So many colours in my life

11. Strong green of defensiveness

Wei Wuxian sat down on a low table and braced himself. Everything seemed to be spinning around him but he refused to succumb to any of this. He had to protect his secret, otherwise he would lose everything remaining in his life.

He did his best to maintain an indifferent and smiling face. "If I have been thrown into the Burial Mounds, how come I am here now?"

Well, that was a pretty desperate and maladroit attempt at misleading Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan. However, it was also a good question. If he had to think about this more – had he had enough time between fighting for survival and supressing his emotions – he had to actually admit he himself had no idea how he had made it out of that hell.

Of course, he knew it was because of him picking up demonic cultivation, but that was not it. No one before him had ever walked out of the Burial Mounds alive. At least no one in the documented history. Not even in folk tales were there any mentions of such feats.

So in the end, it was not such a bad thing to say. Perhaps it would actually mislead at least Jiang Cheng?

Yes! It worked. His brother looked thoughtful for a second before agreeing with him: "You are right. No one had ever come out of there alive."

Wei Wuxian was not even given a single instant to celebrate because Jiang Cheng immediately continued with his interrogation: "If not in the Burial Mounds, where have you been then? Where had the Wen dogs taken you? And..."

Wei Wuxian lifted his head and finally looked at his brother. Until then, he had been avoiding to cross his eyes with either him or Lan Zhan, he had been afraid. Jiang Cheng's current hesitation worried him. He was afraid of where this line of questioning would lead them. He should stop it in the beginning.

He did not want to lie to his brother. Every lie would sooner or later come to light. It was one thing not saying anything about his missing golden core, but it was another thing entirely to outright tell lies. He could actually understand the Lan's doctrines now: omitting was not the same as lying.

If he would not let Jiang Cheng ask him the correct questions, he would not have to tell anything untrue.

Wei Wuxian's time for thinking was up it seemed. Jiang Cheng overcame his hesitation and continued: "And why have you changed this much?"

Now, this was something that Wei Wuxian could counter. It was a safer topic. Although still not a comfortable one. He knew he had changed, just a s he was sure Jiang Cheng could see it as clearly as day.

However, his brother's personality would work to his own advantage this time. "Really? Have I changed?" Wei Wuxian asked, knowing the other would not strike back to such a direct inquiry.

And just as he had thought, Jiang Cheng drew back: "No, not exactly..."

Still, it seemed like his brother was not done with asking for a reason for his disappearance. Of course not, they were talking about Jiang Cheng here after all. Wei Wuxian had never met anyone more stubborn than him.

"But where have you been?" And they were back to this again. Wei Wuxian really did not want to go down this path. There were also other questions he was asked to answer. "Together with Second Young Master Lan, we have been following Wen Zhuliu, ready to attack. But someone acted before us. Had it been you? Have it been you who changed the talismans?"

Well, so much for that. Wei Wuxian still had to counter all those questions somehow. He felt like he was being slowly driven into a corner. He had no way out and the only thing he could do was to defend himself.

Which he had a lot of experience with. He could do this. It was enough to propose something that the other two could work with but not say too much at the same time. When being questioned, the best defence was to ask instead of replying outright.

He would let them assume whatever they wanted. It was not like they could blame him later because they had jumped to conclusions all on their own. He would just lead them on a little.

"Would you believe if I said that while fleeing, I came across a book written by a secluded master and learned how to obtain invincible power?"

Well, it was not all lies. He had indeed learned how to use demonic cultivation back in the broken-down palace of the first cultivator who had tampered with the Yin iron. And he had indeed found some pretty interesting things there. Only not books.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at him. "You have read too many fantastic stories. There are no seclusive masters or magic books that you could just stumble across."

Wei Wuxian knew that he had won. He had annoyed his brother who was now thinking that it was just one of his jokes. Good, this could not have gone any better.

He chanced a look at Lan Zhan. Just as he had expected, the Second Jade did not believe him, there was still suspicion in his eyes. However, at least he was being quiet. This way, he would not hint anything to Jiang Cheng. Wei Wuxian had already known it would not be so easy to fool him with such a lacking explanation.

Wei Wuxian willed himself to smile again, responding to Jiang Cheng's annoyance as he would have in the past. He was getting a little better at pretending and hiding. Being defensive and secretive was making him remember the old days. He could do this.

"See," he agreed with his brother, "you do not believe me." Jiang Cheng did not look satisfied so Wei Wuxian offered a final consolation. He really did not want to continue with this, it was too risky. "I will tell you the rest when we go back."

Such a promise, he could make. He had after all not specified when exactly he would tell him. It could also be easily forgotten in the swirl of days. There was a war they needed to fight in. There were more important things for Jiang Cheng to focus on than the reason for Wei Wuxian's disappearance. He was back now, was he not?

It seemed like his brother had come to a similar conclusion and was satisfied with continuing their conversation later. The main reason though seemed to have been the presence of Lan Zhan in the room. Jiang Cheng had shot him a look before agreeing: "Alright, let us talk later. It is good that you are back."

Then, his brother came to sit down by his side. It reminded Wei Wuxian of those days when they would be sitting down on a pier with their feet trailing the water's surface. It had was nice. He could finally let his guard down, there was nothing to defend himself against anymore.

"I heard that you and Shijie were alright. You are even rebuilding the Yunmeng Jiang sect. You have been working hard these past months." Wei Wuxian was trying to suffocate any other possible questions that Jiang Cheng could have with an interrogation of his own.

It worked. His brother started talking about how they were trying to find any survivors of the Yunmeng Jiang sect and recruiting new members. It always worked the best when Wei Wuxian got Jiang Cheng talking about his own achievements. The previous questions were all but forgotten.

For a while at least. It did not take too long for Lan Zhan to step up: "Wei Ying."

So much for fooling both of them. It looked like the Second Jade still had questions of his own.

Wei Wuxian sighed and looked up at him. He stood up, there was still one more battle to be fought in order to keep everything a secret.