An infinite darkness is all he tends to see before he finds himself plunging into a sea of blood. His eyes manage to adjust to the darkness as they begin to see more than what he could comprehend. Faces. Many faces. Young. Old. Men. Women. Children. Animals.
So many victims of death and destruction. And he can see them all surrounding him like an audience, as if they were waiting for a show to start. He can hear the whispers, but he couldn't decipher anything of what they were saying. But he could tell that they were speaking about him. The only thing he can make out within the thousands of words being spoken, is the sound of his name being hissed through the rattling of their bones.
His eyes wander about in a panic as the sounds were growing to be far too much for him. His body trembled, and his heart was pounding. Desperately in his mind, he tries to convince himself to bare it. But he can't find a way to do so. It was too much. This was too much. He was too much.
"A-Ying."
The sound of a jingle drags him from his nightmare as Wei Wuxian's eye flash open to a sight of red and silver. He takes a breath in only to choke on the resentful energy and foul smell protruding from the ground below him. Hua Cheng lifts his hand to rub his back gently as he takes a moment to compose himself.
"A-die...?"
"I'm still here. No worries."
Wei Wuxian sighs lightly and rests his head in his hand.
"A nightmare..."
"More than a nightmare....you're here in this kind of place. What they're doing is trying to consume you. Control you. And take over your body to make them as one of their own. But you bare some heavy resistance already."
"I do...?"
"The dead hears all A-Ying. And you've had interest in controlling resentful energy. When those of the dead hear of this, it makes them curious to see what you could do. Curious to see how you feel in regards to those who have passed. What their stories are, and what they have been through."
Wei Wuxian thinks on it for a moment and remembers how the aquatic demon had reacted to him before. It wasn't consuming him. It was connecting to him. He stares at the ground beneath him.
"Give a listen. The ground is a whole living creature because of the dead that still reside here."
Wei Wuxian carefully lowered his ear to the ground and is shocked to hear movement. The sound of claws digging in the dirt trying to escape. The sounds of people. Beasts. They were all trapped in the very dirt they've contaminated. Not by choice of course.
"I can help you start this journey, but I can't stay long after. I have to go back soon to my domain...."
Wei Wuxian looks up to him.
"Don't give me that look A-Ying. Just be sure to kill Wen Ruohan....and then we will definitely be able to reunite soon..."
"Wen Ruohan..."
"Now that you're older....I'll explain to you...what we have been dealing with. And why our family had to separate...." The tone in his voice shifts to one filled with bitter sorrow. More than anything he wanted to be at the side of his God and his son. But he can't have both. Not until the source was dealt with.
"But you're gonna work while I speak. Resentful energy gets stronger with the most negative emotions when you wield it. That's what also makes it dangerous."
Wei Wuxian stares at him without a hint of fear.
"I can control it."
"You will control it. Not can. Will. It's about your will. If you step out there, and you lose control it will bite you. It will bring you pain and the world is not so kind to one who practices dark magic of any kind. Keep this in mind. You'll be seen like a hero when you step onto the battlefield again, but afterward don't expect high bouts of gratitude or praise from any major clan. You are out of place in this kind of society and they will use it against you. Be cautious. But don't be stupid."
Wei Wuxian slowly nods as Hua Cheng lifts him up and turns to the direction they came from.
"Back to the blood pool now. We'll start there."
Wei Wuxian follows him in silence as he notices the way that he walks. The jingling of his boots match with each steady step that he takes. He doesn't know the history of his parents, but he would like to. So he works up the courage to ask.
"A-die...can you tell me more about you and A-niang?"
Hua Cheng smiles at the mention of Xie Lian as he slightly turns his head to his son.
"You really want to know? It's a rather long tale."
"Yes! I want to know!"
Hua Cheng chuckles and slows down his pace to stand at his side.
"Follow my steps."
Wei Wuxian walks with him and watches the shift in his voice and facial expressions. They changed so drastically, that it shocked him.
'He really loves him....so this is what love does to a person...'
"First you need to be reminded that we aren't fully human anymore."
Wei Wuxian remembers this. He was told this once before by his guardians.
