Lan Wanji sat at his normal desk in the Jingshi marking papers. Even he could find very little fault with the last one so that particular student had been working hard. Then again that was to be expected of a member of the GusuLan Sect and hardly anything to be rewarded for. Placing the brush lightly down on its stand, he looked over through the open curtains of the bedroom and saw Wei WuXian still happily asleep on their bed. Lan Wanji wondered if Wei WuXian actually realised that he threw the covers away every time he himself got up to begin the day. Right now Wei WuXian was facing away from him with only his feet covered. His back, full of scars, told the story of his rough life while the redness on his ass just told the more recent story of their lovemaking the evening before.
It had been many years now since he and Wei WuXian had become partners in cultivation, or as some preferred to refer to them, husband and wife. Sometimes it still didn't seem real that their relationship had been accepted by the clan. Of course that didn't happen until the unfortunate passing away of 'Sir'. 'Sir' was the title used by Lan Wanji's uncle for many years as he successfully led the clan through its hardships to the prominence it now enjoyed. Lan QiRen had passed away peacefully though leaving his most trusted nephew, and Lan Wanji's elder brother, to assume control of the clan.
Lan Xichen had had no problem recognising the partnership of the young pair and their lives had moved forwards since. Their son, Lan Sizhui, was now an accomplished cultivator in his own right and all the problems of the many years before seemed well behind them. Well they were if you didn't count the fact that even after all these years living together Wei WuXian still hadn't learned how to wake up at the prescribed hour!
Taking a deep breath Lan Wanji unclenched his fists from his pristine white robes. Why was he thinking back all those years now? Nothing he knew of had triggered such memories. In silence, as before, he lowered his eyes reluctantly from Wei WuXian back to his work, after all he had his duties to perform and, unlike the person still in bed, he didn't intend on sleeping all day. Only a few strokes into marking the next piece of work though his iron will slipped again. He began remembering what it had been like to meet Wei WuXian years ago, and the rollercoaster they had been on together.
As a 16 year old Lan Wanji's personality was different to what it was now. The 16 year old him had thought he had everything worked out in his life. He had spent those 16 years in rigorous study in the cloud recess, never allowing himself to be any less than perfect. At a very young age he had perfectly memorised all three thousand rules of the GusuLan sect, as well as the punishment that went with each one. He was a master of the sword and Qungin, impressing even 'Sir', and he knew that he would serve his clan as its blade until it became his turn to lead. In his 16 years this sense of destiny had never wavered. That was until a shameless, opinionated and undisciplined youth, with his own sense of right and wrong, had appeared in his life.
Nothing had seemed special about that day walking home. Certainly nothing to show him that his sense of destiny was about to be drastically altered. It was quite a pleasant day as he had walked home up the hill only to find a group of young visiting cultivators, about his age, stood outside the entrance arch. Together they had begun telling him a story about how they had forgotten their passes and were denied entry, but where now too far from town to go fetch the missing items before nightfall. Politely he had listened to the tale while focusing on the youngest of the two brothers, young Master Jiang Cheng of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. After they had finished he had politely informed them that who had not admitted them without the invite was correct as it was against the rules. Thinking nothing more of the exchange he had turned to continue up the hill as he heard the voice of the elder brother sound through the stillness. This voice was more assertive than his younger brother and although he seemed to be about his age the unknown youth did not give Lan Wanji the respectful deference he was used to. Although he hid it behind the carful mask of calm he had spent years perfecting Lan Wanji had begun feeling annoyed with the youth…annoyed and a little intrigued!
Eventually the youth…..who still hadn't introduced himself...proclaimed loudly that he would go fetch the invitation while the others waited inside, before swiftly turning on his heel and heading back down the mountain. Lan Wanji's expressionless face had shown non of his inner confusion. Was there something wrong with the youth? Why had he gone down the mountain alone at night? Hadn't he clearly said that none of them could enter without invites? …..The youth's strange behaviour had made no sense at all!
Soundlessly turning away to resume his journey home he had walked past the beautiful mountain blossoms before reaching the cloud recess, his mind wandering back to the strange youth at the gate. Such strange behaviour! After finding his elder brother and explaining the situation at the gate Wanji had headed to his room with the image of the strange youth still running through his mind. He couldn't work out what it was about the youth that was so intriguing to him and frankly the inability to control his own thoughts was beginning to annoy him.
