Everyone was tired.
The events that transpired in Yi City would likely leave them hollowed out. The injustice of it all- Xiao Xingchen's suicide, A-Qing's death, Song Lan being left alone- it angered Jingyi to no end. Because despite everything, he is still a Lan, and the Lan's motto is Be Righteous.
But no one can change the past, so best make the most of the present.
Many of the juniors were sobbing at the tragic story Mo-qianbei told them. Sizhui and Qingxue remained as composed as always, but their cold eyes shone with a touch of melancholy.
Ouyang Zizhen was the most emotional. True to Mo Xuanyu's words, he was "definitely going to be the sentimental type" when he grew up. Jingyi and Wenxin shared his sentiment, while Wushan and Jin Ling emitted the kind of subdued grief that most of the others did.
The three seniors had gone somewhere, so all that was left was to wait.
Xuemi approached Xiao Xingchen's coffin, afraid. It was an irrational feeling; her shishu's spirit had shattered, so there was no way he would rise again as a fierce corpse, no matter how much Song Lan wanted him to.
After Song Lan had departed with Shuanghua and Fuxue hung on his back, Xuemi pushed off the coffin lid and stared at the pale, lifeless body of the rogue cultivator.
"Shishu." She swallowed. She wasn't sure what she expected to come out of this, but Xuemi desperately needed guidance. "I don't know if I should call you Shishu. Yanling Daoren was your shixiong, but I don't know if I can call them my parents anymore... When you left the mountain, did you feel as lost as I do now?"
There was no response, but that didn't deter her from continuing. It was something that she needed to get out.
"I know I was raised by the Min, and it would be unfilial for me to abandon that identity, but just now- I couldn't do it. I couldn't take revenge."
She recalled how Lengyue was at Xue Yang's neck, yet it refused to make the cut.
Xuemi continued. "And I'm not even related by blood to the Lans, yet they allowed me to join their clan as an inner disciple, and I even have the ribbon with the gold cloud ornament. And now that I know I'm a-" She hesitated, "Wen, I don't know what to do either. Rebuild the sect? Take care of him?"
Wei Wuxian, no doubt, assumed she meant Wen Ning. Wangji caught the meaning behind her words, thinking of a gentle and quiet Lan, orphaned by a war.
Yet somehow, from the empty silence, Xuemi found the answer.
She lightly closed her eyes, cupping her hands and bowed deeply. "This one thanks shishu for his teachings."
Wei Wuxian gaped at her in bemusement while Wangji betrayed no expression, but at the same time, he understood as well.
They locked eyes, having a silent conversation.
So you'll stay a Lan.
Not exactly. I suppose I'll be just like A-Yuan.
The rogue cultivator life doesn't suit you?
I prefer the shores of home rather than the seas of adventure.
A tiny smile appeared on his face . Let me reintroduce myself. Lan Zhan, courtesy Wangji, Hanguang-jun, Second Childe of the Lan Clan.
Xuemi smiled too. Lin Yi, courtesy Xuemi, Bai-guniang, Daozhang, Mistress of the Lan Clan, Wen Clan, and Min Clan.
Wei Wuxian had given up on interpreting the complicated conversation between them and waved a hand between their gaze. "Um, hello? Can you two stop doing-" He gestured towards them. "-that?"
They prolonged their conversation out of amusement. He doesn't read you as well as I do.
Of course. Lin-jie has known me for three years before him, after all.
Finally, Wangji turned away and approached a different coffin, radiating resentful energy.
They slowly slid the lid aside. The inside was lined with talismans, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until Wangji pushed the coffin off of a…
"Suppressing Circle!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed.
Yes, we can see that. Xuemi thought dryly.
Wuxian threw some talismans on the circle before warning Wangji. "Lan Zhan, be careful."
The Lan in question nodded and he drew Bichen, cutting a large arc through the air. The sword glare sliced through the middle of the second coffin, and the two halves of the lid blew off. Dark smoke spilled out, and the sword spirit revealed itself.
Baxia.
"It's him!"
The Cloud Recesses was great for many reasons. Variety certainly was not one of them.
That was why Sizhui, like the other Lans, was taken by Tanzhou's bright colours, diverse sounds and different aromas, even though they go to Caiyi Town often.
But instead of the others, like Jingyi, who went to go find toys of fabric and fancy trinkets of all sorts, Sizhui found himself drawn to the stands where they sold paper insect toys.
He didn't know why either.
In particular, the paper butterfly caught his attention. He picked it up, running his fingers over the intricate folds of the paper, trying so hard to remember, yet failing.
It wasn't a secret in the Cloud Recesses that Lan Yuan wasn't a "legitimate child." It was known only by Jingyi, Qingxue, Sect Leader and Hanguang-jun that he was adopted, and those four also knew that Lan Yuan had no memories of his past before the Cloud Recesses.
Except for flashes like these, at the moment.
