Hello everyone,
I hope everyone is staying safe with everything that is going on right now. Personally, I don't really think I have been being safe considering I crossed states to be with my family because we don't live in the same state. But come on I wanted to see them. Especially now.
Review:
ShereneHeng: Thank you. :) Thanks for the advice but I don't think I'm going to post there because I won't go back and forth with it. That's a lot to remember but I'm glad you like it and I will continue it.
Enjoy the chapter.
A week passed since Xichen went to Cloud Recess and Wei Ying and Lan Zhan were both bored out of their mind.
"What should we do Lan Zhan? It's boring," Wei Ying whined which looked weird considering it was in Lan Zhan's body.
"Want to leave?" Lan Zhan asked looking at Wei Ying.
"We can't go too far," Wei Ying said with a smile as he got up from the rock he was leaning on.
Lan Zhan found that he didn't mind being in Wei Ying's body as much as he missed his golden core, he got to see a different side of Wei Ying this way and he got to see other parts of Wei Ying's body. The thought alone made Lan Zhan ashamed and start reciting the Lan Clan rules in his head and heart to calm down.
"Night hunt?" Lan Zhan asked softly.
"But you could get injured with my... never mind if you want to go, we can go," Wei Ying said getting up. "Lan Zhan, you really don't mind using the resentment energy to handle whatever comes after us?" Wei Ying asked as they walked down the mountains.
"I will to protect you," Lan Zhan said as he moved with the flute in his hands.
"Thank you," Wei Ying said purely which shocked Lan Zhan even though he was happy to be thanked by Wei Ying.
"We should go," Lan Zhan said.
As they walked out of the burial mounds, they avoided a couple of known Jin Clan members who were obviously looking for ways to get in the burial mounds and quietly followed them.
"Lan Zhan you may have to deal with them so they don't try anything," Wei Ying said.
"No hurting for no reason," Lan Zhan said.
"No just scare them off," Wei Ying said agreeing with Lan Zhan smiling because he was happy that they knew what the other was talking about.
Lan Zhan nodded his head and moved toward the two Jin Clan members.
"What are you doing?" Lan Zhan asked in an aggressive tone which shocked Wei Ying and he couldn't help but chuckle.
'This is going to be fun to watch,' Wei Ying said as he swore, he recognized one of the two Jin Clan members there.
"Oh, the demon comes out of his slumber," the Jin Clan member said.
"Leave," Lan Zhan demanded without getting into further detail on what he would do if they didn't.
Lan Zhan knew that Wei Ying could fight even without a golden core and he also knew how to fight even if he wasn't in his body so he wasn't worried about it. But the moment he got closer he felt that maybe it wasn't a good idea to approach the two by himself.
"You evil demon," the Jin Clan member said pulling out his sword and going forward until Wei Ying came with Bichen blocking the members efficiently.
"What are you doing here Hanguang-jun?" the first Jin Clan asked that Wei Ying recognized now it was the member that was terrorizing the Wen Clan remnants.
"Mn," Wei Ying said not responding but merely looking at Lan Zhan who wasn't sure what to do. "Wei Ying," Wei Ying said softly that only Lan Zhan recognized the voice behind the mask he would call his face.
"Why are you protecting the demon?" the Jin Clan member that Wei Ying recognized as Jin Zixun.
"Why are you here?" Lan Zhan asked but still a bit indecisive as Wei Ying stood in front of him not willing to let anything or anyone pass him, he also didn't move.
Jin Zixun seemed to notice he wasn't going to be able to get the answers he wanted from Lan Zhan well technically Wei Ying so he just started to walk away without even responding to Wei Ying well Lan Zhan.
"You did good," Wei Ying said with a smile as he turned to look at Lan Zhan.
"I did?" Lan Zhan asked getting a nod from Wei Ying. "You did too," Lan Zhan said.
"Thank you if I do say so myself," Wei Ying said with a smile. "Now let's go hunt?" Wei Ying asked.
"We shouldn't," Lan Zhan said.
"Why?" Wei Ying asked.
"Would if they are still around?" Lan Zhan said.
"True that would be bad... okay we should go and do some training so you can use my flute," Wei Ying said and pulled Lan Zhan back into the burial mounds.
That night was the first night the two played music together. It happened to be the tune that Lan Zhan made for Wei Ying all that time ago. It felt like centuries when it was only a few years.
Lan Zhan didn't mind playing the flute because it's not the first time he played the flute but he was shocked by how well Wei Ying played his guqin and couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. It was soft and wasn't seen by Wei Ying but it was there.
"You know what we could do Lan Zhan," Wei Ying said as he pulled a paper from behind a stone.
