CH 60 – All Eternity

(I thought it would be a nice sign off to use the first line of the prologue in the novel as my final chapter title. 'Nobody would remain at the top for all of eternity — legends are only legends.' I thank everyone who has followed me to the end, I have greatly enjoyed writing it and I am sure I will enjoy writing more in the future.)

It was a crisp winter morning in the Cloud Reccess and Lan Ying had gotten up early to work. He had to walk to the outskirts of the Cloud Reccess, to his private workroom to get to all his notes and details. Oh he was Sect Leader so technically he could have reserved a room or even a building in the centre square close to his office, however this little house he used as a workroom held significant memories for him, like the rest of the project. The house had once belonged, and he guessed it still did as no one had removed the ownership, to the fabled Ghost General Wen Ning. Wen Ning had been Wei Ying's right hand man for many years, even been framed for the same crimes and hunted down along side him.

Although both of them had been vindicated long ago, non of the other Sects had ever really been comfortable having Wen Ning around so he had settled down just inside the outskirts of the Cloud Reccess. Far enough away that he had his privacy but close enough that no one could miss the fact that the Lan Sect protected him. No one really knew where the Ghost General had vanished to, just that after the death of Lan Sizhui he had withdrawn from world so much that it had taken possibly years for anyone to even notice this house was empty. The Sect had set up a system that sent disciples to keep the house clean for if Wen Ning decided to return, but Lan Ying had decided as a child that this was the perfect place for him to dedicate his youth and future to his project.

It was a project close to his heart ever since his father had told him the story of his namesake. Originally he hadn't been sure just how much of the unbelievable tale had been true so he had spent many hours in the library researching while still a young disciple. He had come across things that both backed up his fathers story and seemed to counter it, so even when he had been raised to the status of heir he had been undecided. Of course once he had been given the title of 'heir' he had also been gifted the sword Suibian, the famous sword also once held by the man he was named after. It had become tradition, ever since Suibian had been passed to Lan SiZhui, that the heir to the Lan Sect always wore the famous sword while the Sect Leader always wore the...just as famous...Bichen. The men never had to use the swords in battle of course, they were merely a symbol of prestige and a link to the past.

It had been one piece of paper he had found once he had access to the forbidden archives that had sent him to Lotus Pier in search of other answers. Of course his fathers story had mentioned Lotus Pier a lot with his namesake, Wei Ying, living there in his youth. When he finally got permission to visit and access the records of the….other…..famous Sect in the story he had been amazed at what he found.

There was paperwork dating back to FangMain and Madam Yu who were the elders at the time the story began. Given how much this Sect hated Wei WuXian he was amazed at the sheer number and details of the files as he absorbed all the information contained. Those in Lotus Pier had been extremely kind to him on his visit, especially Jiang Qing, the daughter of the Sect Leader . She was about his age and although she seemed a little silly, giggly and….well girly…...on the surface, he soon found she had an interest in the history of the Sects the same as himself along with a very sharp mind... and tongue to match! Not that someone with his upbringing would ever say that to a lady of course, although sometimes it was harder to keep his mouth shut than others.

He had spent three months in Lotus Pier before returning to home with the collection of his updated notes. Quite pleased with himself at a job well done. However he had only just gotten into his home when a knock came on the door. Upon opening it there had been a disciple waiting to deliver a message for him.

'Young Master Lan the Sect Leader wishes to see you in his office now you have returned.'

Having given his message the disciple turned and left, leaving Lan Ying to huff out a breath before shutting the doors and heading for his fathers office. Inside the office Lan Guang sat behind his desk as normal as Lan Ying waited. His father had also been named after one of the legendary members of the Clan, after part of the famous name of one of the Sect Leaders…...HanGuang Jun. Lan Ying's grandmother had been Lan YanLi, the eldest daughter of the only son of the famous duo themselves, Lan SiZhui. Supposedly Lan YanLi had been named herself after Wei WuXian's favourite sister who had been a casualty of the underhanded Jin GuanYao. All of his family as far back as he knew had names linking to the two people he was researching, their lives and times were still so influential in the Clan that he wanted to know the truth behind why.

His father turned to face him and coughed, pulling him out of his mental family tree.

'I have had a message from the Jiang Sect today, wishing to set up a marital alliance between yourself and Sect Leader Jiang's daughter Jiang Qing.' Lan Ying had looked astonished as his father continued. 'Sect Leader Jiang says that you two have spent a fair amount of time together over the last few months and seem to get along well. His daughter has expressed her interest in such a union. Personally I think that an alliance between the Jiang and the Lan will be well received, but I want to hear your input on the subject.'

