For the purpose of this FanFiction – i will be doing my best to stay in the Universe as told by the Light Novel & Manhua *
Mo Dao Zu Shi - Making Peace with Uncle – Chapter 3: Catch me if you Can
Back in the Jianshi, Wei Wuxian enjoyed another steamed bun for a delayed breakfast. Even cold, the buns in Gusu had the softest bread than anywhere else he could remember – it was just the filings here, always seemed to have some kind of bitter medical herb dispersed within that brought his enjoyment of the common delicacy down. This time he espied Lan Zhan as he entered the door without getting startled off guard. They'd been accosted shortly after leaving the bathhouse, by some of the senior students enquiring about the soon to commence training mission – though in reality the student disciples had been too hesitant to approach. After all, one of the Rules in Gusu was 'Interacting with Wei Wuxian is forbidden' – he'd laughed himself silly when he'd had that one explained to him (he wasn't sure if he should be proud or amused that Old Qiren had actually gone that far after he'd left for Yunmeng all those years back). So they'd been unsure if they should approach the HanGuang-Jun or not. Wei Wuxian had solved the issue for them by slapping Lan Zhan on the back to let him know about their followers and had taken the baskets with his dirty laudry and the now cold buns back with him, leaving the students free to approach Lan Zhan. He'd left the laundry with the folk at the Laundry Area and their apprentices (everything in Gusu seemed to have its own building or area set aside for it – very efficient Wuxian thought, but it meant everything was a distance from each other which he found annoying. Still he couldn't really think of Cloud Recesses being done in any other way... he'd seen more and understood more with a great deal more curiosity and appreciation here in the sect now, than he'd had during that 6 month term when he'd been a student). One of the apprentices in charge of stirring the boiling laundry pots had passed him some boiled eggs before he'd left, as thanks for some advice he'd shared for how to pass pleasant conversation with the fairer sex. He'd eaten one on the way, but he was waiting for Lan Zhan to join him to share the rest of the buns and remaining four eggs.
It looked like Lan Zhan had detoured to the kitchens again before returning to the jianshi. They settled to enjoy what little time remained together. WeiYing still made a face at the breakfast congee Lan Zhan dished up for him from one of the small pots he'd brought on the tray with him. It was good, but still rife with the medical herbs that seemed to be prevalent in sect cooking. "You people seriously need to learn to cook for enjoyment! Food shouldn't be a penance even if your ancestor was a Monk." Lan Zhan insisted in serving another bowl of the simple rice gruel. The simple side dishes of pickles and steamed leafy greens accompanying the congee were simply seasoned and somewhat bland to WeiYing's palate, allowing the pungent flavour of the the highly prized Gusu Ginseng to sing out loudly on his tongue along with some of the other similarly pungent herbs that Wuxian had yet to identify.
"The herbs are for strengthening the dantian and spirit flow within the body"
"...but can't you learn to make it taste better? I get that it's a medicine and necessary and such...but that's when you're sick! I'm not sick – why stick it in everyday food?"
"Prevention is more efficient than treating after the event"
"But still?!" WeiYing grumbled, "You have all these super rare herbs and weird things that taste really funny and strange – if it's going to be eaten everyday, why not make it taste good?" He cracked an egg to peel the hard boiled protein, placing the shelled protein into Lan Zhan's bowl before peeling one for himself. "I get that one of those silly rules of yours say not to enjoy in excess, but why make it a punishment? Eating is one of the main joys in life? You lot seem determined to kill your tastebuds?!" He availed himself to more of the veg and pickles to help clear away the pungent aftertaste.
"You are not one to talk of tastebuds – it is why the Elders banned you from the kitchens after all."
"That is not my fault! I made that soup for myself – that's why it was such a large pot! I was planning to eat it for the next 3 or 4 days! Yunmeng Chilli is rare here in Gusu so I only put 2 small handfulls in since I needed to make that stuff last! Usually I use like 4 handfuls – how was I to know that the servers would take it to the dining hall for everyone?"
-...and they were all so weak cos they haven't got any tastebuds so whined and thought I did it as a prank-
"...they even confiscated my chilli powder"WeiYing sulked."Maybe if they got out more instead of being bookbound fuddy duddies they'd have more seasoned tastebuds instead of the bitter coated dead ones they have?" Lan Zhan still made him finished the last serve of the congee, determined to help his lover's new bodily container improve spiritually.
"Sit properly at the table"
WeiYing drooped dramatically after the last bite, leaning heavily on Lan Zhan, "Lan Zhan, no fair! I'm gonna be left all alone and bored as anything and I won't be able to make fun of you... and I have to do it on a lousy bitter breakfast in my stomach." he slid down landing with his head on Lan Zhan's lap, arm thrown dramatically over his forehead. They were sitting side by side at the small dining table in the centre of the jianshi's main living space. He smiled half laughing as he locked eyes with the tall man's eye's – it was alway fun to spot the now recognised flustered eye flicker in the expressionless face above him. His smaller body height was about the only thing he enjoyed about this body now – he'd been annoyed at first but he'd come to appreciate being at the right height to bury himself into Lan Zhan's chest whenever he wanted. He would have had to crouch down in his old body to reach Lan Zhan's heart, but that was so far the only 'good' thing he'd found out about this body.