"Mn?" Lan Zhan said.
"We can make another song that way no matter what we can always find each other. It could be a message of help or such?" Wei Ying said excited and that is the only reason Lan Zhan nodded his head as he sat by Wei Ying.
"The song from the cave is ours," Lan Zhan said suddenly shocking Wei Ying making him look at him.
"What do you mean?" Wei Ying asked.
"You're the only one who has played it other than me. You are also the first person I showed the song too. It's our song," Lan Zhan said trying his best to explain to Wei Ying.
"That... that is something I didn't know," Wei Ying said shocked.
"Mn," Lan Zhan said.
"Lan Zhan you should talk more I like hearing your responses," Wei Ying said.
Those words got to Lan Zhan immediately and he wanted to make Wei Ying happy he just didn't know what to say or what to talk about. Wei Ying couldn't help but chuckle because he noticed the inner conflict that Lan Zhan was having with having to talk and he couldn't help but find it cute.
"It's okay Lan Zhan you can talk more when you actually have something to say. You don't have to make something up right now," Wei Ying said with a soft chuckle as he watched his own face twist and turn.
'I could have a lot of fun messing with Lan Zhan without a care now,' Wei Ying thought to himself and he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face.
A month passed and the two were close and it got around town and the Clans that Lan Zhan was now in the burial mounds helping Wei Ying but it was also going around that he was trying to persuade Wei Ying to come out with the remaining members of the Wen Clan. No one really knew what was the truth and that was fine with the two.
"This is getting out of hand," Wei Ying said as he helped in the kitchen with Wen Ning and Wen Qing.
"I know but what can we do we are still waiting for Zewu-jun to get back," Wen Qing said as she handed Wen Ning and ingredient for what they were making.
"Mama," Yuan called running into the room making the three look down.
"Jiang Cheng is here Wen Qing can you distract him? He will be able to tell us apart even if I was to sit here and not say anything," Wei Ying said picking up Yuan and running to where he knew Lan Zhan was in the field.
"So, it's true you two are here together," Jiang Cheng said before Wei Ying could grab Lan Zhan.
"What are you doing here?" Wen Qing asked so Wei Ying had time to grab Lan Zhan.
"I just wanted to know what I was hearing was true or not. So the great Hanguang-jun is here with you now you must feel great huh Wei Wuxian?" Jiang Cheng said.
At that very moment, someone came through the bushes and made them all look toward the direction. It was Xichen finally.
"I need to speak to you now," Xichen said grabbing Wei Ying who pulled Lan Zhan along with him.
"WAIT I'M STILL TALKING TO HIM!" Jiang Cheng screamed annoyed.
"Later," Lan Zhan said and let himself be pulled away which in turn made Wei Ying glance at Lan Zhan with a small smile which Jiang Cheng saw and it annoyed him.
'What am I missing?' Jiang Cheng thought to himself as he stood there.
"Do you want tea?" Wen Qing asked getting a nod from Jiang Cheng which made him follow her into another house.
"What took you so long?" Wei Ying asked as Xichen let them both go.
"I had to stay there after being reprimanded for letting you stay here. What happened when I was away that made it known that Wangji and you were together?" Xichen asked knowing his younger brother wasn't going to answer.
"There were Jin Clan members trying to get in the burial mound and I stopped them from coming in but I didn't know how to use the flute at the moment so Wei Ying protected me with Bichen," Lan Zhan explained.
"That was your longest sentence," Wei Ying said proudly.
Xichen was shocked too but the happiness in Wei Ying's eyes outshined his own and made him amused.
"Okay but I need to talk to you for a minute... alone," Xichen said looking at his brother who hasn't let go of Wei Ying yet.
"Okay, Lan Zhan don't leave the cave because if he talks to you, he is going to notice we aren't who we say we are," Wei Ying said making Lan Zhan let him go.
"Where should I go?" Lan Zhan asked.
"Deeper into the cave where I showed you that one day where all that stuff is," Wei Ying said getting a nod from Lan Zhan and then he was gone.
"Come with me," Xichen said.
"What is it?" Wei Ying asked as he was dragged away.
"What is it that you plan on doing to my brother after the transfer?" Xichen asked in a rushed intense voice.
"So, you guessed it did you?" Wei Ying said not seeing a point in lying to the other as he sat on a rock.
"Why? Why do you want him to forget everything from this experience?" Xichen asked.
"I don't want him to suffer from knowing everything he has found out. He's going to want to save me and I don't want to be saved because if I'm saved the people I protect will die and I can't have that," Wei Ying said.
"What about taking them somewhere else? Why do you have to erase Wangji's memories for this to work?" Xichen asked.
