Lan Zhan's POV
Lan Zhan paused, thinking fast.
"Let's see where this goes. That much is clear that we cannot under any circumstances trust him, not while his loyalty is questionable. Even Wei Ying...there was a moment when the Jiang Heir had upset him deeply."
Baoshan Sanren raised a brow quizzically.
Lan Zhan explained what had happened when Wei Ying had asked him where his mother was at a crucial time, when she had arrived late to a battle, and he had protected her by not answering.
"But," she said, tapping her nose thoughtfully, "you might have to pretend to trust him. That's a completely different game."
"What does the venerable senior mean?"
"Oi! Watch it!" She said playfully. But then Baoshan Sanren became serious again. "Where you come from, people are encouraged to be honest. But the world is a different place outside of your precious Gusu."
Lan Zhan wanted to bristle at her words. In fact, he realized that the old him certainly would have...but he had changed...and it was reassuringly refreshing even for himself.
Now, he was ready to accept her advice and her criticism...because he had accepted that his home and its three thousand plus rules were right and correct most of the time, it in no way meant that they should be adhered to quite so strictly. And he would even add that, since they depended on each situation as it presented itself, he was now in a position to suggest to some disciples that they learn how to adapt instead of following blindly.
More importantly, he could see that she was right.
"Does the Celestial Immortal have any advice for me?" He knew he sounded hopeful.
The bigger problem would arise when he had to actually execute ... something...because he wasn't even sure what exactly he was going to do once they went back to Lotus Cove.
"That Purple Spider is a treacherous creature. A slimy viper...she'll do anything to wriggle out of your accusations and you'll have achieved nothing by alienating her or her son. So...you have to lay a verbal trap." Baoshan Sanren returned to grabbing some more ingredients but it was obvious that she was turning over the conundrum of Lan Zhan's problem in her head.
"Verbal trap?" Lan Zhan echoed, wishing Wei Ying was here with him.
He would be so much better at this cloak and dagger business than he ever could be. Again, a sharp pain burst through Lan Zhan's chest at the fact that his husband-to-be wasn't here, by his side where he belonged.
Missing Wei Ying was more than a physical ache now.
"Yes.You will be under her scrutiny from the moment you set foot in Lotus Cove. And...that's assuming that my grandson is still there." She nodded to herself, unaware of the tsunami of turmoil she had unleashed on Lan Zhan with her last few words.
What did she mean, if Wei Ying was still there??
"Grandmother..." Lan Zhan could barely breathe now.
"Finally..." she muttered under her breath, because he only now used more familiar terms with how he addressed her.
Lan Zhan was struggling to maintain his composure. Wasn't his beloved Wei Ying still there?
But the more he thought, the more he realized that Baoshan Sanren was the perfect strategist.
She understood complicated scenarios and the possible outcomes five steps ahead of himself, and now Lan Zhan was worried that he wasn't going to be up to the task because he was not as adept with the same skills.
He strove to cleanse his heart and mind of doubts.
Wei Ying needed him and he was of no use to anyone if he could not think clearly now.
Ten clear breaths later, he felt refreshed and the tonic she had given him also helped.
She was making more at the moment, no doubt for the Jiang heir because they would be travelling back together.
Lan Zhan thought about what the Jiangs had told them when they had caught up with himself and the Weis trying to leave Lotus Cove.
"Jiang Cheng told us that Wen Zhuliu had gathered them in Swords Hall. His mother was already there, and their soldiers were rounding up anyone of importance and bringing them there. The only reason why they didn't catch your daughter and her husband was because he kept moving and pulling sneak attacks."
"Did you say Wen Zhuliu?" Baoshan Sanren turned around sharply, dropping whatever was in her hands.
"Mn." Lan Zhan wondered why she looked so pale. "How do you know him?"
"I know of him...not personally. You know...I can see things?" She waited till he nodded. "I keep seeing images...nothing certain for now...but my grandson is there. It is a foreign place...but I recognise the white and red robes of the Wens. However...about Wen Zhuliu, he's not a true Wen. He belonged to a smaller Sect long ago, and his father ended up owing Wen Rouhan. When the Wens began annexing the sects around Qishan, his Sect was absorbed into the Wens and he worked his way up through the ranks because of his special skill. You know him as the Core-melting Hand, isn't that so?"
Lan Zhan nodded.
"He's a loyal dog, does whatever his master asks of him. People choose servitude for different reasons, son. Whatever happens, he's made his choices. He willingly carries out his duties no matter how cruel the request...that has to count for something. And you can place a solid wager that if he was at Lotus Cove, then he has my grandson now." She straightened her back as if she was readying herself for whatever was to come.
"Then...they would have taken Wei Ying to Nightless City." Lan Zhan did not want to think about that.
To allow himself the luxury of thinking about that possibility when he had no proof was just wasting time, precious time he could not afford.
"Most likely. And if that's the case, you won't be able to get him out of there."
Lan Zhan did not care to listen to that part.
Baoshan Sanren came closer to him.
"I know you're young...barely eighteen you...and Wei Ying is even younger. The circumstances are less than ideal and a great weight is being placed on your shoulders. But know this: the Universe only gives you what it knows you are capable of dealing with. Otherwise, what would be the point, hm?"
