The departure of Lan Zhan and A-yuan has put a damper on Wei Ying's mood. But as his grandmother said, it was for the best as his cultivation required re-training and observation. With his son and lover safely at home, he doesn't need to worry about causing anyone harm.
As the first ever silver-core cultivator, it is best to understand what their abilities and limits can do, for who knows if evolution will gradually shift from golden cores to silver cores.
"Wei Ying, summon Suibian" Baoshan Sanren points up at the sky, awaiting towards the end of that direction is Suibian, tied tightly to a pole at the very top of the house.
Wei Ying slowly follows up the direction, only to finally realize that his sword has been kidnapped and enforced as a victim of his grandmother's experiments.
"Ah- Suibian, there you are!" Wei Ying laughs at his sword, looking at the awkward situation that his grandma has put it through.
"Wei. Wu. Xian. You stinky little brat! Get me out of this quickly!" Although Suibian couldn't talk normally nor be heard by everybody (cuz that's just too freaky if swords could just randomly speak), Baoshan Sanren already knew that Suibian was quite irritated.
Finally shifting his mindset to train properly, Wei Ying started to channel his qi, centering the energy around his core and spreading it throughout every meridian in his body, he can sense his sword sitting atop his head, 200 feet above ground.
"Suibian, can you feel me channeling my qi to you?" Wei Ying connected a channel to his sword, sending some of his qi energy to his sword, in hopes that it can try to free itself.
The sword began to shake itself, trying to free itself from its binds, Wei Ying stood and watched, continuously channeling his silver-core qi.
Without a single breath of a warning, another sword swiftly glided through the air, aiming towards Wei Ying, a mere few inches away from his neck.
"Master!"
Feeling like the adrenaline increased by 100 percent, Suibian quickly unsheathed itself and flew towards its master, blocking the sword about to cut through Wei Ying's neck.
Reacting a millisecond too late, Wei Ying grabbed onto Suibian, backed up, distancing himself from the opponent's sword, holding the sword straight against the mysterious attacker. Looking forwards, Wei Ying sees his grandma holding the other end of the sword.
Seeing her lowering her sword, Wei Ying released his guard, sighing in exhaustion and relief.
"Grandma, you scared me!" Wei Ying also released his strength, lowering the sword.
"This is how training works Wei Ying, you must be on guard at all times in battle or even when leisure." This was one of the basic survival instincts every cultivator. Especially one that has survived as long as the legendary Baoshan Sanren.
Since the first experiment could have been called a close success, Baoshan Sanren has decided to move on to the second one. Putting Wei Ying to the speed test, Baoshan had asked Wei Ying to search and hunt for as many undead wandering souls in the burial mounds before dinner. If he can bring back more than 100 souls, he would be allowed to visit his Lan Zhan and A-yuan one day ahead of schedule.
Motivated by this, Wei Ying sprinted off to the burial mounds, Suibian flying off, chasing up to him.
"Don't worry granny baobao! I'll bring back more than 100 souls, 200!" Wei Ying waved off, not bothering to turn around, running towards the land of the poor souls.
Sighing to herself, she chokes a small laugh as she reminisces how Wei Ying seems to remind her so much of her own daughter.
Like mother, like son huh?
Meanwhile, at Gusu Lan Sect, A-yuan has just formally greeted the sect leader, Lan Qiren, and his A-die's brother, Lan Xichen.
"Mm, good child. Stand up and come here." Lan Qiren motioned his hand, signaling him to come towards him .
A-yuan lifts his head up and looks at Lan Zhan, curious to know if he can trust this man.
His A-die nods his head, the small tug upwards of the corner of his lips shows an indication that he will be fine. A-yuan walks over to Lan Qiren, the sect leader grabs his shoulder and spins him around, observing the newly fitted Lan sect robes on him.
"Mm, good. You look like a very decent cultivator, I hope you can live up to the reputation of the Gusu clan."
Nodding his head to the elder, A-yuan looks back again to his A-die. Following his eyes, Lan Qiren looks at Lan Zhan and nods his head in approval.