Deciding to go for a walk on the walls rather and look out on the blossoms rather than just stand around wondering how the youth functioned with the obvious lack of rules or sense, Lan Wanji had headed out into the fresh evening. He had only just reached the walls when he heard a noise coming from a nearby roof. He had turned and watched silently as the youth from earlier climbed up and elegantly balanced himself holding 2 jars in one hand. He must have made some kind of noise as it was then the youth noticed him and began speaking.
'Have you come to drink with me Second young Master Lan or just spy on me?' the cocky question came out half laugh and half drawl
'Alcohol is prohibited in the Could Recess' Lan Wanji had stated blandly, only for the grin on the youths face to grow wider.
'Ahh come on Second Young Master Lan have a drink' the youth held up one of the bottles towards him ' you know you want a taste of the good stuff'
His fist had clenched around Bichen's hilt. For some reason being alone with this particular youth and the disrespectful language being thrown about made Wanji want to stab him through the chest. That thought in itself astonished Wanji! He had come across lots of fools who didn't know his clans rules, and even more who couldn't understand them even when they were taught them. So why did this particular youth's words bother him so much? He was bought out of his reverie when the youth spoke up again.
'Such a lightweight you can't even manage one mouthful ehh?' the youth sounded like he was speaking to himself but loud enough for Wanji to hear ' All the power of the GusuLan and yet great Second young Master Lan is scared away by some liquor'
Before he even realised he had moved he had landed on the roof, drawn Bichen, cut the ropes holding the two bottles together and seen them smash into the courtyard below. Just what was it about this person that could get under his skin so damn easily? Just as he was about to sheathe Bichen once more he glanced back at the youth, who didn't seem in the least bit happy. He didn't remember who struck first, his mind was too busy doing something it hadn't had to do in a long time…..work for the win…his opponent was extremely gifted with the sword!
Wanji knew his technique was flawless and no sparring partner in years, except his brother, had managed more than a few moves with him. Yet here on a roof, at night, someone was not only matching him but pushing him. They circled each other, twirled and dodged. Each trying to get an opening but unable to. Just one thought raced through Wanji's head now…who was this person?
A noise broke the two apart and the youth vanished from the roof while Wanji was still trying to gather his scattered thoughts. Eventually he made it home unseen and with a quirk of his lips stood in the centre of his room thinking. The Youth was undisciplined, loud and everything he had been taught not to be. But somehow his cultivation was as strong as his own, and his sword skills where extraordinary. That night when Wanji had slept he had dreamt of the unknown youth as their sparring match had continued on the roof. Even has he woke the next morning his dream had yet to provide a clear winner to the match.
By the end of the next day Wanji had begun to feel like he was having emotional whiplash. Every time he was around the strange youth his emotions changed from annoyed to intrigued to slightly respectful…..then back again. This whole thing just made him interesting as no one had been before. Actually it was no longer a strange youth, he had found out two pieces of information today. First was the youth's name, he was Wei WuXian, the elder brother of Jiang Cheng and a member of the Yunmeng Clan. The second was that apparently he was just as disrespectful and unruly in the daytime as he was at night. This was part of the reason that, that particular day Wei WuXian was stuck firmly in the 'annoying' category. Not only had he waved at Wanji when he entered the main hall…..something no one had ever done before, and had left him completely confused at how to react to such a shameless public display…..but he had also argued with 'Sir'.
The other cultivation clans sent young Masters here to learn from Lan QiRen as he was considered to have the greatest knowledge of cultivation. Yet Wanji had spent the day listening to Wei WuXian argue with a clan leader over the pros and cons of demoniac cultivation. Eventually even Lan QiRen's temper had snapped and he had punished Wei WuXian to copy the rules of GusuLan sect 300 times. Upon hearing this Wanji's heart had nearly stopped. That would take weeks and during that time he would have no opportunity to figure out what it was about Wei WuXian that intrigued him so much. If there was one thing he hated it was not being able to work something out!
After everyone else had left the hall Wanji had approached Lan QiRen and bowing, as was proper, spoke in a voice he hoped hid his emotions…..'Permission to supervise the punishment Sir'
Lan QiRen had looked puzzled ' Why would you want to supervise such a punishment?'
Ohhhh no…he wasn't about to tell Sir that something about the rude and disobedient Wei WuXian drew him in. Not until he had worked it out for himself at least! But he did need to say something so spoke the words he had learned by wrote 'to serve my clan'. This had satisfied Sir and the permission was given.