab at him. Only barely was he able to dash around the dead man, cursing his recent cranial accessory. At least back at the Burial Mounds, he’d lacked a head, meaning he’d lacked a good portion of his resentment and several of his senses. Plus, they’d had plenty of strong cultivators on their side. Now they had a cultivator not suited for combat, one that was injured, and another tied up! This couldn’t get any worse! 

As Wei Ying whirled around the temple, he briefly paid a glance to the other men in the room. Jin Guangyao was obviously ready to bail, but Lan Xichen seemed a little more reluctant. Wei Ying didn’t know if it was because of his emotional attachment to his old friend or because he was actually concerned for his safety, but he wasn’t going to hope for Lan Xichen’s sword to come to his defense! 

In a mostly brilliant but slightly risky move, Wei Ying thrust his tied hands in front of one of Nie Mingjue’s attacks. His claws tore through the rope like talisman paper, and finally Wei Ying was able to run around freely. He still didn’t have Chenqing, but he shouldn’t hope to get that back, even if the circumstances were dire. Without any other choice, Wei Ying began to lead the fierce corpse back to his captors. 

It appeared Nie Mingjue didn’t care if it was Wei Ying in front of him or Jin Guangyao or Lan Xichen; whoever was closest drew his ire. Though there was a notable increased level of savagery when he went after Jin Guangyao. 

Left with no other option, Wei Ying began to yell, “Zewu-jun, you must listen! Nie Mingjue is after Jin Guangyao!” 

Lan Xichen’s forehead began to bead with sweat, but he had not yet lost his composure as he suffered more attacks from his old friend. “Wei Wuxian, your lies will not help this situation.” 

“There was a reason why he drew you away from Golden Carp Tower! He didn’t want you to know! But Lan Zhan and I have been steadily collecting Chifeng-zun’s body parts to see who murdered him.” 

“Da-ge suffered a chi deviation! Do not spread lies!”

Wei Ying tried to appeal to Lan Xichen’s sense of reason, but he saw how it was a losing battle. “Jiang Cheng knows this too! The whole cultivation world does now! We held a meeting at Lotus Pier to discuss the evidence. There can be no mistake.” 

Jin Guangyao’s shrewd gaze had not left Wei Ying since he started talking, but he offered no rebuttal. It seemed he didn’t need to. Lan Xichen still shook his head, not the slightest doubt entering his voice. “Wei Wuxian, you most of all should be wary of the rumors of the cultivation world.” 

Wei Ying gritted his teeth and focused on dodging Nie Mingjue’s increasingly aggressive swipes and grabs. If this continued, they’d bring the temple down on top of themselves. Nie Mingjue’s hard body wouldn’t flinch under the impact, but Wei Ying didn’t have that same confidence. 

But before that could happen, another party crashed through the ceiling. This one much more friendly. 

“Wen Ning!” So he hadn’t been taken out by Nie Mingjue! But even though he was still on his feet, he didn’t look his best. Nie Mingjue had obviously done a number on the poor guy on the way here. More than ever now, Wei Ying wished he had access to Chenqing. If he did, he could have boosted Wen Ning’s attacks and slowly healed some injuries. “What happened?!” 

Wen Ning exchanged a flurry of punches and jabs from his fellow fierce corpse, gasping out an explanation, “Followed Master Wei’s instructions. Didn’t let Chifeng-zun hurt anyone. Tried to keep him out of the city, but he gained the upper hand and—”

Wen Ning’s voice was cut off as Nie Mingjue managed to break through his defenses and grasp his throat. Wen Ning didn’t need to breathe, but it still couldn’t be comfortable nor safe. Nie Mingjue used the opportunity to throw the man across the room, refocusing his attention back on Wei Ying. 

Now with Wen Ning in the picture, the situation didn’t seem as dire, but it didn’t diminish how dangerous it was. As more and more rubble fell from the ceiling, there became less and less places for Wei Ying to grab a foothold. Just to stay alive, he was forced to use the pillars in the temple to place in between himself and the rabid fierce corpse after his blood. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Wei Ying could see Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen slowly making their way to the exit near the back of the building. It seemed like Jin Guangyao had no qualms about abandoning them, but Lan Xichen seemed to be the one slowing them down. Since Wen Ning had entered and since Wei Ying had taken up the majority of Nie Mingjue’s attention, they should have had plenty of time to make their escape. However, it seemed like Lan Xichen, despite his harsh words, couldn’t quite abandon them to their fate with a clear conscience. 

It only took one slightly wobbly slab of stone for Wei Ying to become unmoored. As his foot slipped and his speed wavered, Nie Mingjue was finally able to catch up. The mad man grasped his ankle with enough force to break it and used his other hand to reach for his neck. 

Wei Ying cursed, more frustrated with himself than anything, and dodged out of the reaching hands. He was able to kick with enough force to propel himself away from his opponent. Before he could try again, Wen Ning wrapped both arms around Nie Mingjue from behind, desperately trying to pull him away. It looked like more and more they needed to make a hasty retreat. 

Wei Ying propped himself onto his good leg as Wen Ning strove to maintain control. It wouldn’t be long. Nie Mingjue was simply too strong. His captors were gone, but he was stuck. He needed Wen Ning to leave, but he also needed him to hold Nie Mingjue back. What to—

“Wei Wuxian!” 

Wei Ying’s eyes snapped to the air, catching Chenqing’s flight towards himself a moment before he caught it. He blinked with astonishment, but Lan Xichen was already raising his xiao to his lips. It seemed he’d finally had enough. 

Wei Ying followed suit and quickly began to call upon his demonic cultivation. Lan Xichen’s musical cultivation was already ringing through the air, clear but notably weaker than usual. They didn’t fight for dominance, only working towards a single goal of subduing Nie Mingjue. 

Wen Ning followed their lead, kicking at the fierce corpse’s knee to bring him down. Nie Mingjue growled in refusal, but Wen Ning’s hands on his shoulders were strong. Combined with Wei Ying and Lan Xichen’s playing, he was struggling to get back on his feet. 

It was arduous. Ever presently aware of Lan Xichen’s injured self and aware of the fact he could fall at any moment, Wei Ying threw himself fully into playing his dizi. He couldn’t afford to let up for a single moment, lest they lose control. 

But as the hours passed, Wei Ying’s focus was split. Jin Guangyao had not left as he had assumed. Faced with his undead enemy, he thought the man would have taken the first opportunity to flee. Evidently this was not the case. The Jin sect leader was still thoroughly concerned with his dear friend’s safety. 

Or perhaps not. 

Because as Wei Ying tried to refocus on his task, his eyes were continuously drawn to Jin Guangyao’s movements. The man stalked behind Lan Xichen, so he could not see what he was doing. Jin Guangyao was not looking at Nie Mingjue; his eyes were fixed on Wei Ying. 

Wei Ying ardently tried to ignore the feeling, but it was impossible, knowing the possible depravity of this man. When he took another step towards him, he couldn’t help but feel a suffocating pressure, which only reached a boil when he spotted a knife in the man’s hand. The same knife he used to cut his hair. 

Was he planning on attacking him?! When he was working on saving them all? Or was a thoroughly injured Wei Ying to be a distraction for Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao’s final escape? 

The panic those thoughts sent Wei Ying into threw him off his game. His lips were already chapped from playing for hours; when he missed a note, a shrill screech sounded through the air. The lapse of concentration also threw Lan Xichen off, and he gasped, spitting out blood from the laborious exercise. The room now void of the command of suppression, Nie Mingjue broke free from Wen Ning’s hold. Also tired from the strain, Wen Ning collapsed and couldn’t respond quickly enough to prevent Nie Mingjue from punching him right in his face, sending him several paces across the floor. 

