Brother in Laws ||Mo Dao Zu Shi||

Chapter 66: The Yiling Patriarch

*This chapter includes the horror and gruesome scene in the novel, though its slightly downplayed.

Four nights after finding Wen Qing, Lan WangJi and Jiang Cheng found themselves at a familiar two story tall courier station of a remote mountain city. Already knowing what to do, they ordered the disciples to stay around the area and prevent Wen Zhuliu and Wen Chao from escaping - though that would not happen.

Making their way to a rooftop, Lan WangJi and Jiang Cheng both peered through the hole in the roof, seeing the same they did last time. A cloaked figure was hunched in front of the table, Wen Zhuliu walking forward calmly from the stairs.

After confirming Wen Chao was alright, Wen Zhuliu hurried over to all the windows and closed the curtains firmly. He then walked back to the table and sat down, and lit an oil lamp. Wen Chao panicked, his voice thin and sharp, compared to the arrogant and mocking tone he always used, "Don't light a lamp! What if he finds us?"

Lan WangJi and Jiang Cheng exchanged knowing looks, a small spark of relief and hope passing between them. Wen Zhuliu searched through his sleeve, "Even if it we do not light the lamp, do you think he will not find us?"

"W-we've run for s-so long. He mustn't-be able to catch us, r-right?" Wen Chao's voice wavered.

Jiang Cheng and Lan WangJi both let out light scoffs under their breath, silenced by the barrier Lan WangJi had placed without Jiang Cheng realizing. Wen Zhuliu hummed, "Perhaps,"

Wen Chao fumed, "Perhaps? If we haven't outrun him, why have we stopped?"

"You need ointment," Wen Zhuliu placed the medicine on the table, "Or else you'd be dead for sure,"

He removed the cloak and even now, Lan WangJi and Jiang Cheng couldn't help but stiffen. Wen Chao's head was covered in bandages, his once good-looking features gone. Wen Zhuliu began to remove them and Jiang Cheng grimaced, "I forgot how merciless he was during the war,"

Lan WangJi couldn't help but agree at the sight of the bald head and face covered with long red wounds of scars and burns. Wen Zhuliu took out the bottle of medicine, placing two pills in his palm and holding it out. Wen Chao leaned forward, eating from the man's palm as if he were an animal.

Wen Zhuliu then took out some ointment and began to apply it on the wounds. Wen Chao whimpered in pain and Wen Zhuliu paused, "Do not cry or else the tears will fester the wounds and worsen the pain,"

Unable to even cry, Wen Chao only hold in his tears of pain. It was pitiful, but knowing that this man had beaten, slapped, and threw Wei WuXian down into the Burial Mounds, neither young master felt a drop of sympathy.

Suddenly, Wen Chao screamed, "The flute! The flute! Is it the flute?! I heard him play the flute again!"

Despite how terrified Wen Chao was, hearing his words made both boys smile a bit. Lan WangJi looked nostalgic, "Wei Ying still creates Chenqing,"

"I'm glad," Jiang Cheng muttered.

Chenqing, while having been the feared ghost flute, held many memories, both good and bad. It was also the only thing Jiang Cheng had of his brother after his death. And even though he never admitted it, he had cried staring and hugging that flute, begging for his older siblings. When Jin Ling was young, Jiang Cheng had once found his nephew near the flute. And the sorrow and grief made him silently take Jin Ling away, ensuring the younger didn't go near it again.

One of his many mistakes.

"No, it was the wind," Wen Zhuliu denied.

Wen Chao was too scared that he fell to the ground, wailing. Wordlessly, Wen Zhuliu picked the heir and sat him up again and continued applying the ointment. Once finished, he took out a few buns, "Eat. We'll continue after you finish,"