Ch 52 – Homeward hound
Wei Ying and Lan Zhan greatly enjoyed their time away, there was nothing like being on their own. It of course helped that they occasionally received messages from home, either from Lan XiChen or from SiZhui. XiChen's messages often seemed to be almost too vague as if he was pointedly keeping any mention of anything concerning the running of the Sect away from them. SiZhui however was either less bothered about hiding things or lacked the experience of his uncle. SiZhui's messages were often full of references to what was going on within the Sects but more often than not he was either asking how their trip was going or complaining about either Jin Ling or Lan JinYi for some reason. Surprised by the range of the Lan butterflies Wei Ying had idly asked one day if the magical devices could reach anyone anywhere in the world, Lan Zhan had simply shrugged and said that they were currently testing that idea. Occasionally they would come across monsters that needed killing but generally they spent their time just exploring, or in Wei Ying's case sleeping.
Early on in their trip Wei Ying had forbidden Lan Zhan from taking any baths with him, after Lan Zhan had once again broken the bathtub at the first inn they had visited. Not wanting to be hated by every innkeeper in the world Wei Ying now made Lan Zhan walk behind the privacy screen before disrobing and bathing, as well as at least putting his inner robe on before he was allowed back out into the main bedroom. Lan Zhan was also not allowed to step behind the privacy screen while Wei Ying was bathing. Of course Lan Zhan was not used to his husband being so strict and had broken the rule a few times for various reason, not all because he wanted to see his husband naked in the bath, and was surprised when Wei Ying threatened to make him sleep on the floor. By this time in their trip though the bathing routine was nearly second nature, when they had an inn and a bath of course, and any disrobing was done safely away from any baths and bathwater.
However an odd occurrence not only snapped them out of their own little world and crashing back into the world as a whole, but also steered both of them back on the road towards home.
They were amazed to come across a small village one day, so small it didn't even have a name. The locals were suffering from an illness and required help, however the doctors from the local towns and villages had been unable to have any idea of the cause. Both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying knew a little healing cultivation so they had agreed between them to stop at the village and help out where they could. The village had consisted of only few dozen houses, a larger structure in the centre that could be the village hall and a few pastures and fields for the livestock. The two split up, taking one side of the village to heal each. Wei Ying had just entered the first house of his assigned patch however when a Lan butterfly appeared in his field of vision.
Long ago himself and Lan Zhan had created a colour code for the butterflies so they both knew which ones were serious and which ones were just flirtatious nonsense. He could see by a glance the one before him now was the kind that couldn't wait and demanded immediate attention. Wei Ying's eyes widened at the message the butterfly held and with a quick murmur to the old woman occupying the house that he would be back as soon as possible, he ran out the door headed for Lan Zhan.
Lan Zhan himself looked surprisingly discomposed by the time Wei Ying reached him, stood outside the door of a house ignoring the could wind in the air. As Wei Ying came to a stop he couldn't help but look his husband in the eye as if getting silent confirmation. Lan Zhan simply nodded in the direction of the door with a look that said 'see for yourself'. The two were used to communicating almost telepathically by now but at the moment Wei Ying really wanted to hear the words out loud. Instead he walked into the house, smaller than the one he had visited, and immediately approached the two people lying on the bed. Their eyes were closed and their breathing so shallow it could almost not be seen. Reaching inside himself he delved inside first one and then the other to see what he hoped he would not find. Yet there it was, the small yet almost pitch black darkness he had seen in so many cultivators.
Pulling his presence back into his body Wei Ying walked back out to stand beside his husband, suddenly thankful for the chilly air winding past his hair and body.
'This can't be….we got rid of it all…...and these people aren't even cultivators!' He got out eventually from the shock.
Lan Zhan who had been staring at the other houses in the small village turned to him. How eyes and face in that perfectly serene mask, that right now Wei Ying wanted to punch off his face. He spoke in his normal disinterested tone, which did nothing to help Wei Ying's urge to punch his beloved husband in the nose!
'Did we?' Lan Zhan asked blandly as he once again looked over the small array of houses ' And are you sure they are not?'
Wei Ying blinked.
'Lan Zhan if they were cultivators they wouldn't have survived this long with the poison. Even now I can only sense a small amount in them yet its having the same effect on them as it did on you when it had almost taken over your core! It makes no sense, either they have cores or they don't, either they are cultivators or they aren't.' Lan Zhan gave him a sideways glance and Wei Ying sighed 'uggh yes I know I don't have a core and I'm still a cultivator, but I was immune from the thing remember, that's how the whole 'The YiLing Patriarch wants to kill the world again' thing got started.'
