"Are you sure you don't want A-Ning to join you?" Wen Qing frowned, watching as Wei WuXian picked scrolls from his shelves and a few of which were floating in mid air (they were being held by spirits, she knew this, but couldn't see them. The spirits seemed to be hiding themselves with the sect leaders and their disciples here. Even the four disciples who visited every two weeks had never seen them.
Wei WuXian nodded without looking back, "Yes. Plus, it's going to be an uproar when everyone finds out I'm back when I'm not supposed to be. It'll be better if A-Ning stays here to protect if anyone were to try something,"
Wen Qing sighed, eyes softening slightly as Wei WuXian turned back after tucking away any important things into his robes. Wei WuXian caught her look and walked forward, placing his hands firmly on the female's shoulder, "Jiejie, if you ever need me...you know how to contact me,"
Wen Qing briefly touched the bracelet clasped around her wrist. Wei WuXian smiled as he noticed, pulling out a silver chain necklace with a pendant that wasn't small, but overly large. It was a simple red pendant cradled securely by black metal leaves. This pendent was connected with Wei WuXian like a spiritual tool, but was used for communicating with those that bonded to the communication devices Wei WuXian had provided for them. Currently, it was only used to communicate with Wen Qing and the Jiang siblings.
When the Jiang sibling's would call, the black leaves would emit a faint purple glow and light scent of lotus. When Wen Qing would speak to him, the glow was red with the faint scent of firewood. It was easily one of his favorite and most complicated inventions. There's a reason he only made one of the necklaces for himself and provided bracelets- which were simpler, for anyone else.
Wen Qing allowed herself to give a small smile and Wei WuXian tucked the necklace to hide again. He didn't need anyone to think it was some demonic weapon. The two siblings walked out of the cave where everyone was waiting. The Lan and Jiang disciples were waiting at the front of the path with Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen. Wei WuXian exited the cave and was met with the slightly worried faces of the Wens.
He smiled and placed a hand on Granny Wen's shoulder, "I'll be okay everyone. Just remember to alert me if anything is wrong. A-Ning,"
He gave his little brother a tight hug. Pulling back he patted the younger's cheek softly and smiled, "You'll do great if anything were to happen. Don't worry,"
Wei WuXian glanced towards Wen Yuan, tenderly reaching up and running his hands through the boy's hair. The young child was asleep in Uncle Six's arms, the best time for Wei WuXian to descend down the mountain. If Wen Yuan knew he was leaving, he would beg for Wei WuXian to stay or for Wen Yuan to come along. And neither of those options were possible. Wei WuXian inhaled heavily, licking his bottom lip in worry. It pained him to leave the boy who he had come to treat as his own son, it pained him to leave the people who had become his family. And it wasn't like the Jiangs, Wen Qing and Wen Ning weren't at all like Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng. Perhaps it was a bit inconsiderate, but he found it easier to freely address the Wen siblings as his own, rather than the Jiangs.
A voice whispered in his head, 'That's because I was their protector, their shield,'
He was the ward of their Father. He was the male that was to be their subordinate, but had grown much too close for that term to be used freely. He knew, deep down in his heart, he was aware that Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng recognized him as their brother, not a servant. They had reassured him of it countless times, especially the older. But Wei WuXian had always known where he stood in the sect...he knew his place that was bestowed upon him graciously by Yu ZiYuan and Jiang Fengmian.
His somber thoughts must have leaked into his expression because a hand was on his shoulder along with the gentle call, "A-Ying,"
Wei WuXian looked towards the medic, who gave him a worried look, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"Mhm," Wei WuXian smiled but it faded as he added quietly for only him and the wens to hear, "I have to find him,"
Multiple smiles bloomed, all with a small hint of teasing. Wei WuXian took this as a signal to leave and pressed a kiss to his son's head, before backing away and towards the males in white and violet. They had been watching the entire encounter, different feelings swarming in their chests. Wei WuXian paused when he stood in front of the two Sect Leader's, glancing back at the group that gave him bright smiles and waves.
"We'll be okay, A-Ying!"
Wei WuXian grinned and nodded, "Take care of yourselves- and my Lotus pods!"