Nie Mingjue immediately identified their weak link and lunged for Wei Ying. Finally unable to dodge away, Wei Ying gasped as a meaty hand wrapped around his throat. With nothing else to do, Wei Ying struck the fierce corpse across the face with Chenqing, but he batted it away like it was a nuisance and nothing more. Dark spots began to dance in front of his vision, and his eye sockets began to feel swollen as blood vessels ruptured. 

As he felt his bones squeak, his body felt suddenly cold. His limbs fell limp, and his eyesight completely blacked out. It really wasn’t very pleasant. He thought he hit the ground, dropped like a broken toy, but he couldn’t be sure. Wei Ying really hoped he wouldn’t remember this death in his next life. 

He’d much rather remember Lan Zhan. 

~*~

It was long. It was arduous. But Lan Zhan never faltered. 

He fended off both Jiang Cheng and his disciples without fail. None of them laid a hand on Su She. However, they also never lost sight of the man. Lan Zhan wasn’t sure if he actually wanted Wei Ying dead due to his failure or if he simply lost track of what he was supposed to be doing. Far too amused by the circumstances to make a clean getaway, as Lan Zhan had provided to him several times. 

His spiritual supplies were beginning to wane as they began to approach Yunping City, but he was by far the one better off. The Jiang disciples were barely able to keep up with the demanding pace; some had already collapsed and tapered off several hours before. Jiang Wanyin was still keeping up with him, but he was obviously exhausted. Sweat beaded down his temple, and his grip on his weapon faltered. Lan Zhan would have easily been able to subdue the man if he gave him the opportunity. Unfortunately, that never happened. 

As the trio flew through the city, Lan Zhan became more and more concerned as he heard commotion coming from the direction Su She was heading in. It wasn’t common commotion one might hear during the day, that of idle prattle and shouting merchants. This was much more dangerous. Full of rumbles and yells and splintering wood. It appeared Su She did not have a backup plan. Because despite the ominous atmosphere secreting from the temple they were approaching, the man still dove inside the caved in ceiling. Finally, his smug and satisfied expression had been wiped from his face. 

Jiang Wanyin dove after the man, heedless of the possible danger ahead. Seeing as he’d already lost sight of Su She, Lan Zhan opted to circle around the building to gain some surveillance. He spotted a discrete back door, guarded by a pair of Jin cultivators. After dispatching them, slipping inside was effortless. 

But every step forward he took sent a shiver down his spine. One of the halls he’d passed contained more Jins. At first, he thought Jiang Wanyin to be unusually efficient, but upon closer inspection, these Jins cultivators were not only dead: they had a dark and potent poison creeping from their hands to their necks. 

Something happened here. Something Jin Guangyao had not been expecting or prepared for. 

He quickened his pace and arrived in the main room. His brother and Jin Guangyao were huddled in one corner of the room. Lan Xichen’s hands were holding his xiao, and Jin Guangyao had what looked like a knife in his. Both their faces were pale like sheets. Su She seemed to be in the middle of making his way across to them, but his stance was unsteady and unsure. Jiang Wanyin seemed unmoored, shoulders loose and weapon swaying at his side. And Wei Ying… Wei Ying was being held by… 

Lan Zhan’s eyes fell on Wei Ying the moment his body hit the ground. And laid there unmoving. 

It took him not even a moment of registration for him to react. He raised Bichen and swung. 

Cleaving off Su She’s head from behind.

Chapter Text

There wasn’t a significant reason that Lan Zhan killed Su She first. He was simply the closest to him at the time. He was just unlucky really. 

But his next target wasn’t so easily defeated. Lan Zhan sheathed his blade with blood still dripping and pulled out Wangji, strumming without care or restraint. After all, it’d been a while since he truly went all out. Since his full strength was truly needed. 

13 years in fact. 

Lan Zhan played the most devastating and powerful songs he knew. He didn’t spare any effort. Each strum made Nie Mingjue stumble back, and when he would try to approach him, he was met with a mulish wall that didn’t falter. Any person who was not a cultivator in the vicinity would have had their eardrums rupture from the sound. Strings rattling, columns shaking. The tips of his fingers nearly bled with the force of his playing. 

He truly could have become an immoral if he so desired. He had every making, every reason to become one. If he had submitted to his punishment, he could have still led a strong and healthy life, but he wouldn’t have had the raw and sheer power he possessed right now because he refused. 

A crater began to form around Nie Mingjue. He now not only attacked the fierce corpse but the very ground he stood on. The resentment inside the dead man was immense but his fury was greater. Over and over he played until his limbs split from his body and his head was once again severed. Lan Zhan stood over the unmoving corpse for a second to make sure he was well and truly incapacitated. It wouldn’t be forever, but it would be enough time for him to finish his final act of revenge. 

Lan Zhan covered and put away Wangji with care. After all, he’d be giving it to his son before he departed from this world. Then he pulled Bichen from its sheath once more. The weapon that started him down this path and cleared the way for him. He felt Bichen sing when he crossed paths with Wei Ying. He also felt it sing when he split his own clan’s blood. 

He wasn’t surprised to find Jin Guangyao cowering behind his brother. Of course he was using his only defense. Everything he’d done up until now had been to protect and ensure his life. Now that he’d failed his end of the deal—regardless of Su She’s current status—he knew what awaited him. He knew his life was forfeit the moment Wei Ying died. Right now, he was simply clinging onto a crumbling bridge over a gaping maw of a cavern; the very act was futile. 

His brother still had not given up hope though. 

“Wangji, hold on, wait, please.” Lan Xichen held up his hand. His other was clasped between Jin Guangyao’s. “I know how this… I’m truly sorry, it was never meant to end this way.” He became incensed when Lan Zhan didn’t stop or slow his approach. “Wangji! Please, I’m begging you. This was not A-Yao’s fault. You’re angry, so please take it out on me. Please don’t…” 

But Lan Zhan didn’t care to hear about the cries of his misled brother. He didn’t care about any of it. He didn’t care that he was lied to or manipulated or simply trusted the wrong people. Wei Ying was dead. Again. So he’d do what he did last time: kill those responsible. There wasn’t any bribing or begging or convincing him otherwise. 

He still did want Lan Xichen to get out of the way though. Which he knew was a tall order for his terribly empathetic brother. He couldn’t stand by and watch as his younger brother killed his sworn brother. The only one he had left. And Jin Guangyao could do nothing but cower behind the broad shoulders of his friend because he knew the moment he left that protection, his head would come off. 

And even after everything, Lan Zhan discovered he still did not want to hurt his brother. He did not want to cause him bodily harm even if his ignorance may have contributed to Wei Ying’s death. As he stood in front of the judge of the underworld, he did not want fratricide to be one of the sins weighted upon his soul in this life.

But as he raised his sword, he found he would do it. He would run Bichen through Lan Xichen if he did not step away. If these were the paths they were taking… Lan Zhan would not falter in his stride. 

And as Lan Zhan stood not two paces away with his sword raised to his ear, he found Lan Xichen knew it too. His brother realized at that moment he would cause fatal, bodily harm to his own flesh and blood brother to kill the man behind him. And yet, before he could make the final step forward, before he could thrust his sword through two bodies in one motion, he heard: 

“Lllnnn… Zhnnn…” 

Nothing moved or dared to breathe in the temple. Lan Zhan’s body froze so quickly he thought his heart might have stopped too. For a suspended second, he thought to ignore it because he thought he was imagining it. Hallucinating the call of his beloved. But he couldn’t ignore his beckoning, so he looked over his shoulder as Wei Ying’s prone form. 

Where a finger did wiggle. 

The next moment Lan Zhan was dropping Bichen by Wei Ying’s head as he scooped him into his arms. “Wei Ying!” He handled his head and neck carefully, unsure of the damage. 

Wei Ying’s eyes did not open, but he made noises. Sounds like groans and moans and whimpers. He was clearly not conscious in any sense of the word. His body was limp and frail, but his hands spazzed and twitched like he was trying to regain control of his limbs. His neck held a collar of bruises, which Lan Zhan instantly tried to treat with spiritual energy once he confirmed Wei Ying did not have a broken neck. He set his head on his thighs, placed one hand over his neck, and another gripped the robes on his chest. 