He'd only just managed to cultivate it to reach 'Inedia'. The state of Fasting that Cultivators relied on in times of trouble where one cycled the spirit energy within the body to go without food when necessary. It was a skill that needed to be learned the younger the better, as each level of ascension required a state of solo meditation and complete focus with no interuptions for the delicate process. Each level required more preparation than the last - so the process of fasting was absolute necessary if one intended to survive the process. Worse case you died, best case you failed and only had restore the state of your physical body. Worse of the best case attempts? You survived but your core was damaged or you dropped an ascension level and had to build your core back up again. It was why Core Damage was such a delicate subject in the Cultivation World. For those who walked the Sword Path, as the Yiling Patriach had once done long ago – the Cultivation method involved both the cultivation of the Body as well as the Spirit. It made reaching the state of the Golden Core much quicker that those walking the Ascetic's Path. An Ascetic's path was more spiritually refined, but it did take longer for one to ascend each stage. Not that it was any less than the Sword Path. Each path had it's own pros & cons.
Wei Wuxian couldn't actually figure out what level Mo Xuanyu's body had been at before he'd entered it. Since the former owner had faded away after wilfully offering his body as a Sacrifice... he was no longer around to ask. Also the man had supposedly been a lunatic so there wasn't really any guarantee that he might have been able to form a coherent explanation. Most of what Wuxian knew about this body had been gleaned from that first few nights eavesdropping at the Mo Residence after his revival. Even after his somewhat questionable innocence had been proved, there hadn't been much information different to what was currently known. Mo Xuanyu had been taken in by the former Lanling Jin Sect leader – Jin GuangShan, and basically kicked out once his cultivation had been found to be less than expected... or deemed not as valued for the previous leader's or possibly Jin GuangYao's purposes. Whether that loss had turned him lunatic or getting beaten after accosting the then leader Jin GuangYao for a cut-sleeve's affections had left the man with a broken head – Wuxian didn't know. But it had led to the man returning home a disgrace and resulted in his already tumultuous family situation getting worse enough that he'd managed to summon Wei Wuxian back from the dead by almost sheer desperation & willpower with what had appeared to have been an incomplete forbidden array. Since it had resulted with some welcome revelations and a reconnection with one that he'd always thought he'd be at odds with – Wuxian was quite thankful, but it had taken him till early in this third year since his rescurrection to finally reach a stage that he had initially achieved when he was but a newly adopted child at the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. He found it exceedingly frustrating for things that had once been so easy for him; to be more than difficult this second time around.
He knew what he had to do and spiritually things should have worked out – even though he lacked a core in his previous body, this new body wasn't facing that debility and should have been able to consolidate energy in his dantian... but the energy always seemed to dissipate. Or more accurately, his frustration was that this body's cultivation was so poor that it couldn't seem to absorb the energy he regularly collected when meditating in the sect or when he was out roaming in the pure clean energy of the mountains. Good food and regular training had improved the malnourished body's physical state somewhat, but what would have taken Wei Wuxian a few weeks to recover from (maybe even days in his younger years) had taken this younger body at least 18 months excessive exercise to finally match the physicality he'd had in his student years.
In his younger years, he'd sleep at 1am and awaken at 11am and hadn't needed to do much in the way of training. Most people thought he was a lucky blessed young man that hadn't needed to do any training at all, but it wasn't the case. His roaming in his younger years gallivanting, swimming and climbing trees and the such had given him plenty of physical exercise. He'd also done more typical training at the Yunmeng Sword hall with the other Jiang disciples and when no eyes were on him, had come up with his own complicated self training program. With this body, he'd had no choice but to revert to his self training regime immediately upon waking, again after lunch when he was out roaming (unless other things took his attention) and sometimes even after the dining hour if he'd had nothing else to do and was bored. Lan Zhan's raised eyebrows of shock on his face when he'd started energetic push-ups or contorted stretching after awakening in the morning had left him collapsed with laughter. He'd only been able to maintain the regime a week after, as Lan Zhan's face had left him breathless with laughter for that first week before the man had gotten accustomed to his out-of-character behaviour that he could complete his training workout - push-ups, sit ups, somersaults, twists & tumbles, various stretches for flexibility, and other strange contortions- without laughing at his partner's face. He was able to finally revert to his usual relaxed state, physically at least, with this new body now, even though the spirit cultivation was virtually the same as the Yiling Patriarch He'd once held some random hope that maybe he'd be able to get a new Core with this new body...but it seemed as if the Ghost path was likely to be the only path he could ever hope to cultivate.
Lan Zhan offered him another bowl of yet more congee for breakfast. WeiYing sat up to receive it with a sigh, leaning on Lan Zhan's shoulder ready to tease about the Gusu bad cooking again. A rich silky broth made with chicken broth slid down his throat as flavour washed away the bitter herbs of the previous serving. After a stunned look, he quickly finished the bowl to end, licking and sucking the spoon as he looked to Lan Zhan. There had been shreds of chicken, crunchy water chestnut, lily bulb and more flavourful herbs in this dish, harmonising with the strands of ginseng he'd still tasted, but unlike the other type of congee, this one was actually delicious. "Why on earth don't you people cook like this for everyday?... is there any more?" he held out his bowl, eyes sparkling.
"Heh" it was tiny but WeiYing heard the smugness as Lan Zhan scooped another serve from the other pot he'd brought with him, with a tiny smile at the corner of his handsome serene face. "is this one you made then?"
