A male with black hair covered by a plain snow white hood walked into a tavern. His entire figure was dressed with the same color, white boots, white robes, both outer and inner, white wrist cuffs, and hidden by the top of the hood, there was even a white finger-length wide ribbon with clouds on it wrapped around his forehead. His demeanor screamed dominance and strength, but was also laced with frost, keeping those unwanted far away.
The guests and waiters in the tavern could not help but gaze at the hooded man in awe and fear, for they had never seen a male such as him before. Cultivators were a regular sight, but this man...they felt him as different and were wary of offending him. The male walked with long strides of elegance, floating through the tavern without the help of a singe waiter. He sat down at an empty table, claiming it as his throne. His head turned slightly as if to meet all the eyes, which hastily turned away and returned back to the present situation and focusing on the conversations from before.
The owner looked at his employees, deciding to serve the mysterious man himself. He fixed his robes and wiped his hands down dutifully before walking over. When he approached the man, he realized the fabric of the white clothing was fine. This man was definitely someone important.
Clearing his throat, the tavern owner gave a respectful boy and polite smile, "Welcome, Young Master? May I get you anything?"
"Tea," The man responded, his voice deep and alluring. He pulled the hood back slightly to reveal bright gold eyes.
The owner was startled lightly by the flame amongst the snow. Now that he had had a small glimpse of the man beneath the hood, he could see the stoic expression frozen onto the pale completion. Gathering himself, he informed, "Young Master, we have many different types of tea,"
The white cloaked man looked at the owner intensely, waiting for the options to be told. The owner's brain blanked for a few seconds, until he recalled, "A-ah. Green, Jasmine, Herbal, Black, Rose, Lotus-"
"Lotus?" The masked male couldn't stop himself from repeating.
In his mind the scene of a beautiful but small lotus pond surfaced. A small ruffle of black and red robes passed by the pond, a male with handsome features and silver eyes crouching down. He was extremely handsome, though looking mature, his skin was slightly paler than when a few years ago, and his cheeks were sunken in more, jaw more outlined. Though it was obvious he wasn't eating enough, the man was exceptionally handsome. One hand reached forward, a hand that once wielded a sword with skills far above his generation, but now mastered a power of darkness.
Despite such history, the fingertips were tender as they brushed the delicate pink petals. The man turned his face fully and smiled a smile worth a thousand ounces of gold, a smile so beautiful, a smile that Lan WangJi had fallen hopelessly in love with, "Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan! Look! My lotus plants are growing well! They've even got flowers now!"
"Young Master?" The owner called out, confused in seeing the icy gold soften slightly with a faraway look.
Lan WangJi blinked out of his daze, looking back at the owner, eyes hardening again. Seeing that Lan WangJi was back, the owner resumed his talk, "Yes, Yunmeng is known for it's Lotus ponds. The Sect of our area is the Jiang Sect, stationed at Lotus Pier. Even the motif is a Lotus!"
Lan WangJi knew that, but just nodded. He moved his lips, "I'll take herbal,"
The owner seemed to deflate a bit, but nodded, "How many cups?"
Lan WangJi narrowed his eyes, getting frustrated with the owner's presence. The owner saw the glare and paled, bowing his head quickly, "I'll just get a whole kettle,"
He then hurried away from the table, whispering to his employees to stay clear from that table unless called over by their guest himself. Lan WangJi glanced around the tavern, making sure there was no one paying attention to him. He placed a hand in his lap, summoning up the cold feeling flowing around his body and through his meridians. The gold melted away into rubies, a thin line of black smoke twirling around Lan WangJi's fingers.
The cultivator released a deep breath, hiding away the resentment and eyes changing back to their normal color. He had been getting better in controlling it, despite having no clue why such situation was even happening to him. All he knew, that resentment definitely affected the mind and fed off negative emotions, even the smallest ones.
The cultivator in black and red flashed through his mind and Lan WangJi closed his eyes softly. It wasn't the first time Wei WuXian had breached his mind, especially after Lan WangJi learned of the resentment in his body, and even more so after he had been hiding from the sects, trying to figure out the resentment on his own before risking anything.
Wei WuXian had assured him resentment didn't affect him, but now Lan WangJi was feeling the effects first hand and couldn't help but worry. His Wei Ying was far too selfless, far too good for a world such as the one they were on, and Lan WangJi knew no matter how much he longed to protect Wei WuXian, the other was stubborn in not going, especially if it meant leaving the Wen Remnants. After numerous visits to Yiling over the past two years, Lan WangJi could conclude that even he had grown a bit attached to the family in the mountains.
'Wei Ying, I'm sorry I haven't visited in three months...' the repetitive thought made its cycle again. He didn't want to drag Wei WuXian to this, no matter the fact that a part of Lan WangJi wanted to burst into Cloud Recesses and prove that the stigmas of demonic cultivation were false. A part of him was greedily ready to secede and stay in YiLing, the Wens and Wei WuXian had accepted him since long ago.
His thoughts were broken when the owner returned, placing an elegant brown pot in front of Lan WangJi, with a matching coaster and cup.
