Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shen Lian, courtesy name Ziruo, had just finished diving into the feast of angst, comedy, drama, and the most romantic shit he had ever read or watched—with red, swollen eyes to prove it.

He had spent the past few days binge-watching The Untamed during a week-long holiday from work. Now, surrounded by a graveyard of used tissues, he sniffled and tossed another one into the trash. The tears had stopped, but his nose was still running.

Leaning back on the couch, he let out a deep, soul-weary sigh.
"Alright," he muttered hoarsely, "I can admit... that was a wild rollercoaster."

Forcing himself upright, he trudged into the kitchen. He needed water. After all the tears and mucus lost to Wei Wuxian's tragic arc and Lan Wangji's repressed longing, dehydration was a very real threat.

He poured a glass of water, but as he turned back, he heard a sparking sound.

Like electricity.

Annoyed, he walked toward the wall socket where the TV was plugged in. It had been acting up since yesterday. He'd meant to call someone to fix it—but then Mo Dao Zu Shi had happened, and the outside world no longer existed.

As he leaned down, he slipped.

Water splashed—onto the socket and onto his hands. The jolt hit him before he could even curse. Pain lanced through him. He convulsed, dropped to the floor, and everything went white.

In the final moment before he passed out, a single thought drifted across his mind:
If this is really the end... I wish I could've seen the characters in real life. Just once.

Shen Lian slowly opened his eyes.

They were heavy, crusted at the edges. His whole body ached like he'd been trampled. He lay still for a moment, waiting to see hospital lights—or, frankly, anything that made sense.

But what he saw was...

Wooden beams. Scroll paintings. Silk curtains. Paper windows.
A room decorated in traditional Chinese style.

"...Huh?"

He sat up slowly.
"Okay, even if I got taken to the hospital, there's absolutely no way the decor should look like this," he muttered.

Before he could collect his thoughts, the door slammed open.

A boy, no older than fifteen, burst into the room. "Shen-shidi! Hurry up—have you packed? We need to meet the Yunmeng Jiang disciples before they leave for the Cloud Recesses!"

And just like that, the boy ran out again, muttering something about fetching another senior brother.

Shen Lian blinked. His body felt... smaller. Lighter. Younger.
And then—
A rush of memories flooded him.

Three inner disciples of the Yu Sect—his maternal sect, founded by Madam Yu's clan—had been chosen to accompany the Yunmeng Jiang disciples to study at the Cloud Recesses.

This body's name was Shen Lian.
His name was Shen Lian.

But this one was fourteen years old—six years younger than himself.

"...Damn," he whispered.
"So I really transmigrated... into The Untamed."

Chapter Text

Shen Lian was focused—painfully, single-mindedly focused—on tying the ridiculously complicated hanfu in front of him. He’d only worn one a few times back in the modern world, and even then, his friends had been the ones doing most of the tying. At least now, the clothes had been laid out for him. A small gift from the original Shen Lian, who, apparently, had gone to sleep early last night all giddy and excited to travel to the Cloud Recesses.

Shen Lian sighed.
"The poor kid had no idea he’d wake up with a full-grown man from the future stuffed in his head.”

He managed the second layer with only minimal swearing. The outer robe was next. He could do this. He could pretend. He had the original’s memories now, even if they felt more like half-remembered dreams than lived experience.

Apparently, this Shen Lian had been an orphan, adopted into the Meishan Yu sect because of his rare spiritual potential. That potential had made him the only male among the five disciples chosen to go to the Cloud Recesses—all the others were older girls. The only other male, his shixiong, was just accompanying them. And now Shen Lian—modern, untrained, definitely not talented—was expected to live up to that.

“I don’t even know how to cultivate,” he thought miserably, tugging the robe tighter.
“This is so much worse than finals week.”

The door slammed open again.

“Shidi!” his shixiong barked. “You’re not dressed yet? We’re going to be late!”

Shen Lian bit back a scream.

"You think I don’t know that? Please, do not make me spiral again. I’ve just come to terms with the fact that I’m stuck in The Untamed, surrounded by demons, yao, angry ghosts, and people who fight them without health insurance.”

He stared blankly ahead, brain spiraling.
Cloud Recesses had three thousand rules. Three thousand. That was basically the number of thoughts he’d had just today. At least if he were in a modern setting, he could hope to survive by keeping his head down. But here?

Here, he was just a fake teenager with a fake sword and no idea how to swing it.

A sharp jab hit him in the ribs.

“YOW—what was that for?!”

“For zoning out again,” his shixiong replied. “Put up your arms.”

Without another word, he stepped in to help Shen Lian into his outer robe. Shen Lian paid close attention to the way it was tied. One mistake, and he might get dressed down by a Lan for indecency.

As soon as the final knot was tied, his shixiong turned to leave—

Thud.

He turned back.

Shen Lian was face-down on the floor, tangled in his own robe.

He pushed himself up slowly, laughing awkwardly. “Haha…new shoes. A little slippery.”

His shixiong stared at him, expression unreadable.

Shen Lian dusted himself off, walked over to the table where his Qiankun pouch rested, and carefully hung it from his belt.

“You forgot your sword,” his shixiong said.

Shen Lian froze.

“Oh! Haha. I was just testing you, Shixiong. Wanted to see if you’d notice. You really are my best shixiong.”

He gave a bright smile that was 40% charm and 60% panic.

Thankfully, his shixiong nodded. “That sounds like something you’d do. Come on, we’re going to be late.”

But just as he turned—

Thud.

This one was louder.

He spun back around, now visibly annoyed. Shen Lian lay on the ground again, sword beside him, his arms trembling.

“Shidi…” he said through clenched teeth. “How can you carry your sword without channeling spiritual energy to your arms? You’ve had it a year. This shouldn’t be happening.”

Shen Lian groaned internally.

“Oh my God, this is why Wei Wuxian doesn’t carry his sword around! It’s not just trauma—it’s physics! This thing is a glorified iron bar!

Sweating and red-faced, he struggled to lift the sword again. His arms felt like noodles. Heavy, shaking noodles.

Then he remembered it—that well of warmth, nestled deep in his dantian. The only thing that had felt different about this body.

Carefully, he tapped into it, imagining the energy rising up, spreading through his chest, down his shoulders, into his arms.

He picked the sword up again.

Lighter. So much lighter,

He blinked. Then smiled.

“Shixiong,” he said brightly, “let’s go!”

His shixiong muttered something under his breath, something like "What the hell is wrong with him today?” as they walked out of the room together.

Shen Lian just grinned, sword in hand, thoughts screaming, legs wobbling, and absolutely no idea how to survive the next five minutes

Chapter Text

Shen Lian slowly opened his eyes as someone gently tapped his shoulder.

He blinked at the bright sky above, then sat up and looked around. The boat had stopped, and in front of him stood the famous Lotus Pier—and wow.

The elegant architecture curved like petals in bloom. Warm red pillars reflected in the water below. The whole place looked like it belonged in a painting.

“Whoever designed this place was a genius.”

A small, genuine smile tugged at his lips before he even realized it. Around him, other disciples were admiring the view, murmuring quietly among themselves.

“Let’s get off,” came a calm voice.

It was Yu Lian, their elegant shijie, standing confidently at the front of the boat. She was serene but sharp, with the kind of quiet authority that didn’t need to be announced. No wonder she was the head disciple of Meishan Yu.

“Yes, Shijie,” everyone echoed, snapping out of their admiration.

Shen Lian carefully lifted the hem of his robes—falling into the river was not on today’s bingo card—and followed the others as they walked up to the outer gates of Lotus Pier.

Waiting for them were the familiar faces of the Jiang family: Madam Yu, Jiang Fengmian, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and—oh. Wei Wuxian.

Yu Lian bowed. “Greetings, Madam Jiang.”

The others—including Shen Lian—bowed too.

Madam Yu’s face flushed with annoyance, her fingers curling into a tight claw at her side. But she didn’t speak. She simply nodded in return.

Shen Lian barely resisted the urge to snort.

“Of course she can’t say anything.According to this body memories, Meishan Yu doesn’t call her ‘Madam Yu.’ She can’t force us—we already have our own ‘Madam Yu.’ Her title only holds power in Yunmeng.”

Madam Yu’s jaw twitched.

“Honestly? The woman’s got one of the worst inferiority complexes I’ve ever seen. Tortures a child that looks nothing like her husband just because there are rumors of him being her husband’s bastard. That’s not righteous anger—it’s pure jealousy. All over a dead woman, no less.”

Several faces in the Jiang welcoming party stiffened.

"That’s one thing I could never understand about Wei Wuxian. I get that he feels he owes the Jiang family for taking him in, but to just accept someone calling your mother a whore? To let that woman—an inferior woman—imply your mom was unfaithful by saying you’re not Wei Changze’s son? Ridiculous. He obviously has his father’s features and his mother’s behavior.”

Shen Lian shook his head slightly, gaze moving to Wei Wuxian.

“Damn… he really is beautiful though. That smile? Those eyes? Sir, please.”

He yanked his thoughts away before he made himself blush.

“Focus, idiot. Focus.”

Across from him, Jiang Yanli flushed pink. Jiang Cheng frowned. Wei Wuxian’s smile faltered. The air around the Jiang family suddenly felt tight.

A heavy silence fell.

Shen Lian glanced around, confused.

“What’s going on? Why are we just standing here? Are the Jiangs having a family moment or something?”

His mind drifted.

“Jin Zixuan. Ugh. How dare he say Jiang Yanli’s face is ‘average’? She’s obviously gorgeous. Calm, elegant, gentle—she’s the dream wife of every cultivation sect. He must be blind. Like, actually blind. What is wrong with him?”

Jiang Yanli’s cheeks turned redder. Wei Wuxian looked at her, surprised, while Jiang Cheng frowned as if suddenly recalling something unpleasant.

“And don’t even get me started on how much she’s done for them. She cooked, cleaned, practically raised both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng. She was more of a mother to them than Yu Ziyuan ever was. And yeah, maybe she made a mistake marrying into the sect that’s gonna want her adopted brother slash son dead, but she was just a girl. Just a kid trying to survive and protect her family.”

Jiang Cheng twitched. His jaw clenched.

“God. She really sacrificed everything. She ignored her own dreams, just to hold that broken family together and it was normal for her to try to fulfill the dreams she had when she thought her brothers did not need her anymore, it wasn't much but it was important to her,just a loving husband and a family.”

Jiang Fengmian said nothing, but his fist tightened at his side. His gaze turned inward, disturbed.

Beside him, Jiang Cheng’s thoughts spun.

Could it be true? Could Mother have made a deal with the Jin sect? Told someone something she shouldn’t have? But why would they care about Wei Wuxian? How would they even know—unless... unless she gave them a reason?

Across from him, Jiang Yanli stared at the ground, trembling, overwhelmed by the flood of both praise and painful implications. A person was thinking—somewhere near them—and the thoughts were too specific, too observant, to ignore.

Wei Wuxian, meanwhile, was just staring at Shen Lian now. The boy was still making strange expressions. Frowning, smiling, furrowing his brows.

All of it matched what was being said aloud.

It was then that a lightbulb clicked—too quietly to be voiced yet—but the confusion in his gaze was now tinged with realization.

Wei Wuxian narrowed his eyes and casually said aloud:

"Damn, I wish I had some watermelon seeds."

Everyone turned to look at him in confusion.

But Shen Lian flinched.

His eyes widened. He looked at Wei Wuxian with barely concealed sympathy and sorrow.

“Wei Wuxian really is something,” the voice returned. "He’s so pitiful, surviving on the seeds others threw away and even stir-frying them to eat. Damn those people. What would it take to give him a whole watermelon? Or buns?”

Wei Wuxian’s suspicions sharpened.

Still staring at Shen Lian, his mind turned, calculating. So far, no one else reacted. Which meant only some were hearing the thoughts. But this boy—this strange disciple with the expressive face—was the source.

And then Shen Lian’s thoughts took another strange turn:

“Speaking of watermelon seeds, Wei Wuxian did live on the street for five years in a territory supposedly watched by Jiang Fengmian. But isn’t it strange that it took him five whole years to find a child in his own jurisdiction?”

“Yiling is part of Yunmeng Jiang. And yet he claims to have never seen Wei Wuxian before. But he immediately recognized him? How?”

“Even stranger: Wei Wuxian survived those five years with oddly well-timed charity. Almost like someone was making sure he wouldn’t die. As if Jiang Fengmian was keeping him on the street to shape his loyalty.”

“He always praised Wei Wuxian in public but never showed the same to his own son. As if trying to pit them against each other. Madam Yu abused Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Fengmian never stopped it. Was it a carrot-and-stick method? Emotional manipulation disguised as mercy?”

The atmosphere turned glacial.

Madam Yu trembled.

Jiang Fengmian’s face went pale.

Even Jiang Cheng looked shaken. Jiang Yanli gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth.

And Wei Wuxian—Wei Wuxian stared at Shen Lian, expression cracking.

Madam Yu turned slowly to her husband.

Her voice, for once, was quiet:

“...Is it true?”

Jiang Fengmian, still stunned, whispered:

“san niang… It was all for our children.”

Chapter Text

The Jiang family descended into a deafening silence.

Even the Meishan Yu disciples began exchanging uneasy glances. Why had the Jiang contingent gone so quiet before Madam Yu’s outburst? Shen Lian’s thoughts had even gone still.

Wei Wuxian felt as though someone had ripped his heart out. He couldn’t breathe. Words caught in his throat. His body trembled faintly, and the world flickered in and out of focus.

“Wei Wuxian, get the disciples ready to go. You’ll be taking Yanli with you to the Cloud Recesses. I’ll write a letter to Lan Qiren for her stay,” Madam Yu said firmly, turning back toward Lotus Pier. She called her husband to follow.

“Mother—no, this… this—” Jiang Yanli tried to speak, but her voice failed her. Her eyes were red, barely holding back tears. She wanted to say, Let’s solve this together,but couldn’t. Jiang Cheng, beside her, nodded silently, understanding her unspoken thoughts.

Madam Yu didn’t respond.

Her children looked at her with expressions that cut deeper than words. They might still respect her—might even love her in their own complicated ways—but trust? That was long gone. And their silent doubt made it clear how far she had driven them from her.

She had emotionally abused two of them. The third—who wasn’t even hers by blood—had been physically and emotionally punished, used as a shield for their family’s burdens. And all of it had happened with the quiet approval of her husband.

She could almost laugh.

What kind of man favors a child, yet allows him to be beaten in his place? Who stands by while his wife uses a spiritually charged weapon on a boy out of anger—knowing it could cripple him? Disciplinary tools were for traitors. And yet, Wei Wuxian had been introduced to them as a child.

And her husband had known.

She’d played the villain while he stood behind her, distant but adored. The noble patriarch. The soft-spoken master. But they were the same. Exactly the same.

Still, this didn’t mean she suddenly pitied Wei Wuxian. She didn’t feel guilt, not really. What she felt was fury—fury that she had been used. By the same man she had always called weak. She’d mocked him, hated his cowardice. But she had been the fool all along.

She would fix this. Not for Wei Wuxian—she would never truly accept him—but for herself.

She turned to her children, expression soft. “I need to make it right. Trust me. Please.”

But she avoided Wei Wuxian’s gaze.

What had happened couldn’t be undone. And it didn’t change the truth—Wei Wuxian didn’t belong here. Not in this home. Not with her. Years of hate didn’t vanish overnight. She had never pretended to be a good person.

What kind of good person sees a starving child and demands they be cast out?

Every time she hurt him had been a choice.

There were only two paths left for him: stay, or leave. And if he left, she would ensure he was compensated. But that was all she could offer.

Her children nodded.

That was enough.

She pivoted sharply. There were letters to write. Appearances to maintain. Plans to make.

Behind her, Jiang Fengmian followed like a shadow. She didn’t turn to look. He had probably spoken the truth without thinking—caught off-guard by the moment.

She snorted, lifted her chin, and walked away.

Moments later, she returned with a sealed letter, placing it in Jiang Yanli’s hands. Wei Wuxian still hadn’t moved—his eyes empty, his limbs stiff. Madam Yu ignored him. She gave her children a few final words, then returned inside Lotus Pier, instructing the servants that no visitors were to be allowed in.

---

Shen Lian stood nearby, blinking.

The Jiang family is acting strange. What were they even saying? It’s not like they have some kind of secret telepathy… right?

Wei Wuxian looked like he’d gone into full shutdown mode. He stood so rigidly, Shen Lian genuinely feared he’d pull a muscle—or worse.

The Jiang siblings handled the departure preparations swiftly. Soon, everyone was boarding the boats to the Cloud Recesses.

And that’s when something truly strange happened.

Wei Wuxian didn’t sit with the Jiangs.

He crossed over and sat quietly beside Shen Lian, among the Meishan Yu disciples.

He didn’t speak.

Shen Lian stared at him, then at the Jiang siblings, then back.

Okay… now I’m seriously worried. What is going on? This is Wei Wuxian—the chaos goblin himself. The living embodiment of sunshine and disaster. Why is he so quiet? This is not normal.

It must be that Yu Ziyuan. What did she say to him?

Ugh, if I were strong enough, I’d give her a piece of my mind. How dare she dim the sun personified. He’s the actual sun. Smiling in person. And she made him shut down.

Across from him, Wei Wuxian’s lips twitched, a thin smile flashing for the briefest moment before vanishing again.

Shen Lian’s eyes widened.

Okay. I guess I’ve got a mission now.

Operation: Make Wei Wuxian Smile was officially underway.

He cleared his throat dramatically and launched into his worst jokes. Shen Lian told every dumb, outdated, barely-funny story he could remember. Some jokes were so bad they circled back to being good.

And finally, after what felt like an eternity, Wei Wuxian laughed—small and cracked, but genuine.

Shen Lian smiled.

Mission: in progress.

.

Chapter Text

Shen Lian's talk had tampered off as they approached Canyi Town in Gusu. His throat felt dry from all the talking, but beside him, Wei Wuxian was now laughing openly, eyes crinkling at the corners as he added his own jokes to the mix. What started as Shen Lian's mission to cheer Wei Wuxian up had turned into a comedy duet. For a moment, it was easy to forget that anything heavy had happened before.

The Jiang siblings remained quiet for the most part, Jiang Yanli offering the occasional small smile in their direction. Jiang Cheng, on the other hand, hadn't so much as glanced their way.

As the boat finally docked, Shen Lian waited for everyone to get off first before hiking up his robes carefully. He was determined not to fall again. Just as he was about to jump off the boat, a pale hand stretched out in front of him.

He traced the hand upward.

Wei Wuxian.
Smiling.
Mega-watt smile.
Dimples.
Help-me-I'm-dying levels of beauty.

“Come on, I’m giving you a hand,” Wei Wuxian offered kindly.

But Shen Lian could barely hear him because inside his head, it was chaos.

“Haaaaaa! He’s so handsome! That smile—Lord Daren, I beg! These lowly eyes weren’t made to behold such radiance. My soul is about to ascend—Haaaa—!”

Wei Wuxian blinked and flushed red as if he’d somehow heard that internal screaming. He reached forward and yanked Shen Lian up by the arm, pulling him onto the dock faster than either of them expected.

“W-Wangye—I mean, Wei-gongzi,” Shen Lian blurted as he steadied himself. “You really should be more careful. What if I wasn’t a good person with honorable intentions? You shouldn’t go around smiling at people like that!”

Wei Wuxian looked about ready to laugh again—but a sharp hmph cut the tension like a sword.

“Of course he’s being praised,” Jiang Cheng said, voice low and sharp probably thinking no one would hear him whispering,then he says out loud. “You Meishan disciples shouldn’t try to curry favor. There’s nothing he can offer you. And you—Wei Wuxian—just because things happened doesn’t mean you can start acting recklessly.”

Shen Lian’s eyes widened.
He took a step forward, fists clenched, but Wei Wuxian reached out and stopped him.

That didn’t stop his thoughts.

What right do you have to scold him? After everything your family’s done? After everything your mother probably just said.probably because sometimes it just all you Jiang family together with your little things you expect wei wuxian to carry all by himself like being your family go to vent doll.And now you want to act like his behavior is the problem?

Jiang Yanli will probably say “A-Cheng didn’t mean it,” no shit Sherlock A Cheng might not mean it but that’s not the point! A-Cheng knows how much words hurt. He knows what Wei Wuxian’s gone through. He should be the last person making things worse.

And seriously, Wei Wuxian is the head disciple. Speaking down to him in front of other sects—especially new disciples—undermines him completely.

Across from him, Jiang Yanli paled, visibly shaken. Wei Wuxian didn’t say anything. For once, he wasn’t smoothing it over.

He was waiting. Watching.

For the first time he wanted to see if he held weight in the eyes of those he called siblings

The Meishan Yu disciples were already exchanging glances, whispering to each other. They weren’t stupid—they saw the power imbalance.

“A-Cheng. Apologize.”

The words came softly but clearly from Jiang Yanli, her voice steady despite her expression.

Jiang Cheng turned sharply, staring at her in disbelief.

But she held firm.

“...Fine.” His voice was clipped. “Sorry.”

He didn’t wait for a reply, just turned and walked away.

Shen Lian snorted. "Spoiled brat".He thought angrily

Impulsively, he grabbed Wei Wuxian’s hand and tugged him away. Only a few steps in did he realize what he’d done and quickly dropped it.

“I—I didn’t mean to—it’s just—You didn’t stop me!” he sputtered, face going red.

Wei Wuxian raised a brow and smirked. “Oh? I thought there was a special place you were taking me. Why stop now?”

Shen Lian groaned and stomped ahead, embarrassment making him walk faster.wei wuxain following behind him laughing.

---

By the time they reached the gates of Cloud Recesses, the sun had dipped below the horizon, the white mist curling around the mountains like a guardian spirit. They had made it with curfew was just about to begin.

And that was when Shen Lian froze.

No. No no no no. What is happening?! This is ALL WRONG!

Inside his mind, he was screaming.

They’re not supposed to be here today! Wei Wuxian is supposed to meet Lan Wangji tomorrow,right here. They’re supposed to lose the invitation and go searching!

"Then Wei Wuxian would sneak in, break the boundary talisman, and try to bribe Lan Wangji with Emperor’s Smile! Lan Zhan would break the jar, they’d fight—and BAM—the most beautiful swordfight in history. Their first iconic love meeting! My God, this entire plot is going off track!!

Outwardly, he tried to keep a neutral face. Inwardly, he was mourning a lost romantic masterpiece.

Wei Wuxian, meanwhile, had gone stiff beside him.

What ‘first love meeting’...? he thought, disturbed. He might not have read all three thousand rules, but he was pretty sure breaking fifty of them just for a drink and a meet-cute wasn’t standard protocol.

He looked sideways at Shen Lian, whose face was twitching in suppressed horror.
...Was this guy some kind of fortune-teller?, also boundary tailsman are not so easy to break especially one that has probably been here for hundred of years

---

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian lay sprawled on his bed in the quiet room assigned to him in Cloud Recesses. But peace was far from his mind.

Shen Lian’s thoughts.

They echoed still—strange, biting, and far too accurate. Ever since yesterday’s chaos, Wei Wuxian couldn’t forget the feeling of hearing things he had never told a soul. About Jiang Fengmian, Madam Yu, even himself. Somehow, Shen Lian knew—and worse, he was unintentionally broadcasting it for others to hear.

Before he could spiral deeper, a knock broke the silence.

He opened the door to find Shen Lian grinning like a fox with mischief burning in his eyes. In his hands? Two bottles of Emperor’s Smile.

“Want to drink?” Shen Lian asked, eyes glinting.

Curious, Wei Wuxian nodded.

Shen Lian immediately dragged him outside toward the edge of the Cloud Recesses boundary wall. He clumsily scrambled up the tiled edge of the roof with great effort and even more noise.

Wei Wuxian, being Wei Wuxian, floated up elegantly with one movement, landing beside him.

“I just wanted to test how agile I am without using spiritual energy!” Shen Lian wheezed out with an awkward laugh.

Wei Wuxian gave him a look—skeptical but amused—and nodded.

Then came the sound of footsteps.

Panicking, Shen Lian shoved both bottles of alcohol into Wei Wuxian’s hands and vanished behind the rooftop ridge.

Lan Wangji appeared.

His expression was as unreadable and frosty as ever.

Wei Wuxian straightened and offered a half-smile, still gripping the bottles. “Ah… Lan Gongzi.”

Lan Wangji's eyes landed on the bottles. "Drinking is forbidden at Cloud Recesses," he said coldly.

Wei Wuxian chuckled and offered one to him. “Come on, just one sip? It’s Emperor’s Smile. Very famous.”

Lan Wangji stared at him with even colder disdain. “Leave.”

Wei Wuxian tilted his head. “Hey now, that’s no way to treat a guest. I’ll leave, I’ll leave. Just don’t break the bottle—”

Too late. Lan Wangji struck with Bichen and shattered the bottle before Wei Wuxian’s horrified eyes.

“You—!”

Lan Wangji said nothing. His glare was enough.

Wei Wuxian sighed dramatically, clutched the remaining bottle, and turned away. “You Cloud Recesses people really don’t know how to have fun.”

Lan Wangji, not one to tolerate provocation, drew his sword again.

“You want to fight?” Wei Wuxian asked, smiling as he pulled out Suibian.

The swords clashed.

It began as a brief exchange—Lan Wangji calm and precise, Wei Wuxian agile and unpredictable. They moved with such grace and power that Shen Lian, watching from behind a roof tile, nearly forgot to breathe.

The clash of blades lit the night air, the wind catching their robes as they spun, leapt, and parried. The beauty of their movements—two prodigies matching each other blow for blow—looked less like a duel and more like a deadly dance.

Then, without warning, Lan Wangji gained the upper hand, pressing Wei Wuxian back toward the boundary wall.

Before Wei Wuxian could retaliate, Lan Wangji’s blade flicked up and knocked the remaining bottle of Emperor’s Smile from his hand. It smashed against the stone below.

“No fun at all,” Wei Wuxian sighed.

Without further words, Lan Wangji grabbed Wei Wuxian by the back of his robes, hauling him off to be punished.

In the shadows, guilt hit Shen Lian like a wave. He sighed, dusted himself off, and followed them , it was his fault for dragging wei wuxian out so he should also get punished. Although witnessing Wangxain first meeting made it worth it.
........
The doors to Lan Qiren’s office slammed open. Both boys were thrown to the floor.

Lan Qiren’s face was already red, his beard trembling with every furious syllable he delivered. He paced as he scolded them, each step making Shen Lian want to laugh.

No wonder Cangse Sanren cut off his beard. That thing probably twitched every time he spoke. It makes your fingers itch just looking at it.

Then the room went silent.

All eyes turned to Shen Lian.

“You—how do you know that?!” Lan Qiren barked, jabbing a finger toward him.

“Eh? Lan-xiansheng? I didn’t say anything. Know what?” Shen Lian blinked, startled and confused.

Lan Qiren’s mouth opened to press further, but just then—a cold wind blew across the room.

The cloth covering the object Lan Wangji had brought fluttered away.

The puppet.

It was unmistakably a corpse puppet—sitting upright, head slowly turning.

Shen Lian’s entire body went stiff. His thoughts raced.

Oh no, it’s real. That’s an actual corpse. How did I forget this?! What if this one’s relaying everything to Wen Ruohan? Wasn’t there a theory that he could see what his corpses see?

The moment he thought it, the corpse twitched.

Then sat up straighter.

Shen Lian’s mind blanked.

With a soft groan, he fainted on the spot.

---

Thankfully, Wei Wuxian caught him before he hit the ground.

The room froze.

Not just from the corpse’s eerie movement—but from the storm of thoughts they had just heard.

“Did you all hear that too?” Wei Wuxian asked quietly, still holding Shen Lian.

The other cultivators nodded.

Lan Qiren’s face was unreadable.

“I don’t know how he knows these things,” he said at last, “but the boy is aware of dangers even we haven’t confirmed. This knowledge of Wen Ruohan’s corpses—of the puppet relay system—may be critical.”

He turned sharply to the others. “Do not tell him we can hear his thoughts. Let’s observe first.”

Then, he looked at Wei Wuxian. “Take him to your room.”

Wei Wuxian blinked. “...I don’t know which room is his.”

“Then take him to yours,” Lan Qiren snapped.

With a small nod, Wei Wuxian bowed and lifted Shen Lian gently. The boy groaned faintly but didn’t wake.

As they exited, both Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen remained behind with Lan Qiren. The office door closed softly behind them.

And just like that, Shen Lian’s arrival in Gusu had stirred up more than curiosity.

Chapter Text

Inside a private pier in the main family courtyard, Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian sat across from each other. Around them, the calm relief of Lotus Pier whispered through the flowing river and the distant chatter of disciples, giving the illusion of peace.

But peace did not reside in that room.

Yu Ziyuan sat stiffly, fingers clenched around a cup of untouched tea. Her fury was quiet now, simmering rather than boiling, but Jiang Fengmian could sense the storm beneath.

She spoke first, voice low and brittle. "How long were you going to let it go on?"

Jiang Fengmian didn’t look at her. He poured himself another cup of tea. "Until it no longer served a purpose."

Yu Ziyuan’s laugh was bitter. "And did it serve a purpose—leaving a child to rot on the streets for years, letting your wife hate him, letting your children turn on each other?"

"You already hated him before I brought him in," he said flatly. "I just never stopped you."

Her lip curled. "You used me. You used our children. You knew exactly what would happen."

He met her gaze. "And yet, you followed the script perfectly."

Yu Ziyuan stood so quickly her chair scraped. "You bastard."

"Say what you will. But you married me to control me seeing me as a weak coward you could make do what you want . We are not so disimillar"

Yu Ziyuan looked at him and finally remembered—no one had wanted her. Out of her three sisters, she was neither the most beautiful nor the most talented. Her bad temper had driven suitors away. She had thought Jiang Fengmian would be the same. But he hadn't run. He had stayed. She’d been intrigued. His meekness, his kindness—she now saw it was a mask. He had been perfect for her. And so she married him. But over time, he reverted into something else. A coward. A shadow.

No. Not reverted. That had been the lie. All of it. She was just a pawn in his long game.

She paused, fists trembling. "And now we’ve been exposed. Someone—someone knew. Someone heard what we did, what you planned."

"I know," Jiang Fengmian admitted. "It was a boy from Meishan Yu, judging from the voice."

"What?"

"We still don’t know his name—your outburst made it difficult to pinpoint—but he’s one of the disciples traveling with them. His thoughts... they leaked. Unfiltered. If he had been a Yunmeng disciple, we likely would have heard them earlier."

Yu Ziyuan paled. "And Wei Wuxian heard them?"

"He did. Maybe the Lans did too. And now they might know far more than they should."

Yu Ziyuan began pacing. "Then he must be silenced."

"No," Jiang Fengmian said. "We observe. For now. He might be useful."

"And when he stops being useful?"

"Then we decide."

Yu Ziyuan turned toward the door, but before she left, she looked back at him.

"I still hate you. Not for what you did to him—but for what you did to me."

"I know."

"You made me into your weapon, and then threw me away like a broken sword."

"And still you wielded yourself," he said quietly. "Without needing my hand to guide you."

She laughed bitterly. "We really are the same, Jiang Fengmian. You just wore your evil with a cowardly mask."

He didn’t respond.

Outside, the sun began to rise over Lotus Pier. But within, shadows stretched long and deep.

---

Meanwhile, in Cloud Recesses, Shen Lian stirred from sleep, unaware that the storm he’d unleashed was already threatening to change the future.

Wei Wuxian sat nearby, watching him with unreadable eyes.

For once, he wasn’t smiling.

---

In the classroom used for formal instruction, the disciples filled every available space, laughing and chatting with anticipation. The lively atmosphere quickly shifted the moment Lan Qiren stepped into the room. A hush fell instantly.

The presentation ceremony began. Each sect took turns offering their gifts to Gusu Lan. Nie Huaisang was the first.

Meng Yao, quiet and composed, exited briefly to handle the presentation on behalf of the Nie sect.

As this happened, Shen Lian’s thoughts—unbeknownst to him still being heard—almost gave Lan Qiren, Nie Huaisang, and Lan Xichen heart attacks.

"Wow. Wow. Wow. Look at him! I can’t believe I’m meeting my son in the flesh and blood. He’s amazing. He did everything he could. This man is so powerful—he even brought Wei Wuxian back after sixteen years. I mean—should he be the villain or the hero? It’s hard to say."

Lan Xichen's usual gentle smile faltered. Lan Qiren’s brow twitched. Nie Huaisang stared around startled—what was that voice? What was he hearing? Resurrecting Wei Wuxian from the dead? He had just met him this morning and he didn’t even know how to resurrect dead people, Nie Huaisang thought, eyes wide.

But Shen Lian continued thinking, oblivious.