"Mn"
"Wah! Such a good wife?! You spoil your husband?!" WeiYing leant his head back on Lan Zhan's shoulder, "How should I thank my fine lady?" he wrinkled his nose with a grin, cheekily looking at Lan Zhan. The white robed man shook his head at his partner's cheekiness and turned his head to lock lips with the smaller man in a quick chaste kiss. They finished the remains of their breakfast with more gusto than before (or at least WeiYing showed gusto; – Lan Zhan had the same serene face as he'd started the meal, though he ended it with a small pleased smile).
The meal finished, they bustled about stacking the breakfast dishes as they prepared for the separation of the morning. The air was heavy and awkward for some reason WeiYing felt. More so than previous times for some reason. He smiled though as he placed the last plate in the tray to return to the kitchens. Lan Zhan had left 2 strings of heavy coins for him on the edge of the table – 1 string was usually enough to last WeiYing 2 days. It wasn't as if Wuxian needed much anyway. The last time Lan Zhan had found WeiYing short of coins, it was because Wuxian had blown the lot to help a young child from a nearby village repurchase a piglet that had been claimed unfairly by some unsavoury types. (they said they were claiming the piglet, but it was more likely they were trying to pressure the family into selling the poor child). With what appeared to be a more affluent idiot to flitch from, the thugs had stopped targeting the family. Trying to corner Wuxian, the Thugs had found themselves out manoeuvred and WeiYing's clever ghost tricks had left them pinned down, paralysed and unable to move. The eldest son of the targeted family had run to find aid when the thugs had first arrived, so the local militia and assisting Lan Sect disciples stationed with them had found the incapacitated men with no sign of Wei Wuxian in a grove of trees far away from the poor family's home. He'd backtracked, out of everyone's sight to turn over the rest of his coins for that day to the family so they could fix up their damaged house and pick their lives up. The Token of Passage that Lan Zhan had acquired for Wuxian allowed him to draw money in the HanGuang-Jun's name; but Lan Wanji had found that Wuxian rarely used the function, even when told of it repeatedly. But he'd found, if he left WeiYing a pouch of money or a string of coins then at least, his lover would actually use it. Not often though - when it wasn't spent on Gusu's famous Emperor's Smile or the few necessities that Wuxian decided to actually buy, Lan Wanji would often find the remainder tucked away in the Jianshi in random hidden places. He'd been perplexed at the odd behaviour, but as always, he was willing to wait till the now younger man would be willing to open up to him. Lan Zhan made as if to take the tray of dishes away with him, but Wuxian grabbed it first, nudging his hand away with his shoulder, "No, it's fine. You'll be late if you tarry any later – and then the Elders will likely scold me – since they can't scold the Honourable HanGuang-Jun" He said it with a smile but Lan Zhan still took the tray. His greater strength making the small tug-of-war a moot fight. "You really don't have to keep doing that Lan er gege." WeiYing said quietly, " … I have to start earning my keep at some point, right?" His smile was sad though, a silent reminder of the difference of their actual status – it might not be an issue in Cloud Recesses, but elsewhere such consideration for what was essentially a servant would (and had) caused others around them to look down at Wuxian and those he had mingled with. One hand balancing the tray of dishes, Lan Zhan placed his other hand around WeiYing's shoulders, hugging to offer firm comfort to the smaller man. "It matters not," he said, "Stay in the jianshi. I will return the dishes."
"But..."
Lan Zhan, patted his shoulder again and turned to leave, only to halt as his robe became caught. Tuning back he found WeiYing pinching a small portion of his sleeve to hold him back , almost like a child. Wei Wuxian's face was unreadable – a rare state since his return.
"...must you go?" a small voice asked. Lan Zhan turned to place the tray back on the low lacquered table , before taking the smaller man into his arms. He pressed soft lips to WeiYing's forehead before resting his chin on Wuxian's head, almost pinning the man's head to his chest as the firm arms enveloped him. Wuxian listened to Lan Zhan's steady heartbeat, gripping the front of Lan Zhan's robe with tight fists and drew a slow deep breath. Even he wasn't entirely sure why he was feeling more out of sorts that usual. It was usually Lan Zhan that clung to him and Wuxian would have to find a way to prise him off and remind him not to ruin his esteemed reputation for punctuality and respectability. Lan Zhan hugged him one last time, his hands gliding up to grip his shoulders as he kissed WeiYing's forehead then stood forehead to forehead. Looking deep into WeiYing's eyes, he rubbed WeiYing's arms one last time in comfort, " I will return." WeiYing nodded, not trusting his voice. With the hour of separation upon them, today's departure was hitting him with some complicated emotions that he couldn't place into words for some reason. WeiYing stroked Lan Zhan's chest lightly, "Heh... I'm being stupid aren't I? You're the impressive HanGuang-Jun, of course you'll be back." it was attempt at his usual bravado, but Lan Zhan wasn't fooled – WeiYing had been somewhat less than himself these past couple weeks - anxious and worrying about something that he couldn't to explain to Lan Wanji when the white robed disciple had tried to enquire. Lan Zhan kissed his cheek before departing with the dishes again – he really could not delay in his duties any further. Wei Wuxian leant against the door frame, waving a slow heavy hand at the back of his departing lover. He found himself nursing a rather despondent feeling as the emptiness of the minimally decorated room seemed to press onto him. "Tch!" Shaking his head at his emotional foolishness, Wuxian closed the door to the jianshi, determined to find some occupation to fill his mind and drive the oppressive feeling bearing down on him away.
