"Wei WuXian!" Jiang Cheng's voice bellowed through the gardens.
Wei WuXian turned around towards his brother's voice, holding Jin Ling in his arms. It had been four days since his return to the outside world and Wei WuXian spent most of that time with his family and learning more of what he could about Lan WangJi's situation. He also did frequent communications with Wen Qing to make sure everything was food back home.
Jiang Cheng ran into view, his features carrying urgency, "It's Crucial! Come quick!"
Wei WuXian nodded and looked at Jin Ling, "A-Ling, I've got to go, okay?"
Jin Ling pouted but nodded, "Come back,"
Wei WuXian laughed and agreed. He then turned towards Jiang Yanli, who had been sitting on the bench swing watching them with a soft smile as she read a book.
"Shijie, you'll have to take A-Ling, "
Jiang Yanli nodded with a warm smile, taking her son in her arms. She then said a soft farewell to both her brothers, before Wei WuXian ran towards Jiang Cheng. Once again, they were walking down gold and white corridors, leading to Elegance Hall.
They walked in, side by side, black of Chenqing and deep purple of Sandu glittering at their waists. The doors closed behind them and Jiang Cheng guided Wei WuXian towards a large table set in the center of the hall with a large map on it. On the map there were multiple markings and small words and phrases across the land, but never straying too far away from the Great Sects. Only the gentry Sect Leaders were looking over the material, with exception of Jin Guangshan being replaced by his two sons and nephew. Other Sect leaders were standing nearby looking troubled, whispers being exchanged and worried murmures, a few glances sent towards Wei WuXian.
When they reached the table, Wei WuXian smoothly stood beside his brother and Lan Xichen. The atmosphere of the room was tense and worried. Wei WuXian looked down at the map, eyes hardening in concentration as he understood. These were markings of all the places Lan WangJi had been reported seen, the dates written beside each marking. It was spread out, but Wei WuXian noticed a few of the earliest locations were in the YiLing area. Wei WuXian's eyes softened slightly, realizing what it meant. Though scanning around, he realized it was a little over a month ago that Lan WangJi began to hide himself and stay out of reports, large gaps in between dates, in locations far from one another. He looked up at Lan Xichen, seeing the older man deep in thought. Wei WuXian broke the silence, "What's wrong?"
"We got word from a small town in Yunmeng," Jin ZiXuan informed, pointing to the town quite the distance from Lotus Pier, and even farther from Lanling, "Hanguang Jun was seen there and he caused quite the scene,"
Wei WuXian's eyes widened, "Lan Zhan was seen?"
"The cultivators sent word to Lotus Pier, which sent it to Sect Leader Jiang," Nie MingJue explained, "The description was a young, tall male cultivator cloaked in white with the Lan Sect forehead ribbon worn. The cultivators identified Bichen, and added the fact that WangJi showed both gold and red eyes,"
Wei WuXian's expression tightened in worry, "Red eyes?"
Jiang Cheng nodded, "It was also how we realized the resentment had been simmering inside him for too long. Back in the Unclean Realm, when Hanguang Jun was, rightfully, yelling at Jin ZiXun," Jin ZiXun glared sharply, about to refute, but Jiang Cheng's eyes were ten times sharper and more dangerous, "His eyes turned red, flashing between the two colors. After he took in the resentment from Baxia, his eyes stayed red for a while, before returning to gold,"
Wei WuXian frowned a bit, glancing over at Baxia, "Why does Baxia have resentment?"
Nie MingJue's face darkened, "That is not the concern of a rogue cultivator,"
Wei WuXian shrugged, "Okay, not my problem," He then glanced at where the tavern was marked on the map, "What happened at the tavern?"
"He attacked the four cultivators," Lan Xichen's voice came out pained, "He didn't injure them- or fight them- or, thank heaven, kill them. He didn't do much, but he did throw them around and draw Bichen,"
Wei WuXian's eyes widened, brain beginning to churn. The Lan WangJi he knew would never attack unless absolutely provoked or in danger. That too, if he was provoked (which was extremely difficult), Bichen would never be drawn!
"The cultivators also mentioned something very suspicious," Jin ZiXun narrowed his eyes towards Wei WuXian.
Wei WuXian knew that look. It was one filled with accusation and suspicion. Yu ZiYuan had given him that look the first time she laid eyes on him, all the way until the last time Wei WuXian had seen her alive. So many people gave him that look, that he was up to no good, that he was going to cause trouble. Wei WuXian looked at Jiang Cheng, "What did I do?"