"And let’s not even talk about the person standing behind him—Meng Yao. Who will become Jin Guangyao, sect leader of the Jin sect, chief cultivator, and also—oh, where do I even start—slept with his sister, killed his own child, wiped out entire sects. People say he just wanted his father's approval, but come on! He killed that man, too. That wasn't loyalty, that was convenience."

Now Lan Xichen looked pale. Nie Huaisang turned to look at Meng Yao, who startled at the stare.

“Can… can you hear that?” Nie Huaisang asked shakily.

“What do you mean? I can't hear anything,” Meng Yao replied.

Nie Huaisang's eyes sharpened. The people were all talking to each other normally—so the person couldn’t have said it out loud, or the room’s reaction would be different. The other disciples were even trash talking Meng Yao. So if the person wasn’t speaking aloud, and others couldn’t hear it… definitely not a communication talisman. So it must be the impossible—he was hearing someone’s thoughts.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Lan Qiren’s cough and hurriedly tried to present his gift.

"He used Lan Xichen's trust, gained that secret clan technique, to kill Nie Mingjue. And then Xichen goes into seclusion for years because of guilt"

The room buzzed with unease, the adults present suddenly stiff and silent. Lan Qiren barely held his composure. Nie Huaisang looked shocked at Lan Xichen, who also looked at Nie Huaisang. Their eyes met, showing mutual recognition—they both heard the thoughts.

"These people are insane. Beautiful, powerful—and so, so evil."

Even as students whispered and laughed at Meng Yao for his parentage, Shen Lian’s thoughts cut louder than the noise.

Normally, Lan Xichen would have spoken to stop the teasing. But he was frozen, eyes fixed on Shen Lian.

The voices died down.

And then Shen Lian continued, as the Jiang family moved to present their gift. "The Wens will be here any moment. They’ll cross the wards."

Lan Qiren decided that if the Wen sect really showed up—after years of not attending—he would accept that this boy either had secret information or could predict the future. Either option made him invaluable.

As if on cue, a battered Gusu Lan disciple stumbled in, pushed aside by Wen cultivators entering the gates without permission.

Lan Qiren’s eyes widened.

Lan Xichen went still.

Lan Wangji’s expression barely changed, but even his eyes widened slightly.

Wei Wuxian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, his breath already coming in puffs.

Nie Huaisang let out a dangerous smile.

Chapter Text

The room door slammed open.

Wen Chao strutted in arrogantly, flanked by the Wen siblings and their disciples. His entrance was loud and theatrical.

"Oh wow, he's here. Damn, he looks so greasy," Shen Lian thought with a grimace. "Objectively average in appearance, but those smug expressions make him unbearable. Ew. Gross."

Lan Qiren sighed, tamping down the urge to lecture Shen Lian about respect. Lan Xichen’s smile stiffened. Nie Huaisang quickly used his fan to block the view of his own smirk. Wei Wuxian’s lips twitched before he smoothed his face back into calm.

Lan Qiren straightened. “Young Master Wen, today is the Cloud Recesses ceremony. I hope you can restrain yourself.”

Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath, “How can you yell like this? Is this how the Wen clan of Qishan educates people?”

Wen Chao sneered. “Oh? Then today, I’ll show you how Qishan Wen settles disobedience.”

"Aiya, Wei Wuxian, why? Your sixteen-year-old self is so reckless. Challenging Wen Chao now? This is where it starts—his grudge against you. Don’t provoke him. He’s a coward, sure, but responsible for some of your worst pain,"Shen Lian thought, shaking his head.

Wei Wuxian went still.

So did the Lans, the Nies—even the Wens. Everyone who could hear that thought was suddenly staring at Wei Wuxian and Wen Chao.

"Having to crawl out of that place with no food, water, or human contact for three months… no wonder your mind fractured."

"But Wen Qing… Wen Qing was amazing. She saved him,not only physically but also mentally,she really is the best doctor. Wen Ning too. They gave their lives to protect Wei Wuxian."

Wen Qing and Wen Ning blinked. That voice—neither of them was imagining it. They looked around, but no one else in the room reacted.

"Wen Qing really was the best sister. Gave everything for family. Even if Wei Wuxian wasn’t blood, she still protected him from Jin Guangshan. She must’ve been so tired..."

"Even if everyone died in the end, Wen Ning and Lan Sizhui survived. I guess that’s not too bad."

As Lan Xichen stepped in to stop the fight, Wen Qing moved forward and greeted Lan Qiren formally, presenting their gift and preventing Wen Chao from escalating things further.

She looked thoughtful as she stepped aside. That voice earlier—she had definitely heard it. It wasn’t an illusion.

And the others… hadn’t reacted.

The Jiang sect continued their presentation.

"I really can’t believe Wen Qing and Wen Ning—my sweet cinnamon rolls—are related to Wen Greasy. Like, seriously? I know it’s distant, but still. Damn."

"Anyway , that Wen Chao really knows how to cause trouble. But something’s strange… Why didn’t Wei Wuxian draw his sword? I remember clearly—he was supposed to. Then Lan Xichen used his beautiful song to pin it to the ground. Ugh, what is happening? The plot is all wrong."

'What plot?" everyone hearing the thought wondered.

"It was definitely the bombshell you dropped that stopped wei xiong from doing anything stupid,would Wei Wuxian have stopped if not for that?" Nie Huaisang thought, shifting his gaze to Meng Yao. " need to keep an eye on him,"he added with narrowed eyes.

Meng Yao noticed and gave a small smile. Nie Huaisang returned it, unaware of what he was thinking.

"Ugh, it’s boring now,"Shen Lian thought as the ceremony continued. 'I miss movies. I haven’t even watched the new releases yet… Haaa, this place is so boring. No entertainment at all."

The thoughts abruptly stopped.

The Lan, Nie, Wen, and Wei present all blinked in surprise.

Lan Wangji looked at Shen Lian. His eyes were unfocused—he wasn’t paying attention but he was definitely lost in thought

"So… they only hear the thoughts if it pertains to them?" Lan Wangji considered.

Lan Xichen nodded slightly, coming to the same conclusion.

Lan Qiren breathed a silent sigh of relief. The voice had been very distracting.

---

After the ceremony ended, Lan Qiren called Wei Wuxian to stay back, then signaled his nephews to follow him to his private office.

The walk was silent. Each of them was lost in thought.

Wei Wuxian’s mind churned. 'Shen Lian predicted my death… but also claimed Nie Huaisang would resurrect me? Is that even possible? Can someone truly bring back the dead?' He frowned. It would’ve been easy to dismiss Shen Lian’s thoughts, but so far… some had already proven true—the Jiang situation, Madam Yu’s reaction, even Lan Qiren’s beard story, and the Wen arrival.

Lan Xichen couldn’t imagine having a hand in Nie Mingjue’s death, but Shen Lian’s thoughts had been right twice now. Even if untrue, a contingency plan might be necessary.

The four entered the private study and sat while the tea boiled.

Wei Wuxian, as the youngest, served tea to everyone—but didn’t touch his own.

'Yeah, I’m not drinking the bitter herb you call tea. Sorry,'he thought.

Lan Wangji noticed but said nothing. Still, a faint discomfort stirred in his chest. 'To imagine this person might die and resurrect…' The thought scratched at something deep within him.

Lan Qiren finally spoke. “I’m sure you all heard the thoughts from that boy today. First, I don’t need to explain how dangerous this is. His identity must remain known only to a few.”

He turned to Wei Wuxian. “How many people could hear his thoughts before you arrived at Cloud Recesses?”

Wei Wuxian replied, “Jiang-zongzhu, Madam Yu, the Jiang siblings, and I. That’s all.”

“Do they know who the thoughts belong to?”

“No. Something happened before they could pinpoint it. I’m the only one who knows.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way,” Lan Qiren nodded.

“Also… the thoughts we’ve heard were fragmented. We need a situation that allows us to hear them in full. If they truly hold foresight, we must preserve them.”

“Shufu,” Lan Xichen added, “I think Nie Huaisang and the Wens might also hear him. The Jiangs don’t now, but they heard him earlier. I believe we can only hear the thoughts that pertain to us.”

“That would mean,” Lan Qiren said slowly, “hearing about Wei Wuxian means the boy is somehow connected to the Lan clan… and the Wen clan too.”

Lan Wangji’s brow furrowed.

“And he mentioned someone named Lan Sizhui,” lan wangji added. “We don’t have anyone with that name here.”

Silence settled over the room once again.

Chapter Text

The group of four had agreed to meet again the next day after their private meeting. They decided to invite a select few to Hanshi for a gathering after the last hour.

Later that evening, Wei Wuxian returned to his assigned room and found Jiang Cheng already waiting. His arms were crossed, his brows tight with frustration.

"Why did Lan Qiren call you?" Jiang Cheng asked without preamble.

Wei Wuxian shrugged lightly. “He just had something he wanted to ask.”

Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. “You’re hiding something.”

Wei Wuxian looked away.

“You’ve been avoiding me ever since we got here. And now you're saying nothing about a meeting that clearly involved you?”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “It was because of your mouth that he called you. I bet it was to punish you. Just don’t do anything else that’ll bring shame to the Jiang Sect.”

“I know,” Wei Wuxian said quietly, brushing him off as he went to prepare for bed.

Jiang Cheng clenched his fists. Angry and unsure how to vent it, he turned and walked out.

---

The next day dawned with cicadas singing and birds chirping. In class, tension between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng grew as they continued to ignore each other. As the class went on, Wei Wuxian became restless.

Lan Qiren slammed the scroll onto the ground and smiled bitterly. “I am only repeating this one by one because nobody reads it, even though it was carved onto the rock wall. Hence, nobody will be able to violate them using ignorance as an excuse again. Even if I do this, there are still people who do not pay attention. Very well, I will proceed to talk about something else.”

Although his words could be applied to everyone, Wei Wuxian’s intuition told him the warning was for him.

As expected, Lan Qiren spoke, “Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian answered, “Here.”

“Let me ask you. Are yao, demons, ghosts, and monsters the same things?”

Wei Wuxian smiled. “No.”

“Why not? How are they differentiated?”

“Yao are formed from living, non-human beings; demons from living humans; ghosts from dead humans; monsters from dead, non-human beings.”

“‘Yao’ and ‘monsters’ are often confused. What is an example that distinguishes the two?”

“That’s easy.” Wei Wuxian pointed at the viridian tree outside. “A living tree tainted with energy and causing mischief would be a ‘yao’. If I cut it down and it becomes conscious, it’d be a ‘monster.’”

“What was the profession of the progenitor of the QingheNie Sect?”

“A butcher.”

“The heraldry of the LanlingJin Sect is a white peony. Which type?”

“Sparks Amidst Snow.”

“Who first prioritized clan over sect?”

“The QishanWen progenitor, Wen Mao.”

Though his answers impressed, Lan Qiren continued, “As a Jiang disciple, you should already know this. There is nothing to be proud of. Let me ask again—there is an executioner with a family. He executed over one hundred people. After death, his body lay in public for seven days. He began to haunt and kill. What should be done?”

Wei Wuxian didn’t answer right away.

Lan Qiren scolded, “Why are you looking at him? Think as well. Don’t open your books!”

The disciples obeyed. No one had an answer. After a moment, Lan Qiren turned. “Wangji, tell him what should be done.”

“Deliverance. Suppression. Elimination.”

These are the three orthodox cultivation methods for handling resentful energy.

Wei Wuxian, not wanting to back down, challenged the system:

“Spiritual energy is energy. Resentful energy is energy too. If spiritual energy can be used, why can’t resentful energy be used as well?”

This shocked the class. It was a radical, heretical idea.

Lan Qiren was outraged. “If you really think that way, then the cultivation world would not allow your existence!”

He threw a book at Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian dodged casually.

“Get out!” Lan Qiren roared.

Wei Wuxian prepared to leave when Shen Lian’s voice rang out in thought:

"Hehe, Lan Qiren is right. The world really didn’t tolerate you. That’s why in the future, you’re killed by the entire cultivation world—with only Lan Wangji by your side."

The students who could hear him were stunned.

But Shen Lian continued, this time aloud, “Lan Xiansheng, I mean no disrespect, but may I ask—why is this lecture happening?”

“To learn, of course,” Lan Qiren replied, voice tight.

“Right. Then… Wei Wuxian gave a correct answer. The method might be wrong, but instead of explaining why it is wrong, you sent him out. Wei Wuxian is young and curious. He’ll experiment. He becomes the best talisman master and inventor in the future.”

He bowed his head respectfully and went on, “If he dares to test resentful energy, would it not be because he was never taught what truly made it dangerous? He’s right—resentful energy is still energy. Sending him out doesn’t prevent misuse. In fact, it might encourage it.”

Then, softer: “I hope Lan Xiansheng is not letting his grudge against a dead person interfere with his judgment of Wei Wuxian.”

The implication hung in the air: Madam Cangse Sanren, Wei Wuxian’s mother.

Shen Lian raised his head, waiting for Lan Qiren’s reply.

Chapter Text

The silence in the room stretched, the tension climbing.

Lan Qiren tried to center himself, willing down the urge to lash out in anger. “Shen Ziruo, was it? Why do you think I am holding a grudge against Wei Wuxian? Obviously, he did something wrong, and I am punishing him. Besides, the fact that he is leaving the class just because I said so shows he does not respect his elders.”

“Really? But Lan Xiansheng, should he have stayed when you told him to leave? Would that not mean he was disobeying you? This statement shows you're giving a contradictory command. I think that’s against the rules. In this situation, Wei Wuxian becomes the villain whether he stays or not.”

Shen Lian’s tone was calm but firm. “Also putting aside the comment about the resentful energy, he answered questions that many in this class likely could not. It's impressive. Why did you say it was not? Isn't putting someone down also against the Lan clan rules?”

At this point, even Lan Wangji looked at Shen Lian in shock. The entire class had turned to stare. Shen Lian continued, “Lan Xiansheng, I truly hope everything you’ve done has been from an unbiased mind. You are supposed to lead by example.”

Lan Qiren was stunned. It was the first time anyone had challenged him like this. But reacting harshly now would only reflect badly on his reputation.

“If Lan Xiansheng cannot answer, then I have a question on the topic of resentful energy.” Shen Lian raised his voice just enough to carry across the room. “If a man cultivating resentful energy tries to save a group of people, while on the other hand, there is a prestigious leader of another sect cultivating the ‘orthodox’ path but committing uncountable evils—who should be destroyed first?”

'Of course, it would be the man using resentful energy. After all, how could he possibly be doing good? In the eyes of the cultivation world, it must be evil. The world watched Jin Guangshan commit unspeakable acts and still made him Chief Cultivator, while trying to kill Wei Wuxian—who only wanted to protect fifty-something Wen survivors, most of whom were elderly. Only Wen Ning, Wen Qing, and A-Yuan were young.'

Wen Qing and Wen Ning both stiffened. Hearing their names in that thought—they immediately realized Shen Lian must be the one thinking it. If this really was a glimpse of the future, it made sense why Wen Qing would give her life for Wei Wuxian. 'When he was protecting us but does this mean that the war really happened and the wen clan lost...'she thought.

Wei Wuxian stood frozen, unsure whether to laugh hysterically or cry. Not only had his death been predicted several times—he finally dabbled in demonic cultivation. No wonder the world didn’t let him live. But if Shen Lian said he was doing the right thing... what exactly was right? What was wrong?

How could he get the full story? He needed to know exactly what happened and how to fix it.

'The world never asked why Wei Wuxian began demonic cultivation. They spread rumors instead. No one asked whether it was a choice. They praised him during the war, hated him afterward. Even Lan Wangji—his soulmate—only tried to get him to stop. They argued every time they met, growing further apart.'

'But Wei Wuxian was wrong. Lan Wangji just wanted to protect him, but didn’t know how to say it. The words “Wei Ying, come back to Gusu with me” had become a trigger for a fight.'
Lan wangji cannot help but be amazed at him growing so close to wei wuxain

'Sigh, I really didn’t want to speak, but this Lan Qiren is annoying me and I couldn’t stand for it,'Shen Lian thought. Answer my question, won’t you, Lan Xiansheng? It’s obvious you can’t. If you say the orthodox leader should be destroyed, then you’re supporting someone who uses vile methods. If you say the demonic cultivator , then you support evil masked by tradition. There’s no way to answer without getting hurt.'

'Lan Xiansheng, you brought this on yourself. Your hypocrisy—lying to yourself—will hurt you in the end. You believed the rumors about Wei Wuxian even though it was against the rules. You never sat him down to ask why or how it happened. You took your bias against a child and nurtured it into blindness toward his accomplishments.'

'so, when Lan Wangji asked, “What is white and what is black?” while receiving disciple’s whips for trying to save Wei Wuxian—the reason why you got even angrier,it was because there was no way you could answer.Because you did not see the truth only rumors "

Lan Qiren’s face turned white at the mention of the discipline whips. Lan Xichen trembled slightly. Lan Wangji clenched his robes tightly, shaken.

Wei Wuxian, stunned, couldn’t believe someone would brave so much for him. 'No wonder I called him my soulmate. '

Lan Wangji’s eyes met Wei Wuxian’s. Something passed between them—an unspoken, unreadable moment.

'Lan Wangji had not listened to the rumors. He had seen the Wen survivors—elderly, peaceful—and questioned the clan rules. But it wasn’t until Wei Wuxian’s death that he broke free from those chains.

'Lan Qiren had raised his nephews in hypocrisy, and that’s why Lan Wangji hadn’t acted until Wei Wuxian’s death was certain—torn between rules and personal morality.'

'Lan Xichen continued supporting Meng Yao because he had learned to turn a blind eye. But how can you justify Meng Yao wiping out an entire sect over alleged claims that they killed his son? There was no proof—and even the children were killed. Yet Meng Yao was the one who received comfort and defense. The cultivation world really is terrible.'

Lan Qiren sighed quietly. “Wei Wuxian, come sit. Shen Lian, we will discuss this later. Let’s not waste more of the class’s time.”

“Yes, Lan Xiansheng,” Wei Wuxian and Shen Lian both replied.

'Of course. That’s basically admitting Shen Lian was right, but without doing so publicly. The Lan really are the most hypocritical—reputation above everything.'

After class ended, before Wei Wuxian could leave, he was intercepted by Jiang Cheng.

“Wei Wuxian, I thought you said you would behave! What was that about resentful energy? Would it kill you not to draw attention to yourself?”

Students moving past paused, murmuring at the tension.

“Jiang Cheng, not now,” Wei Wuxian said, not in the mood.

That only made Jiang Cheng angrier. “How dare you! You’re just the son of a servant. Just because Father favors you, you think you can do whatever you want?”

Immediately, Jiang Cheng regretted his words—but it was too late.

Wei Wuxian went pale.

Jiang Yanli’s face turned ashen. She couldn’t believe Jiang Cheng had said that—especially with what they’d just learned about Jiang Fengmian’s plans.

Shen Lian was about to speak, but Lan Xichen stepped forward first.

“Young Master Jiang, please watch your words. Your head disciple only asked a question. I see no shame in that.”

Lan Wangji nodded. For the first time, he wished he could speak like his brother. He wanted to protect Wei Wuxian too—though he didn’t understand why. Shen Ziruo’s thoughts hadn’t fully revealed the nature of their bond.

'Jiang Cheng… Your jealousy is unmatched. It leads to catastrophe in every form. That’s why, in the future, when Wei Wuxian says, ‘I’m leaving the Jiang Sect,’ you twist it to ‘he abandoned us and declared himself the enemy of the cultivation world’ and mark him as the cultivation world’s enemy.'

'Instead of acknowledging your sister died to protect him, you play a role in his death—the Wen remnants—and nearly kill the child he loved as a son. You’re a great brother, really.'

“Ah-Cheng…” Jiang Yanli whispered, shocked.

Jiang Cheng’s face turned ghost-white.

The Nie, Lan, and Wen disciples stood frozen.

Wei Wuxian gasped. His breath caught as though something clawed inside his chest. He fell to his knees, gripping his robes, unable to breathe.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian fell to his knees as his breath caught in his throat. Gasping, his chest tightened painfully. He clutched his robes, mouth open as if trying to catch more air. Shen Lian's face changed instantly. Wei Wuxian was having a panic attack.

Jiang Yanli rushed forward, worry clear in her eyes—but Wei Wuxian flinched violently, shrinking away as though she were a threat. Shen Lian’s eyes widened. Of course—the color purple. Right now, Wei Wuxian didn't recognize anyone. Deep purple like Madam Yu’s robes only made him feel more unsafe.

Shen Lian turned sharply to Lan Qiren.<br " Lan xiansheng, please make everyone leave. Now.”

The tone held such urgency that no one thought to question him—not even Lan Qiren. The other disciples began to clear out, guided by Lan Qiren himself. Jiang Cheng hesitated, but Shen Lian blocked him with a firm arm.

"Don’t come close. Not with your clothes," Shen Lian said, his voice low but firm. “He’s in a vulnerable state, and anything that reminds him of... her... won’t help.”

As Jiang Yanli stepped back, a memory surged.

--

Wei Wuxian knelt at the ancestral hall. The air was thick, his knees bruised from the cold stone floor. Suddenly, the door slammed open.

“Disgrace!” Madam Yu's voice rang out like a whip.

Zidian lashed through the air. Wei Wuxian had no time to dodge. The electricity surged through him, pain ripping through his body. He didn’t even scream.

“You useless boy! You shame the Jiang sect with your every breath!”

He tried to lift his head, tried to speak—but Zidian struck again.

---

Back in the present, Wei Wuxian shrank into a corner, eyes wild, body trembling violently. The panic gripped him harder.

Shen Lian approached carefully, shedding his outer white robe, concerned the cloud pattern might trigger another fear. “Wei Wuxian,” he started, then paused. That name held weight, especially when said fully, it was a courtesy name and it only evoked feeling of pressure and responsibilities. 

A-Ying,he called softly instead.

Kneeling in front of him, Shen Lian stretched out his hands slowly. “A-Ying, it’s okay. I need you to breathe, alright?”

He began exaggerating his own breathing.

“In through the nose… out through the mouth. I’m right here. You’re safe. You’re a good boy, A-Ying. Just breathe.”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes flickered in confusion, but he slowly mirrored the sounds. His breathing steadied—ragged, but no longer choking.

“A-Ying, can you tell me where you are?”

“...Cloud Recesses,” came the soft, dazed reply.

“Good. Can you tell me who I am?”

“Shen Ziruo.”

“And you?”

“I’m Wei Ying.”

“Good. Can I touch you?”

Wei Wuxian gave a hesitant nod.

Shen Lian gently pulled him into a hug, patting his back softly. “It’s okay. You’re fine. You’re safe.”

“...Warm,” Wei Wuxian murmured, before collapsing in a faint.

---

Wen Qing, who had remained behind, rushed forward immediately to check his pulse. “His pulse is erratic—but he’ll be fine.”

The room collectively exhaled.

Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji, Nie Huaisang, and Wen Ning all stood in stunned silence.

“How did you know what was wrong?” Wen Qing asked, blinking at Shen Lian.

Shen Lian looked at her. “I mean… it was obvious. He was having a panic attack.”

Wen Qing frowned. “A what?”

“Well, I’m not a medical student, so I don’t know the full terms,” Shen Lian admitted. “But there’s a whole branch of medicine where I come from that studies the brain. Sometimes, the brain gets overloaded, or... sick. For Wei Wuxian, he was probably under too much stress. His brain couldn’t handle the rush of emotion or trauma, and it sent panic signals to protect him by shutting things down. That’s what you just saw.”

The explanation stunned Wen Qing into silence. No one in the cultivation world paid attention to 'mental health', only physical injuries.

Lan Wangji stepped forward silently. Without a word, he picked Wei Wuxian up, ignoring Jiang Cheng’s outstretched hand. He carried him himself.

For someone who hated being touched, Lan Wangji did not flinch once with Wei Wuxian in his arms.

Shen Lian’s words about Jiang Cheng and the future weighed heavily in his mind. How could you treat someone you called your brother like that?He couldn't imagine speaking that way to Lan Xichen, ever. He wasn’t jealous of his brother, only proud.

Lan Wangji didn’t know what this strange bond with Wei Wuxian was. But from what he’d seen—what he’d heard—he knew this:

He wanted to protect him.

No matter what.

---

Nie Huaisang walked slowly through the forest behind the Cloud Recesses. Yesterday’s revelations still rang in his head.

He had written a letter to his brother, telling him to keep an eye on Meng Yao, but hadn’t sent it yet. The thoughts Shen Lian had accidentally revealed gave him even more disturbing insight. Although Shen Lian said nothing directly about the Nie Sect, if there really was a war, then Wei Wuxian would save them—and they would abandon him in return, leading to his death.

The scenario didn’t surprise Nie Huaisang.

If Wei Wuxian had left the Jiang family by then, he was likely alone, vulnerable, and surrounded by people who saw him as nothing more than a tool. And then what?

Nie Huaisang sighed. I need to get the full picture from Shen Lian.

Just then, a disciple appeared.

“Nie Gongzi. Lan Xiansheng requests your presence.”

At the same time, that same summons was being delivered to all those who had heard Shen Lian’s thoughts—except the Jiang siblings.
---
Lan Qiren paced back and forth inside the Hanshi hall, fingers clasped behind his back, his expression unreadable. The Lan siblings, Nie Huaisang, and the Wen siblings entered silently, the air between them taut with unspoken questions. Lan Qiren had debated before allowing the Wen siblings to join—he still wasn't entirely certain about trusting them—but he’d ultimately decided that they, like the others, had clearly heard Shen Lian’s thoughts and were necessary for this meeting. The Jiang siblings were not called; the rift caused by Jiang Cheng’s outburst and Wei Wuxian’s episode was still too fresh.

Before Lan Qiren could speak, he paused and said, “Before we begin, I want to ask—why is the Wen clan attending this year’s lectures?”

Wen Qing stood immediately. “This is something I want to explain only when Shen Lian is present, so he can verify my words.”

Lan Qiren gave a curt nod. “Very well. I accept that. For now.”

He inhaled slowly and then addressed the rest. “I'm sure you all know why you are here. We can all hear a certain voice that seems to belong to one person. But first—Lan Wangji, how is Wei Wuxian?”

“Fine. He will wake soon,” Lan Wangji replied, tone clipped but composed.

“Hm,” Lan Qiren muttered, stroking his goatee thoughtfully. “Wen Diafu, what did Shen Lian say to you after Wei Wuxian’s… episode?”

“He told me Wei Wuxian’s brain had been overstimulated,” Wen Qing answered, her brow furrowed. “That there’s a whole branch of medicine dedicated to such things… but when he mentioned where it was studied, it was like… blurred out. As if that part of the word doesn’t exist here.”

“That’s another anomaly with Shen Ziruo,” Lan Qiren said, his voice low. “I’m sure you all know who he is—or at least suspect. Except the Jiang siblings, who appear to have only heard fragments. Especially in class. But when it pertains directly to them, like with the Jiang Wanyin incident, they can hear it clearly.”

He looked around the room, his gaze sharp. “Above all, we need to find a way to make Shen Lian tell us what he knows—without revealing that we can hear his thoughts. I have a feeling something terrible will happen if he learns this truth.”

The rest nodded in agreement.

“So what ways can we gather this information without asking directly?” Lan Xichen asked.

“Opinion,” Lan Wangji said simply.

A slow smile bloomed across Lan Xichen’s face. The others looked confused.

“Opinion?” Wen Qing echoed.

“My brother meant we should ask for Shen Lian’s opinion on various matters—sects, events, ideologies,” Lan Xichen clarified. “And we can learn more from what he thinks.”

“Hmm… good idea, Wangji,” Lan Qiren praised with a rare approving nod.

Chapter Text

A few hours after the confrontation in the hall, the golden hue of the afternoon sun spills into the healing pavilion. The room is quiet, sparsely decorated, and filled with the lingering scent of herbs. Wei Wuxian lies unconscious on the inpatient bed, his face unusually pale.

Shen Lian sits beside him, held hostage by none other than Wen Qing, who is currently grilling him for information on mental health.

"Wen-gu-niang, I really don't know that much about this," Shen Lian admits, voice low and hesitant. He fiddles with the hem of his sleeve. "I'm not a doctor. Honestly, it would've been really helpful if a medical professional had transmigrated instead of me..."

Wen Qing gives him a hard look. "Even the little you know might help me start a new form of treatment. You'd want to help others too, wouldn't you?"

"...Fine," Shen Lian sighs. "But I'm only telling you what I remember. Mental illnesses vary a lot, and even though some symptoms overlap, they're all different. There's schizophrenia, bipolar disorder—"

"Wait," Wen Qing interrupts, pulling out a brush and paper. "I need you to write down the characters for these terms."

Shen Lian freezes. Oh, right. They don't have those words yet.

Suddenly, his face lights up. "Actually, I have a better idea. Why don't I write down everything I know? That way, you can read through it, and I might remember more while I'm writing."

Wen Qing gives a rare, approving smile and nods.

They're interrupted by the arrival of the Jiang siblings. Shen Lian's expression hardens immediately.

At that moment, the Lan doctor assigned to Wei Wuxian walks in.

"Lan-daifu, I must insist the Jiang siblings leave," Shen Lian says evenly.

Lan Xin's expression tightens. "And why would this junior disciple say that?"

Jiang Yanli's eyes widen in shock, nearly spilling the lotus root soup she's brought. Jiang Cheng is already fuming.

"I'm sure Lan-daifu knows I was the one who helped Wei-gongzi. And right now, I might be a little more... relevant in this particular field than you," Shen Lian adds with a polite smile.

Lan Xin bristles. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"No offense, but their presence might worsen Wei-gongzi's condition when he wakes up."

Before the situation escalates further, Wen Qing quickly rises and requests a private word with the Lan doctors, leaving Shen Lian alone with the Jiang siblings.

Jiang Cheng steps forward, his voice sharp. "Who do you think you are, trying to keep us from seeing my brother and making A-Jie upset?!"

Shen Lian tilts his head, listening.

"Really? Is he your brother, your sect disciple, or your servant?" he finally replies, voice calm but cutting. "Jiang-gongzi keeps switching titles whenever it suits him. It's confusing for the rest of us. Who is Wei-gongzi to you, exactly?"

Jiang Cheng turns purple with rage, his hand tightening around his sword. Jiang Yanli watches anxiously.

"Your presence isn't good for Wei-gongzi right now," Shen Lian continues. "When the time is right, you'll see him. If you care, you should understand that."

Jiang Yanli lets out a choked sob, clearly hurt. But Jiang Cheng surges forward, hand raised to strike Shen Lian with a sneer on his lips.

He's intercepted by Lan Wangji, who appears alongside Lan Xichen.

"Assaulting a fellow disciple and using slurs—you'll copy the Code of Conduct and Sect Rules three times," Lan Wangji says coolly.

"Let go of me, Ice-Face!" Jiang Cheng snaps. "Who does this shitface think he's talking to?!"

Jiang Yanli gasps and covers her mouth. Lan Xichen's usual smile vanishes, and Lan Wangji remains as still and unreadable as ever.

"...Four times," Lan Wangji corrects.

"A-Cheng, enough!" Jiang Yanli says, trying to prevent her brother from digging a deeper hole. "I'm sorry, Lan-er-gongzi, Zewu-jun. A-Cheng didn't mean it—it's just that Shen-gongzi was trying to stop us from seeing my brother."

Shen Lian snorts. "We're not Wei Wuxian. 'A-Cheng didn't mean it' and a bowl of lotus soup doesn't make everything okay."

Turning to her, he adds, "Jiang-guniang, I said you couldn't see him because you may have contributed to the very attack that put him here. He needs rest. When he wakes up—which could be any moment now—the last thing he should see is someone who helped push him into this state."

"It's not like I'm sending you away for no reason. It's for the wellbeing of the person you say you care about. So why are you acting like I'm the one victimizing you, making a scene while your brother lies unconscious a few feet away?"

At that moment, Wen Qing and Lan Xin return.

"Shen-gongzi is right," Wen Qing says firmly. "Please, Jiang-guniang, Jiang-gongzi—leave for now. We'll call for you when it's time."

Shocked and angry, Jiang Cheng turns and storms out. Jiang Yanli follows, leaving the untouched soup behind.

Lan Xin bows slightly. "Shen-gongzi, I would like to apologize. Wen-guniang has explained the situation."

"No problem," Shen Lian replies with a faint smile. "It's all for Wei-gongzi's health, after all."

Shen Lian watches as Wei Wuxian's eyelids flutter before opening to reveal silver orbs.
"Ok wow, those eyes are beautiful," was Shen Lian's first thought before he even moved into motion.

All the people in the room choke on their breath at that information—except Lan Xin, who cannot hear his thoughts.

"Wei Wuxian, you're awake," Shen Lian says with a soft smile.

"Hm?" Wei Wuxian groans as he slowly adjusts himself to reality. Seeing the people in the room, something shifts inside of him and he smiles. Maybe it's the room's warmth. Maybe it's the fact that this is the first time he's had this many people genuinely worrying about him. Or maybe it's the fact that he feels real warmth—for the first time in a very long time.

