even after thirteen years, i still love you | MDZS

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"No, an artifact. I think it was a piece of something but apparently, it needed sacrifices to work? They called it something like yang, no yan, wait no-"

"Yin metal?"

"Yea, that's right, yin metal."

At once, Weiying and Lanzhan's brows both furrowed together. The yin metal should've never been able to land in these people's hands. Three pieces were destroyed before Weiying died, one piece was with Xueyang and the last piece was turned into the Stygian Tiger Seal by Weiying unintentionally. On top of that, half the Stygian Tiger Seal was destroyed.

With all of that in mind, there were only two people that would have been able to give a piece of yin metal to these faux cultivators- Xueyang and Jin Guangyao. Xueyang held onto his piece until the Jin clan allowed him to use it in an attempt to recreate the destroyed half of the tiger seal.

Turning their heads towards each other, both knew that this could only mean one thing- Jin Guangyao had so many more secrets before he passed away. Weiying recalled back to the night at Guanyin Temple and searched his memory for any mention of Jin Guanguao giving the Stygian Tiger Seal to anyone else. Scratching his head, he frowned for nothing related to this was mentioned.

Lanzhan seemed to notice Weiying's worries as he spoke up, "Jin Guangyao never confessed what he did with the Stygian Tiger Seal before he died. Both his accomplices- Su She and Xueyang are also dead. There's no one else to ask."

The young man looked at them in confusion, "You guys know the old chief cultivator and the Yiling Patriach's Stygian Tiger Seal?"

It was only then that the two remembered the third presence in the room. Not wanting anyone else involved, Weiying shook off the question and changed the topic.

"Haha we've heard of him but anyway, do you think we would be able to find a resting place around here?"

"I only have one bed in my hut so I can't accommodate you but I know there is a solitary little girl who lives by herself in a hut that is more than capable of fitting a whole family.

Weiying thought the description sounded familiar but couldn't remember anything until Lanzhan spoke up, "You mean the little girl who was just outside her hut?"

"Mm, she's usually playing around because she doesn't have parents to actually enforce any strict rules upon her. Other villagers take pity upon her so she gets free food all the time though."

Hearing this, Weiying eyebrows furrowed together. He was confused as to why the little girl ran away when she saw him of all people. How did she resist his handsome face?

*

After a short rest at the man's hut, they were brought over to the larger hut of the little girl. All the time while the man talked to her, she peered over at Lanzhan with a curious glance but at Weiying with a strange, disapproving stare.

Weiying's many attempts at a friendly smile and funny faces couldn't even make the girl smile, making Weiying believe that the girl had some heavy resentment towards him for some reason or another.

At last, the girl agreed to have them stay over for a night under one condition- Weiying had to sleep on the floor. His mouth taped open, still confused and clueless as to the hatred the girl had for him.

Weiying's only attempt at defence was "What about him?", pointing in Lanzhan's direction.

"The handsome one can sleep with me" she giggled.

Hearing this, neither Lanzhan nor Weiying could make out what to think of this arrangement. No doubt, both of them would have rather slept next to each other, even if it was on the floor.

With a pout, Weiying agreed to the sleeping arrangements, and the indirect insult to his face, and walked into the large hut.

The inside was, needless to say, massive, but also empty. It lacked the things to be called a homely place but also had enough essentials to be called a residence. Looking around, there was not a single piece of decoration in sight- only the bare minimum. The "bed" she slept in was a sad stack of hay covered in animal skin. Seeing that, Weiying thanked the girl internally for letting him sleep on the floor.

"You've lived alone?"

"Mm"

"How long?"

"5"

"Months?"

"Years"

"Are there other kids?"

"One"

The only audience to this conversation: Weiying was constantly turning his head in between to two sides. They might as well have been a match made in heaven- only ever giving the shortest statements and never saying more.

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a/n: vote + comment if there's feedback!
&
just to clear up some confusions, there were five pieces of yin metal at the start:
three pieces were collected by the Wen Clan and then destroyed
one piece was stolen and then kept by Xueyang
one piece was inside the Xuanwu cave and unintentionally made into Stygian Tiger Seal by Weiying —> half of this was destroyed and the other half went to Jin Guangyao