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Chapter Text

There were few places Nie Huaisang hated more than the Xinglu Ridge.

Oh, the mountains were lovely. Filled with majestic pines and firs, and with sharp rock edges that had the beauty of a predator’s teeth. He would love to stroll here, perhaps paint a fan or two inspired by the landscape.

If only the Stone Castles of Qinghe Nie Sect didn’t exist. They sprouted from the ground like overgrown mushrooms and had about as much grace, simple semi-spheres made of gray-white stone. Crude. Both in their construction and their function – to serve as a tomb for saber spirits, balancing resentment with resentment. It reminded Nie Huaisang about the walls of the Unclean Realm; simple and uninspiring.

But sometimes crude solutions worked just fine, and so he’d overseen the construction of another such a tomb in the past couple of weeks. It was ready now, already filled with corpses, which were easy to obtain as the war had just ended. Really, there’d been so many bodies no one seemed to know what to do with them, and Nie Huaisang’s subordinates made sure to only take ones that wouldn’t be missed by their friends or families. Often their friends and families had lain along with them, waiting for a mass burial. Well, they still got it, just in a different spot.

For now, the new Stone Castle was covered in seals suppressing the resentful energy contained inside its walls. Without them and the counterweight to balance the hatred, the corpses would quickly break out.

“Second Master, we’re ready!” Gao Yong called from the group of disciples surrounding the Stone Castle.

Nie Huaisang nodded and approached with his Qiankun bag. It was sealed in a similar manner, though the seal had to be renewed every few days to keep the contents under control. Now, no more – there was a better hiding spot prepared for it. Between all the sabers buried on this mountainside, who would notice one rusty sword?

“On my mark,” Nie Huaisang said, raising the Qiankun bag above the open tomb.

The seal was wavering already, the darkness within distorting the space around, like a living shadow seeping out from the fabric. His heart pounded, but he’d done the same process in the previous life with his brother’s saber, Baxia. Though the Castle was different – he didn’t dare to touch the one prepared for Nie Mingjue’s spirit weapon. His brother might not be meticulous at handling his paperwork, but surely he would’ve noticed that.

“One,” Nie Huaisang said loudly, if in a little high-pitched tone. “Two. Three!”

He shoved the Stygian Sword into the tomb and at the same moment, the disciples broke the formation keeping the corpses in the wall contained. Immediately he was pulled back by Gao Yong, but the precaution was unnecessary. The sword released just a bit more shadowy substance before settling down, and the corpses merely wailed a few times before falling silent. Everything was still, suspended in the perfect state of equilibrium.

Nie Huaisang let out a breath and smiled at Gao Yong. “Well, that was easier than expected. Let’s lock this place up and get out of here.”

The disciples stronger than him pulled the tombstone over the Stygian Sword, and the rest activated the maze array outside. Nie Huaisang had sketched it himself, drawing on his knowledge from the previous life; it would be better than the ones used on the neighboring Castles. Still, no spell was infallible and there was only so much energy it could hold. Cultivators of the same caliber as Lan Wangji or Wei Wuxian in his prime would’ve been able to cross it. But pretty much no one else – not without a token of passage.

“Why didn’t we take Meng Yao with us?” Gao Yong asked when the group started down the mountain. They would walk for a while before mounting their sabers, just so their ascension wouldn’t point anyone to this place. “His cultivation has really improved now that he’s had time to focus on it.”

“It’s not an issue of cultivation,” Nie Huaisang said. “It’s…”

What exactly? In this life, Meng Yao was perfectly innocent. He hadn’t even killed many Wen-dogs since he’d transferred to Nie Huaisang’s division soon after the war started. Espionage might be frowned upon by the righteous cultivators, but Nie Huaisang wasn’t a righteous cultivator, and he strived not to lie to himself. In this life, Meng Yao was more innocent than him.

I just can’t unsee the Jin Guangyao in him, he thought sullenly. Even when he’d set Meng Yao on a much different path. One in which he’d never killed his Jin superior and faced Nie Mingjue’s rage and doubt, had never gone to spy on Wen Ruohan and therefore had never tortured prisoners on his behalf, had never become one of the Venerated Triad… All he’d really done was fall down the Koi Tower’s steps, nurture Lan Xichen back to health in hiding, and helped Nie Huaisang with paperwork.

And yet, Nie Huaisang still waited for the knife to slide into his old foe’s palm.

“The war makes it feel like he’s been in our sect for long,” he said. “But when you count the days, it hasn’t even been a year. And with that memory of his, you can always put things in, but it’s impossible to take them out.”

Gao Yong smiled. “Second Master, you say it as though everybody else keeps forgetting important matters such as the sabers’ curse.”

“Right.” Nie Huaisang forced a short laughter. “I suppose they don’t. Nevertheless…”

“I understand,” Gao Yong said. “He’ll learn when it’s his time to learn. I won’t bring it up again.”