His eyes sting at the thought. He remembers how he always woke up alone in the infirmary at Lotus Pier. Jiang Yanli couldn't stay with him, not without risking her reputation, and the rest didn't care enough to.

"Shen Lian—why are his eyes red?" Wen Qing asks anxiously.

"How am I supposed to know?" Shen Lian replies, panicking.

Even the Lan brothers start panicking internally when a tear drops from Wei Wuxian's eyes. He lets out a watery smile.
"I'm just... too happy," he says, giving the room a real, genuine smile.

"Ok, I think I just ascended," Shen Lian mutters.

"Me too," Nie Huaisang replies, everyone else nodding along.
"That smile is too bright. I'm not sure Wei-xiong isn't some kind of deity of radiant joy."

"He looks so beautiful. Hehe."

"I agree," Shen Lian adds.

The room goes silent. Then Shen Lian suddenly lets out a loud scream that startles everyone.

"How did you get here?!" he yells at Nie Huaisang.

The people in the room return to their senses, all nodding along with him.

"When the hell did Nie Huaisang arrive?"

The room erupts into chatter—except for Lan Wangji, who hasn't taken his eyes off the now-blushing Wei Wuxian, who looks like a ripe tomato. Not that Lan Wangji realizes his own ears are just as red.

Chapter Text

The next day dawned with all the usual soft chaos of Cloud Recesses — quiet footfalls, rustling robes, the smell of early tea. But over at the guest wing, things were... less silent.

Students trudged into the lecture hall in clusters, chatting away. Wei Wuxian, Shen Lian, and Nie Huaisang came along with them, complaining loudly about how bland the breakfast was.

"Oh please," Nie Huaisang scoffed, waving a fan he definitely didn’t need. "Wei-xiong, Jiang-guniang brought you lotus rib soup yesterday. So don’t start. At least your tastebuds were blessed."

Wei Wuxian groaned. "I didn’t even eat it. Both Lan-diafu and Shen-di here said it wasn’t recommended for recovery—"

He was cut off by a sharp tug.

Jiang Cheng had grabbed the back of his collar, seething. “How dare you not eat the food A-Jie made for you? You’re awake, and you didn’t even tell us? What, the great Wei Wuxian is too proud now? You’d rather hang out with the asshole who made my sister cry and that weakling?”

The class went dead silent.

Shen Lian and Nie Huaisang were already moving to intervene, but Wei Wuxian raised a hand.

He slowly pulled his clothes free from Jiang Cheng’s grip and turned to face him.

“First of all,” Wei Wuxian said calmly, “Shijie knows I like spicy food. That soup was too spicy for me while recovering. The kitchen was going to reheat it for today, so relax.”

“Second, I decide who I want to see. Your behavior just now? That’s exactly why I didn’t call you over yesterday.”

“Third...” He looked Jiang Cheng dead in the eyes. “You don’t talk to my friends like that. Respect yourself. You’re the heir to the Jiang Sect, but you’ve thrown two tantrums in just three days. Jiang Gongzi — watch your manners so you don’t embarrass your sect.”

Gasps rippled through the room.

Wei Wuxian turned, only to catch sight of Jiang Yanli. She looked on the verge of tears.

The Wei Wuxian of before would’ve stopped. Would’ve apologized. Even if he wasn’t wrong. Just to stop her from crying.

But this Wei Wuxian?

He wanted to know what it felt like to live for himself.

He bowed slightly. “Shijie, thank you for yesterday,” he said gently, then walked away.

He slid into his seat between Shen Lian and Nie Huaisang. Both shifted closer without saying anything.

When Lan Qiren entered, the students scrambled to sit. The lectures began.

But the silence in the room was brittle.

And soon, the words spoken today would echo through the cultivation world.
---

The class ends without interruption, marking the first truly normal day so far. But just as the students prepare to leave, Lan Qiren’s voice cuts through the calm.

“Shen Gongzi, Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji—please stay behind.”

Surprised, Shen Lian shares a stunned glance with his sect members as they pack up and exit. As the named students remain seated, Lan Qiren stands, handing out a new batch of papers.

“Wait. Jin Gongzi, please return.”

Jin Zixuan pauses mid-step, blinking in confusion as he’s handed a paper too. The rest of the students, sensing an incoming trial or test, nearly stampede out of the room, desperate not to be called next. The doors close behind them, leaving only a handful behind.

“There’s something I want to know,” Lan Qiren says. “Your opinions will help me with something am working on. Be honest in your writings.”

He raises his brush. “First question: What is your opinion of the Lan sect?”

Everyone holds their breath.

Jin Zixuan, not aware of the weight of the moment, simply starts writing.

Shen Lian leans back and smiles to himself.
Hehe… if I really dare to write my most honest opinion, I’ll definitely be expelled. But the things I write don’t have to be what I think, right? Let’s go.

His voice echoes not aloud, but in thought—yet loud enough to draw startled glances.

Jin Zixuan pauses mid-stroke, brows furrowed.
Who… said that?

But everyone else is already writing, even Lan Xiansheng. So he brushes it off and continues.

Then Shen Lian’s thoughts become sharper, clearer, and somehow audible to every person in the room:

'First, the Gusu Lan Sect—one of the five great sects in the cultivation world—is a breeding ground for hypocrites.'

Nie Huaisang suddenly coughs, hiding his smile behind his fan.
Wei Wuxian’s smile spreads in slow surprise, but he keeps his eyes down, intrigued.

'They have the largest library, filled with knowledge no other sect has access to, yet they are still backward. They should be the most progressive, the most refined in cultivation theory. But instead, they teach their students not to think, not to question. They put their minds in a box—and then lock the lid.'

At this, Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji exchange surprised looks but stay silent. Lan Qiren’s grip on his brush tightens, knuckles white—but he doesn’t speak. Instead, he begins to listen more closely as Shen Lian’s tone shifts:

'They could be better—should be better. They could become the scholars, the healers, the sages that the world looks up to. But instead, they enforce stagnation in the name of tradition.'

'Now, the elders—what exactly do they do besides hide their sins behind rules? Lan An was murdered, yes. But instead of asking why—why a woman so gentle and bright would kill someone—they erased her and locked away the truth. All to protect their so-called 'reputation.' So they hid her, shamed her, and forced her children to grow up with ghosts instead of answers.'

Lan Qiren’s hand stops moving entirely. His shoulders go tense.

'Lan Qiren didn’t even want to raise them. But he did, because he was forced to. And because of his pain, he raised them like disciples, not children. Discipline without comfort. Perfection without permission to be human.'

'Lan Wangji—'Shen Lian’s thought falters briefly.
'—he was just a child. Probably neurodivergent. He needed patience, softness. Instead, when his mother died, all he was told was ‘excessive grieving is forbidden.’ What kind of comfort is that?!'

Across the room, Lan Wangji’s eyes darken faintly. Lan Xichen clenches his fist, his jaw tight.

'is it any surprise that he learned to fear emotions? That he sees affection as weakness? He acts cold because no one ever gave him a safe space to feel anything at all. So when Wei Wuxian came around… someone vibrant, wild, and full of feeling… he didn't know how to handle it."'

Lan Qiren’s gaze slowly lifts to look at Shen Lian, unreadable.

'He shackled himself in rules until he almost drowned—until he learned that those rules were chains. And no one taught him how to swim.'

'And Lan Xichen...'Shen Lian exhales.
'He was raised so noble, so pure, so trusting… he couldn’t even see when he was being used. And in the end, he helped kill his best friend—and believed the liesof a snake that led to wei wuxian dying, He felt pity for the culprit.

'Ugh.'Shen Lian’s tone tightens.
'And don’t get me started on the resentful energy hypocrisy.'

Wei Wuxian frowns slightly, Shen Lian’s eyes widen in realization.

'Wait… resentful energy… Gusu… Damn. The Waterborne Abyss! How could I forget?!'

Wei Wuxian blinks, surprised.
That’s not about me?

'The Waterborne Abyss literally swallows up a lot of people before the Lan sect is even called in. That was where Wei Wuxian first came into contact with resentful energy. And later, they find out it was the Wen sect that sent it to the Lan sect after being unable to get rid of it.

Sigh. I don’t know exactly when it will be sent, only that it is discovered when Lan Qiren goes for the Cultivation Conference.'

The room is silent, stunned.

The Lan siblings begin quietly discussing among themselves, already making mental plans to counter it, hoping they can prevent the deaths that would otherwise happen.

Lan Qiren is about to call an end to the session when—

“The Nie sect!” Nie Huaisang blurts out suddenly.

The class looks at him in surprise.

“Lan Xiansheng… Let’s write about the Nie sect too.”

Knowing Nie Huaisang was likely impatient about his brother’s death, Lan Qiren sighs but gives permission.

“Wow, Nie-xiong, I’m not even done with the Lan sect and you bring up the Nie sect? Alright, let’s continue.”

'Qinhen Nie sect, one of the five great sects… If there was a worse word for hypocrites, they should be given it.

This is a sect that uses a version of demonic cultivation that basically guarantees death at a young age—and yet, they decide to keep on doing it. They bury their sabers with dead bodies filled with high resentment, to fight poison with poison… and yet they dare to say Wei Wuxian’s cultivation is heretic. I can’t even laugh.

Nie Mingjue is known for his righteousness, but he doesn’t mind the sickly and elderly Wen dying from the blade of the cultivation world just because he hates the Wens—who might or might not have been involved in his father’s death. You tell me, just because Wen Ruohan touched the saber, he should be blamed? But what if the blade just reacted to the stronger resentment in Wen Ruohan’s body, not because he tampered with it, but because he carried yin energy?

Not that the man is a saint. He probably did tamper with it. But why would he kill a sect leader already unstable from cultivation that was already killing him? Wen Ruohan was probably intrigued by the fact that the Nie sect was cultivating resentful energy while still being one of the Great Sects.

Even if he killed the Nie sect leader, why did the Nie sect decide all Wens must die—even the babies? Don’t get me started on the fact that Nie Mingjue only started a campaign against Wen Ruohan when he had no choice. He let smaller sects be eliminated and turned a blind eye. His hatred didn’t stop him from dining and winning with Wen Ruohan and paying him respect—but the revenge? That was taken out on the innocent and helpless.

Not saying Wei Wuxian didn’t kill more Wens than him—but at least he realized they had won the war. He was the only one who questioned why ordinary people were being imprisoned in a slave camp—which caused Wen Ning’s death.

Nie Mingjue’s justice is justice that benefits him and the ones he likes.

But I guess Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang are the same in that they would do anything to get revenge. Nie Mingjue put aside the death of innocent Wens. And Nie Huaisang? He put the juniors in danger. If Wei Wuxian hadn’t been resurrected, A-Yuan—who later becomes Lan Sizhui—Lan Jingyi, and the other Gusu juniors would have died.'

Chapter Text

"Enough," Lan Qiren interrupted, his voice sharp enough to cut air. It cracked through the room like a slap, silencing the remaining echoes of Shen Lian's thoughts.

Shen Lian blinked, surprised. His green eyes, wide with confusion, turned to the teacher as if unsure whether he had said something wrong—or if something else happened

The silence in the room clung tightly.

Lan Qiren's fingers flexed around the edge of his sleeve before he regained control. "It is late. Let us end the section here. Shen Ziruo, you may leave. The rest of you—stay."

No one protested.

Shen Lian packed up without hesitation, his posture unbothered, almost playful. He moved like someone weightless, unconcerned by what he'd just revealed or what it meant to those around him. As he reached the door, he paused just once, looking over his shoulder—but no one met his eyes.

Then he was gone.

And the room exhaled.

Nie Huaisang felt like something had been physically ripped out of him. He stared down at his hands, the tremble barely visible but very much present. His mind—the one that was always calculating, always sidestepping traps and political minefields—felt... blank.

For the first time, he could not plan.

He could not even think.

He had always known their cultivation path was different. Of course he did. The Nie sect didn't have elders. Every time someone asked about them, the answer was a tight-lipped "they passed," or "they retired." But deep down, everyone knew what that meant.

They'd been consumed.

The Saber Spirit cultivation devoured its users from within.

They all knew. They just... chose not to say it out loud.

But Shen Lian—he had dragged it out. Pinned it up like a bloody painting on a bright wall. You couldn't ignore it anymore. You couldn't explain it away.

And suddenly, Huaisang saw his brother's actions in a new light.

Maybe that was why Nie Mingjue let him remain so "useless." Why he never truly pushed him, never demanded mastery of the saber. It wasn't a kindness born from indulgence.

It was protection.

A desperate act of love to keep him away from something that would eat him alive.

Nie Huaisang swallowed down the emotion clawing up his throat.

Because if he let himself look at this too deeply—if he started measuring their sect's practices through a moral lens—then he would lose the only person he ever trusted. He would lose the last piece of his foundation.

And Huaisang wasn't ready for that.

He never claimed to be a good person anyway.

Meanwhile, Jin Zixuan looked... off. Not alarmed, not upset—just out of place, like someone who'd walked into a play mid-scene and realized it wasn't fiction. His eyes darted between them, then down to the floor.

Then, suddenly, he said aloud, "They were coming from him."

Lan Qiren turned toward him, composed again but tight around the eyes. "Young Master Jin. You heard them too?"

Jin Zixuan hesitated, clearly weighing his answer. Then he gave a single slow nod. "...Yes. Everything."

That confirmed it.

Even someone who wasn't part of the original incident could hear Shen Lian's thoughts.

Even when the thoughts had nothing to do with them.

Wei Wuxian leaned forward, clearly bothered. "So... even if the person is not involved then they can hear too but why does it turn on and off for jiang cheng and shijie.

it seems to need permission Lan Qiren says  for example Jin gongzi waS hearing it brfore but when i told him to stay he could hear it all.

"that would make sense," Jin Zixuan said grimly. " and his thoughts ,It was constant. Like it was pouring out of him, like—"

"Like water breaching a dam," Wen Qing finished for him, arms folded.

The room went still.

That comparison hit a little too close to home.

Lan Qiren turned slightly, voice heavy. "Then this confirms what we feared. The boy's thoughts are not whispers. They are might be  revelations. And if we add anyone else to this... secret, they too will hear it all."

He looked at Jin Zixuan squarely. "You must swear to keep this to yourself."

Jin Zixuan straightened, expression serious now. "I swear on my name—and on the honour of the Jin sect—I will not speak of this to anyone."

There was a beat of relief, unspoken but shared.

Then Wei Wuxian frowned. "Then... what about the Waterborne Abyss? Shen Lian mentioned it. He didn't say much, but if it's that dangerous... we're not just going to ignore it, are we?"

That name immediately tensed the air again.

Lan Qiren turned toward the Wen siblings. "Do either of you know anything about it?"

Wen Qing shook her head. "No. We have no idea that qishan had a waterborne Abyss"

Another long pause.

Then Lan Qiren made a decision.

"We'll go to the Caiyi River. Tonight."

They left at dusk.

Lan Qiren, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Jin Zixuan, Nie Huaisang, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning. A full investigative party. Shen Lian was not told—they didn't want his presence influencing what they found.

By the time they reached the river, Caiyi town had been warned away. Cultivators from the Cloud Recesses had marked off the surrounding land with talismans and boundary seals, subtly encouraging civilians to remain indoors. Nie Huasiang stayed behind.

The moonlight rippled off the water like silver thread.

They stepped onto a boat and glided quietly across the surface of the river.

For a long moment, there was only the sound of paddles and the occasional flicker of qi.

Then Wei Wuxian frowned.

"...Did the boat just tilt?" he asked quietly.

Wei Wuxian's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he splashed Lan Wangji with river water.

Everyone looked at him, startled.lan wangji moved to his brother boat,lan qiren was about to berate wei wuxian

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. "sorry for splashing you Lan er gongzi,it just that your boat with only one person was submerged more than the boat that has both the wen siblings in it." the group accepted the explanation.

Lan Wangji drew his sword, calmly throwing  it into the water then retriving it.

A second later, the boat rocked violently.

Then came the wailing—thin, keening sounds bubbling from below the surface.

"They lured us to the middle !" Lan Xichen shouted.

The boats lurched.

"Desert!" Lan Qiren commanded.

They leapt—swords glowing as they launched into the air. Behind them, the boats buckled and cracked, drawn under by clawed hands and dark, writhing limbs.

Wei Wuxian hovered above, scanning the waters. "They're not just lingering spirits. This is... organized it really is a waterborne Abyss."

Then it happened.

A tendril of resentful energy whipped out like a serpent, coiling around his ankle.

"Wèi Yīng!" Lan Wangji snapped.

Wei Wuxian was yanked downward, his sword clattering midair. But before he could hit the water, a blinding blue glow sliced through the dark—Lan Wangji's guqin strike. A wave of force struck the abyss like a bell tolling.

Wei Wuxian tumbled back into the air, caught just before the surface.

The abyss pulsed beneath them, angry and deep.

They landed at the shore, gasping.

The full power of the Waterborne Abyss had revealed itself.

Lan Qiren muttered a long chant, his spiritual energy expanding outward like a net. With the aid of the others, they temporarily quieted the water. Not purified. Not sealed.

Only stilled.

But it was enough to confirm the truth.

Shen Lian had known this would happen.

And now no one could pretend his words were coincidence.

His thoughts—his unspoken truths—were not just speculation.

They were prophecy.

Lan Qiren looked out over the river, his voice low but certain. "This changes everything."

The following evening, the group gathered again, this time not for debate or teaching—but to write.

They recorded everything they remembered from Shen Lian's thoughts.

Every piece.

Every name.

Wei Wuxian's eventual death.

His cultivation of resentful energy after Wen Chao's capture.

The Wen siblings' sacrifices and deaths.

The disintegration of the Jiang sect's unity.

The rise of war.

Meng Yao's betrayal.

Lan Xichen being tricked.

Nie Mingjue's death.

Lan Wangji's whipping.

The Nie sect's cultivation degradation.

When they reached the last point, Nie Huaisang raised a hand.

"...Not yet it not something i can decide ," he said softly. "Let me speak to my brother first."

Lan Qiren nodded. "Then I will send for him. Nie Mingjue will come to the Cloud Recesses. He deserves to knw."

Outside, thunder rolled gently across the mountains.

Change had already begun.

And Shen Lian's thoughts—once considered an inconvenience—had become something else entirely.

A warning.

A weight.

A truth they could no longer ignore.

Chapter Text

The day dawned bright and early, with all the calmness expected of the Cloud Recesses. The sound of waterfalls echoed gently, accompanied by birdsong.

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen each received an unexpected letter from Lan Qiren. Both stunned in their own ways, they opened the letters.

"Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen,
I have written this letter to inform you that, as of last night, I have gone into seclusion.
Lan Xichen is to take over the classes, and Lan Wangji is to assist.
I know it is abrupt, but I need this. I will return in three days—when Nie Mingjue arrives.
All I can say is: I need time to reflect.
—Lan Qiren"

When the brothers met at the door to the classroom, they exchanged a commiserating glance before stepping in.

The students were surprised to learn that Lan Qiren would be absent for three days, but none dared question it. Only those who needed to know were informed that he was in seclusion.

The days passed peacefully—or as peacefully as they could with the predictions hanging over their heads, and the waterborne abyss threatening the trade routes and lives of the people of Gusu.

Jiang Wanyin, proud heir of the Jiang Sect, was angry, stubborn, and jealous. He expressed concern through rage and didn't know how to tell the people he loved that he was worried.

He could not form relationships with others. It had always been Wei Wuxian who bridged that gap—soothing others, making peace, and taking the brunt of Jiang Wanyin's fury.

But ever since that day, since they first heard that voice... Jiang Wanyin wasn't Wei Wuxian's priority anymore. For the first time, he even had to apologize to him.

Their relationship had always been shifting—sometimes brothers, sometimes master and servant, sometimes friends, but it had always worked. At least for Jiang Wanyin. Maybe not for Wei Wuxian.

Since coming to Cloud Recesses, Jiang Wanyin hadn't made a single friend. His disciples avoided him. His sister, always cheerful, had become moody and distant.

It was all because of Wei Wuxian.

He convinced himself: once Wei Wuxian came back, everything would go back to perfect. Wei Wuxian had promised to be his right-hand man. That meant he should accept everything Jiang Wanyin gave him.

In a quiet gazebo, Jiang Yanli gingerly placed a pot of lotus rib soup on the table as Jiang Cheng sat across from her, fuming.

Ever since that day, her family's relationship with Wei Wuxian had grown more strained. Jiang Cheng had only grown angrier. That wouldn't have happened if Wei Wuxian was still here.

To be honest... she was scared. For the first time in her life, she was afraid Jiang Wanyin might turn his anger on her.

She realized something painful: even though she loved Wei Wuxian, she had long made him the family's shield. He bore her mother's scolding, Jiang Cheng's anger, her father's expectations... and all she ever did was offer him a bowl of soup in return.

Not even an apology.

And he would smile at her like it was enough.

She had convinced herself that her small kindnesses were helping, but in truth... she never really fought for him. She watched him grow with a scarred back and dismissed his feelings, insisting that their mother cared when it was so far from the truth.

The Jiang family was not a good family.

That was why—when she saw an escape in marriage to Jin Zixuan—she clung to it. She told herself she loved him, even though he had been cruel and dismissive.

Because she needed the escape.

Her head hung low as she thought, Maybe it's not too late. Maybe I can make it better.

She lifted her eyes just in time to see Wei Wuxian approaching from the distancE

"Shijie, how are you?" Wei Wuxian asked as he entered the gazebo. "I can't believe Lan Xiansheng won't be around for two days! That means I'm free—no more scolding from the old man!"

He beamed, settling beside Jiang Yanli as she ladled soup into bowls. "And Lan Xichen's classes are way more fun and relaxed. I even caught Lan Wangji and Wen Qing talking after class. We talked about so many things—it was amazing!"

He spoke in rapid succession, bubbling with enthusiasm, going into detail about their conversation. Jiang Yanli listened with a small smile, gently placing the bowls before her brothers. As Wei Wuxian continued talking, Jiang Cheng picked up his spoon in silence, the tension building with each word.

Then—

"Shut up, will you?" Jiang Cheng snapped, slamming his spoon onto the table. "Will you just shut up for one minute?!"

Wei Wuxian blinked, startled, but Jiang Cheng didn't stop.

"Are those friends you made really so important now? You don't even think a jie making soup for you is special anymore just because you've made friends with people above your station?" he finished, his voice venomous and shaking.

Jiang Yanli froze, stunned by the sudden outburst. Her eyes darted between her brothers. In a more typical moment, Wei Wuxian would have laughed, clapped Jiang Cheng on the back, and said, "You're my best friend, no one can replace you." He would've grinned, started eating, and she would've reassured them both that Jiang Cheng didn't mean it.

But something had shifted.

This time, Wei Wuxian didn't smile.

He didn't even speak.

He was waiting.

Waiting for her.

Waiting for her to say something before he replied to Jiang Cheng's anger. Jiang Yanli understood then, clearly and painfully, what he needed from her. He needed her to stand up for him—not just smile and soothe, but speak. Defend him.

Tell Jiang Cheng to apologize.

That was all.

Just a simple apology.

It wasn't like Caiyi Town, where she had to say it in front of strangers to maintain appearances. This was private. No hierarchy to protect, no outsiders to impress. If anything, it was better for Jiang Cheng's pride to apologize here—only family would witness it.

But that made it worse.

Because if Jiang Cheng apologized here, it meant their family structure was changing. It meant Wei Wuxian had to be treated as an equal.

Why was it so hard?

She'd done it before, told Jiang Cheng to apologize publicly. Why not now?

Because... this time, it would affect her.

Jiang Cheng might turn his anger on her. Her mother's harsh voice echoed in her mind, scolding her for "catering to someone of low birth." She remembered how easily she'd dismissed Wei Wuxian's feelings in the past. How her kindness to him had always earned praise—"Such a noble girl, being so good to a servant's son." It had boosted her image.

But was it really kindness?

If it was, why wasn't she like that to everyone?

Why was it so easy to look away when others suffered, so long as no one else was watching?

Wei Wuxian being marked and whipped had become a daily, almost natural, routine in Lotus Pier. And she had watched.

A sharp laugh pulled her out of her thoughts.

Wei Wuxian stood up swiftly.

He turned and walked away.

Her mouth opened, his name caught on the tip of her tongue—but it never came out.

Jiang Cheng sat still, stunned

Wei Wuxian wandered unknowingly toward the gates of Cloud Recesses, laughing—though it felt like his heart was being torn apart.

Why was he laughing?

He was in pain. He should cry.

But the laughter kept spilling out, sharp and hollow.

Deep in thought, he didn't see Shen Lian until he bumped into him.

Shen Lian caught him by the shoulders instantly. His brows drew together.

"Wei-xiong?" he asked gently. "You don't look right."

Wei Wuxian slung an arm around Shen Lian's shoulder and forced a grin. "Do you want to come with me to Caiyi Town? I never got to drink the Emperor's Smile you got me last time. I want another one. Let's go get the latest brew."

Shen Lian frowned. "I don't think you should be drinking at your age, Wei-gongzi."

"Pshh. Nonsense," Wei Wuxian scoffed. "I've been drinking since I was thirteen! Besides, you gave me bottles of Emperor's Smile just a while ago."

Yes, Shen Lian thought. Because I wanted you to meet Lan Wangji... but you didn't drink it. And right now, I think you really shouldn't.

He said aloud, " But you didn't drink it. And now... you really shouldn't, not in this state."

The air shifted—quiet, still.

Wei Wuxian's smile slowly slipped away. His gaze dropped to the ground.

"...But it hurts," he whispered.

His hand clutched his chest, and when he looked up again, tears blurred his eyes.

"It hurts so much right here... and I can't breathe properly. And I can't cry, either. Isn't that funny? Why is it so funny?" he asked, laughing again—but this time it cracked in the middle, like something broken.

Without a word, Shen Lian stepped forward and gathered him into a hug.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Let it out."

A tear dropped onto his robe.

Wei Wuxian clung to him, falling apart silently in his arms—crying so sadly, but without a sound.

When Shen Lian looked up, his eyes met Lan Wangji's.

Lan Wangji stood frozen at a distance, having just finished sending the younger disciples to bed before curfew.

He saw everything—and yet, he couldn't move.

Shen Lian didn't call to him.

He knew: Wei Wuxian had always been someone who kept his emotions private. For him to fall apart in someone's arms... to trust anyone with that kind of vulnerability... was no small thing.

If Shen Lian called Lan Wangji over now, it would feel like a betrayal.

So he held Wei Wuxian close until the crying quieted.

Later, he took Wei Wuxian back to his room, where they had a quiet sleepover—no talking, no questioning. Just calm.

The next morning, Lan Wangji stood outside his brother's room and knocked.

When Lan Xichen opened the door and greeted him, Lan Wangji asked softly:

"Xiongshang... how do I help someone who is hurting?"

Chapter Text

The next two days of class were... strange, to say the least.

Lan Wangji spent the entire sessions glowering at Jiang Cheng, targeting him with so much precision that even the densest student could tell something was off.
Lan Xichen, the one person expected to put a stop to this, did nothing—because he found it absolutely hilarious. He watched with a faint, amused smile and a twinkle in his eye, deliberately turning a blind eye to his brother's uncharacteristic pettiness.

Wei Wuxian was utterly confused.
Shen Lian was amused.
Nie Huaisang just watched the show unfold like he was attending a drama performance.
And Jin Zixuan—the one person completely out of the loop—was so confused he might as well have been dropped into another timeline.

---

The day Nie Mingjue was scheduled to arrive, a private meeting was held in one of the Lan family's inner chambers.

Lan Qiren sat across the table in his usual stiff, upright posture. The tension in the room was sharp enough to cut air. No one spoke. Even Lan Xichen looked uncertain.
Then, without warning, Lan Qiren stood up—and what he did next made Lan Wangji almost believe his uncle had been possessed.

Lan Qiren bowed deeply.

When he rose, his voice rang out—calm, steady, and deeply sincere:

"I apologize.
For the faults I recognized too late, and the ones I still do not fully understand.
For imposing the rules on you—until you were jade statues instead of living humans.
For dismissing your emotions. For making you feel inadequate. For all of it... I am sorry."

He turned toward Lan Wangji directly.

"Especially to you, Wangji.
I should not have let my biases dictate your path. I hurt you. I hurt Wuxian. I condemned you both for echoing your parents... when I should have listened instead."

Both Lan brothers were stunned, unsure how to respond.

"Shufu..." Lan Xichen finally said quietly, barely above a whisper.

Lan Qiren sat again, his shoulders sagging—not with shame, but with the weight of reflection.

"Ever since Shen Lian's thoughts were revealed, I've been forced to reflect. And the more I did, the more I realized how much I've used the rules to hide.
I have judged harshly, condemned quickly.
I turned duty into a burden for both of you."

He looked at Wangji again.

"I know it won't be easy, but I want to try. I want to strive to become a better person—not just a better elder."
......
Nie Mingjue arrived at the entrance of the Jingshi with all the subtlety and demeanor of a tiger.
He moved with the authority of someone who knew exactly who he was—and didn't bother hiding it.
But the moment he stepped into the Hanshi, he paused.

His eyes widened at the sight:
Not just his brother Nie Huaisang, but Wei Wuxian, Jin Zixuan, the Lan brothers, and—shockingly—the Wen siblings were all gathered.

For a heartbeat, Nie Mingjue looked uncertain. The crowd was larger than expected, the air heavy with unspoken truths.
Lan Qiren gestured calmly to a seat, and the juniors bowed respectfully.

Lan Qiren broke the silence.

"I apologize for calling Nie-zongzhu on such short notice. I hope the journey was not too harsh."

Taking a sip of tea, Nie Mingjue replied bluntly:

"The journey was fine. But I'm curious—what made Lan-xiansheng summon me so urgently?"

He didn't want to waste time on pleasantries, and Lan Qiren respected that.

"A prophecy has been received," Lan Qiren said. "Before you voice your doubts—it has already been confirmed by several events that have come to pass."

Nie Huaisang gave his brother a small, firm nod.
Lan Qiren continued,

It was decided that Shen Lian's identity should remain confidential—known only to those present here.

Nie Mingjue's brows furrowed. His expression tightened.

"Then, Lan-xiansheng... what exactly are these prophecies?"

Lan Qiren opened his mouth to answer—but Wei Wuxian spoke up first.

"Forgive my impudence, Lan-xiansheng, Nie-zongzhu. But before we dive into prophecies... I think we need to address the issue concerning the Nie Sect.
It's something the oracle revealed, and it cannot be ignored."

Others in the room nodded. All except Nie Huaisang, who looked hesitant.

Nie Mingjue glanced between them.

"And what, exactly, did you find out about my sect?"

Wei Wuxian glanced toward Huaisang.

"I think it would be better if Nie-xiong explained it himself."

Nie Huaisang straightened. He looked pained but resolved as he explained everything—every secret, every implication, every danger.
By the time he was done, the room was silent.

Nie Mingjue's face was thunder.

"I don't understand what this has to do with the discussion at hand," he said tightly.

Lan Wangji, his voice calm and resolute, responded:

"Live righteously. Do not cause harm to others. Be clear in your intentions. Do not deceive.
These are the guiding principles of a righteous cultivator."

Nie Mingjue's jaw clenched.

"I hope Lan-er-gongzi understands that the rules of the Cloud Recesses do not extend to the Nie Sect."

"No," Wei Wuxian replied evenly. "These are not Lan rules. They are universal principles—the foundation of righteous cultivation."

Nie Mingjue's spiritual energy began to surge—dark, heavy, suffocating.
His saber at his waist trembled, reacting to his rage.

Wen Qing stood quickly, pulling her brother back behind her.

"His qi is unstable," she said sharply.

And she was right.
In a flash, Nie Mingjue was in front of her, his sheathed saber raised—threatening.

The room froze.

Wei Wuxian stood up instinctively to defend her—but that single movement marked him as a target.

Nie Mingjue's eyes snapped to him,blade pointed at wei wuxian neck.

In this moment, whoever moved became the next to face his wrath.

The tension spiked.

"Wangji. Xichen—play Clarity," Lan Qiren ordered, already joining them with swift, practice

The gentle notes of Clarity echoed through the Hanshi, resonating from the guqins of all three Lan members. The sound was calming, profound — ancient magic worked into melody. Its effects were immediate.

"Da-ge..." Nie Huaisang called softly, voice almost lost in the music. But it reached where it needed to. Like an anchor in the sea, it steadied Nie Mingjue, who blinked hard, his saber trembling in his grip.

Slowly, as if waking from a nightmare, Nie Mingjue withdrew the blade from Wei Wuxian's neck.

Nie Huaisang moved without being told, gently taking his brother's arm. He remembered, for just a breath, another time.

