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Wei Wuxian still hadn’t been back down to the mortal realm, staying with Xie Lian even though he knew realistically that he should go back. Maybe…
No one would even know he was gone, maybe they’d think he killed Wen Rouhan and he’d vanished. Which was a silly thought considering he hadn’t even had his sword with him to bring to Qishan when Madam Yu had given him up like a pig on a silver platter.
He was currently standing in the bedroom, hair loose and trailing down his back over black sleep robes. Since staying with Xie Lian things had been… normal for the first time in his life, he didn’t need to try and protect anyone, or be blamed for just being himself.
Said man was currently walking towards him with an apologetic look though, immediately worrying Wei Wuxian. “Gēge? Is everything alright…?” He trails off, turning fully to face the other.
Xie Lian gave him a sweet smile, nodding his head. “Everything’s fine, I just have some work I need to take care of today that requires my attention. I don’t want to leave you on your own though…” He admits gently, cheeks flushing lightly at the admission.
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widen in understanding before he laughs, the sound a little teasing. “I know I’m pretty Gēge, but work is important.” He leans closer, moving to wrap his arms around the other’s waist and making his cheeks flush even brighter.
“A-Ying!” He chides gently, though he’s smiling, not a reprimand in sight.
Laughing even brighter, Wei Wuxian leans in and slides his hands up to cup his face, brushing their lips together. The other fists his hands into his robes, the two staying close for a few moments into a slow, languid kiss.
Wei Wuxian pulls back first, both of them breathing deeply, lips shining and red. Leaning his forehead against Xie Lian’s, he offers him a soft look.
“I’ll be fine, go do your thing.” He murmured, lips twitching as Xie Lian’s expression grew conflicted.
“Are you sure?” He replies just as quietly, searching his eyes worriedly. They’d barely left each other alone since Xie Lian had brought him here, but it still made his heart ache sweetly.
“Of course! I’ve been hogging you all to myself, work is important. I can… go explore?” He asks, tilting his head to the side, getting a hum as his response.
“Just be careful, if you need me pray and I’ll come directly to you.” Xie Lian replied softly, hands still fisted slightly into the other’s robes.
“My hero.” Wei Wuxian teased, causing the other to laugh softly; it was true in any sense.
He watched as Xie Lian left him in what was now thought of as their bedroom, shooting the elder a sweet smile and a cheeky goodbye salute before he turned away to get dressed. Moving around the room, he quickly got dressed before pausing in the mirror nearby and pausing to look at his reflection.
His robes had been switched out for pitch black robes with a red so dark it looked like fresh blood edging it with a phoenix stitched across his back in delicate silver thread. His normally high ponytail was now traded for a half up-do, his red ribbon tying it back as his bangs framed his face and braids twisted back into the ribbon.
Wei Wuxian looked wholly different but altogether the same - though there was a darkness in his eyes now that remained after the trauma he’d lived through. Xie Lian had done his best to help him through most of it - but there were still moments when he felt the ghost of that bastard’s touch along his skin that made him freeze up and tremble.
But right now, he made his way out of the palace, his steps sure like he was born to be in the Heavens instead of in the mortal world. People glanced at him in confusion, but none stopped him when they saw the white flower delicately placed on the red ribbon where it holds his hair back.
Meandering his way down the long paved road, he passed massive palaces on either side of long stretch, elaborately done structures that even the Jin would have a hard time outdoing but much better decorated than Lanling’s own golden tower.
He came to a palace that had multiple people hurrying around in the large open space inside surrounded by piles and piles of books and scrolls, and his brows arched in surprise before his curiosity got the better of him and he stepped inside. Glancing around, his hands were clasped behind his back before an official nearly ran into him and he caught the woman’s arm and some scrolls before everything fell to the floor.
“Apologies, Jiejie!” Wei Wuxian grinned sheepishly, bowing in apology.
The woman blinked him, her eyes a little dazed before she straightened up in surprise at the sight of a new face. “It’s alright, are you looking for Lady Ling Wen?”
Tilting his head thoughtfully, his gaze roamed over the room before falling back onto her with a slight twinkle in his eyes. “I wasn’t, but I think I’d like to meet with her if she’s got a free moment? I’d like to help.” He offered in response, dropping his hands to gesture in front of him with a vague open move.
“Help?” She asked in confusion, unsure if she’d heard him correctly.
“Yeah! The organization here could really use some help, I could make an array to keep things organized and sorted. Do you think she’d be alright with that?” He asked, smiling bright but his whole figure soft.
The woman’s eyes widened in shock before she whispered breathlessly, awe dripping from her voice. “You could do that…?”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he let out a laugh that sounded positively sweet. “I’d certainly do my best, I love experimenting! And helping.” He shrugged, not paying any attention to the officials that had stopped to listen in, their expression stunned.
A woman in black and navy robes hurried over, her expression exhausted but the look in her eyes intrigued. “Wei Wuxian, I assume?” She asked, glancing at the teen.
Turning, he shot her a smile though he was hesitant and she bowed, stunning her officials. “This one is Ling Wen, God of Literature, if you could make that array, we’d be in your debt.”
Immediately flustered, Wei Wuxian tried to get her to stop bowing but didn’t touch her, still hesitant with anyone that wasn’t Xie Lian. “Really there’s no need for that, I’m more than happy to help how I can - we don’t even know if it will work right away!”
“I’ll take anything, even if it’s simple.” The look of hopeful relief in her eyes was Wei Wuxian’s undoing and he gave in with a helpless laugh.
“Is it alright if I have a look at your scrolls and books on diagrams and arrays that people have attempted?” He asked in response, watching in stunned amusement as Ling Wen immediately shooed her people to find what he needed; everything else put on hold for the time being.
“You’re welcome to whatever will help, and if you need more, I’ll personally look into it.” Ling Wen responded, a determined look in her eyes.
Wei Wuxian grinned a little before bowing his head in thanks. “I’ll do what I can!” He said, before taking the scrolls that someone had placed on a desk nearby and started reading.
Officials all over the hall kept glancing at him from time to time, awe in their gazes as he swept through scroll after scroll and book after book before requesting some paper and ink. It was given to him quickly and he drew out a diagram so simple yet elegant - the markings some that people had tried to put in a way that none had ever dared.
Placing it on the table and activating it with a sliver of Qi, the array glowed faintly and everything on the table sorted itself before being organized by name and year.
Grinning brightly, he turned to glance up at Ling Wen who had moved over when she’d heard him request for the items and her own eyes widened in shock before turning a bone deep relief filled look on him.
It had only taken him a handful of hours to pull off something no one had been able to do in years and to say the entirety of her palace was stunned was an understatement. All of her people bowed to him, crying tears of joy at the realization that they’d finally get some free time.
Helpless, he was too flustered to do much of anything but accept the thanks thrown at his feet. “It’ll still have to be engraved into the floor or the bookcases, but it’ll do until I can make something more concrete.”
Shaking her head, Ling Wen looked like she wanted to hug him but held back, knowing he wouldn’t welcome something like that even if she didn’t know the full story. “This is already more than enough - thank you.” She said sincerely, voice shaking slightly as she herself teared up.
After that it was a rush to engrave what needed for the arrays and scrolls and books and papers were suddenly flying through the air, heading for their locations.
Word spread through the communication array of Xie Lian’s companion, accomplishing what was unheard of that was spread far and wide. Officials and Gods alike were impressed and shocked.
Who could tell what would happen next?