A/N: Last week, there was actually a double-chapter update. So before the Meng Xingyao chapter was another chapter focusing on Wei Wuxian. I'm sorry, I should've put a note on the newest update so everyone knew. 😅
So from now on, every time there's a double-chapter update, I'll put notes on both chapters.

Four Days Before Leaving Gusu…

"Come on, you dumb talisman! Fucking work already!"

Wei Wuxian glared down at his latest attempt at a communication talisman.

"I don't think calling it dumb is going to help, Wei Ying."

"Chun-ge," Wei Wuxian whined. "The talisman's just an object. It doesn't have feelings!"

Pan Wukun laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

Their other project, the voice recording talisman, was still unsuccessful, which didn't help Wei Wuxian feel better.

Wei Wuxian, Pan Wukun, and Lan Wangji made adjustments to their talismans' runes.

Wei Wuxian took deep breaths and rubbed his hands together. "Okay! Let's try again!"

Pan Wukun ran to a spot not too far away from where Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian stood.

Time to test the talisman and its distance capabilities.

Pan Wukun channeled qi into the talisman and transmitted her thoughts into it.

Upon use, the talisman was instantly consumed in a burst of spiritual energy.

Before Wei Wuxian could respond, Pan Wukun collapsed. "Don't use it, Wei Ying! It exhausts you!" she shouted.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji rushed over to her.

"Chun-ge!"

"Pan Chun!"

Wei Wuxian supported Pan Wukun's back with his hands and helped her lean against him. "Are you all right, Chun-ge?"

Pan Wukun groaned. "I'm fine, Wei Ying. Just a bit tired. Just as we expected, using instant communication talismans saps a lot of energy. Did anything happen on your end, Wei Ying?"

Wei Wuxian took out the receiving talisman. "The talisman grew warm and I felt the energy running through it."

"Quick! Copy the runes down! We can't risk forgetting what they look like after you use the receiving talisman!" Pan Wukun said.

"Right!" Wei Wuxian did as Pan Wukun asked. Then he used the corresponding talisman. "Whoa! Your thoughts just entered my head, Chun-ge!"

Lan Wangji and Pan Wukun watched Wei Wuxian cautiously just in case he collapsed. To their relief, he didn't.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Hot pancakes, Chun-ge? Are you so hungry that you thought of them?"

Pan Wukun rubbed her belly. "Yes, especially now that I'm totally exhausted." Her face turned thoughtful. "So only the sender, the one who transmits their thoughts into the talisman, gets exhausted."

Pan Wukun, Wei Wuxian, and Lan Wangji discussed things and finally understood how the instant communication talismans worked.

The sender and the receiver each had to carry a single talisman from a pair that had identical corresponding runes. The communication path could go both ways with either person, not strictly one way.

The sender transmitted their thoughts into the talisman like a jade slip. Then the recipient felt their corresponding talisman grow warm with pulsing energy. The recipient would use the talisman when they were ready. Pan Wukun couldn't help but think that it was similar to how people received notifications for text messages and chose to read them when they were ready.

The sender got very exhausted from sending their message over long distances, much like how cultivators got exhausted from traveling over long distances with transportation talismans.

Wei Wuxian jumped up and down, cheering. "It works! It works! It works! It works!" He wrapped his arms around Pan Wukun and Lan Wangji. "We did it! We did it! We did it!"

Pan Wukun and Lan Wangji were surprised at Wei Wuxian pulling them close to him.

Pan Wukun and Lan Wangji looked at each other with happiness, glad that their piles of discarded talismans and sore fingers finally paid off.

Three Days Before Leaving Gusu...

Pan Wukun requested a student-teacher study discussion with Lan Qiren in a private meeting room.

"Lan-xiansheng. Can you please help me with my research?"

"Yes. What would you like to know, Pan Wukun?"

Pan Wukun set a book on the table.

"Legendary Cultivators Throughout the Ages. Is there a particular person you wish to know more about?"

Pan Wukun flipped the book open and pointed at a specific passage.

