Chapter 84

Xue Yang was furious.

The Lan sect had taken him as a prisoner and paraded him around like he was some sort of animal for everyone to see and remark over. As if they were so much better than him for apparently never wondering what their life would be like if they could harness true power for once.

Those in the gentry had never known what it was like to be powerless. To be truly powerless as the took and took and it took. It took his family and his home. It took his finger. It took everything he'd ever had, but if he went out of his way to try and take anything for himself, it was a problem.

And on top of that Jin Guangshan had tossed him away as if he were a tool that was no longer useful to him. He had made him feel like he was worthless.

He would get his revenge. Even if not in life, in death he would become the most resentful spirit they had ever seen and haunt them all until their next life. That much was for certain. He would make sure they all regretted everything. That they never had a moments peace ever again.

"I see you've managed to get yourself caught," he heard a voice say and he looked up from his cell and saw a man in white robes standing in front of him.

"Who are you?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He was already going to die. What difference would it make if it were now or in the morning in front of everyone.

"A friend," the man smirked, "A mutual one sent me to get you out of here. Says you're worth more to him alive than dead, and he'd rather you not be in this cell."

Xue Yang smirked, "Jin Guangshan really thinks he can pretend everything is fine and rescue me?"

The cultivator shrugged, "That's between the two of you. I have my own assurances from him, and I personally don't care about whatever it is that is between you both."

"Oh?" Xue Yang perked up curiously, "And what is it that you've been promised?"

"My own sect," the man said, "One that will be better than the Lan sect. I've been promised backing and support to have the chance to humiliate the Lan sect and I am more than willing to take the chance to embarrass them. Anything to knock them down a peg or two."

"I like the way you think," Xue Yang smirked, "Does this one have the honour of knowing your name?"

"Su She," the cultivator said haughtily, "I will start the Moling Su sect and raise them to greater heights than anything the cultivation world has ever seen before. Just you wait."

"Oh, I cannot wait," Xue Yang drawled, not particularly caring, "So are you going to break me out of here or not?"

"Not so fast," Su She shrugged, "I want some assurances first."

Xue Yang laughed. Of course he did. Nothing was ever truly free in this world. "What do you want?" Xue Yang asked, knowing he could always kill the man after getting out if the price was not one he was willing to pay.

"I want you to kill someone for me," Su She said, "I want you to kill Wei Wuxian. He has humiliated me time after time and he has distracted the one I care for and made him sway. I want him to suffer. If anyone can bring Wei Wuxian down, it would be you."

Xue Yang laughed. Wei Wuxian was a pretty face. But he had disappointed Xue Yang at every turn. He wielded demonic cultivation beautifully but still treated it like a disgusting thing when others used it. He was nothing but a hypocrite.

Xue Yang would be glad to make the man suffer. To make him beg and plead. To get him to admit he was wrong. To beg Xue Yang for mercy. And after Xue Yang was done with him well.

"That I can do," Xue Yang said confidently, "You're not the only one with a bone to pick with him."

"I also want a curse," Su She said, not relenting immediately, "A way to get revenge on those who have harmed me. To ruin them. I've been harassed by members of the gentry often at these things, looking down on me and my sect, saying I have no backing or power. I want them to suffer. Can you get me one?"

"Easily," Xue Yang laughed. That was no hardship for his life in exchange. In fact, he may just have the perfect one for the cocky man in front of him. It would serve him right for dangling Xue Yang's freedom in front of him.

"Okay," Su She nodded, unlocking the cell, "There is a carriage waiting outside for you to take you back to our benefactor. It will be far more discrete for you to travel that way."

"And the guards outside?" Xue Yang asked. The cultivator in front of him clearly wasn't powerful. So how he managed to take them out was beyond Xue Yang.

"I figured you'd be more than capable of handling it," Su She shrugged, "I snuck in via using a disorienting talisman. But it will be far harder for us to get out of here. I brought you a sword. You can get rid of them."

Of course the hard work was left to him.

But no matter.

He would get out of here, with or without anyone else's help.

He grabbed the blade as he made his way through the entrance, slitting the throat of the guards before they could even react, as he smirked at their blood all over the grounds. Served them right for thinking they could contain him.

It would humiliate the Lan sect that he was able to escape from right under their noses, without them any wiser.

Good. Let them be humiliated.

Let them suffer.

Let them feel a fraction of what he had felt.

Because by time he was done with them, they would wish they had killed him on the spot.

"What are you doing?" Su She asked as Xue Yang moved through Cloud Recesses without following Su She to where the carriage was.

"I'm going to go my own way," Xue Yang shrugged, "I'm not a carriage person. Consider it a phobia. I'll still go to your benefactor, do not worry. You'll get everything you've earned. I'll just go on my own way."