"Nothing, but the world has gotten around that you've been brought out of the Burial Mounds," Jiang Cheng assured firmly, "The cultivators were talking about this matter when Hanguang Jun approached them and said at most two sentences before attacking them,"
Wei WuXian paused and then blinked, "Hah?"
He then tilted his head in thought. His eyes brightened in realization, "Oh...were the cultivators speaking...ill of me?"
Everyone looked at him in confusion, but Wei WuXian was staring at his brother. Jiang Cheng frowned and shrugged, but then bitterly muttered, "I wouldn't be too surprised, they were cultivators of the Yao and Ouyang sects,"
Wei WuXian smiled a bit, before he chuckled amused. Lan Xichen blinked, "A-Ying?"
"No, no, nothing," Wei WuXian tried, but his heart was swelling with warmth.
The last time he had seen Lan WangJi get remotely angry in a tavern, he was visiting YiLing. Wei WuXian and him had been seated in a corner of the tavern to avoid any attention being drawn to them. There was a group of travellers that had come in and were rambling loudly about the latest gossip. Eventually, Wei WuXian had been brought into conversation and the cultivators were spitting and insulting. Wei WuXian noticed the natives and the employees of the tavern had hardened their eyes in displeasure, glaring at the group and starting to speak of the unfavorable rumors surrounding the cultivation world that did not include Wei WuXian.
Wei WuXian had heard it too and tried to ignore it, but to some extent he couldn't help but flinch when he heard the words, "Nothing more than a tainted monster! Disgracing everything he touches! I can't wait until the sects finally run a sword through his heartless chest!"
Lan WangJi saw the flinch and his eyes darkened, the cup slamming into the table loudly. Wei WuXian glanced up at him, surprised, along with a couple other people in the tavern. They were both wearing simple robes, Lan WangJi in light blue, rather than his blinding white, and Wei WuXian in red, rather than black. Lan WangJi's forehead ribbon was also tied around his wrist, rather than his head to further obscure his identity. Lan WangJi glanced over at the men, golden eyes seething with anger.
Wei WuXian understood at once and reached over, taking the other's hand, "Lan Zhan, don't,"
Lan WangJi glanced at him, eyes softening slightly. But they hardened as another spat was barked in laughter, "He's the son of a servant! Nothing special and just the lowest of the lows!"
Wei WuXian grimaced and his grip weakened and his fingers curled away from touching the other. Lan WangJi's face turned colder. Without moving, he pulled out a talisman and sent it straight to the table. Within a second of its landing, the talisman released a large burst of brown powder. It was one of Wei WuXian's unfinished inventions.
Wei WuXian panicked and he yelped, "Lan Zhan! That's itching powder! They're gonna have sores all over their skin and be itchy!"
"I know," Lan WangJi replied, pouring himself a cup of tea and drinking it as he heard the men scream and yell in alarm, asking for help and assistance, but received none, "They spoke ill of Wei Ying, deserved it,"
Wei WuXian stared, "You can't do that everytime,"
"I will," Lan WangJi promised, a small smile curling at his lips.
Wei WuXian shook his head clear and out of his little day dream. He noticed everyone staring at him with puzzlement and coughed awkwardly, "Nothing, I'm just thinking of how much the resentment might've affected him,"
"There's another piece of information that is sort of important," Nie Huaisang squeaked out, "Hanguang Jun asked for Wei-Xiong's location before leaving the tavern and after attacking,"
Wei WuXian couldn't help but groan, but then realized, and beamed brightly, "Wait- no! This is good!"
"How is this good?!" Jin ZiXuan demanded.
"Young Master Wei, Hanguang Jun attacked four cultivators and demanded your location...does that not worry you?" Jin Guangyao frowned.
"Uh- no?" Wei WuXian raised an eyebrow.
"Heartless!" Sect Leader Yao spat and Wei WuXian was reminded of the others in the room.
"The cultivators are perfectly fine," Wei WuXian rolled his eyes, "The good thing is that Lan Zhan asked for my location,"
"How is that good?" Sect Leader Ouyang snorted.
"Perhaps the Yiling Patriarch is prepared to meet his fate at the hands of his fated enemy," Su She mocked.
Fated Enemy
Wei WuXian felt his heart twist, the familiar feeling of doubt and fear curling around his memories. He glared at Su She and clarified, "Lan Zhan has my location and left. So we can assume he's looking for me, correct?"
"Yes..." Nie MingJue nodded slowly.
Nie Huaisang spoke up, "I think I get it! Wei-Xiong, you mean that because Hanguang Jun has your location and is looking for you, we can find him easily!"