Lan Qiren frowned. "Yanling Daoren...Despicable man. Instead of following the righteous path, he chose the dark path."

The scorn in Lan Qiren's voice unsettled Pan Wukun. This was different from his usual irritation with Wei Wuxian. "What exactly did Yanling Daoren do, Lan-xiansheng?"

Lan Qiren's face darkened. "He stole qi from other cultivators to gain more power. He took the lives of many GusuLan sect cultivators."

"Stealing qi. That's not the same as transferring spiritual energy?" Pan Wukun asked.

"No!" Lan Qiren shouted, making her jump.

"So...it's even worse than Wei Wuxian suggesting the use of resentful energy?" Pan Wukun asked nervously.

Lan Qiren scowled. "Both are awful. But..." He gazed intently at her. "To steal qi from another cultivator is to kill them. It's a form of demonic cultivation one must never do. That path lies in evil and darkness."

Pan Wukun nodded, a bit shaken. "I see." She was not going to show Lan Qiren the spirit-trapping pouch. He wasn't going to react well to her being involved in a dark ritual.

"Is there anything else, Pan Wukun?"

"Yes...Can you tell me more about Lan Yi?"

Lan Qiren looked pleased. "Of course."

And so Pan Wukun happily listened to Lan Qiren giving her a special history lesson on the first female sect leader in the cultivation world. He even told her some things that weren't mentioned in the textbook, like how Lan Yi did handstands every morning for exercise. It was how she gained the strength to develop the Chord Assassination Technique. Pan Wukun was glad for the change in mood.

Two Days Before Leaving Gusu…

"Another cliffhanger?!"

"Nooooo!"

The guest disciples groaned and screamed as Pan Wukun finished her volume of the Legend of Evil Spirits.

Pan Wukun shook her head. "The author is truly merciless. This was our last Book Club Meeting. Good thing we finished before leaving the Cloud Recesses in two days."

Pan Wukun and the other guest disciples had spent a lot of time together. Other than Book Club, they ate watermelons and flew kites. While eating watermelons, Pan Wukun ended up on a bench between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. She awkwardly munched on her watermelon as their third wheel. She was surprised Lan Wangji didn't glare at her to get her to move so he could sit next to Wei Wuxian. While flying kites, Wei Wuxian made his kite look like Lan Qiren, which got a good laugh out of everyone.

To end Book Club, everyone lay down in circles on the grass and gazed up at the stars in the night sky. They pointed out constellations and funny star shapes, laughing.

Pan Wukun lay down next to Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Nie Huaisang, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, Qin Su, and Luo Qingyang. She kept quiet, politely nodding to Wei Wuxian's usual jokes. Her mind wandered as she observed the stars.

Pan Wukun was frustrated at still not finding an answer to her interdimensional problems. She couldn't rely on her fellow guest disciples to help her.

The cultivation sects had their own problems dealing with the QishanWen sect. So they would be too busy to bother identifying a spirit-trapping pouch's clan emblem for a rogue cultivator. She didn't need the cultivation sects butting into her business. The reason she was even in this world was due to a dark ritual. Considering how the cultivation sects didn't react well to demonic cultivation and Wei Wuxian's ghostly cultivation, they would probably kill her rather than help her. She wasn't going to take the risk.

Pan Wukun was grateful that Wei Wuxian's cheerfulness made the others laugh. At least, her troubles wouldn't bother them.

One Day Before Leaving Gusu…

"Whoa! That's a lot of rabbits!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed.

A while back, Little Carrot, Snowball, and Dusk led Lan Wangji to an entire nest of rabbits in the Cloud Recesses' forests. Now Lan Wangji chose to take Wei Wuxian and Pan Wukun to see them too.

While Wei Wuxian petted Snowball and Lan Wangji petted Dusk, Pan Wukun petted Little Carrot. They petted the other rabbits from time to time but the original rabbit trio was very intent on having most of the attention.

"Lan Zhan! Is it okay if I show my shijie and Jiang Cheng the rabbits later? I want them to see the rabbits before leaving the Cloud Recesses tomorrow," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji could never say no to Wei Wuxian. "As long as they don't tell anyone else."