Su She huffed, but Xue Yang paid him no mind.

No, he had work to do. But he could not do it here. He would just have to get revenge on everyone who had wronged him.

And he knew who would be the top person on his list.

He would enjoy this.

Lan Qiren was woken up to guards making a reasonable amount of noise within the Lan limits outside his chambers.

"Xiandu!" he was summoned with a sense of urgency. Even with the early hours they woke up at, it was far earlier than any time he would've woken up before. Just what had happened?

He quickly grabbed his outer robes as he wrapped them around his body, and put his hair up in a respectable manner, as he made his way out of his rooms towards where the disciples trying to summon him were.

"What is it?" he asked, knowing they would not have disturbed him if they did not have a good reason. Just what had happened?

"Xiandu," the disciple said urgently, "The guards posted outside of the prison cells have been slaughtered! Xue Yang has escaped."

Lan Qiren felt a sense of dread within him. Not even a day after they had sentenced Xue Yang to death, and he had managed to escape?

There was no way he could have gotten out on his own.

"Summon Nie Zongzhu, Jiang Zongzhu and Lan Zongzhu," Lan Qiren said immediately, "Do not alert the minor sects yet. We do not know who was responsible for helping him. Call them to my rooms at once!"

The disciple nodded, scurrying off as Lan Qiren began pacing around his chambers.

It was not long after that dismissal that he found himself surrounded by the sect leaders which were his closest allies.

Also in his chambers were the younger two Nie siblings, Meng Yao, and his youngest nephew. Good. They should hear this as well.

"What is so urgent you summoned us here so late?" Nie Mingjue asked, looking exhausted.

"Xue Yang escaped," Lan Qiren said, getting right through it, "He killed two of the guards posted outside his cell and has left the Cloud Recesses. There is no trace of him anywhere on the grounds."

He'd had the guards check that as well right after leaving him.

"How?" his oldest nephew asked, stunned, "Those cells are heavily warded. He wouldn't be able to get out unless-"

"Someone let him out," Nie Mingjue said, filling in the blanks, "But why? All of us were in agreement that he deserved to be sentenced to death for what he'd done. Who would be foolish enough to release him?"

"Someone who doesn't want the truth about him to get out," Nie Huaisang said, narrowing his eyes.

"You mean his so-called benefactor," Wei Wuxian said, quickly catching on, "Are we any closer to figuring out who it is?"

"We all have our suspicions," Lan Xichen said lightly, "But without any evidence it would be hard to prove."

Lan Qiren nodded, "Which is why I wish to covertly open an investigation onto the matter. Xichen, you are a sect leader. It would be too much of a conflict for you to openly investigate. Wangji, the same conflict exists for you, but it would be easier for you to move around without the responsibilities of sect leader."

"Mm," Lan Wangji nodded, and Wei Wuxian looked at his oldest brother expectantly.

"You may accompany Wangji," Nie Mingjue sighed, as they all knew the two would not have it any other way.

"I could go instead," Jiang Wanyin offered, "I am sect leader, and it would not be abnormal for me to visit my sister in Koi Tower. I could bring Huaisang with me."

"You cannot leave Lotus Pier unattended for long enough to properly carry out the investigation," Nie Huaisang shook his head, "And no offense, A-Cheng, but you're not exactly subtle. Jin Guangshan would sense what you're doing from a mile away and ask questions."

Jiang Wanyin simply looked a bit defeated at that, clearly knowing that Nie Huaisang was right in his assessment.

"I suppose you're right," Jiang Wanyin agreed, "But if you want me to come and offer support, I'll gladly use the excuse to visit A-Jie."

"Would it not be better for me to go?" Meng Yao offered, "I am his son, for better or for worse. He said he wanted to get to know me more and I could play into that and learn what it is that he is planning," and Lan Qiren immediately shook his head at that.

"NO!" Nie Mingjue said firmly, "Meng Yao, that would be putting you in danger. Do you think he wouldn't suspect that if you were there? He knows you are loyal to the Nie. You already turned down a chance to join his sect at what would've been a great opportunity if you wanted it. As far as he knows, there has been no change, and unless we stage a public falling out, he will not buy it. And I am not willing to take that risk. There has been no change in your stance with the Nie and your reasons for rejecting him, and unless we stage a public falling out, he will not buy it. And I am not willing to take that risk. You are far too precious to be risked like some sort of pawn."

"I agree," his oldest nephew said solemnly, "I would not feel comfortable with you there, risking yourself even in the name of justice. Wangji and A-Xian are both heirs to their sects, and can night hunt and visit other sects without drawing too much attention. But if you went, it would draw all the attention onto your presence. Not to mention, it would cause quite a bit of gossip. I do not imagine Madam Jin would be too pleased and I am quite certain that she would treat you poorly as she would assume you are there to threaten her son's position."