When Nie Huaisang arrived back in the Unclean Realm, he wondered how much work had already mounted waiting for him. It’d been a constant for over a year, but he’d thought the flood of duties would calm down after the war. But while there was less work than before, and the matters he had to weigh on didn’t translate to life and death nearly as often, he was still a wanted man, usually behind the desk to deal with the stacks of formalities his brother shunned.

Speaking of his brother, Nie Mingjue had gone on a night hunt two days before and hadn’t yet returned, apparently so eager to kill more monsters that he was traveling from town to town with a small retinue and sleeping at inns. And there were a lot of monsters, some which popped up because of the war and some who’d simply been ignored while cultivators fought amongst themselves.

 Nie Huaisang was ashamed to feel relieved when he’d learned of his brother’s absence, but he couldn’t help it. They’d been clashing a lot lately, Nie Mingjue insisting he picked up his saber, even going as far as towing Nie Huaisang out from his office by the robes. It had never happened before, not in this life at least, and it scared him as much as it angered him. What could he do to finally get it under Nie Mingjue’s thick skull that his younger brother just wasn’t going to become a proper Nie cultivator? The two of them were different people, and Nie Huaisang was quite happy where he was now.

If only Nie Mingjue could be happy for him, too.

Soon he reached the area with his office, where his remaining subordinates, now one third of the number he’d commanded near the end of war, worked. Nie Mingjue had assigned those with highest cultivation level back to night-hunt division or as teachers for the next generation, claiming there wasn’t a need for so many of them to “be wasted in a stuffy office.”

Nie Huaisang was tempted to argue to the contrary. Now more than ever he needed spies and people to handle them. With the past changed so much, he couldn’t predict what the future held based on his memories alone. He needed information. And yet, Nie Mingjue had been particularly cross that day, and Nie Huaisang afraid of appearing as though he was creating a faction inside the sect, so he’d simply bowed and said “Yes, Brother.”

“Welcome back, Second Master Nie.” Meng Yao greeted Nie Huaisang when he entered his office. “I hope your journey was fruitful.”

“Thank you.” Nie Huaisang summoned a smile. They’d been seeing each other on a daily basis, so it wasn’t hard – though his eyes searched for the hints of his nemesis. Meng Yao’s face was easy on the eyes, but not quite as smooth and respectable as Jing Guangyao’s yet. Whether it was the difference in hairstyle and robes, the absence of the vermilion mark, age, a mix or something else entirely, Nie Huaisang couldn’t tell. “Did anything notable happen while we were away?”

He would ask Cai Yun later to see if Meng Yao didn’t hide anything. Not that he was likely to, when he’d been left along with a few trusted disciples. But Nie Huaisang felt safer making sure, just in case.

He dreaded the moment Meng Yao would ask for a transfer to the Lanling Jin Sect. Hadn’t he been there already in the previous life? Nie Huaisang had been coming up with plans to stop him, hoping that it would prevent the rise of Jin Guangyao once and for all, but if Lan Xichen pressured him to allow it… Or worse yet, if he brought the matter to Nie Mingjue…

I could just kill him, was a quiet thought at the back of his mind. Hire someone to stick a knife into his throat. Except Meng Yao was a decent cultivator already, and if Nie Huaisang failed in his attempt, he might awaken the very tiger he was trying to keep asleep. The risk was just too great.

For now, Meng Yao wasn’t showing any signs that he was discontent with his current position.

“Not much happened,” Meng Yao said. “Only one notable message arrived – the Lanling Jin Sect is inviting us for a night hunt on the Phoenix Mountain.”

Right. Nie Huaisang still remembered that affair – all the Great Sects had attended so he’d been there, too. He hadn’t hunted anything, of course, but the party had been a well of gossip, which he’d rather enjoyed. Jin Zixuan’s love to Jiang Yanli was made known then, and in a rather embarrassing but fun to talk about manner.

It was also one of the first times when the Yiling Patriarch had alienated a large number of his war-time allies. Simply by taking one third of the prey with so many sects present, he’d instantly made himself into a threat just as great as Wen Ruohan – perhaps without even realizing. Surely Wei Wuxian, or at least the Wei Wuxian from Nie Huaisang’s memories, had no great ambitions of ruling over others. He was merely a show-off.

Although the Yiling Patriarch remained a mystery to him, especially in this life. The direct causes of his downfall – the Stygian Tiger Seal and Jin Guangyao – were absent, but the trajectory remained the same. Wei Wuxian had been found in the Burial Mounds by Lan Wangji, but it wasn’t before he’d mastered demonic cultivation, and his revenge on Wen Chao was just as terrifying as in the previous life. His future lover was unable to change his mind about it, even though knowing Lan Wangji’s character, he’d surely tried. He would’ve agreed to a fair trial and punishment afterwards, but not the kind of torture Wei Wuxian had concocted.