"If he knows everything that he does now he will do everything to protect me and I can't let him forsake everything and everyone for me. He means... he means a lot to me and I don't want him to be hurt by me," Wei Ying said.
"You think this won't hurt him? Would if he finds out? I read that the memories don't erase that they only are blocked. Wangji has a good resolution with his core so they could come back," Xichen said.
"I have a plan for that too," Wei Ying said with a sad soft smile.
"What about his already ruined reputation? The people already know he has been with you what are you going to do about all those people talking about him being here and then he is going to find out that is missing a month and a half of his life. He is going to wonder and he will ask questions and come here to look for them," Xichen said.
"You just have to prevent that and tell him he was in an accident. Tell him he was here for a while and helped me with something or tell him he was trying to convince me to come back but I refused and he got into an accident. Please Xichen," Wei Ying pleaded.
"Fine but at least let me help you," Xichen said softly.
"Fine," Wei Ying said with half of a smile.
Xichen felt even more guilty but he was going to do his best to help him the more he knew about the real situation. He was also going to do his best to help his brother without telling him the truth.
"Let me take care of the rumor with the Clans," Xichen said.
"About Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked as he followed Xichen back to where everyone else was.
"Yeah," Xichen said and got a nod from Wei Ying.
"So they both work with Wei Wuxian?" Jiang Cheng said coming up to them.
Xichen stood in front of Wei Ying because he wasn't sure what else to do.
"Clan Leader Jiang nice to see you," Xichen said respectfully.
"Why are you here too?" Jiang Cheng asked.
"I am here to get Lan Wangji back and stop all of the rumors," Xichen said fluidly like he was planning the lies ahead of time which he was.
"Why is he here anyway?" Jiang Cheng asked throwing a look at Lan Zhan.
"Wangji was helping get rid of some corpses around the area and ran into Wei Ying who was having problems with a few members from the Jin Clan and he stopped it from escalating further. He has been here ever since to make sure nothing else happens and to convince Wei Ying to come down the burial mounds," Xichen said like he didn't read his Clan rules a million times.
Wei Ying was shocked because he knew lying was something serious in the Lan Gusu Clan. He didn't expect Xichen to tell so many lies so forwardly like that. It's a good thing some of what he was saying was true.
"Why didn't he just handle it himself?" Jiang Cheng asked talking about Wei Ying.
"Out of trouble," Wei Ying said and got a nod from Xichen as telling him good job.
"Wangji was trying to keep Wei Wuxian out of trouble so there wouldn't be anything else to say about him so he decided to stick around," Xichen said.
Wei Ying was smiling inside because he couldn't believe how well Xichen was doing and he could see the guarded and protective stance he was taking in front of him like he was really his brother. It was something Wei Ying saw multiple times he saw the brothers together especially when they were talking to others.
"That makes sense. Do you know where Wei Wuxian went?" Jiang Cheng asked.
"He probably went into his cave to fix something he was working on," Xichen said.
"Can you go in there and tell him I want to talk to him?" Jiang Cheng asked looking at Wei Ying.
"Mn," Wei Ying said and walked away elegantly.
"Is this a good thing? Him trying to help him?" Jiang Cheng asked and that was the only thing Wei Ying heard before he ran into the cave.
"He wants to talk to you so you have to make it as believable as possible that your me," Wei Ying said.
Lan Zhan nodded his head and followed Wei Ying out of the cave.
"Why can they enter without a problem when no one else can aside from me?" Jiang Cheng asked the moment he saw Lan Zhan.
"I fixed it so they could come in," Lan Zhan said skillfully as Wei Ying went to stand by "his brother" Xichen.
"He is doing really good," Xichen whispered getting a hum of appreciation from Wei Ying who was secretly proud of Lan Zhan.
"Well, are you coming then? Are you coming out of here?" Jiang Cheng asked in a tone that Wei Ying could only hear as hope along with the other two standing there and the woman who was listening from the house she was in.
"I won't leave them alone they need me to protect them," Lan Zhan said just going with what he felt Wei Ying would say and Wei Ying was shocked that he was doing so well.
"What are they doing to help you? You aren't liked by the other clans," Jiang Cheng said angry and sad.
"I am always welcomed in Cloud Recess," Lan Zhan said making Wei Ying shocked and take a step back as he felt something in his heart that he didn't feel before.
"Wei Ying," Wei Ying said stopping the conversation between the two effectively.
"I am," Lan Zhan said.
Wei Ying had to turn away because something inside his heart was turning and he didn't know how to deal with it. He knew a part of him was wrong since deciding to erase Lan Zhan's memories but he couldn't help it he wanted to protect the other man.
