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Chapter Ten
It was deep in the night when Wei Wuxian was awakened by a sudden surge of yin energy. It was of great abundance and was rapidly moving from the West. One need not to think deeply, it was directed towards the Cloud Recesses.
Opening his eyes, he couldn't help but praise himself for being so wise. A situation where they needed to sneak out indeed came.
Wei Wuxian grabbed his outer robes and hurriedly but carefully fastened the still sleeping Wei Yuan against his back with a sturdy fabric. He wouldn't dare to leave the child here, not when he himself had experienced being abandoned. He made sure that the evil repelling amulet he had forged specially for such occasion was safely tied on the child's sash before he swiftly grabbed the Chenqing and Old Black. Leaping onto the wall of the courtyard, Wei Wuxian jumped into the adjacent forest, and disappeared within the cover of the night.
"The smell of death is awfully strong," Elder Heiying spoke.
"Corpses?" Wei Wuxian surveyed from the distance. The West border of Gusu City was currently filled with resentful energy. There were also faint shadows rapidly advancing towards the East. They were indeed corpses. Wei Wuxian's eyes squinted. No, someone was definitely commanding these corpses. These were not merely corpses but puppets.
"It's the Yin Metal," Wei Wuxian spoke gravely. He couldn't be mistaken. There was no established dark path yet, no Yiling Patriarch to copy. It could only be the experimentation of making puppets which undoubtedly the effect of Yin Metal. If it's the Yin Metal, then it couldn't be anyone else but Wen Rouhan.
Why was Wen Rouhan making a move? Had his decision of changing the sequence of events finally caused an effect?
He was still trapped in the Burial Mounds when the original meeting between the sects was held, but Wei Wuxian was sure that nothing strange like this happened before. Wen Rouhan had described the uprising with two words: unpromising and overconfident. He never bothered himself with the Sunshot Campaign before Wen Xu was killed. But was it still the same? The branch families of his sect had rebelled. His youngest son and Wen Zhuliu even died. Of course, Wen Rouhan wouldn't just sit still!
No matter what, he had to first take care of the matter in hand. Wei Wuxian surveyed the surroundings but failed to sense the one in command. Wen Rouhan had mindlessly dispatched these puppets? Ha! He was probably not expecting that someone with the ability to control corpse puppets better than him existed and coincidentally, was here to interrupt his plan.
"Such low level puppets," Elder Heiying sneered after the two of them got the complete view of the legion of corpse puppets.
Wei Wuxian did not gave him a reply but internally agreed. This wasn't hard to deal with. Only those already under the control of the Stygian Tiger Amulet wouldn't listen to him. Stygian Tiger Amulet was made out of Yin Metal but the latter was still greatly inferior compared to its reformed version.
As for those controlled by the Yin Metal... Wei Wuxian's lips curved into a playful smile. Wen Rouhan only sent a hundred or so puppets. It was clear that he was only using this to warn the sects with the taste of his power.
Would Wei Wuxian let him accomplish his goal?
Raising the Chenqing against his lips, Wei Wuxian started to play a tune. His eyes flickered from grey to crimson as the piercing sound of flute circled through the air. The ominous wind blew, causing his robes to sway and rustle. He was akin to a death Goddess disturbing the silence of the night. If one would see him, they would surely think that a demoness had graced a visit to the mortal world.
A few notes were all it took for Wei Wuxian to completely snatch the control from the Yin Metal. As he continued to play, the puppets also heeded his commands and started to move accordingly.
Wen Rouhan was a great cultivator, his cultivation high. However, in terms of dark arts, he could never compare to Wei Wuxian. The army of puppets that he had sent had not even passed the border before they turned limped and halted.
Wei Wuxian was having a headache. It would be hard to hide such legion of corpse puppets. In the end, he couldn't bear to dirty the waters or forests of Gusu. He played a tune and ordered these puppets to dig their own grave.