So the Yiling Patriarch was there, a wild card Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure how to deal with. It wasn’t his primary concern, either. He would let the Siege of the Burial Mounds happen, if it meant he could keep Baxia from killing his brother. And yet… And yet, perhaps Wei Wuxian was the one person who could help with that. If traditional methods could’ve been used to avert this disaster, Qinghe Nie Sect Leaders wouldn’t have been dying prematurely for generations.

Could he simply turn to his old school friend for help?

“Will we be attending the night hunt?” One of the disciples brought Nie Huaisang back to the present. “What do you think, Second Master?”

“Brother will decide when he’s back,” Nie Huaisang said, taking the invitation from Meng Yao’s palms. The paper was so fine it felt like a crime to use it for such a simple task, a note to be discarded later, instead of a work of art. Jins and their money, and their thrice-damned ambitions. “But given that there hasn’t been such a great gathering since the war and most sects will attend… I expect we’ll be there, too.”

Chapter Text

On the day of the joint hunt, the sky was bright. The spring came in full blossom, and even Nie Mingjue’s mood was exceptionally good. He smiled while his sect got their horses ready for their entrance. The air was filled with the buzz of rivalry, but no true animosity or danger. Everyone had come only to show off their skills and mingle with friends.

Except for Nie Huaisang, who had a few plans to attend. But he smiled too, which in turn caused Nie Mingjue to frown.

“Since when do you enjoy night hunts?” Nie Mingjue asked.

There was levity to his voice like Nie Huaisang hadn’t heard since before the war, so he couldn’t help but smile more widely. “It can’t really be called a night hunt, can it?” He pointed to the pristine blue sky. “It’s such a beautiful day! And of course, it’s not like I intend to fight.”

“With your skill, it’s better that you don’t,” Nie Mingjue grumbled.

But it was a good-natured grumble, and it made Nie Huaisang want to weep. He’d forgotten that his brother could just… not be angry all the time.

“Did Brother Xichen start playing his song for you?” Nie Huaisang asked as they mounted their horses.

“No, and he’s exaggerating.” Irritation flashed across Nie Mingjue’s face. But it was gone quickly, like a wisp of a cloud dissipating. “I started to meditate when I have the time. Boring as it is, I suppose it serves a purpose.”

“If you ever don’t have time for it, maybe I can help you make some,” Nie Huaisang said. He didn’t dare hope that meditation and even Cleansing would be enough – but they might be enough for a few years. “I can handle more things.”

“Then handle your saber training,” Nie Mingjue said with a wry smile. “I’m still the sect leader.”

Nie Huaisang almost choked on air alone. “Brother, I– How could you say that, you know that I never, ever want to be the sect leader!”

Nie Mingjue looked at him, taken aback. “Of course I know. I was joking. If I ever say that seriously, you’ll know that I’m Qi deviating.”

“Then don’t say that.” Nie Huaisang turned away. It was almost time for them to join the other sects, so he prodded his horse into motion. “Joking about me being a sect leader is like joking about your death. I don’t want to hear it!”

And don’t joke about Qi deviation, he wanted to add, but he stopped himself. Technically, he didn’t officially know about the backlash from the saber technique… Although he suspected his brother already suspected he was aware of their clan’s curse. Since Nie Huaisang had been handling information – spies, really, called in such a way so Nie Mingjue could turn a blind eye – surely everyone in the sect expected that he knew more than he was letting on.

They rode in silence for a while, and Nie Huaisang hated himself for causing it. The tension dissipated slowly, but they were already near the entrance when he finally felt like talking again.

“Brother Jiang is there.” He strived for a light tone. “I know him from school and you know him as a sect leader – should we go exchange greetings?”

“There’ll be time for it when the hunt begins.” Nie Mingjue’s face darkened. “Wei Wuxian is there.”

“Ah, well, Brother Wei is my friend from school, too.” Nie Huaisang pretended to be oblivious. “I should greet both of them.”

“You didn’t see your school friend on the battlefield,” Nie Mingjue said. “He killed thousands single-handedly.”

“So did you, surely.”

“He strayed away from the righteous path,” Nie Mingjue scoffed. “And he’s turned arrogant because of it! Look at him, he didn’t even bring his sword!”

“His sword was given to him by the former Sect Leader Jiang,” Nie Huaisang said softly. “I can’t imagine it’s not precious to him now that the man is gone. Surely if he doesn’t bring it, he must have a better reason than arrogance.”

Nie Mingjue frowned; clearly he hadn’t thought of that. “What could that reason be? And regardless, you cannot pretend demonic cultivation is a good method. I understand using it in the time of war, but we have peace now. Why does he insist on it?”

Nie Huaisang shook his head. The signs seemed so obvious now. They’d had all these pieces in his previous life, too, so how come no one had put them together? Not Jiang Cheng, not Nie Mingjue, not Nie Huaisang himself… He’d had hope in Wei Wuxian’s character when he’d orchestrated his resurrection, but he hadn’t realized the lost golden core before he’d heard of Jiang Cheng running around and demanding people pull Suibian from its sealed sheath. Lan Wangji probably hadn’t known either, only instead of hope, his was an unshakable belief that stemmed from true love.

