もっと自己紹介
Lan Wangji has always known that the man who wears the mask next to him is Wei Wuxian. His
heart has always known. After all, how could his heart not know love?
Suibian was unsheathed by the man in front of the others. The cultivation world now knows that
the notorious Yiling Laozu has returned and everyone, again, is ready to kill him once more. But...it
will be different this time. This time, Lan Wangji will be by his side and he will not leave, not even
if he draws his last breath.
“Get him!” a LanlingJin cultivator shouts, rallying more of them to chase Wei Wuxian and Lan
Wangji.
“They’re ahead, don’t let them escape!” a MolingSu cultivator adds.
“Take the Yiling Laozu alive!”
Lan Wangji takes Wei Wuxian’s hand and the two run down the Jinlintai, only to be surrounded
and stopped by other cultivators.
Wei Wuxian pushes Lan Wangji away, creating a distance between them that is much too much in
Lan Wangji’s eyes.
“Lan Zhan, stay away,” Wei Wuxian says.
Lan Wangji knows he is doing this for him, the highly esteemed and respected Hanguang-jun, who
everyone has noticed to be surprisingly close to Mo Xuanyu—no, Wei Wuxian. He knows the man
in front of him will never allow himself to drag Lan Wangji down.
As the other cultivators catch up to them, so do Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng, Jin Guangyao, Nie
Huaisang and Jin Ling, who stand atop the stairs.
“Now that we are here, why are you still wearing your mask?”
Lan Wangji’s heart falls, just as the mask does from the man’s hand as he removes it from his face.
“Yiling Laozu, you truly are worthy of your title,” Lianfang-zun says with a tone that bears
sarcasm, but also genuine praise. “Returning to the cultivation world after sixteen years, you're still
able to make all of us look like idiots. Not only Jin Ling, even Hanguang-jun was also fooled by
you.”
Jin Guangyao, one of the remaining two of the Venerated Triad, is one of the smartest people Lan
Wangji knows. Otherwise, he would not have been able to take the role of Chief Cultivator. Lan
Wangji is sure that Jin Guangyao knows he was not fooled by Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian scoffs, “You are right.”
“He is not,” Lan Wangji corrects him in front of everyone present, surprising them. Wei Wuxian
averts his attention back to Lan Wangji immediately.
Will stand by Wei Ying. Will protect Wei Ying with my life.
Lan Wangji clutches Bichen and walks over to Wei Wuxian with nothing but resolution.
“I have already known that he was Wei Ying.” He says these words for others to acknowledge, but
he says them for Wei Ying to hear. Lan Wangji keeps his golden eyes on Wei Ying at all times,
never looking away.
Wei Ying is always Wei Ying. “Lan Zh—” Lan Wangji knows that he can take on every single
cultivator there. Even if he cannot, he will die trying. He unsheathes Bichen, causing everyone to
stand back. Lan Xichen remains collected. He knows what his brother is doing and he knows that
even he cannot stop Lan Wangji once he has made up his mind. At the same time, Lan Wangji
knows the position that his brother is in is very delicate and sensitive. He does not expect Lan
Xichen to do anything. This is the respect and understanding that the Gusu Twin Jades have held
for each other since they were but children.
“You do not have to do this, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian grabs Lan Wangji by the hand that holds
Bichen so firmly.
“I am used to these kinds of situations. Just say you were indeed deceived by me. The others will
not dare say otherwise,” Wei Wuxian says in a low voice.
Wei Ying will not be alone, anymore. “Wei Ying, do you remember what you asked me at the
Cloud Recesses?”
Back when they were in the Jingshi, when Lan Wangji had just brought Wei Wuxian back there,
he had asked Lan Wangji a question that he has yet to answer.
“Lan Zhan, did you really believe me back then?”
Lan Wangji has his own regret, his own guilt, that he has held on to for the past sixteen years.
Wei Wuxian’s gaze turns to Lan Wangji, “L-Lan Zhan.”
“The feeling of sticking to the single-log bridge until it is dark, is indeed not bad,” Lan Wangji
breathes into a smile. This is answer enough for Wei Wuxian’s question.
“Lan Zhan, you fuddy-duddy,” Wei Wuxian lets out and reciprocates a smile that brightens Lan
Wangji’s world like nothing else ever could.
“I will give you one more chance, Lan Zhan. Think thoroughly. Your reputation will be ruined if
we walk out of this now,” Wei Wuxian says with caution.
Lan Wangji turns around, facing his back to Wei Wuxian’s, giving him his decision with that small
gesture.
“Are we going to fight?” Wei Wuxian asks, as if he doesn't already know that is the only way they
can escape.
“Too much talk,” Lan Wangji concludes.
“Then, let’s fight!” Wei Wuxian exclaims.
