WangXian Forever

Chapter 29 Puzzles

Lan Zhan was meditating in their room when Wei Ying decided to plant himself in his lap. Lan Zhan steadied him, kissed his plump lips and pulled him closer.

"I have to tell you something." He said, after a while.

Wei Ying leaned back, still straddling him, searching his face.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like what you're about to say?" He mused.

"You know, when we found you in Nightless City, we brought someone else back with us."

Wei Ying shuddered and burrowed into his chest. "Who?"

"How much do you remember?"

"Mostly everything, except the last few days, I think I was out of it."

Lan Zhan drew circles on his back. The action served to soothe and comfort, something he desperately needed then.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He felt Wei Ying nod.

"They took me so easily, I remember thinking. I was in the middle of the training ground. Surrounded by warriors, okay they were teenagers for the most part, but you get what I mean."

"Mn."

"The next thing I know, I'm on the floor. Then they chained me up against a wall...and...and, well, you saw my back."

His arms tightened around him.

"There were two men, I don't know their names. One was really ugly, the other man called him 'Boss'. The second one was just not very clever. And they both wouldn't tell me exactly what they wanted until the day before you found me."

"Wen Ning saved you." Lan Zhan spared him the details, not wishing to upset him further. "We brought him back to the Unclean Realm. Nie Huaisang dealt with him."

"Dealt with?"

"I don't want to know. Do you?"

"No." Wei Ying whispered. " I'd rather not know, either. I don't want to think about any of it."

"You don't have to. I am here."

Wei Ying kissed his jaw. "Thank you."

*****

That night, Wei Ying had another dream.

Again, once the mist cleared, the beautiful Queen mother of the West walked towards him.

Behind her, eight regally dressed men followed. They came closer and then bowed to her.

Wei Ying found himself bowing to all of them.

"Ba Xian Guo. The eight immortals." The Queen explained. " They represent the Old, the Young, Male, Female, the Rich, the Poor, the Noble, the Humble. They know the secrets of Nature. They have the Power to bestow Life and conquer Evil. They are my guests."

Wei Ying bowed again, just because now he knew who they were, it seemed impolite not to do so.

The Queen came closer to him and whispered into his ear, "Your text is incomplete."

He woke up sweating. Lan Zhan was still sleeping, so he just lay there, thinking about what he had seen. Why had the Queen mother shown him the Eight Immortals? What was their significance? Why was all this so difficult? And why was the text from the box incomplete?

*****

When they all gathered in the library, Wei Ying told them about his dream. He hadn't been able to go back to sleep after that, just thinking about it, and all the possible reasons for what had been shown to him. But his lack of rest showed in his tired face and red eyes.

"I remember several journals by travellers, back in Gusu." Zewu-Jun said, thoughtfully. "I don't know exactly what they talk about, but when we were reorganizing the library after it was burnt, I remember a disciple asking me about them."

"Do you think we can learn anything more here?" Wei Ying asked, looking around at them.

"We found nothing on the Yangsui." Jiang Cheng supplied. "And you found all the possible locations for the temple and bridge places."

"Before we set out for those, I just want to make sure we know as much as we can." Wei Ying stood up, fidgeting.

"About?"

"About...well, everything. I think we can do better, while we have the chance. What if we go out there and miss something vitally important? It's bothering me that the Queen said our text is incomplete." He started to pace.

"Do you think the answers can be found in Gusu?" Zewu-Jun asked.

"If not full answers, at least something more."

"Then it's settled."

Wei Ying was startled as his hand was suddenly encased in another's, looked up at Lan Zhan. "Let's go home."