"Well you know you are always welcomed back home," Jiang Cheng said clenching his teeth. "You're the one that decided to be shunned by the Clan anyway," Jiang Cheng huffed out annoyed only to get shocked eyes from the Lan brothers. "Come to me if you need any help," Jiang Cheng tapped Wei Ying's body's shoulder and then started to walk out of the burial mounds.
"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said immediately angry.
"Hey let me explain that," Wei Ying said knowing what they were both looking at him for.
"Well explain," Xichen said annoyed too.
"Okay let's first go back to the cave," Wei Ying said gesturing to them even though they both fussed over it he pushed them in more.
"Tell us now Wei Ying," Lan Zhan demanded.
"After the incident at Qiongqi Way, I knew everyone was going to keep coming after my Sect so my next best idea was to take him out of it completely. Take the focus off of him because if he had to defend me every time, I did something all the Clans would have turned against him even if they were scared of me. I knew he needed those people more than I did so I took myself out of the equation with not letting him get affected by what I did anymore," Wei Ying said as he started to walk around the cave. "I told him it was fine to tell people I defected to protect him. They always tried to find a reason to confine me or take what was mine. What I worked hard on to save everyone. It was always going to be constant complaints about me because I was never going to bend to their Will. They wanted me to help hurt people that are innocent and don't deserve what they are getting and I can't do that," Wei Ying finalized.
"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said stepping forward.
"It's fine I chose this path for myself he doesn't need to suffer because of me. It was already enough with... never mind it was just enough," Wei Ying said.
"It wasn't your fault Wen Chao burned down your Clan," Lan Zhan said sounding a bit irritated. "Just like it wasn't my fault that they did the same to mine," Lan Zhan said shocking his brother and Wei Ying.
"All Jiang Cheng asked me to do was stay out of the problems," Wei Ying said.
"Then people would have died regardless. Not only that it's not in your nature to watch people get hurt," Lan Zhan said. "Could you honestly say that you were okay with what he was doing? He was hurting every Clan that day," Lan Zhan said firmly annoyed and it was clear in his voice.
"Lan Zhan, did anyone else's Clan lose everyone but three people? Your Clan managed to survive and thrive even my Clan was decimated. All my friends and the people who raised me died. All but three of us survived that massacre," Wei Ying said shedding a bit of pain.
"It doesn't make it your fault. Wen Chao hated me, you, and Jin Zixuan he could have gone to any of our Clans but mine was already damaged while they were trying to work with the Jin Clan so that only left your Clan. It was deduction not because they had to," Lan Zhan said. "And surely not because of what you did in that cave saving everyone," Lan Zhan said.
Xichen didn't really know what was going on between his brother or Wei Ying so he chose to stand to the side on this one because he really wanted them to get what they had on their chest out.
"How can you say that it wasn't my fault then? He hated me and wanted to get back at me so he hurt my people," Wei Ying said with pain in his eyes.
"Wei Ying, I heard about that day he sent his... girl to see you get punished and she got greedy asking for your arm to be cut off and the Madam refused to let it happen that's how the fight started. If they didn't care about you, they would have just let your arm get cut off they chose to fight because they didn't want to be controlled," Lan Zhan said shocking Wei Ying.
"They would have never come in the first place if I wasn't there though," Wei Ying said.
"Wei Ying, I know you weren't around for most of the Sunshot Campaign but a lot of Clans and smaller Clans were losing everyone to the Wen Clan they were just taking out everyone who stood against them no matter who it was," Lan Zhan said.
Just as Wei Ying was about to talk again Lan Zhan grabbed him by the arms.
"It wasn't your fault," Lan Zhan said softly pulling Wei Ying into a hug.
Xichen was shocked by the sudden touching Lan Zhan was doing to Wei Ying but he supposed his brother didn't mind because he wasn't in his own body when he was doing it.
Wei Ying, on the other hand, didn't know what to do. He wanted to pull away but he wasn't used to being hugged in general then it came to the person who was doing it. He couldn't ignore Lan Zhan especially now. He finally returned the hug and he was slowly starting to feel something he didn't like but still held onto Lan Zhan.
"We will help you," Lan Zhan said in his ear.
Xichen wanted to say something but he decided being quiet would be the best way to go at the moment.
After a lot of talking and discussing what they were going to do Xichen left again but with Wei Ying to Cloud Recess. They were going to be back in a week and a half. Lan Zhan didn't like the separation but he wanted to be back in his own body so he let it happen.
Reviews...
I hope everyone likes what happens next. I hope everyone liked this chapter.
Everyone is going to be inside for a while so I hope stories will be read more now.