Meng Yao simply nodded, and Lan Qiren was glad that the idea was out of his head. He did not want to use his nephew-in-law as a pawn.

"Don't worry, Xichen-ge, we'll figure out exactly what it is that Jin Guangshan is getting up to," Wei Wuxian said with a bright grin, "We'll gather all the evidence, and we can hopefully finally oust him from power. The Peacock may be a Peacock but he'd be a far better sect leader than his father."

"Be careful about saying that in public," Nie Huaisang warned, "It's still technically treason to plot to oust a sect leader."

Wei Wuxian nodded seriously at that, "I will. Lan Zhan is there by my side. Nothing will happen to me."

"Be discreet," Lan Xichen told them carefully, "It will do no good if Jin Guangshan suspects that we are spying on him. If in the best case, he truly is innocent, then what we are doing is a gross breach of conduct and he could use it against us to gain more support. The last thing any of us want is for Jin Guangshan to use this to levy the sects to take control of the Xiandu position."

"Exactly," Nie Huaisang nodded, "We worked so hard to keep it out of his hands to begin with. I'd rather it stay in the control of people we trust. Like Uncle."

Lan Qiren in turn raised his brow at Nie Huaisang, not remembering giving him permission to call him so informally.

And of course, Wei Wuxian immediately took offense to that, "Why are you allowed to call him uncle? I'm the one marrying Lan Zhan! He should be my uncle! I don't even call him that! It's not fair that you can!"

"Because I'm the only one not planning on marrying one of his nephews," Nie Huaisang said smugly, "And therefore, I get to call him uncle."

"Grandmaster," Wei Wuxian said, looking at him with such large eyes. And If Lan Qiren was being honest, he'd say it reminded him so much of Wangji when he was a child, so earnest and full of life. And Lan Qiren did not have it in his heart to reject the boy.

"You may all call me Shushu," Lan Qiren relented, looking at Nie Mingjue as well, "After all, as Huaisang said, two of you are marrying my precious nephews. And the other I think of fondly as well."

"Uncle," Lan Xichen said, with a tight voice, "Thank you."

"You as well, Meng Yao," Lan Qiren said, turning to face the other man, "You will be marrying my nephew soon enough. You are just as much my nephew as the others."

Meng Yao looked at him with a startled expression, but nodded warmly as he accepted the offer.

"Thank you," Meng Yao said, before adding, "Shushu."

Lan Qiren nodded with a smile at that to him, before turning back to the group, "I will let you all get some rest. I'll address the sects tomorrow and let them know what happened and that we will take the matter seriously. I will not allow the other sects to treat us like we are weaker simply because this happened on our grounds."

"We will back you up," Nie Mingjue promised, "Wherever Xue Yang is hiding, we will find him. Nowhere will be safe for him and whoever is helping him."

"Thank you, A-Jue," Lan Xichen said warmly, "It means a lot having you support us."

The usually stoic in public sect leader turned to his oldest nephew and gave him a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Shushu," Wei Wuxian said with a wide smile, as he bowed in respect, before all but dragging his youngest nephew with him.

The others filed out one by one, and Lan Qiren went to his desk instead of back to sleep. It was against the rules to work after haishi, but in the cases of emergencies like this, exceptions could be made. Especially with a dangerous criminal on the loose.

Meng Yao sat patiently in Lan Qiren's chambers as his future Uncle-in-law poured tea into his cup. It had been a few hours since Lan Qiren had addressed the sects, letting them know about the incident that had occurred and that Xue Yang had escaped.

It had been met with murmurs as to how anyone could escape from the Lan sect, when their wards had been so heavily set up, but Meng Yao had a feeling that was exactly how they were able to escape.

It wouldn't have been Jin Guangshan who got Xue Yang out. His biological father would never get his own hands dirty. Instead, he would send someone else. Someone who knew Cloud Recesses well enough to be able to slip into the cells and break Xue Yang out.

His father had let out a customary agreement of dedicating resources to bring Xue Yang back into custody but Meng Yao hadn't believed it for a second. He was up to something, and Meng Yao may not know what, but he had every intention on finding out.

"Do you know why I asked you here?" Lan Qiren asked him, after sipping his own tea.

"This one was waiting for Xiandu to tell him," Meng Yao said politely.

Lan Qiren gave him a look in response.

"Shushu," Meng Yao quickly corrected, and Lan Qiren looked far more pleased at that.