“His entire sect was wiped out,” Nie Huaisang murmured. “Jiang Cheng is formidable for his age, but his age is very young.”

“You’re a year older than him,” Nie Mingjue snorted.

Not in actuality, Nie Huaisang thought but didn’t say. He decided to change his approach. “If it was the only way to kill Wen Ruohan, would you not pick up a dizi, too?”

Nie Mingjue considered it for the briefest moment, and it was a small victory for Nie Huaisang. It was hard to hate someone if you could imagine yourself doing the same in their place.

“There are other ways,” Nie Mingjue said. “And even then, I would put myself up for a trial as soon as Wen Ruohan died.”

Nie Huaisang didn’t say that he didn’t see how killing with a blade was better than killing with a horde of corpses, nor did he point out that their saber technique would be considered demonic too, had other cultivators known its dark side. Pressing too hard only made people set more firmly in their beliefs. If he wanted to change their mind, he had to be gentle.

“Maybe it’s Wei Wuxian’s only way,” he said simply. “Didn’t Wen Chao have a bodyguard who could destroy golden cores?”

By Nie Mingjue’s expression, he hadn’t considered that angle either, which wasn’t a surprise. Nie Mingjue didn’t say anything more, but Nie Huaisang ended up refraining from approaching the Jiangs anyway, as instead he and his brother were approached by the Lans. Truthfully, Nie Huaisang was a little glad for the excuse to stall – for all of his persuasion in favor of Wei Wuxian… He was also a man who’d killed Jin Zixuan and attacked a cultivators’ conference. The Yiling Patriarch was different from the person who later received Mo Xuanyu’s body.

Lost in the grim thoughts, Nie Huaisang bowed out of reflex and listened only with one ear to Lan Xichen’s greetings with his brother. But the First Jade’s smile stunned him a little. It was bright, considering everything that had happened. Almost like back during his school years, when Xichen had caught him eavesdropping along with Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. Clearly the weather was affecting all of them.

Or almost all of them. Lan Wangji didn’t smile, which wouldn’t be strange on its own, but his gaze was sharper than usual. And it was pointed right at Nie Huaisang.

Lan Zhan, you’re not doing a good job of keeping your promise, Nie Huaisang thought sourly as he averted his gaze. Brother Xichen must already know something’s not right.

At least he could trust Lan Wangji not to say anything.

Thankfully, the meeting was short so Nie Huaisang wasn’t forced to make awkward small talk with the Second Jade. Soon a gong reverberated through the air and the cultivators flowed toward the entrance.

“Shall we have a little competition?” Nie Migjue halted his horse, letting the Lans go first. “It’s been a long time.”

“Indeed,” Lan Xichen agreed, turning back so they could still see his smile. “Then let’s see who can score more points between the two of us.”

Good. Nie Huaisang hid a smirk behind his fan. That would keep the two of them busy, and in the meantime, he had things to take care of.

Wei Wuxian was easy to find.

Nie Huaisang dismounted his horse as soon as the hunt began and simply strolled through the forest. Going at a slow pace prevented him from encountering any monsters – all the cultivators eager to prove themselves cleaned the way for him. Besides, Wei Wuxian was strolling too. His eyes were covered, which actually made Nie Huaisang a little more anxious. He wouldn’t be able to use visual cues during their talk.

Just feel him out, he reminded himself. Nie Mingjue wasn’t ready to accept Wei Wuxian’s help, so it was all right if he didn’t ask for it. Nie Huaisang just wanted to know how to approach this man. The burnt letter from a couple of months ago surfaced in his thoughts, but he forced it away. Wen Chao was the one the most at fault. Nie Huaisang had already decided long ago that he wouldn’t accept responsibility for everyone else’s deeds.

He was still aware that if Wei Wuxian had known, he wouldn’t have thought the same way.

The melody of Chenqing rose above the trees and Nie Huaisang shuddered. He hadn’t been so close to it… Well, ever. Aside from that time at the Guanyin Temple, but that didn’t really count. There were many people around him back then.

Wei Wuxian finished his tune, then swirled around, the flute still in his palm. “You followed me for a while now,” he said. His voice was devoid of emotions, but comparing it to the person he used to be, that emptiness alone was scary. “What do you want? If you intend to take advantage of my handicap and challenge me to a duel, I don’t mind.”

“Duel?” It wasn’t hard to conjure a nervous chuckle. “You know me, Brother Wei. What would I duel with, my fan?”

“Brother Huaisang?” Wei Wuxian’s face lit up, and suddenly it was the same Wei Wuxian from Nie Huaisang’s youth, which in this life technically wasn’t that long ago. “Of all people, I didn’t expect you to be here!”