"Anything else, young master?"
"Not at the moment," Lan WangJi answered, already pouring himself a cup of tea.
The owner nodded and left again. Lan WangJi let his hearing wander the tavern as he drank peacefully. The cup paused at the edge of his lips when he heard familiar names.
"...Sect Leader Lan went himself?!"
"Yes, yes! With Sect Leader Jiang!"
"Sect Leader Jiang? I thought he and Wei WuXian were on bad terms?"
Lan WangJi was alert at once. The cup was back on the table, Lan WangJi's eyes gazing over at the four men who were gossiping. He furrowed his brows muttering to himself in worry and confusion, "Wei Ying..."
"Everyone did! But turns out, it's the opposite! Yiling Patriarch was even formally addressed as Young Master Jin's brother-in-law!"
Lan WangJi's confusion grew, but the resentment in him also made him suspicious and angry, 'What had the Sects dragged Wei Ying's name into now?'
"Bullshit! I say that Wei WuXian has probably manipulated Sect Leader Lan! There's no way someone like Zewu Jun would go to the Burial Mounds AND bring that demon out of isolation!"
Lan WangJi's eyes widened and his breathing hitched.
His brother had gone to the Burial Mounds to visit Wei WuXian? And that to- brought Wei WuXian out of seclusion, a year before the terms had ended. Lan WangJi's grip on the cup tightened. Wei WuXian had been pulled out of his test a year before the agreed terms. Just what were the sects up to?!
"He even brought him to Lanling, in front of all the Sect Leaders! He's defending him!"
'What?'
"But why would Zewu Jun do that?"
'Yes, Brother. What are you doing?'
"Word is, there's something huge going on between Sect's that only the clan leaders are aware of. And because of this, Wei WuXian was called and temporarily brought back,"
Lan WangJi narrowed his eyes, placing a chunk of silver on the table and walking over the four males. The four of them glanced up and Lan WangJi spoke, "When was the Yiling Patriarch let out?"
"Let out?" One of the males howled with laughter, "This is all probably some big scheme of his to end his sentence! A demonic cultivator like him has managed to manipulate the great Lan Xichen!"
Lan WangJi's eyes darkened dangerously, "He wouldn't do something like that when there's only a year left,"
"You believe that filth?" Another man scoffed, "Young Master, I'll give you some advice. That Wei WuXian is immoral and a threat to the whole world! I'd say- that once the chance is given to him, the Sect's won't hesitate to finally strike down the beast!"
Lan WangJi's eyes turned red at that, his anger enlightening at the insults of the man who owned his heart. The four cultivators saw the change and gasped, scrambling backward. Lan WangJi lowered his hood, revealing the forehead ribbon with cloud patterns and drawing a thin, nearly transparent blade. This blade exuded an air of ice and snow and a light blue glare when drawn.
This blade is famous in the cultivation world.
The four cultivators had already seen the forehead ribbon, but now with the sight of Bichen in front of them, their suspicions were confirmed. It was the infamous Hanguang Jun, Lan WangJi!
The four cultivators were in awe, standing up and bowing, "Hanguang Jun! You must be traveling and want to know more about your rival's actions, y-"
Lan WangJi's eyes turned more red at the word 'rival' and he grabbed the cultivator by the collar, throwing him at the table he had been sitting at. Shocked screams and gasps were thrown all over the tavern. Lan WangJi shifted his cold gaze to the three cultivators, "How disgusting of you. Speaking of my brother and Wei Ying as if you know them,"
"H-hanguang Jun! Have mercy, please!" One man begged, though he didn't know why he was begging to the light bearer.
Lan WangJi snorted coldly and slashed his sword, sending a gust of spiritual energy at the three, sending them flying back and crashing into tables. Bichen sheathed again and Lan WangJi's eyes returned back to gold, "Where is Wei Ying?"
The sharp tone in his voice made everyone shiver. The first cultivator who had been thrown weakly pushed himself up and answered, "La-lanling..Koi T-tower..."
Everyone in the room, now having the identification of the mysterious male shivered for what would happen at Koi Tower. It was well known that Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi were fire and ice. Black and White. Yin and Yang.
They were enemies and were always arguing. Even before the Sunshot Campaign and Wei WuXian's turn to the dark arts, the two had contradicting personalities. So, naturally the cultivator who answered assumed the light bearer was going after his old enemy for manipulating Lan Xichen, Lan WangJi's older brother.
Oh, how wrong they were.
Lan WangJi turned from the destroyed tavern, after placing another piece of silver down. He pulled up his hood again, throwing open the doors and walking into the town. Lan WangJi swerved around people, making his way out of the town and into a small patch of trees. He unsheathed Bichen and stepped on, flying up into the sky and in the direction of Koi Tower.
Only one goal was in his head, and that was to figure out why the fuck the great sects, his own brother, had brought Wei WuXian into a snake den that was desperate to sink fangs into his beloved's strength. Anything could happen at Koi Tower, and Lan WangJi could only hope Wei WuXian would remain unharmed. Or else Lan WangJi swears he would burn that golden palace to the ground.