He then waved and followed the disciples down the mountain, falling in step with Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen. When they could no longer hear the bustle and life of the camp, Wei WuXian's anxiety spiked. It hit him suddenly what he was doing, what he was risking. He clenched and unclenched his fists, exhaling worriedly and glancing back with hesitance. Jiang Cheng placed a firm arm around Wei WuXian's shoulder's, "They'll be fine,"
"I didn't know you cared," Wei WuXian both as a joke and as a statement, "Last time you came here was when we decided it was best for me to defect,"
Jiang Cheng took his arm away. There was a pause before Jiang Cheng forced himself to speak, his voice coming out weak in a way so unlike Sandu Shengshou. It was the voice only his siblings had ever heard. The one of their youngest brother, "We talked with A-Jie when you came to Koi Tower during A-Ling's one month celebration...you know why I was upset,"
Wei WuXian nodded. He did know. He remembered clearly the tears all three of them had ended up shedding just before Wei WuXian had left. The conversation was serious about their current lives. Somehow, Jiang Cheng and him had gotten into an argument about Wei WuXian's life choices and Jiang Yanli had snapped at both of them, making the two shut up in an instant. Jiang Yanli was staring at both her brother's tears in her beautiful eyes.
"What are you doing?!" Jiang Yanli demanded looking between Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng, "Why are you arguing about this? Arguing never fixes anything!! A-Cheng you're a Sect Leader, A-Xian you're a rogue cultivator taking care of a group of injured. Is it necessary for you both to squabble and only make things worse instead of just talking?!"
"S-shijie..." Wei WuXian stuttered as Jiang Cheng also choked out, "J-jie..."
Jiang Yanli inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and gathering herself. She then took both of her brother's hands. She looked at the both of them, "We're separated by our choices and roles. But even if we're physically apart, we can never lose faith and break from one another. We're the closest three. You're my didis,"
Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian looked at one another. There was a silence thick with emotions that they both desperately wanted to leave unspoken. But Jiang Yanli was right, she always was. They weren't the same as they were before, but they were still brothers.
Wei WuXian looked down first, "I'm sorry, I left you both..."
"I don't understand why you want to protect them? Why did you turn away and deem yourself an enemy?" Jiang Cheng complained, pain and hurt leaking into his tone.
Wei WuXian looked at Jiang Cheng, speaking clearly and firmly, "Without them, we would've been caught. Without Wen Qing and Wen Ning you...Jiang Cheng, you would've died! I didn't have the means to try and help you recover from your injuries. They risked everything to protect us from Wen Ruohan! Everyone at the burial mounds are medics, the elderly, and a small child the age of three....I won't just let them get slaughtered because of a surname,"
Jiang Cheng looked at Wei WuXian and reached forward grabbing the older by the collar with one hand, teary eyed. There was anger in those eyes, a familiar expression to both of them. But the tone wasn't angry, it was hurt. It was a voice ridden with betrayal and loneliness...a voice Wei WuXian thought he would never hear Jiang Cheng ever speak with, "You promised...when I would be Sect Leader, you would be by my side. Like your father and my father. That you would rebuild Lotus Pier with me. That if Gusu had the Twin Jades, Yunemeng would have us...The Twin Prides..."
Wei WuXian almost collapsed from guilt. His silver eyes noticeably dimmed, the two Jiang's catching the rare sliver of emotions that resembled pain. That identified that the man in front of them had so, so, many secrets. Secrets he once would tell them, but now didn't even glance their way.
Wei WuXian pulled his hand away from Jiang Yanli and pulled Jiang Cheng's hand from his collar. He turned away to avoid looking at where his golden core spun in Jiang Cheng's chest without the youngers knowledge and closed his eyes painfully, blocking out the window to his demons. He remembered his promise, of course he did. Once upon a time, he had prided himself in keeping it. But he couldn't...he wasn't even supposed to be alive.
After the transfer, he had been thinking of dying anyway. All he had been waiting for was for Jiang Cheng to show up at the bottom of the mountain. The second he would see those purple robes, he would take off and run, leaving the silver bell for his brother to find. Play dead to the world, perhaps even die for real. But that didn't happen and desperation to ensure those he cared for were safe led him to the thing he was now.
After a small pause, his voice broke, "I'm sorry...I can't keep my promise..."
Wei WuXian then inhaled shakily and swallowed a small sob, looking at Jiang Cheng. Any other time, he would've held back his tears. But he knew that this may be the last time he sees them for three years...and even then, who's to say how much he would change in that time. A few tears passed down his cheeks, "But...I do promise this...that if you ever need my help, I will come. If anyone hurts you, I will hurt them. I promise, Jiang Cheng, that you will always be my shidi,"
Jiang Cheng closed his eyes, his body slumping a bit as the words seemed to flow and unknot the stress and a part of the burden he carried. Jiang Yanli released his hand, the Sect Leader quickly throwing his arms around Wei WuXian, who returned the embrace tightly. Jiang Cheng exhaled shakily, "Heaven, I hate you so much..."