Wuxian was waiting for the Hour of Study to ring out at Cloud Recesses. Lan Zhan had left to meet with the elders and students at about the hour of 9. So Wei Wuxian was killing time till he was able to dodge the irritable sect elders and get out of the sect boundaries for some fresh air. He'd spent that time with his physical exercises – various stretches (a few in some provocative postures and odd contortions), push-ups, sit-ups. He'd done some jack knife jumps, crouching down to leap up as high as possible with his legs straight in front of him. 6 laps around the living room table walking on his hands; 3 as straight as a fire poker, 3 with his legs stretched out straight and balanced over his head before rolling them forward to touch the floor and continue the roll until he was vertical once again, stretching out his back. He dared himself to get back into an upright handstand and pretended to write out scriptures as he'd heard that this was now the upgraded punishments for student infringements... but Wuxian had quickly lost interest in the exercise; finding it far more challenging (and enjoyable) to do another lap of the living room. Straight as a pole, he had hopped forward on one hand for half a lap, then switched to hop on the other, he ended with another tuck and roll that left him a relaxed lying position on the floor on his back. Catching his breath from the exertions, he heard the Gusu Bell softly toning the 10th morning hour. It was a large iron bell, another nod to the ancestor's temple origins. Most of the time there was a soft cover on the heavy bar that was swung to sound out over Cloud Recesses. One soft chime for the quarter, 2 soft chimes for the half hour then one loud chime to mark the hour. 2 loud chimes marked the 6th hour of morning ,midday and the 6th hour of the evening , after which the hour was marked by 3 soft chimes instead. Wuxian had originally thought the timekeeper duties were some sort of punishment, seeking to alleviate the disciples on duty's boredom by throwing padded rocks at the bell during his student days for some excitement. Once he'd snuck by and drummed the bell with padded sticks for a lively tune reminiscent of the lion dancers of the new year. The timekeepers actually took the period between chimes as a chance for deep meditation and had reacted quite strongly to his interventions, chasing him around with switches before he managed to lose them and avoid the punishment.
- I wonder if messing with their timetables back then mixed up their dining hours; say lunch became morning break or something... might explain why they were so cranky back then - Wuxian mused, still grinning at the faded memory. He'd not engaged in such tomfoolery since Gusu had become his place of stay. Though the temptation was there...but unlike before, he wasn't sure if he wanted to face the consequences of such actions now. He didn't have anywhere else to go – the home he'd made at the Yiling Burial Mounds was long since shattered and broken and Lotus Pier, the home of his childhood had been closed to him well before his previous death. Jerking upright, he'd scrambled to his feet and busied himself seeking entertainment away from such depressing thoughts. He usually wasn't bothered by his own company – but he was usually outside; enjoying the sky, the wind, green meadows, sunlight. All the good things in life, simple though they were. They helped to keep the loneliness and emptiness within him at bay. Alone, within four walls – it sometimes seemed as though they were a reminder of the place someone like him wasn't allowed to be a part of... The barriers that marked the divide between the World and him.
Before that world had been defined by his status as the son of a servant... then as a walker of the Ghost path and as the Yiling Patriarch that had burnt all his bridges with his own pride and overconfidence. Now... he wasn't really sure where he was supposed to belong...
Wei Wuxian startled up, alert as multiple presences impeded on his awareness (he'd had the best spirit sense in his student days – with a range and sensitivity far exceeding the other students of his year group, except maybe Lan Wanji).
He'd been lying on his belly on the floor, soaking up the late autumn sunlight streaming through the window, legs kicking up like a child. After scouring the jianshi, he'd found (of all things) a thick worn booklet of children's tales tucked away amidst the multiple music scores, wordy literature and odd poetry that littered the HanGuang-Jun's shelves. Being tales of the Gusu region they were quite different to the riotous folklore he'd grown up on as a child. Yunmeng's children's tales were quite adventurous – often involving bandits or river pirates, dangerous rapids or battles with irate water demons. Gusu tales were quieter, often tales of clever trickery and wisdom from unlikely heroes. He was enjoying them immensely. He'd just finished the tale of a clever lady seamstress, who'd shown respect and mended a tear for a random old man she'd met in passing on a mountain path. The old man had turned out to be kindly deity, that had blessed her needle so that the thread would never run out & never break and would always supply the exact thread that was needed regardless of the material. With it, she was able to solve the many situations she found herself faced with in her journey (Wuxian suspected if the tale was based in reality – it was more likely that the lady had met a cultivation master and learnt to harness spirit energy to strengthen her thread). She'd fixed thatched cottage roofs by sewing, made a bridge by sewing wooden branches together with thread as thick as a vine, whipped up fabulous dresses for a last minute ball from a garden of flowers to help a kindly family with friendly daughters and many others. The tale had finished with the young seamstress tricking and sewing a demon that was plaguing the non-cultivating Capital into a bag that he couldn't escape from, resulting with her marrying the prince and become a wise empress. Implausible in reality, but a sweet tale with enough spice and adventure to keep it interesting. The next tale looked to be about a cultivator that fell for goddess. That looked interesting as the leading paragraph hinted that the goddess was a Goddess of Mischief (and therefore very vexing) and the Cultivator was likely based on the strict and rigid No-nonsense Gusu Sect disciples. Yunmeng had a similar tale of a hunter falling for a pretty water fairy.
