Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

Beta: JeanGirlMY

- Chapter Start -

True to her word, Wen Qing stepped up the pace, requiring ZeWu Jun to increase the flow of his spiritual energy. Within an hour, HanGuang Jun saw his face turn as white as paper and called Wen Qing's attention to it. She took one look at ZeWu Jun and told him to stop. Then she took two more needles from Wen Ning and inserted them in JinGuang Yao's shoulder before ordering ZeWu Jun to sit down at the small table behind them. A servant had brought in hot tea and steamed buns a while ago.

HanGuang Jun insisted on donating his energy next and motioned for Wen Ning to hold down Jin GuangYao's legs. Meanwhile, Wen Qing extracted some of the poison and stored it inside a small bottle Wen Ning handed her.

"To come up with the antidote," she explained briefly.

An hour after that, Jiang Cheng decided that HanGuang Jun was close to achieving the same shade of white and that it was his turn to contribute. The last thing he wanted was for Wei WuXian to demand why hadn't he stepped in when his fiance was about to faint.

ZeWu Jun, looking a little better after some tea, took over Jiang Cheng's place and told his younger brother to rest. Jiang Cheng was more concerned for Wen Qing. If they were exhausted then she had to be even more so. She was drenched in sweat and wisps of long hair stuck to her forehead and neck. Channeling the powerful spiritual energy from both Jades and focusing it to neutralise the poison was taking its toll on her.

Wen Ning urged her to take a break but she shook her head.

"I just need another thirty to forty minutes. If I stop now, we'll just be dragging it out."

"A few minutes won't hurt," Wen Ning persisted and when she shook her head, gave Jiang Cheng a helpless look.

"Maiden Wen," Jiang Cheng said. "I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but you need to, uh... hydrate."

"He's right, jiejie. At least drink some tea?"

Looking very annoyed, Wen Qing snatched the two needles Wen Ning held out and stabbed them into Jin GuangYao's thigh with a force that made her audience collectively flinch. However, she adjusted them immediately afterwards before taking the two cups of tea from Wen Ning, gulping them down one after the other.

"Thank you," she told him and looked up at Jiang Cheng, her face composed once more.

"Let's finish this, shall we?"

"You're amazing," he told her and felt his face grow hot when she raised an eyebrow.

"No need for praise, Sect Leader Jiang."

"Call me Jiang Cheng." The words slipped out without his permission, having bypassed his brain completely. He blamed it on a sleepless night. On all the things that had happened. On standing so close to her.

Startled round eyes blinked up at him.

"I... if Jin GuangYao survives," she said and frowned as if she hadn't meant to say that. Perhaps her words had skipped past her brain too?

"If? I thought you're more confident than that." Jiang Cheng was horrified anew at the words leaving his mouth. Now was NOT the time for snark. ZeWu Jun was staring at him. So was Wen Ning. He could even feel HanGuang Jun's eyes on his back without looking.

Where was his brain and why wasn't it trapping his words?

Was he mad?!

"When," Wen Qing corrected herself and glared up at him. "Let's continue."

Jiang Cheng gave a tight nod, pressing his lips tightly together to avoid saying anything more.

- o -

It was almost seven in the morning by the time Wen Qing finished neutralising all the poison in Jin GuangYao. By then, the others had trooped back in, anxious to see how they were doing.

Jiang Cheng could appreciate how thorough she was when he saw Jin GuangYao's skin and fingernails, blackened by the poison, turning a healthy pink once more. Much to their relief, the latter remained unconsciousness despite the occasional jerking of his limbs and the grimaces on his face.

When Wen Qing removed all her needles at last, her hands were trembling. Jiang Cheng had already stopped feeding her energy, but his hand remained on her shoulder. Her entire body was trembling.

"There, all done."

"The poison's all gone? He's going to be fine?" The words tumbled from ZeWu Jun in a hurried rush.

Wen Qing gave him a wan smile. Jiang Cheng wondered if she was equating the composed and impeccably dressed Lan Sect Leader with this anxious man with the haggard face and anguished eyes, untidy hair and crooked forehead ribbon.

"Yes, the poison is gone, but his body is weakened and his core depleted. Another reason why the poison spread so fast is his rundown state, like he hasn't eaten enough or slept much this past week. He's going to be very sensitive to pain for the next few days until his nervous system heals."

ZeWu Jun stared at her before turning to look at Jin GuangYao, his pale face still lined with pain.

"I saw that A-Yao had lost weight. I just didn't realise it would put his life in danger."

He paused to swallow.

"But he will recover? Completely?"

Wen Qing gave that same tired smile again.

"Yes, he will."

A tear slipped down ZeWu Jun's face followed by another. He bowed his head.

"I will personally take care of him. Thank you, Maiden Wen. I am forever in your debt."

"As am I," Sect Leader Nie declared, standing beside him with a hand on ZeWu Jun's shoulder.

"Didn't I say that Wen Qing is the best healer?" Wei WuXian piped up. He was standing beside HanGuang Jun with a proud grin on his face.

"She is indeed," Wen Ning agreed, nodding.

"And I'll fight anyone who disagrees," Jiang Cheng declared before almost face palming himself. Ignoring Wei WuXian's raised eyebrows, he looked at Wen Qing who ignored him in turn.

"We all need to rest," she said and stood up abruptly. Then she swayed, eyes fluttering shut.

Wen Ning reached out to grab her arm, but he was standing at the foot of the bed, his way blocked by HanGuang Jun and Wei WuXian. It was Jiang Cheng who slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. Her robes were damp with sweat.

