CH 37

They had both been called into ZeWu Jun's office in the middle of the day, which was strange enough, but having both Lan XiChen stood there waiting for them AND Lan QiRen was enough to set off alarm bells in any sane persons mind. The two didn't even move as they entered but rather waited for them to approach. Both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying shared a sideways glance, both in suspicion and confusion before Lan Zhan bowed and spoke up.

"Uncle, Brother. May I ask what you called us here for?'

For once in his life Lan QiRen didn't seem to be either staring at Wei Ying like he had done something wrong or ignoring him completely. Instead he flicked his gaze from one younger man to the other as if deciding what to say. After a moment Lan XiChen obviously ran out of patience with his uncle and spoke up instead.

'We have received letters over the past few weeks about two mid sized Sects being attacked. They were both wiped out almost over night, with no survivors.' He left those words hanging in the air for a moment as Wei Ying and Lan Zhan glanced at each other again. 'We have only one account of what went on, and that was from a Lanling disciple who happened to be visiting one of the Sects. As the man hid he must have been missed.'

Lan QiRen made a snorting sound that made his opinion on any cultivator hiding during a battle perfectly clear. Wei Ying tried not to laugh at the undignified noise coming from the elderly man (with limited success), and Lan Zhan and Lan XiChen just continued to look at each other. Eventually though XiChen continued his report to the group.

'The person leading the raids has been described as tall, wearing completely black. Wielding a high class spiritual weapon and having an almost fixed smile on his face. He also seems….'

'To have an over developed sense that other people find him amusing?' Wei Ying asked, cutting in.

'A drastic case of self importance?' Lan Zhan asked almost simultaneously.

This time it was the two elder men's turn to stare blankly at the younger pair. They had heard that Wei Ying had been captured when he went to visit his sister the first time but neither man had wanted to elaborate. Both the elder pair had assumed the reluctance had something to do with their ,then new, relationship. Lan XiChen had respected his brothers privacy while Lan QiRen had still been pretending the relationship wasn't actually happening. Eventually, with a nod from Lan Zhan, Wei Ying explained everything about that time being locked up with his sister, about the 'boss' the idiots spoke of and about the voice in the cavern. Lan Zhan then spoke about the strange man he met in the inn and the carriage ride to the cavern. After the two had finished speaking the room went silent for a few minutes while all the men present digested the information.

'You two have met the man they are talking about?' Lan QiRen spoke up, staring at both younger men. 'Why did you not mention this before?'

Wei Ying surprisingly didn't speak at the accusatory tone in the voice. However Lan Zhan could see his husbands muscles tensing up, and took his hand in his own before speaking to his uncle.

'It concerned myself, Wei Ying and his sister Uncle. It did not concern the Sect and we did not know the man we met would ever show up again!' Lan Zhan's voice was glacial and his eyes shone with determination as his faced his Uncle unblinking.

As if in agreement, Wei Ying placed his hand on Lan Zhan's while Lan XiChen placed his own hand on his Uncles arm. Both men meant to comfort the others and pull their attentions of the other man staring at them. Lan QiRen simply huffed once again while Lan Zhan seemed to calm down slightly. Wei Ying couldn't help but try not to smile at Lan Zhan's over protectiveness of him, even if it meant going against his Uncle Lan Zhan would never back down. It always made his heart flutter, and him long to take them both somewhere quiet for some time alone. Before Lan QiRen could speak again, Lan XiChen spoke up once again.

'I'm not sure who this man is but he seems extremely strong and he is evil enough to kill hundreds of cultivators and their families without mercy. We need to find out his identity and what he plans to do in the future.'

Both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan nodded silently, but Lan QiRen didn't move or even show any response to the conversation. Lan Zhan tensed once again just as Wei Ying tightened his grip, reminding him to keep calm and not cause unnecessary arguments with his Uncle, especially at such a time. Just as the atmosphere in the room was starting to reach the normal level of awkwardness, someone knocked on the door. At Lan XiChen's order to enter, a Lan disciple walked in. The man looked from one man to the other, around the room, before fixing his gaze on his Sect leader and bowing. You didn't need to be a genius to realise that as soon as he saw who was in the room he had begun fighting the urge to run right back out the door again. Everyone knew the family dynamics between the Elder Lan, his two nephews and his new nephew in law, where not exactly smooth.

Remaining in his bow, as if not looking at the other men would magically make them go away. The disciple aimed his message at Lan XiChen.

'ZeWu Jun a message has just arrived for Master Wei from his sister, it's written as urgent'

Lan XiChen nodded and the disciple handed the sealed envelope to Wei Ying who practically ripped open the seal and began reading before the disciple had left. Again Lan QiRen huffed loudly, this time accompanied by a, not so quiet, mutter about what important information a sister could be sending to her brother when Sects were being attacked. Luckily Wei Ying was too engrossed in his letter to hear the comment. Lan Zhan too hadn't heard as he was looking closely at the look of concern on his husbands face. Lan XiChen was relieved and took his Uncles arm for a moment, speaking softly but firmly into the elder man's ear.

'Uncle, we have better things to worry about than getting into fights at the moment do you not think?' When Lan QiRen looked at him confused XiChen spelled it out for him. 'Uncle there are only two things Wei Ying will fight for, even if it means his own death. One is the is the reputation and safety of Wanji, the other is his sister!'