A toy spinning in the air, in a restaurant, he believed. He caught the toy and turned around to his parents, but their faces were always blurred, and-
"Sizhui? What are you doing?"
Jingyi's question startled him. He hadn't even noticed the other three juniors approaching, and quickly clenched his hand over the paper butterfly.
That didn't exactly hide it.
Jin Ling caught sight of it. "How old are you? Still playing with these? I haven't played with these things since I was three." He declared haughtily.
Sizhui opened his mouth to explain, but then shut it, after finding out that he didn't exactly have an explanation for himself either.
Jingyi spoke for him instead. "It's none of your business. What we like, we'll buy- it's not like it costs your clan's money."
Jin Ling turned with a huff. Ouyang Zizhen soon followed, throwing a "I'll go look over there" their way.
Jingyi surveyed the toys, but didn't see what Sizhui saw. "Sizhui, no need to look at these. We have these in Gusu."
Sizhui smiled and nodded. "Okay. Feel free to go first- I'll catch up."
Jingyi grinned back at his friend and left with the rest. Sizhui, however, paid for the butterfly and hid it in his sleeve before catching up.
"Jingyi…" Sizhui started. "Do you remember what you were doing before you were three?"
"Who remembers these?" Jingyi answered. "It's most likely nothing more than playing around in the Cloud Recesses. Hey, why all of a sudden this question?"
"Umm, nothing. Just asking."
Jingyi wasn't convinced, but went along with it anyway. Then he pointed to another stall. "Sizhui! Look at that!" And ran off.
Sizhui lagged a bit behind again, and stared at the newly bought butterfly. The taunt of memory came teasing him again, just like at Mo manor- but as usual, he couldn't piece together any faces, voices, or places.
Sizhui: To recollect and long for.
Sometimes he wondered if Hanguang-jun knew his parents before he was orphaned.
Xuemi looked at A-Yuan with a sad smile. He had grown up into a wonderful young man, but he was still missing the last piece of his life.
Turning to the vendor A-Yuan just bought from, she took a paper butterfly as well.
Once the juniors were done wandering, they stopped outside an inn to wait for their three seniors. Soon, Wangji came with a... lantern? and Wei Wuxian at his side. Xuemi followed behind them.
Sizhui informed them that Zewu-jun was at the inn already, waiting for them. As soon as she heard those words, Xuemi immediately rushed in, raising a few eyebrows. Especially Qingxue, who was told that she was basically Xuemi personified.
Xuemi didn't run, but she was definitely pushing the limits of speed walking.
She burst into the courtyard of the inn, and saw a very welcome figure clothed in what she assumed was a deep blue, a guan on his head signifying his position as Sect Leader.
Xichen turned around. "Xiao Xue?"
Xuemi smiled.
Xichen ran towards her and embraced her, giving them a proper reunion this time. One without the suspicion of one who has been mourning for far too long, or with the heaviness of the knowledge of how they parted last time. No, this was a reunion that was of happiness only.
They stayed like that until Wangji and Wuxian came in. The latter cleared his throat, while the former only said, "Xiongzhang."
The two of them untangled themselves, blushes spreading across their cheeks. Wangji decidedly did not comment.
Their smiles faded when they were brought to the matter at hand, when Wei Wuxian released Baxia's saber spirit to hover between the four of them.
A translucent model of the (in)famous weapon flew out and gave out a light that illuminated their faces. Xichen gawked at the spirit for a few seconds before regaining his composure. "You're sure you saw my da-ge's body?"
Wei Wuxian replied. "In Coffin Town, under the suppressing circle, there was a headless corpse. The sword spirit only showed its true form when the body was revealed."
Xichen closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, concerning his siblings.
"Xiongzhang-"
"Wangji. Enough said."
With that, Xichen gathered the spirit into his palm, where it vanished. Off to where, Xuemi didn't know.
The Lan Sect Leader walked forward a few paces before speaking again. "Back then, I witnessed my brother go through Qi Deviation at that year's conference, in Jinlintai. Though I haven't heard from him, I've prepared myself for the worst."
Wei Wuxian pursed his lips. "Zewu-jun, Hanguang-jun told you that we met a person wearing a ghost mask. What he forgot to mention was that this person knows your clan's swordsmanship very well, and has also learned Lanling Jin's style."
Xichen's brows furrowed. "That is strange. None of our disciples have particularly close contact with Lanling Jin, except for Sizhui and Jingyi- but that isn't possible, unless they have two bodies."
"None of your current disciples." Wei Wuxian reminded him.
Xichen was silent for a few moments before he came to the realization. "Su She."
"He is our prime suspect." Wei Wuxian agreed.
"Su She has been quite close to Jin Guangshan these years." Wangji put in.
Xuemi frowned. "Why?"
Wei Wuxian was confused. "Why what?"
"She means why was da-ge a target for Jin Guangshan." Xichen explained. "On the year that Da-ge died, it was at a discussion conference. During this discussion conference, Da-ge had been opposing one of Jin Guangshan's ideas that would increase the Lanling Jin Sect's power. The next day, he underwent Qi deviation and died."