In the span of a second, Lan Zhan’s entire world focused on the man in his arms. His anger vanished, replaced by vivid concern. He’d need to move Wei Ying, once he did everything he could here. He would also need to make some bandages. Wei Ying’s biggest injury was his neck, but he was bleeding in several places as well. As soon as he was confident in moving him, he’d take him to Xinglan Sect. There, they’d be protected by their friends. If fate was smiling upon them, Wei Ying would be able to regain access to his voice. Oh how he missed his voice, he’d only heard it a second ago, but he wanted to hear more of it. He wanted to hear Wei Ying laugh and tease and whisper and—

There was a shrieking of blades and a ringing sound before the gutting of flesh reached his ears. Lan Zhan glanced over his shoulder to see what had happened. As absorbed as he was in examining and taking care of Wei Ying, he did not see what had caused the commotion. But he did see Lan Xichen’s back to him. 

And Shuoyue in Jin Guangyao’s chest. 

Jin Guangyao seemed about as shocked at the development as Lan Zhan. He thought there was nothing Jin Guangyao could do that would make Lan Xichen take a sword against him. These past few days evidence of that. But it seemed even Lan Xichen had limits. 

Lan Zhan swiftly took Wei Ying’s prone body into his arms and backed away several paces in case Jin Guangyao decided to try anything else. But the man seemed resigned and lethargic with blood beginning to drip from his mouth. It was unlikely for him to survive. Despite his previous station in society, his cultivation had never been something remarkable. And a blow directly to his chest from a Lan spiritual sword was something worrying for even Lan Zhan’s level of cultivation. 

Lan Xichen’s jaw was trembling, but his voice was steady. “What made you think… that I would stand by while you did something like that?” 

Jin Guangyao huffed a soft, bitter laugh. “I’m sorry, Er-ge… I guess—” The man choked and coughed. “I guess I got a little cocky.” 

It wasn’t hard to imagine what Jin Guangyao had tried to do while Lan Zhan’s back was turned. 

Lan Zhan couldn’t say he was completely unmoved that his brother had come to his rescue, but he also knew this wouldn’t change anything. There was already a deep gash in their relationship that the rest of their lives couldn’t repair. 

As Lan Zhan began to gather Bichen, Wangji, and most importantly Wei Ying, he heard the shuffle of feet behind him. Lan Xichen had retrieved his sword, but Jin Guangyao still stood, mostly likely out of bitter spite. The two friends faced each other without words passing between them; they couldn’t go back to how it had been before either. Jin Guangyao’s face was pale from his continuing bloodloss, but Lan Xichen wasn't fairing much better. He looked like he might lose control of his stomach at any moment. 

And when Lan Zhan thought that was going to be the last development of the night, he was proven wrong. 

A familiar but still terrifying growl of a yell cut through the quiet of the temple. Lan Zhan held Wei Ying closer on instinct, head whipping towards the sound. Nie Mingjue wasn’t quite out for the count. Which wasn’t surprising to Lan Zhan. He did deal a great deal of damage to the fierce corpse, but he didn’t subdue him completely. He only bought himself enough time to take care of Jin Guangyao. After all, he didn’t care about anything after that. 

Lan Zhan dashed to one of the edges of the temple to assess the situation. It seemed Nie Mingjue had finally focused on his true target: Jin Guangyao. The man’s neck was between the fierce corpse’s fingers that were tightening dangerously. The dead man’s resentment seemed to increase tenfold, having finally grasped the source of his hatred and anger. But it wasn’t the only source of resentment in the room. 

A glowing, dark red began to emanate from Su She’s corpse. The man hadn’t had time to store the Yin Tiger Tally safely from the time he’d used it at Yi City through the chase to the temple. Of course, he’d still have it on his person until he’d be able to give it back to the man he’d gotten it from. That wouldn’t ever happen though. 

Having sensed a threat of fellow resentment, the Yin Tiger Tally began to react on its own. Unlike spiritual energy that was created and used by a cultivator, resentful energy needed no such host. It could direct itself in the absence of a master. Which was what made it so dangerous: it could tear its user apart if they didn’t know how to control and wield it. 

The resentment in the room began to surge, and Lan Zhan created a spiritual shield around himself and Wei Ying. Across the room, Lan Xichen cried out for his friend, but the man was already dead, neck crushed and body hanging limp. Instead of being satisfied, Nie Mingjue’s anger only grew. Taking revenge on the man he lingered for was evidently not enough to sate his business after life. But instead of moving onto the living people in the room, the man tossed away the corpse of his once sorn brother and charged towards the floating, glowing tally. 

Having foreseen the outcome, Lan Zhan wasted no time in gathering Wei Ying in his arms and exiting the temple. Jiang Wanyin and Wen Qionglin had already made themselves scarce, and he saw his brother make a move towards the body of his dead friend. 

The beams supporting the temple began to crack and splinter as Lan Zhan sprinted through the back halls of the temple. The roof caved in just as he exited, and he dashed several paces from the collapsed doorway to make sure no debris hit them. A cloud of dust and smog billowed from the ruined building, but the area around them was silent. As Lan Zhan thought, the Yin Tiger Tally and Nie Mingjue had recognized each other as a threat and taken action. It was likely they destroyed each other seconds after coming into contact.

As much as Lan Zhan ached to fly on Bichen back to Xinglan Sect where he could get help for Wei Ying, he lingered just a little longer. Wen Qionglin would likely want to make the journey with him. If not to make sure Wei Ying recovered, then to reconnect with A-Yuan. 

But the first he saw through the dark clouds was not the fierce corpse but rather his brother. 

It seemed Lan Xichen had managed to get Jin Guangyao’s corpse before it was destroyed by the fight between Nie Mingjue and the tally. But he was not better off for it. He coughed as he made his way through the collapsed stone and wood, carrying his friend on his back. He shoved debris to clear his way, but it was a hard fought battle. It should have been effortless for a cultivator of his caliber, but he struggled to exit the building. Perhaps he’d been injured before Lan Zhan arrived. 

When he finally managed to pull himself and his friend out, his robes were ruined and his face was covered in dirt. Clothes ripped, gait unsteady, Lan Zhan didn’t think he’d ever seen his brother look so disheveled. Even during the Sunshot Campaign, he’d maintained more decorum on the battlefield. 

At the moment, Lan Zhan couldn’t help but think his brother looked rather pitiful. 

“Hanguang-jun.” 

Lan Zhan turned towards the address to find Wen Qionglin approaching from around the temple. He greeted him with a nod and a hum. 

The man’s eyes grew concerned as they drifted down to Wei Ying. “Young Master Wei… is he alright?”
“Injured. But he will be fine.” Lan Zhan would ensure it. 

Wen Qionglin sighed in relief. “I’m sure Young Master Lan is heading back to the Xinglan Sect… Would I be able to accompany you there? With Young Master Wei being injured and A-Yuan being there, I…” 

“Of course.” The man would have to do some explaining to Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan, but they wouldn’t object to friends of Wei Ying. And they certainly wouldn’t object to treating him and housing him as he recovered. 

Lan Zhan drew Bichen once more to stand on, but he couldn’t help his gaze from drifting back to his brother who was already looking at him. As their eyes connected, neither spoke, but it was unnecessary and pointless. They’d already drifted so far apart, it was impossible to bridge the gap between them. Finally, Lan Xichen had to realize he had to let Lan Zhan go. He had to realize he didn’t belong in the Lan Sect anymore. And he wasn’t his brother, not in any meaningful sense of the word. 

They were related, yes, and they always would be. But they wouldn’t support each other anymore, their paths too different, the people they’ve chosen too different. From now on, they had nothing to do with each other. 