"Your mother is a God. And I am a Ghost King. And we are beyond 800 years old. When you live Immortal lives, you tend to lose count of your age. So we don't necessarily keep track of it. But we could if we wanted to."
"Wow you're an old man then."
"Don't get too cocky kid."
Wei Wuxian snickers a bit as he continues to listen.
"Our tale begins in the Kingdom of Xianle. A placed filled with riches, music, women, and a beloved crown prince, named Xie Lian."
As he speaks, Xie Lian listens as well as he watches the two converse. His ears burn red as he listens to him call out his name. He would always refer to him as 'his highness' or 'gege,' but never his actual name. And it made him feel flustered.
Mu Qing and Feng Xin now move away from him in disgust. Pei Ming merely chuckles at the sight and Ling Wen can only bring herself to sigh in disbelief.
Lang Qingqiu is excited to hear the tale of his teacher, and Quan Yizhen was just as eager to hear the stories of the crown prince. For once he was willing to pay attention real closely.
Hua Cheng continues with his tale-
"Xie Lian was a beloved Crown Prince gifted in cultivation, beauty, music, and was loved by the heavens. At the age of seventeen, he had completed his first calamity and ascended to the heavens to be a martial god."
"A martial god...there are different types...?"
"There are. There's martial gods who are more suited to combat. Then you have the Civil gods, they are mainly Scholars and Literature God's. Then you have The Elemental Masters handle the elements of course, they are fairly important to the world. Another title for them all would be Heavenly Officials. The Heavenly Court is split into two ranks, the Upper Heaven and Middle Heaven. The Upper Heaven is filled with those like the Heavenly officials who ascended due to their own potential and talents. The Middle Heaven is filled with those who are brought there by those in the Upper Court. They mainly consist of people they have known before, or people they believe have potential. Should a God be banished, they too will be banished but they have chances to rise up again."
By this point Wei Wuxian's head is spinning.
"What's the point of having it all split up. You'd just have to remember so many official names right? That's too much."
Hua Cheng chuckles.
"I agree."
Wei Wuxian grins, "Tell me more~!"
As they walked at a steady pace, Xie Lian listens to the tales that leave his lips. The stories of their lives from start to finish. The good, the bad, and the ugly. A tale of a Beauty and a Beast.
He smiles as Wei Wuxian gives his own thoughts to the events, with curiosity and amazement.
"So...who decides if you ascend?"
"Mainly the heavens, you have to face a calamity as a test. A storm or sudden form of great tragedy that one must face. At times it can be random who gets chosen as well."
"Really?"
"Yes. Are you looking to ascend...?"
Wei Wuxian thinks on it and shakes his head.
"No thanks. I'd rather keep being mortal....though my life span isn't going to be long...."
These words squeeze at the lifeless heart of the Ghost King who turns to him.
"Why do you believe that? You realize you have god and ghost blood in your veins....typically you could be more than what you realize..."
Wei Wuxian thinks on that for a moment and gives a smile that was far too familiar to the Ghost King. A smile he has seen his god wear, a smile that is accepting of fate.
"It's just something that I feel. There is no way I can describe it."
Hua Cheng says nothing, but he lifts his hand and ruffles up his hair lightly. He smiles bitterly and pulls him closely to him.
"In death you'll be welcomed to Ghost City....don't forget that. If i need to find you, I will."
Wei Wuxian returns the embrace and buries his face in his chest. To have his father finally with him, and being able to hug him. Confide in him. Be comforted by him. It's all he wanted. He just wanted this familial love. He didn't need anything else.
"Thank you....and when you see A-niang....please also tell him for me too?"
"I'm sure he knows..."
Xie Lian sniffles as he rests his forehead into the palm of his hand. The devastating realization that his son was accepting of an early death drove a wedge into his heart. He didn't want him to die so early on in his life, and yet even he knew that death was more than likely going to be an unavoidable outcome. He thought that he was going to be able to accept it, since he was sure that their reunion would require it-but no matter what he would never be accepting of it.
Pei Ming pats his shoulder.
"As repetitive as this appears ro be, it'll be okay your Highness. If anything, Hua Cheng will keep him in Ghost City. And you'll be able to see him whenever."