Perhaps it was all the resentful energy he'd handled in the past but he was especially sensitive to negative energy and those that meant him ill. He doubted that the strict and stuffy Lan Elders would actually kill him with Lan Zhan away from the Sect but... they might cast him out and bar him from seeing the tall lean disciple again (since they obviously disapproved of their pairing). There was definitely animosity floating about in the air – which obviously didn't bode well for him. He also didn't want to deal with another ear bleeding lecture about his behaviour or lack there of. He couldn't for the second life of him, recall any activity that he'd done in the past week to cause that many elders or disciples to try and corner him. He could sense about 5 maybe 6 slowly approaching the jianshi. They all seemed on edge – which wasn't a good sign for him. He'd avoided the cemeteries thinking it was best not to collect any ghosts in the Gusu region in case he accidentally collected an elder's uncle or something, He hadn't done any cooking in the kitchens either, bar assisting with cleaning. He might... have practised a few arrays and some smaller tricks of the Ghost path, but he'd always made sure no one (and that was absolutely no one) was around, as well as erasing every little trace of spirit energy that he'd used for the trick - resentful energy or otherwise. So they shouldn't be trying to take him to task for that! But the Ghost path was a controversial one, and no orthodox Cultivator viewed it kindly, given it essentially ran counter to the traditional Sword Path – as Lan Qiren had once chastised him in his student days, back when the Ghost path was but half an idea, only stated to air the potential for a different solution and to tweak the tail of the strictest of Lan Sect teachers.
Slow silent footsteps padded along the wooden walkways coming closer to the Lan Wanji's jianshi. Jumping to his feet, Wuxian quickly gripped Chenqing, his lacquered flute from where it lay close to hand on the table. He didn't really want to have to use it – to begin with he doubted there were any dead in the Sect for him to call on any ways. He also didn't think the elders would think any favourably of him if he tried his ghost tricks on them when they were already angry with him. Still, he wasn't about to leave the bamboo flute behind for anyone to handle – it was heavily infused with resentful energy and if not handled carefully, could leave an unpleasant 'burn' that if not treated could slowly corrupt the spirit energy of the one affected. On the alert, He poised listening as he tried to figure out what the approaching pursuers were intending.
One of the Lan disciples paused outside the HanGuang-Jun's Jianshi. Even though it was known that the Twin Jade was away from the Sect, he still hesitated. Entering another's jianshi without permission was disapproved of, after all... but it was necessary to detain the Yiling Patriarch as per Sect orders. No one expected the Yiling Patriarch to come quietly but principles still demanded that they try the polite route first, "Young Master Wei?" he asked knocking on the door, "Your presence is required please". The other disciples with him stood positioned around the doors and windows as they waited for the Yiling Patriarch's response. The black garbed young man bolted out the window, the disciple stationed there falling to floor as his dive to grab the escaping man failed. Picking himself up quickly he joined his colleagues in swift pursuit.
Lan Jingyi was preparing to leave the student dorms for the day's lessons. He wasn't a part of the group of students set to leave for the 3 day training mission that morning, but because of that mission the Sect schedule was organised differently to the norm. The rest of his particular student group had made comments on the change the night before, as it was an infrequent occurrence. Still, it had supplied them with an extra hour of rest – a rare lazy treat in the Lan Sect's strict order of discipline. As he picked up his notebooks, after putting on his boots and turned to exit the door a black shadow flashed by. Lan Sizhui, who shared the same dorm; stuck his head out the window, "Was that Senior Wei?". Graduation for Lan Sect disciples was a loose term at Cloud Recesses. One's learning never really ended after all. Lan Sizhui still considered himself a Junior disciple, he'd just taken an interest in the medicine course so was only just at the start of that particular study, though he could be considered a graduating student for other units of study, like spirit containment arrays. The elders only really judged the students as fully graduated once they were deemed sufficiently trained to be able to represent the Sect and deal with a night hunt successfully on their own (the HanGuang-Jun's level of calibre was held to be the goal every student should to aim for). Most of the current Elders would probably label their group as Juniors till they were shaky old men anyway. 3 years ago, Lan Jingyi & Lan Sizhui's working group had only just been judged sufficiently skilled to attempt a group hunt at the Mo Residence where they had first met the returned Yiling Patriarch, starting an memorable adventure that they still talked about among themselves.
As a group, the disciples that Wei Wuxian had assisted 3 years ago at the Mo residence and Yi City rushed out of their dorm to see multiple Lan disciples in pursuit, white robes a flapping in the cold mountain air. The man ran like a hare, juking and dodging as the various disciples tried their best to pin him down and grab him. Wei Wuxian jumped from the ornate railing of the small bridge spanning a pond, flipping backwards and using a hapless elderly disciple that had mistimed his lunge as a springboard to jump to another walkway. The force of Wuxian's double foot jump on his back forced the unfortunate disciple to fall face first into the cold water of the ornamental pond. He came up spluttering and shivering, white robes drenched as the other disciples continued their pursuit. "Seriously! I haven't done anything today! Leave me alone!" the dark clad youth could be heard protesting as he ran away, weaving, jumping and dodging. Some of the other students came to help the chilled disciple out of the water as he shivered and shook the water from his drenched robes.