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Our lips are sealed!"

Wei Wuxian rummaged through his qiankun pouch. "Here! I made these for you!" He passed out pieces of paper to Lan Wangji and Pan Wukun.

Lan Wangji and Pan Wukun were awed. Wei Wuxian had given them hand-drawn portraits of themselves.

Lan Wangji scrutinized his portrait and was happy to see that he didn't have a flower on his head this time.

Pan Wukun was surprised at Wei Wuxian's gift. Lan Wangji, she expected, but her? How long did Wei Wuxian stare at her face for him to capture her facial features so perfectly?

Wei Wuxian grinned. "So what do you think?"

Lan Wangji carefully put his portrait away and offered Wei Wuxian a thankful nod.

"It's beautiful…" Pan Wukun could always appreciate an artist's work. It was fascinating to see how Wei Wuxian's hand captured her visage. She carefully put her portrait away into her qiankun pouch.

Wei Wuxian chuckled. "Glad you like it!"

Pan Wukun felt a bit guilty that she didn't get any gifts for Wei Wuxian or Lan Wangji. But she couldn't risk getting even more attached to them than she already was.

After spending more time petting the rabbits together, Wei Wuxian and Pan Wukun inevitably had to leave.

Little Carrot latched onto Pan Wukun's pants leg with his mouth.

Pan Wukun smiled sadly at him. "Silly rabbit. I can't take you with me. It's not safe out there." She gently pulled Little Carrot off her and petted him.

Dusk and Snowball nuzzled their heads against Pan Wukun and Wei Wuxian's legs.

Pan Wukun petted Dusk and Snowball too.

Wei Wuxian moved to gather all three rabbits together and hug them. "Don't worry, Little Carrot, Dusk, and Snowball! Lan Zhan is still here to take good care of you!" He looked at the other rabbits with a grin. "And all your friends too!"

Lan Wangji held onto the three rabbits to keep them from running after Pan Wukun and Wei Wuxian. He would stay behind for a while to ease the rabbits' worries,

As Pan Wukun walked off, she waved. "Goodbye Dusk. Goodbye Snowball. Goodbye Little Carrot. Take care."

Wei Wuxian waved too. "Bye-bye, cute rabbits! Be good for Lan Zhan!"

Little Carrot, Dusk, and Snowball uttered sad sounds as if they too were saying goodbye.

The Night Before Leaving Gusu...

Meng Xingyao took Pan Wukun to a local noodle restaurant in Gusu City to treat her to dinner.

Pan Wukun understood why once Meng Xingyao bowed his head and said, "I'm joining the GusuLan sect, Wukun-ge!"

Pan Wukun became worried and anxious. Meng Xingyao would be in the Cloud Recesses at the time of the Wen sect's attack.

"I don't believe that's the best course of action, Xingyao-di."

Meng Xingyao frowned. "Why? I can't just keep following you forever, Wukun-ge. I have found a place here with Su Minshan and Zewu-jun."

"Xingyao-di. You remember what happened with the Waterborne Abyss. If the QishanWen sect is bold enough to foist its problems onto the other Great Sects, it could go as far as to invade them next!"

"Wukun-ge. You're going too far in trying to keep me by your side. You don't even have evidence of the QishanWen sect's plans."

Pan Wukun groaned in frustration. "You don't even have to follow me! You could leave on your own without joining any cultivation sect! That way, you'll be safe!"

Meng Xingyao looked irritated. "I'm clever enough to deal with whatever comes. I'm not helpless."

"Listen to me, Meng Xingyao!"

"You can't control me, Pan Wukun!"

Meng Xingyao and Pan Wukun's shouting made the other restaurant patrons stare at them.

Meng Xingyao glared at Pan Wukun, resolute in his decision.

Pan Wukun sat in stunned silence. She sighed deeply. "…I see. You are certain about your choice, Xingyao-di?"

"Yes. I am grateful for all that you have done for me, Wukun-ge. But…"

"I understand. It's time for you to forge your own path."

