(END)Wei wuxian is back but something is wrong

not wen qinq ?

Wei Wuxian’s fingers trembled slightly around Chenqing. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but from the sharp sting of old memories resurfacing. Wen Qing had been gone for years—she had seen her perish, along with Wen Ning, sacrificed to protect her.

Lan Wangji moved closer, positioning himself slightly in front of her in a subtle yet protective gesture.

— Wei Ying, — he murmured, voice calm but firm.

She took a slow breath, steadying herself.

— I know, Lan Zhan. It’s not really her.

But the figure in red didn’t vanish like a mere illusion should. Instead, it stepped forward, the fog parting around it. Wei Wuxian could see the details now—the familiar folds of the Wen Clan robes, the delicate hands, the shadowed face.

Then, the head tilted.

— Wei Ying… — The voice was soft, filled with something unreadable.

Wei Wuxian’s grip on Chenqing tightened.

— Who are you? — she demanded, her usual playful tone absent.

Silence. Then, a whisper, carried by the wind.

— You left us behind.

Wei Wuxian stiffened. For a moment, her vision blurred with the weight of guilt she had buried long ago. But she shook it off and took a step forward.

— I didn’t, — she said firmly. — I tried—

The figure moved again—too fast. One second, it was standing in the mist; the next, it was right before her. A cold hand reached for her wrist.

Lan Wangji reacted instantly.

Bichen flashed through the air, slicing cleanly through the ghostly form. The moment the blade connected, the figure shattered like mist caught in the wind.

The laughter returned, surrounding them, echoing from all directions.

Wei Wuxian exhaled sharply.

— Okay. I’m officially done playing games.

She lifted Chenqing and played a sharp, commanding melody. The spiritual energy surged, cutting through the unnatural fog. The laughter distorted, turning into something pained, something angry.

The mist twisted violently, then—

Silence.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji stood in the clearing ruins, the oppressive aura gone. The world was still again.

Wei Wuxian let out a long breath.

— Well. That was dramatic.

Lan Wangji remained quiet for a moment before speaking.

— We should leave.

Wei Wuxian hesitated.

Something about this encounter felt… unfinished.

She turned back to where the figure had been. A single red ribbon lay on the ground, untouched by the wind.

She bent down, picking it up carefully. The fabric was real. Solid.

Wei Wuxian swallowed.

— Lan Zhan… I don’t think this is over.

And in the distance, buried deep within the ruins, something watched. And waited.