Xie Lian understands that. He does. But it doesn't make it any eastier to accept the facts.
Hua Cheng walks with Wei Wuxian and continues to jump from topic to topic, story to story-sharing as much information as he could.
"I wish I could have taught you how to summon the butterflies."
"Oh. Heh they're formed from spiritual energy right?"
"Correct."
"Yeah, I can't do that...but....what if...I could do the same thing but with Resentful energy?"
Hua Cheng raises an eyebrow.
"Before you think of ideas like that, you need to learn to control that energy. You were going to get dragged into the blood pool just now....well you're gonna stsrt there."
Wei Wuxian nods.
"I'm ready...."
"Good...then go for it. But remember this, a sound soul dwells within a sound mind, and sound body. If you lose control of either of these three things you will fall short. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Alright. First, you're going to meditate before jumping in. We need you to get used to the sounds that are haunting this area, because anyone would have gone mad by now. The only reason why you haven't gone insane yet is because I've placed a sort of barrier around you. Once I remove it you'll begin to hear everything."
Wei Wuxian nods and sits before the blood pool in a more proper positon.
Hua Cheng lifts his hand and snaps.
"Begin."
Xie Lian decides to look away. He doesn't necessarily want to watch his son learn to control over dark energy. It is a gruesome process and it can drain ones life away. He decides to focus on something else, someone else. A person who has caught his interests since the start. Lan Wangji. A butterfly has pinned to him, leaving them to see what he is doing.
Lan Wangji is unsure of what to do with himself now. When news spread about the attack on the Jiangs, all the other clans were preparing for an all put war. The Lans however were not necessarily a part of it. They have been providing aid, but they were still trying to recover from their own attack themselves. Instead of staying home however, he had been searching for Wei Wuxian as both the brothers have been reported missing. He knew how strong Wei Wuxian was, and he knew that with the two weapons in his possessiom there was nothing that could reallh harm him. So what happened to him? Is he dead? Is he hiding? Where could he be? Is he imprisoned?
He just wanted to make sure he was okay. He wasn't fully sure as to why. He just wanted to find him. And if he needed to do so on his own then he will.
At one point, he reaches fhs bottom of the mountain he had been captured at, and finds the droplets of his blood. Just a few feet away was his silver bell, and his cracked pendant. He frowns and crouches down to pick up both items. He holds them gently in his hands and stares head with only a few words to say.
"Wei Ying....where are you?"
Xie Lian frowns. He wishes he couls tell him, but if he were to do so then his son would be furious with him. And more than likely Lan Wangji would go over there himself to see if he was alive.
"Your highness..."
He turns his head to the portal showing Ghost City to ses Jiang Fengmian looking to him.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I am just questioning if....you see what I am seeing...."
"Hm?"
"It's about the Lan disciple."
"Oh." He chuckles lightly. "So you see it too? I am hoping it does go forward once they reconnect."
"I am hoping for the same thing."
"You honestly believe that Lan Wangji. THE Lan Wangji is a cut-sleeve?"
Madam Yu questions.
Xie Lian nods his head as does Jiang Fengmian. However she just scoffs in disbelief.
"I do not see it at all. The Lans are very strict and conservative. There is no way one of them would really choose to fall in love with someone like Wei Wuxian. He's too wild for them..."
"That is true but there is something you both should know."
Both look to each other before looking up to him.
"During the events of the cave, before they were found. The two destroyed the beast together, and sat together in peace as they rested. However, A-Ying being himself, he asked for Lan Wangji to sing a song for him. And he did. But it was a song A-Ying had never heard before, and so he had asked as to what the name of the song was. Would you like to know what it was called?"
The two were curious, but they weren't sure what it had to do with the two boys.
Xie Lian chuckles lightly with a smile, as one of his fingers lightly rub against the red string tied to his finger.
"Wangxian..."
"Wangxian....?" Jiang Fengmian repeats, and for a moment it doesn't click, but then it does. "It's a combination of their names....?!"