It was probably best if she and Meng Xingyao parted ways so he could be on his own since she would leave this world someday. He had to make his own choices. Pan Wukun couldn't control him. She had to let him go.

And when the time of the Wen sect's attack came...she had to warn him with the instant communication talisman to flee.

Pan Wukun lifted her cup in the air. "I wish you the best in your endeavors, Xingyao-di."

Meng Xingyao smiled and lifted his cup too. "Many thanks, Wukun-ge! I wish the same for you!"

They clinked their cups together and drank.

The Day of Leaving Gusu…

Lan Xichen showed up at Meng Xingyao and Pan Wukun's guest room to prepare Meng Xingyao for his entry into the GusuLan sect. "Are you ready, Meng Xingyao?"

"Yes!"

Lan Xichen smiled at Pan Wukun. "Thank you for spending time with Wangji, Pan-xiushi." Lan Xichen planned to say the same to Wei Wuxian later.

"Of course, my pleasure," Pan Wukun said formally, but truthfully. She really did enjoy spending time with Lan Wangji.

Meng Xingyao saluted to Pan Wukun. "Farewell, Wukun-ge. I wish you the best on your travels."

Meng Xingyao left with Lan Xichen.

Pan Wukun stood alone in the guest room.

She shuffled through her belongings. She needed to finish packing up.

No time for heartache.

The healers bid Pan Wukun a tearful goodbye and gave her some medicine and herbs. The librarians gave her a stiff and polite goodbye, only because they had to for the GusuLan sect's reputation. They were grateful that she didn't steal or damage any of the books she laid her hands on. She remembered to return Legendary Cultivators Throughout the Ages without a single stain.

Pan Wukun and the other guest disciples gathered in the Orchid Room for Lan Qiren to give his final goodbye to the class.

As the guest disciples left the room, Pan Wukun lingered. Was it a good idea to try to warn Lan Qiren about the QishanWen sect's future attack on the Cloud Recesses?

"Is there something you need, Pan Wukun?"

"No. It's nothing. Thank you for everything, Lan-xiansheng."

"And you were an exceptional student, Pan Wukun. Safe travels."

The inner overachieving Asian child within Pan Wukun was gleeful at receiving a teacher's praise.

Pan Wukun saluted respectfully and left.

As Pan Wukun walked further and further away from the Orchid Room, her guilt only grew worse.

But Lan Qiren wouldn't have believed her anyway without concrete proof. Neither would Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, or Qingheng-Jun.

There was nothing she could do.

As Pan Wukun walked down a path within the Cloud Recesses, a tingling sensation came over the back of her head and shoulders.

Her eyes narrowed. She continued walking normally.

And…now!

Pan Wukun grabbed her would-be assailant by the arm and flipped him over her shoulder.

"Oomph!" Wei Wuxian groaned in pain on the ground.

Pan Wukun gasped. "Oh shit! Wei Ying! I am so sorry! I didn't know that it was you!"

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Wow! You're really sharp, Chun-ge!"

Wei Wuxian stood back up with no trouble. "I was going to tap you on the shoulder and say 'Gotcha!' but it looks like you've got me instead. Race you!" He ran to where the other guest disciples gathered for departure.

Passing Pan Wukun, Wei Wuxian tapped her on the shoulder. "Gotcha!"

"Why I oughta…" Despite her words, Pan Wukun made no move to swipe at Wei Wuxian. Instead, she simply rolled her eyes and shook her head in amusement.

Wei Wuxian darted away, his laughter resonating in the distance, full of mischievousness and boyish youth.

"I win, Chun-ge!" Wei Wuxian grinned at Pan Wukun triumphantly.

Pan Wukun rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

All the guest disciples gathered to say their goodbyes to each other.

"My father and brother will be glad to hear that I finally passed!" Nie Huaisang cheered.

Pan Wukun paused.

Wait. Sect Leader Nie was still alive? Then that meant Wen Ruohan hadn't sabotaged Sect Leader Nie's saber to get him killed on a night-hunt yet.