The change was unnerving. More so, even, than the changes Jin Guangyao’s face so easily underwent. With his enemy, Nie Huaisang could usually tell that it was a mask, that Jin Guangyao’s eyes weren’t smiling – that deep down, his feelings remained the same. But for Wei Wuxian in front of him, it really seemed like they’d just completely transformed from cold to warm, and Nie Huaisang couldn’t help but expect they could turn cold again just as easily.

Still he put up his best friendly face. Wei Wuxian might not be able to see his expression, but he would hear it in his voice. “Brother Wei, I’m puzzled – aren’t you going to participate in the hunt?”

Wei Wuxian chuckled, twirling Chenqing in his fingers. “I already took care of it.”

“Huh? I don’t understand, what do you mean?” It was awfully easy to fall back into his old role. Nie Huaisang wondered if people ever really changed.

“All the fierce corpses are now the catch of Yunmeng Jiang.” Wei Wuxian smiled smugly. “What do you say, Brother Huaisang?”

“All of them?” Nie Huaisang exclaimed, forcing himself not to roll his eyes. “That’s one third of the entire prey!”

“Right?” Wei Wuxian chuckled, but his face darkened the next moment. “I want to see that peacock Jin Zixuan and that bastard Jin Zixun match it! No, let them have the entire Jin Sect as helpers, let’s see if they can do it then!”

There it was again, the cold fury and the spite. Nie Huaisang shuddered, but he’d been in dangerous situations before. He’d played with fire.

“Certainly they can’t,” he said. “But… Please don’t get angry with me, Brother Wei…”

Wei Wuxian seemed to sober up again. “Why would I get angry with you? We haven’t seen each other in such a long time, too!”

“You will surely trouble the likes of Jin Zixun, but won’t you trouble Brother Jiang, too?”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “We fought together. He knows I’m unmatched when it comes to fierce corpses. It’s just because my cultivation path is different, so he won’t feel too bad because of it.”

“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way,” Nie Huaisang said, squeezing his fan nervously. “But consider, Brother Jiang is a sect leader now. He will have to deal with what other people say or even just think. And if you look from their perspective, well, this is a hunt for all the allied sects. Even if only the great four participated, wouldn’t you already be taking too much? And there are dozens of minor sects here! Aren’t you saying that Yunmeng Jiang is above all of them?”

“Who cares what they think?” Wei Wuxian snapped. “I’m not stopping them from claiming one third of the prey if they can! And if they can’t, well, maybe they are below us.”

It was the tone Nie Huaisang knew not to argue with, so he kept quiet.

“If someone is putting themselves above others, isn’t it Lanling Jin?” Wei Wuxian continued his tirade. “Their peacock was the first to show off his skill! So what if someone else can do it better than him, he started it!”

“Jin Zixuan indeed acted first when he shot that arrow,” Nie Huaisang said meekly. “I don’t want to argue with you, Brother Wei.”

He ended up chatting about the weather and the birds around for a while, before he saw the figures of Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli looming up ahead, so he excused himself. He had another thing to take care of, but even as he hurried through the forest, he couldn’t help the bitter taste of defeat.

Forget Wei Wuxian helping Nie Mingjue control the saber spirit. Wei Wuxian himself needed help.

With everyone distracted by what was happening with Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixuan, it was quite easy to slip into Jin Guangshan’s tent. The risk was low, too. If caught, Nie Huaisang would just babble that he got tired and wanted to rest someplace dark. His brother wouldn’t believe it, but everyone else? They thought Nie Huaisang had merely helped penned some letters, which was easily explained by his skill in calligraphy.

The reason behind his venture was simple. Recently, some of his distant birds had been able to intercept private correspondence between Jin Guangshan and his most trusted disciples. Said messages were coded, and after a few days of frustrating work, Cai Yun concluded that the cipher used was a book cipher. The numbers would point to specific volumes, chapters, lines, and finally characters of some existing text. Or more likely, a collection of texts to contain the minimum needed for clear communication. They didn’t know what text it was, and so Nie Huaisang volunteered to search for it if he had the chance. They didn’t have anyone close enough to Jin Guangshan’s quarters, but perhaps the sect leader would bring his cipher’s key along on the trip.

But now as he looked through the things left out in the open and searched through the trunks, nothing stood out to him. It seemed the hunt was meant as pleasure, not work, and Jin Guangshan didn’t mix the two.

Straightening up after gently rummaging through the last chest, Nie Huaisang started when he caught the sight of someone looking at him from outside the tent. Only the corner of their head, and only for the briefest moment. He’d been careful to pay attention to the noise outside, listening for footsteps of servants approaching the tent in time to throw himself onto Jin Guangshan’s puffy couch, so he knew there had been none.

The person watching him wasn’t a servant. And yet, all the cultivators were supposed to be on the Phoenix Mountain. Which meant, Nie Huaisang had been followed.