"Correct, I believe that Lan Wangji may have created a song specifically for them,"
Madam Yu is left speechless as she turns to her husband who was just as shocked, but then his shocked expression fades down into a smile.
"That's good....then when he returns....and the war is over, they should be able to speak to one another again correct?"
Xie Lian nods his head, but then sighs, "I just hope...that Lan Wangji will spare him a bit of mercy...and I hope that A-Ying tells him the truth about what happened to him otherwise there could be problems..."
Days would pass before Jiang Cheng would be revealed to have been found by Wangji's older brother Xichen, but when no other news was found about Wei Wuxian it left Lan Wangji to be filled with a sense of dread. The night Jiang Cheng had returned alongside his brother he was left to sort out his own thoughts. The two had ran away together, but they were separated soon after. How and why? He wanted to know.
"Wangji..."
Lan Wangji turns to his brother who enters his room, and stops him from doing any other types of formalities. Lan Wangji waits as he sits beside him. He lifts his hand to his shoulder with a small smile.
"I'm glad that you're safe Xichen...."
"Yes....I'm glad I could make it back. I heard about what has been happening, and Jiang Cheng-ah...I suppose he is now Sect Leader. Well he told me about your search for Wei Wuxian..."
Lan Wangji turns his head and stares down at his lap.
"I could only find these...." He goes into the sleeves of his robes and sets down the bell and the butterfly pendant that he had tried to repair, but couldn't.
"I see....that pendant though it appeared to be important to him. From what I had gathered from Jiang Cheng, he says that this was one of his most precious objects. I believe that you should hold onto it...okay? I'm sure he's out there somewhere....waiting to come back to everyone,"
"I know he is."
"Huh?"
Lan Wangji lifts his head and turns to his brother.
"I know he's out there. He's not dead..."
Xie Lian lightly sighs as he watches the two converse.
"Young love..." Pei Ming says with a light sigh, "It's very tough,"
"Don't know what you would know about that, considering your background," Mu Qing says.
"Oh that's a hit to my pride, General Xuan Zhen,"
"Am I wrong?"
"Well no, but you cannot say that I didn't love any of my previous lovers. I did once upon a time, but sometimes love fades for some. Others never. Like his highness and Crimson Rain, their love will last forever,"
Xie Lian chuckles a bit, "Well...I would say Mu Qing and Feng Xin will last forever as well, now that the two are partnered and fighting a bit less,"
"Your highness, that's because the two don't fight in the open anymore, they have resorted to the alternative of messing around under the sheets,"
"PEI MING!"
Both shout from the side with their faces engulfed in shades of red, as they both lift their weapons to use against him. The General steps back and hides behind Xie Lian with a laugh.
"Am I wrong?"
Xie Lian shakes his head and sighs.
"Honestly, you all are such children now that I have been left to deal with you all for so long. You're all just overgrown children. Please stop,"
Quan Yizhen lifts himself up.
"A fight?"
"No no no! Please everyone just sit down and relax!"
In the burial Mounds, Wei Wuxian is struggling. He had managed to face off against the darkness of the blood pool, but now his body was beginning to change even more as he was trying to get used to the feeling of resentful energy running through his body. He had been sitting in a meditative state for so long now and it was beginning to catch up to him.
"Don't lose focus..." Hua Cheng says.
Today would be the last day that he would be with his son, and he wanted to help him maintain his focus for as long as he could. Watching them was He Xuan who was interested in seeing how well the boy could manage the resentful energy. Beside him were the Jiangs who were honestly terrified of what these beings could do to him. However, they were even more surprised to see that he was managing so far. But it's only been a few days. How long would it take until he could be a master of resentful energy?
Wei Wuxian groans and coughs up a bit of blood as he stops with his cultivating and holds his body up from the ground. His eyes however were still closed as he was trying to gain back all focus. Hua Cheng watches him, and stands back as he knew his son would not want him to interfere. Wei Wuxian takes a moment to breathe as he shakes his head to clear out his mind. He returns to a sitting position, and tries again.
"Today is my last day here, A-Ying. You should be able to make it out of here in a few months."
"Three."
"Huh?"
"Give me three months, and I'll be out of here,"
"Oh? Are you that confident?"