Wei WuXian grinned and laughed weakly, "I love you too,"
Jiang Yanli wrapped her arms around the younger boys, her baby brothers, "In three years...three years everything will be better,"
Wei WuXian glanced over at Jiang Cheng, a delicate smile curling at his lips as he admired his brother. Jiang Cheng noticed and raised an eyebrow. Wei WuXian shook his head with a small laugh, pausing on a smile when the barrier appeared in front of them. The disciples stopped, allowing the Sect Leaders and Wei WuXian to walk to the front. Wei WuXian raised his hand, the red barrier lifting up again. Then with a deep breath, he passed through, Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen on either side of him.
They walked past the dark forest at the foot of the mountain, Wei WuXian ignoring the pleads and cries of trapped souls and spirits. When he first fell here, the voices had almost driven him mad, but he managed to figure out the resentment energy flowing through and around him. He crafted Chenqing to help him control resentment even better, along with the help of ghosts who felt his yearn to protect, to heal, not harm. When he escaped the Burial Mounds and began to hunt Wen Chao, it took him a while to get used to normal society chatter, which was so different from the cold howls of a mountain that was intrigued with him, resentment healing and harming him until he forced his mastery and proved his intent and kept his promises. Normal society was so different from the company of the dead, a company Wei WuXian was not too ashamed to admit he enjoyed (the good ones. The annoying ones that wanted to kill him were another story).
After living in Burial Mounds once more with actual living company, his control had only heightened and ignoring the usual voices became easier. Of course, sometimes things got a bit too out of hand and Wei WuXian would block himself up in his cave to avoid accidentally injuring someone. Wen Ning and spirits would be the only one able to come in and comfort him as he would suffer through the calls of the demons in the mountains.
The Burial Mounds accepted him, it did, in some way, cared for him. The resentment from the mountain protected him and healed his injuries similar to how a golden core would. It was the only thing keeping him standing on his feet.
But the Burial Mounds was also a mountain of corpses, filled with monsters rich with resentment. Demons and yaos were in the landscape, he knew it. He had fought with many, and had almost died to a demon.
He had a love-hate relationship with the mountain of corpses.
After all, he was the first person to completely control its power and walk out with his conscience and principles still intact. The only thing that had differed was the energy flowing through him. Of course, Wei WuXian had the benefit and assurance he wouldn't completely lose his mind, since he didn't have a golden core.
Which was also the exact reason he was fearsome of the situation Lan WangJi was in. The light bearer had a golden core. A perfect, powerful, intact, golden core just pulsing with spiritual energy. A perfect place for resentment energy to be attracted to. Thank heavens that Lan WangJi was a Lan and knew how to calm his mind and subconsciously keep the resentment energy from his core. It really was lucky.
When they exited into Yiling, Wei WuXian nodded his head to a few people he recognized and gave a few smiles. As they passed by a wine stand, the uncle at the cart waved over, "Young Master Wei! I haven't seen you around for a couple days!"
Wei WuXian grinned and spoke loudly for those who knew him, "I was holed in my room! JieJie had to force me out today!"
Laughter burst out amongst the stands, the two Sect Leaders exchanging slightly taken aback looks, while the disciples were astonished. A female with a long fan in her hand, clicked her tongue sharply and pointed to the other cultivators, "What's going on here? Don't tell me that golden dick has caused a big scene!"
Wei WuXian laughed loudly at that, shaking his head, "No, no! This is different and my own personal choices. Its a bit of an urgent matter, so, I must be on my way!"
"We'll ensure the Wens get some food, Young Master Wei!" Another man ensured and Wei WuXian bowed as the group resumed walking, Wei WuXian walking backwards as he waved and thanked with sincerity, "Thank you, Uncle!"
Lan Xichen smiled when Wei WuXian turned back around, "Young Master Wei, I heard Yiling had basically accepted you as their protector and now I can see that it's true,"
Wei WuXian grinned, "Zewu Jun is giving me too much credit. The locals here just got used to my presence and came to realize that rumors were rumors,"
"Yilling Patriarch," Jiang Cheng snorted and Wei WuXian glanced at him, seeing an amused expression...but there was something else, something the older couldn't identify, "Before it was supposed to be a bad thing. Now, it's a good thing,"
The group left Yiling with haste, Wei WuXian becoming slightly more aware as he stepped out of the bounds that he was supposed to stay within. As they grew farther and farther from Yiling, heading towards Yunmeng, which would then bring them to Lanling, Wei WuXian couldn't help but glance back warily. His nerves began to act up and pessimistic scenarios began to form in his head, "You sure this won't get anyone in trouble?"