He should be scared, and deep down he was, but for the moment he shoved the feeling aside. The person wasn’t watching him right now, but he still hid behind a screen before fishing out the talisman for concealment from his sleeve. 

It was his first creation, which he’d invented long before finalizing his revenge on Jin Guangyao. It was inspired by the maze arrays his sect had already done an in-depth study of. The talisman had a similar effect, but on a much smaller scale. Just for a few minutes, people wouldn’t be able to see him. He would glide through their perception like a snake through water, so long as they didn’t know to expect him.

He’d used this technique to get into Jin Guangyao’s secret room before, so he knew for sure it worked. At the same time, he’d never taught it to anyone. It was near impossible to counter, aside from general barriers preventing entry, and Nie Huaisang didn’t want to risk it leaking into the world. It would be a pain in the ass to deal with.

He supplied the talisman with energy and as it burned, he made his way out of the tent through the flap at the very back. For one, because he was expected to go out through the front, and for two, because the technique had another flaw. Much like a maze array, it would be less effective against someone with a high cultivation level. So Nie Huaisang rounded the tent slowly, searching for the person who’d spied on him – but when he arrived at the front, they were gone. They must’ve realized something was wrong and retreated.

With nothing else left to do, Nie Huaisang made use of the last two minutes of the technique to leave the Jins’ camp behind. Frustration came only once he was safely out. He had failed at his two main objectives and now this! He had a few ideas as to who the spy could be, but nothing concrete enough to narrow it down. No idea what to do about it, either, at least not just yet.

At long last, he found his brother with Lan Xichen, laughing. It seemed Nie Mingjue had won their little competition, which wasn’t surprising. Lan Xichen had enough consideration for others not to go overboard.

“There you are!” Nie Mingjue called when he noticed Nie Huaisang. “Where have you been?”

“Strolling.” Nie Huaisang opened his fan in a dainty gesture. “Avoiding monsters. You know me, Brother.”

“Lazing around,” Nie Mingjue snorted, though without true anger.

Nie Huaisang forced a smile. “What can I say? It was an uneventful afternoon.”

And now a question hung over him, heavy like a spiritual seal. What was he supposed to do next?

Chapter Text

Spiritual energy trickled through Nie Huaisang’s body about as eagerly as a snake forced to slide across burning coal. Sweat beaded at the back of his neck and he bent the wrong finger for the next tune of the xiao, which caused him to wince and stop playing.

“I’m sorry, Brother Xichen,” he said. “I swear that I can play the melody all right, I really can, but when I’m trying to cultivate at the same time…” He let the words hang in the air. They didn’t need to be said.

Lan Xichen, the ever-patient Zewu-jun, smiled at him encouragingly. “Knowing how to play it is already a lot. As for cultivation, it will be easier with each repetition. You can put your energy into simpler songs, so this too will come with practice.”

How much practice? Nie Huaisang wanted to scream. Months? Years? His brother couldn’t wait that long. If it were Meng Yao, he would’ve already mastered it, came a traitorous thought. He shook it off, of course. He wasn’t letting Meng Yao within an arm’s length of Nie Mingjue.

Speaking of the devil…

“Will you want to see Meng Yao after you see my brother?” Nie Huaisang asked. “I can tell him to wait for you.”

If he could have his way, he would keep the older Jade as far from Meng Yao as possible, but it wasn’t an option given how the stage had turned out and the role he was playing. In this life, Meng Yao was only a helpful young man who’d never done anything wrong. Nie Huaisang had even praised his hard work to Lan Xichen once when he was asked about it. It would be expected of him, as a superior to one and a friend to another, to aid them in seeing each other.

Lan Xichen hesitated. “It will be late before I finish playing for your brother. Perhaps we can see each other tomorrow?”

It meant another day Lan Xichen would stay in the Unclean Realm and perhaps a possibility for another lesson, so Nie Huaisang jumped on the occasion. “Of course. I’ll arrange a meeting in the morning.”

He wondered briefly how things were in the Cloud Recess, but then, Lan Qiren was plenty capable. He would manage without Lan Xichen. In the previous life, business had been an excuse to make Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue spend more time together. For now, the Cleansing sessions weren’t regular anyway; the saber spirit wasn’t so relentless yet. The situation wouldn’t turn truly dire until after Wei Wuxian’s fall.

Two more years, if Nie Huaisang were to count according to the previous timeline, though things had already moved up. The Wens had fallen sooner, and the Phoenix Mountain hunt had happened half a year sooner, too. Perhaps he really only had a year and a half, or just a year, or…

He discarded the useless train of thought. He didn’t know . Not anymore – what he had to do instead was look for the signs of the strife between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, and into the treatment of the surviving members of the Qishan Wen Sect. These two were the beginning of the end.

As it turned out, he didn’t have to wait long.