"Heh, I am. But I wonder who I get that from,"
Hua Cheng chuckles, "Very cheeky you are. Good. Before I go however, you said you wanted to learn to summon beings like the butterflies. Let's make that your last assignment from me. Think you can do that?"
Wei Wuxian chuckles as a bit of blood drips from the corners of his lips.
"I know I can."
"Then I am going to leave you to it. Ruoye is still asleep under your robes, be sure to wake him before you head out of here. And this will be my gift to you."
This time Wei Wuxian open's his eyes, as Hua Cheng kneels down to him and sets a new set of robes by his side. He looks up to him as his father plants a small kiss to his forehead. The only other kiss he could ever receive from any parent. Hua Cheng smiles.
"I'm proud of you for making it this far. And I'm sure your mother while a bit scared, I'm sure he's proud of you as well. Never forget that understand?"
Wei Wuxian nods with tears now building up in his eyes as they begin to mix with blood as well.
"Don't cry now...keep your focus..."
Wei Wuxian nods and breathes in as he gains back his control.
"Good."
"We'll all be watching, so don't worry about feeling any loneliness okay?"
He nods.
"Now I'll show you how I summon my butterflies. Be sure to watch, if you can do this with resentful energy then you need to watch what I do."
Wei Wuxian maintains his focus as Hua Cheng raises his hand, and without any effort at all a silver butterfly emerges from his hand. It flies up and around in the air for a moment and swirls around him carefully.
"Even though they are made of spiritual energy they do have some minds of their own, when a huge amount are destroyed however it does cause a bit of pain even if they an be replaced."
"Sounds a bit sad....they really are pretty..."
"Your mother says the same things. Even before we met, he never once feared the butterflies even when he was warned by the other Gods."
"Heh, well that just says a lot about him huh?"
"Of course,"
"Now watch me summon a few more,"
Without effort several more appear to surround Wei Wuxian who chuckles at their presence.
"They are quite fond of you, now if you've noticed they merely come up out of nowhere. Think of summoning an attack. You build up spiritual energy like a ball that takes shape into something powerful that can be used to strike. Or when you pour spiritual energy into music when played created an affect that rides along the sound wave. These butterflies can do many things, they can attack, they can heal, they can transport, they can detect illusions, they can also make me disappear as I tend to do so when I have a swarm around. They only have one weakness, but I won't disclose that out loud just in case if someone gets nay funny ideas."
He Xuan curses under his breath.
Hua Cheng smirks as he knew he was watching.
Wei Wuxian was taking note of everything he was saying while staring the form of the butterfly. They were bright and translucent, and pretty. What could he create that could match them? He couldn't, instead he would need to change the design he had originally. He closes his eyes tightly and concentrates. With a lift of his hand he focuses on the resentful energy charging through his body. Hua Cheng watches him and in a blink of an eye inches back as a massive blast of resentful energy bursts from his hand and into the sky forming a massive crow with eyes glowing in red. While deadly, its form was perfect in every way. Wei Wuxian closes his hand into a tight fist as it vanishes. He falls back to the ground with pain launching from every inch of his body. He coughs and takes a bit of time to breathe. Hua Cheng is stunned into shock for a second before he can crouch down to him. He sighs heavily.
"You fool you unleashed too much power too soon, take a break for now....rest. You should be able to now without the dead souls here to bother you,"
Wei Wuxian smiles tiredly and curls up along the ground with his face dripping in sweat. Hua Cheng brushes his hair out of his face and lays him against a wall with his new robes beside him. He smiles gently.
"I expect great things from you.....but heed our warnings. This is a dangerous path, even if you believe you can control everything....there will be something's out of control...so be careful..."
With his last few words, Hua Cheng raises a hand as an army of silver butterflies swarm around him. He frowns at the thought of having to leave, but he knew that he couldn't stay long. He knew that. It was merely painful to have to say goodbye to his child in such a state. He sighs lightly and snaps as the silver butterflies swirl around him in a tornado as he disappears from the burial mounds.