"I assure you," Lan Xichen spoke sincerely and then smiled awkwardly, "Young Master Wei, it will be a quicker journey if we fly,"
Wei WuXian froze, 'Fuck,'
He shuffled awkwardly, "Ah...well...you see, I don't have my sw-"
He stopped when something was thrown at him. On instinct he caught it with one hand, before glancing at the familiar sheath. He swore mentally, looking at Jiang Cheng who stated, "There's your sword,"
Wei WuXian frowned and sighed as he heard the disciples unsheathing their swords ready to fly. Wei WuXian unsheathed Suiban, eyes looking over the white blade with a faraway look. The grip felt foriegn but familiar. He had tried to find a way to use his sword again, he found a way he could use it to fly, but wielding it was impossible without a golden core. Wei WuXian stepped forward, summoning up some resentment energy in his palms, which quickly hugged around his sword.
"Why don't you just ride it like you usually do?" Lan Xichen asked curiously as Wei WuXian stepped onto the blade which was being controlled by resentment instead of the usual spiritual energy.
"It's more stable for me this way," Wei WuXian pathetically excused, rising up and risking a glance at Jiang Cheng who had stepped onto Sandu and rose up to fly beside the demonic cultivator.
"But you're great at maneuvering your sword?"
"Yeah, well- I'm also a demonic cultivator," Wei WuXian grumbled, ending the conversation as he flew forward.
Frowning, Jiang Cheng stared into the back of his brother's head. Secrets, more and more secrets. Why couldn't his brother just explain things like he used to? Why couldn't he just come home? Why was he so insistent on walking down this path alone?
Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng quickly caught up to him, the journey towards Yunmeng beginning. At the current pace and a few rest stops for some snacks, they would reach by nightfall. Lan Xichen had already sent word to Koi Tower to gather all the Sect Leaders again, not mentioning Wei WuXian at all, but under the not complete lie that he had found a more efficient way to find Lan WangJi. This meeting would be held tomorrow at Koi Tower.
Wei WuXian had heard this and spoke amused, "What a fun way to begin my day,"
Wei WuXian spoke with the two Sect Leaders throughout the journey, trying to ease all their tensions. For Jiang Cheng, he could see his brother was exhausted and worried about how things would play out now that Lan Xichen had taken the initiative and looped Wei WuXian into this. Wei WuXian had a similar concern, worried about how this would affect everyone. He didn't care too much for the consequences he would face, but he still had friends and family to consider. And Lan Xichen, well...Wei WuXian could tell that the Sect Leader was worried over his brother. Extremely worried and it increased as every second ticked away. Granted, Wei WuXian was no better, but he tried to avoid falling into the realm of dark scenarios.
Wei WuXian's chatter did seem to work, Lan Xichen smiling and joining in, making sure the two brother's didn't fall if they began to argue and joke around. It was nice, Wei WuXian realized as the night had fallen and he began to see the familiarity of the Lotus Ponds below him, the lights of Lotus Pier shimmering warmly.
Wei WuXian's endless chatter had faded from his mouth, staring at the sight with a painful look. He watched as the rivers and ponds and pink glow of Lotus Petals bled into the land. He watched as the glow of golden lanterns were like stars, speckled amongst the Pier. He could see the new buildings only because he had grown up here. As they descended towards the Sect Residence, the smell of the Pier drifted into Wei WuXian's nose. The smell of the river, of lotus, of a place that had once been his home and his duty. Wei WuXian felt his throat choke up, eyes softening into bittersweetness.
They landed right outside the large residence, Wei WuXian hovered around the entrance, old memories running through his mind. The first time he had been here, when he got his sword, the first time he had successfully shot a target, the time Jiang Yanli taught him and Jiang Cheng how to do their hair...so many memories.
Jiang Cheng led them inside, talking to a few disciples and telling everyone to keep Wei WuXian's presence unknown to the rest of the world. Wei WuXian stood in the Swords hall, silver eyes staring at the Lotus Throne glazed over. He heard Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen exchange a few words, before the Lan Sect visitors were sent into guest rooms. The Jiang disciples had already dispersed when they had arrived, so only Jiang Cheng remained of the group.
Wei WuXian felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he turned to see Jiang Cheng staring at him with a knowing look. A look that spoke of the same memories, of the people they had once lost, (the people he had killed). A look of love, "This home missed you, Shixiong,"
Wei WuXian smiled, wrapping one over the younger's shoulders. His one hand glided up to his robes and reached inside, finger tips gliding over cool metal. He pulled out a silver bell with a purple tassel from his robes, small lotus flowers carved into the shiny surface. He held it out in front of them, grinning wider at the soft gasp of surprise and glee Jiang Cheng let out.
"Home,"