"Elder what's happening?"
"Are you all right Elder?"
"What did the Yiling Patriarch do now?!"
"Enough! Enough! Shoo! Don't pay any attention!," the older man huffed and shivered in the cold autumn air, gesturing at the curious students, "brrrr... well my part's done." he muttered to himself, "good luck to the others at catching the man." He sneezed suddenly from the chill air, "I'm off for a hot bath and fresh clothes. You students need to get to your lessons – pay no mind to the Yiling Patriarch! It's Sect Business and high time that young man faced his crimes of the past!" he stalked off, still muttering at the Yiling Patriarch and the cold, shaking his head irately at the indignity he'd been served. Sizhui, Jingyi and the other students could only share a brief glance at each other as they quickly prepared themselves to leave the dorms.
Wei Wuxian dodged yet another outstretched arm, leaning back with an exaggerated arch in his back as it's shadow travelled across his face. As another disciple reached from behind, he managed to link arms with the disciple and swing himself around, rolling across his back, his own back briefly pressed against the bent over disciple and using the momentum to propel himself forward to land on his feet. Never staying still, the Yiling Patriarch avoided most capturing attempts, fighting defensively, blocking, tossing and deflecting only. Whatever was wrong, causing injury was likely to gain him more enemies. Chenqing was tucked securely into his belt strap, Wuxian resisting the urge to use the flute as a shield lest it's energy cause harm amongst the pursuing disciples. He rolled across the floor to dodge the last lunging attempt by a disciple and backward flipped onto one of the ornate pedestals that graced the ends of the walkways found around the courtyard in front of the main library – a place he was familiar with since his student days. "Seriously?! I haven't done anything!" he entreated, arms out pleading to the surrounding disciples, of which there were maybe about ten now? He could feel more approaching hurriedly in the distance. "I mean... maybe I took some buns from a window and raided a persimmon tree, but I left coins so it's not stealing! So I haven't done anything to be hauled in for!" he scratched his head as he glanced about quickly, seeking the next way out, "Besides, that was like 3 weeks back?! Surely you can't be angry about paid goods right?". Wuxian's skin prickled on his back and he did another backwards somersault to land on the other pedestal of the footpath as a bar of spirit energy flash by under him. Someone had sent Chord energy towards him. Looking back he spied some of the senior elders approaching him with their guqins out from behind the buildings surrounding the library. The yells and cries of the disciples' pursuit had hidden the soft tune they'd been playing before the strike had left the strings. These were some of the older and stiffest disciples Wuxian had seen about the sect and they all had the sourest looks in their eyes whenever he had happened to pass them by. It was probably a safe bet that these were some of the distinguished elders that were represented by the scars on Lan Zhan's back and therefore held a grudge against him (not that the Gusu Lan were supposed to hold grudges but humans did and they were). Wuxian did another side cartwheel flip to avoid another chord strike as it came pass, landing on the floor he managed 3 running steps when a sprightly young disciple managed to land a leg sweep to trip him up. He rolled along the dirt floor to the side as three disciples tried to jump on top and pin him down before scrambling on all fours to get away. Four disciples surrounded him and as his skin prickled, he made an ungainly leap frog jump above their heads, pushing down with spirit energy to clear the 5 feet needed, as the chord strike from behind missed him from below once again.
Two of the unfortunate disciples coughed and fell spread-eagled to the floor as the wide energy of the chord that had missed Wuxian struck their bodies instead. In the confusion Wuxian made it to his feet and bolted again. At least the Chord strikes didn't have any killing intent in them. From the looks of things as some disciples continued the pursuit, some aided the unfortunate victims, lifting their stiff-as-a-door bodies to an upright position as some elders hurried to hit the acupuncture points to release what was clearly an energy strike to stun or paralyse. As Wuxian reached the edge of a building he quickly grabbed the nearby support pole at the corner of the verandah and pulled himself backwards as another disciple from the front lunged at him. Spinning 360 degrees around the pole backwards, he landed facing forward, the fallen disciple in the dirt behind him, two steps forward to run and he had to violent jerk himself back as yet another disciple came around the corner to grab him. Grabbing lightly, Wuxian turned into the man and threw him lightly over his shoulder onto his fallen comrade behind. The disciple that was just struggling up found himself flattened once again as his colleague landed flat on top of him, the other's legs pinning his head to the ground again. Continuing the momentum of the spin, Wuxian planted a light foot onto the simple ornate fence of the verandah and bounced from the fence to the tree in the centre of the courtyard (the one that he'd climbed in his student days to deliver rabbits to the young HanGuang-Jun) and bounce to the wall of the building again, scrambling to climb onto the roof and bolt once again. He ran along the rooftops as the disciples yelled and followed along the pathways, or climbed onto the rooftop to pursue. From the library to the bathhouse, from the bathhouse to the carpentry quarter, from carpentry to the kitchens, Wuxian led them for quite a chase.