The next morning, while Meng Yao was out to spend some time with Lan Xichen, Nie Huaisang’s head disciples brought the news. Briefly, he wondered if the messages just happened to arrive, or if they’d waited for when Meng Yao would be away, because…

“It’s Jin Guangshan,” Cai Yun said. “He’s spreading rumors about Wei Wuxian!”

The story was compiled from many reports from birds scattered all around the cultivation world, though the first signs had appeared a couple of weeks ago in Lanling, as reported by Wang Lingjiao. They said – where “they” stood for customers, ordinary and cultivators alike, and for people gossiping at the inns and in the markets as well – that Wei Wuxian got drunk on power and arrogance. That he was boastful behind his sect leader’s back, putting himself above everyone. That he claimed that even if Jiang Cheng ordered him to do something, he would only do it if he wanted to and otherwise he wouldn’t lift a finger.

The worst thing, it sounded plausible enough that Nie Huaisang would be willing to believe it. But as the rumor originated from Lanling instead of Yunmeng, where the Yiling Patriarch still presided, it was transparent enough. Jin Guangshan had been happy to play the second to Wen Ruohan’s first as long as he could, because deep at heart he didn’t like taking huge risks. But now that the sun had been shot and he could be the first? He had enough ambition to try to claim this title.

“You can call Sect Leader Jin lecherous and disloyal, but you can’t call him stupid,” Nie Huaisang muttered after all was explained. “He will drive a wedge between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian if he’s not stopped.”

“Good thing Meng Yao inherited only the best of his qualities and not any of the bad ones.” Gao Yong cracked a smile. “Really, it’s hard to think of Jin Guangshan as anything other than stupid since he refused to ackwoledge him as his son.”

A shudder climbed up Nie Huaisang’s spine. There’d been signs that Gao Yong was fond of Meng Yao, but nothing as blatant as now. How many of his subordinates thought the same?

“About Meng Yao,” Cai Yun seemed more level-headed, “what should we do? We don’t often speak about it, but he is connected to Sect Leader Jin, acknowledged or not.”

Why does it always come back to him? Nie Huaisang considered things for a moment, but Meng Yao had done nothing but an excellent job since he’d joined his unit. There was no excuse to keep him at an arm’s length, nor would it be possible with Meng Yao’s skills. As long as he walked the same corridors and worked in the same rooms as the others, he would find out what was going on.

“What connection?” Nie Huaisang asked. “Meng Yao is a disciple of the Qinghe Nie Sect, and Jin Guangshan is the head of the Lanling Jin Sect. I see no connection between the two. And since Meng Yao is clever and hard-working, let him join us in strategizing as soon as he returns.”

This way, he could at least judge Meng Yao’s reactions and perhaps pick up on the warning signs when betrayal was coming.

Gao Yong beamed and Cai Yun merely saluted. “As you say, Second Master Nie.”

They left, and Nie Huaisang sat down to compose a letter to Jiang Cheng. It was one thing he could do easily, without the need to decipher Jin Guangshan’s secret messages or otherwise grasp his enemy’s full plans. The only challenge was to make the letter rambly enough it didn’t seem outright like a warning – Nie Huaisang’s reputation as a dandy that prevailed outside was still useful, if only because people didn’t watch what they said during banquets near him quite as carefully as they would otherwise.

So Nie Huaisang went into a long story about how he traveled to Lanling in search of a perfect fan to match his new robe, and how he’d heard rumors but only in that area, so he wondered if maybe Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian had been there recently, too. Since they hadn’t, that would be a pretty big clue as to what the source of the rumors was. Hopefully Jiang Cheng’s inferiority complex wasn’t so bad that he wouldn’t notice it… Besides, Jiang Yanli was still there, since her marriage to Jin Zixuan was barely in the planning phase. If Jiang Cheng wouldn’t notice, surely she would?

Nie Huaisang had just signed his name with a flourish when there was a knock at the door. He recognized it. There was just something about the way Meng Yao knocked, as if he was trying to be as unobstructive as possible even when being obstructive by necessity. It mirrored the way he kept a pleasant smile on his face and never raised his voice, doubtlessly habits he’d gained in the brothel. Thinking about it now, the only times when he’d freely ranted in the previous life had been when arguing with Nie Mingjue and later, when he’d caught a glimpse of Nie Huaisang’s true face at the very end.

It was nice to think he and his brother had something in common other than sheer stubbornness.

“Come in,” Nie Huaisang said. Even after all this time, a part of him braced against the incoming foe, though it was so small nothing would show on his face.

Meng Yao entered – alone.

“I expected Cai Yun and Gao Yong to be with you,” Nie Huaisang said.

Meng Yao kept his face carefully neutral. Though Nie Huaisang had seen him employ his usual smile with other disciples, he’d never directed it at Nie Huaisang again after that first time.

“That was their intention, but I asked them to let me enter on my own,” Meng Yao said. “Since I happened to have returned a bit early, I heard what was said about my father. I have an idea but it can give a wrong impression to others, so I wanted to discuss it with Second Master Nie first.”