Wei WuXian grinned, knowing well how intelligent Nie Huaisang was, "Exactly! And since I'm in Lanling, it's safe to assume that Lan Zhan will show up here,"
There was a pause in the room.
Lan Xichen broke the silence with a grin, "Wonderful, A-Ying! This is good! If WangJi comes here, we might be able to make him listen and fix him!"
Wei WuXian winked, "As long as nothing goes wrong and I don't leave Lanling, it shouldn't be too hard,"
"Leave Lanling?" Jin ZiXun caught, suspicion arising in his eyes again, "Are you scheming something?"
"No, but I know for the past few days, some people have been eager to try and rush to my den..." Wei WuXian spoke coldly, eyes slowly wandering the room, "So...if no one acts- and I doubt anyone would dare to provoke me when I'm outside, everything will be perfectly fine,"
Jiang Cheng, Lan Xichen, Jin ZiXuan, and Nie MingJue glanced around the room. Wei WuXian noticed a few pale faces and guilty looks. After counting an approximate number, he broke into a warm grin again, "Now, let's talk about what we should do when Lan Zhan arrives..."
He halted and thought aloud, "...Why is Lan Zhan looking for me?"
"Because he hates you, why else?" Someone scoffed.
"You two are fire and ice! He must be shocked and suspicious to know your out early and wants to check it out,"
"Everyone knows Er-ge let you out," Jin Guangyao spoke calmly, "Perhaps Hanguang Jun is worried you've- no offence, done something,"
Wei WuXian stared at Jin Guangyao, before glancing at the map, fingers curling into fists in his robes. He felt hurt sprout in his heart and couldn't help but laugh sarcastically, the familiar feeling of hate for the man he was appearing. A familiar snide barked from him, "Yes, that must be it. He must be coming to talk to me about listening to music or coming to Gusu!"
"A-Ying," Lan Xichen started slowly, but Wei WuXian just shook his head, his hair hiding the pain in his expression from everyone.
"Listening to music? Gusu?" Su She raised an eyebrow, "Why would he want to play for you?"
Wei WuXian looked down, regret pooling in his guts.
"Answer me!" Lan WangJi repeated.
Jiang Cheng blocked himself between the two, "Second Young Master Lan!"
Wei WuXian spoke from behind the young Sect Leader, "Second Young Master Lan, what you're asking about really can't be explained in a short amount of time. If it's kind of strange. If I were to ask you about the GusuLan Sect's secrets techniques would you answer me?"
Lan WangJi walked past Jiang Cheng and came straight at him. Wei WuXian crossed his flute in front of him, "That's too much isn't it? Why so unfriendly? Lan Zhan, just what in the world do you want to do?"
Lan WangJi spoke one word at a time, "Go back to Gusu with me,"
Hearing this, both Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng were surprised.
Quickly after, Wei WuXian laughed, "Go back to Gusu with you? To the Cloud Recesses? Why go there?"
He immediately seemed to realize, "Oh. I forgot. Your uncle Lan Qiren hates crooked people like me. You're his proudest disciple, so of course you're the same as him, haha. I refuse,"
Wei WuXian felt Zeng Minsheng pat his back and whisper a few reminders in his ears. The reminders made his heart swell again, clinging onto the memories again. He listened to Cleansing quite often because of Lan WangJi, they played music together frequently, the guqin and dizi dancing around one another perfectly.
Exhaling softly, Wei WuXian let out a light chuckle and shrugged, "Maybe he wants me to copy rules!"
Lan Xichen frowned, while the rest of the group just sighed at the Yiling Patriarch's comments. Wei WuXian knew the way people thought of him, he knew which sentences people would ignore and hit on. And he had longed since learned to play a psychological war with those against him, just as much as a physical one. The slander and cold pride he felt when seeing anger and speechlessness, made up for the gruesomeness that the Yin energy would try and feed him with.
And it wasn't difficult either.
Wei WuXian was a gifted liar and actor. The demonic cultivator could wear a smile on his face, when he felt like cutting out his heart. Wei WuXian wasn't immune to pain because he communicated with the dead. He had felt pain. He'd seen pain. He had been through more than anyone in this room could phantom. Would any cultivator in this room survive the torture of watching their golden core pulled from their body? Spiritual energy leaving him and rendering them nothing more of a common man? Would anyone in this room survive in the Burial Mounds that had been the first to feel the true pain Wei WuXian had gone through, using it to both save and curse him?
None of them could.