Lan Zhan saw that Lan Xichen understood. Though his eyes didn’t stray as Lan Zhan took to the sky, he didn’t call out either. Lan Xichen had a body to bury, a sect to get back to, the cultivation world to answer to. 

Lan Zhan had a beloved to attend to. 

~*~ 

Wei Ying had the worst headache when he came to semi consciousness. 

The images in front of his eyes were blurry and too bright. He squinted and winced to help mitigate the pain, and eventually things became a little more in focus. Voices were sounding above him, and a warm, heavy weight was gripping his head. Fingers began to brush against his neck, inquisitive but not invasive. There was another brush to his temple before he lost consciousness again. 

He remembered flashes of… something. A temple? People were yelling, screaming. Resentment was thick. He was alone then wasn’t. But he was danger, constant danger. He tried to get away—do something. But he was caught by something. Did he die? No, he couldn’t. This was much different from the first time he died. More like his time in the Burial Mounds. Painful and uncertain, but he was most certainly breathing. There was a hand around his neck. He fell to the ground or maybe he was dropped. Then Lan Zhan. 

Then everything was okay. 

When Wei Ying tried to peel his eyes open a second time, he managed more than a couple seconds of consciousness. His vision was still a little blurry, but it didn’t swim like last time. He was able to see what was in front of him: curtains, a ceiling, walls, and… Lan Zhan. 

He was perched over by one of the windows in the room, playing something harmonic and sweet. It wasn’t cultivation music. He would have felt the energy embedded in the notes. But it was soothing nonetheless. He wanted to hear more, but he also couldn’t help but call to the man. 

“La—” His voice quickly gave up on him, and he broke out into a fit of coughing that just made everything worse. Wei Ying blinked open his eyes to see Lan Zhan standing over him, a wooden spoon tilted towards his lips. He took the water with eager gulps and tried not to choke in his haste. 

Wei Ying swallowed, thirst momentarily quenched, and didn’t clear his throat. Lan Zhan’s hand fell away from the back of his head, resting him back on his pillow. He hadn’t even noticed the touch, but once it was gone, he instantly wanted it back. 

He opened his mouth to try again, but Lan Zhan shook his head with a serious expression. “Wei Ying, don’t speak. Your throat is damaged. It will cause pain and injury.” 

Wei Ying pouted but slumpted back like he was told. All this time since he’d been revived, and they’d barely actually said anything of importance to each other! Now that he knew everything, he couldn’t speak! This was the worst outcome. Besides being dead. 

Wei Ying couldn’t stop twitching, anxious and full of energy, despite everything. Lan Zhan was looking more and more troubled, and he probably thought he was in pain. He looked like he was on the verge of leaving the room to find a healer, no doubt. But Wei Ying didn’t want him to leave! He wasn’t hurting—he was, a little, but that wasn’t the point—he just had so much to say! He needed to talk to Lan Zhan, make him see that he returned everything he was feeling. He couldn’t allow this unspoken thing between them be unspoken any longer. 

Wei Ying began to look around the room. A paper maybe? A talisman would do. He could write to communicate. Flailing around with charades wouldn’t be sufficient. But this room was very barren. There was a table and the cushion Lan Zhan was sitting on earlier and a small bookshelf but not much else. It took him a second to recognize the space as Lan Zhan’s room at the Xinglan Sect, and that definitely meant he couldn’t write on any of the books he had here! Back to square one! 

Lan Zhan was misinterpreting what he was doing. “Soup will be delivered soon. The healers said you shouldn’t be eating anything solid for a while.” 

Wei Ying blinked. Food was coming? When had Lan Zhan managed that? Maybe he wasn’t as coherent as he thought. But it didn’t matter! He still needed to do something. Even though it was a terrible idea, he tried to speak, falling into dry coughs instead. He was fed more water, and Lan Zhan’s tone turned scolding. 

“Wei Ying, whatever it is can wait. Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue have been taken care of. A-Yuan is unharmed.” 

It wouldn’t though! Wei Ying’s heart began to feel heavy. What, was he just supposed to be beholden to Lan Zhan’s love and care without letting the man know it was returned? Unacceptable! But he also supposed it hurt Lan Zhan when he pushed and hurt himself like this. He couldn’t even imagine what he must have thought when he saw him collapsed on the ground. Wei Ying surely wouldn’t have taken it very well seeing the reverse. 

Now a little bit tired, Wei Ying fell back to his pillows. His hair was down and he was wearing new robes, but he felt filthy like he hadn’t bathed in days. Which was true. They’d been terribly busy and all over the map because of Jin Guangyao; he was overdue for a bath. He took stock of his body: other than his neck and throat, there weren’t any concerning injuries. Some cuts and scrapes, sure, but nothing worth mentioning. Good, he should be able to get in a tub sooner then. 

A soft knock sounded at the door, and Lan Zhan stood to retrieve the soup delivered to them. Wei Ying was hoping A-Yuan might be the one delivering it, but the Xinglan Sect disciple left without saying a word once finished with her task. Lan Zhan returned to his side with a soup that looked more like a broth. It had no discernible scent, and Wei Ying’s face fell. 

“No spice until you’ve recovered,” Lan Zhan intoned, gathering the bowl into his hands to pass it over to him. 

He took it and began to eat after a pause. Lan Zhan surely wanted him to eat, and it’s not like he could complain, only procrastinate. The soup was a little painful going down, but nothing of concern. It filled his belly and made him warm. Small, slurping sips went down easier, so for a while, the only sound in the room was his messy eating. But he eventually finished and sighed through his nose in satisfaction. 

When Lan Zhan moved to set the bowl aside, Wei Ying didn’t let him go. Lan Zhan paused, puzzled. “Wei Ying?” 

Wei Ying tugged him more aggressively. With food in his stomach, his energy was up, and he was invigorated once again for his mission. He gripped his hand tight then tried pulling on his dark collar. He would have grabbed his forehead ribbon if it had been there. 

Lan Zhan only continued to look confused. “You are cold?” 

Wei Ying was anything but! He tried to pull again, to get him to fall forward into the bed, but Lan Zhan was not moving. He only succeeded in capturing his hand. So with nothing else he could do, Wei Ying circled his wrist and brought his palm to his lips. 

The wooden bowl and spoon clattered to the ground. 

When Wei Ying opened his eyes from his sudden kiss, he found Lan Zhan staring at him with wide eyes, frozen but his attention entirely focused on Wei Ying. A smile was forced onto Wei Ying’s face, and he brought Lan Zhan’s hand down to examine it. It truly was a nice hand. Strong but elegant. He traced the calluses he found with his own hand. From the palm down to the fingertips. They twitched where he felt but held still for him. 

This hand he reached out for so many times. This hand defended him. This hand split blood for him. This hand found him again. 

With actual purpose this time, Wei Ying closed his eyes and kissed Lan Zhan’s hand again. The man sucked in a breath, and Wei Ying leaned back. He tugged again. Lan Zhan went willingly this time, bending over him like he was made of glass. Wei Ying reached his arms around his shoulders to grip at his hair. They met each other with equal amounts of tenderness. 

Lan Zhan seemed full of coiled, restrained tension, and Wei Ying sought to have him release it. He bit and teased and touched, far too eager for this. But Lan Zhan remained unmovable. He must have wanted him. His mouth and quivering hands near his head told him so. But he didn’t dive deeper. 

Naturally, this caused Wei Ying to try harder. However, his throat protested. 

He tried to cover it up. He foolishly tried to swallow his coughs but only succeeded in making them worse. Lan Zhan’s expression instantly shifted, and he leaned back to give him some space. Wei Ying waved off his concern frantically, but his throat wouldn’t give, and he took several uninterrupted minutes to regain his composure. 

Lan Zhan fed him a bit more water and rubbed his hand. Wei Ying thought about trying again, but his energy was thoroughly spent. After all, what was he rushing for? He got the message across. That was the important thing. Plus, he got to play with Lan Zhan’s fingers as he rested. 

Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan was notably taciturn, but surely he was bored, sitting here with Wei Ying? He was playing music before Wei Ying woke up. But even after several minutes of comfortable silence, Lan Zhan didn’t so much as squirm. The same couldn’t be said for Wei Ying. Despite his injuries and fatigue, he wiggled and shifted and moved, as restless as they came. Plus, he felt filthy. He longed to wash and put up his hair. At least he was in fresh robes. Lan Zhan must have changed them while he was out. They were filthy and covered in blood last he’d been awake. 

Lan Zhan must have sensed his discomfort because he stood without a word to fetch a tub. Wei Ying watched him bustle around the room, incredibly fond. A few buckets of hot water later and his bath was ready. A stool with hair products sat off to the side. No privacy screen was brought this time, but Lan Zhan did turn away respectfully. 

Wei Ying grinned at the gesture. Other than his throat, he  really was fine. He could walk around and undress himself. So he did that… brushing along Lan Zhan’s shoulders on the way just to see his reaction. He stiffened like a taut string, and Wei Ying thought he saw a jaw clench before he slipped under the water. When he broke the surface again, he felt much better. He dipped his head back to thoroughly soak his hair and began to scrub some of the grime from his skin. 

It seemed Lan Zhan looked away only to preserve Wei Ying’s modesty outside the tub because as soon as he was submerged, the man turned back around to help wash him. The gesture was sweet and familiar, and Wei Ying relaxed into Lan Zhan’s sure and steady hands as they threaded themselves through his hair. 

As they worked, Wei Ying caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water, and damn, those were some nasty bruises. Without a strong golden core, these would take a while to heal. Demonic cultivation could be used in a pinch, like he’d learned, but it certainly wasn’t the best way. (As he’d learned in his previous life.) He might just let this injury heal naturally to avoid any lingering, chronic pain. Plus, it would give him an excuse to hear more of Lan Zhan’s healing music. Though he supposed all he needed to do was ask. 

It seemed all Wei Ying ever needed to do was ask with Lan Zhan… 

Feeling lazy but curious, Wei Ying turned around in the tub to watch Lan Zhan’s face. His hair slipped from the man’s fingers, flopping back into the water, but neither of them were concerned. Wei Ying grabbed Lan Zhan’s hands once again, tracing, admiring. Bringing them down, down, down—

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan scolded. 

Wei Ying fluttered his eyelashes. “Mn?” he hummed, all coquettish mischief. 

“No.” 

He pouted. No fun! They could have been intimate all this time, yet now Lan Zhan was denying him? So cruel! 

“I want to hear Wei Ying say my name… for our first time.” 

Instantly, Wei Ying turned red and had to hide by turning around again. This man! All bashful one minute, and the next he’s said something like this! He couldn’t even scold him with his throat being out of commission. But he’s probably right. He wouldn’t be able to keep quiet during… that. The urge to cry out and speak would be too much. 

The rest of Wei Ying’s bath didn’t contain anything scandalous (unfortunately). Wei Ying finished washing himself, and Lan Zhan coated his hair with oil. He dried himself off and dressed in new robes Lan Zhan provided for him. Black and red. Wei Ying’s eyes drifted over to Lan Zhan’s form. He was also in black and red. For the first time, he was able to recognize and notice that Lan Zhan was wearing those colors because of him. It left a certain type of warmth in his chest to know they’d be in matching robes for the rest of their lives. 

As Wei Ying tied his hair and Lan Zhan moved to take care of the now-dirty bathwater, they received a knock at the door as well as a soft voice. “Wangji? Is now a good time?” 

Lan Zhan looked to Wei Ying for permission, but he had no reason to rebuff their hosts. “Mn. Come in.” 

Xiao Xingchen opened the door with a smile on his face. “I’m glad I caught you at a good time. I heard you requested another bath and a meal, so I assumed Wuxian was awake. Am I correct?” 

“Yes. Wei Ying is awake. His throat is damaged though.” 

“I heard from our healers as much. Wuxian, I hope you heal quickly. According to the healers who examined you, there’s not much they can do. Other than refraining from speaking and eating solid foods, nothing else is required for your recovery.” 

Wei Ying waved his hands out of habit. He looked to Lan Zhan for help. 

“Wei Ying understands. He’s thankful for your help.” 

Xiao Xingchen smiled. “But of course. You’re welcome to stay for the duration of your recovery. I don’t know what your plans will be like after, but there is always a place for the two of you here. We’d be so lucky and honored to have you both as teachers.” 

Wei Ying’s heart beat a little harder. Teaching… He thought he might never have the chance again. He had felt something tragic in his chest when he realized he couldn’t teach the Jiang disciples anymore, and it was something he was never able to replace. To be able to do it again… Wei Ying paid a glance to Lan Zhan. 

Lan Zhan shifted his focus back to Xiao Xingchen. “We will discuss it.” 

“Wonderful! A-Yuan is quite restless to see you as well, Wuxian. Should I let him know to visit you now?” 

Wei Ying eagerly nodded. 

“Please.” 

Xiao Xingchen excused himself swiftly to deliver the message to their son, and it wasn’t long before they heard rapid footsteps approaching. A-Yuan didn’t even wait before swinging the door open. “Xian-gege!” 

Wei Ying was back under his covers by this point, so he waved indulgently before he got an armful of a weeping teenager. He hummed and tutted as best he could with his voice, patting and soothing the boy’s back. What had A-Yuan so worried? Of course he would make a recovery and wake up! Lan Zhan had resumed his spot from when Wei Ying first woke up, allowing them their moment. 

A-Yuan eventually composed himself and brushed away his own tears. “Xian-gege… I’m so glad you’re awake. When A-Die came back with you like that…” 

Ah, that might have given the boy a scare. His neck would have been even worse then. It would have looked like his neck had been snapped! Wei Ying pinched the boy’s nose and shook his head to help rid the bad memory. Other than the fresh tears, A-Yuan looked perfectly fine. Well groomed and fed and uninjured. He was thankful to witness such a sight when he woke up. He knew the Xinglan Sect hadn’t walked away from recent events unscathed. 

“And Xian-gege, guess what? I’ve started to remember some things!”

Wei Ying’s eyebrows shot to the sky. Really. He grinned and mussed with the boy’s hair because he had no other response he could give. 

A-Yuan laughed. “I actually had a conversation with Ning-jiujiu at Lotus Pier. He was able to explain some things to me. And I can’t remember everything right now but… I used to be a radish, right? That’s what you used to call me?” 

Wei Ying squished the boy’s cheeks and had to pay a kiss to his lucky fortune. So the Wens were remembered after all. And even though he longed to bury A-Yuan in dirt once more to celebrate and reminisce about such times, he was a little too big for such games anymore. Right now, he could only rub his head and squeeze his hand. 

A-Yuan laughed without restraint but then grew suddenly solemn. “I think I’m going to travel with Ning-jiujiu for a while if… that’s okay?”

Wei Ying looked to Lan Zhan for help. He responded without missing a beat, “A-Yuan should do what he wants.” 

“Thank you. Of course, I’ll come back, and I’ll write letters! First, I think we’ll go to the Burial Mounds to properly bury his… our family.” 

A-Yuan having to go back to that place left a bad taste in Wei Ying’s mouth, but he wasn’t about to discourage such honorable behavior. It was a failure on his part that he couldn’t give them proper burials. It was his failure that he didn’t save them properly, but the past was the past. Nothing could be changed now. They could only keep walking forward, along the path they’ve chosen. 

“Along the way, I also wanted to pay a visit to Jin Ling, but… our last conversation wasn’t the best. I don’t know if he even wants to see me.” 