THREE MONTHS LATER
By now the cultivational world is thrown into chaos as war was coming up from all sides. The Wens were still in the lead, but soon they would begin to lose all power. Within the coming days hints were being left everywhere of a new foe coming up at all locations. Talismans were being left behind with sinister markings drawn in blood. Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng have been following the incidents fairly closely. And they were all leading to a single location in Yunmeng. The two arrive on the scene and prepare for the fight of their lives against Wen Chao and Wen Zhuiliu. However, the two were out matched and outnumbered leaving them to be heavily injured and drained of their strength. The strings on Wangji's Guqin were torn, and his fingers were drenched in blood. He stands by Jiang Cheng's side with his entire body trembling from top to bottom. With a glare, and a bit of a bitter hiss from his lips he asks-
"Where is Wei Ying...?!"
Wen Chao throws his head back in laughter.
"Wei Wuxian?! I've long since threw that bastard into the burials mounds months ago! By now there's probably nothing but a corpse!"
Lan Wangji's eyes widen and it felt like his heart was going to stop.
"Are you so sure......?" A whisper sounds through the air of a womanly voice. All heads turn every which way as pools of red smoke begin to gather from all around. A beautiful woman dressed in red forms, but only to the eyes of Wen Chao who at first seemed delight, but then terrified as her fingers revealed to have sharp claws drenched in a deep bloody red color. She lunges at the man and dives her claws deep into his flesh. He screams loudly into the air as dozens of scratches begin to form all over his body within seconds. Wen Zhuiliu quickly grabs him and moves him aside, but no matter where he moved he couldn't keep the maiden from harming his master. After all, no one else could see it but him.
Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng both turn to each other in confusion as the other Wen members move away in fear. The two stand up tall, but they don't move just yet. Instead they choose to observe.
Wen Chao at this point is begging for mercy as his head, his face, his limbs are all being torn into with such force as flesh and blood begin to show. Everyone in their vicinity had stopped in fheir battles just to watch. No one could tell what was happening or how it was happening. But to one side it felt right, but the otherside was left with the feeling of terror.
Finally as Wen Zhuiliu manages to move further away with his master in his arms with blood dripping every where, the maiden in red vanishes. The flames that were surrounding them had begun to change in color. Thejr orangey red glows shifted to that of a deadly green. The sound of crows chirp so loudly as a single one happens to land on top of Lan Wangjis head dropping a bottle of healing ointment. He manages to catch if in his hand before looking up to see a massive wave of shadow crows with red eyes. They were chirping loudly and were flying through the flames revealing their ghostly forms.
Despite their gruesome appearance, Lan Wangji didn't feel much hostility in them. The one on his head was now just nesting on top with no issues as its brethren continued to swarm all around.
Another one lands on Jiang Cheng's shoulder though he was unsure if he should feel terrified or not. It also drops some healing ointments into his hand before flying off to join the crowd. Once assembled together they form a massive shadowy crow with glowing red eyes. It let's out a terrifying shriek as the sound of a flute begins to play. The tune it was producing was wickedly beautiful, but filled with sinister intents as the dead that lay at their feet begin to slow rise from the ground. Claws begin to burst through the surface as more arise from their slumber. Many wearing the robes of a Wen. They stand tall and begin to charge at the other Wen members leaving the others on the good side to watch in shock and horror.
Wen Chao is far too gone with terror that he tries to run for his life while Wen Zhuiliu covers him, but then another body greets Wen Chao and grabs onto the very bottom of his trousers. His eyes slowly cast down to the zombified corpse of his previous mistress Wang Lingjiao. He screams and tries to run again as Wen Zhuiliu struggles to reach him. But before he could move any further a single white silk band lunges forward and wraps around his throat tightly. The sounds of the flute cease as a figure stands at the top of the roofs above. All eyes cast over as every corpse on the field ceases to move. Standing in the mist of shadows was a man in dark robes. It wasn't clear enough to see his face, but Jiang Cheng could recognize that silk band anywhere. He knew who it belonged to.
The figure slowly hovers down to the ground as his hand holds onto the very silk bandage before him. He walks with steady foot steps and a straight back as his head is held high. His face is still covered, but the moment he reaches within view of them all and opens his mouth to speak-it leaves them all speechless.