Needing to catch his breath, Wei Wuxian decided to find a place to rest. His feet had brought him towards the waterfalls in the nearby forest. Wei Wuxian unfastened Wei Yuan from his back, hugged the child near his bosom, and sat while leaning against a large stone beside the basin of the falls. The black dog snuggled against his side while Wei Wuxian had no energy to berate him.
Wei Wuxian looked up at the clear night sky. He couldn't help but wonder how the moon was especially bright tonight. Its light, together with the music of the falling water had relatively cleared his mind which was disturbed by his earlier contact with resentful energy. This was a rare occasion that he felt peaceful. He knew that this sounded absurd since he had just cleared a troupe of corpse puppets. Perhaps it was the wind blowing in Gusu. It would be more wonderful if his rest was accompanied by Cleansing music. Time he would voluntarily ask Lan Wangji to play for him.
Wei Wuxian was almost in a meditative state when he suddenly blinked in alarm. He heard soft crunches of dried leaves being stepped upon. Someone was approaching. But the footsteps were light and sure. The person themselves was not emitting even a little killing intent.
Wei Wuxian held his black dizi tightly as he pressed his back against the rock that perfectly hid them. Since the person had no killing intent, he could talk with them peacefully. But it would be better if the person had not noticed them as he was not in the mood to entertain strangers. He decided to observe first.
Wei Wuxian raised an elegant eyebrow as he heard some rustling of fabric from the other side. What was the person doing? Could it be that they were also here to rest? Wei Wuxian tilted his head as he tried to listen more attentively. He was so focused that when the sound of zither suddenly scattered in the air, it had greatly startled him to the point that he almost revealed himself.
Guqin in Gusu? And dared to play in this isolated place in the middle of the night? Could it be?
As the ominous feeling filled Wei Wuxian's heart, the person also continued to fill his ear with their zither music. The sound of the zither flowed through the wind. It was definitely not loud but had the power to travel even to thousand miles away. It was both demanding and solemn, like a song full of queries and worries.
When the last note sounded, Wei Wuxian's heart was already unexplainably trembling. He had this urge to see the person who had the leisure time to play zither at such place and time. He had a hunch but was afraid to be disappointed. However, he was more afraid to face the person had his hunch end up as true. In the end, his worries won over his urge and curiosity. Wei Wuxian had stopped himself from standing and seeing who the person was at the last minute.
Simultaneously, he heard that a single note of zither echoed through the night once again. It was low and heavy to the heart. Even Wei Wuxian didn't know why he became dispirited after hearing that single note. What was that last note for? It didn't seem like a part of the piece at all.
There's a rustle of fabric from the other side. The person was going to leave? Should he stood to see or not? Wei Wuxian waited for the leaving footsteps but there was none. This had successfully tempted him to sneak a look. Wei Wuxian carefully took a peek. His eyes widened in surprise as it landed on the top of the huge rock they were hiding behind. His Clarity Bell that he had given to Lan Wangji in the foot of Mount Yiling was there, lying desolately!
A gust of cold wind blew along with a faint smell of sandalwood. It was a familiar smell. Wei Wuxian had this feeling that if he looked up, it would be his end. But his head seemed to have its own life as it tilted upwards on its own or it was rather because there was a majestic attraction forcing him to do so.
The snowy robes with a pattern of flowing clouds was what first appeared on Wei Wuxian's sight. There wasn't a single speck of dust or wrinkled spot on the white fabric. The robe itself was billowing like clouds. Very ethereal. But Wei Wuxian couldn't help but think that the robe was mourning clothes. Upon seeing the familiar mourning clothes of Gusu Lan Sect, Wei Wuxian instinctively raised his head.
His eyes met a glass-like pair of golden crystal orbs which were staring back at him with no trace of surprise. It was indeed Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian's heart pounded like a war drum, his cheeks heated up despite the cold of the night. When he saw Lan Wangji's face, he couldn't help but be reminded of the thing on the Phoenix Mountain. Who would have guess that this poker face would do such unruly thing that only ruffians would do?
Lan Wangji lowered his gaze as he carefully extended his right hand to retrieve the Clarity Bell on the top of the rock. Wei Wuxian as if magnetized followed Lan Wangji's every action with his eyes.