All the attacks seem to aim only at Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji is aware that his spiritual energy is
low. Even with Suibian yielded in his hand, he would not be able to use it to its full potential. Lan
Wangji makes sure he defends and takes any blow that Wei Wuxian gets.
Wei Wuxian manages to block a few attacks by himself but he barely can play offense. With his
back facing the other stronger cultivators, Su She takes this opportunity and charges with his
Nanping, aiming for Wei Wuxian’s back. Lan Wangji notices this immediately flies over, catching
Su She off-guard and kicking him in the chest, sending him backwards and away from Wei
Wuxian.
After making sure that Su She is out of the way, Lan Wangji does a 180° turn and blocks an
incoming sword that's aimed for Wei Wuxian’s throat. Worried that Wei Wuxian may not be able
to retain his strength any longer, Lan Wangji decides they should leave the Jinlintai altogether.
“Let’s go,” Lan Wangji says in a determined tone.
The two take one leap off the majestic and proud stairs of LanlingJin and make their escape.
Suihua stops their track, held by its young and proud owner, Jin Rulan, Jin Ling. He grips the
sword by the hilt, with unwavering strength. His strength and tenacity do not reflect in his voice,
however. Trembling, he finally speaks, “Are you Wei Ying?”
Lan Wangji knows this is a battle he cannot fight for the sake of wwx; nor can he defend Wei
Wuxian from it. It is, after all, his beloved nephew that is now standing in their way. Wei Wuxian
would never allow it.
It seems that the trembles, frustration and fear are travelling from his voice to his hands as he
continues talking, “Are you really Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian?” The young Jin begs demands an
answer he already knows.
Lan Wangji knows Wei Wuxian wants to give him the answer, the truth that Jin Ling deserves. But
they both know that now is not the time.
“Jin Ling, I will explain next time,” he reasons with his nephew.
But the youngster does not accept his words. He stabs Wei Wuxian in his lower abdomen. Lan
Wangji should have seen it coming but it was too late. He pushes Jin Ling away and holds the
injured man’s arm as he falls knees first to the ground.
“Are you all right?” Lan Wangji asks, worry plastered across his face.
“T-this brat...why did he stab—stab me exactly where his Jiujiu did?” It was a rhetorical question.
Wei Wuxian is someone who has always tried to make any heavy situation lighter using his words,
no matter how much he is hurting. This is one of the many reasons why Lan Wangji loves him
with so much depth that he wants to take all the pain away from this man, this man that he now
holds.
“I can take it. Let’s go, Lan Zhan.”
With that, Lan Wangji takes him and leaves, leaving everyone behind. Lan Wangji knows that Lan
Xichen will take care of matters here after this. With words unspoken, Lan Wangji knows that Lan
Xichen will stand by his side, like he does for Wei Wuxian. He will explain himself to his brother
later because now, Lan Wangji needs to bring Wei Wuxian to safety. He needs to bring him home.
Lan Wangji does not know how many shichen’s have passed but daylight has broken and it is
raining. They have not stopped their journey since they stepped foot out of Lanling and thankfully,
no one has caught up to them; at least not yet. In the plain forest lands near the Cloud Recesses,
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian stop for a while.
Lan Wangji lays him against a tree to rest and passes spiritual energy to the injured man.
“L-Lan Zhan, your robes…” His robes are tainted with Wei Wuxian’s blood but he does not care.
“I-I know how clean you like to…to be” Wei Wuxian stutters. Even at this point, he puts others
first over himself.
“Keep your strength, Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji tells him and continues to pass on spiritual energy.
Lan Wangji is so afraid that he will lose him once more. He has had his light taken from his world
once. It will not happen again. He will not be sucked into the darkness once more, where he
suffocated every single day from the moment he woke up.
Wei Wuxian lets out a laugh and Lan Wangji senses that any more spiritual energy will be useless.
“Why were you laughing?”
“Nothing, Lan Zhan. I just thought of something...funny. When everyone admired the power I
wielded, when what everyone wanted to do was just to flatter me, you were the only one that
scolded me. But now, when everyone despises me and wants me dead, you are the only one
standing by me.”
“Wei Ying, I—”
Lan Wangji wants to tell him, he wants to tell him everything.
Wei Wuxian coughs up the stale blood that has been choking him and he falls into
unconsciousness.
“Wei Ying!” Lan Wangji calls out but the man does not respond.
Lan Wangji immediately carries him back home, back to the Cloud Recesses.
As they reach the entrance, Lan Wangji carrying Wei Wuxian, Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi both run
to their Hanguang-jun and Mo-qianbei.
“Hanguang-jun!” Both young Lan disciples greet in a syncronised bow. They do not raise their
heads as they know they are breaking GusuLan rule as they had run towards them.