He had been a little boy, playing on the training field. His mother had rushed in, grabbing him so suddenly, so frantically. He didn't understand then — only that when he looked back, his father had stood there, disheveled and red-eyed, his face twisted with fury surrounded by senior disciples. It had scared him so much he never looked again.

Now, years later, that same fear sat in his chest. History is repeating, he thought. But this time, he would not just stand there.

"Da-ge," he said again, louder now, with steadiness. It broke through.

Lan Qiren's voice followed. "Nie Huaisang, escort your brother to the room we prepared."

Huaisang nodded, guiding Nie Mingjue's heavy steps away from the gathering.

When the doors closed behind them, Lan Qiren spoke gravely. "Shen Lian was right. This form of cultivation is dangerous. And now, it's being practiced by multiple children and teenagers."

Lan Xichen opened his mouth, intending to defend the Nie Sect's legacy — but Lan Wangji beat him to it.

"No excuses," Wangji said flatly. "People have died."

Silence fell.

Then Jin Zixuan added quietly, "Many more are joining the Nie Sect without knowing it shortens their lifespan. It's one thing to die fighting a fierce corpse. It's another to die because of the way you trained to survive."

"But the Nie Sect will not stop" Wen qing said, the conflict clear in her voice. "And no other sect will support the idea of forcing them. Their political and military power is too strong."

No one disagreed.

Wei Wuxian finally spoke. "Then... we find a way to fix it."

All heads turned toward him.

"If I can practice demonic cultivation in the future without losing myself, and Shen Lian knows how that was possible... then maybe he knows how to help the Nie Sect too. Maybe he saw something."

Wen Qing nodded. "We'll need to ask him soon."

Lan Qiren picked up the flow of thought smoothly. "Then Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian will speak to Shen Lian. Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen will continue research into the waterborne abyss. I will attend to Nie Mingjue."

As he moved toward the door, Wei Wuxian suddenly darted forward, catching a sleeve. "Ah! Wait, Lan Xiansheng—!"

He paused. He had grabbed Lan Xichen's sleeve by mistake.

"My bad!" Wei Wuxian grinned sheepishly and let go. "Can I join the abyss research too? I think I might be able to help."

Lan Qiren turned, blinking — startled, perhaps, by the earnest brightness in Wei Wuxian's eyes. For a moment, he looked almost cute.

"You may join," he said at last. "If the workload is not too much for you. After all you might just find something. Shen Ziruo did say you were a future inventor, after all."

Wei Wuxian lit up. "Really? Thank you!"

Lan Qiren flicked his sleeves and left, but not before Lan Xichen murmured teasingly, "Congratulations, Wei-gongzi. Uncle just praised you."

"Eh? When did he praise me?"

The others sighed.

"It's fine if you don't know," Wen Qing said dryly, tugging Wei Wuxian along.

"Come on, we'll find Shen Lian."

Wen Ning followed closely behind.

"His smile is really bright, isn't it?" Lan Xichen remarked quietly, watching Wei Wuxian bounce ahead like a sunbeam.

Lan Wangji glared at him like he'd committed a mortal offense.

Lan Xichen just smiled, and together the Lan brothers turned toward the library

Chapter Text

Nie Huaisang laid his brother gently on the bed, his mind clouded by what had happened.
Shen Lian had been right — Nie Mingjue had nearly suffered a qi deviation.

Now Huaisang couldn't ignore the truth anymore.
There had always been whispers in the sect about a secret place for cultivation at the back of the mountain. Sometimes disciples returned stronger. Most were declared dead.

If such a powerful cultivation resource really existed... shouldn't he have access to it?
In the past, Huaisang had dismissed these rumors as none of his concern. But now? His brother was the most important person in his life. He would not let anything happen to him.

A knock came at the door.
The Lan doctors entered once granted permission, examined Nie Mingjue, and gave strict instructions for his recovery before quietly leaving.

Hours later, Nie Mingjue stirred awake.

"Da-ge!" Huaisang cried, flinging himself into his brother's arms.

"I'm fine now. It's okay," Mingjue murmured, patting Huaisang gently on the back.

The next morning, Huaisang served him tea.

"So this is all it took for my brother to finally act responsible?" Mingjue teased with a faint smirk as he sipped.

"Da-ge, this isn't just anything — you almost had a qi deviation," Huaisang replied, and the mood instantly grew somber.

"Da-ge... maybe we can stop this. If we use the prophecy, we might find a way to remove the side effects from our sect's cultivation method. You're all I have. I can't lose you."

"Huaisang... I can't promise anything for certain. But I can promise I'll do whatever I can. I'll try my best to live."

"That's all I want," Huaisang said aloud — but in his mind, he added: No matter who you have to work with or what you have to do, you have to cooperate. After all, 'whatever it takes to survive' covers a lot.

Later that day...

"Where should we start with questioning about how to  represse the Nie Sect technique?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"I think we should approach Shen Lian indirectly," Wen Qing replied. "He doesn't know we can hear his thoughts."

"That's true... but where do we begin probing his thoughts? And how will we know if it's related?"

"I'll know. I have some ideas."

"You have ideas about demonic cultivation?" Wei Wuxian asked, surprised.

"Yes. It's going to come up eventually — Wen Ruohan is cultivating demonic energy. I'm his doctor, so I've been helping him suppress the side effects."

Wei Wuxian's eyes widened, remembering Shen Lian once saying Wen Ruohan could even see through the eyes of his puppets.

"If that's true, why would he let you come to Cloud Recesses? What if his condition flares up?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"He wants me to retrieve something from the back mountains. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's powerful and important. The others have also been sent to get theirs."

"If it's that important, it must be related to demonic cultivation. But why would something like that be in the Lan sect?" Wei Wuxian mused.

Wen Qing shrugged. "If we've learned anything from Shen Lian's thoughts, it's that the sects aren't as pure as they claim. But... we'll have to continue this tomorrow. The curfew bell's about to ring." She smiled faintly and left.

Wei Wuxian returned to his guest quarters — and was surprised to find Shen Lian there with a shy Wen Ning standing behind him.

"Wei-gongzi, welcome back," Shen Lian said. "How did your meeting go?"

"Oh, it was fine."

"Wei-xiong, I hope you don't mind, but I brought another guest for you today. Meet Wen Ning — Wen Qionglin. He says I can call him Wen Ning."

"Uh... can I call you Wen Ning too?" Wei Wuxian teased.

Wen Ning flushed and nodded shyly. "Y-yes, you can."

Oh my gosh, he's so cute, Shen Lian thought. How are he and Wen Qing even related? She's so fierce, and he's so soft. I really want to pinch his cheeks.

Wei Wuxian silently agreed — though his own mind added: I think Lan Zhan is cuter.
He froze. What the heck did I just think?!

"Shen-di, what should we do? The sleepover will be boring without any booze," Wei Wuxian complained.

Shen Lian patted his shoulder. "We don't need alcohol to have fun. Besides, do you think Wen QING will let you go if her brother gets drunk?"

"Yeah, you're right. So... what do we do?"

"Let's build a tent and tell ghost stories. Then we can play a game."

"Okay. Ghost stories first, then games."

Most of the ghost stories came from Shen Lian, and only he and Wen Ning ended up scared. Wei Wuxian, meanwhile, had the most fun jumping out and scaring them.

They kept playing games until almost midnight, before collapsing into a warm, tangled pile to sleep.
....
The next day went as well as it could, with all the students doing what they could to pay attention in class while Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian, and Shen Lian kept nodding off because they had slept late.

Wen Qing kept shooting glares at Wei Wuxian and Shen Lian, who smiled back sheepishly, while Wen Ning kept nodding off. The rest of the class pretended not to see them, and Lan Wangji even helped keep Wei Wuxian and Shen Lian awake by tapping them whenever Lan Qiren looked their way.

By the time class was finished, they were all ready to leave, but Lan Qiren made an announcement.

"Recently, we discovered a waterborne abyss in Caiyi Town. Thankfully, no one was hurt before the discovery, but it has been sealed. I advise the students to steer clear of it, as I know some of you might go into town and sense the energy, leading you to try to dispel the creature—not knowing it's an abyss—which could lead to your death."

Eh? The abyss was found so early? Why is the plot so different? Did I actually transmigrate into a fanfic? Shen Lian couldn't help but think.

Those who could hear his thoughts were startled to find that some of his words were censored, especially near the ending part.

What do I do now? As Shen Lian thought this, he caught Wen Qing's eyes. If I can follow Wen Qing and she goes to the back mountains, that means I'm in the CQL and the plot is intact... or it could also be a fanfic following the plot. Haa, this is so insane—what do I do?

Shen Lian mused, but those who could hear his thoughts were increasingly bewildered, as some parts came through garbled.

At least for now, the Yin Iron was not in Lan Wangji's hands, so the plot is not that far gone .

The Yin Iron was obtained after Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were dragged into the cave by Lan Yi—where they got married, or was it engaged?—with Lan Wangji knowing the meaning but not Wei Wuxian, since he thought Lan Wangji only tied the forehead ribbon to keep him from being attacked by Lan Yi Guxian.

It was so sweet that Lan Yi actually accepted Wei Wuxian before anyone else. Hehe... doesn't that mean Wei Wuxian doesn't need anyone's blessing, since he already got the former sect leader's

The room remained stunned as the information sank in — married or engaged... Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian.

Lan Qiren could already feel the black spots dancing at the edge of his consciousness.

Nie Huaisang, in all his infinite wisdom, couldn't help but blurt out,
"Wow, Wangji-xiong, you went straight for the prize."

Both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian turned red — the kind of red that said they would love to be anywhere else.

"Class dismissed," Lan Qiren said sharply.
"Wangji, walk with me," he called as he swept from the room.

The moment the door shut, the others swarmed Wei Wuxian — except for Shen Lian, who quietly packed his things, already plotting how to figure out what was making the story's plot go so... weird.

Seeing Wei Wuxian trapped, Shen Lian gave up on speaking to him and left.

"Wow, Wei-xiong, so how do you feel knowing your relationship with Wangji-xiong in the future? No wonder he can do all those things for you later."

By now, Wei Wuxian was basically a tomato, surrounded by people with no mercy. For the first time, he truly understood the feelings of those he had teased before.

"Please... don't talk about it," he whispered.
Then, thinking quickly, he said, "Besides, Wen Qing... do you want to tease me, or should we actually go do what we came here to do?"

Just as he expected, Wen Qing's curiosity outweighed her teasing instincts.

"Alright, cut it out. We have things to do. But—" she smirked, "—you can get him to yourself after we're done. I'll even help you."

Wei Wuxian went pale. "What—?" he whispered.

Smiling wickedly, Wen Qing replied, "I never said I wouldn't let them get their hands on you forever. Besides, I'm curious. And you still need to pay for making my brother sleep in class. Stop corrupting my brother!"

She yanked his ear.
"Qing-jie, pl—ow! It hurts, Qing-jie!"

They stopped abruptly when Wei Wuxian realized he'd just called Wen Qing his sister. He was about to take it back when she said,

"You can call me jie. It's an honor not given to many."

She turned quickly, hurrying to find Shen Lian.

A warmth bloomed in Wei Wuxian's chest, and he smiled.
"Wait for me, jie!" he called, running after her.
.....
They caught up to Shen Lian in the back mountain.

"Hey, what are you lost in thought about?" Wei Wuxian asked, noticing Shen Lian's silent stare into nothing.

"Oh, just this and that," Shen Lian replied casually.

Wen Qing sat down beside him, pulling out a medical book. She gave them both a pointed look.
"You two do know coming to the back mountains is prohibited, right?"

"Yeah? And yet... you're also here," Shen Lian countered. "Besides, this place is perfect for meditating and clearing your head."

"Shen-di, you really are philosophical. Even when you talked back to Lan Xiansheng that day," Wei Wuxian said with a grin.
"Wasn't it because he was being hypocritical? And he even asked if you knew how to control resentful energy — as if you'd just tell him if you did. Hmph." Shen lian replied.
"  Shen-di is so cute... but I wonder — is there really a way to control resentful energy?" Wei wuxian probed.

"Of course there is," Shen Lian said, shrugging. "But it should vary. I mean, I don't know much about it since I'm not a demonic cultivator."

'It does vary, Shen lian thought 'What wei wuxain practiced was Gui Dao — the ghost path. It was rumors that made people think it was demonic cultivation. He was able to fulfill the wishes of ghosts, and in return, he gained an army. Plus, he had a strong mind, so he wasn't easily influenced by them. Unlike Wen Ruohan, who drowned himself in resentful energy until he finally lost his mind, he  had clear priorities — what he wanted to do, who he needed to protect. As long as he wasn't provoked, he wouldn't lose control. When he came back from the dead, his actions showed he had fully mastered Gui Dao.'

Shen Lian nodded thoughtfully. ' I guess... the Nie could try to appease the beast whose core they stole. After all, these are beasts, not mere animals — meaning they have consciousness. It's probably their hatred for those who use their core that causes qi deviation.  These People are being hunted by the resentment of the beast core they stole, and keeping it gives the beasts more direct access to those practicing the clan's cultivation method. Maybe if the Nie could create a way to talk to these beasts and form a pact, instead of the two sides pushing each other to death... the clan could be saved.'

Both Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian froze, staring at him in surprise. Without a word, they shot to their feet and bolted toward the Hanshi, calling a quick goodbye over their shoulders.

"...That was weird," Shen Lian muttered, watching them go.

Chapter Text

Both Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian walked as fast as they could without breaking the Lan Clan's no running rule — a courtesy enforced entirely by Wen Qing, because Wei Wuxian had completely forgotten it halfway there.

Halfway to the Hanshi, Wei Wuxian suddenly stopped short in front of the library, forcing Wen Qing to halt beside him.

"What?" she asked, eyeing him.

"Why don't we research first?" he said, eyes lighting up. "The Lan library should have information on beasts, and with that, we can actually know what we're doing."

Wen Qing considered it, then nodded. "Right." She gathered her skirt and followed him inside.

By the time they had pulled every book they thought might be relevant, the table was a mess of open volumes and scattered scrolls.

"Wow," Wei Wuxian murmured, flipping through a page. "The library is really stocked. Imagine if I'd had access to this a long time ago..."

"It's... impressive," Wen Qing admitted, a rare note of awe in her voice.

"All right," she said, regaining her focus. "Wei Wuxian, copy out everything you think we might need. I'll do the same."

For the next few hours, the library was filled only with the soft scratch of brushes and the rustle of paper, both of them immersed in their work.

Their research continued in silence, the room quiet except for the faint rustle of pages. Disciples came and went, taking what they needed without disturbing the stillness.

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen entered as quietly as the others, only to pause when they spotted Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing completely absorbed in their books. It was the first time Wei Wuxian had failed to react to Lan Wangji's presence — and for some reason, that made Lan Wangji feel... unsettled.

"Wen guniang, Wei gongzi," Lan Xichen greeted politely, breaking their concentration.

"Ah—Ze-wu Jun, you're here," Wei Wuxian said, blinking as though returning to himself.

"Yes," Lan Xichen replied, "and you've both missed lunch."

"Oh." They exchanged a glance, surprised that so much time had passed.

"Since you cannot eat in the library," Lan Xichen continued, "why not move your work to the Hanshi ? When you are done eating,you both can join Wangji and I. We will begin our research then."

"Okay," Wei Wuxian agreed, already starting to gather the stacks of books and scrolls. Wen Qing nodded, doing the same.

"How about this," Lan Xichen suggested. "Wen guniang and I will go ahead to the Hanshi. Wangji and Young Master Wei can fetch the lunch from the kitchen — they'll be less reluctant to hand it over with Wangji present."

Before Wei Wuxian could argue, Lan Xichen smoothly took half the research materials from his arms and headed toward the Hanshi with Wen Qing.

As they left, Wen Qing let out a small chuckle, already guessing exactly what Lan Xichen was doing.

Both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji stood there, the silence between them stretching taut like an unplayed note.

"Um... we should go get the lunch," Wei Wuxian said at last, his tone light but a little rushed. Without waiting for a response, he started toward the kitchen, his steps brisk — the kind of speed that wasn't about hunger so much as escaping the stillness.

Lan Wangji followed at a measured pace, giving a quiet "Mn." He could feel words gathering at the edge of his tongue, but they didn't come easily.

Shen Lian's thoughts had shown that wei wuxian did not know that lan wangji wanted to protect wei wuxain.
If that was true, it meant he or rather the future Him had never told Wei Ying — not now, not even later, after the cave. Not even after everything.

He wanted to protect Wei Wuxian. He always had. But wanting was not enough — his actions had to align with his intent, and he could not let himself become an obstacle to the bond growing between them.

When his uncle had called him away earlier, he had been ready to face a reprimand. But Lan Xichen had stepped in, his calm voice smoothing the air. It hasn't happened. And even if it does, both parties will understand what it means. If Wei Wuxian accepted the ribbon, he accepted Lan Wangji. Their uncle had fallen silent after that. Then Lan Xichen, with the faintest knowing smile, had used "research" as an excuse to leave.

Lan Wangji glanced at the figure just ahead of him, black hair swaying with every step.

"Wei Wuxian—" he began.

"Wei Ying," Wei Wuxian interrupted, glancing back over his shoulder with a grin that didn't quite hide its softness. "Call me Wei Ying. I prefer that."

Lan Wangji's gaze lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "...Then call me Lan Zhan."

That earned him a smile — not Wei Wuxian's brightest, teasing one, but something quieter, more genuine. The faintest warmth tugged at the corners of Lan Wangji's lips in return.

"About what Shen Lian said in class," Lan Wangji continued, "I would like to know Wei Ying's opinion."

Wei Wuxian blinked, caught off guard, and slowed his steps. His head tilted slightly as he thought it over.

"Well... Shen-di did hint that our relationship was special. We just didn't know how special." He gave a little shrug. "But right now... we're not that close. That doesn't mean I don't want to get closer to you. Lan Zhan... let's take it slowly. Maybe it's because of everything that's happened since I met Shen Lian, but I need to think about my relationships for a while. I need to get closure."

He stopped walking altogether, turning to face him. His voice dropped, losing its usual playful edge. "If I add... whatever this is... between us right now, it'll get complicated. But I promise, once I figure it out, I'll let you know. So, Lan-er Gongzi..."

The smile that followed wasn't dazzling or loud — but it was real. And beautiful.

"...wait for me, will you?"

Lan Wangji's breath caught before he could stop it. His ears flushed, and though his face remained still, the tiniest flicker of a smile broke through.

"Mn. Will wait for Wei Ying."

Then, perhaps to steady himself, he turned and walked toward the kitchen — faster than before.

"Eh? Lan Zhan, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!" Wei Wuxian called, jogging to catch up, laughter chasing after his word

After lunch, during the hanshi, they naturally split into two groups, each focused on their own research. The Lan brothers worked quietly together, while Wen Qing and Wen Ning buried themselves in their own notes.

Still, Wei Wuxian had a habit of drifting over to the Lan brothers' table whenever curiosity struck. Today was no exception — and, as always, Wen Qing ended up getting drawn into whatever he was discussing.

"You know about the Water Abyss," Wei Wuxian began, leaning on the edge of their desk with a sly grin. "I've been thinking... what if we could attract resentful energy toward one point? If we had something like that, we could trap it in a soul-catching qiankun bag. Of course, the bag would need to be expanded — big enough to hold the entire Abyss."

Lan Xichen's brows lifted slightly. "Wei Gongzi, do you think we can make it?"

"The qiankun bag isn't the issue," Wei Wuxian replied, tapping his fingers against the table. "The real problem is the talisman to attract the resentful energy. We'd have to create it from scratch."

Lan Xichen considered him for a moment. "Give me a few days. I have an idea. In two days, I'll give you results — but I'll need full access to the library at all times, and absolute concentration without disturbance."

He turned to Wen Qing. "Qing-jie, what do you think? Can you help me?"

"As long as Zewu-jun has no reason to refuse," Wen Qing replied calmly, "I don't see why we wouldn't."

"Alright then," Lan Xichen said. "I'll get Shufu's permission tonight."

"In the meantime," Wei Wuxian grinned, "I want to hear about what you've been working on all day."

"No problem," they both answered.

That same night, the permission was granted. Not only were they allowed unlimited access to the library, but a small stack of books from the forbidden library was discreetly added to their materials — though no one explained their origins.

"Shufu has placed his trust in Wei Gongzi and Wen-guniang," Lan Xichen said quietly. "I hope they achieve positive results."

The next day, it was announced that Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian were excluded from class for the next two days. This caused widespread gossip as to why they were exempted, with each version getting wilder and wilder as it passed from mouth to mouth. The students grew more and more interested.

On the second day, Wei Wuxian ran through Cloud Recesses with Wen Qing at his tail, both looking haggard but excited as they sprinted toward Lan Qiren's office with evidence of their success.

"We did it, Lan-xiansheng! We really did it!" Wei Wuxian said excitedly, startling Lan Qiren and the Lan brothers.

A meeting happened shortly afterward with Nie Mingjue present.

– Later

The main hall of Cloud Recesses was cool and bright, its polished floor reflecting the pale sunlight streaming through the carved screens. The Lan sect's stillness was like a thin sheet of ice—quiet, fragile, and easy to crack.

Nie Mingjue stood in the center, arms crossed, his expression carved in stone. Beside him, Lan Xichen was calm as ever, though there was a keen watchfulness in his eyes. Lan Qiren took his place off to one side, his gaze stern but curious.

Wei Wuxian entered with Wen Qing at his side, the two of them a striking contrast—he, still faintly grinning despite their breathless run; she, straight-backed and focused, her hands steady on the bundle she carried.

"You called for this meeting," Nie Mingjue said without preamble, his voice like a low strike of a war drum. "Show us what was so important it kept you out of class for two days."

Wei Wuxian stepped forward first, his grin widening as he placed a small sealed pouch on the table. "Sect Leaders, this is a Qiankun Bag—reinforced with three layers of defensive seals. But the real heart of what we've made..." He gestured to Wen Qing.

She set down a tightly rolled scroll and unrolled it to reveal an intricate talisman drawn in sharp, precise strokes. "This," Wen Qing said, "is an attraction talisman specifically tuned to draw in resentful energy. Once it's active, the Qiankun Bag which has already been expanded will only act as  the container. The talisman is what pulls the energy in."

Lan Xichen leaned closer to examine the lines. "You've designed this from scratch?"

"Yes," Wen Qing said evenly. "We based it on existing attraction arrays, but altered it to resonate with yang energy. Resentful energy is strongly drawn to yang—human blood increases the effect tenfold. By pairing this talisman with a stable vessel, we can isolate large concentrations of resentment without dispersing it into the surrounding area."

Wei Wuxian nodded eagerly. "Think about it—this could work even on something as big as the Water Abyss. Anchor the talisman to the Qiankun Bag, set it at the right point, and the resentment flows straight in. Once sealed, you can move it, study it, or dispose of it safely."

Nie Mingjue's gaze was fixed on the talisman. "And you're sure it's stable? The last thing I need is a failed seal spilling more danger into the surroundings."

"It's stable," Wei Wuxian said with conviction. "It won't activate unless deliberately triggered, and the seals on the Qiankun Bag are layered to withstand multiple surges before weakening."

Wen Qing's tone sharpened—not in defiance, but in precision. "And it will not only work for the Abyss. It can work for your clan as well. While not permanent, removing a large amount of resentful energy from a beast core makes it harder for it to attack the wielder. We've also theorized that the core retains a fragment of its original consciousness, which feeds on resentment and yang energy. If we can balance those energies—or reach an understanding with the beast—the Nie clan's shortened lifespans could be alleviated."

Nie Mingjue's eyes narrowed. "And you expect me to trust a Wen to do this for me?"

Wen Qing met his stare without flinching. "Nie-zongzhu, I am here because my uncle asked me to recover a relic from Cloud Recesses. Yes, he practices demonic cultivation. But the Wen sect's tyranny did not begin from outside—it began from within. I have family to protect. I know you understand that need."

Her voice didn't waver. "That's why I am here. I will not hate myself for what has been done to protect my family. I may be regretful, but that's all. I am taking a risk by putting my work in your hands. How could I dare turn it against you?"

"She's right, da-ge," Nie Huaisang said lightly, folding his fan with a snap. "And you promised you'd hear them out."

A long, taut moment passed before Nie Mingjue's jaw unclenched. "...Fine. Tomorrow, we test it at the Water Abyss. If it works, we test it on me. Then we talk about the next step."

Wei Wuxian's grin broke into something brighter, almost reckless. Wen Qing's eyes softened just slightly. Nie Huaisang's fan hid a small, private smile.

The first battle was won.

Chapter Text

The meeting ended and everyone dispersed. Wei Wuxian, stepping out, stretched his arms with a wide grin.

"Ugh, I need to freshen up."

Lan Xichen, walking beside him, turned to Lan Wangji.
"Wangji, why don't you take Young Master Wei to your quarters to freshen up? I need to brief Jin Gongzi on what we discussed," he said before walking off.

Lan Wangji's face flushed red as he turned to the equally stunned Wei Wuxian.

"Eh? Lan Zhan, don't worry. I can freshen up in my own place," Wei Wuxian said, already starting to leave. But Lan Wangji caught his wrist.

"Wei Ying can come with me," Lan Wangji said.

"Lan Zhan, it's okay—I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Not uncomfortable," Lan Wangji replied firmly.

"Alright then... let's go," Wei Wuxian agreed.

A few moments later, Wei Wuxian realized he hadn't brought his own clothes.
"Lan Zhan, could you lend me one of your robes? I forgot to bring mine," he called from behind the bathroom screen.

"Hm. Wait," Lan Wangji replied, going to find something for him.

"Thanks for letting me visit your quarters, Lan Zhan."

"Hm. Wei Ying is welcome anytime."

"You know, Qing-jie really helped me this time. It's only because of her that we got this done so quickly."

The two talked on their way to the dining hall—or rather, Wei Wuxian talked while Lan Wangji hummed in reply, but not in the absentminded way of someone who wasn't listening.

At the entrance to the dining hall, Wei Wuxian bumped into Jiang Wanyin, who was already simmering with anger. Wei Wuxian had been avoiding the Jiang siblings ever since that night—five whole days without speaking—and it was grating on Jiang Wanyin's nerves. Seeing Wei Wuxian wearing robes that clearly belonged to Lan Wangji sent his temper over the edge.

"Wei Wuxian, you really are something. Have you decided to cling to the Second Young Master of Gusu Lan now? You see an opportunity, and your greedy hands just have to take it. You think holding on to him will help you escape the Jiang Sect? Let me tell you, you'll only ever be my subordinate in this lifetime. I guess the son of a servant can't help but show his true colors—you're just like your mother."

"What exactly do you mean by that, Jiang Cheng?" Wei Wuxian asked, anger flashing in his eyes.

"You know exactly what I mean. Just like your mother—you keep clinging to the next powerful person you can find."

Wei Wuxian stepped forward, furious.
"Who gave you the right to run your mouth like that? If you don't have anything worth saying, shut it—or I might just wash it for you."

"I can say whatever I want, Wei Wuxian, and you can't do anything but take it. What else am I supposed to think when you're wearing Lan Er Gongzi's clothes? What are you—a cut-sleeve for him now?"

A sharp crack rang through the air. Jiang Cheng stumbled sideways into the dining hall door, a red mark forming across his face. Gasps rippled through the crowd—it was Lan Wangji who had struck him.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian cried, shocked.

Jiang Wanyin, eyes blazing red, drew his sword at Lan Wangji. The tension spiked instantly. Wen Ning, seeing the situation escalate, ran off to call Lan Qiren.

"What the hell, Jiang Cheng—sheathe your sword now!" Wei Wuxian said, voice sharp and commanding.

"You want to defend the person who just hit your sect heir in front of you?" Jiang Cheng shot back.

"Maybe I would defend you—if you were in the right," Wei Wuxian replied coldly. "This is Cloud Recesses, and you're pointing your weapon at the Young Master of Gusu Lan. Are you trying to strain relations between our sects? You're the heir of your sect, so act like it!"

"And you're the head disciple of the Jiang Sect," Jiang Cheng retorted. "But you haven't interacted with your juniors in almost a week! Second and Third Shidi have been struggling with their sword forms, and Sixth Shidi's archery is falling behind—but the head disciple is too busy frolicking with another sect's disciple!"

Guilt pricked at Wei Wuxian, but he didn't relent.
"Drop your sword—now," he ordered.

"A-Cheng!" Jiang Yanli called as she came into view, horrified.

Finally, Jiang Wanyin lowered his sword and turned to walk away—only for Lan Wangji's voice to cut in, cold as steel.

"Who said you could go? You'll be assigned punishment immediately."

Jiang Wanyin's anger flared again.
"Fuck you," he snarled, throwing a punch—one laced with killing intent and a surge of spiritual energy he didn't realize he had released.

Wei Wuxian moved to intercept, but miscalculated and took the blow to the head, staggering back. Lan Wangji caught him instantly as his vision dimmed.

"I didn't mean it!" Jiang Wanyin said, panic replacing his rage.

Lan Wangji's gaze was so frigid that Jiang Wanyin instinctively stepped back.
"I will deal with you later," he said, carrying Wei Wuxian toward the infirmary.

They passed the approaching Wen siblings, Nie siblings, Jin Zixuan, Lan Xichen, and Lan Qiren.

Lan Qiren quickly called the crowd to order. After hearing what had happened, he sent everyone into the dining hall and ordered Jiang Wanyin to kneel in the Hall of Punishment.

Shen Lian, the last to hear about the incident, rushed to the infirmary. There, he was told that there was nothing seriously wrong—Wei Wuxian could leave after he woke up

The next morning dawned with Wei Wuxian finally being released from the infirmary. The Jiang siblings were denied access to visit him. But an even more scandalous thing had happened overnight — the Second Young Master of Gusu had been punished with forty strokes after kneeling in the ancestral hall all night, for being the first to throw a punch at the heir of another sect. Jiang Wanyin's own punishment was still under discussion.

Both Wei Wuxian and Shen Lian, hearing the gossip from fellow students, were stunned. Wei Wuxian pivoted on his heels, deciding to look for Lan Xichen. He spotted him not long after — a huffing and puffing Shen Lian trailing behind.

"Wei-gongzi," Lan Xichen called upon seeing him. "Are you looking for Wangji?"

Wei Wuxian nodded, still catching his breath after running and breaking several rules in the process.

"Well, he's in the Cold Springs, to recuperate faster."

"Thanks, Ze-we jun," Wei Wuxian said, moving to pass him — then stopped. "Er... Ze-we jun, where exactly are the Cold Springs?"

Lan Xichen gave him the directions, and Wei Wuxian turned sharply on his heel, dashing off again.

Meanwhile, Shen Lian could barely contain himself, muttering under his breath, "It's happening... it's happening..."

Lan Xichen frowned. "What is happening?" he almost asked aloud — but Shen Lian suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"Ze-we jun, let's go! We shouldn't disturb them. This is the moment they get married and get Lan Yi's blessing! I can't believe it's happening and I'll witness it — well, not witness it, but I'll be here for the aftermath. I'm so excited!"he thought.

Lan Xichen's eyes widened at the implication.

Wei Wuxian finally reached the Cold Springs. Lan Wangji was sitting in the clear, icy water, steam curling faintly from his skin.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian called, "I'm so sorry! It's because of me you got in trouble—"

"Not Wei Ying's fault," Lan Wangji replied immediately.

Wei Wuxian still looked guilty, but then curiosity got the better of him. "Eh? Lan Zhan, I've only ever heard of hot springs, not cold ones. Is it really that cold? What's it for?"

"It helps with cultivation, healing... and other things," Lan Wangji answered.

"Wow, Lan Zhan! You guys had such a good thing here and hid it from me for so long?"

Lan Wangji's eyebrow twitched. "Did not hide."

"Eh? Lan Zhan, did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Did not."

"Really? Because you doing... that with your face is basically rolling your eyes. Hm? That 'hm' means agreement, right? Lan Zhan, you're so cruel! You're breaking my heart right now. I'll ignore you from now on." He turned his back dramatically.

"Ridiculous," Lan Wangji said, a quiet huff escaping him.

"Lan Zhan! Did you just laugh at me and call me ridiculous? Ah—" Wei Wuxian mock-glared, moving toward him... only to lose his footing and tumble into the water with a splash.

He emerged coughing, Lan Wangji immediately helping him upright. Their eyes locked, the closeness making the world feel strangely still. Then — a sudden pull yanked Wei Wuxian beneath the surface.

"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji shouted, diving after him — and was dragged under as well.

They emerged in an underwater cave, coughing and catching their breath. Once Wei Wuxian recovered enough to speak, he began, "Lan Zhan... this—" but didn't finish. Lan Wangji understood.

It was the cave Shen Lian had spoken of.

As they stepped forward, a guqin's haunting notes echoed through the space. A wave of energy surged forward, pushing Wei Wuxian back — though it didn't harm Lan Wangji.