Oh, how Wei Ying longed for his voice. So he could tell A-Yuan he shouldn't worry. Jin Ling was a young boy, but he wasn’t unreasonable. He couldn’t imagine one argument between the two burned all the bridges between them. Plus, the boy had a lot of his uncle in him. He was more likely to suffer silently than reach out, even if he wanted connection. 

This wasn’t something Lan Zhan could help him convey. Wei Ying gestured to Lan Zhan, and the man got up to complete his request, pulling out a brush, inkstone, paper, and a tray he could use while sitting on the bed. Wei Ying squeezed his hand in thanks as he passed the objects over. A-Yuan watched the scene with fixed eyes and didn’t interrupt as Wei Ying began to scribble. He passed over the note when he was done. 

Jin Ling said you were welcome. If he didn’t say otherwise, you still are. 

A-Yuan took the paper with shaking eyes. He stared at the words for several seconds, fingers carefully placed away from the wet ink. He sniffed then blew, trying to dry the paper. “Thank you, Xian-gege. And…” His expression suddenly turned guilty as his gaze flickered between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. 

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow. What could cause him to make such a look?

A-Yuan wouldn’t meet his eyes, very invested in folding Wei Ying’s note. His next question was hesitant and drawn out. “I was just wondering… if you two are… together yet?” 

Wei Ying’s mouth dropped open. Where did this come from? How could the boy tell? Were they that obvious? He didn’t think they’d been acting much different from before, but then again A-Yuan had known Lan Zhan for nearly all his life. Maybe the man’s sudden attachment to him had seemed a little suspicious. 

“Because if you were… I wanted to know…” A-Yuan swallowed then finally faced Wei Ying. “If I could call you Baba now?” 

Wei Ying couldn’t do anything but stare. 

A-Yuan’s face flushed, and he began to ramble. “Just ‘cause, you know, the two of you are together and I wanted to before but I didn’t know if it was weird and I didn’t want to give anything away in case you both weren’t ready and it’s really not a big deal. It’s just that ‘Xian-gege’ is a little childish and I want to tell people—”

Wei Ying nearly lept out of his bed to wrap his arms around A-Yuan in an iron-clad hug. He brought them as close as they could be, stuffing his son’s face into his neck. Yes. Yes! He wanted nothing more. He’d never admit it, but he was a little jealous and bothered that A-Yuan called Lan Zhan “father” and him “big brother.” Of course, he knew it was unreasonable. Lan Zhan had been the one to actually raise him! He’d been dead and gone! But to hear that the boy he always thought of as a son wanting to have the same relationship with him… it was almost too much for his heart to take. 

“B… Baba?” A-Yuan whispered, nervous at the new addressal. Wei Ying squeezed tighter. “Baba. Baba!” 

There were really only so many tears one could shed, so eventually their eyes dried, and A-Yuan left with watermarks on his smiling face. They’d have a more in depth conversation once Wei Ying had his voice back, but for now, A-Yuan would spend time with Wen Ning, and Wei Ying would focus on Lan Zhan. 

He couldn’t be more excited.

~*~ 

As Lan Xichen saw his brother walk away, he knew he should have foreseen this ending. 

From the moment he saw the first body, he should have known. From the moment Wangji refused to stand aside in that cave. From the moment he knelt at their mother’s doorstep and refused to leave. 

They were two different people. Who walked two different paths. Who chose two different people. 

The one Lan Xichen had chosen hurt the one Wangji had chosen. Even if it was out of ignorance, Lan Xichen aided in hurting Wangji’s beloved, and nothing could repair that injury between them. Even as A-Yao’s devious nature was slowly revealed and even as Wei Wuxian himself tried to warn him, Lan Xichen couldn’t see it. Not until it was too late.

Not until the one he trusted above all others, who he thought to be infallibly honorable, tried to stab his brother in the back as he attended to his beloved. 

As Lan Xichen pulled A-Yao’s body out of the rubble, he knew there was nothing to be done. For 13 years, he’d hung onto hope that he could bridge the gap between him and Wangji. That punishment, atonement, forgiveness, time could make them close again. He was foolish. No, he was the fool. He watched Wangji walk away with Wei Wuxian in his arms and let go. 

Lan Xichen held A-Yao’s funeral privately. He knew no one other than himself wanted to be there. His body wouldn’t be honored in the Jin’s halls. And even if the new sect leader would allow it if he’d asked, he couldn’t bring himself to. Jin Rulan had enough on his plate as it was. He didn’t need to burden the youth with something that would only cause him trouble. He didn’t miss the irony of A-Yao having a burial site while Nie Mingjue’s soul wouldn’t ever rest in peace because his body was destroyed by the Yin Tiger Tally. 

And because his heart wouldn’t rest until he did so, Lan Xichen personally went through all the evidence of A-Yao’s deception. 

He listened to Qin Su, Bicao, and Sisi, and tried not to weep. He investigated the tortured spirits at Guanyin Temple before he put them to rest. He listened to Sect Leader Jiang’s testimony of the vision he saw through Empathy with Nie Mingjue. After his description, he returned to Cloud Recesses and entered the Room of Forbidden Books and found a missing page torn out of The Collection of Spiritual Turmoil . As he traced the edge of the torn page, he couldn’t help but feel foolish. A-Yao had played him for a fool, but Lan Xichen had let him. 

This is where his uncle found him, with his search subsequently completed. Lan Qiren was rightly enraged at his long and impromptu absence, but Lan Xichen couldn’t find it in himself to be bothered by the man’s disappointment. He could only attend to tea with his uncle and tell the full report of what had happened from beginning to end. From the moment he saw Wangji at the Stone Castles to the moment he saw him walking away from Guanyin Temple. 

Lan Qiren was unsurprised at hearing of A-Yao’s true nature; he’d never liked the man. But what surprised Lan Xichen the most was still Lan Qiren’s bias and hatred against Wei Wuxian. 

No matter how Lan Xichen told the story, Wei Wuxian was still a villain. Still someone to fear and hate and avoid. All the evidence that pointed to him being a victim of anything was promptly brushed aside in favor of blaming him for all the actions he took and all the things he didn’t do. No matter how cornered or punished or abused Wei Wuxian had been, he was still a problem that needed to be fixed or contained. As Lan Xichen stared at the new rule his uncle had etched into their stone wall— One must not interact with Wei Wuxian —he thought his brother was quite right in keeping his beloved away from this place. 

He didn’t last two months being back at home after his long absence. He went into seclusion without waiting for his uncle’s approval to mourn. To mourn his brother and A-Yao. But also to mourn his honor as a brother and a friend. 

~*~

Jin Ling returned home to a very different place. 

His uncle escorted him home, and they were immediately swarmed by a pack of disciples. Despite being uncannily silent on the flight there, Jiang Cheng made way for them through the swarm with his usual boisterous bluster. He practically shoved him into his room but sat down gingerly at the table inside, motioning for him to do so as well. Jin Ling knew better than to talk when his uncle was in this kind of mood. 

After a few minutes of silence where Jiang Cheng was trying to compose himself, Jin Ling thought about sending for some tea. Maybe some food as well? It had been a rather capricious and wild few days; they could benefit from some nutrition. However, before he could do so, his uncle began to speak. And explain everything that had happened since he left him behind at Lotus Pier. 

As Jin Ling listened, he became more and more distraught. He felt jealous at being left behind when A-Yuan was allowed to go and fight for the Xinglan Sect but then felt terribly worried about him. He knew he had Hanguang-jun and Xiao Xingchen to watch out for him, but the paranoia from the last few days hadn’t abated. He didn’t want to let the boy out of his sight. Their fight didn’t matter! He worried about his safety! 

But he obeyed his uncle and stayed behind because he knew he would be a liability. He was humble enough to admit that A-Yuan was leagues above him in swordplay, even though he might boast a better score in archery. His uncle and all the other adults wouldn’t be able to fight as well if they knew they had to watch out for him. 