Lan Zhan simply nodded making Wei Ying growl as he almost yelled.
'Lan Zhan say something will you!'
'If the affect of the poison seems to be the same as myself when it had nearly taken over my core, and we know the poison attacked the strongest cores first. We can make an educated guess that these people do have cores, they are just extremely weak. Possibly weak enough that the people themselves do not know they exist.'
Wei Ying looked from his husband to the door and then over to the village. A village of cultivators that didn't know they were cultivators….could that even happen?…...it made sense of all the facts….but…...snapping him out his stream of thought Lan Zhan nodded over to where Wei Ying had been. Nodding back Wei Ying turned to return to the house he had first entered, even if it was the same poison as before at these levels Lan Zhan's healing skill would be more than sufficient to heal these people.
After the healing the two had spent a few months in the small village. At first they had had problems trying to convince the inhabitants they were in fact cultivators. Apparently in the past the inhabitants of the village had had ancestors who could 'do magic' however they had gone mad and nearly destroyed both the village and nearby town. Since then it had become forbidden from even attempting anything magical. Lan Zhan had tried to explain to the people in the village that the madness had been a qi deviation, probably bought about by the person involved not being properly trained. When all he got for his efforts was blank stares Wei Ying had stepped in and explained that the 'magician' hadn't been trained properly so his 'magic' had backfired on him. Wei Ying had also mentioned that all the inhabitants of the village had a natural ability to 'perform magic' and if they weren't trained how to do so properly they might go mad to. Lan Zhan didn't like the terms 'Magic' and 'Magician' but even he had to agree that it got the point across to the villagers who were completely ignorant of cultivation.
The rest of their time in the village was spent teaching the villagers simple things to avoid a qi deviation like meditation and focus exercises. The stronger ones were also taught how to focus their power, no matter how slight, to do daily tasks so they could help their small community. Their days were filled with teaching and explanations just like they had once been at the Cloud Recess. Lan Zhan of course had refused to teach the women of the village, which had nearly caused a riot amongst the villagers until Wei Ying explained the reason. So Wei Ying taught the women and Lan Zhan the men. All in all the last two months had been very fulfilling if not amazingly exciting. One night though, when laid in a house given over to them for their use, Wei Ying had spoken up into the dim lamplight.
'Er-ge….' Lan Zhan just tightened his hold round his waist in response, the intimacy making it harder to keep the professional tone in Wei Ying's voice.. 'If there is a small village like this that no one even knew existed, maybe there are more people who don't even know they are cultivators and need training.'
Lan Zhan's hand stroked Wei Ying's arm as he spoke.
'I have thought of that'
'Of course you did!' Wei Ying grumbled half sarcastically 'You think of everything'
'I actually have an idea, would you like to hear it?'
'Of course' Wei Ying replied happily
'If we can make it so junior disciples of the large Sects must explore places such as this as part of their training we will be able to find all the people that need our help. Each Sect will have its own areas to search and if any villages such as this are found they will be responsible for basic training such as we have been doing'
Wei Ying smiled and nuzzled back into his husbands muscled chest.
'A good idea, but a big IF considering the Sects. If we want to do that though, you know what that means don't you?'
'mmm' came the only reply from Lan Zhan.
'One day I am going to ban you from using noncommittal sounds and monosyllable words in private' Wei Ying laughed and lifted his husbands hand to kiss the knuckles gently before continuing in a more serious tone. 'I guess its time for us to go home'
Lan Zhan simply nodded, his body could be felt moving along Wei Ying's own slightly at the small movement. Wei Ying sighed and half turned his body in Lan Zhan's arms, making sure to rub as much of his own body against his husbands in the process. As he wanted the look in Lan Zhan's eyes changed slightly and Wei Ying leaned forwards and whispered into Lan Zhan's ear.
'Tomorrow?' Wei Ying offered.
Lan Zhan showed one of those rare and special smiles as he rolled Wei Ying onto his back, pinning his hands at the side of his head and leaned in to give him a devouring kiss. The two parted and Lan Zhan nodded slightly.
'mmm' Lan Zhan mumbled.
The rare look of playfulness coupled with the obvious use of the sound Wei Ying had just just told him off for made Wei Ying burst out laughing underneath the weight of Lan Zhan, and it wasn't long before that stare and lips were devouring the smaller man beneath him once again.