He paused for a bit on the roof just pass the kitchens, midway to the great bell; nursing the stitch in his side as he tried to catch his breath. He was worried though. While he'd manage to regain his physical skills at agility and flexibility, Mo Xuanyu's body was still severely lacking in stamina and endurance. He'd been running maybe just an hour? He wasn't likely to last much longer before this body gave out on him and he collapsed from sheer exhaustion. He needed to get out of Cloud Recesses as soon as possible and hopefully hole up somewhere till it was safe to return. He had a few hiding holes he'd set up here and there during his wanderings about the region, when he'd not wanted to enter the Sect for some perceived offence was going to get him likely scolded. Lan Zhan had always managed to find him on those days when he just couldn't stay in Cloud Recesses. Silent and unquestioning but supportive – Wuxian entertained a half thought that the grim faced man might arrive out of the blue to fend off his pursuers, but he knew Lan Zhan was far away at the moment. The training exercise he'd been send to assist with was at least three hours sword flight from the Sect home. He was used to surviving on nothing so he just needed to get out of the Sect. Hopefully once he was out of sight and out of mind, the Elders that were taking offence to whatever it was he'd done to bring about their ire, might hopefully forget as their ritualised need to complete the daily running of the day's duties distracted them. Until then, he forced his tired body into another run to get ahead of the approaching disciples yet again.
Navigating between rooftop, treetops and sometimes brief sprints across the courtyards Wuxian managed to just keep ahead of the pursuers. Having avoided their notice and leaving them 2 buildings behind, he made for a side entrance. At this time of the day, there would only be two gate wardens and they were usually junior disciples, just learning to take on responsibility so they should be easy enough to get by without detection. Rather than exiting by the gated archway directly, Wuxian sprinted along the path and leaped up to leave via the rooftop. "Hyuk!" Whump! Boiiiing! Instead of leaving like he usually did, he hit a thin membrane that stretched and flicked him back inside the barrier. Wuxian coughed as he landed on his back, dizzy from the recoil and winded from the impact, rolling backwards back onto all fours. Disciples seemed to boil out like ants as the soft noise seemed to announce his location to all. Wuxian coughed again, wiping his mouth he spat out the blood that the 2 storey impact had brought into his chest, shook the blood off his hand and staggered up quickly to bolt for the open gate. The empty space in the archway shimmered and crackled with a clear crisp light as he once again hit a wall that cast him back within Cloud Recesses. It had been like this when Lan Zhan had first brought him here three years ago, before he'd been granted the Token of Passage.
Staggering up once again, his head swirling and sight blurred, Wuxian instinctively brought Chenqing up defensively like a sword to ward off his pursuers. As his sight cleared a guqin string, blue with spirit energy lassoed him, pinning his arms to his side. Jerking he tried to slip out before it slid down to tightened around his calves pulling him to the floor. Sitting upright he tried to bring the flute to his lips before a second string pinioned his lower arms to his side halting the movement and dragging him along the floor as he wriggled desperately to get loose. -Dammit! Dammit!Dammit! - he cursed to himself. A third string followed to anchor the upper arms and a fourth as wrapped around his upper thighs as he tossed and turned. Thus tied securely the equally exhausted elders pulled tightly, the tension pulling the Yiling Patriarch to hang vertically floating a foot above the floor. They'd caught him this way once before earlier in the chase, and knew if they slacked the line, he'd be able to bounce himself loose. Wei Wuxian struggled and wriggled ineffectively, his hair dishevelled from the previous falls and coming out of his topknot and falling to cover his face, leaving him looking quite feral. - Dammit! F*ck! - The Yiling Patriarch kicked and jerked, if he could just get a decent kick off, he'd be able to create enough slack to slide right out by sending out enough spirit energy to coat himself with a counter energy making him slick against the guqin strings holding him.
Four burly disciples he was unfamiliar with, came to relieve the tired disciples of the ends they were holding. These younger stronger men positioned themselves at the cardinal points around the captive man and pulling the strings even tighter, raised the Yiling Patriarch to hover another foot higher over the floor. The spirit energy in the strings were charged to hold and contain, not cut, leaving Wuxian feeling squeezed tight. He coughed weakly, lungs tight from the restriction still struggling, unable to get free. As the panting disciples began to gather around, Wuxian pivoted Chenqing around, desperate to get free. Pressing the bamboo flute against the guqin strings, the resentful energy stored in the flute made a small hiss on contact, a faint smoke trail forming as the two energies collided. Another elder approached, a small white cloth in his hands. It was stitched with white and blue purification & containment runes. Using the cloth to protect himself the elder tried to pull Chenqing from the Yiling Patriarch's fingers away from the strings. "Piss off!" the Yiling Patriarch glared. It was a brief struggle, one of the string bearers flexed his string giving it a sharp jerk, the action squeezing the air painfully from Wuxian's body and making his body involuntary spasm as he coughed painfully – Chenqing slipped from loose fingers into the elder's cloth covered hand. Wuxian watched sourly as the elder placed his flute into a slim white drawstring bag, also covered in various purification and sealing runes embroidered upon it in blue, sealing the flute and its energies away from harm.
"Tch!" the Yiling Patriarch glared balefully at the exhausted disciples that were slowly gathering around him, wondering who might have pilfered his jade pass. He wasn't sure when he'd lost the Token of Passage that would have let him leave the sect boundary, but he'd been pinned down twice during the pursuit. He had kicked out during the scuffle to get them off of him, aiming for the solar plexus to leave the would be captors winded instead of damaged in the hope that it would buy him points against whatever sentence they were planning to assign to him – now he was wondering if he should have caused more damage... Most of them were the senior or newly graduated disciples of the last 10 years, the younger ones that had the endurance for the chase. Of the elder disciples, most he vaguely recalled knowing from his students days. Again he suspected they were the Elders represented on Lan Wanji's back – who else would have an axe to grind? He swallowed the blood welling in his throat down, denying another coughing fit as he hovered stiff with anger & frustration. He refused to look weak in front of those that had captured him.