He was relieved to hear that A-Yuan didn’t sustain any more trouble from when they parted, but that happy news was quickly forgotten when his uncle told him about the fate of Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian would likely make a full recovery, but his uncle was dead. One of the men that raised him was simply… gone. What he heard in the gathering room at Lotus Pier turned his stomach, so he knew he was not meant to feel bad that he died but… couldn’t he? He had known him long enough to warrant that, right? He thought back to the conversation he had with A-Yuan and wished he was present. He’d know how to comfort him. 

His uncle gave the account to him in an uninterrupted litany of tragedies and mistakes. Jin Ling was aware his uncle was giving him the truth, so its false version wouldn’t be allowed to manipulate him, but he didn’t have any time to draw questions or truly absorb the information. He was slapped in the face with this new change, this new reality he’d have to accept, and oh yeah… 

He was sect leader now. 

The thought filled him with such sudden dread, he felt a cold chill run up his spine. He knew he wasn’t alone. He had his uncle with him who had gone through a similar experience, but he simply wasn’t ready. He thought he had time. He thought Jin Guangyao was healthy and would live a long life before he was ever persuaded to think about his future seriously. Now he’d be appointed sect leader probably by next week because the sect elders wouldn’t want the position to remain empty for long. 

His hands began to shake, but then he felt a sudden thump on his back that took him out of his panicking. 

His uncle had already stood up and was looking down at him with a complicated expression. “Stop panicking, Jin Ling. You were always going to be sect leader. You just have to deal with this bullshit a little sooner.” 

Jin Ling’s face twisted. Sooner? Sooner?! This was a lot more than “sooner.” 

His uncle sighed, perhaps able to read his expression. “I’ll talk to you more about this in the morning. Now, get some rest. And don’t talk to anyone unless I’m there. Understand?” 

Jin Ling nodded from his place at the table, and his uncle saw himself out, probably to grab a bottle of liquor before sequestering himself away in the usual room he stayed in. Limbs sluggish, he dragged himself over to his bedroom room and locked it, sliding down until he sat against it. 

He only allowed himself to mope for a few minutes before forcing himself to get up and ready for bed. He dressed in his sleep robes, took down his hair, and tried to force any amount of normalcy into himself while climbing into bed. He felt shocked and jittery, but at least he fell asleep. 

~*~

The next morning wasn’t much better. 

It was only because of his uncle that he was able to have an uninterrupted breakfast before he was once again swarmed. So many people asking for direction or compensation or decisions or just straight up venting to him about this change in events, as if he had anything to do with any of it. 

His uncle was a shining beacon of stability as they waded through all the requests and paperwork. It was hand-cramping work, but thankfully it only got easier from there. Months later, they finally had a handle on things, and his uncle felt comfortable enough to leave him alone to run his own sect. 

The most anxiety-inducing part was going through Jin Guangyao’s treasure room. There were countless incriminating weapons and items in that room, and he had to go through every single one, so he knew exactly what he was keeping in his sect. His uncle offered to help him multiple times, but this was one of the few things he wanted to do on his own. Because he wanted Jin things to stay Jin things and because he knew some of these objects were from his uncle’s past. He wouldn’t be able to be objective about them. 

The most controversial and perhaps most important item was a sword. 

At first, he didn’t recognize it. It certainly wasn’t a Jin sword; it was too understated. But then he read the naming engraved on the hilt and had to verify through several documents that he was right. 

Suibian. Wei Wuxian’s sword. 

He didn’t know what to do with it at first. Wrap it up and send it through a messenger like it was any other letter? No, that was the coward’s way out. But he couldn’t simply keep it to himself. Wei Wuxian had left his sword behind long ago, but he must have wondered where it was now, right? He’d want to know that Jin Ling had it. It wasn’t like Jin Ling had a use for it. It had sealed itself, and he still couldn’t understand how Wei Wuxian could leave behind such a loyal sword. 

He contemplated sending an invitation to A-Yuan. 

He was a little more welcoming to the idea of speaking with him than Wei Wuxian. Perhaps if he apologized or was nice enough, he could ask A-Yuan to return Wei Wuxian’s sword to him. Even if Jin Ling was mean, he’d still complete the task with utmost seriousness. 

But… he wanted to speak to his friend. They were still friends, right? And they could be something more, couldn’t they? It wasn’t like A-Yuan had a sect to look after like he did. He could visit as much as he wanted. His uncle might pitch a fit about cutsleeves and heirs, but he didn’t need to worry about that as long as his own uncle didn’t have an heir for the Jiang sect. Which gave him plenty of time. 

Through these months of working alone, Jin Ling had just… missed A-Yuan. It wasn’t like they were super close or knew each other for a long time, but they just clicked. Like no one in his life had before. More and more he was wanting A-Yuan to be near just so he could ask him a question or get his opinion on something. He often began a report, only to find he was writing a letter to send to A-Yuan, as if they had ever exchanged letters before. 

These few months Jin Ling had been swamped with work, but his position was secured now and his days weren’t as busy. He knew A-Yuan had his own things to take care of after the events of Guanyin Temple, but surely he had time now? Surely Wei Wuxian was healed and well? Surely there was nothing else tying him to the Xinglan Sect? 

Sect Leader Xiao had sent him a letter about trade agreements and allyship not too long ago, but he didn’t have the heart to write back until he saw A-Yuan. It felt like he would be going behind his back in a way. Not to mention how weird it felt to write to the man as if they were on equal footing and not that they were junior and senior… 

But all his fretting amounted to nothing one lazy afternoon. 

He’d had an elder meeting in the morning, which meant he had the rest of the day to either do paperwork or fuck all. He’d secluded himself in his chambers, which was still weird being in the rooms that used to be his uncle’s. He now had an “image” to maintain, which meant he could no longer act like a teenage boy. He had to be “mature” and “regal” and “composed.” Slouching was not allowed at elder meetings. 

However, such a lazy day also meant that he was able to notice a stir amongst the staff. Some whispers and chittering that didn’t feel right with him. Of course, he immediately demanded what they were talking about that they seemed not so forthcoming with. Eventually, he was able to weasel out that there were two rogue cultivators at the entrance of Golden Carp Tower. 

He mentally made a note to find out who thought it was a good idea to keep their own sect leader unaware of people lurking at their doorstep, but he was more focused on getting there as elegantly and swiftly as possible. 

He dismissed the guards and anyone else around on his way, not wanting to give this meeting an audience. 

A-Yuan didn’t look much different from when they had last separated. Still tall and composed and dressed in reds and blacks. Huo Huaban was at his side, and he seemed perfectly fed and rested. But he was not alone. Jin Ling tried to stifle his reaction, but he still swallowed and stiffened when he saw the Ghost General at his side. 

But it could hardly matter when A-Yuan smiled when he saw him. Like the months apart from each other, the arguments against each other meant little in the face of his company. He felt red rising to his face and allotted to ignore it in favor of saving face. 

A-Yuan and Wen Qionglin were the first to show deferment. “Sect Leader Jin.” 

Jin Ling crossed his arms and couldn’t help but say, “You know you don’t need to call me that.” 

A-Yuan smiled so sweetly and with such satisfaction that Jin Ling felt undeserving. A-Yuan moved to join him, but the man behind him didn’t move. It seemed he was only escorting A-Yuan here. But there still must have been a reason as to why he was here so… 

“Young Master Wen,” Jin Ling called before Wen Qionglin could disappear into the trees. “You may join us as well.” 

Wen Qionglin blinked in shock then smiled a smile that was strangely familiar… “Sect Leader Jin is too generous. I’ll be fine waiting outside.” 

Jin Ling frowned at his rebuffed hospitality, but A-Yuan insisted for him, “Uncle Ning is too modest. Save Jin Ling some face and let him host you.” 

Before Wen Qionglin could protest any farther, A-Yuan grabbed his hand and practically dragged him forward. Jin Ling watched the display with a raised eyebrow. A-Yuan caught his eye and winked, far too pleased with himself. 