They exchanged a look.

"What do you want to do, Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji asked. "I can get one of the rabbits' forehead ribbons for you."

Wei Wuxian glanced at the rabbits hopping around the guqin on the stone. His gaze shifted back to Lan Wangji, and for a moment it felt like the world held its breath.

"I think..." he began, "I want Lan Er-gege's ribbon more than the xiao tuzi's."

Lan Wangji felt like he was standing in sunlight. Slowly, with precise movements that gave Wei Wuxian every chance to change his mind, he loosened his forehead ribbon — then wrapped it gently around Wei Wuxian's hands:

The path curved deeper into the Cold Springs until showed  a chamber of pale stone. In the center, upon a carved pedestal, rested a guqin, its surface gleaming despite the dim light.

As they approached, mist gathered, coiling upward until a figure emerged. An elegant woman in flowing robes sat before the guqin, her presence both serene and commanding.

Lan Wangji stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Junior greets Senior Lan Yi."

Wei Wuxian quickly followed suit. "Junior Wei Wuxian greets Senior."

Lan Yi's gaze passed over them with quiet scrutiny. "Two juniors from different sects, standing side by side in the Cold Springs... It has been many years since I have seen such a sight." Her voice was calm, but there was a faint, wistful edge beneath it.

She rested her hands lightly on the guqin's strings, though she did not play. "You know of the Yin Iron, yes?"

At their nods, she continued, her eyes unfocusing slightly as if looking into the past. "Long ago, I sought to innovate the Gusu Lan Clan's ways. I thought... perhaps the Yin Iron could be purified, its corruption undone. I was wrong. My attempt failed, and the danger it posed grew too great to leave unguarded. So I sealed myself here with it — to ensure it would harm no one."

Her gaze sharpened, fixing on them. "Now, the seal weakens. I cannot hold it forever. I entrust it to you — to guard, to protect, and never to misuse."

She drew forth a small, wrapped bundle and placed it upon the stone between them. Lan Wangji stepped forward, accepting it with both hands, his expression solemn. Wei Wuxian glanced at the bundle, then at Lan Yi, sensing the gravity of the moment.

"We will protect it," Lan Wangji vowed.

Lan Yi's lips curved into the faintest smile. "Then remember — trust in each other. Without that, you will fail."

Both young men bowed deeply in unison. When they straightened, Lan Yi's form had already begun to fade, the guqin lifting into her arms as she dissolved into mist. A final, lingering note rang in the air before vanishing completely.

The chamber was silent once more. Lan Wangji carefully secured the Yin Iron before turning to lead Wei Wuxian out. The cool air of the mountains greeted them, but both could feel the weight of what they now carry.

Chapter Text

It had only been a few hours for Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, wandering inside the strange cave while searching for a way out. But for those outside, it had already been a full day and a half since they disappeared.

Cloud Recesses was in chaos. Disciples scoured every trail and valley, elders coordinated the search, and even though Shen Lian knew from his foreknowledge that they would be fine, his chest still tightened with worry. The plot had been deviating ever since he arrived—who could guarantee they wouldn't get hurt this time?

Finally, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji found their exit. Bursting out into daylight, they stumbled forward, exhilarated. In their excitement, they pulled apart too quickly, tripping. Wei Wuxian landed half on top of Lan Wangji, blinking down at him.

His breath hitched. Wow... I didn't notice Lan Zhan was this beautiful...

Without thinking, his head dipped lower. Lan Wangji, equally transfixed, leaned up ever so slightly. Just as their foreheads were about to touch—

"WEI WUXIAN!"

The shout shattered the moment. Jiang Cheng came marching forward, face flushed and eyes red from sleepless worry. Lan Xichen and Wen Qing trailed behind him, both relieved but tense.

"What were you doing disappearing for a whole day?!" Jiang Cheng barked, voice trembling between anger and relief. "Do you know how worried we were? Shijie's been searching nonstop, you just got out of the infirmary and you're already looking for trouble again!"

Wei Wuxian flinched at the barrage. Lan Wangji's hand twitched—ready to strike back—but stopped only because Wei Wuxian's fingers had curled tightly around his wrist.

Lan Xichen moved to intervene, but Shen Lian appeared at his side and shook his head quietly. "He isn't truly angry—just concerned. Lan Wangji would have stepped in if Wei Wuxian looked distressed."

But even Shen Lian didn't realize that Lan Wangji had been about to intervene—and that Wei Wuxian's touch was the only thing holding him back.

"Stop. That's enough." Wei Wuxian's voice cut through sharply. His expression softened as he looked at Jiang Cheng. "I know you're worried about me. And I know you feel guilty about what happened. But I need you to express it like a normal person. I'm grateful you care, A-Cheng, but—please. For once, don't show it through anger."

Jiang Cheng froze. His eyes widened, caught off guard. Anger had always been his armor, his only way of speaking. Wei Wuxian had taken it time and time again without complaint, so why did it sting now that he asked for something different?

Deep down, Jiang Cheng knew his words were unfair. He also knew his temper had driven away his fellow disciples—none of them approached him anymore. But change... change was uncomfortable. He clenched his jaw, unable to reply.

Wei Wuxian sighed, stepping past him, leaving his brother standing there stunned.

Shen Lian lingered, lowering his voice. "If your pride can't take changing for Wei Wuxian's sake, then think of it as becoming independent from him. You don't need him to make friends, Jiang Cheng. You don't need him to speak to others."

The words sank deep, like a blade piercing his chest. Jiang Cheng said nothing, but his eyes flickered, shadowed with thought.

Wen Qing, who had been watching quietly, arched an eyebrow at Shen Lian. She looked like she wanted to say something—but instead turned and left without a word.

The group began walking back. Lan Xichen, trailing beside them, kept glancing at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's hands—still linked by the ribbon. He smiled faintly. "Should congratulations be in order?"

Both boys flushed crimson.

"Congratulations indeed," Wen Qing's dry voice chimed as she caught up. "Well, it's not just a rumor anymore. Or a far-off future. So—get ready to be teased like never before. Except you, Lan Wangji. You're safe."

Wei Wuxian gawked. "Eh?! Why won't Lan Zhan get teased but I will?"

"Maybe because," Wen Qing said smoothly, "he's not a gremlin who deserves karmic teasing."

"Lan Zhan, look! Qing-jie is bullying me!" Wei Wuxian whined dramatically, clinging to Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji only hummed. "Hm."

Wei Wuxian blinked. "...Lan Zhan, are you saying 'hm' will protect me?!"

"Mn."

Lan Xichen looked at Wen Qing, confused. "...Qing-jie?"

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Oh, I was given the most prestigious honor—gaining a sister like Qing-jie!"

The Lan brothers nodded in quiet approval. Wen Qing gave a soft snort. "Good. At least you recognize it's an honor. Now—I need to check on my better-behaved didi."

"Aw, Qing-jie!" Wei Wuxian called after her. "But it won't be fun if both your didi are well-behaved!"

She didn't turn, but Wei Wuxian could swear he saw her shoulders shake with suppressed laugh

Wen Qing's figure disappeared down the path, leaving Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Lan Xichen to walk in silence. Their hands were still bound together by Lan Wangji's forehead ribbon, a quiet weight between them, but neither spoke of it. The solemnity of what they had just experienced pressed heavier than any teasing.

When they entered the main hall, Lan Qiren was already waiting, his expression stormy.

"You vanish for more than a day without a word," Lan Qiren scolded sharply. "Do you know how many resources were wasted searching for you? Wei Wuxian, you especially—you were just released from the infirmary, and yet you throw yourself into danger again!"

Wei Wuxian ducked his head, the corner of his mouth twitching nervously. "Lan Qiren-laoshi... we didn't mean to cause trouble. It wasn't just recklessness this time. We found something."

Lan Qiren's eyes narrowed, but he stilled. Lan Xichen bowed slightly and stepped forward. "Shufu, it is true. What they discovered may concern all five great sects."

At that, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji set the small pouch on the low table. Even sealed, the shard inside seemed to thrum, as though resentful energy bled through its surface. The air grew heavier.

Lan Qiren's expression shifted at once, his voice lowering. "This aura... no. This should not exist. The Yin Iron was destroyed long ago."

"Not completely," Wei Wuxian said softly. "We found this piece in the cave. And we met... Lan Yi." His voice caught briefly, and he recounted the story of Lan Yi's sacrifice, how she had bound herself with the shard to protect the cultivation world.

Silence fell when he finished. Lan Qiren's hands tightened behind his back. "The Wen Sect is already moving in strange ways. If Wen Ruohan learns of this..."

Lan Xichen's expression was grave. "He must not know. But the other sect leaders—we cannot fight this alone."

Wei Wuxian nodded firmly. "If we act together, we have a chance. If we act divided, Wen Ruohan will pick us apart. But we can't let him suspect. The Wens can't be included."

Lan Qiren considered this, pacing slowly. "And how do you propose to gather the other sects without his knowledge?"

Lan Xichen said, "The Nie Sect will soon host the Cultivation Conference. Afterwards, the mid Autumn Festival  is held here in Gusu. If the sect leaders are invited under the pretense of checking on their childern progress, Wen Ruohan will suspect nothing and will dismiss it as not worth his attention. It would seem natural."

Lan Qiren's stern face softened slightly, though his tone was firm. "Then so it shall be. We will extend invitations quietly, and when the time comes, the matter of the Yin Iron will be revealed only to those who must know. This secret cannot spread further."

Wei Wuxian let out a long breath, shoulders slumping in relief. But as the meeting ended and they stepped out into the courtyard, his heart grew heavy again.

The Jiang couple will be among them. The thought made his chest twist. His Shijie's kindness, Jiang Cheng's bitterness, Madam Yu's sharp tongue, Jiang Fengmian's betrayal—all tangled threads he had no desire to face right now.

He pressed his lips together and forced himself to walk on. Later, he told himself. I'll deal with it later. For now... the Yin Iron comes first.

The announcement spread through Cloud Recesses like wildfire: there would be no lectures that day. Instead, all disciples were summoned to observe a "night hunt." The words sent a shiver through the student ranks—many had imagined hunting rogue spirits, not the infamous Water Abyss itself.

By twilight, hundreds of white-clad figures lined the cliffs and groves overlooking the dark pool. None were allowed too near; instead, the students crouched in hidden vantage points, forbidden from speaking, their breaths visible in the unnatural chill that bled from the Abyss. Even the stars seemed dimmer, the moon shrouded behind clouds that would not pass.

The air pressed heavy on the chest. Those with weaker cultivation swayed on their feet, sweat beading at their temples despite the cold. Even from afar, the Abyss's resentful energy rolled like a tide, thick with anger, sorrow, and decay. It smelled of iron and damp earth. The oppressive hum of ghostly cries seemed to seep into the bones.

At the center of the clearing stood the sealing team.

Wei Wuxian's eyes gleamed with sharp excitement as he crouched over his array, brush in hand. Wen Qing knelt beside him, her face calm but taut with concentration. Four massive nets—woven with spiritual silk and inscribed with talismans—had been stretched wide across the ground. Each bore a Spirit Attraction Flag painted into its inner lining. Once activated, they would drink in the Abyss's resentment and snap shut into Qiankun Bag form.

Guarding the four corners of the formation stood Lan Qiren, Lan Xichen, Jin Zixuan, and Nie Mingjue. Their presence blazed like unmoving pillars, the glow of their spiritual energy a wall against any overflow. Behind them, a dozen Lan elders prepared guqins and flutes, their fingers resting on strings and holes, waiting for the signal.

Silence reigned.

Wei Wuxian broke it with a grin, voice pitched sharp: "Let's begin."

At his signal, the first net unfurled. Immediately the Abyss reacted. A roar of unseen voices split the air as the resentful energy surged like a storm tide, hurling itself at the flag. The ground shook. Frost cracked across the soil.

The net ballooned, swelling black with writhing smoke until it looked like a monstrous cocoon. It thrashed so hard the formation trembled. Then, with a violent snap, the net collapsed inward, tightening into the form of a bulging Qiankun Bag.

The bag convulsed like a living beast. Wei Wuxian darted forward, talisman brush flashing as he scrawled seal after seal. Wen Qing's hand was steady, her talismans layered in precise succession, binding its frenzy.

"First bag sealed," she declared. Her voice was calm, but her knuckles were white.

The disciples hidden above released a collective breath.

Three more nets were opened. Each time the resentment surged, each time the fabric swelled, each time the bag shrieked and bucked as though it contained thousands of souls screaming to escape. And each time, the talismans held.

Once the first four were filled, they were replaced. Again, the Abyss boiled. Again, the air curdled with grief and rage.

By the third cycle, twelve Qiankun Bags swelled with suffocating yin energy. The last bag in particular shook so violently that the ground beneath their feet cracked. The formation lines flickered under the strain.

"Hold the corners steady!" Wei Wuxian barked, spiritual light blazing from his palms.

Wen Qing's brush flew, her seals landing sharp as arrows.

Lan Qiren's jaw tightened, his energy rigid as iron. Jin Zixuan stood pale but resolute. Nie Mingjue's presence pressed like a mountain, steady and immovable, while Lan Xichen's aura flowed smooth as water, balancing the whole.

And still the last bag roared, straining against its prison.

The Lan elders stepped forward as one. Fingers struck strings, flutes raised to lips. Rest  notes weaving like silver threads over black water. The music cut through the Abyss's howling, softening the thrash of the bags until their spasms weakened, then slowed, then stilled.

The oppressive weight lifted slightly. Not gone—but less.

Lan Qiren's voice rang out: "Now—the dead must be given peace."

Lan disciples descended into the shallows with ropes and torches. From the surface, others could only watch the grim labor. The pool stank of rot and rust, a graveyard of centuries. Students waded waist-deep, gagging, hands trembling as they pulled bones from the muck.

A broken skull. A child's arm. A sword rusted into bone.

Each fragment was lifted, washed, wrapped in white, then carried to the shore. Burial mounds waited, incense already lit. As pyres crackled and earth was filled, chants of mourning rose into the mountains.

The work stretched on until dawn. By the time the last body was lifted from the Abyss, many disciples' robes were soaked and their faces pale, but none complained. For the first time, the Water Abyss looked less like a maw of hell and more like a silent lake.

And with each burial, the pressure in the Qiankun Bags shifted. The tangled hatred eased. The gnawing malice dulled.

When the last soul was laid to rest, twelve bulging bags sat in a circle.

But now their contents were different. What had been anguish and resentment was distilled into something else—pure yin energy, stripped of grief, clean and sharp. Dangerous still, yet oddly serene.

The final bag writhed once, as if unwilling to be contained. Wei Wuxian stepped forward, hand outstretched.

The moment his fingers brushed the fabric, it stilled. No tremor, no roar. Only silence.

"It... responds to him," Wen Qing murmured, frowning.

Lan Xichen's expression softened, almost pitying. Nie Mingjue's gaze hardened, suspicious. Lan Qiren's eyes narrowed, unreadable.

Wei Wuxian only grinned, hefting the bag lightly as if it were no more than a pouch of rice. "See? No problem at all. Someone has to keep these things in check, right?"

The elders exchanged glances. None spoke aloud what they all thought—that perhaps this disciple had been born for exactly this

Chapter Text

The Lan elders stood a little apart from the disciples, their voices low as they whispered among themselves. More than one pair of eyes flickered toward Wei Wuxian, the suspicion in their gazes hard to mask.

"The Yin energy... it reacted to him," one murmured.
"He almost drowned in the Abyss when it was sealed before—could something have clung to him?" another speculated.
"Or worse... possession," a third finished grimly.

Nie Mingjue, standing nearby, did not bother with whispers. His eyes were sharp as blades, fixed on Wei Wuxian. To him, it was no coincidence: Wei Wuxian had been the one to create the Spirit Attraction Flag, and now the boy had also devised a treatment for the Abyss that actually seemed to work. Tampering with resentful energy was a crime that only ended in disaster.

Nie Mingjue said nothing aloud, but in his heart he made his decision. If the boy really is dabbling in demonic ways, then I will end him myself.

Unaware of the judgment forming around him, Wei Wuxian was speaking animatedly with Wen Qing. The remnants of energy that had been sealed were no longer muddled with the grief of the dead—it was pure Yin energy now, humming faintly within the Qiankun Bag.

"Qing-jie, let's just start now!" Wei Wuxian pleaded, bouncing on his heels, his eyes bright. "My brain is so focused on this that if we don't begin researching right away, I might actually explode."

Wen Qing's eyes narrowed. Her voice was sharp as a blade. "We are not going into another research retreat. The last time we did that, you nearly starved yourself to death without me. I refuse to leave you alone, and this is true Yin energy—we don't even know what effects it could have,we also have to prepare the Nie sect treatment."

Wei Wuxian pouted dramatically and leaned against Wen Ning's shoulder, sighing like a child denied a treat. "A-Ning, tell your sister to either come with me or let me go. It's not fair—I really need to know. But she wants to stay for cleanup." He tilted his head at Wen Qing again, his eyes wide and glistening. "If it weren't for the fact that Lan Qiren is already glaring daggers at me, suspicious of what this thing might do to me, I'd have run off with it already. So, Qing-jie, please? Please?"

Shen Lian, leaning lazily against a post, nearly burst out laughing at the sight. I guess Wei Wuxian's ADHD is acting up again, he thought, amused.

The sudden silence that followed was sharp. The Wen siblings and Wei Wuxian all turned to look at each other, blank and confused.

"...ADHD? is it part of the things he said he would write about" Wen Qing wondered.

Not realizing they'd actually heard his stray thought, Shen Lian was still amused . But Wen Qing wasn't about to let it slide. She turned to him politely.

"Shen Gongzi, I hope you don't mind my disturbance," she said. "But a few days ago you mentioned you had a book you intended to give me. If it is ready, may I see it?"

Relieved at the subject change, Shen Lian quickly fished in his pouch and handed her a slim, neatly bound text. "Ah, yes. Here—it's finished."

"Thank you," Wen Qing bowed her head respectfully as she accepted it.

"It's nothing," Shen Lian replied with a casual wave. "Don't worry about it."

But Wen Qing, already curious, flipped through the book as she stood there. Her brow furrowed as her eyes landed on a passage she hadn't expected. The heading read:

"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)"

A neurodevelopmental condition marked by difficulty maintaining focus, impulsive behavior, and heightened activity levels.

Common symptoms include restlessness, acting without thinking, becoming easily distracted, difficulty sitting still, excessive talking, forgetfulness, and a tendency to hyperfocus on interests.

Her gaze slid slowly from the page to Wei Wuxian—who was still leaning against Wen Ning, puppy eyes trained on her as if his entire soul depended on her answer.

A long, heavy silence followed.

Then Wen Qing shut the book with a snap. "That explains too much."

"Eh, Qing-jie, what did you read there?" Wei Wuxian asked, blinking curiously when he noticed her expression.

Wen Qing, schooling her features carefully so as not to betray she had overheard Shen Lian's stray thought, turned the book toward him instead. She tapped a passage and looked at Shen Lian.

"This term—ADHD. Shen Gongzi, could it be used to describe Wei Wuxian?" she asked evenly, though her eyes held a rare spark of eagerness.

Wei Wuxian, already distracted from the Yin energy, leaned over her shoulder, his gaze catching the unfamiliar letters. He traced them with his finger, lips moving as he read silently, utterly immersed.

Shen Lian rubbed the back of his neck. "Mmm... I wouldn't say it should be used to describe him. Like I said before, I'm not a physician, and without a proper professional to diagnose, I can't say if someone has it." He gestured toward the text. "A lot of these things overlap. Separating, for example, anxiety from social anxiety, or even just being introverted—it's not something an untrained person can declare."

To make his point, he flipped a few pages and showed them passages where the terms were written out:

Anxiety – a state of heightened worry or fear, often about future events or uncertainties, which can cause restlessness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

Social Anxiety – a persistent fear of being judged or humiliated in social situations, leading to avoidance, distress, and intense self-consciousness.

Introversion – a personality trait characterized by preference for solitude, quiet environments, and a focus on inner thoughts over external stimulation. Not an illness, simply a natural temperament.

"So you see," Shen Lian continued, "these things can look similar. Without professional knowledge, it's almost impossible to say for sure."

Just then, Lan Wangji returned from a private meeting with the Lan elders, Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren trailing behind him. They caught the tail end of Shen Lian's explanation, their gazes flicking toward the circle gathered around Wen Qing's book.

Shen Lian sighed and added, "But what I would advise is to first understand the larger picture. This falls under something called neurodivergency. It's not really an illness—unlike conditions such as DID, psychopathy, or schizophrenia."

Intrigued, Wen Qing flipped back to the very first page. The heading read:

Neurodivergency

A term used to describe natural variations in the human brain and nervous system that affect learning, attention, mood, or social interaction.

It includes conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more.

Being neurodivergent does not mean someone is broken or sick—it simply means their brain processes information differently from what is considered "typical."

The group leaned in, curiosity lighting their faces as they read together.

Wei Wuxian tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "So... it's like saying some people walk a different path in their mind, but that doesn't mean it's the wrong one?"

Shen Lian gave a small nod. "Exactly."

Lan Qiren, who had come upon the group midway through their discussion, narrowed his eyes as he listened to Shen Lian's explanation. Though he kept his hands folded behind his back, his sharp gaze lingered on the strange book Wen Qing held.

Neurodivergency, he repeated in his mind. A field that described minds that did not follow the same patterns as others. Not an illness, but a difference in how people thought and acted.

Though his face betrayed little, inwardly Lan Qiren was struck by the potential of this knowledge. If such conditions existed and had patterns, then perhaps medicine could be expanded beyond treating wounds and spiritual imbalance. Perhaps Cloud Recesses could learn to guide disciples whose strengths lay outside the rigid molds of cultivation tradition.

His eyes shifted briefly to Wen Qing. She had asked the right questions, her sharpness cutting immediately to application rather than novelty. This Wen girl has promise, he thought. If she can explain this system properly, she may open an entirely new branch of medicine for Gusu Lan. It may be worth allowing her to speak with our head physician—under my supervision, of course.

Lan Xichen, noticing the subtle softening in his uncle's stern expression, offered gently, "Shufu, it seems this knowledge may be of use. Perhaps we should record it, even test its merits within our medical halls."

Lan Qiren gave a curt nod, the only sign of agreement he would allow in front of juniors.

Just then, Lan Wangji, who had been quiet at Wei Wuxian's side, finally spoke. His voice was low but steady. "Wei Ying is... special." Lan Wangji said as a way of comfort. His eyes softened as he looked at him, a rare warmth in their cool depths.

The moment was so small it could have been missed, but not by Shen Lian. He caught the quiet look between the two, the faintest smile tugging at Wei Wuxian's lips in response.

Shen Lian's brow furrowed. When exactly did those two grow so close? he wondered.

Lan Qiren too had noticed the shift in his nephew's expression, the softness that was rarely shown. His sharp eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in his chest. What changed? he wondered. Then his mind caught up—Shen Lian's intrusive thoughts... did he not once reveal that these two would be engaged? Or even married?

His heart skipped, and his voice, usually unwavering in lectures, shook as though trying to escape reality. "How... exactly did Wei Wuxian not get hurt in that cave?"

"Eh, Lan-xianshen, did we not tell you?" Wei Wuxian piped up, utterly unbothered. He grinned, eyes bright with mischief. "Lan Zhan tied my hand with his ribbon. Aiyooo, he was looking at me with that beautiful face—how could I refuse?"

Lan Qiren froze. His hand trembled as he lifted it, pointing at Wei Wuxian, his whole frame unsteady. "Y-you... you shameless child! Do you even know the meaning of that ribbon?"

"Of course I do, Lan-xianshen!" Wei Wuxian declared proudly. "And I accept!" He turned, eyes twinkling with laughter. "Besides, Lan Zhan and I are really related now—using the same word, too. Isn't it fate?"

He broke into a laugh, utterly carefree.

Lan Qiren swayed where he stood, his legs clearly weakening. Lan Xichen had already stepped forward, discreetly positioning himself to catch his uncle should he collapse. Around them, the others pressed lips together, shoulders shaking as they tried—and failed—to hide their laughter. Even Shen Lian, usually wide-eyed and restless, blinked in surprise before biting down on a grin.

Lan Wangji, however, moved forward with his usual calm, bowing slightly. "I apologize for not informing Shufu sooner. But..." His voice was firm, resolute. "I have chosen my cultivation partner."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lan Qiren's eyes rolled back, and with a great swoop of his robes, he fainted on the spot.

"Shufu!" Lan Xichen caught him immediately, steadying his fall before lifting him into his arms. The room broke into chaos as disciples scrambled to help, their solemnity vanishing the moment Lan Xichen carried his uncle out of the clearing.

The lan xichen flew away with his uncle in his arms back to gusu, the dam broke. Every single one of them—Wei Wuxian, Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Nie Huaisang, even the usually composed Jin Zixuan—burst into laughter that echoed off the walls.

Lan Wangji, standing tall and silent among them, tilted his head slightly. His brow furrowed ever so faintly.

"...What exactly is so funny?"

His genuine confusion only made the group laugh harder, their giggles collapsing into breathless wheezing.

Chapter Text

Lan Qiren woke with a soft groan, his eyes bleary, his head still foggy. Slowly, with Lan Xichen's steadying arm at his back, he sat upright. Standing just behind Lan Xichen were Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, their shoulders drawn tight with tension.

Wei Wuxian braced himself. He knew the fallout was coming. After all, everyone in their little circle — from Shen Lian to Nie Huaisang — had placed quiet bets on how exactly Lan Qiren would explode when he woke up. Most had congratulated Lan Wangji for being the first one to make his uncle faint even though all bets was on Wei Wuxain, only for Shen Lian to smugly correct them: technically, it had been Wei Wuxian's fault too, since Lan Wangji's engagement to him was what caused Lan Qiren to faint in the first place.

But the eruption Wei Wuxian was expecting never came.

Instead, Lan Qiren's gaze swept over the three of them — lingered just a moment too long on the joined figures of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji — before he cleared his throat. "A celebration shall be held tonight. To honor the cleansing of the Waterborne Abyss and the disciples' hard work."

Wei Wuxian blinked, mouth half open. That was it? No lecture? No scolding?

Lan Qiren dismissed him and Lan Wangji with a wave, sending Lan Xichen to announce the feast to the sect. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji stepped out of the healing pavilion in stunned silence, staring at each other as though the other might have answers.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian whispered, "was Lan Xaingsheng .... calm?"

Lan Wangji's brow furrowed. "Mn."

Both of them looked equally troubled, as though they had walked into a trap.

Meanwhile, left alone, Lan Qiren allowed the corners of his lips to curl ever so slightly into a rare, mischievous smile. Let them stew in it for a while, he thought. They believe they can rattle me, but I have raised generations of disciples. They are children — and I am older, wiser, and far more patient. Let their own minds torment them.

With a quiet snort, he straightened his robes. "That Wei Wuxian boy," he muttered under his breath. "Not nearly as bad as his mother,have handled worse."

That evening, the hall was alive with warmth and chatter. Lanterns glowed golden, dishes filled the tables, and disciples spoke in hushed, excited tones about the victory at the Abyss.

When the moment came, an elder of the Lan clan stood to address the gathering. "Tonight we honor not only our unity but also the ingenuity that allowed the Abyss to be cleansed. The Gusu Lan clan gives its thanks to Wei-gongzi, whose Spirit Attraction flag guided our success."

A ripple of applause filled the hall. Wei Wuxian, startled, laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. "Ah— it was nothing, really—" he tried, though his eyes darted to Wen Qing.

Because he knew. They all knew. It hadn't just been him. Without Wen Qing's precision and corrections, the seal would have failed.

The group shifted uncomfortably, sharing guilty looks. But Wen Qing, composed as ever, set her cup down and spoke firmly. "Don't dwell on it. This was always the safest path. For now, it is enough that the Abyss is sealed. Later, when the time is right, I will claim what is mine."

Her words silenced their protests, though their expressions remained heavy.

Across the hall, Jiang Cheng felt fire clawing at his chest. He clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles turned white. Wei Wuxian, again. Always Wei Wuxian. Praised, celebrated, adored. No matter what Jiang Cheng did, it was never enough to stand beside him.

Abruptly, Jiang Cheng rose and excused himself, leaving the hall with his sister slipping quietly after him.

She found him outside, beneath the lantern light, his face shadowed and tight.

"Ah-Cheng," Jiang Yanli called softly.

He turned sharply, his voice raw. "Shijie... I love him, I do. But I can't stop being jealous. Every time he shines, I feel like I'm nothing. I can only scold him, hit him, drive him away. I don't know how to—how to show him what I actually feel."

His voice cracked, shame bleeding through.

Jiang Yanli reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. Her eyes were soft, though sadness lingered within them. "Ah-Cheng... you don't have to shine like he does. You are already you. That's enough. But if you love him, then stop hiding it behind anger. Show him with care. With trust. Even if it's difficult."

Her words trembled slightly, because they echoed in her own heart. She thought of how she had failed to protect Wei Wuxian before, how she had stood silent when he needed her most. Guilt pressed heavy on her chest.

I will do better, she vowed. I will apologise. I will not fail him again.

Together, brother and sister stood beneath the lanterns — both weighed down by their flaws, both quietly resolving to change.

The next morning, the atmosphere of Cloud Recesses shifted from the warmth of celebration to the tension of duty. The air was crisp, solemn, and heavy with expectation.

In a secluded hall deep within the Lan sect, preparations for Nie Mingjue's treatment were underway. The doors were sealed with protective wards, and guards stationed outside ensured no disciple would stumble in by accident. Within, the air was filled with the faint hum of guqin strings — Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren seated with their instruments, ready to play clarity and cleansing melodies should anything spiral out of control.

At the center of the hall stood the focal point of it all: a carefully prepared array of seals and talismans, painstakingly drawn by Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian the night before. The Spirit Attraction Flag was folded at the heart of the design, while medicinal incense smoldered quietly in brass burners, its smoke curling like pale threads of silk.

Wei Wuxian adjusted the placement of one of the seals for the fifth time, nerves buzzing under his skin. "This has to be exact," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His usual grin was nowhere to be seen — only sharp focus and a quiet energy that betrayed both excitement and worry.

Wen Qing, standing across from him, gave a small approving nod. "Good. That's the precision we need." Her hands were steady as she laid out her medical instruments and a tray of golden needles infused with spiritual energy.

Nie Mingjue himself sat cross-legged at the center, his eyes closed, his breathing deliberately calm. His powerful spiritual aura still flared

Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian stood tense and alert, every muscle strung tight like a drawn bow. Both knew the stakes — they could not strip away too much resentful energy at once, or the consequences would be catastrophic. The Nie clan's spiritual foundation was entwined with that same energy; to sever it recklessly was to destroy the host himself. Balance had to be maintained.

That was why the Spirit Attraction Flag had been adjusted, its strength dampened to draw in only small but steady streams, while Wen Qing monitored every flicker of Nie Mingjue's qi. Her hands hovered over his pulse points, spiritual needles ready. Her task was to measure whether righteous qi and resentful energy were clashing or merging — for even a slight miscalculation could mean death.

The moment the treatment began, the hall fell into an unnatural silence. The quiet hiss of burning incense. All eyes were locked on the Nie sect leader seated at the center of the array.

Then, without warning, the silence shattered. A faint silhouette rose above Nie Mingjue's form, black smoke twisting and shaping until it solidified into the massive shadow of a beast. Its roar echoed like thunder against the chamber walls, shaking even the protective wards.

"Stop! Stop the treatment!" Wen Qing's sharp command cut through the air.

At once, the talismans dimmed, the flag went still . All turned to her with alarm and confusion.

Lan Qiren's stern voice broke first: "What is the meaning of this?"

Wen Qing's expression was grim, her voice steady though her fingers trembled slightly. "We can remove the resentful energy. That much is certain. But the will of the beast's core still lingers. That will resists us — and if we press forward recklessly, it will turn on Nie Zongzhu. The backlash could consume him entirely."

Gasps rippled through the hall.

Her gaze flicked toward Lan Xichen. "What we need now is Inquiry. Only by seeking the truth of this beast's grievance can we decide whether to proceed."

The words struck the silence like a hammer.

Nie Mingjue's brows drew together, and he scoffed coldly. "You mean to tell me that I, Nie Mingjue, am expected to pander to the demands of a beast?" His aura surged with restrained fury, oppressive and domineering.

"Brother..." Nie Huaisang whispered, sucking in a sharp breath.

Wei Wuxian stepped forward, his eyes sharp, unafraid even under the full weight of Nie Mingjue's glare. "A sentient beast, Zongzhu Nie. One you killed to strengthen yourself. Its soul was wronged — and you carry its core still within you. What did you expect? That its resentment would simply fade away?"

The beast's shadow loomed higher, as if responding to his words.

