On their arrival at the meeting Wei Ying had automatically assumed his position behind and to the left of Jiang Chang, the position of the subordinate to his sect leader. Lan Zhan had fought an inside battle with himself to not grab Wei Ying's arm and pull him forwards, after all Wei Ying shouldn't be subordinate to anyone. It was only years of training and the smile on Wei Ying's face that allowed him to keep a firm grip on his self control.

As the groups began to greet each other Wei Ying had noticed that Lan Zhan was hovering between the YunMeng sect group and his own. As much as it pleased him that Lan Zhan wanted to stay close to him, he did need to go back to his brother. Wei Ying nodded, smiling at the Gusu Lan Sect group not far away and Lan Zhan turned, seemingly reluctantly, before moving away.

When the greetings where over everyone took their respective seats and where served drinks. Wei Ying as normal drank a few cups of his before anyone had even gone through one of theirs, but everyone knew him well enough to have already catered for this and he wasn't left without a full cup. Then a noise came from the dais at the centre of the room that caught everyone's attention. Standing, patiently waiting for the silence of his audience stood the head of the Nie Sect, famously known as the Red Blade Master. His imposing presence was only one of the reasons for his nickname, the other rested innocently at the side of his table. Its innocence was an illusion though as Baxia had seen more war and blood than the other swords in the room put together.

'Brothers, Sect leaders and guests' He began in a voice that rumbled through the hall 'We are here to figure out what to do about the Wen scourge that has been trying to control our way of life and even indoctrinate or kill our youngsters'

A chorus of discontent filled the room as the Red Blade Master paused, everyone was having something bad to say about the Wen's.

Continuing to speak over the voices the Red Blade Master's tone changed from friendly to challenging 'Are we going to allow this to happen? We have tried to stop them already but so with no success. Are we just going to sit and wait for our end while the Wen's take over everything?'

Again a chorus of voices responded to the obvious provocation, which led to the final part of the speech, delivered in an even louder voice.

'Then I say we destroy the Wen's ourselves!'

This declaration received not only a loud applause but many people shouting approval and agreement, even some shouting recommendations. For a few moments all semblance of organisation was gone and the renowned cultivation assembly sounded more like a mob. Through all this both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had remained silent, Lan Zhan had got his normal impassive look on his face while Wei Ying was fidgeting trying not to stand up and shout at the whole room that not all Wen's are bad.

Wen Qing had helped him twice heal Jiang Chang, and Wen Ning had risked his life to get both Jiang Chang and his parent's bodies out of Lotus Pier. Wei Ying couldn't cope with them being placed in the same group as the likes of Wen Chao. No one of course knew about all this though and Wei Ying was already astonished that no one had noticed the lack of Suibian at his waist, he didn't want to stand in front of the whole hall right now and draw attention to himself.

Even if he managed to skirt the questions of the hall about why he wasn't wearing his sword to the meeting, there were still two people present that it wouldn't be so easy to elude. Jiang Chang he had known all his life and could easily divert onto something else, but Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan he had gotten to know quite well since that surprising day in the cave. Lan Zhan looked fierce but was actually gentle, he pretended to be full of ice but was actually full of deep emotion…and one important thing, although he pretended he was open-minded to listening to anyone's thoughts he could be the most stubborn man Wei Ying had ever met. That last thought let Wei Ying realise that if he drew attention to the missing Suibian, he would be lucky if Lan Zhan let him leave the hall before inquisition began.

Of course Lan Zhan had noticed something wrong with Wei Ying as soon as he began fidgeting on his cushion. Knowing he couldn't move from his own, and it would be too much of a giveaway to pin his gaze on Wei Ying and leave it there, he glanced over again and again to keep an eye on the man that he had already decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Something was defiantly bothering Wei Ying and Lan Zhan wanted the assembly to be over quickly so he could find out what it was, he had an intuitive feeling that this had something to do with that quick change of tone in Wei Ying's that day at Lotus Pier.

Eventually of course the assembly did wind itself down. All the cultivation sects had agreed to an all out assault on the Wen's but other than that no one had agreed on where or when. People began to leave in their groups, some agreeing the assembly had been a huge success and the end of the Wen's was close, others agreeing that more could have been achieved. In just over 15 minutes the only sects left in the great hall where the hosts, the Nie Sect, and the Gusu Lan along with the YunMeng Sect. ZuWu Jun was speaking on the dais along with Jiang Chang and the Red Blade Master, while the lower disciples milled around in their respective groups. It was then Lan Zhan took the opportunity to grab a firm hold of Wei Ying's wrist and practically drag him from the hall.

'Lan Zhan…What?' came the confused voice from behind him….but Lan Zhan just stopped at the bottom of the halls steps before slowly turning round to face the other. He didn't relinquish his hold on his wrist, knowing he would get closer to the truth with the physical contact.

'Something's wrong' Lan Zhan spoke in his normal monotone voice, but his eyes showed his concern. 'what's wrong'

'Nothing I'm fine'

'Wei Ying!' Lan Zhan's fingers tightened a little on Wei Ying's wrist in an unspoken signal that he wasn't going anywhere until he got a satisfactory answer.

Wei Ying just wiggled his fingers in a half-hearted resistance and then grumbled, more to himself than for Lan Zhan's ears.

'Honestly, we haven't even slept together yet and you're already getting so bossy'

Lan Zhan's felt his ears turn a little pink at the shameless words but steadfastly refused to let his grip slacken. Instead he consciously kept his gaze fixed on Wei Ying's, not giving the other any place to hide. After a moment Wei Ying lowered his eyes and huffed out a breath. 'Fine you win, but not here, can we go somewhere more private.

Lan Zhan nodded quietly before turning and walking away from the hall, still half dragging Wei Ying along with him. As they walked through the area trying to find a suitable place for a talk Lan Zhan was sure Wei Ying would run away from if he got half a chance, he ignored the grumbles coming from behind him.

'I can walk by myself, I'm not 5' Wei Ying grumbled, when that didn't have any effect he tried something a little different 'and now your abducting me….where are you taking me Lan Zhan….and what do you intend to do with me when you get there?'