Jin Ling rolled his eyes but began to lead them through the gates to where they could have a private meal. He knew he’d be getting flack for this from his sect, but he rightly didn’t care. If his grandfather could go to prostitutes without protest, he could bring in friends! And he was prepared to say as such to anyone. 

As A-Yuan began to tell him about the travels he’d done with Wen Qionglin, Jin Ling knew it was the correct decision to let the man come along. He obviously was now someone special to A-Yuan. Plus, they’d be having a rather long conversation. It would be a rather long few days to wait outside. 

~*~ 

“Let me put it this way: spiritual energy and resentful energy are almost like opposites of each other. Your cultivation will always take the path of least resistance. That’s why it’s so easy to transfer energy between cultivators or to flood your meridians with energy. That’s its nature. It behaves like water: flowing and forever moving. This is also why Sect Leader Song and Sect Leader Xiao created their own simple, sword forms. You don’t need big movements or flashy tricks to direct your energy. If you can take a smaller step and achieve the same result, do it. 

“Resentful energy, however, behaves the exact opposite. When resentful energy is faced with resistance, instead of going around, it pushes against it even more. When you direct your cultivation, it bends to your will easily. When you try the same with resentful energy, it lashes out severely. This is its nature. This is why cultivators have struggled for so long to control it. 

“However, there is a trick. To control resentful energy, you need to convince it that you are immovable. Not just ‘difficult to move.’ But ‘impossible to move.’ That is the only way for you to exert control over resentful energy. The moment you doubt yourself or hesitate, it will backfire on you and consume you. 

“That is the fundamental difference between cultivation and resentful energy. Does anyone have any questions?” 

Wei Ying was unsurprised when dozens of hands shot into the air. 

This was something he’d missed so dearly. Teaching and answering and guiding. He’d had a little bit of that with A-Yuan in the Burial Mounds. He’d teach him some characters or allow the boy to look over his scrambled ramblings, disguised as experiments. But true, genuine mentorship, he’d lacked. He hadn’t had that since before the war. Since before he’d lost his golden core. 

He’d never regret what he did or allow himself to think about what could have been done differently, but that unsatisfied hole in his chest wouldn’t leave. At least until Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan extended an invitation for him at Xinglan Sect as an elder and as an educator. 

It was strange at first. He didn’t think someone like him should be an “elder.” Lan Qiren obviously. Lan Zhan of course. But him? There should be someone much more qualified to fill the position, shouldn’t there? But both sect leaders had said they were sorely lacking in talisman, array, and resentful energy information to impart to their disciples. The attack from the fierce corpses only highlighted how terribly unprepared and untrained they were, despite their labors saying otherwise. 

So of course, Wei Ying accepted. He always accepted a place someone offered him. So here he was, teaching once again. Each question he answered and each test he graded and each day that went by told him that this was going to be a part of the rest of his life. He wouldn’t stay at Xinglan Sect every month of the year. He still had an itch to travel, and Lan Zhan still had to show him all the places he’d been with A-Yuan while he’d been gone. Plus, they hadn’t gotten married yet! Though it was becoming more and more likely that they’d have it at Xinglan Sect…

Wei Ying was only released from his classes once everyone’s questions had been answered. He surprised himself every time they went on for so long. Weren’t students desperate to get out of class? That’s how he’d been. Why were they holding him hostage? Alas, he really shouldn’t complain. Such bright, eager faces ready to learn was such a blessing. 

Lan Zhan was waiting for him off to the side like he did every day he taught. Wei Ying couldn’t help the little skip in his step as he pounced over to where the man was. He caught him in a hug, and they shared an indulgent, little kiss mostly because not many people were around. 

“How was class?” Lan Zhan asked as Wei Ying threaded an arm through his. 

“Oh, wonderful as usual. The little ones are so cute!” Wei Ying laughed as he thought back to the small, round faces staring up at him. He had several different classes, all of varying ages. This last one was his youngest, disciples who’d been in the sect for less than a year. A lot of them had street kid looks about them or frankly children from families with too many mouths. With Xinglan Sect being terribly accepting of all kinds of people in addition to having not a single entrance fee, there were plenty of people vying for the opportunity to be in a sect. Right now their resources were strained, but he could see that they’d bloom into a robust sect once these little cultivators grew up to be able to pull their own weight. 

“Any news from A-Yuan?” Their little radish had been traveling around with Wen Ning for the past several months, obviously trying to connect to his past family. Wei Ying was a little disheartened that the boy wanted to enact this quest alone (especially when he’d only just begun to call him “Baba”), but he was well aware this was something A-Yuan needed to go about alone. 

“He says his journey is coming to a close. Right now, he’s near Lanling.” 

That meant he was finally going to try to see Jin Ling. As A-Yuan’s reports began to trickle in, Wei Ying began to worry that his words didn’t reach his son. But now he saw he was worrying for nothing. A-Yuan simply left the best visit for last, no doubt because he had no idea how long he’d be staying in Golden Carp Tower. Wei Ying was aware A-Yuan said he was close to coming home, but he wouldn’t be surprised if it was still several weeks before they saw A-Yuan in the flesh again. 

“Are you having dinner with Sect Leader Xiao tonight?” 

“Hm? Oh, yeah. That is tonight.” 

Wei Ying both loved and dreaded the time spent with Xiao Xingchen. He cared for the man deeply, don’t misunderstand. He’d come to be a very dear friend. But ever since he’d revealed that he’d been martial siblings with his own mother… visits as such had been hard to emotionally process. 

He’d grown up carrying the habit to not mention his father or his mother. To preserve the happiness of the Jiang Sect, yes, but also to avoid touching that part of himself that still missed them. At times, if he tried hard enough, he could almost forget that he was an orphan. That he had a family before the Jiangs or the Wens or with Lan Zhan. A family that loved and cared for him because he was theirs . He couldn’t bear to think about what he’d lost, especially when it seemed like such a silly and pointless adventure with everything else going on. 

But Xiao Xingchen had forced the wound open with his mere presence. He wasn’t insensitive about it in the slightest. He’d waited until Wei Ying was completely healed, able to fully participate in conversation, before dropping the bomb on him. He explained that he had wanted to tell him before but decided against it in lue of everything going on. The situation with Jin Guangyao had needed all their attention, and they couldn’t afford to be sidetracked. So he’d waited, bided his time, then revealed when he thought him ready. (Looking back on it, this was probably also why the man was so accepting of Wei Ying in the first place.)

It was a shock to say the least. Wei Ying was ready to move on from his previous life. He was prepared to leave everything behind and start a new life with Lan Zhan. But… he was dying to know. He was so curious and desperate for any type of knowledge about his parents, especially his mother. He knew both his parents were cultivators and that his father was a servant. But he knew next to nothing about his mother. Where she came from, what she was like. He knew there was a plethora of information he didn’t know. So he’d decided to share dinner with Xiao Xingchen, just the two of them, every few days to get caught up. He felt rather silly keeping Lan Zhan out of it, especially when he just blabbed to him that night about what Xiao Xingchen had told him that evening. 

He’d come to like it though. Especially as he debated whether he should reveal his sacrifice to the man. 

Wei Ying had heard stories about Song Lan’s blindness. Seeing as Xiao Xingchen was no longer seeing, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together. Sacrificing parts of your body for people you love… he never thought he’d come across another person to do such a thing. But Xiao Xingchen had. And even though Wei Ying had no intention of revealing such things to Jiang Cheng, he couldn't help the itch to spill. As Xiao Xingchen had healed his wound with his mother, maybe too he could with his brother. 

But it wouldn’t be right to reveal such a thing to Xiao Xingchen first before telling Lan Zhan. So… 

Wei Ying turned to his zhiji. “Walk with me?”

Lan Zhan gave him a look full of equal tenderness and began to lead them down a private path. 

“Always.”