Lan Ying just stood stupefied for a moment before finally managing to open his mouth and mumble, fully aware he was sounding like a child.

'She is nice, I like her…...but…...but... she is so bossy'

Lan Guang burst out laughing, the sound full of humour at his son's response.

'Other than her being bossy do you have any other complaints?'

'No' Lan Ying responded honestly…..after all the alliance would be good for the Sect and the girl was pretty, intelligent and he had enjoyed his time with her.

'I will organise it then' His father said. 'You are old enough to be married, and I am still young enough to enjoy a grand child or two'

'Father!' Lan Ying exclaimed horrified. 'We are not even engaged yet but you are already talking about wedding nights and grand children.'

'Well are not grand children the end result of weddings?' Lan Guang asked in an annoyingly reasonable tone of voice. 'Even the famous HanGuang Jun who married another man managed to produce and heir!'

Grumbling, but not managing to argue with logic Lan Ying simply nodded his head and hoped for a change in topic. After nodding in agreement Lan Guang motioned his son to follow and the two walked out of the office silently. No one stopped, or even spoke to them as they made their way to the Lan ancestral hall. Kneeling silently side by side with his father Lan Ying could only look up at the illustrious names above him.

Lan QiRen

Lan XiChen

Lan SiZhui and his wife SuSu on two tablets side by side.

His grandmother Lan Yanli ,who had become only the second female leader of the Sect in history, and her three younger brothers.

And of course the names of the famous duo themselves, the ones everyone knew and no matter how often you came into the hall, the ones you could not help but be over awed by.

Lan Wanji and Wei WuXian

…...Not born on the same day, but died barely two hours apart from each other thanks to a special and unique bond that…. So the story said, when Wei Ying had died of old age Lan Zhan could have used his core to dissolve the bond and lived, but he chose to keep the bond to the very end and die with his soulmate. Lan Zhan who had survived long enough to say his goodbyes to the couples son Lan SiZhui and grandchildren. Lan Ying's grandmother had mentioned that day a few times to him. The day when the 'two bright lights of the world had gone out' was her wording. His grandmother had also been surprised about how calm Lan Zhan had been, although she had only been a teenager at the time she understood that being calm when your husband had just died was not normal. It was only later that she learned that the calm was probably because he knew he would be joining Wei Ying very soon and their parting would not be for long.

Lan Zhan had also managed to give some instructions before slipping away hand in hand with his husband and a smile on his face, again according to his grandmothers recollections. The two would be buried in the same casket and their names would be written on the same tablet. Although unorthodox and receiving the anger of the elders at the time, his great grandfather Lan SiZhui had stood against all complaints and proceeded with his parents wishes. Looking at the memorial tablets and seeing the one that was a little larger than the others, containing two names side by side. Lan Ying could not help but let a tear slip down his cheek at the sheer amount of love and devotion the two men must have felt towards each other to not want to even have their names separated for all eternity.

'Ancestors we will not fail you' Lan Guang spoke gently 'The Jiang and Lan will finally unite. We will complete what you began.'

Lan Ying crossed out the last title he had thought of and wrote the new one he had decided on before putting down his writing brush and lifting up the manuscript. Smiling to himself he nodded into the silence and emptiness of the room.

'Baba!' his daughter ran into the room and headed straight for his writing table. 'Have you finished your story baba!'

'It's not a story! It's our family history!' Lan Ying scolded gently.

'His daughter just looked up at him and pulled a face before turning round and screaming, almost too loudly.

'Mama, Baba as finished his story!'

Jiang Qing walked into the room, a tall and elegant woman who smiled and scooped up her daughter before the girl barrelled into her.

'That's good' She said focusing on her daughter long enough to get the girl to stop wriggling, then turned her attention to her husband. 'A-Ying what have you decided to call it?'

Lan Ying turned and smiled to his wife and daughter holding up the history of the most legendary couple in his family, possibly even the entire cultivation world. Years of research and work all in this one small book.

'I thought of many titles...' He said honestly, looking his proud wife in the eyes. 'But none of them seemed to fit, or be worthy. This is the history of not just my family but yours as well. Not just that but one of the most tumultuous times in our history, and not one anyone looks back on with much pride even though we teach it in history class. The name needed to be something honest...but...' He stalled.

'So?' Jiang Qing asked, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.

'My Ancestor the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation' He proclaimed proudly.

His wife smiled back just as proudly, nodding her agreement at the name. Lan Ying then placed the carefully written paper on the writing desk before walking out the door and into the fresh early evening air with his family.