And Wei WuXian never regretted it. He felt lucky to have Wen Qing at the Burial Mounds, who had become another older sister for him. A doctor, who had been guiding Wei WuXian through his silent depression. Making sure he wasn't going to act rash. The only person other than Wen Ning, who had watched as Wei WuXian lost his powers, giving up cultivation for his martial brother. Wei WuXian had not known, at the time, how to keep it a secret for long. He had planned to ensure the transfer was successful and his brother was healed, before either staying beside Jiang Cheng for a little longer and dying in battle, or run away and play dead. Perhaps he could travel far from the sects and live his life as a commoner, a peaceful life of no judgement and no masters or servants.
But then, Wen Chao found him, caught him, and beat him. He solved the predicament, made the choice for Wei WuXianby tossing the 17 year old male into the Burial Mounds, where Wei WuXian mastered demonic cultivation out of force and desperation to protect his family.
Now, he had power. And the rest of the world believed he had chosen the darkness, when it was the other way around. Darkness had chosen him from the moment Wei WuXian was born. From the moment his parents had perished. When he was a street rat. When he caused a rift in the former Jiang Sect Leader's marriage. When he caused the destruction of Lotus Pier. When he caused the death of Jiang Cheng's parents. When Jiang Cheng had lost his core. When he had given up his cultivation. When he was so content on dying and rotting away, the darkness kept him alive.
Wei WuXian was one with the darkness now. He had been shocked to find how powerful resentment was. But enough practice and his own curiosity, launched into what was now his demonic cultivation. Wei WuXian did not hate his methods. He loved them and was proud of himself for mastering it and not losing his mind. Protecting the innocent and stepping away from his loved one's to protect them. He didn't care.
He had promised himself he would protect the weak. He did so.
He had promised Madam Yu to protect Jiang Cheng till his death. He would and had done so.
He had promised Jiang Cheng he would be his subordinate. The only promise that was not kept was this one, because Wei WuXian was no longer in a position to do so. He had made amends with himself, coping with the guilt by saying, 'I'll always be protecting him and by his side supporting him. A part of me is revolving around him, pulsing spiritual energy and power through him.'
Perhaps it wasn't the way Jiang Cheng wanted the promise to be kept. But Wei WuXian had not given him the choice. He wouldn't tell Jiang Cheng the truth about his core. If the secret of Wei WuXian not having a core was revealed, he would say it was Wen Zhuliu. Anyone would trust that, seeing as he did vanish for three months during the war.
"Alright, so tomorrow, we'll discuss how to make Hanguang Jun stay here," Nie MingJue pulled Wei WuXian back.
Wei WuXian nodded in agreement, stepping back and bowing. He turned away and receded from the hall, walking towards the room he had been given. The moon was already high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the Koi Tower, clashing with the gold. Wei WuXian looked up at it for a few seconds, hovering just outside his room. He loved the moon, adored the night sky. It was a contrast of the day and while many probably would've thought he would prefer the bustle and loudness of sun, he had always loved the night. He loved to bathe in silver, he loved to listen to sounds of nature, the wind, the trees, the leaves, the water. He loved looking up and watching the stars, mapping them and appreciating them mentally.
The moon gave him many memories, beautiful ones. Of the time when he ran away from Lotus Pier after Jiang Cheng's dogs had been sent away, only for Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng to search for him and their bond to be created. Of the time he climbed over the wall of Cloud Recesses and first met the second Jade of Lan, Hanguang Jun. Of that blissful night of Jin Ling's one-month banquet and the lovely night of sweet honest words and comforting touches. He sighed breathlessly, opening up the doors and walking inside. He turned around to close them, his figure freezing a bit and movements of closing the door slowing down.
There was another presence in the room, specifically not too far from behind him. But seeing that the three ghosts hadn't appeared or said anything, Wei WuXian didn't think it was someone about to muder him...but he still wasn't taking any chances. Wei WuXian stepped backwards, pretending to look at something beside the door. He felt the presence move and he twisted on his ankle, grabbing his flute and spinning around. His wrist was caught quickly in a grip far stronger than what he expected. The grip made him quickly push resentment into his wrist meridians, hiding the lack of spiritual energy at once. Both parties were extremely strong, the clash of their movements sending Wei WuXian stumbling back.
His balance was terrible, along with his former tolerance with his golden core. His back slammed loudly against the door and he was about to yell, before a hand covered his mouth. Wei WuXian was about to use resentment, before he froze, eyes widening, a familiar scent of sandalwood wafting into his nose.
Only one person he knew smelled like that...
And that was Lan WangJi.