WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 26 Counsel

Lan An, the founder of the Gusu Lan sect, was originally a Buddhist monk, who gained fame at a young age. Later, he chose to cultivate as a musician.

"He kept some records of early scriptures." XiChen smiled at Wei Ying. "Come with me."

Wei Ying followed him into the Forbidden room, where a door appeared, and had he not been led to it directly, he probably wouldn't have seen it.

"Don't tell anyone about this place." XiChen whispered.

"A secret room inside a secret room? I wouldn't dare!" Wei Ying giggled with delight, feeling the kind of joy only experienced by learning something super secret. And this was super, super secret.

"We keep all the Buddhist related text here. Not only is it protected, but it does not disturb anyone's cultivation." XiChen lit a candle and took Wei Ying to a particular bookcase.

"Who cleans here?" Wei Ying ran a finger along the edge of the wooden surface and was surprised when it came away dust free.

"Sometimes I do, or one other. We do not allow anybody else inside here." XiChen winked at him.

Definitely learned that from Jiang Cheng, Wei Ying thought, gleefully. The Lans were not known for winking.

"Then I am privelidged to be given entry." He said out loud.

XiChen pulled out scrolls and gestured to a low table. "Let's start."

They spent hours going through many books and scrolls, but it was when Wei Ying accidentally dropped a ledger and a piece of paper fell out, that they had a stroke of luck.

There was only a paragraph at best, but it described the moment that the Buddha first saw the eighth son and accepted him as a mount, due to his wisdom and intelligence.

"Body of a lion..." Wei Ying mused.

"Brother." Lan Zhan had found them but they had been so engrossed in their task, that neither had noticed.

Judging from his lack of surprise at what they were doing, Wei Ying discovered something.

"This is the other, isn't it?" He asked XiChen, coming around the table to kiss his husband.

"Indeed."

Lan Zhan proceeded to show him exactly how much he had been missed, And XiChen had to look away, ears blazing.

"I think we're done here." He grabbed the paper and left quickly.

"Soooo... husband of mine, I think we are totally alone now..." Wei Ying grinned naughtily at him.

Lan Zhan wrinkled his nose. "This is a sacred place."

"Our love is holy, don't you think?" Wei Ying began stripping.

"Mn." Lan Zhan looked confused.

"Just come here." Wei Ying grabbed him.

After that, Lan Zhan couldn't form arguments even if he wanted to.

******

Jiang Cheng had joined them later in the evening, in the normal part of the library.

XiChen had already told him what they'd found.

"It's been bugging me for a while now, about why I couldn't reach Li Xiwang via the anklet." Wei Ying suddenly said. "But I have a theory."

"What does Wei Ying think?" Lan Zhan pulled him closer by his waist.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, but copied his movements by pulling XiChen closer.

Wei Ying suppressed a smile and continued. "You know they meddled with her core, but somehow it's still intact."

Jiang Cheng stiffened at the mention of Li Xiwang's core. XiChen held his hand under the table.

"So I think they might have separated her spiritual cognition from her core, momentarily. And that interruption caused the anklet to fail."

"Is that possible?" XiChen asked, aware of Jiang Cheng's growing uncomfortableness at this topic of conversation.

"I don't know. It's just a theory right now." Wei Ying sighed.

"How is Li Xiwang doing, cultivation wise?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Really well!" Wei Ying gushed. "She can meditate for hours and she's just moments away from picking a spiritual instrument."

"I'm glad she's alright." Jiang Cheng was relieved.

"My grandmother is amazing. She even fixed me." Wei Ying pointed a finger at him. "No pity party, I mean it!"

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, with difficulty.

"Any word from Nie Huaisang?" Wei Ying asked, grinning.

"I believe sect leader Nie Huaisang will be visiting us in a few days. I hope he has been more successful than us." XiChen informed them.

"And what about the ring? Any news?" Wei Ying snuggled closer to Lan Zhan, who kissed his hair.

Jiang Cheng grabbed XiChen's hand and kissed it, maintaining eye contact with Wei Ying.

"The healers are investigating. They know it's a kind of poison but looking at it more thoroughly may give us important information."

"I would like to leave soon, in order to look for the other children." Wei Ying glanced up at his husband.

"Mn."

"I think Li Xiwang will be alright. If we're not here for a few days." Wei Ying smiled sadly. "She's so tough, but I think she keeps it inside, what she feels. I'm glad Hui Gai is with her."

"What?" Jiang Cheng's voice rose by a decibel.

"What, what?" Wei Ying looked at him, innocently.

"You let a demon near my niece!"

"I let a friend near your niece. My daughter." He corrected.

"Our daughter." Lan Zhan added with a shy smile.

"You're so cute!" Wei Ying kissed his cheek.

"About that, Brother Wei. Shall we have the naming ceremony before you both leave? That way she will feel more comfortable as part of the bigger family." XiChen beamed. "She's my niece too."

"That's a good idea." Wei Ying turned to Lan Zhan. "Can we get some pretty robes made for her? I don't know what her favourite colour is, but I can find out."

"Mn. Wei Ying is good father."

"So are you." Wei Ying blushed.

He looked at their joint hands and realised that it was true.