"It is natural for a spirit wronged to haunt the one who harmed it," Wei Wuxian pressed on, his voice cutting like steel. "So yes, if you wish to extend your clan's lifeline, you will have to face it. Pander, if need be. And if it demands it, kneel to apologize — even to a beast."

Shock swept through the room. Nie Mingjue's anger spiked, his hand twitching toward the saber at his side, fury radiating from every line of his body.

"The only reason Wen-guniang and I are working so hard," Wei Wuxian continued, stepping even closer, "is not for you, Nie Zongzhu — but for your disciples. Innocent disciples who had no idea they were signing a contract with the devil when they inherited this cultivation method. And devils never give freely."

Nie Mingjue's spiritual pressure exploded outward, the beast's roar rising with it — but Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren moved at once. Lan Xichen caught his arm, holding him back, while Lan Qiren's voice rang with iron authority: "Enough! He is right. The decision lies with you, Zongzhu Nie."

Nie Huaisang's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he looked at his brother, silently pleading. "Gege..."

Lan Xichen's tone softened as he added gently, "No one doubts your strength, Da-ge. But this... this requires something beyond strength."

The hall held its breath. Nie Mingjue's jaw clenched, his pride warring with the weight of responsibility. Finally, after a long and searing silence, he gave a sharp nod, his voice low and grudging. "Fine. Begin the Inquiry."

Lan Xichen sat before his guqin, fingers brushing the strings as the first note of Inquiry rang out. The beast's silhouette trembled, its roar breaking into a guttural cry, and the hall braced for what truths would come forth.

For the rest — Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian, the Nie brothers — all they saw was the beast's silhouette trembling with anger, its eyes flashing with resentment.

Lan Xichen's brows drew together. He spoke aloud, voice firm so the others could follow.
"It says... it wished to ascend. To shed its beast form and become human. That was its path, cut short when it was slain. Its core taken. Its will shackled."

The shadow flared, eyes narrowing to points of venomous light. Lan Xichen's voice lowered, heavy with the beast's fury.
"Now, it says, it only desires for Zongzhu Nie to pay."

Nie Mingjue's expression darkened, fists clenching at his sides. "Pay? It was a beast. A threat. Its core made my clan strong. Am I now to beg forgiveness?"

Wei Wuxian's head tilted sharply, curiosity overcoming the tension. "But... it had a will. It cultivated. Isn't it natural that if it was denied its path, it would hold resentment?"

Wen Qing frowned, whispering under her breath, "If it clings this strongly, its spirit must truly still linger."

Lan Xichen struck the strings again, Inquiry carrying his next words: "What can be done? What would you accept to be appeased?"

The beast's eyes flickered, its shadow trembling. Lan Wangji murmured softly — only he and his uncle catching the faint response. But it was Lan Xichen who raised his voice for the rest to hear:

"It says it does not wish for vengeance alone. It demands recognition. Equality. To exist not as a tool, but as a partner. It will live... as a sword spirit."

Gasps filled the hall. Even Nie Huaisang's fan slipped half-shut.

Wei Wuxian stepped forward eagerly, "A sword spirit? Like a cultivator's blade that can grow with its master, maybe even take form if strong enough?"

Lan Xichen nodded gravely. "That is what it claims."

Nie Mingjue's face twisted, pride burning hot. "You want me to carry it like a partner? To bow my head to a beast I defeated?"

The shadow snarled, its massive form shuddering with force that rattled the wooden floor. Lan Xichen relayed its words, calm even as the energy whipped around them.
"It says if you refuse, it will tear you apart from within until you collapse."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Wen Qing, voice sharp, broke it. "Nie-zongzhu, there is no other choice. Refuse and you doom yourself — and your disciples with you. Accept, and you may yet keep balance."

Nie Huaisang sucked in a shaky breath, his voice breaking. "Gege... please. For the clan. For me. Don't throw everything away."

Lan Xichen's playing softened, Inquiry still carrying his plea. "It asks only for dignity. Acknowledgment. To be treated as equal. This is no longer about defeat or pride, but survival — yours and your sect's."

Nie Mingjue stood silent for a long, heavy moment. His broad shoulders trembled faintly with the battle raging inside — pride against necessity, fury against reason.

At last, he lowered his head, voice grudging but firm. "Then I will apologize. And accept it as an equal."

The beast's shadow stilled, its eyes no longer searing with rage but glowing faintly, almost with relief. Inquiry's strings hummed low, and for the first time, the hall's oppressive weight eased.

The shadow swelled one last time, Inquiry's notes vibrating like thunder. Lan Xichen's fingers trembled on the strings, the sound nearly breaking under the weight of the beast's voice.

"It says..." Lan Xichen's voice carried, low and deliberate, "...that it will allow the resentful energy to be drawn out. It will not resist. It will even work with you to balance the spiritual energy within your body. But..." His expression hardened. "...if Nie-zongzhu breaks his word, if you fail to keep this pact of equality, the backlash will not be like before. It says it will tear your foundation apart. Your fall will be beyond saving."

The words struck like a blade. The shadow's growl shook the rafters before its form dissolved, vanishing into the void of silence left behind.

All eyes turned to Nie Mingjue. His jaw was tight, his breath rough, but he gave a single nod. "I have made my choice. Let it be done."

Wen Qing stepped forward immediately, her hands steady despite the storm of nerves twisting inside her. "Then we begin again."

Wei Wuxian moved to her side, placing the newly drawn Spirit-Attraction Flag inside the smaller Qiankun bag. Its net-like form spread, anchored at the corners by talismans as planned.

The hall was silent except for the soft hum of Lan Xichen's guqin — Inquiry fading into clarity, joined now by Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren, their guqin and flute weaving threads of calm into the charged air.

Slowly, steadily, the resentful energy began to rise. The bag drew it in, swelling with black mist. Wen Qing's fingers pressed against Nie Mingjue's pulse, eyes darting between the readings of his spiritual flow. "Steady... balance is holding... do not resist," she whispered.

The shadow of the beast did not reappear, but its presence lingered — watching, waiting, testing his resolve.

Once Nie Minjue energy stabilised the bag was sealed. "It's stabilizing. The energies are no longer clashing."

Wei Wuxian flashed a grin, relief bursting out of him. "Then we did it! His spiritual veins are clearing, and the beast didn't lash back!"

Nie Huaisang nearly collapsed in on himself, clutching his fan to his chest. "Gege..." His voice wavered between tears and laughter. "You're going to live."

Nie Mingjue opened his eyes at last. Though still pale, his breath was even, his aura no longer turbulent with chaos. His voice, hoarse but firm, filled the room. "It worked."

The hall erupted in low murmurs of disbelief and awe. Wen Qing wiped her brow, her hands finally unclenching. Wei Wuxian's grin widened, his eyes sparkling with triumph.

The first treatment was complete. The beast had retreated. And though uneasy, for the first time in years, the Nie Sect's burden of inevitable doom had loosened its grip.

Chapter Text

The evening sun cast long, weary shadows across the secluded pavilion. Wei Wuxian arrived with a knot of apprehension tight in his stomach. The last time a private meeting with the Jiang siblings had been called, it had ended in cold words and fresh wounds. He greeted Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, then sat down hesitantly, his usual carefree smile strained.

"A-Xian," Jiang Yanli began, her voice soft but firm. "A-Cheng has something to say."

Jiang Cheng, for once, didn't look away. His jaw was tight, and his gaze was fixed on the space just past Wei Wuxian's shoulder. The words came out strained, a testament to how difficult they were for him to say. "I'm sorry. I know it's not enough, but... I'm sorry." He finally looked at Wei Wuxian, his eyes raw with a mix of shame and honesty. "I realized I was so jealous of you. Of you being better at me at everything. I never thought about your own pain and hurt. I was self-centered and so wrapped up in myself that I saw no one else."

He paused, a flicker of pain crossing his face. "You were always hurt by me, by my mother, and now by my father too. But even then, rather than comforting you, I confronted you. I don't hate you. I do love you, and you are right—I am going to show you I love you not with anger, but by truly showing it. You are my brother, and I know I'm jealous, but I will definitely work on myself. So please... give me a chance to prove myself."

Wei Wuxian was stunned into silence, the words echoing in his mind. He was about to respond, his own throat tightening with emotion, when Jiang Yanli spoke. "And I am sorry too, A-Xian." Her voice trembled slightly. "I let my silence become an excuse. I accommodated A-Cheng's hostility, making it a commonplace thing in our household. I allowed a world where you had to apologize even when A-Cheng was wrong, where our love for you was given with conditions." She took a deep, fortifying breath. "I have decided to become better. I want to love you unconditionally, as a brother should be loved."

A single tear tracked down Wei Wuxian's cheek. For all the pain and arguments, this was a moment of truth, a crack in the emotional armor they all wore. He reached out and gently squeezed both of their hands. "You don't have to prove anything. I know you both love me." He smiled, the tension finally beginning to melt away. "And I love you both too. I'll give you a chance. All of us. We will get better."

That night, they shared dinner together. The tension still lingered, a ghost of old wounds, but it was thinner now, more transparent. They ate, they shared a few laughs, and for the first time in a long time, the three of them felt like a family again. The difficult conversation had opened a door, not just to a better relationship between them, but to a new path forward for all three.
-------
The next morning, pale light filtered into the shared dorm room. Wen Qing was already up, meticulously organizing her medical instruments. Jiang Yanli watched her, the new resolve she'd found the previous night solidifying into a quiet determination.

"wen guniang," Jiang Yanli began, using the respectful address she had heard Wei Wuxian use. "Please, teach me to heal."

Wen Qing didn't even turn around. "You're a sect heiress. I'm a physician. We have no business together."

"I want to help," Jiang Yanli said, her voice soft but unwavering. "I don't want to feel useless again, standing by while people I care about get hurt."

Wen Qing finally turned, her eyes sharp. "Do you think medicine is a game? You're too soft. A patient's life isn't a poem. It's blood and pain and failure. Go back to your embroidery."

Jiang Yanli simply shook her head. "I will not." She then followed Wen Qing out of the dorm and into the morning stillness of Cloud Recesses. She followed her silently as Wen Qing made her rounds, collecting herbs and sitting with her in class. Jiang Yanli was a quiet shadow, a gentle, persistent presence.

By afternoon, Wen Qing's frustration had reached its peak. She spun around, her voice a low hiss. "Why are you following me? Don't you have something better to do?"

"No," Jiang Yanli replied simply. "I told you I want to learn."

A flicker of something—a mix of exasperation and grudging respect—crossed Wen Qing's face. She sighed, leading the way to a small, dusty medical chamber. "Fine. But I don't have time to teach a pampered young lady. You've already proven you're not one for discomfort."

"You're right," Jiang Yanli said, her voice unwavering. "I failed A-Xian. I was selfish in my silence. But I will not be that person anymore."

Wen Qing finally looked up, her gaze piercing. "Words are easy. A patient's life isn't. Can you handle the sight of blood? The smell of sickness? The screams of pain?"

To her surprise, Jiang Yanli didn't flinch. "I'm ready to learn."

Wen Qing scoffed and gestured toward a jar. "Identify this."

Jiang Yanli carefully picked up a small root, its texture rough under her fingers. "It's a Gourd Root," she said, remembering a vague lesson from her childhood.

"For what?" Wen Qing pressed, her tone suggesting she was ready to catch Jiang Yanli in a lie.

"It can be used to treat stomach ailments and reduce swelling."

Wen Qing's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through her composed facade. "And how do you administer it?"

"It is usually boiled with water and honey to make a tincture. The mixture should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach."

Wen Qing's lips parted slightly, but she quickly recovered, turning to a grimy cloth. "This is a tourniquet," she explained, her tone still clinical but a touch softer now. "If an artery is cut, this could save a life. You must learn how to tie it in a knot that is secure but can still be released."

For the next few hours, Jiang Yanli worked with a quiet, focused determination. Her gentle hands, which were used to delicate embroidery, were clumsy at first with the rough materials of medicine. She made mistakes, but she didn't complain or grow frustrated. She simply redid the knot until it was perfect. She listened intently as Wen Qing explained the properties of different herbs and how to prepare them.

As the sun began to set, Wen Qing finally put down her tools, her expression unreadable. "You learn quickly," she admitted, the words tasting foreign on her tongue. "But healing isn't just about what you know. It's about what you're willing to endure. Most people are too selfish to truly help others. Are you?"

Jiang Yanli looked at her, her eyes filled with a new resolve. "wen guniang, I want to be a person who can save people and help them heal from their inner and outer wounds. I will endure whatever I have to endure."

A flicker of something—perhaps grudging respect—crossed Wen Qing's face. She didn't smile, but for the first time, her expression didn't hold hostility. "Come back tomorrow," she said curtly. "We'll work on suturing.
----------
Jin Zixuan waited until the last of the disciples had filed out of the classroom before he moved. He strode over to Wei Wuxian, stopping him with a polite but firm gesture.

"Wei Wuxian," he began, his voice low. "When is our next meeting with Lan Qiren?"

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow, a familiar smirk playing on his lips. "It's scheduled for tomorrow afternoon after class." He leaned in a little, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but I was going to call for you to come along even if you didn't ask."

Jin Zixuan's face, already tense, tightened further. He couldn't decipher Wei Wuxian's tone. "Oh," he said simply, a quiet word that carried a hint of surprise.

Wei Wuxian, ever the one to cut through the bull, dropped the playful act. He nodded toward a secluded side path that led to a small, private garden. "Come on, let's go somewhere we can talk."

Once they were settled under the shade of a large ginkgo tree, a thick silence fell between them. Wei Wuxian chose to break it with his signature bluntness. "Enough with the small talk. Just tell me this: Why do you dislike my shijie?"

The question was a direct blow, and Jin Zixuan flinched. He opened his mouth, then closed it, a wave of visible embarrassment washing over him. The silence stretched, thick and heavy with years of unspoken misunderstandings.

"I don't... dislike her," he finally managed, his voice barely a whisper. He took a deep breath, and for the first time, he spoke with genuine sincerity, devoid of pride. "I don't know who she is."

Wei Wuxian's expression went from curious to confused. "What?"

"Our marriage is arranged. It's been planned since we were children. I never had a choice. I was never allowed to speak to her or get to know her." He gestured vaguely toward the surrounding buildings. "Everything is so formal here, and my whole life is a performance for my family. How am I supposed to talk to a stranger I am promised to? I was so afraid of doing the wrong thing, of being disrespectful or not good enough, that I just shut down. I was so used to being arrogant that I didn't know how to be honest. I never meant to be cold or rude. I just... didn't know how to be anything else."

Wei Wuxian stared at him, all the old anger and resentment melting away. This was a Jin Zixuan he had never seen before—a young man burdened by expectations, not a shallow peacock. He was clumsy with his feelings, not cruel with them.

"You really... you really feel that way?" Wei Wuxian asked softly.

Jin Zixuan nodded, his gaze steady. "I do." He paused, then extended his hand, palm up, in a gesture of truce. "I'm a fool. I know it's not enough to excuse my behavior, but I'll try to do better."

Wei Wuxian looked at him for a while then smiled. well goodluck in your endeavour and ask me if you need anything, he says before leaving a blushing jin zixuan
-----
Shen Lian's day began not with the usual tranquility of dawn, but with a visceral jolt. He was wrenched from a nightmare so vivid it left him gasping for air, his back slick with cold sweat. In the dream, he had been torn to pieces, his tormentors whispering accusations: "Who are you? How did you get to this world? Why are you ruining everything?" The shrill clang of the morning bell shattered the last remnants of sleep paralysis, a harsh, metallic sound that was both a relief and an intrusion.

He stumbled out of bed and began his daily meditation, a new habit he'd adopted to ground himself in this bewildering new reality. But today was different. The familiar sense of calm was absent. An invisible, crushing weight pressed against him, a force that felt like a physical hand pushing down on his chest. It was an inexplicable, hostile energy that felt as if it was not just interrupting his meditation, but actively trying to tear his spiritual core apart. He tried to resist, to recenter himself, but a wave of nausea swept over him. He was violently thrown off his cushion, a sharp, searing pain ripping through his body. It was a sensation of deep, fundamental rejection, as if the very fabric of this world was trying to expel him.

Abandoning the meditation, he went to bathe, the cold water doing little to wash away the lingering sense of dread. His body felt heavy, his limbs like lead. He moved through the halls like a ghost, his usual energy zapped. His friends, noticing his pale face and vacant eyes, looked at him with concern as he slumped into his seat in class.

An hour passed in a haze of scattered thoughts before his head began to ring. It wasn't a simple headache. It was a buzzing, a high-pitched frequency that clawed at his mind, a relentless assault. He felt it again—the same forceful presence from his meditation, but this time it was more direct, more aggressive, attempting to pry his soul from his body. The pain was unbearable, and he quickly asked for permission to leave for the infirmary.

The day only worsened. During sword training, a series of impossible accidents nearly ended his life. A blade, gripped in a classmate's hand, suddenly slipped and arced toward his face, only to be deflected at the last second. A loose tile from the rooftop fell, narrowly missing his head. But it was later, during a simple meal, that the true horror set in. He choked on his food, his airway completely blocked, the familiar panic of suffocation a stark reminder of his mortality. As a student rushed to perform the Heimlich maneuver, he caught the eyes of his friends.who looked at him with concern.

Lying in bed that night, the events of the day replayed in his mind. The dreams, the meditation, the near-fatal accidents—they weren't coincidences. He thought of the various book,novels and movies  where a transmigrator faced similar pushback from a mystical world order or a godlike existence . A chilling realization settled over him. This wasn't bad luck. This wasn't a series of unfortunate events.

This was the world trying to kill him. It wanted him gone, and it was willing to use any means necessary to erase his existence.

Chapter Text

It was way too late when Shen Lian fell asleep. The next moment he found himself standing in front of a meeting hall with people sitting on both sides. The place in front of him was bigger than anything he'd ever seen endless, like an expanse of cloud. Even the entrance felt infinite.

He realised, then, and his mind blanked. "Oh I must have died," he whispered, before the crying started. "This is so unfair. It's not my fault the world went off course. Why did I have to be the one to die? And this is the second timewahhh!"

"ARE YOU DONE?" a voice cut through.

Shen Lian looked up and saw a very dazzling man standing in front of him. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Angel," Shen Lian sniffed. "I just it's not fair to die like this. I'm really pitiful."     The man said disdainfully "   you are not dead" . Shen lian smiles in relief then freezes seemiling realizing something " I know I'm beautiful, but you can't do this. you cant kidnap me  ."

The temperature in the room dropped. The dazzling man raised an eyebrow, watching him with faint distaste. He turned to the hall and said, "He's not the one. He's too stupid. Can I ,can I kill him?"

Shen Lian's eyes popped out.

A deep sigh interrupted him. "Zhehan, you cannot kill him," another voice said.

The man paused. "At least not yet," he added.

Shen Lian's legs gave way. He fell to the floor, trembling. "You you can't kill me?" he stammered.

"If I had no use for you," the voice replied, "then... well  i might just let him." The words trailed off, and Shen Lian felt faint.

Shen Lian surged to his feet, voice bright and desperate. "I'm useful, sir very useful. You can ask me anything and I'll do it. I promise. Really."

The older man studied him for a long moment. Shen Lian bobbed his head like a hen pecking at grain.

"Good to know," the elder said finally. "Let me introduce myself properly. I am Ji Bowen head of those who oversee the world's progression." His tone was flat, like a man reciting an old duty. "Since you arrived, I have seen the world go... awry. You are the only anomaly."

Shen Lian's grin faltered; his hands went cold.

"We have watched you," Ji Bowen continued. "You have not shown outright interference. You have tried, instead, to set it back on its course. That is why you are not dead."

Shen Lian's pulse stuttered. The old man's next words landed like a stone. "What happened today was not meant to kill you. It was a test to see whether another force would retaliate if this world attempted to remove you. There was no retaliation. You are, by our measures, ordinary except that you carry knowledge of the future."

Ji Bowen leaned forward, eyes keen as knives. "I will give you a mission. Make sure the plot follows its intended course. Help the world right itself. Do this, and you live. Refuse, and... you understand."

Shen Lian swallowed. He thought of the faces he had learned to love of Wei Wuxian's grin, Lan Wangji's silence, the shaky, warm bonds forming like slow stitches. A happy ending might be possible here. He pictured laughter instead of endless grief. But an ache slid down his spine: if he failed, he would be erased.

A dangerous idea bloomed in his chest, bright and terrible. If he could steer the story a little, maybe — just maybe — he could make those endings kinder, earlier than fate intended. And if he could not... well. He knew the cost.

He straightened, put on his best smile, and asked the question that had been burning him since he'd first realized the stakes. "Elder Ji Bowen — how many times has this world been reset?"

Ji Bowen's face, which had been calm as carved stone, broke into something like amusement. "I have lost count," he said, the words tumbling out with an odd chill. "Centuries fold into centuries. We stopped keeping an honest tally a very long time ago."

Shen Lian stifled the grin that would have betrayed him. He took a breath and plunged.

"Elder," he said boldly, "you've watched this for centuries. Aren't you bored? Why not let me try something different. Don't force the same heartbreak every cycle. Let the world go off-course a little. Let us create a new story one with fresh threads, less pain. If it fails, you can purge me. If it works... maybe we get something better."

Silence fell like a held breath. Then Ji Bowen's laugh started a low, dangerous sound that spread through the hall and curled the edges of the mist. For the first time, curiosity lit his face.

"You are brave," he said at last, the chuckle dying into seriousness. "Very well. We will let the world deviate. Show us this new story."

Ji Bowen's gaze sharpened, the room tightening around the single point of his attention. "But be warned: the major plot points are set in stone. Fight to change what you can, but do not expect to overturn the foundations. If I am not satisfied with the ending you create..." He let the sentence hang like a blade.

Shen Lian's throat went dry. He bowed, heart hammering. "Understood."

Ji Bowen waved a hand, and the mist swallowed Shen Lian's knees. "Send him back," he said quietly to Zhehan.

Shen Lian felt the world tilt. As the hall blotted out, Ji Bowen added one last thing, gentler than before: "Try to make it beautiful. I will be watching. I will root for you."

Then the clouds closed, and Shen Lian woke with his heart racing, the old man's final words seared into him.

Major plot points will not change.

The sentence pulsed in his mind like a warning bell. 

Shen Lian waited until the morning lecture was over, but his chance to speak to Wei Wuxian was cut short. Wei Wuxian was already settled in his seat next to Lan Wangji, their heads bent together over a shared scroll—a silent confirmation of their inescapable closeness. Shen Lian decided to try again after class.

He finally caught sight of Wei Wuxian near the back entrance, but the young man was not alone. Cradled in his arms, Wei Wuxian held two fluffy white rabbits.

"Huh, Wei-xiong, what are you doing with rabbits?" Shen Lian asked, walking toward him.

Wei Wuxian smiled, a bright, easy grin. "Oh, I want to give them to Lan Zhan. I just thought they would be bored in the cave, so I brought them out."

Right, Shen Lian thought, a cold knot tightening in his stomach. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji went into the cave. They received the Yin Iron. Even though I made them meet differently, the central event still happened. The punishments and the public teasing didn't happen, but they still got close to each other.

A desperate urge for confirmation seized him.

"Hey, Wei-xiong, since you created that talisman to clean the Waterborne Abyss, then you definitely went to check the abyss before, didn't you?" Shen Lian asked, trying to sound casual. "Did you by chance fall into the water?"

"Uh, Shen-xiong, how did you know?" Wei Wuxian asked, feigning surprise.

Shen Lian wasn't paying attention to the performance. His mind was reeling. He did fall. That means he got in contact with resentful energy, a major plot point. The Wen siblings were already befriended—another plot point. Since the Yin Iron is with them, they will definitely go look for the others.

Wei Wuxian's eyebrow twitched upward, a flicker of genuine surprise finally reaching his eyes. He and Lan Zhan had really decided to look for the rest of the Yin Iron.

Shen Lian's thoughts raced, leading to a single, terrifying conclusion. If every major plot point is being fulfilled, then Wei Wuxian will definitely die. No escape. 

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning had just arrived in the back mountain, searching for Wei Wuxian. They were instantly stunned by a wave of a voice the chilling tailwind of Shen Lian's thought:

(...Wei Wuxian will die.)

The thought struck with crushing force. Wei Wuxian staggered, but was instantly caught and stabilized by Lan Wangji. Shen Lian's internal predictions of death had haunted their consciousness since the first day they met him, but this time, the thought spoke like an inevitability, a progression that was simply normal.

Lan Wangji's eyes darkened. It did not matter what the future held; he would defy the heavens for Wei Wuxian.

Wen Qing's eyes narrowed. She was Wen Qing, the best doctor of her generation. She had researched things that the orthodox sects dared not touch. Wei Wuxian would not die on her watch.

Wen Ning looked at his sister, and all the worries he had for Wei Wuxian vanished. His sister would definitely not let Wei Wuxian die, and he would support her.

All three were instantly united in their absolute determination to protect the boy standing before them. It showed in their fierce, silent resolve.

Then, one last thought eclipsed the others, stronger and clearer than any prophecy:

(No, I can't let it happen. No matter what, I, Shen Lian, will give Wei Wuxian a story that should be given to someone as kind, as righteous as he is. You want to help the people? Help. Be free. Just know that I will definitely not let the world hurt you. Make as much mess as you want, this Gege will protect you.)

A glimmer of a smile touched the faces of all those present, united by the sheer, unexpected warmth of his declaration.

Even with the tense situation, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but comment as he watched Shen Lian's determined back disappear, having excused himself to leave the mountain.

"Uh, Gege? But I'm older than him," Wei Wuxian said.

The rest of the group looked at him, then realized: Shen Lian had declared himself "Gege" when he was fifteen and Wei Wuxian was sixteen. Was it merely an arrogant way of making his declaration, or was he truly older? Shen Lian was a mystery that stumped all of them, even those who could hear his every thought.

Some parts of his thoughts were utterly indistinguishable, as if they were never meant to be heard. He could predict the future despite being an orphan with no sect alliance, only having been talented enough to be accepted by the women-focused Meishan Yu Sect. This was the first personal information they had truly glimpsed; only thoughts about them had been revealed before.

Two hours later, the entire group Lan Qiren, Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang, the Wen siblings, and Jin Zixuan was gathered. The only exception was Nie Mingjue, who had returned to his sect. They had convened in the Hanshi, which, as deemed by Wei Wuxian, had become the go-to meeting place for the "I Can Hear Shen Lian's Thoughts Group" (he was still working on the name).

"We need to plan how to make the other sects hear Shen Lian's thoughts," Lan Xichen said, his face grave. "It would be easy if we simply gave them the permission to listen, but how will we protect his identity? Not everyone can be trusted." They had already decided to call in the parents of the guest disciples, under the pretense of inviting them to spend the upcoming festival with their children, before revealing the Oracle Prophecy. The question remained: how to make Shen Lian say what he knew while preventing the sect leaders from knowing the source.

"I have an idea," Nie Huaisang said.

"How about we put Shen Lian in a room behind the main conference hall, then have him take the test like we did before?" he suggested. "Wei Wuxian and I will be in there with him since the rest of you are needed in the main hall. Then, we can use a Talisman of Voice Distortion to garble the voice people hear, making it impossible to identify his voice. That way, he reveals the future, and the sects can be brought onto our side."

"Nie-xiong! I can't believe you're so smart! That's why I love you!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, tackling Nie Huaisang in a hearty hug.

Lan Qiren predictably grumbled about the shameless public display. The rest of the group found the antics funny all except for Lan Wangji, whose expression had turned into his version of a pout. This sight made Lan Xichen laugh out loud. The others looked on in confusion, wondering what was so funny, but Lan Xichen didn't say, still wanting to let his brother keep his reputation, even though it didn't stop him from his infectious laughter.

Li Bowen looked at the characters and smiled, thinking: Maybe this time there will be a change.

His thought was interrupted by the entrance of Zhehan. "The culprits have been appropriately punished," he said.

The culprit punished was Wang Chu, one of the workers under Li Bowen that helped to run the world. This person had acted on his own and punished Shen Lian, almost causing him to die. This whole affair led to the strange conclusion that the world consciousness wanted Shen Lian dead. But how could that be true when the world consciousness, Li Bowen, was the one who had brought Shen Lian here himself and was also the one who made them all hear Shen Lian's thoughts?

Li Bowen had lied to Shen Lian, telling him the series of near-fatal accidents was a test when, in reality, it was an act made by an insubordinate person under him. He had the person punished, but he had no choice but to intervene and reveal himself to Shen Lian. These series of actions had caused him to weaken, so he had to sleep to replenish himself.

"Zhehan," Li Bowen said, his voice fading. "I leave the rest to you. When I wake up again, I hope it is to a story that is not as sad, even to a smaller degree."

Chapter Text

On the day of the Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāo Jié), the Gusu Lan Sect was uncharacteristically abuzz with activity. The timing of the conference was made intentional, capitalizing on the fact that the Cultivation World conference held at the Nie Sect had just concluded a while back. They had been unable to reveal the secret there due to Wen Ruohan's presence, but using the pretext that parents would spend time with their children and review their behavior proved successful.

This plan hinged entirely on the Wen Sect's non-participation—a fact that was confirmed with the smallest hint of condescension in a letter from Wen Ruohan, speaking of his inability to be present. This was, obviously, the green light the secret group had been waiting for; they would have gladly sent the Wen Clan a flower of thanks if it would not compromise their plan.

The chaos of arrival finally settled down as the Sect Leaders and Heirs arrived and were led to the main conference hall. They did not celebrate the Lantern Festival first; rather, the general disciples were sent away to the nearby town to celebrate. Only the core Sect Leaders and Heirs were permitted to enter.

As for Wei Wuxian, he had been avoiding the Jiang family ever since their arrival last night, a night that had been spent in an emotional sleepover. Shen Lian, by now, had given up on the plot actually making any sense. He was perfectly calm when the group revealed the parents would be visiting, but he was truly furious because, even on this holiday, he had to sit here and take a "test" with Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning, with Lan Wangji and Wen Qing acting as supervisors. Apparently, they had broken rules while having their sleepover.

Shen Lian did not know it, but the cozy sleepover was a meticulously planned comfort for Wei Wuxian, not only distracting him from the arrival of the formidable Jiang couple but also providing a flawless justification for sequestering Shen Lian under "punishment."

A few hours later, the voice distortion tailsman was set, the leaders were assembled, and the cultivation world was about to be thrown into chaos.

"Greetings to the sect leaders and welcome to Gusu Lan Sect. I hope the journey was not too rough," Lan Qiren said elegantly, standing up to address the assembled leaders. "We have gathered here to talk about the guest disciples that have come and to monitor their progress, but I must be honest: that was only a pretext. The true reason you are here is far more urgent."

This opening statement immediately threw the room into chaos. Had the Lan Sect just admitted to a lie? The more jealous sects immediately began whispering that the Lan Sect was not as righteous as they seemed. But the other, more pragmatic sects began to wonder what could be so important that it would make the Gusu Lan Sect intentionally break their own revered rules. This difference in opinion led to a surge of rising, arguing voices that gave Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren an immediate headache. Nie Mingjue just looked profoundly annoyed.

Lan Qiren waited for a beat, then raised his voice, cutting through the noise.

"The reason we have brought you here is because we have received a Prophecy about the future of the cultivation world. I know it is hard to believe, but most of the things predicted have already come true, which is why we urgently called for this conference. And as you can see, the Wen Clan is not here because, according to the oracle, they will be the ones to bring war to the cultivation world."

Immediately, the hall exploded again. Even though they did not yet fully believe the so-called prophecy, getting an official green light to talk poorly about the arrogant Wen Clan emboldened many of them.

Lan Qiren continued, intentionally ignoring their outbursts and breaking the "no interruption" rule for himself. "As I was saying, that is why we had to be discreet about it and not speak about it in the past conference. For the deception, the Lan Clan apologizes."

This statement calmed the sect leaders slightly.

"I also know you might not believe the oracle right now, but it is true, and I will let you all listen for yourselves. But first, a few rules for what you are about to hear:

No secrets revealed in this room may be used against any other Sect unless those secrets directly aid the Wen cause.

Future crimes revealed by the oracle will not be punished by this alliance, as we must focus on the present threat. However, those crimes that have already occurred will be dealt with.

Finally, not all members of the Wen Sect are part of this war; you must use discernment.

"Please ask all questions you have now. When the Oracle Prophecy starts, there will be no stopping it."

The brief moment of political tension gave way to a chilling, personal dread for the Yunmeng Jiang delegation.

Even as the other leaders cautiously accepted the term "Oracle Prophecy," Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan knew with absolute certainty that this disembodied voice could only be the same one they had heard months prior: the one that revealed Shen Lian's impossible, future knowledge.

The couple tensed, their initial shock over the Wen declaration overridden by an immediate, searing anxiety. They were surprised to learn they were not the only ones who had been subjected to hearing these private thoughts, but that a far larger, more dangerous group—the entire cultivation world elite—was about to listen.