"Wangji, I am glad that you are influencing the youth in following the path of the cultivation world, how did you find this child?"
"Uncle, Brother......... this child...is Wei Ying's adopted child."
In bewilderment, both men look back down to A-yuan. The shining glow of innocence glimmer in eyes looking up at them makes them double take another look into their memories of Wei Wuxian.
To the sect leader, all he could see think of is the troublemaker, the rascal, the menace to his sect and his nephew.
To Lan Xichen, all he could think of is the brave, the righteous, the wild, the soulmate of his broth- wait what.
But together, they can both agree that Wei Wuxian has the innocence of a cultivator, someone who wishes to protect the weak and innocent.
Just as they were accepting of this fact, A-yuan shocked them further more.
"A-die, do you tink (think) mama is doing okay widout (without) A-yuan there?" A-yuan, one hand tugs on the sleeve of Lan Zhan's robe swinging his hand side to side while sucking on the thumb of the other hand.
.
.
.
"Mhm, A-yuan must cultivate well to show Wei Ying that you can help him too." Lan Zhan's response snapped the sect leader and sect elder out of their thoughts.
"Wang ji, what did A-yuan call you?" Lan Xichen spoke in a hesitant tone, worried about what he might say next.
"XiongZhang, he lost his parents during the Sunshot campaign, when I was night hunting in Yiling, I found him crying to me whilst calling me his A-die. Since I've decided to raise him, I've long regarded him as my son." Looking down at A-yuan, he gently pulls the hand out of his mouth and softly reminds him not to suck on his fingers anymore.
"Wh- Wh- Who did he say, 'Mama'? Who does he regard as his mother then?" Lan Qiren grips on his tea cup, the slight shiver as he brings it towards his mouth as his only indicator to show that he was awaiting nervously for Lan Zhan's answer.
"Mama ish mama! A-yuan ish mama's bwaby!" A-yuan upon hearing the word 'mama' got too excited and interrupted the conversation.
Resting his hands on A-Yuan's shoulders to calm him down, Lan Zhan responded as eloquently as ever:
"A-yuan was first raised by Wei Wuxian when he lost his parents, he sees Wei Ying as his motherly figure. Since he went to training, I took it upon myself to take him to Lan Sect and train him alongside the other students."
With this newfound information, Lan Qiren looks at his nephew in a new perspective. Just like back then, when he took it upon himself to raise his brother's sons because he decided to go into seclusion, he understands the effort and care that Wangji will go through too.
"Wangji, is this what you have decided for yourself?"
"Mhm, Shufu. I know what I have chosen. But I must request something from Shufu and XiongZhang, please keep the relationship between A-yuan, Wei Ying, and I a secret for now. I fear that those who know of this information will use it against us."
"Oh? Why do you think so Wangji?" Lan Xichen could kind of make a deduction of reasons, but better to know clearly than to assume.
"Wei Ying's grandmother, Baoshan Sanren, an immortal who has long been thought of as a myth is actually alive and training him. If others were to find out, I'm afraid..."
Without finishing his sentence, both men listening could make a clear conclusion to what he means.
"Alright. Wangji, we promise to help keep it a secret for now. Why don't you take A-yuan out to begin his training." Lan Xichen first broke the silence.
Nodding his head, Lan Zhan stood away some distance, bowed respectively to his uncle and brother, A-yuan at his side imitating him, and lets himself out of the private room of Elder Lan.
"XiChen, what do you think of the situation?"
"Shufu, I think Wangji has it all on control, though it is quite sudden, but I trust Wangji to have discussed it with Wei Gongzi."
Sipping from his tea cup, Lan Qiren cant help but worry about Wangji and how important he must think of that Wei Child to help raise his child.
Wait a minute...
Could he be......
No, that's impossible.
Caught up with such a scary thought, he chokes on his tea, and Lan Xichen helps soothes his uncle's back while he pours him another cup. Still occupied with thoughts in his mind, Lan Qiren can't help but wonder:
Is Wangji trying to court Wei Wuxian?