Startled eyes flew up to his, Wen Qing's mouth parting in surprise. Then she cleared her throat and stepped away.

"I'm fine, Sect Leader Jiang."

"Call me Jia-"

"Alright!" Madam Jin bustled inside the room. She was fully dressed and looked much better after a few hours' rest. "Breakfast is served outside so please help yourselves. You all look like you're about to fall over."

No one dared to protest. Sometime during the night, her standoffish Sect Leader's wife persona had given way to a more motherly one which no one minded, not even Sect Leader Nie.

"I have prepared two rooms for you all to rest in since you were up all night. None of you are in any condition to fly anywhere, least of all GuangYao."

When no one said anything, she sighed.

"My husband hasn't emerged from his rooms. I have people keeping watch. You will be safer here than in the other guest rooms."

Master Lan stepped forward, placed his hands together and bowed, the others quickly following.

"In that case, we accept your kind hospitality with gratitude, Madam Jin."

"I have already rested so I will stay with A-Yao," ZeWu Jun said at once.

"I too have rested so I will stay with you," Master Lan said.

Wei WuXian stepped forward, looking a bit anxious.

"Madam Jin, I would... I would like to see my shijie."

Jiang Cheng's heart leaped.

"Me too," he added.

Madam Jin gave them a reproving look.

"Newlyweds are not to be disturbed so soon," she said.

"But Jin Zi-"

She sighed and held up a hand.

"I know. ZiXuan promised to bring your sister here. In fact, they're already here."

They both blinked at her.

"Wait - shijie's here?" Wei WuXian asked, a slight catch in his voice.

Madam Jin nodded.

Wei WuXian turned to beam at Jiang Cheng, as excited as a child.

"Lan Zhan, please excuse me!" With a distracted pat on HanGuang Jun's arm, he hurried out of the room, dodging a servant carrying in a basin of hot water and clean cloths. The girl yelped in surprise.

"Wei WuXian, wait for me!"

The servant quickly pressed herself against the wall as Jiang Cheng charged after his brother.

"Well, there goes our youngest Sect Leader," Nie MingJue observed in an amused voice.

"And the Yiling Patriarch," Master Lan added.

- o -

The two siblings rushed out of the room and looked around. Jiang YanLi and Jin ZiXuan were sitting at the large round table in the far corner, both dressed in matching pale gold robes. YanLi jumped to her feet at once, the smile on her face widening.

"A-Xian! A-Cheng!" She hurried out from behind the table, Jin ZiXuan jumping up to follow her.

Wei WuXian dropped to his knees and placed his hands together in front of his face.

"Shijie, XianXian is sorry he wasn't there to greet you when you took the trouble to travel to Yiling." He bowed until his forehead touched the floor.

"A-Xian, what are you doing? Get up!" YanLi knelt down and tugged at his hair.

Turning his head, he peeped up at her with one eye and she shook her head, smiling.

"Get up."

With a sheepish smile, he straightened up and shook back his hair.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You wore your wedding robes, you made your delicious soup and your worthless brother wasn't there to appreciate it."

"Don't forget, I was the one who brought her there and back," Jiang Cheng inserted.

"I know and I already apologised to you."

"It's alright, A-Xian. ZeWu Jun explained everything."

Wei WuXian froze at once, his expression turning wary.

"Everything?" He repeated.

YanLi nodded, smiling.

"You saved his and HanGuang Jun's lives," she explained and placed a loving hand against his cheek. "My A-Xian is so amazing!"

Wei WuXian gave her a relieved smile.

"Aww, shijie, you're making XianXian cry." His attempt at looking shy made YanLi laugh and Jiang Cheng roll his eyes.

"And you're wearing my wedding gift!" Wei WuXian pointed to the good luck charm hanging from her sash.

"We both are," YanLi assured him. "Thank you, they're beautiful."

"They smell good too! They're sandalwood. Lan Zhan-"

Jiang Cheng had heard enough.

"Idiot! How long are you going to make A-jie kneel on the floor?" He scolded as he helped her to her feet.

YanLi turned to him.

"A-Cheng, you look tired. How much did you sleep last night?" Her smile made Jiang Cheng feel like he could run up a mountain and still have energy to spare.

"I'm fine. You made a beautiful bride yesterday," he said, blushing a bit.

"The most beautiful bride in the world!" Wei WuXian butted in and then he gave a side glance and dropped his voice to a loud whisper. "Are you happy, shijie? Is the peacock treating you right?"

"Hey!"

YanLi glanced at her husband before frowning at Wei WuXian although Jiang Cheng detected a twinkle in her eyes.

"He treats me very well and you should address him properly."

"Ah. Of course." Wei WuXian dipped his head and attempted to look contrite.

"Are you sure? Is the peacock really treating you well?" Jiang Cheng asked, not to be outdone.

"Hey!"

"A-Cheng!" YanLii shook her head, smiling a bit. "Yes, he is. Please address him properly."

With a put upon look, Jin ZiXuan stepped forward and offered a formal bow.

"Sect Leader Jiang. Wei WuXian."

"Young Master Jin." They quickly sobered up and bowed in turn.

"Our apologies for dragging you from your marital bed last night," Wei WuXian added cheerfully. Stepping forward, he clapped a startled ZiXuan on the shoulder. "At least your neck is covered up now."

The bride and groom stared at him and then at each other, faces going bright pink at once.

"Wei WuXian! Have you no shame at all?!" Jiang Cheng groaned.

"What's there to be ashamed of?" Wei WuXian smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "It was their wedding-"

"Shut up!"

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it :)