A/N

I am new in this fandom. I have seen only The Untamed show, read fragments of the novel and many, many fanfics. And this has been my first contact with Chinese drama, so I am sorry for all mistakes with names and all others...

For those who read my latest fanfic - Her Honor (Musketeers fandom), I promise I'll finish it but I am too weak to resist Wei Ying and Lan Zhan :)

Please, bear with me!

The story starts after the end of The Untamed. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are not in an established relationship (but it will happen).

You have to come with me

Another sleepless night. The rare anxiety did not disappear during the meditation. Obviously Lan Wangji's discipline did not allow his feelings to ruin his concentration, but the moment he finished the sense of foreboding returned with vengeance as if it wanted to make itself more present after hours of reprieve.

Hanguang-jun could not fight the impression that the feeling was somehow connected to Wei Ying, who had left ninety three days ago to see how much the world had changed during the last thirteen years. Lan Wangji hoped to finish the most urgent things by the following evening and leave Cloud Recesses to search Wei Ying. He would respect his soulmate's freedom and maybe even not meet him, but he needed to know if he was safe.

If he had had any nightmares recently it would be easier to explain his feelings. However the previous week he had spared him horrifying dreams full of losing Wei Ying.

With a mental sigh Lan Wangji sat in front of the guqin, fingers ghosting the strings, when someone knocked at the door. It was well past curfew so only an emergency could explain it. As he had not bothered to take off his outer robe, he just opened the door. A senior disciple bowed deeply, but before he could explain his intrusion a furious Jiang Cheng joined them.

"Sect Leader Jiang?", Lan Wangji greeted him, though his heart was frozen with fear. There was no reason for that man to be here, to demand to see him in the middle of the night. Hanguang-jun might not like the other man, but knew that he would never bother the Chief Cultivator without a valid reason. And that valid reason could very well be named Wei Ying.

"Hanguang-jun, you have to come with me!", there was no arrogance in his words, only desperate determination. His guest looked pale, and there were some blood-like stains on his robes.

"Are you well?", Lan Wangji asked, remembering that his status required from time to time to actually voice a question about a sect leader's health.

"No! Absolutely not!", Jiang Cheng replied vehemently, "There's no time. My healers are not sure…", his face turned whiter even if it was hardly possible and for a moment Lan Wangji was ready to catch him in case he was going to faint. However the other man continued, his voice trembling, "This idiot, this fucking idiot! I don't know who did it to him but it's bad! It's really bad!"

"Wei Ying?", Lan Wangji had already known the answer.

The other man nodded feverishly and for a moment his eyes glistened with tears.

"Where?", the Second Jade asked breathlessly though his voice sounded as calm as ever.

"Lotus Pier."

All other questions had to wait.

Both men flew away on their swords. They were travelling too fast to talk, all their concentration needed to maintain the speed.

Jiang Cheng had to admit to himself that was not completely sure he would remain conscious till the end of their journey. Exhaustion was weighing heavily on him. A few days ago he would have never believed if someone had told him he would search for the Chief Cultivator in the middle of the night with the wounds not even taken care of and throbbing mercilessly even if his golden core was struggling to heal him.

Wei Wuxian's golden core. Not mine own.

And this Wei Wuxian is now dying because of a madman who's still alive and well because only traps and wicked talismans were guarding my tortured brother.

He recalled it should have been an easy night hunt, a nice distraction from his duties. He had been sure he was not really needed there. The ghosts were not truly aggressive, but they were stubborn and determined as they wanted the cultivators to pay attention to them, to follow them into the dilapidated farm and its basement where the prisoner was kept. He would never forget the sight that welcomed them. That was the reason he got distracted and did not realize he marched into a trap. Fortunately, he dodged or deflected most of the blades. Still the two of them found a way to enter his flesh. Jiang Cheng barely noticed the pain when he dropped to his knees near the bloodied body. They may have not been on the best terms, but still it was unacceptable to find his brother barely alive because of someone's else actions!

My former brother… He's not my brother anymore. But still nobody is allowed to hurt him, to kill him, especially on my land!

