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“Lan-Xiong! Wei-Xiong! Nie-Xiong! We’re going to Caiyi, do you want to come with us?” The three boys mentioned glanced at each other before shrugging, while the Lan gives a Lan equivalent of a shrug. But they all stopped before they left by Lan Xichen.
“There’s quite a bit more Water Ghouls than we anticipated in Caiyi Town, would you all be able to help us take care of this before your fun?”
Wei Ying perks up, grinning at the rest of the boys “Of course we’ll help, Lan Gongzi! Nie-Xiong, you can test out that fan I made for you the other day?” He glances at his friend who gets a surprised look on his face before smiling brightly and agreeing.
Lan Zhan tilts his head slightly “Meet back in 15 minutes?” They all nod and hurry to get the items they’ll need and their weapons.
They show up and fly down to Caiyi, doing some groundwork for the investigation before renting boats and taking them out to Biling Lake, careful of the stillness of the water.
Wei Ying, Lan Zhan, and Nie Hauisang are standing in 1 boat, while other disciples are using other boats, Lan Xichen was slightly stunned but also pleased when he realized how close Wei Ying, Lan Zhan and Hauisang had grown in recent years.
“Jiang Cheng!” His eyes flicked to the bottom of the heir’s boat, making the other’s widen slightly before jumping to Lan Xichen’s boat with a quick apology while Wei Ying jumped to the top of the other boat and onto the top of his own before slamming the bamboo pole into the bottom of the other boat and sending it flying over a few others only to show that there were 3 ghouls on the bottom, clinging tightly.
“Wei Gongzi, how?” A Lan disciple asks in awe after they’re dealt with, making Wei Ying smile brightly and said disciple blushing.
“The water disbursement was off! There was no reason the boat should act like it has more people than just 1 on it, when it was only Jiang Cheng.”
“Wei Gongzi is very wise.” Lan Xichen praises with a kind smile, making Wei Ying laugh awkwardly and brush the compliment away.
Nie Hauisang is watching the waters around all of them when he notices the darkness starting to spread. He hurriedly taps Lan Zhan’s shoulder who notices and says “Wei Ying!”
Wei Ying spins to look at him curiously, before Hauisang points it out. “A water demon!” Wei Ying says urgently.
“Get on your swords, quickly!” Everyone does so, listening to the second jade quickly. Wei Ying slips to Hauisang’s side and whispers in his ear after they get high enough away. Hauisang nods and hurries to the shore, this was more than they’d thought it would be.
“Wei Gongzi, Wangji with me, Jin Gongzi and Jiang Gongzi with Yu Qiang!” They all nod and hurriedly get the others out of the path of the water demon when Wei Ying spots a Lan disciple standing stranded in a boat, petrified.
He hurries to get to him, barely catching his wrist in time and pulling him away. While he’s strong and swift, his sword is only built for speed. He tries to fly higher in the air but is no match for the struggling disciple and dodging the Abyss.
“Lan Zhan, catch!” Said man spins to grab the disciple bodily thrown at him, before yelling “Wei Ying!” and watching in horror as his best friend gets dragged into the Abyss, vaguely hearing Nie Hauisang screaming in terror from the shores.
Wei Ying hits the icy water moments later, the silence eerie and he shudders, sinking. Unable to figure out which way is up, and which is down, he glances around seeing only darkness.
Suddenly he touches his necklace and thinks ‘Hua Cheng.’ He struggles to move but he keeps sinking, a hand shoots through the darkness and grabs him, pulling him up and into fresh air and into powerful arms. He coughs, blinking his bleary grey eyes open to see his savior.
“I’ll kill that trash for daring to harm you.” Wei Ying jerks in surprise at the voice, his head snapping up at the beautiful man from all those years ago.
“Gege!” He throws his arms around the man who stiffens for a moment before softening and gazing down at him gently. He brushes his wet hair back from his face, his thumb brushing his lower lip gently.
“Are you alright, A-Ying?” His deep voice sends shivers down the younger boys back, but he nods shakily, tightening his arms around the man in response.
“How did you-?” Before he can finish, there’s commotion nearby, Lan Zhan and Nie Hauisang stumbling through the brush and freezing at the spot where Wei Ying is cradled delicately in Hua Cheng’s arms. Hua Cheng stands there looking like an avenging god at the moment they finally see him for the first time.
“Is this your Soulmate Wei-Xiong? Dang… the luck you have is incredible.” Nie Hauisang stares unabashedly at Hua Cheng, who quirks a brow and smirks slightly before glancing down at a blushing Wei Ying.
“Is Wei Ying okay?” Lan Zhan takes a step forward, moving to stand beside the two worriedly and glancing at Hua Cheng.
“He’s alright, I’ve taken care of the resentment. That little Lan disciple should be lucky I haven’t seen him yet, trying to pull A-Ying off balance like that; if I had been a minute later...” He trails off, his eyes flashing dangerously and the temperature growing cold. Wei Ying shivers at the cold air before it vanishes like it wasn’t there as Hua Cheng pulls a blanket out of nowhere and wraps it around him.