Wei Wuxian frowned as well. "That's too suspicious."
"It is. But no one dares to question His Excellency without proof."
Wei Wuxian then remembered the attack in the inn. "Zewu-jun, it was also evident that the ghost-face man hid his sword glare, so it's quite possible that his sword was given by Jin Guangshan or by someone particularly powerful."
"It's Su She." Xichen said with finality. "He was the only one who received such a gift from the Chief Cultivator."
Wangji thought for a moment. "Not enough."
"Yes." Xichen amended. "It's not enough proof for us to accuse the Chief Cultivator, so we will need to lay low and collect more evidence for now."
They all nodded in agreement.
"Oh, one more thing." Wei Wuxian piped up. "The ghost-face man has a Transportation Talisman."
"Mn. That is useful information."
And it was. Transportation Talismans are hard to cultivate, and anyone who cultivates a Transportation Talisman will seem much more worn out all the time, because they require much spiritual energy to maintain.
It is very possible that Su She's accomplice has one too.
They were just about to wrap up the conversation before they heard a bowl shatter, from the inside of the inn's dining area.
Startled, the four seniors whipped their heads around to the inn, where they heard the juniors' continued bickering.
The topic today (because the juniors bicker often, to their seniors' dismay) was Wei Wuxian.
Xuemi gave Xichen a long-suffering look before walking, with Wangji, into the dining hall.
Wei Wuxian was going to follow them, but Xichen stopped him
"Wei-gongzi."
Wuxian stopped.
"Don't take it to heart."
The masked cultivator paused, then sighed and shook his head, taking off his mask. When he turned around, he wore his signature grin, one that Xichen returned.
"It seems like Zewu-jun has long since found out my true identity." Wuxian cupped his hands in a salute. "Forgive my lack of courtesy."
"I have only just confirmed it." Xichen corrected.
Wuxian's smile dropped, and suddenly those bags beneath his eyes became much more pronounced, and he seemed to age many years before he turned around and walked through the back door, into the inn.
As soon as Hanguang-jun came in, everyone, including Sizhui, scattered to their seats. The interesting part- or rather, concerning, because if there was any other infraction of the rules in Hanguang-jun's behavior, Sizhui would think that he was possessed- was that Hanguang-jun took alcohol upstairs.
The perfect, pure Second Jade of Lan was bringing alcohol upstairs.
Alcohol.
Sizhui took a few seconds to process that.
He slowly turned back to his food, his brain still trying to wrap it's head around the fact that Hanguang-jun took alcohol upstairs.
"Did I see it wrong, just now?" Sizhui muttered.
Jingyi paused in the action of bringing his chicken wing (because even though most Lans are full-time vegetarians, Jingyi loves chicken) up to his mouth, looking strangely at his friend. "See what?"
"The tray Hanguang-jun was carrying had alcohol on it!"
Jingyi blinked a few times, and his chicken wing dropped into his bowl with a clunk. Sizhui quickly stuffed it back into his mouth, because Lady Bai is coming and oh my god why are so many seniors here today to judge our performance?
Sizhui made a conscious effort to sit straight. Qingxue remained as stoic as ever, but her whole frame was much tenser.
She looks better when she's relaxed. Sizhui almost slapped himself when he thought like that, earning another strange look from the chicken wing eater sitting across him.
Similarly, Jin Ling stopped being as much of a brat and Ouyang Zizhen began to carry on with much more decorum, intent on showing that the smaller sects can be as dignified as the great sects. Wenxin stopped joking that much and Wushan stopped being his father, eating the meal in silence.
The inn was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
It got worse when Lady Bai sat down at the table right beside Sizhui and Jingyi's, and suddenly Jingyi visibly panicked and began shoveling food down his mouth, intent on finishing his meal as soon as possible to retire to his room, even though it was only barely xu shi.
There was no such escape. Jingyi didn't even make it halfway to the stairs when Lady Bai said "Stop."
Jingyi froze. The whole room waited with bated breath, wondering what was going to happen.
The senior turned to him with a gentle smile. "Am I really that terrifying? You haven't eaten your third bowl yet."
Jingyi swallowed nervously and bowed. "This disciple no longer feels hungry." He felt a flush creeping up his cheeks, mainly because this-this famous and powerful cultivator's only impression of him is that he eats a lot.
The Lady of White turned back to her food. "Sit. I have some things to discuss with all of you when this meal is done."
At some point, the waiters and the innkeeper all vanished to the back kitchens, probably because Lady Bai's presence intimidated them.
A flustered Jingyi plopped down back in the chair across Sizhui, who looked… not as uncomfortable, because he talked with this legend before. But nervous, nonetheless.
The dining area was filled again with the sounds of chopsticks and bowls, but no chatter, as the disciples worried about what would warrant the attention of Lady Bai of Gusu.
Internally, Jingyi wailed at his own misfortune.