If the prophecy was indeed Shen Lian's unfiltered consciousness, then the deepest, most critical secrets of the Jiang family—or any family—were vulnerable. This boded terribly for them. As the weakest among the Five Great Clans, if their vulnerabilities were exposed, a great many envious cultivators would be only too eager to move against them, effectively giving the Wen Clan allies among the orthodox sects without Wen Ruohan having to lift a finger.

The Jiang family, including Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli, braced themselves, their attention shifting from the threat of the Wen to the volatile threat of disclosure"I suggest we don't ask any questions now. Let us listen to the oracle first, and then we will ask our questions," Jiang Fengmian suggested. He urgently needed to confirm if the voice was what he dreaded, and he couldn't afford to risk a question revealing a Jiang secret prematurely.

"Yes, yes, Jiang Zongzhu is right! How about we just write the things we want to ask down and ask later?" another sect leader quickly agreed.

All the leaders nodded, accepting the new plan. The room became silent, filled with tense anticipation as they wondered how exactly the voice of the oracle would be delivered.

Lan Qiren spoke briefly to Lan Xichen, who rose and left the hall for a few minutes. As Lan Xichen came back and took his seat, a voice—clear, amplified, yet heavily distorted, making it impossible to tell if it was male or female—suddenly echoed throughout the entire hall.

(The Jin Sect. Uh.) Shen Lian thought, and immediately the Jiang Sect members tensed, recognizing the casual, private nature of the voice.

In the small, sequestered room, the piece of paper in front of Shen Lian, written by Lan Qiren, displayed the first planned question: "What do you think of the Jin Sect, and what would be the solution to any issue that is written by you?"

A small, frustrated smile appeared on Shen Lian's face, tired of the absurdity.

The distorted voice boomed into the main hall: "The first issue is Jin Guangshan. And the solution? It's simple: Castrate him."

This single, brutal, and completely unexpected opinion from the oracle sent the entire hall into a deep, stunned silence.

The stunned silence of the conference hall was shattered as the amplified, distorted voice of the "Oracle" continued, now delving into the history and inevitable demise of the Lanling Jin Sect:

"Most of the issues of the Jin Sect come directly from Jin Guangshan. It was already bad enough for the Jin to be known as rich peacocks who cannot stop flaunting their wealth, but for them to put a man like Jin Guangshan—a veritable prostitute—in charge was the ultimate downfall of the Jin Sect."

The air in the conference hall crackled with shock and outrage, particularly from the Lanling Jin side.

The voice continued, listing the leader's sins with cold, factual precision: "Jin Guangshan's list of crimes is truly numerous: rape, deceit, murder, cheating, greed, and so on. But the most important one that led to the sect's fall was his inability to control his lower body."

The revelation built to a horrifying crescendo: "After finally acknowledging Meng Yao, he marries him to Qin Su, who was also Jin Guangshan's daughter, the result of a rape. Madam Qin, knowing the misogynistic tendencies of the cultivation world, did not dare speak a word of it, leading to the siblings having a child."

The severity of the consequences was then laid bare: "Jin Guangyao, aware of this, kills his own son and uses this horrific secret to wipe out an entire sect. Jin Guangyao leads and plans the death of Jin Zixuan, Jin Zixun, and Jiang Yanli, with Wei Wuxian becoming the scapegoat. The murder of Nie Mingjue, Jin Ling growing up without parents, Wei Wuxian's death, Lan Xichen's final breakdown, Mo Xuanyu's suffering, Lan Wangji's mourning, Jiang Wangyin's blackening, the fallout between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wangyin, Qin su death at her own husband hands and so much more—it was all because of Jin Guangshan."

The oracle finished with a final, cutting remark of poetic justice: "If he had been faithful, would Meng Yao have been born and done all those things? Maybe some things would have still happened, but in this version, it is his fault. But he gets his karma. His death is truly a way to go; his illegitimate son helped him find people to have sex with him until he died. Wow, really. Jin Guangshan literally put a new meaning in 'not stopping till death.'"

The chaos that followed the Oracle's damning revelation did not give way to a decent silence; instead, it escalated into immediate violence.

With a speed that defied his customary gentle demeanor, Sect Leader Qin was suddenly thrown to the ground of the hall. Standing above him, his face a mask of cold fury, was Sect Leader Qin (of the Qin Sect), who held his drawn sword to Jin Guangshan's neck.

Jin Guangshan, terrified for his life, began inching backward, stuttering. "S-Sect Leader Qin! We have been friends for so long! It is obviously not true! This is just an act from the Lan Sect to ruin me!"

The room was stunned; no one moved to stop the Qin Sect Leader. He didn't remove his gaze from Jin Guangshan. His voice, usually pleasant, was now low and filled with a dangerous resolve, echoing loudly in the sudden hush. "Is this true?"

Immediately, Madam Qin, who had been sobbing into her hands beside her husband, weakly nodded her head, confirming the horrific incestuous rape.

Sect Leader Qin let out a ragged, strangled cry of pure agony, raising his sword, determined to kill the man who had ruined his family. He swung his blade down, aiming for Jin Guangshan's neck.

A harsh clang of clashing steel rang through the hall.

Nie Mingjue was standing in front of him, Baxia blocking the killing blow, preventing Jin Guangshan's immediate death.

Jin Guangshan, already crying hysterically, stuttered out his thanks in between sobs.

Nie Mingjue's voice was thick with suppressed rage, his eyes dark. "Sect Leader Qin, you will definitively get justice, but now we need to focus on the main issue, which is listening to the Oracle and what else they need to say about the sects! I promise on my honor, Sect Leader Jin will not go unpunished. You have my word."

Nie Mingjue's promise, backed by his formidable reputation, held the chaos at bay. The Qin Sect Leader lowered his sword, shaking with devastated grief and fury, finally allowing the proceedings to continue. The Lan Sect's prophecy, delivered by a frustrated Shen Lian, was now violently, undeniably real.

Chapter Text

The scale and magnitude of what happened were stunning to Jin Zixuan. He had been ready for things to go out of control, and perhaps for some secrets to be revealed, but having the full reality of his father's atrocities play out in front of him was a gruesome joke. When Sect Leader Qin grabbed and threw his father to the floor, his feet remained immobile. Should he save his father? But his father's crimes were so numerous—he hadn't even spared the wife of his friend. How vile was his habit?

He finally moved when the final, fatal blow was about to strike, but his mother held him back with the most expressionless face possible. In that moment, Jin Zixuan knew his mother did not care about his father or the sect; he, and he alone, was her priority. She had raised him trying to shelter him from Jin Guangshan's evils, but even so, he had heard rumors. They were just rumors, but now he couldn't help but think of all the things he had ignored in his sect.

Luo Mian Mian, the only low-born friend he'd ever tolerated, had tried to warn him, but being constantly monitored, she couldn't tell him everything, and even what she did tell him, he had ignored—out of sight, out of mind. He couldn't help but remember ignoring the screams of ladies in the Jin Sect. Were one of them Madam Qin? His mother had always told him they "wanted it and deserved it," but was it so? Remembering how Luo Mian Mian would use every method to run away from meeting her Sect Leader made him realize that perhaps they truly did not want it. He and his mother had been complicit in these crimes and had even ignored them, his mother going so far as to punish the victims.

Madam Jin looked away from the spectacle, justifying her complicity to herself: So what if her husband had forced them? They still wanted it. This allowed her to justify taking her anger out on not only the victims but also their children. After all, Yu Ziyuan visited her often in Jinlintai; why didn't she complain or fall victim to it? It was definitely the seducers' fault. Madam Jin chose to forget that, no matter how muddle-minded Jin Guangshan was, he would never touch the Purple Spider and matriarch of another Great Sect.

The Jiang family could not believe their ears. Although they had known of Jin Guangshan's general immorality, it was always easier to ignore, as everyone had done—even the righteous Lan Sect. But now, it was not to be ignored. More importantly, their sect had a marriage alliance with the Jin Sect, and this prophecy would affect them directly. They were all lost in their own desperate thoughts:Jiang Fengmian was considering immediately stopping the engagement to prevent Jiang Yanli's death.Yu Ziyuan was thinking of how to kill Meng Yao and then, removing Jin Guangshan, how to manipulate things to ensure her daughter still became the sect leader's wife.Jiang Cheng was singularly worried about his sister, while Jiang Yanli was also preoccupied, though sometimes the thought of Wei Wuxian would surface in her mind but somehow none were focused on the thought of saving their head disciple

In the secluded room, Lan Wangji was stiffened. The revelation contained details he knew and those he hadn't known, but in this moment, the prophecy felt more real than anything. He wanted desperately to hug and hide Wei Wuxian from the world and anything that would hurt him, but he couldn't act out of character right now; it would make Shen Lian suspicious.

Meanwhile, next to Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang had silently grabbed his hand, squeezing it intermittently to calm him. Having heard of your future death almost every day, he couldn't imagine the torrent of tragic thoughts Wei Wuxian was enduring in his own mind.

"Enough!" Lan Qiren declared, his voice cutting through the tense, shocked silence that followed Nie Mingjue's intervention. "We will continue for now. Sect Leader Jin will be watched by Sect Leader Nie. Let us continue."

These words an official decree of suspicion and temporary arrest—threw the hall into a rigid silence. Every leader wondered what calamity would be revealed next and whose secrets would be exposed.

The Oracle's distorted voice, belonging to Shen Lian, immediately resumed, its tone still casual but its content now deeply political and focused on the future of the war.

"Sect Leader Jin's crimes did not stop there, of course," Shen Lian continued. "He deceived 16-year-old Mo Xuanyu's mother and never went back to her, just like he did to Meng Yao's mother. Politically, he played two sides while the Sunshot Campaign was going on. He gave weapons, food, and access to the Wen Sect while they were winning, but allowed Jin Zixuan to fight with those against the Wen with just a few disciples."

The betrayal of the alliance in the past was a sharp sting, but the voice quickly jumped to the future aftermath.

"And when Wei Wuxian won them the war, Jin Guangshan had the audacity to become Chief Cultivator as the oldest. Lan Xichen was too young, Nie Mingjue did not want it (which indirectly led to his death), and Wen Ruohan and Jiang Fengmian were dead even Yu Ziyuan too, though no one would have allowed her to ascend to that status anyway."

A moment of pure, raw thought from Shen Lian slipped out: "I know it's bad, but I'm glad Yu Ziyuan was dead by the time the war started. If not, Wei Wuxian's life would have been an even worse mess. Maybe he would have committed suicide sooner."

The revelation of multiple future deaths sent a fresh wave of horror through the Jiang and Nie delegations.

"Anyway, Jin Guangshan taking the Chief Cultivator position wanted to make the Jin the next Wen Clan. So, he imprisoned all Wen as prisoners of war both civilians and soldiers. He also wanted Wei Wuxian's Stygian Tiger Seal that he used to defeat Wen Ruohan and his army. So when Wei Wuxian saved the civilian Wen, he made Wei Wuxian into a traitor, forcing him and the Wens into hiding."

Shen Lian then rattled off a list of future high crimes: "He killed Nie Mingjue for wanting to execute Xue Yang, Jin Guangshan's baby demonic cultivator. He pressured Jiang Cheng, the new Jiang leader, and drove a wedge between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, using Jiang Cheng's increasing insecurity first fueled by his mother, then by Wei Wuxian winning the war for them. He began to take over territories, ignoring help requests from the innocent, and his biggest mistake? Not properly accepting Meng Yao as his son, even though Meng Yao was renamed Jin Guangyao and was involved in all his scheming, which eventually led to Jin Zixuan's and Jin Guangshan's own deaths."

The leaders leaned forward, desperate for the more.

"The solution I would give would be to kill both Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao, then monitor the sect as I don't trust Madam Jin herself. But killing Jin Guangshan is fine, but Meng Yao had not really done anything evil as of now, so killing him is too much. Maybe he can be accepted into the clan wholeheartedly then given a good position since most of the atrocities he committed started from him wanting to please Jin Guangshan and give him what he wants..."

The voice then sharply corrected itself, the internal conflict revealing the Oracle was a mind wrestling with itself:

"...but that does not mean he does not have ambition. If he only wanted to fulfill his mother's wish of being acknowledged by the sect leader, then there were other ways. But he worked for Wen Ruohan and tortured the people of other sects, becoming a master torturer to get on Wen Ruohan's side. He killed a Nie sect disciple, then his half-brother, then went on to do all sorts of things. Yeah, sorry Jin Guangyao apologist, but that guy had been a snake from the start. He was just using his sad backstory as a cover he is genuinely evil."

"His crimes did not stop there. He murdered his own son to keep the incestuous secret, and used the chaos to orchestrate the massacre of the Tingshan He Sect, simply for opposing his watchtower scheme."

The voice became colder, more cutting: "He betrayed his sworn brother, Nie Mingjue, using a secret Lan song Cleansing to worsen his cultivation deviation until he died. He then gruesomely dismembered the corpse, trying to suppress the immense resentment."

The collective breath of the hall caught at the sheer magnitude of the evil: "He partnered with Xue Yang, aiding the creation of the Yi City massacre, turning an entire town into living dead for experiments. He imprisoned Wen Ning for thirteen years and was directly responsible for the murder of the Wen remnants. His later schemes included kidnapping the juniors the heirs of this entire room almost leading to their deaths several times, and personally almost killing Jin Ling, Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli's child."

The voice finished, leaving no doubt: "He would later kidnap half the cultivation world and try to pin the entire catastrophe on Wei Wuxian. This man is insane, and his ambition is pure wickedness. He must be watched carefully, or just taken out to prevent these future things."

The moment Shen Lian's voice stopped, the hall erupted into renewed, violent disarray. The gravity of the prophecy—that the Jin Sect was rotten to its core and responsible for a future civil war—was overwhelming. The Jin would never recover from this blow; they might not even remain a Great Sect. Leaders looking for opportunities saw this as a feast, eager to take a large bite out of the wounded giant.

The leaders of the Yueyang Chang Clan and the Tingshan He Clan were openly weeping and shouting, not knowing how to react to the prophecy of their future massacre. They couldn't fight the Jin Sect as a lesser sect, leaving them in a state of desperate helplessness.

Nie Huaisang had already rushed to calm his brother down. Nie Mingjue was pacing the hall, huffing and puffing, gripping his saber Baxia harder, trying to control his spiritual deviation. If not for the fact that he had forged a contract with his beast core a while ago, he was certain the saber spirit would have consumed him. His brother whispered inaudible, frantic words to him.

Lan Qiren couldn't immediately call the hall to order as Lan Xichen was going through a mild panic attack, having just found out the unwitting role he played in the deaths of his sworn brother and the tragic fall of the cultivation world. The Jiang Sect quietly discussed among themselves, their reactions unreadable beneath their shock, utterly consumed by the prophetic deaths of their loved ones.

About fifteen minutes later, Lan Qiren finally called the hall to order once he was sure Lan Xichen had regained a fragile composure.

"I propose we decide what to do with the Jin Sect," Lan Qiren began, attempting to follow protocol.

"No need. Jin Guangyao and Jin Guangshan have to die first," Nie Mingjue stated, his voice a low, terrifying growl.

Lan Qiren's eyes widened. This was escalating out of control. "A reminder that most of the crimes listed have not been committed yet. We need to put things into perspective," he cautioned.

"No, we don't! You don't get to talk and act all righteous and untouchable! It's not your sect that was massacred! And the fact that the Nie Sect Leader's murder comes from the hands of one of your own made it hard to trust you!" the Yueyang Chang Clan Leader shouted, venting the frustration of the minor sects.

Immediately, the hall divided into those who fiercely agreed with the lesser clan leader and those who were still paralyzed by the sheer terror of the revelation.

Lan Qiren sighed, running a hand over his beard. "Be that as it may, we need to move on. It seems you are all too caught up in the revelation of the moment. So, let us move on, then we can pass judgment on others."

Chapter Text

Lan Qiren looked at the hall after he finished speaking and could see the fact that the sect leaders and heirs were not pleased with letting the Jin issue go for now; they wanted immediate justice.

"I understand your wariness toward Jin Guangshan and the Jin Sect, but might I remind you we have at most two days to receive these prophecies before the Wen Sect gets suspicious. You were all called under the pretext of spending a day to assess the children's progress in the Cloud Recesses. At most, we have today and tomorrow afternoon. I would advise listening to all prophecies first before jumping to pass judgment, which would take even more time," he stated, his voice firm.

These words finally made the hall inhabitants agree to go on. "Thank you," Lan Qiren finished, both sincerely and exasperated.

The distorted voice began again, the urgency of the moment overriding any semblance of calm.

"The Nie Sect, on the other hand, is relatively mild compared to the crimes of the Jin Sect, on a ratio of how they affected the cultivation world," Shen lian started, offering a fleeting, false sense of relief. "The Nie Sect is really a righteous sect until it comes to the Wen, then all righteousness vanishes."

The judgment was immediate and cutting: "After all, they celebrated the massacre of the Wen Remnants as a victory. I cannot even begin to say how horrifying it is that all sects gathered together to kill a group of old, fifty-something Wens and a three-year-old toddler, but think of it as a victory."

his tone became intensely critical of the Nie leader: "Nie Mingjue is a self-righteous man who does not deserve his position based on the fact that his emotions often take control of him. He participated and led the Sunshot Campaign after the fall of Lotus Pier, but what about the other smaller sects before Lotus Pier? He claims he hates Wen Ruohan, but eats and dines with him until it was him and his sect in trouble."

Nie Mingjue's face was rigid, his knuckles white on his saber, but he remained silent, unable to refute the painful hypocrisy.

"Sir, if you were as righteous as you claim, you would have checked how the Wens that were imprisoned were treated after Wei Wuxian made a spectacle of saying very publicly how Wen Ning was stabbed through by a pole," the voice chided, weaving in a future detail that stunned the Jiang delegation.

Shen Lian's persona broke through again, offering personal commentary: "That's why my bias will always be Mian Mian. Seeing that the Jin Sect is useless, she resolutely leaves. That's my girl. Ugh, I can't believe the audacity of the sects to say she only supported Wei Ying because she was crushing on him when more than half of them owe Wei Wuxian a life debt anyway."

Then quickly returning to Nie Mingjue's tragic purposeful blindness: "Nie Mingjue sees the things the Jin Sect is doing but turns a blind eye, 'out of sight, out of mind,' until Xue Yang kills the Yueyang Chang Clan in one night. Then he finally takes action, which, sadly, was the cause of his death. Like, you allowed the Jin Sect to go scot-free for so long, you don't think they will retaliate when you suddenly do things that would make them uncomfortable?"

The judgment then swung to the youngest Nie.

"Unto Nie Huaisang, who is somewhere between good and bad. I mean, how should I trust someone who actively puts the juniors in danger by sending them his brother's severed arm—that is more powerful than any ghoul or wraith?"

The voice sounded genuinely horrified by Nie Huaisang's future tactics: "I mean, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were the freaking strongest at the time, but they had trouble with it, not to talk of baby sixteen-year-olds! He even manipulated Mo Xuanyu to use his body to resurrect the dead Wei Wuxian! Like, what if the plan went wrong and Wei Wuxian was not resurrected? Or Lan Wangji did not come? Those juniors would have died there! Or if Nie Mingjue's arm possessed one of the disciples instead of the Mo family, luring Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to figure out the truth while playing innocent. If I wasn't so horrified, I would be pretty amazed right now. Like, Sir, please give me some parts of your brain, I have exams to pass!"

The sheer, calculated ruthlessness of Nie Huaisang's future scheme delivered with a student's awe stunned the hall, eclipsing even the Jin's treachery. They were facing a war, and two of their core leaders were either crippled by rage or secretly a Machiavellian mastermind.

The hall was still reeling from the revelation of Nie Huaisang's future ruthlessness, but Shen Lian's voice cut through the shock, its tone shifting from horrified awe to pure, unadulterated anger.

"But I guess the most awful thing is the Nie Sect's cultivation method itself," the distorted voice declared, its previous neutrality completely gone. "I mean, if you are going to use it, please put up a sign!"

Shen Lian's voice adopted a tone of bitter, mocking sarcasm, as if reading from a notice board:

"Hi! This will make you very powerful, but it comes with side effects like mood swings, bipolar disorder, a bad temper, and, most important of all, an early death! Which, well, you should see our sect's lack of elders and the previous sect leaders dying young to confirm it. Thanks!"

The voice returned to its furious tirade: "Like, there should be a consent form before joining! What do you mean I am not only in danger of evil spirits, ghouls, wraiths, and yao, but my own cultivation also puts me in danger? I think I would like a heads-up if that was the case!"

The accusation became deeply personal, aimed squarely at the sect leaders, past and present.

"Having the lives of thousands of disciples unknowingly shortened because their sect leaders want fame and want to remain a Great Sect is disgusting! I think this is the most major and prevalent proof that the Nie Sect leaders are not righteous. Who could look into the face of little children, excited to train to save the world with innocent smiles on their faces, and decide, 'Let's give them an early death sentence'?"

The  voice practically dripped with contempt as it addressed Nie Mingjue directly.

"It should have been published that this and this is the consequence of cultivating with us! Ugh, I just want to punch him across the face right now! You say Wen Ruohan killed your father, but how many fathers have you cut the lives short of, Nie Mingjue?! I know it's something you inherited, but still... damn, now I'm getting angry."

The final, devastating revelation linked the Nie Sect's most sacred tradition to the cultivation world's greatest taboo.

"The sect's reputation is more important than the lives of those disciples they should care for. Even Nie Huaisang did not change it! This pesky culture that makes them bury the sabers and burn the bodies of the wielders, building a special tomb encased with resentful corpses to fight against the resentment of the sabers that were made using beasts that were killed unfairly... As smart as the sect is, I don't think they don't know the fact that they are gradually creating a second Burial Mounds! By the time that resentment keeps piling up for years and years, it will definitely explode and destroy and kill a lot of people! And the fact that it is so similar to demonic cultivation, because they get stronger as the saber grows more resentful, makes me think the sect really is the epitome of hypocrisy!"

The hall was silent once more, but this time, it was a silence born of pure, existential terror. The righteous, unyielding Nie Sect was not just flawed; it was a ticking time bomb built on the lives of children, powered by resentment, and destined to create a catastrophe on par with the one they were currently trying to prevent.

The silence was broken only by the frantic rasp of Nie Mingjue's breathing, his internal battle a visible, physical tremor running through his massive frame. He knew this was coming; he had expected a judgment on his rage and recklessness. But as the voice kept questioning everything he ever knew, he realized he was drowning in the accusations and the guilt. The voice was right.

Knowing and accepting were two entirely different things.

He began to make excuses for himself: It is the way it has always been. It is tradition. It is filial piety to continue what my father did... But as he continued the mental debate, he realized he was just like the sect leaders he despised. Using filial piety as a reason to continue the sect cultivation was wrong, especially when it applied a death sentence to every non-main-clan disciple who joined. He tried to claim he, too, accepted the consequences, but then the stark reality of Nie Huaisang hit him. He had never forced his brother to cultivate the saber, precisely because he knew the consequences, the early death, the agony. He accepted it for himself, but he shielded his brother. Why didn't he shield the others?

The answer was a painful, ugly truth the Oracle had exposed: prejudice. He hated Wen Ruohan, but he could keep his cool with the powerful sect leader. The same could not be said for an ordinary, underlying Wen. He realized the voice was right: as long as they were Wen, even if it was an old person or a child, they were all Wen dogs, not humans. And dead dogs did not deserve the same sympathy as a human.

Not speaking up for those small sects, ignoring the injustices because they were "only small sects" and it had "nothing to do with him," was such a common way of dealing with things. But the most painful part was hearing that Wen Ruohan might have killed his father, but he had also created a lot of fatherless children by not informing his own disciples of the consequences of using the Nie sect cultivation.

He looked at his brother and remembered that he raised Huaisang after their mother and father died early. He couldn't help but think how many versions of himself and his brother he had created across his entire sect, condemning young men to live with the knowledge of their impending doom.

The building anger of his deviation began to crescendo, but it ended in a sad, choked sigh as he realized and maybe finally began to accept the effect of his actions.

Nie Huaisang rested his hands on the table, closing his eyes to allow himself to stay grounded. The revelations were too much, too sensitive. For the first time, he realized he needed to calm himself before he could look at his brother. He could not think of the full consequences of this revelation or its effect on the sect, because if he did, he feared he would become the Nie Huaisang that manipulated someone to suicide. No, for now, he wanted to be himself: the scared, innocent third young master.

The hall was stunned, shocked, and in disbelief, with varying reactions. The opportunists were already calculating the odds: the Jin are rich but exposed, the Nie are strong but unstable. Where should they place their loyalty and their swords? how would they take a part of this slumbering giant.

Those who sympathized with Nie Mingjue were torn between respecting his righteous fury and recoiling from the terrifying truth about the Second Burial Mounds growing under their feet.

Lan Xichen was in deep, quiet disbelief. The Nie cultivation method had been a known issue, but the knowledge that it was a systemic, conscious death sentence and that the saber tomb was a ticking bomb was horrifying. He didn't want to accept that someone he knew and loved (Nie Mingjue) was doing this. The knowledge about the cultivation was one thing; knowing about the intentional consequences was another. He felt a new wave of despair wash over himthe entire foundation of the Great Sects seemed to be built on lies and sacrifice.

Chapter Text

Lan Qiren knew there was no time to judge any sect and if they would even be able to do so when all their sect secrets was revealed remained a mystery it was the price for all to pay to prevent the catastrophic future. "Please let all get ready for the next sect reveal ".
They all sat but most did just to get more secrets that would give them power over the great sects. Each sects were paying full attention to what next they would hear especially sects that had been affected before. Not long after the distorted voice rang out.

"Ugh the Lan sect, it could be said that they were the most righteous sect and they would have kept the title if not for the side effect of their three thousand rules and power obsessed greedy arrogant elders and well the Lan sect curse of loving only one person it ruined Lan Wangji father and it ruined Lan Wangji too... at least for a while until he came back from the dead but that is just a bonus as the backlash was from the world and not the ones falling in love."

The hall was in shock. Came back from the dead who could it be and why should the Lan loving one person be a curse?

Shen Lian continued, "Lan Wangji father fell for his mother, Lan Wangji fell for Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen made the worst mistake of all he fell for Jin Guangyao maybe not in a romantic way but that was the main reason he developed depression and secluded himself with no one knowing if he will ever recover."

Lan Qiren could not help it he felt the need to prohibit his nephews from falling in love or having any relationship with outsiders which was not possible. Wei Wuxian brush stopped and he looked to Lan Wangji who noticed him. Moving beside Wei Wuxian he knelt. "No matter, will stay with Wei Ying" and those few words threw away all doubts and tension from the beginning of the revelation.

Shen Lian continued, "Lets start with the rules that is hindering the growth of the childern 

The voice grew sharp again, revealing that the greatest threat to the Lan Sect's integrity wasn't just the rules themselves, but the willful hypocrisy and exploitation exercised by the sect  elders. The children of Gusu lan sect were made to follow rules that had no meaning at young age shaping their development and limiting their ability to play, question or be curious they are made to follow what the lan made for them and no way else which definitely lead to them developing things like anxiety, low EQ and so many others. It do disconcerting telling them to live like robots who are shaped by the sect rules.

The most destructive aspect of the three thousand rules is the power they grant to the elders, allowing them to do whatever they want while claiming righteousness. This is demonstrated by the elders taking advantage of these rules, like the imprisonment of Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen's mother without trial, forcing Qingheng-Jun into seclusion and dumping the sect responsibility to lan qiren forgetting  Qingheng-Juna  sign that the "curse" of love will not be tolerated

The elders' absolute authority allowed them to get involved in the future invasion of the Burial Mounds to kill innocents, wiping out the remnants . Then, when Lan Wangji dared to defend Wei Wuxian, the elders punished him with 33 whips to satisfy their ego. This showed that defending the rules was less important than preserving the elders' pride and political alliances.

Their inability to accept that they could be wrong, or that new methods could be valuable, made them the primary obstacle to peace. This arrogance is why they refused to accept and help or even question the reason Wei Wuxian chose demonic cultivation pushing him away and ultimately ensuring he became part of the "wrong people." It was their fear of new power and deviation that sealed his fate.

Their failure to accept their errors is the very reason Lan Qiren felt compelled to create the rule that 'No one should speak to Wei Wuxian.' This rule was not about righteous law, but about damage control and denial, a desperate attempt to erase the memory of their most grievous political and personal mistake.

The Gusu Lan did not fall because of external forces, but because the rigidity of their rules allowed the hypocrisy and arrogance of their elders to fester. They failed their own children, they failed their oaths, and they failed the people who needed justice most at the time wei wuxain and the wen remnants especially baby a yuan.

Shen Lian's voice, cold and analytical, continued its dissection of the Gusu Lan Sect, focusing now on the hypocrisy of those who enforce the rules.

The rules were an absolute weapon in the hands of the elders, used to achieve whatever they desired while claiming righteousness.

This created a a selective need for justice where only the outcomes that benefited the elders thrived and those that did not benefit them was labeled heretic. They valued their rules more than the lives of others, creating a system of emotional abuse.

Lan Wangji developed an impregnable emotional wall, a fortress of silence that took Wei Wuxian to break. But even until the very end, Lan Wangji could not speak his deepest feelings rather he created the illusion that he hated the person he loves because of his inability to express his emotions due to the rules and years of repressed emotions. His repression made his feelings silent but more powerful; there is no doubt he felt even more deeply than others. Lan Xichen was the opposite; he felt too easily, leading to him being tragically betrayed.

Lan Qiren took over the duty of raising his nephews but lost his own dreams. In order to follow the rules and ensure the Lan Sect did not repeat Qingheng-Jun's mistake, he raised his nephews harshly and created two emotional disasters. He himself became a walking contradiction of the rules. He hated what he became but could not accept criticism; sending Wei Wuxian out of class and throwing a scroll at him violated the very rules he held sacred, yet he was allowed to keep his teaching post, continued to bully him, broke rules and even indirectly insulting wei wuxain dead mother.

The hypocrisy was crystal clear during the juniors' time in Cloud Recesses. In the future, when Jin Zixuan made offensive remarks about Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, and Wei Wuxian replied by giving him a well-deserved punch in the face , Wei Wuxian was expelled from Cloud Recesses. But Jin Zixuan, who started the fight and fought back, could stay. Why? It's simple: he was the Jin Sect Leader's son, and Wei Wuxian was seen as a servant's son.

Let it be known now:Wei Wuxian is the son of the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang, Cangse Sanren, and the grandson of the immortal Baoshan Sanren. None of his family members were servants, and he is talented enough to have made a name for himself in the world without needing to claim any of those names, despite the jealousy of the cultivation world.
The gossiping sect leaders that had been gossiping about wei wuxain and his relations to the jiang sect and those that did not want to accept he was more talented than them using the fact that he was a servant son as a means to comfort their ego felt uncomfortable at this point shifting and clearing their throats.

The main issue is that the Lan Sect must follow their own rules and do the right thing rather than twisting them for their own selfish gain. One can't imagine what would have happened to a post-Burial-Mounds Lan Wangji if he had not become the strongest cultivator in the cultivation world. The elders would have destroyed him, but they had to cater to him because losing him would only hurt their sect's reputation, not him.

Lan Qiren, as a teacher, must actually read the rules and follow them rather than following them when convenient. As a mentor, he should be flexible, understanding, and build a relationship with his students before expecting results from them. Be open to not only his own ideas but theirs as well. For example, how could the Waterborne Abyss be cleaned if not for Wei Wuxian developing that array? Innovation is critically important in this stagnant cultivation world, and the Lan Sect has access to the most important things to create knowledge.

The Lan Sect should immediately redo their wards Wei Wuxian broke them with a talisman he made on the spot just to enter at night!

Most importantly, they need to follow the rules of cooperation. They must work with the other sects to protect the Yin Iron. Wen Chao is already on his way to find the rest, and it would be disastrous if it falls into his hands. When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian go this time to Biling Lake, they must take a few trustworthy people along so they can secure the Yin Iron. If Wen Ruohan has less of it, he will not be as powerful as he became, and the cultivation world would not have to fight his endless armies of corpses.

The voice, having dissected the structural failures of the Gusu Lan, now delivered the final, painful details of the price paid by the Twin Jades.

The true depth of Lan Wangji's suffering was hidden from the world. After his punishment, those 33 whips left him with permanent, visible scars a physical mark of shame given by his own clan for his loyalty to his soulmate.upon his hearing of wei wuxain death he still went to the burial mounds greviously injured, his final act of defiance against his family's hatred was to find and raise the last surviving child of the Wen clan, A-Yuan, renaming him Lan Sizhui which was going to happen anyway he is wangxain baby.  The moment they hears this the room dropped into a deafening silence, a wen was renamed lan and this was the work of the lan wangji! .lan wangji on the other hand was surprised to hear the word wangxain it was the name of the song he was composing but he had not even told wei ying yet ,a yuan his and wei ying baby, his ears had gone bright red confusing wei wuxain who was wondering why lan wangji was blushing.