"A-a-ha-ha-ha! We meet again, Gongzi!" Wei Wuxian stood up and gave Lan Wangji a dazzling smile, but the corner of his eyes were slightly twitching. He hoped that Lan Wangji had not noticed.
Lan Wangji looked at him coolly then down to the bundle in his arms, "...."
Wei Wuxian came out from his hiding spot with Wei Yuan and the dog. It was not long for him to completely recovered his shamelessness and confidence as he grinned. "This one sincerely apologize for eavesdropping once again. I hope Gongzi will show leniency to this lady."
Lan Wangji, "...Mnn."
Eh? Was Lan Wangji really letting it pass?
"Really, this one did not intend to eavesdrop. I came here first," Wei Wuxian thought that Lan Wangji didn't fully believe him so he explained.
"I know," Lan Wangji answered. His face was as emotionless as ever.
"Eh?" What do you know? You believed that he didn't intend to eavesdrop? Or you knew from the start that he was hiding? If it was the latter, then Lan Wangji knew but did not bother to act? Was he so weak for Lan Wangji to bother about his existence?
Instead of answering him, Lan Wangji once again looked at the bundle he was holding. He seemed to be deliberating but in the end asked, "This child?"
Wei Wuxian beamed with pride, "Oww! Mine!"
Lan Wangji slightly frowned, "How?"
How? Wei Wuxian wanted to laugh and so he did. Since when did Lan Wangji had an interest in such things? He grinned and stepped closer to the man while controlling his excited heart. "Gongzi, that's quite overstepping. Do you want me to explain to you how babies are made?"
Lan Wangji glared at him, swiftly creating a distance between the two of them.
Wei Wuxian contentedly roared in laughter. He tilted his head and happily observed the priceless reaction of the man and even more once he noticed those ears that were so red, it appeared to be bleeding.
Wei Wuxian was still thinking of other ways to get a reaction from Lan Wangji but his thought was interrupted by the elderly voice of Elder Heiying. "Brat, a large group of people are approaching."
Approaching? It was said that when the meeting was held, many sect leaders were not in favor to the campaign but Lan Xichen suddenly appeared with a group of cultivators that silenced the opposing parties. If he was not wrong, then it's the time for Lan Xichen to comeback. Then it also meant for him to excuse himself. It wouldn't be good if others would see Lan Wangji with a young woman in a remote place. Even more so, in the middle of the night. Not to mention that Wei Yuan's presence would definitely mean something to other people's eyes.
"You have a visitor, Gongzi. So we will meet again next time," Wei Wuxian said.
Lan Wangji frowned as he tightly clenched his hand around the Bichen. The woman had not waited for his answer before walking away, just like what she did to him before.
There was still no news about Wei Ying. Even the spirits had not seen the man. While the maiden he had met in the foot of Mount Yiling gave him some ridiculous thoughts, it was of no logic. The woman looked and acted uncannily similar to Wei Ying. But she had a smaller frame compared to the man, her eyes slightly larger, her jaws not as sharp, and her skin whiter.
It was impossible for a man to suddenly turn into a woman and gave birth to a child. Throughout the history, none had been recorded.
Lan Wangji stared at the far away distance where the woman disappeared. Deep within his eyes were the turmoil from the mystery behind the identity of the said woman and the bundle she was holding. He didn't want to ponder any deeper about the parents of the child before he could confirm her identity.
Lan Wangji had decided. No matter how reasonable or not, any inklings could be the answer to his inquiry. He couldn't just ignore his suspicion. He needed to know what was the relation of this mysterious woman to Wei Ying. He glanced at one part of the forest before trailing the woman under suspicion.
As soon as Lan Wangji disappeared to follow and observe some unfortunate young madam, a man cladded in familiar robes of Gusu Lan Sect walked out of the shades from the other direction of the forest.
The man's ever amiable smile trembled. Was he hallucinating or his little brother was indeed in the company of a woman that look so much like the missing head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect...and a...child? He didn't want to think any further; let's end it here.
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