The Sorcerer's Revenge

Chapter Eight

Xue Yang really despised Lan Wangji being in the Burial Mounds and couldn't believe that Wei Wuxian was allowing him in the sect to observe and report back his findings. He didn't think Wei Wuxian believed him either, but his master works in unorthodox yet smart ways. He preferred to do it his way, whether someone else told him to do it a different way or not.

He watched Lan Wangji eavesdrop on Yuan and Wei Wuxian while they had some much-needed bonding time. Xue Yang had told Yuan to go and spend some time with his father knowing Wei Wuxian would never turn the young boy away. He was going to stop Wangji from listening in. However, he decided he'd much rather watch him in case he was going to do anything, and he'd be able to stop him in the act.

Mo Xuanyu and Wen Ning had gone off together to check the warning talismans, and the rest of the disciples were just playing around or practicing with each other. He watched Wangji walk away from the cave then spotted him and walked straight toward him.

Xue Yang met him halfway, deciding he'd ask the man his own questions only to be stunned into silence as Wangji told him Wei Ying said he could have his weapons back.

"I don't believe he said that," Xue Yang answered.

"I asked him, and he said to come to you and say that he is allowing me to have my sword and quqin," Wangji said back.

Xue Yang sighed but nodded and waved him to follow him to retrieve his weapons. Wangji studied the man and was still a bit shocked he'd taken him in. Xue Yang stood for everything that Wei Wuxian was against, or at least he thought Wei Ying was against. 

Xue Yang clicked his tongue against his teeth and said, "Don't think you're not suspicious just because Sect Leader Wei is letting you observe the sect. You may not be suspicious to him, but you are to me. I'll be watching your every move."

Wangji wanted so badly to just tell the other man to fuck off, but he was a Lan and couldn't show such indecency to anyone, let alone Xue Yang. Instead, he said, "I understand, but as Wei Ying has said, I am not going to get any useful information anyway so there's no harm. I am only doing this to protect A-Yuan."

Xue Yang scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I don't believe that for one second. You want to know what I see when I look at you, Hanguang Jun?"

Wangji turned his chin up, waiting for an answer instead of replying to the man, and continued walking, eyes wandering around the open area they were in.

"I see another normal cultivator coming into this sect, trying to get rid of my master. you cultivators lie and manipulate and kill to get your way," Xue Yang said, matter-of-factly.

"I can assure you, Xue Yang, that I am not like that. I apologize if I have come off to you in that way. I've only come here to help Wei Ying, whether any of you believe it or not," Wangji said, keeping his voice level even though he was highly annoyed.

Xue Yang stared at him through the corner of his eyes, studying his impassiveness and only getting annoyed when he couldn't read his face. He hated how hard the man was to read. 

"You're no better though Xue Yang, I know what you've done. Whether it was done in the name of revenge is still debatable," Wangji said, stopping Xue Yang in his tracks.

They both stopped walking a hundred feet from the weapons building, and Xue Yang turned to face Wangji. Wangji stood rooted in his spot and his eyes focused on the building in front of him.

"You've massacred entire sects and villages, and rumors have gone around that you had even gone to find Xao Xingchen and Song Lan, but they came up alive and you were never seen again," Lan Wangji told him.