And he still went into seclusion for years, he raised the juniors differently and not as strictly as the sect did to his generation which made them more accepting example can be seen in lan jingyi (the most unlan lan to ever lan) he was comfortable and deeply respected lan wangji because unlike the other adults lan wangji did not scold him or reprimand him for every little thing which inspired awe in him. This proved his unconditional love was stronger than the hatred and rigid rules of the entire cultivation world.

The tragedy of Lan Xichen was one of misplaced trust. His betrayal by Jin Guangyao wounded him so severely that even after the truth was revealed, his mind fractured. The fact that  Lan Xichen called Wei Wuxian Lan Wangji's biggest mistake, with Lan Wangji right next to him is so profoundly frustrating.  Lan Xichen  never fully healed from the betrayal and having to kill Jin guanyao himself added to it,this was one of Nie hauisang cruelest deceit and one cannot help but wonder did he do it to hurt Lan xichen for his indirect role in his brothers death or was it just tht he wanted Jin guanyao dead and did not care who did it, which resulted in Lan Xichen remaining in seclusion for years.

This shows the final tragedy of the Lan Sect: that their greatest virtue, love, was punished, and their greatest flaws, arrogance and rigidity, were rewarded with their most profound losses but out of all the great sects they came out with the least damage thanks to lan wangji being who he was.
This words created a big relief for the lan sect that they did not know they were holding on to.

To prevent this emotional and institutional collapse, the Oracle demanded: The Lan Sect must immediately restructure its system. They must revise the three thousand rules, empower a more flexible and understanding leadership, and sideline the power-grabbing, arrogant elders whose rigidity caused all of these failures.

The final words of Shen Lian confirming the permanent scaring of Lan Wangji, the eventual ruin and seclusion of Lan Xichen, hung in the air.

Lan Wangji's composure, which had been fracturing all morning, was now utterly shattered. He did not move, but his shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly, his eyes fixed on the table. The information was too much: the 33 whips, the physical price of his righteousness, meant nothing compared to the revelation of A-Yuan, the last piece of light he saved from the darkness. He felt no shame for the love he held, only deep, silent agony for the suffering he would cause and endure. Without looking, he reached under the table, his fingers finding Wei Wuxian's sleeve a potent, non-verbal vow that nothing, not even the truth of his future pain, would change his path.

Wei Wuxian inhaled sharply, his hand instantly covering Lan Wangji's where it touched his sleeve. He had heard the true depth of the rules' cruelty, the hypocrisy of the elders, and the reason for his expulsion. But all of that vanished beneath the crushing weight of Lan Wangji's silent sacrifice. Thirty-three whips. Scars. For me. Guilt and a fierce, possessive love warred within him. He wanted to pull Lan Wangji into his arms and apologize for a future he hadn't yet caused, but he simply squeezed the hand he held, a pledge of silence and support.

Lan Xichen had physically withdrawn the moment the Oracle confirmed the shame of his seclusion and his utter blindness to Jin Guangyao. Hearing his own voice, full of self-pity and misplaced judgment, calling Wei Wuxian a "mistake" with his brother right there, was the final blow how could he give judgement when he was just a puppet. He had failed the world's most righteous man his own brother and he was consumed by a blinding self-disgust that eclipsed the political turmoil. He bowed his head, his hands covering his ears, his beautiful composure completely shattered.

Lan Qiren looked utterly exhausted, the life drained from his usually stern features. He was revealed as a teacher who both failed his students and failed his principles, a contradiction who fostered the very corruption he feared. But the prophecy had given him a clear path: he must abandon his pride, purge the elders, and save the sect. His shame solidified into a grim resolve. He lifted his head, ready to act on Shen Lian 's mandate to restructure the Lan Sect system immediately.

The collective reaction of the other sect leaders was one of subtle disappointment.

The Jin were butchers. The Nie are a ticking bomb.

The Lan? Their greatest sins were internal: rigid rules, arrogant elders, and personal heartbreaks. Every sect leader in that room was guilty of the same vices arrogance, hypocrisy toward outsiders, and prioritizing sect status over a few disciples' emotional health. The Wen were only signaled out because they were rude and arrogant to all sects, not just their own, which was the biggest hypocrisy in the cultivation world.

The Lan's failure to present a catastrophic external threat or political conspiracy meant that, by default, the Gusu Lan's position in the cultivation world was solidified, not weakened as they could find no main weakness to use against them,short of them letting disciples die like the Nie they could not condemn the three thousand rules which had no visible backlash but mainly mental one and in the cultivation world who cared if the children developed any mental health issues after all it was a completely unnecessary thing to think about as long as they could fight and defeat monsters. They had no hidden army, no mass graves, and no impending resentment bomb. They were flawed, but they were salvageable and, crucially, still the most trustworthy source of knowledge.

The murmur across the hall settled into a calculating silence. The focus was now fully accepted. The internal cleansing of the Great Sects was about to begin but before then the jiang sect would have to face the future and make decisions that could make or break them.

Chapter Text

The Jiang family, the voice said in a way that expressed different emotions. This made those not in the know about who the Oracle was feel uncomfortable. They hadn't heard of an Oracle with so much personality and emotion; it almost felt like a human. Could it be possible that the Oracle was actually a member of the Lan Clan who had the ability to see the future? If not for some things that had been confirmed by the sects' reactions, they would not have believed the Oracle.

"The Jiang family can be said to be the most complicated," Shen Lian declared. "The Jin and other sects could be firmly categorized in different paths, but the Jiang was ruined by the parents themselves. The external ruin was something unavoidable, but the victims could have been minimized."

"Yu Ziyuan, as strong as she is, let jealousy consume her for a rumor that began because of her inability to accept that someone not of noble lineage was better than her," the voice stated, referring to Wei Wuxian's mother, Cangse Sanren. "And she passed that jealousy and resentment directly to her son, which made him a jealous and ungrateful person. He became just as ungrateful as his mother."

"Yu Ziyuan used her jealousy to inflict not only emotional but physical damage on Wei Wuxian. She insulted his parents, insulted him, looked down on him, and then inflicted scars on him with the first-class weapon, Zidian. She punished him for things he did not do, or punished him alone for what a group of disciples did together. The other disciples' reactions—their silence—showed that this was normal. Wei Wuxian was the glorified whipping boy."

"And of course, Wei Wuxian accepted this as the fact of his life. He was brainwashed to see the Jiang Sect Heir's life as more important than his own, which was wrong. He is a disciple that learns with the sect and in return helps the sect fight and eliminate evil spirits or win competitions. He is not a slave, and he owes nothing to them."

Shen Lian clarified Wei Wuxian's behavior: "The idea of their lives being more important was the very reason he punched Jin Zixuan. He saw Jiang Cheng going to punch him and decided to punch him first, preventing the Jiang Sect Heir from getting into trouble because he knew he would be questioned by Yu Ziyuan. From his reaction to the whipping, it was obvious he took punishments for what he did and what he did not. He didn't hesitate; he decided it was better for him to do the things and get punished than for others to do it and still have him take the blame. Sneaking out to get wine, for instance—they all drank the wine, but only he got punished."

"How was Yu Ziyuan so blind? Would Jiang Fengmian let you turn his illegitimate son into a whipping boy and a walking sword-shield for the Jiang family?" the voice challenged. "For goodness sake, Jiang Fengmian's final words were, 'Take care of A-Li and A-Cheng.' He did not say, 'You guys should protect each other.' He did not leave them as a family; rather, Wei Wuxian was the bodyguard, and he was supposed to guide the two Jiang siblings with his life."

HE questioned the relationship's foundation: "Why would there be any suspicion about who he was when Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian's last words to Wei Wuxian were the same: protecting the siblings? Yu Ziyuan raised Jiang Cheng to be jealous of everything Wei Wuxian was, creating the illusion that his father loved Wei Wuxian more than him and that he treated him well when the man was just making sure the family's walking shield's loyalty did not fade."

"I really want to shake both mother and son and ask: How exactly did he pamper Wei Wuxian? Did he stop the whipping? The shouting? Wei Wuxian's parents don't even have a tomb, and he never made one for them. He didn't tell him stories of his parents. He did nothing but take this boy into the sect. The doctors who treated his wounds did more than Jiang Fengmian. The cooks fed him, the disciples were his friends, his teachers taught him, and he, as a genius, caught up and surpassed those that were in front of him after he had survived on the street for five years all by himself."

"He was brought to the sect at age nine. That means the Jiang only 'raised' him for six years, if you can even call it that. And all this time, he earned his position; it was not a fluke. He became Head Disciple with Yu Ziyuan breathing down his neck like a ghost haunting him. He couldn't show his inventions because they were 'tricks' and 'unimportant'—the opinion of the sect leader's wife, Yu Ziyuan, who even after marrying continued to hold the name Madam Yu."

The infamous dog incident: "The dogs being sent away was the fault of the Jiang parents. If they wanted to help, they could have worked together to help cure Wei Wuxian of his dog phobia by exposing him to more docile dogs or keeping the dogs with another family where Jiang Cheng could visit them. Rather, Jiang Fengmian's reaction of sending the dogs away created a resentment of Wei Wuxian in Jiang Cheng, which was fueled by his mother. How was Wei Wuxian supposed to live with the species that tried taking a bite out of him every time he met one in the street, that had taken a bite out of him and had even taken his food, leaving him to starve? The Jiang parents did not know this because they did not care enough to ask."

"Yu Ziyuan's final act during the fall of Lotus Pier was still a selfish one. Instead of evacuating the smallest disciples, those who could not fight, she led the war right to them and made it seem that they must die for the sect. Children as young as eight were dying, and she did not care. The situation would not have been so bad if her son, who inherited her arrogance, did not fight Wen Zhuli, but if he had gone to stop Wang Lingjiao from sending the signal like Wei Wuxian had asked, the sect could have stalled for time."

"Her last act was still a selfish one, blaming Wei Wuxian for the inevitability of the Jiang Sect's fall, ordering him to protect Jiang Cheng and saving both of them after leaving him with a scarred back and the insinuation he should be thankful she didn't cut his hand like the Jiang Sect commander. This was something she was going to do if Wang Lingjiao had not acted arrogant towards her sect."

"She is not an Asian mother; she was just a woman filled with hate that festered and ate at her until she became worse than evil, resentful creatures. The only difference was that she was alive."

,The voice fueled by a renewed surge of bitter cynicism, now focused its full, scathing critique on Jiang Fengmian, exposing his perceived kindness as a shield for profound neglect and moral cowardice.

"Jiang Fengmian, on the other hand, was a disgusting enabler that hid his true self behind the shield of being polite and kind," Shen Lian stated plainly.

"Yes, he saved Wei Wuxian from the streets, but how did he recognize him when his so-called friend, after they left Lotus Pier, never wrote him a letter? If he was such a good friend to them, why the alienation? Rather, he searched the small town of Yiling for five years after the child's parents' death and couldn't find him, but suddenly, he finds him and saves him from dogs, claiming to be his uncle."

Shen Lian addressed the convenient timing: "Alright, let's say it was a coincidence that he saved Wei Wuxian, and it is not that Wei Wuxian was intentionally left on the street by him for five years. He takes the boy home to his wife, who very fiercely rejects the boy's welcome."

Shen Lian detailed how Jiang Fengmian's actions fueled the internal rot: "When the boy climbed onto him running from Jiang Cheng's dogs, he rather than comfort Jiang Cheng, who says his father never hugged him—which I can't even begin to ask why did you never hug your son?—sends the dogs away. This action fueled Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Cheng's resentment against Wei Wuxian."

"Rather than listening to his wife and looking for a good family near another sect to take care of him, he puts an emotionally and physically stunted child in a boiling, tense home that spilled over into Wei Wuxian being abused by his adoptive family—a family that could not even decide his position. One day a servant, one day Head Disciple, one day a brother, and so on."

"The child had to take responsibility for fixing a home he did not break."

The prophecy then circled back to the fundamental debt: "But Jiang Fengmian, did you forget you owe Wei Wuxian's family a life debt? Cangse Sanren saved her husband and Jiang Fengmian from dying because of rule-stickler Lan Qiren."

The voice paused to address the Lan elder directly: "Sir Lan, please start reflecting on yourself before you become an old elder that no one wants to associate with, lonely and dying alone."

Returning to the Jiang Sect Leader: "Jiang Fengmian did not repay his life debt to the Wei couple, so automatically, he owes Wei Wuxian a life debt, and taking him in should have been the bare minimum. He should have made sure he was not abused, but no. He let Yu Ziyuan create a non-existent life debt to tie Wei Wuxian to the Jiang family. He wanted a strong cultivator, and he got it. Wei Wuxian became the family punching bag."

"Actually, Jiang Fengmian could be said to be more evil than Yu Ziyuan. At least she did not hide her hate, but Jiang Fengmian was a silent killer, and he got away with being seen as a good person while his wife was condemned."

His  voice faded, leaving the hall stunned by the complete dismantling of Jiang Fengmian's reputation. The man everyone saw as gentle and kind was revealed to be a calculating, negligent figure who enabled the abuse that ultimately destroyed his family.

Chapter Text

The hall descended into a heavy, suffocating silence as the final judgment on the Jiang parents dropped. The sect leaders' minds spun, unsure what monstrous truth to address first: the casual whipping boy arrangement; the use of  Zidian a first-class spiritual weapon reserved for traitors on a mere disciple; or the truly sickening possibility that Jiang Fengmian had intentionally left the child he owed a life debt to on the streets  for five years, only to "rescue" him later to secure a loyal, powerful disciple. The sheer number of betrayals and twisted motives overwhelmed any coherent discussion.

Lan Xichen was stunned into absolute silence, a cold shock radiating from him. This revelation was more than he could have ever imagined. The crushing hypocrisy of these "righteous" sects was too much; it felt as if he had been thrown into a chaotic, monstrous world where none of his rules held meaning. He wanted to cry, to laugh, to rage but could do none of it. A terrifying thought surfaced: Had he seen similar evils in the world and ignored them to protect his own sheltered peace?

Lan Qiren felt a torrent of emotions he had never allowed himself to feel before: guilt, anger, sadness, hatred. How could a sect treat a child like this? And how could he have treated a student like that? He realized, with crushing clarity, that if not for the Shen Lian 's daring  intervention during the first class he would have treated Wei Wuxian even worse. He had not acted as a teacher, but had looked at his student through the lens of the rumors Yu Ziyuan had spread, believing the slander even when it contradicted his own rules and observations.

Lan Wangji didn't wait for the Oracle or anyone else. He had already acted, pulling Wei Wuxian into a tight, fierce hug, wanting desperately to offer comfort and safety. But Wei Wuxian was weirdly straight-faced, his posture unnaturally rigid. He acted as if the person being talked about was a stranger, not himself. This strangely detached reaction made Lan Wangji even more worried; the wounds were so deep they had become the boy's normal.

Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng could not begin to process their emotions. To have their dysfunctional family life laid out for the entire cultivation world was profoundly embarrassing, but hearing that the abuse they took for granted was abnormal was worse.

Jiang Yanli could not help but remember that Wei Wuxian had once called her "Jie" (sister) before being taken to a room and corrected by Yu Ziyuan and after he called her shijie(sect sister). She saw now that Wei Wuxian was the family scapegoat, and it had become a natural, expected occurrence to them. Even with this normalization, they expected him to still sacrifice for them. She realized she had never truly offered him anything except soup and empty platitudes: "It's not A-Cheng's fault. You know how it is. Mother does love you, and A-Cheng is just jealous because Father treats you better." She finally recognized that this was a lie: there was no instance of Jiang Fengmian being biased against Jiang Cheng; it was all fabricated by Yu Ziyuan and accepted as the family truth.

Jiang Cheng was paralyzed by a sudden, sickening clarity. The whipping, the constant insults, the discrediting of Wei Wuxian's achievements it was all an everyday event as long as his mother was around. He saw his own jealousy and resentment for the toxic, self-serving poison his mother had pumped into him. He saw himself as the ungrateful heir, but he also felt angry and betrayed thinking why wei wuxain was not here realizing his thoughts he suddenly felt dirty, tainted by the shame of his parents' legacy and his own actions

The hall was too overwhelmed by these personal, domestic horrors to focus on anything else. The time for the final, external threat the wen sect had to wait.

The Oracle seemed to pause for a long time, with the sects in the hall becoming antsy as they wondered why the long break when the Oracle was definitely not finished with the Jiang Sect yet. Only Lan Wangji knew that Shen Lian, seeing Lan Wangji hug Wei Wuxian and Wei Wuxian's eerie blank face, had become worried. If not for Lan Wangji subtly placing a Silence Talisman at the door of the room, the ruse would have been up.

"Wei Ying, do you want to leave?" Lan Wangji asked quietly.

"No, I'm fine, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian just smiled. "I want to finish the test first."

Shen Lian's face changed. "Don't smile like that," he said seriously. "Let's finish the test, then let's talk. I'm almost done." But he couldn't help but think it was stupid. What was so important about the test anyway? Once he finished it, he would ask exactly what was wrong with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and why they were acting weird.

The moment Shen Lian sat back at his seat, Lan Wangji subtly called back the Silence Talisman. The hall suddenly echoed with the Oracle's voice again, making the sects relax.

"Jiang Yanli lived her life in cultivated ignorance and intentional naiveté, and that killed her," the Oracle declared, the tone shifting to one of frustrated pity.

"She purposely ignored Wei Wuxian's true status in the family to create, as much as she could, the loving family in her head—a Yu Ziyuan that was just strict and loved Wei Wuxian, and a Jiang Cheng that just had a sharp tongue but loved his family. She ignored the hurt Jiang Cheng's angry vitriol caused and the growing resentment Yu Ziyuan had for Wei Wuxian. She created a world where the two children she raised when she was still a child had no choice but to accept. Meaning, when she was gone, the link and the illusion broke, and no one could hold back Jiang Cheng's resentment toward Wei Wuxian from erupting."

"She could be said to be the only naturally good person in the Jiang family, but even good people have flaws, and Jiang Yanli's flaw was her inability to accept reality. The things she ignored were the things that destroyed her family, and it is understandable. She grew up raising her siblings from a young age, as the two adults were irresponsible. She wanted to create a world where they would all be happy together, and she did, but it only benefited her."

"Her inability to accept reality made her marry into the family that wanted Wei Wuxian dead and saw a weakened Jiang Cheng as prey. She remained in denial of the politics and flaws of the world, and it killed her. She held onto Jin Zixuan as a lifeline, not because she loved him, but because marrying him would create a real home for her far from her suffocating family home and its issues. And she had it for a while, until she died while mourning her husband, who was said to be killed by her brother, and leaving behind a newborn baby."

"Actually, there was no way she would have survived the Jin Sect if she did not die when she did. She would have been eaten alive in the viper pit that was the Jin Sect, making Jin Zixuan invite a Wei Wuxian that the world wanted dead to a celebration was already wrong".

"But the final, fatal stupidity was shared. Her dumb husband, seeing Wei Wuxian surrounded by arrows waiting to be released with an order from his cousin Jin Zixun, and instead of telling Jin Zixuan to stop, he tells Wei Wuxian, who was with Wen Ning, to basically surrender and forfeit their life immediately—labelling Wei Wuxian as guilty of cursing Jin Zixun when the one using others to do the cursing was his own brother."

"Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan really are a couple made for each other. Jin Zixuan tells Wei Wuxian to lower his weapon and Jin Zixuan dies. Jiang Yanli does the same, and then she and Wei Wuxian die. It is truly funny how much they complement each other."

The Oracle's voice cut off, the bitter irony of the lovers' complementary, fatal naiveté hanging over the hall. The tragic fate of the Jiang family was sealed by internal corruption and external slaughter.

The Oracle's voice continued, slightly faster, almost urgent, not giving the hall a chance to fully process the shocking revelations about the Jiang parents. The focus shifted entirely to the tragic culmination of the Jiang family's legacy: Jiang Cheng.

"And Jiang Cheng... he is a tragic but also disgusting person. At least, he becomes that. His parents raised him to become hateful, greedy, jealous, and to react angrily and act unjustified without being called out for it. This gave him a sense of superiority but also an unchecked and growing low self-esteem against Wei Wuxian that shows in the form of being jealous."

"Before the fall of Lotus Pier, he treats Wei Wuxian as a friend but distant, as he shows his power when with him. And when he gets angry, he threatens Wei Wuxian with his mother, who will whip him or hurt him emotionally. This behavior was enabled by all members of the Jiang Sect."

"After the fall of Lotus Pier by Wen Chao's hands, he strangled Wei Wuxian, blaming him for his parents' death when his own ego did not let him listen to Wei Wuxian to stop Wang Lingjiao from setting off the fireworks. He says Wei Wuxian should not have saved Jin Zixuan and Lan Wangji while stuck in the Xuanwu Cave, as that brought them the Wen attention."

"Which they all know is a lie. The Jiangs control the water, meaning sea trade is under their control. How could Wen Ruohan let it go? It's not like they are Jin Guangshan, who would join and fund Wen Ruohan's army in a war against the sects.

"Jiang Cheng used Wei Wuxian to win the war, and after, he could not even speak to defend him in front of the sects. He knew the Dafan Wen were innocent and had helped save his life, retrieving his parents' bodies so he could give them a proper funeral. But when Lan Xichen asked, he could not speak for them because Wei Wuxian was acting up again being heroic, embodying the sect motto of doing the impossible, winning the war for the sects while Jiang Cheng is just there, and not as strong or as brave as him."

"He condems people to their death because he is jealous of Wei Wuxian. He stabs Wei Wuxian when they acted out a fight to kick Wei Wuxian out of the Jiang Sect when the sect is actually stronger and untouchable with Wei Wuxian. He leads a siege against Wei Wuxian after Jin Zixuan's death. He watches Wen Qing burn but claims to love her."

"His sister dies saving Wei Wuxian, but it somehow becomes Wei Wuxian killing Jiang Yanli. After Wei Wuxian's death, which he had a very active hand in, he kills innocent people as long as they dress like Wei Wuxian, use his cultivation, his talismans, or look like him killing innocent people. But that is not the cultivation world's business. If Jin Guangshan could plunder and rape without the sects getting involved, Jiang Cheng could kill without the sects getting involved, as long as the person is not connected to the sect."

"He makes the rule of not intervening until at least one death has occurred in a haunting, and so many more things, passing his unreasonable hatred to Jin Ling."

The Oracle's voice, having detailed the complete psychological and moral destruction of the Jiang Sect, ceased.

Chapter Text

"And then we have Wei Wuxian..." the voice had started, about to continue, but the sentence stopped. An almost panicked "Wuxian!" was heard just before the voice cut out entirely.

Behind the silenced door, Wei Wuxian was breathing but looked too stiff, his eyes glassy and unresponsive. Shen Lian was alarmed,  Lan Wangji beside him was flailing, not knowing what to do, as it looked exactly like the time Wei Wuxian had a panic attack but without the noise.

Shen Lian immediately walked past Lan Wangji, kneeling beside Wei Wuxian. He checked his temperature and was surprised to find that he was cold, almost as if in shock. He was pale, his breath coming out in short, shallow bursts, unconscious to the world around him.

Shen Lian immediately loosened his robes, which were almost too tight, catching sight of the faint, but unmistakable marks of Zidian his eyes tightened but he did not react,it was a scar that made it past the back and showed on his shoulder. Wei Wuxian's instinctual reaction to being disrobed was to try and prevent it, but Shen Lian comforted him, whispering words of soothing comfort and trying to ask him questions to bring him out of the shock. While Wei Wuxian stopped fighting for his robe to be loosened, he didn't react to anything.

Seeing him remain unresponsive, Shen Lian checked his temperature again and found that his body was colder than before. He hurriedly took off his outer robes and laid them on Wei Wuxian, making Lan Wangji do the same.

He was about to tell Lan Wangji to hug Wei Wuxian so he could share his warmth, but Lan Xichen came in. Since there was no more prophecy after Wei Wuxian's name was called in panic, and Lan Wangji, while panicked, had still flung a Silence Talisman on the door separating them from the hall, Lan Xichen had become concerned and returned.

Shen Lian took Wei Wuxian's hands, rubbing them to share warmth. After a few minutes, Wei Wuxian began to get warmer. By the time Lan Wangji came back , Wei Wuxian was definitely a little warmer. Shen Lian asked to take him to the guest room. Rather than letting Lan Wangji take his position as Wei Wuxian's warmer, he decided to do it, as he was experienced in it. He hugged Wei Wuxian closer on the bed in a sitting position, letting Wei Wuxian rest on him. Then, he started chatting about fairy tales, stories, and the mundane.

Fifteen minutes later, Wei Wuxian was responsive but tired. He blinked slowly, gathering his bearings. Seeing this, Shen Lian smiled. "Hi," he greeted, and Wei Wuxian rewarded him with a small smile.

Lan Wangji rushed to his side giving him a cup of water, asking Wei Wuxian how he felt and what he needed. But Wei Wuxian stunned them both when he requested going back to the hall. "We have to complete the punishment," he insisted.

Shen Lian looked at Wei Wuxian for a few seconds, his brows furrowed. "Can you hear my thoughts?" he asked confidently, as if he knew but getting confirmation was just a formality.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian froze.

"You can, can't you? And that is why even when you are like this, you want to go back there. It would not be if it was just a punishment in fact you have ran away earlier especially since you looked pale for a while now."

Wei Wuxian laughed awkwardly. "What are you saying? How could that be possible?" But Shen Lian faced Lan Wangji, who hurriedly looked away. He knew Lan Wangji would not lie.

Shen Lian recalled the movies, especially the short drama he watched where the protagonist's thoughts are heard and the plots begin to change. Meeting Li Bowen meant this world was supposed to follow the original and was a real world, so the only deviation was him, an OC. But he had not done anything to interfere yet, things had changed, but some things remained the same, so it means not due to his actions, but rather his thinking, which is the only way since there was no way they received a prophecy or something. He sighed. It seems this is the only way to save Wei Wuxian, so he will do it.

He took it as confirmation. "Since when can you hear my thoughts, and what exactly have you heard?"

"Since you first arrived at the Lotus Pier, and only thoughts related to us," Wei Wuxian replied.

Shen Lian, not knowing what to say, went, "Ooh." And then asked, "But what is so important today that you need to hear it?"

Not wanting to stress Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji explained the plan for using the prophecies to unify the clans and expose Wen Ruohan's power source.

Shen was impressed. "Oh, that really is good. It protects me, and the clans get to band together while removing the rot in the cultivation world."

"I will continue, but only when Wei Wuxian is ready. I would have not wanted him to hear it, but it's best if he is involved," Shen Lian stated. He turned to Wei Wuxian, who was still in his arms. "You tell me if it's too much, okay? And ask me for details if you want. After this is over, I will tell you. But once you feel it's too much, just tell me. And now that I'm speaking, I guess it was my thoughts that sent you into a panic attack the first time, and now again. Sorry," he muttered.

Wei Wuxian turned, "What are you saying sorry for? I'm glad you said it," he said. And suddenly, both of them, realizing their closeness, awkwardly moved apart and got themselves together.

Ten minutes later, they were at the door of the room again, this time with no secrets between them. As Shen Lian sat, ready to continue, he said, "Don't think this is over yet," smiling.

The main hall had fallen into a murmuring anxiety as the Oracle abruptly cut off and did not resume speaking, leaving the cultivators on edge. Lan Xichen, having seen the dire situation with Wei Wuxian when Lan Wangji called for him, called for a brief intermission after a hurried discussion with Lan Qiren.

The Jiang family meanwhile, was attempting to digest the terrible prediction that almost all of them would die, leaving only Jiang Cheng. The family corner was charged and tense. Suddenly, Yu Ziyuan exploded, her voice sharp enough to cut through the hall's low rumble.

"Where in the hell is that boy, Wei Wuxian? He has obviously been in this sect since he came here for the lectures, but ever since we arrived last night, he is nowhere to be found!" she hissed.

Jiang Yanli, whose breathing had finally evened out after the revelations, started breathing fast again, knowing her mother's escalating anger would make everything worse and would inevitably blame Wei Wuxian. Yu Ziyuan kept going, blaming the chaos on the absent Wei Wuxian. Jiang Yanli wanted to intervene, but her breath came in sharp bursts, silencing her. Had her mother not heard anything from the voice? Should she not be planning ways to mend the family, to bridge the gap between them? Instead, she was blaming the one person who would sacrifice everything for them. Jiang Yanli tightened her hold on the equally unsettled Jiang Cheng, watching her mother.

Jiang Fengmian was different. Although the revelations were shocking, he just looked tired, almost as if the terrible things happening had nothing to do with him. He looked around the room, analyzing the sects' reactions to his wife’s behavior.

Wen Qing, who had been watching the Jiang family while conversing and discussing Wei Wuxian with Lan Xichen, could not stand it anymore. "Will Lan Gongzi please help me call out the Jiang siblings? They already went through a lot with what was revealed, and their mother's reaction..." She trailed off, not needing to complete her sentence. The entire room was already looking at the Jiang family with increasing disgust as Yu Ziyuan’s rant continued.

Lan Xichen understood what Wen Qing meant. Shen Lian had been right: Jiang Cheng's future path was undeniably influenced by his mother. Both Jiang children had suffered, and while Wei Wuxian’s suffering was arguably worse, the Jiang siblings could not be removed from the position of victims. He nodded.

Elegantly walking to the Jiang family, he forewent greeting the Jiang parents, turning directly to the siblings. "If Jiang Guniang and Jiang Gongzi will not mind, I would like to invite you out."

Immediately, Yu Ziyuan’s ranting stopped, her eyes fixed on her children. "They are not going anywhere! And you, why are you shaking?" she snapped at Jiang Yanli, who held onto Jiang Cheng, almost leaning completely into him. "Don't cuddle your sister," she snapped at Jiang Cheng. "Did you not hear? Her weakness would have killed her if that Wei Wuxian did not do it in the first place!"

This statement caused the hall to freeze. Lan Xichen’s mouth tightened. "Forgive me, Madam Yu, but the Oracle obviously stated that she died protecting Wei Wuxian, and not that Wei Wuxian killed her," he could not help but say.

Yu Ziyuan’s face turned even more furious. "He is our family servant! He owes us a life debt! His life belongs to us! How dare he left my daughter, who is above him in every way, give her life for him! And not only that, he killed her husband!" she shouted.

Jiang Yanli flinched as if she was physically struck. Lan Xichen could not help but think: It is this mentality, this way of thinking, that obviously made Wei Wuxian become known as the killer of Jiang Yanli. And this way of thinking would obviously be passed to Jiang Cheng. Even now, as Jiang Cheng supported his sister, he looked almost as if his mother's words were not that far-fetched.

The hall was silent after this outburst because the sheer mental gymnastics required to reach Yu Ziyuan’s conclusion showed how much prejudice she used to see Wei Wuxian with. Even her own best friend, Madam Jin, was surprised.

"My lady, please calm down," Jiang Fengmian’s voice finally cut through the silence. This made Yu Ziyuan blow up, turning her ire to Jiang Fengmian, who just silently took it without any complaint, his face passive as if used to it.

Bowing his head, Lan Xichen used this opportunity to take the Jiang siblings away. Jiang Yanli saw Wen Qing and fell into her arms, having grown closer to Wen Qing ever since she started learning about herbs. Bursting into tears, her body shaking violently, she had been trying to keep it in, but it felt like she was drowning. Jiang Cheng stood awkwardly with Wen Ning, who had no idea what to do as all the men turned their faces away to give Jiang Yanli space.

Jiang Cheng was as confused as ever and even now had not chosen what to do. "Was his future self really wrong for doing what he did to Wei Wuxian and the others? But what if he was right after all? If his mother could say those things in front of the entire sect, would it not be that there was some factor of truth in them? He tightened his fists. What should he believe? Who was right and who was wrong? Was everything his mother taught him all this while wrong?" As he fell into thought trying to discern the right path, he ignored the feeling and question in his mind that if his mother really was right, then why was everyone’s reaction against them?

---

Shen Lian looked at Wei Wuxian after playfully saying the last sentence and smiled. He could guess why Wei Wuxian went into shock: the realization of breaking ties with the Jiang family, coupled with Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan's death at his (future) hands, must have been a truth he could not accept. It wasn't that he was weak, but having to receive these blows and truths about the people he gave his life for must have been shocking to him.

The uncle he thought loved him might have been the one to put him in a situation of leaving him on the street for five years when he could save him. Yu Ziyuan was holding a non-existent life debt over him, Jiang Yanli ignored his pain to build her perfect family in her head, and Jiang Cheng was a whole can of worms that he could not open now. Yeah, if it was him, going into shock would not be a surprise, which makes him more surprised at how Wei Wuxian was still almost sane after the can of worms that was the Burial Mounds. His mental fortitude really was amazing.