"Shijie! He's awake!"
Wei Ying blearily opens his heavy eyes, the smell of herbs wafting through his nose as he sees a blurry figure of Jiang Cheng.
"A-Xian, can you hear me?"
He grunts, his throat aching from being parched.
"Wa...ter..."
"Here, drink it slowly."
Jiang Cheng guides Wei Ying as he inched the cup closer to his mouth, some trickled down his chin and choked.
"I said slowly you idiot."
Wei Ying just laughs hoarsely.
Jiang Yanli stands up as she went to the doorway, "I'll reheat some soup."
"What happened?" Wei Ying asks when Yanli left.
"You almost died because of your hero complex. As simple as that." Jiang Cheng says emotionlessly before sighing in exasperation.
"Aiya. It's my job as your shixiong to take the blame. Besides, I've always wanted to do it if I really have a younger brother."
"Your job...Xie Lian please forgive me for what I'll do but he deserves it."
"Huhㅡwait! Ow A-Cheng! I'm an injured patientㅡow ow ow!"
"Your job? Who the hell employed you to be my shixiong anyways?! Who the hell asked you to take the blame?! I was the one at fault, Wei Wuxian! So stop your hero complex before I kill you myself!"
"Alright! Just...stop twisting my ear!"
Thankfully, Jiang Cheng did stop as he plopped down to a nearby chair.
Wei Ying tries to soothe his red ear, "Where is Xun-ge anyways?"
Jiang Cheng looks at him before shaking his head, "You should sleep again."
"What do you mean? I just woke up?"
"Clearly you are still half-awake from the question you're asking. Who the hell is Xun-ge?"
Wei Ying felt like he was thrown into the coldest river in Yunmeng.
"Hey...stop joking. Where is Xun-ge?"
"And I'm telling you, I don't know who and where this Xun-ge is."
The once friendly aura Wei Ying was emanating became onimous in a matter of seconds. Standing up, he didn't mind how his knees weakly trembled as he backed away from the child whom he should know as Jiang Cheng.
"Who are you?"
Wei Ying is a smart child for an age of eight.
"What nonsenseㅡ"
"A-Cheng? A-Xian? What's going onㅡ"
"Stay away! Who are you people?!"
"Wei Wuxian!"
"Where is Xun-ge?! Please stop joking!"
A clarity bell then resounded and at the same time, his surroundings became dark.
"You're an interesting little human. No wonder he treats you as one of his."
Wei Ying could see a man in front of him wearing such atypical clothes, his hair white like an old man's but he has a youthful face.
"Who are you?"
The man then smiled as if teasing, "Your gege's guardian angel."
Wei Ying perked, "Do you know where gege is?"
The man chuckles, "He's alright, don't worry. Besides, I want to know more about you."
"Uhmm...okay...?"
The man then plops down, and Wei Ying reluctantly follows the older's actions.
"For beginners, did you know that CalㅡWei Xun will be pissed at you?"
"Huh?" Was Wei Ying's immediate answer.
"First rule about him. He cares about those who are under his care. Those who hurt his people will face certain death. But saying that you were hurt by taking the blame, he'll be angry at you."
Wei Ying visibly gulps, "It won't be that bad...right?"
"Oh believe me. It is that bad."
Wei Ying let out a sullen 'oh'.
"Say, do you believe in reincarnation?" The man then asks.
"Yes? It was taught to us."
"Oh right. It's a cultivation world." The man whispers under his breath.
The man then smiles in clear amusement, "Do you want to see what your gege was like in his previous life?"
Before Wei Ying could answer, the man dissappears as a bright light engulfed him.
Opening his eyes, he looked at the sky that was clear without a single cloud, a silver shield stood as it proudly protects the soldiers inside.
"Where am I?"
Wei Ying looks around that seems like a battlefield, unknown clothes were worn with people who have the same unique color as his gege.
His gege who was beside him was standing in a battleship as he slowly opened his eyes, the wind then slowly died down as the redhead sighed.
"Cale-nim." A raven then suddenly spoke, making Wei Ying look the same time his gege did.
"Did you leave a mark?"
Wei Ying looks in confusion, not understanding a thing.
The redhead then started walking even though he was limping, smiling as if he heard some good news when the raven clearly didn't answer him.
His gege then almost tripped, making Wei Ying try and catch him but only for his hands to pass through, making him flinch.
But the redhead balanced himself in time before sighing, he then continued trudging in the same direction.
Wei Ying just followed him silently while looking at his little hands.
"Father."
"A-die."
Wei Ying's ears perked at the familiar language. Looking at his gege who was talking to an older man who have the same features as him despite the brown hair.
His gege then helped the older man stand up, making the soldiers also stand up.
Every soldiers looked up at the clear sky, the silver shield that was protecting them was still there.
And at the same time, citizens started opening their doors as they all looked at the same scenery with their eyes.
"Father."
"A-die."
Wei Ying could see how fatigued his gege is, and he's sure that the older man could see it too.
Just then, another boy started running towards them while holding an orb in his arms.
He then started to shout.
"Enemy ships have been discovered at the first boundary of the northeastern ocean!"
Wei Ying could feel his blood run cold, finally understanding the unfamiliar language when it was translated for him to understand.
His gege is fighting a war in his previous life.
He could feel dread wash over him as he worriedly looked at the redhead who was surprisingly smiling.
'Isn't he too young to fight in a war?'
Wei Ying is too smart for his own age.
"Time to go hunting."
Wei Ying looks in horror, "No...don't...gege!"
Cale was still smiling.
"The shield did not break."
In the next time he blinks, Wei Ying found the white haired man standing in front of him once again.
The God of Death smiles gleefuly, "Wasn't your gege so coolㅡwhy are you crying?!"
Wei Ying hiccups while tears continued to stream down, still remembering how his gege looked in his previous life.
"Did he die while fighting in the war?" He asks with no hesitation, his eyes stern albeit it was filled with tears.
The God of Death was taken aback before smiling softly as he ruffled the young boy's hair that to Wei Ying, it felt like a parent's touch.
"I see he is already loved in his current life."
The God of Death was really glad.
"He didn't die in the battle, don't worry. He was famed a hero because he was the one contributed the most and won the war."
The God of Death could see the little human's face relax, but there was still the underlying worry on how his gege had died in his previous life.
Perhaps he had died while living up to his old age, but that will be a story for another time.
"Now, little Wei. Can you make me a promise?"
It wasn't a vow of death like what he specializes in, but rather, it was really just a harmless promise.
Wei Ying just hums while he wipes away his tears.
"Can you make sure that your gege can live like what you gave him his courtesy name?"
Xianghuan. A peaceful happiness.
Wei Ying nods enthusiastically making the God of Death smile again.
"Thank you, little Wei. It was nice to talk with you."
Wei Ying blarily opens his eyes, feeling something heavy in his arms as he slowly looked.
"Ge...ge..."
He could see Jiang Cheng usher towards him with a relieved face.
"Shijie! He's awake! Gege!"
He's finally back, where his Shidi, Shijie, And Gege should be.