There was a stirring among the disciples as the ZeWu-Jun glided up, crystal Xiao held in his hands as it usually was. He was wearing the soft blue formal robes of the Sect Leader today, instead of the usual everyday white Lan robes. Stately and regal, he quietly accepted the sealed Chenqing from the assisting elder, feeling it's energy hum within the white silk as he tucked it into his own belt. The Zewu-Jun came forward slowly, unperturbed, to search through the Yiling Patriarch's tunic, he withdrew the small Token of Passage, holding it up for the Yiling Patriarch to see. "You must have forgotten... as the Sect Leader I have control of who enters, or leaves Cloud Recesses." He said quietly. The Yiling Patriarch glared at him, teeth half bared in a snarl from under the untidy hair falling across his face, "I simple removed your rights to leave early this morning. It would have been better if you hadn't run. We simple wished to ask some questions that is all." his tone was even and level, suggesting that there wasn't anything to be concerned about. Arms raised he saluted the Yiling Patriarch diffidently, bowing slightly, "I am sorry it had to come to this" Lan Xichen said sincerely.
"Heh!" the Yiling Patriarch scoffed, "As if?!" – Dammit! If I'd known the exit was dead I wouldn't have wasted my energy running about – I could have hidden somewhere, some how... – No one enjoyed being on the end of a losing deal after all.
"If you are not guilty of anything there would be no need to run, surely you can understand that?"
"Of course I'm gonna run! Why wouldn't I? You've never been hunted & hated for no reason!" was the snapped reply. There was an awkward silence followed by a muttered, "...sorry..." as the younger man turned away, abashed.
The memory of Qishan Wen's attack and destruction of Cloud Recesses still lingered on, you could still see some of the signs that were yet to be repaired, even now 13 years on. Even the Yiling Patriarch knew it was a low blow. The Zewu-Jun paused in thought, an elegant hand held up to silence the more outraged protesting elders surrounding them, as he considered his words. "Well... it is true we were hunted from a political sense back then to serve as an example back then for the Qishan Wen... I equally believe no one here has been personally hunted for simply existing as you were... once before" the elders near enough to hear such words as least had the grace to look guilty at the statement, for it was a truth such as it was. "We have simply come to the decision for the peace of mind of all, that it is necessary to settle concerns regarding certain events of the past, that is all. Especially in the light of your extended stay as a guest here. It is only a few Questions – surely it will not be to much trouble? Just to settle everyone's concerns and worries?" the Sect Leader voice was his usual affable polite tone, as he made the request.
"Questions are a dangerous for a man like me?" the Patriarch's voice was flat and dead – his angry eyes giving nothing away and almost daring the calmer man to do his worst. The ZeWu-Jun found himself lowering his eyes, unable to meet the dark angry painful light in the Yiling Patriarch's eyes. The Yiling Patriarch had always seemed to be buried in secrets, but his words seemed to suggest a potential Pandora's box lay in wait for those that sought his secrets.
"You young wretch!" an older disciple interjected, "Don't you think it's more than high time you faced the consequences for your actions!" his furious face hid a trace of sadness.
"What Consequences! Have you faced yours?!"
The same elder continued, "Then what of the lives that you took back then? Shouldn't They be avenged?!"
"What of them?" the Yiling Patriarch barked back desperately, equally irate, "As far as I'm concerned - aside from the Sunshot Campaign, anyone else was in self defence. You all shed blood on the battlefield, and you all hunted me down when I died! Why am I the only one to be held and punished? I already died once! You could have all just left me and people I was protecting alone! I stayed in the Burial Mounds and didn't come out unless I had to! Why didn't you all just Leave. Me. Be!" the Yiling Patriarch was panting, suffused with emotions – he wouldn't meet their eyes, still struggling to get himself loose of his bindings, unshed tears of frustration dampening his eyes.
"Wuxian..." the ZeWu-Jun sighed, trying to help the young man see reason, "Please, try to understand." he entreated, "You'll have to face this sort of situation eventually. Would it not be better to face this now? To clear the air between all, so to speak?"
"If that was the case, why didn't you just tie me down to question back when I first arrived then?"
"We did indeed consider it, But...there were… too many parties in contention to come to a decision back then, that is all – you have had a three year respite, surely it is not too much to ask in light of having granted you safe haven during this time?"
"Why should I?" the Yiling Patriarch's hostility was palatable. "it's no business of yours! Any of you!"
"As the good elder said, you'll have to take responsibility of your actions at some point. "
"Can you?!" the Yiling Patriarch's glared challengingly, staring deep within the eyes of the Sect Leader. Lan Xichen sighed – today was going to be a difficult day no matter how one looked at things.
"If we had simply asked, would you have have complied?" the Zewu-Jun asked rubbing his brow
The Yiling Patriarch refused to look at him, sulky & sullen. They both knew that he wouldn't. The ZeWu-Jun shook his head, gesturing for the string holders to follow as he turned and walked away.