"Wukun-ge!" Meng Xingyao met up with Pan Wukun in his GusuLan sect robes and headband. He was with Su She, who greeted Pan Wukun politely.

Pan Wukun looked at Meng Xingyao with amazement. Meng Xingyao in the GusuLan sect white robes and headband was a sight to behold. This was something that had never happened in canon.

Wei Wuxian congratulated Meng Xingyao, who thanked him politely.

"Wei Ying. Pan Chun." Lan Wangji appeared.

Wei Wuxian smiled. "Come to say goodbye too, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Wangji nodded. "Mn."

Wei Wuxian patted his qiankun pouch. "You and Chun-ge know how we'll still be able to talk to each other, right?"

"Yes," both Lan Wangji and Pan Wukun answered.

Regarding the instant communication talismans, Lan Wangji would tell Lan Qiren while Wei Wuxian would tell Jiang Fengmian so the sect leaders could decide how to handle the distribution process. For now, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Pan Wukun held onto some communication talismans so they could keep in contact with each other or call for help. Pan Wukun even taught Meng Xingyao how to make them and gave him some.

"So did you two have fun last night?" Pan Wukun asked Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had met on the rooftop the night before. They had invited Pan Wukun but she declined since she was already meeting Meng Xingyao for dinner. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji stargazed on the same rooftop where they first met when Wei Wuxian tried to sneak Emperor's Smile into the Cloud Recesses for the first time.

"Yeah! The night sky was so beautiful! We wish you could've come too, Chun-ge!"

"Mn," Lan Wangji said in agreement.

"Maybe next time," Pan Wukun said. She was glad that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji got some alone time together before having to separate after the guest disciples' lectures ended.

"It's been fun, Lan Zhan! Stop by Lotus Pier when you can, okay?" Wei Wuxian flashed Lan Wangji a charming smile.

"...Okay."

"You stop by Lotus Pier too, okay, Chun-ge?"

"…Okay," Pan Wukun lied. That one time with Meng Xingyao on their way to Golden Carp Tower years ago was already bad enough.

Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, Luo Qingyang, and Qin Su also wished Pan Wukun well.

"Until then, my rival Pan Wukun!" Qin Su shouted.

"Let's see each other again one day, Chun-ge!" Wei Wuxian yelled.

Pan Wukun smiled and waved goodbye to everyone.

Pan Wukun hoped Nie Huaisang didn't notice what she did.

While the QingheNie sect guest disciples and their servants were busy loading their belongings for transport, she secretly slipped a warning note in one of their bags.

With all the guest disciples and servants from other sects bustling about, it would be hard to pinpoint who sent the note, especially if it was anonymous. With such a serious message, the QingheNie sect cultivator or servant was obligated to present it to the QingheNie sect heads.

The least Pan Wukun could do was warn the Nie family about Wen Ruohan's scheme. The Nie brothers did not have to lose their father so soon.

(But neither should the Lan brothers…No! No! That was too dangerous to get involved in!)

Her work at the Cloud Recesses was done. For now, anyway. That forbidden section hidden in the Library Pavilion was still a last resort if it came to that.

She had fun with Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Meng Xingyao, and the others.

But it was best if their paths never crossed again.

She had her own journey to take and they had theirs.

Pan Wukun set forth alone on the mountain trail ahead of her.

Whatever comes my way, I'll just deal with it.

A/N: And that concludes the Cloud Recesses Arc! Whoo!

I found out from my cousin that my paternal grandpa wrote Jin Yong fanfic (like a Smiling, Proud Wanderer fanfic sequel) along with wuxia original fiction. He even had some of his short stories published in the newspaper in Vietnam. omg His original fic and fanfic writing genes passed down to me lmao.😆
Let it be known that people from our parents' and grandparents' generation were writing wuxia fanfic.

Still not finished reading Smiling, Proud Wanderer yet. It's been two years and I'm only halfway through it.😭 Linghu Chong still makes me think that he was a possible "Wei Wuxian character blueprint".

Binge-Reading Rest Stop. New Arc Starts next chapter.