"You are marrying my nephew," Lan Qiren started, "But unlike him and Nie Zongzhu, you do not have any titles or a position of leadership."

Meng Yao swallowed, knowing it was the truth. Was the man going to insist he leave Lan Xichen? Because he wasn't good enough for him? Because of who is mother was?

"I know you have a lot of good ideas," Lan Qiren told him, "You opened the orphanages after the war, and the amount of kids growing up in poverty has greatly declined. Xichen constantly tells me how brilliant you are. And it is clear to me that Nie Mingjue thinks of you with great respect, as he trusts you to help him run his sect."

"I am glad to have their confidence," Meng Yao said, not entirely sure where Lan Qiren was going with any of this.

"There is never any formal training for the position of Xiandu," Lan Qiren said, "A lot of it is learning as you go. To make judgement calls in the name of justice and serving the other sects. There have been a lot of benefits from separating it out from the position of Zongzhu. I have enough time to hear complaints, while Xichen still manages the day-to-day requests of the sect. I do not believe the position will go back to being tied to the position of Zongzhu in years to come."

Meng Yao nodded in agreement, "It was wise that the decision was made to separate it out."

"Yes," Lan Qiren said, looking at him expectantly, but when Meng Yao did not seem to understand what he was trying to say, he continued, "In your generation, that leaves the future candidates as Wangji, who would be quite fair and just, but I do not believe he would be happy to deal with the politics of it all. He would do it if it were his duty, but it would be a burden to him. Wei Wuxian, the sect heir of the Nie sect is also there. I may have come to appreciate his relationship with my nephew but that does not mean he should be in charge."

Meng Yao felt a bit apprehensive at that.

"There is also Jin Zixun," Lan Qiren started, "But I think we can all admit that he would make a poor choice given his lack of political tact or acceptance of other sects. There are several members of minor sects who would also make good candidates, however they do not have the knowledge of dealing with large scale political matters."

Meng Yao nodded in agreement at that.

"Nie Huaisang is also a suitable candidate," Lan Qiren continued, "He is well suited for politics and has navigated the waters quite well after his father's passing and since his brother has taken over leadership. Especially in the last few years. I plan on offering him a chance as well to see if he would be suitable for the role."

"Nie Huaisang would make a good Xiandu," Meng Yao said honestly, wondering if he was called here to ask if he also had faith in Nie Huaisang. And of course he did. He had seen over the years just what the boy had achieved if given the chance.

"I also think that you could be a good Xiandu," Lan Qiren said, catching Meng Yao off guard.

"How, uh, I mean why?" Meng Yao asked, startled, "I am not a member of the gentry nor do I have the same training or support the others do. I wouldn't be able to do half the things they do."

"You may not be a member of the gentry, but you will be the spouse of two sect leaders," Lan Qiren told him gently, "That gives you quite a bit of political sway. In addition to that, you already have made yourself instrumental to the running of their sects. Your idea for the orphanages shows that you can run joined-sect projects for the betterment of the cultivation world, without trying to make political gains."

"I just was doing what was right," Meng Yao said weakly, "To offer those without a home a place to live."

"Yet none of the prior sect leaders have ever suggested or put forward such a motion," Lan Qiren told him, "Even with the existing friendship between the Lans and the Nies, we had no such operations. It was only with your suggestion that it happened."

"I uh, suppose?" Meng Yao said, stunned still.

"Would I be correct in assuming that it is not the only idea you have?" Lan Qiren raised a brow at him.

"It is not," Meng Yao said finally, "I also wish to put in watch towers between major and minor sects alike. So that if anyone needs assistance, they can reach out to the nearest watch tower and receive immediate assistance. Closer watch towers will mean faster response times. But it will not be easy to implement and will involve quite a bit of intersect cooperation."

Lan Qiren nodded in approval, "This is what I was talking about. Ideas like this will greatly improve the cultivation world and are the kind of things Xiandu should work to implement. Not just solving current disputes but creating solutions for future problems. It is a good solution. Present me a proposal for it, and I will begin allocating the necessary resources. I will allow you to approach the different sects with my full approval to put the plan into motion."

"Xiandu?" Meng Yao still said, in disbelief.

"For what it's worth, regardless of who takes over Xiandu next, you are worth more than your status and birth," Lan Qiren told him, "Even if you are not sect leader yourself, you have quite a bit to offer. Otherwise my nephew and Nie Mingjue would not have fallen in love with you."

Meng Yao nodded, bowing respectfully, "Thank you, Shushu. Regardless of the outcome, I am gladdened to have the chance to implement my ideas. I will present you the proposal as soon as I can."

Lan Qiren smiled at him, before allowing him to leave.

Yes, regardless of who held the position after him, the future was in good hands.