His hands shook when he was trying to determine if Wei Wuxian was still breathing. He was finally awarded with a faint breath and a thready pulse. He left his disciples to deal with the whole mess and flew directly home to entrust Wei Wuxian to his healers. He let them do their job and waited for their verdict. His limited medical knowledge told him it was bad but only when one of the healers informed him that their charge's injuries were too grievous to be sure of the outcome he understood how dramatic the situation was.

He remembered the guilt on the healer's face when she bowed deeply and shared some details about her patient's condition. Never had her eyes left the floor; and Jiang Cheng felt Zidian coming alive with his anger, which burnt out so quickly leaving the sect leader so empty and scared. The lack of his fury frightened him even more. It was that moment when he decided he had to bring Hanguang-jun immediately. If Wei Wuxian regained consciousness he would need his presence more than anyone's else.

Jiang Wanyin did not like to think about the nature of the two men's relationship, but he could not deny that nowadays Lan Wangji was the closest person to his former brother.

Finally, Jiang Cheng saw the lights of Lotus Pier. A relief that he did not lose consciousness during the flight was mixing with fear what was awaiting for him. Should he already plan Wei Wuxian's funeral?

No, Lan Wangji won't let me do it...

He could not lose Wei Wuxian another time even if he had not truly regained him yet.

Why do I care so much for him? Why does his condition send me over the edge?

They landed and Jiang Cheng ordered Lan Wangji to follow him. The other man's silence was a blessing, as the Yunmeng sect leader had no strength to talk. Not physical nor emotional one.

The Chief Cultivator walked behind his host. He was not able to name the emotions which were ripping his heart. He could not lose Wei Ying again. He simply could not face reality without his soulmate. Having him far away was already difficult, but having him die again - unthinkable.

I should have asked him to stay with me. I should have protected him. I can't lose him. I love my Wei Ying… and he may die again without knowing it.

Those thoughts were dancing in his mind as his heart was frozen with fear, his hand gripping Bichen as if it was his lifeline.

Lan Wangji was not aware that they entered the building, but they must have as they were now standing in front of the room door. Jiang Cheng opened them without knocking and it seemed not to surprise two healers kneeling over the bed. They cast a glance in the newcomers' direction.

"Sect Leader, Chief Cultivator", the healers bowed.

"How is he?", Jiang Cheng asked while Lan Wangji omitted them, his eyes focused on the bed occupant. Wei Ying's face was covered in bruises, small cuts and burns.

"Wei Ying!", the Second Jade whispered, kneeling near the bed. He started to feed the wounded his spiritual energy. It did not work exactly as it should, so he placed his hand on a heavily bandaged chest, letting his energy search for the wounded man's golden core. It was much fainter that he remembered it. Still there, but unreachable. Probably sealed.

"Removing the seal now it's too risky.", the healer stated, "The seal should itself disappear within a week or two, but it may be safely removed when he's stable."

Lan Wangji could agree with this diagnosis.

"The next two days will be crucial.", she added.

Has she already described Wei Ying's injuries?

"One of us will be here all the time in case a healer is needed. He should be passed small amounts of spiritual energy regularly", she told him, "The most severe wounds are a week old, they were not treated properly so they are infected… He was given a kind of poison or drug to induce more pain. These kinds of concoctions are not lethal, but they have debilitating effects. It should pass with time. All injuries were afflicted with a spiritual tool so they did not start to heal and a great part of them is infected. Most of them will scar.", she bit her lips and lowered her head looking completely defeated, "he was also abused in a different way…", she said in a barely audible tone.

Lan Wangji managed to remain silent though he wanted to cry, to curse. Someone dared to hurt his Wei Ying! It was unacceptable! He took the position of the Chief Cultivator in order to protect the Yiling Patriarch but he failed so spectacularly!

I've failed Wei Ying. Again.

The Second Jade withdrew a bit to summon his guqin and started to play. The music became heavily infused with his energy. A worldless plea with Wei Ying to come back to him, to give him another chance he did not deserve.

Lan Wangji's eyes never left Wei Ying's face.