Nie Huaisang didn’t like the fact Meng Yao had eavesdropped on them, but on the other hand, such occurrences were expected in this division and he should’ve used silencing talismans if he’d wanted to prevent them. At least Meng Yao outright admitted it – though it was more likely because it was the norm and wouldn’t be punished, and not a sign that he spoke honestly to Nie Huaisang of all people.

“Go on,” Nie Huaisang said.

“I’m very grateful for Second Master’s trust in me,” Meng Yao said, and smiled.

“I told you once not to smile at me,” Nie Huaisang said before he could stop himself.

Meng Yao blinked, touched his lips, and schooled his expression. “Apologies, Second Master Nie.”

Nie Huaisang said nothing, but something in his stomach turned upside down. He would swear there’d been a change in the corners of Meng Yao’s eyes, and if his smile had reached his eyes, then it had been a completely different smile to the one he usually wore. But that was impossible, and in any case Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to put any weight on something he might’ve imagined.

“However, what Cai Yun said wasn’t entirely mistaken,” Meng Yao went on. “There is a connection between me and Sect Leader Jin at least in the eyes of others, and I once made my former wish to be acknowledged by him known. We still cannot crack his book code, and even if we did, we might still not be able to predict his moves and prevent them instead of merely reacting to them. However, if I were given credentials from a respected sect such as Qinghe Nie and presented them to Sect Leader Jin, he wouldn’t be able to deny me entry into his clan. Once there, I’m sure to discover all kinds of secret places and plans, and relay them to Second Master Nie.”

For a long while, Nie Huaisang didn’t say anything. He didn’t trust his voice not to waver, even when the way Meng Yao spoke made it clear where he was going long before he got there, so it’d been a slow death rather than a sudden blow.

“Is the Koi Tower the place you’d rather be than here?” Nie Huaisang asked with a sigh.

Underneath the cover of his desk, he gripped his fan tightly. I’m not going to let you become Jin Guangyao.

Meng Yao lowered his head. “No matter what, I don’t want to leave the Unclean Realm. However, there might be no other choice if we want to stop Sect Leader Jin from meddling with others.”

He would be far from Nie Mingjue, a part of Nie Huaisang whispered. There would be no reason at all for him to learn the Song of Clarity.

Except, it wasn’t about the song. Nie Huaisang had already destroyed the tool that had killed his brother as the first deed after waking up in the past. It was about grudges, differing worldviews, and the helpful man in front of him longing for his father’s approval so much he killed his sworn brother to remain in the sect that hated him.

If Jin Guangyao could truly care for Lan Xichen, Qin Su, even Su She, then perhaps Meng Yao could truly care for people. It was somewhere in the transition that he lost this ability, and it hadn’t happened yet in this lifetime. It was the Jins, the Wens, and then Jins again who turned him.

Nie Huaisang was supposed to let him go into the wolves’ den?

“Sect Leader Jin won’t respect you, and Madam Jin will hate you,” Nie Huaisang said. “Jin Zixuan is socially inept, and his cousins are arrogant pricks who will be treated far better just because their lineage is considered legitimate.”

“I’m aware it won’t be easy,” Meng Yao said. “However, I’ll do everything I can to overcome it. They can’t keep an eye on me all the time.”

“I don’t mean it in terms of difficulties,” Nie Huaisang sat back, exasperated as much as he was internally terrified. “I mean it, you won’t be treated fairly.”

Meng Yao smiled, then caught himself, as he covered his mouth and looked to the side. “It’s gracious of Second Master Nie to worry about me, but there’s no need. Before coming here, I already learned how to deal with such things. As long as it’s for a just cause, I do not mind.”

And you think I’m the just cause? Nie Huaisang wanted to scream, but he was a professional. Besides, the scene was so bizarre a part of him could do nothing but stare, trying to comprehend how he’d ended up here. What kind of play was this? Surely Jin Guangyao couldn’t be flustered because of him. It had to be part of a bigger plan, which Nie Huaisang was just too stupid to see.

“I really don’t want to leave here no matter what,” Meng Yao said at last as the silence stretched. “But since Sect Leader Jin is causing trouble, this is what I can think of in terms of strategies to stop him. If there’s any other way, I’ll be happy to follow your guidance. Please excuse me.”

Meng Yao saluted and backed away from the office. The door closing behind him felt almost like the sword of an executioner falling down, because deep down, Nie Huaisang knew there would be no better strategy than letting Meng Yao become a spy. Jin Guangshan was a powerful opponent in his own right and he would want Nie Mingjue dead, too. Nie Huaisang had failed at installing any other bird in the Koi Tower, and considering events only from this life, sending Meng Yao – trusting Meng Yao – would be an obvious solution.

But Nie Huaisang wasn’t ready to make that decision. Not yet – perhaps not ever.