Lan Zhan stared into her purpley silver eyes, mysterious with knowledge. There was comfort to be had in her words...because no matter where his Soulmate was, Lan Zhan was going to find Wei Ying.
Find him and bring him back.
"We should get going now...wasted too much time." He bit out.
"Are you still going to Lotus Cove then?" Baoshan Sanren asked curiously.
"Mn. Need proof before taking the next step." It wasn't exactly a lie...but Lan Zhan didn't want to say more than that.
His main reason for going back to Lotus Cove was two-fold: prove to Jiang Cheng that his mother was a lying toe rag and get a read on him to see which way he swung, and track Wen Zhuliu.
Lan Zhan was an expert at tracking, and provided they had gone on foot, Lan Zhan was supremely confident that he would be able to find Wei Ying. His every night hunt was solid proof of his legendary skills as a hunter.
It was time to put that talent to good use.
***********
When Baoshan Sanren handed the tonic filled cup to the Jiang Heir, his first response was to scowl back at her.
She sighed a long suffering sigh.
"Let me guess, you think I'm trying to poison you? Logic should replace that fear, and the first question you should be asking yourselves is, what would I stand to gain by killing you? In a world where someone like Wen Rouhan is trying to take over, surely anyone not carrying the Wen name is an ally?" She scowled back at him.
Out of the two, Lan Zhan thought she looked far more formidable.
Jiang Yanli quickly placed her hand on his shoulder.
It quickly calmed him and caught the interest of the Grandmaster.
"Tell me...have you considered a career in Empathy?" She asked the eldest Jiang. "If you're interested, I can teach you a few pointers...get you started." She offered kindly.
"We don't need your help!" Jiang Cheng glared at her.
"A-Cheng...don't be rude." Jiang Yanli lightly admonished him, but her eyes were filled with curiosity as she looked at the Grandmaster. "I would be honoured to learn from you, Celestial Immortal."
Baoshan Sanren grinned back at the girl. She was slim and quiet, however the Grandmaster sensed a different kind of power dormant inside her...maybe all it needed was to be coaxed into blooming, like a flower.
But her scowl returned when Baoshan Sanren looked back at her brother.
"It's not gonna get inside you by itself, boy!" She snapped, making Jiang Cheng blush angrily.
"It is a tonic, nothing more, nothing less." Lan Zhan informed him, adding his voice to the argument for drinking it...hopefully soon.
"How can I trust you? Either of you?" He choked out, eyes darting between them.
"Lans do not lie." Lan Zhan told him, quite affronted with the suggestion that he was telling an untruth.
"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't still be standing in front of me spouting nonsense!" Baoshan Sanren bit back, clearly done with him now. "Drink it or throw it away, I do not care. You're the one who has to travel back to Lotus Cove with little to no spiritual energy left, and it makes no difference to me. But time is in short supply, and I suggest using it wisely."
When Jiang Cheng still made no effort to drink it, nor put the cup down, Baoshan Sanren added, "that means, no dithering. An indecisive man is as good as dead."
She waved a hand and a tent appeared next to them.
"Let's get your father in there where he can rest, and then you and I can discuss your future over tea." Baoshan Sanren told Jiang Yanli.
The Grandmaster went to lift Jiang Fengmian, but Lan Zhan quickly stepped in to help.
He carried the Sect Leader into the tent where a bed was already assembled, waiting for him.
When he came out of the tent, Baoshan Sanren winked at him with approval.
Lan Zhan looked over to the now empty cup in Jiang Cheng's hand as he awkwardly searched for somewhere to put it. The Grandmaster was not helping him out.
"Let's go." Lan Zhan told him, also not helping him on purpose.
*************
The flight back to Lotus Cove was uneventful but definitely faster. Now that neither cultivators had extra weight on their swords, plus the added benefit of the tonic they had drank, meant they reached their destination in three quarters of the time it took to reach the Celestial Immortal.
All the while, Lan Zhan tried not to let his nerves get the better of him.
Everything depended on his ability to wrangle the truth out of the infamous Purple Spider, which was a challenge by itself...but also he had to make sure her son heard her confession.
Lan Zhan's only fear was, in spite of clear and cut out proof that Madam Yu was guilty of conspiring with the Wens, which she could just as easily say they had coerced her into not raising the Jiang Sect shield, there was the distinct possibility that the Jiang Heir would still support his mother.
In that instance, one of two things could happen.
Either they would let him leave peacefully...or not.
Lan Zhan thought that part was the easiest. Fighting came second nature to him and he was confident without being arrogant that he could take on both Madam Yu and her son.
He had heard tales of Madam Yu's fighting skills and already knew of her as being a powerful cultivator in her own right, but he hoped to have the element of surprise on his side. There was a lot to be said about being prepared, as the countless sparring contests under his belt had proved time and time again.
As for Jiang WanYin...Lan Zhan did not even see him as a threat. His cultivation level was nowhere near his own and Lan Zhan was well-versed in fighting multiple opponents; so he was not worried.
When they landed in the courtyard of Lotus Cove, Lan Zhan held Jiang WanYin back with a finger over his own mouth signalling the other not to talk.
"Stay here. Listen to what she has to say." He told Jiang WanYin.
He was expecting a fight, so Lan Zhan was surprised when he received a subdued nod.
Then he prepared himself to face the Purple Spider.