Lan Zhan’s jaw is clenched, angry as he looks back at the way they came from. “He will be dealt with appropriately, I swear it.”
Hua Cheng stares at him for a moment before relaxing, nodding. “Good, your sect may forbid murder but when it comes to A-Ying, nothing is off the table.” His smile is chilling and all three boys shiver, though Wei Ying is blushing and buries his face against Hua Cheng’s chest.
“Gege, do you have to leave again?” Wei Ying says sadly as he clings to Hua Cheng’s robes, worried he’s soaking him he tries to back up, but Hua Cheng pulls him close, kissing the crown of his head softly.
“Mnn, Gege doesn’t have to leave just yet but I’ve no interest in people knowing who I am for the moment. One moment.” And before the 3 boys’ eyes, he changes his appearance, looking as though he’s a teenager, not much older than them. His robes are much simpler though still crimson, and his hair is braided off to the side. His inner robes are white while his trousers are a soft cream color, and his boots are still black.
Wei Ying gulps, taking in the new appearance with a blush. Hua Cheng catches it and smirks, pulling him close and kissing his forehead, much closer in height in this form of his and it comes with equally handsome views.
“What do we call you if you’re planning to stay for a while?” Hauisang asks curiously, looking between the two of them before glancing at Wangji and back towards the brush as they hear voices coming closer.
“San-Xiong, we met on a night hunt recently and I was nearby when I heard about the water ghoul problem.” He looks at the three of them who nod in understanding. He fixes the blanket around Wei Ying who squeaks at being manhandled and spluttered but gives in with a look from Hua Cheng.
“Wangji! Where are you?” Lan Xichen sounds close and Wangji clears his throat before glancing at everyone else who nods, he walks towards the brush.
“Xiong-zhang.” They all step out of the brush and see Xichen’s look of relief shoot across his face. Then he looks startled at seeing Wei Ying and a man he’s never seen before behind them. He gives a confused smile to his brother who does not look nearly as surprised as he thought he might.
“Xichen-Ge! San-Xiong saved Wei-Xiong!” Hauisang throws himself in Xichen’s arms, who catches him automatically, surprised at the news.
“’San-Xiong?’ This one is Lan Xichen, thank you for your help.” He sounds more confused than is probably warranted, but he did almost lose a guest disciple and now found said disciple perfectly fine with someone he’s never seen before and his brother and best friend’s brother.
Hua Cheng’s lips quirk slightly before inclining his head. “No need, I heard there was trouble nearby and saw Wei Ying fall and dove in.” He looks over at Wei Ying who gives him a soft but bright smile, pulling the blanket around him tighter.
Lan Xichen glances between the two slightly stunned before clearing his throat and smiling. “I’m glad I don’t have to tell Uncle I lost a disciple while we were taking care of this problem. Though I am curious, the Abyss suddenly vanished, do any of you have any idea how?”
The 4 of them look properly stunned and shocked, staring in various stages of disbelief.
“It’s gone? How?!” Hauisang blurts, looking between everyone.
“Doesn’t it take 5 years for one of those to vanish after you dry the entire body of water? There’s no way it could just up and disappear.” Wei Ying says, very much not looking at Hua Cheng who purged it in his anger of it trying to hurt his mate.
“I heard some music before I headed this way, maybe it had something to do with that?” Hua Cheng tilts his head in mock confusion, his brows furrowed trying to remember.
Wangji looks curious “Music?” He glances at Hua Cheng, adding to the lie without even an ounce of suspicion from his brother, which is more surprising than anything.
Xichen frowns, before shaking his head. “I heard nothing, but I was more concerned about getting people to safety, maybe other residents or the disciples heard something. San Gongzi, are you staying in town?”
“Ah, I just came to town, so I have yet to find any place to stay yet. I hope there’s room at an Inn…” He trails off, looking thoughtful.
Wei Ying perks up “You saved my life San Lang, Lan Gongzi he could stay at the Cloud Recesses, couldn’t he? He’s an incredible rogue Cultivator that Lan Zhan and Hauisang and I met on that night hunt in Qinghe a few months back. His sword skills are impeccable.” He continues, adding more praises that start to make said man choke on a laugh.
He reaches out to wrap an arm around Wei Ying’s waist and to clap his other hand over his mouth with a smile on his face. “Wei Ying, please. You’re going to make my ego too big to fit anywhere if you keep this up.” Wei Ying blushes brightly but laughs a little, looking away.
Lan Xichen looks amused and glances at his brother who agrees with the sentiments, though he looks amused too.
Hauisang perks up and says “He could even stay with us! There’s only the two of us in that three-person room since Jiang Gongzi is staying in another dorm.”
The dark look that flashes across Hua Cheng’s face is too fast for anyone but Wei Ying to catch, but he does and pinches Hua Cheng’s waist slightly to get his attention.
He glances down at Wei Ying with an arched brow, and feels a kiss pressed against his palm, making him suck in a sharp but soft breath at the sensation. His face softens, dropping his hand from Wei Ying’s face in the process.
All the others miss this interaction, but it feels intimate with the two of them as they look at each other, soft looks on their faces as they take the other in.