"Well then....it's been a while Wen Chao,"
Wen Chao's eyes widen in fear as he recognizes the voice and face that was now staring at them with great bitterness. Lan Wangji's eyes widen as he too recognizes the face and voice clearly. It was Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian is smiling menacingly as he lightly tugs on Ruoye.
"Wen Zhuiliu.....do you really think that you could protect your master like this?"
The core melting hand struggles to speak, but manages to relay his last few words out loud to him.
"I...! Will...! Do so...until I die...!" He grabs onto the silk bandage to yank it forward.
"Ruoye....lift."
Ruoye obeys and lifts the man off the ground. Wei Wuxian lifts his flute and plays a sinister ear shattering tune that commands the resentful energy all around to gather from beneath his feet. The shadows rise up and curl around Wen Zhuiliu as Ruoye releases him and also the energy to do the rest. His body begins to twist and turn in many different leaving him unable to move.
Lan Wangji is watching in horror, while Jiang Cheng is shivering in delight. Vengeance is bitterly sweet.
The Lan disciple however felt a small tinge of disappointment as he rushes over to stop him. Once he reaches this stage there was no going back, and it could only lead to grave consequences. And that is what was running through his mind. Forget his wounds and safety, he didn't care about any of that. He just wanted Wei Wuxian to stop. But Wei Wuxian was not willing to listen to the calling of his name as he builds a black wall between them using the resentful energy, forcing him to stay away.
"Wei Ying!"
Wei Wuxian glances to him for a moment before looking up as Wen Zhuiliu's body is held before him.
"The core melting hand....let's see how you like it...." His eyes glow brightly in red colors as a ball of resentful energy curls into his hand. With a single step he rushes forward and manages to swipe out his golden core from within.
Wen Zhuiliu in an instant feels the loss in his body as he gazes down to where his core used to be. Wei Wuxian turns to him with the core held in his hand as it glowed in golden colors. He smiles slyly and with a single pinch crushes the core into pieces.
"How does that feel? Hm? Having it yanked and crushed in a matter of seconds?"
Wen Zhuiliu says nothing as he's dropped to the ground beside Wen Chao. Wei Wuxian lifts his hand and in a snap the corpses move and to tear them apart limb by limb.
With the two now dying in a bloody mess, the others are quick to surrender as most of their numbering power had been defeated.
"Wei Ying."
Wei Wuxian turns back to Lan Wangji and says in a cold tone—
"Lan Zhan..."
Lan Wangji clenches his hands in tight fists as he speaks.
"You left all of those wicked talismans every where..."
"I did."
"And the one who killed all those disciples in our way...."
"That was me."
"Wei Ying don't you realize there is a price to pay for practicing evil?!"
"I'm willing to pay any price..."
His words just made no sense to him.
"Throughout history there have never been any exceptions! It will harm your mind, heart, and body!"
"Then I'll be the first exception! Trust me I know what I'm doing...."
"Some things are beyond your control!"
"Everything is within my control. As for what it does to mind....well that's no one else's business but my own..."
Something inside Lan Wangji snaps.
"Wei Wuxian!!"
"Lan Wangji"
The resentful energy in the air swiftly begins to shift around as the birds begin to rush in behind him with their screeching voices echoing in the skies, revealing their true nightmarish calls. The only one to remain out of the loop was the single crow sitting on his head in plain bliss.
Wei Wuxian points his flute to him and shouts at the top of his voice.
"What could be more evil right now besides the Wen Clan?! Do you really have the right to judge me?!"
Lan Wangji frowns and let's his anger subside as he speaks—
"Wei Ying....come back to Gusu with me...."
"Gusu...?" For a moment t the red in his eyes vanish, but then they reappear along with a smirk.
"That's right...you Lans don't tolerate tricks like these..."
"It's not to punish you!"
"Then what?! Are you going to take my powers away?! Is that it?! Do you really believe that I'm afraid of you or your clan?!"
With a wave of his hand the corpses all drop to the ground and his crows all vanish as does the black mist. With all the dark energy finally depleted everyone could see his changed appearance more clearly. And his clothing choices as well that seemed different than what he used to wear. If one were ro really know, one could say that he was attempting to somewhat copy some of the looks of his father.