Lan QiRen looked at his eldest nephew, then to the two still huddled over the letter, before turning his back on all three. Lan XiChen knew this was the best response he could get from his Uncle, after all the man was an Elder, and a very proud one. Turning his attention back to the other two people in the room he noticed his brothers hands where now resting on Wei Ying's, what was strange though was Wei Ying's hands themselves seemed to be shaking. He stepped forwards, close enough to speak to the others without being close enough to actually read the private correspondence.

'Is something wrong' He asked quietly.

Wei Ying didn't respond, the shaking in his hands seemed to get more pronounced. Wanji however nodded his head and spoke gently to his husband.

'Wei Ying, let brother read it' Again no response came from Wei Ying so Lan Zhan tried again. 'Wei Ying!…..pass me the note!'

This time Wei Ying seemed to regain his wits and passed the note to Lan XiChen who read it carefully, through once and then through again. At the second read through he could see why Wei Ying's hands where shaking. The note was simple but the meaning behind it could be profound for all of them.

Master Wei

You may find it strange I am writing to you under the guise of your sister. But be sure she is well, I have not harmed her. Your other relatives in Lotus cove though I can not give the same promise for. Your brother found it very surprising when a disciple of his once elder brother showed up and began slaughtering his people. It was so much fun though I couldn't stop myself. For now I, and your lovely sister, am the only ones who know you are alive and where you are hiding. Imagine what would happen to you and your new family if anyone else found out! Especially as I was following your orders in destroying the Sects, or at least that's what they believe. Are you really powerful enough to save them all? What if I gave you a choice between a complete Sect and your darling sisters life, which would you choose? I would like to find out!

There was an almost maniacal grin at the bottom of the page where the signature should be. XiChen couldn't help but look up at the others. Whoever this man was he was slaughtering Sects posing as a Wei Disciple. Everyone thought Wei Ying was dead so no one was looking for him, but if the news got out that he had been alive all this time and living in Gusu. Someone was wanting to destroy the Cloud Reccess and using his brother in law to do it. Gusu held the oldest library amongst the Sects, as well as its forbidden section. It was also know for being the moral centre for the other Sects when required. If the Lan Sect was destroyed, whoever this was could run uncontrolled across the whole cultivation world. From what his brother and brother in law had told him earlier, the kidnapping a few years ago had been an attempt to discredit his younger brother and, considering Wanji's place in the Clan, the whole sect with him. That plan had not worked, so this time the person was going for an even easier target. Wei Ying!.

Lan QiRen had noticed the silence in the room and turned round. He was watching the stunned faces as each man read the small piece of paper. This time managing to hold his the huff, barely, he strode forwards and pulled the paper from Lan XiChen's hands. He was surprised at how easily it came from the man's fingers, and that Wei Ying didn't kick up a fuss about so many people reading his private letters from his sister. However as he read the words on the page he began to understand. Just like XiChen was doing at the same time, the events described earlier in the meeting and the words written began to fit together like a puzzle. As much as Lan QiRen wanted to blame Wei Ying for this, blame him for dragging his nephew, both his nephews, into this mess he had created. Blame him for forcing the Sect to betray their codes and actually take sides. Blame him for everything that had gone wrong since the unruly, disrespectful boy had appeared on their doorstep years ago. He found he couldn't.

This was obviously someone's plan, and although Wei Ying was smart enough to pull something like this off. Even Lan QiRen had to admit deep down that the young man would never willingly endanger his siblings, even the brother who had abandoned him, and certainly not his loving sister or Wanji. No! This had to be someone else. Someone who wanted to sow discord amongst the Sects and take advantage of the infighting to achieve his goal. As angry as Lan QiRen was, he no fool. Whoever this person was he wasn't falling for it. QiRen straightened his shoulders at looked at the dumbstruck faces on the other three men. It was at times like this when his years of experience showed.

'Enough staring at the walls as if they will give you the answer…...you aren't women!' He said, his voice and tone deliberately cutting to get a response. 'A real man thinks through problems, I have taught you all that!….or where you all like him…...asleep in my classes!' QiRen had pointed a finger at Wei Ying when he said 'him'.

As planned all the younger men in the room exploded at once.

'Wei Ying has done nothing wrong Uncle…...please…'

'Don't blame my husband for something you know full well he has never done'

'Lan Zhan calm down your Uncle is just angry'

'No I won't calm down. One family has already abandoned you. I won't let this one do the same.'

Lan QiRen coughed loudly to silence the three younger men. The smile on his lips was unusual to see but this time he couldn't help himself. Both his nephews paused and looked back at him, both seemingly understanding at the same time. Wei Ying on the other hand took a few more seconds to figure things out before he let out a laugh and muttered, again not quite quietly enough not to be overheard.

'You wily old man'

Lan QiRen pretended he hadn't heard all the other comments and spoke once again. This time though his voice was level. The voice he used when speaking to his favourite students rather than the unruly ones.

'This man obviously wants to use Wei Ying to split up the Sects and cause infighting. He tried it once with Wanji but failed. That shows us that he is determined and for some reason he has his sights set on us. He has failed to appreciate that although we Lan do not go looking for trouble we do not shrink back when it comes looking for US.' He paused for a moment as if deciding something. 'Young Master Wei, I think its time for a reunion between yourself and your brother!'