His inner robes were pitch black, and his outer robe was grey, with his sleeves loosely hanging,with his wrists tied tightly with black like cuffs that were made of a dull silver color. The cuffs didn't shine, but they were still beautiful up close as they also carried carvings representing his crows. If one were to look at the cuffs directly it would be as if the material had gotten covered in ash. His outer robe though grey also had red like markings representing some form of flames at the edges of the sleeves and the opening, his trousers matched with his inner robes in color, while he sash tying it all together carried a red color. His boots were black, but hanging from them were small little silver trinkets shaped as his crows as well in the same dull like colors, they hanged over the edges and yet produced no type of sound when he moved at all. His hair also had grown in length as it now rested over his over his shoulders without a single strand being tied back. His hair was flying freely, but tied gently around his neck was his previous red ribbon that completed the outfit by becoming somewhat of a thin scarf that hanged low below his neck. Around his neck was Ruoye who was clinging onto him for dear life in a trembling manner as it was scared of his anger.
Lan Wangji wants to say more, but before he can Jiang Cheng chooses to intervene. He steps in between the two and turns to him.
"With all due respect Young Master Lan, Wei Wuxian is a member of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. Whether he has done anything wrong in regards to using tricks is not up to the Lans to judge."
Lan Wangji bites his lip as he stares at Wei Wuxian who was now glaring down toward the ground in a conflicted manner. He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell him how he felt. But it was not the right time, this he knew—it just hurt to have to walk away. He turns from the two and begins to walk away from them without another word, until a thought crosses his mind.
Just as the brothers are about to catch up and clean up the mess left by the Wens, he calls out to Wei Wuxian one more time.
"Wei Ying...!"
Wei Wuxian sighs and turns to him, but pauses when Lan Wangji steps up to him and holds up his silver butterfly pendant. Wei Wuxian's eyes widen as he sets it into his hands.
"Where did you...?"
"When you were missing....I found it. I was waiting to return it to you....."
Wei Wuxian lightly traces along the surface of the pendant and notices the conditions of it.
"It was cracked when I found it. I tried to fix it as best as I could....but I did not have the same materials that were used for it...."
Wei Wuxian looks up to him and parts his lips to thank him, but then he watches as Lan Wangji gives a bow and apologizes quietly before finally turning around to leave. He watches his back get farther and farther away,and for whatever reason it hurt to watch him go.
Jiang Cheng looks to the pendant then back to him.
"Was he looking for me....?" He suddenly asks.
Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes.
"And? Does it matter? Everyone was looking for you, but from what I've heard from his brother....the elders kept trying to tell him to give up. He never did. But we don't have for this...we have a war to win."
In the Heavens Xie Lian and Pei Ming are in distress.
"Oh my god....my son...is just a fool. This is going to be such a mess...."
"Your highness he get its from you and we all know it. But the poor lad in white really just was being a bit much."
Xie Lian sighs as he rubs his temple, "Well yes I agree a bit, but A-Ying didn't have to just assume things...!"
"Gege. Let him learn he'll face the consequences eventually."
"But San Lang...I really believe that Lan Wangji needs to stick by him."
"We just need to wait a bit longer your highness...."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't believe Lan Wangji will be able to stay away. The reason as to why I say that is because of the pendant. He came back and gave it to him. I thought he was going to keep it."
"San Lang he wouldn't do that."
"But he kept the bell did he not?"
"Well I suppose you're right."
"However it ends, one way or another the boring kid will be at his side. Whether in a dire situation or not he will be. The only way this could end horrifically is if our son does something drastic, which based on his attitude just now means that he will."
He Xuan smirks.
"And yet you're the one who got him started on all this and look even the clothes you provided are a bit much don't you think?"
"Not at all. And besides I've waited for the first opportunity to come for me to scold him. I will gladly do so soon."
"Allow me to join because....I am worried."
"Very well Your Highness..."
The others surrounding them could only feel pity for Wei Wuxina. If only he knew just how scary his parents could be.