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Lan JingYi spoke up, his voice full of delight, "Finished. All of them have been killed. We won!"

Xiao XingChen “Don’t open the door just yet. Be careful. More might still come...”

Wei WuXian, approached the wooden doors and peeked through the slit. After the inhuman battle, thin fog and powder in the color of a purplish red pervaded the entire street.

At the moment, no new corpses came.

"Impressive," cheered Nei Huaisang popping out his head above the shoulder of Nei Mingjue.

Wei Wuxian yawned, his eyes half-lidded and deadpan—still far from refreshed, and clearly wishing for another nap. Without a word, he shifted slightly and rested his head on Lan SiZhui’s shoulder this time, closing his eyes with a sigh of resignation.

From the corner of his eye, Lan Wangji glanced at the duo. His brow twitched—just for a fraction of a second—but he quickly composed himself, returning to his usual expressionless calm as he refocused on the screen.

Gripping the lapel of her robe tightly, Jiang Yanli lowered her eyes, a faint sadness flickering in her gaze. She was feeling strangely left out. Wei Wuxian no longer whining to her like he used to, and Jiang Cheng—never as openly affectionate—wasn’t clingy or a nag either. Still, she had always been the quiet center of their little world. And now… it felt like the orbit had shifted.

Just as Wei WuXian was about to relax, a series of almost imperceptible noises came from above him.

The noises were extremely difficult to pick up. It was as if somebody was walking rapidly above the roof. However, since the person’s movements were abnormally light, the sound of their footsteps was close to unnoticeable. Wei WuXian only caught the slight noises of collision between the roof tiles due to his keen senses. Of course, since he was blind, Xiao XingChen noticed the noises as well. He cautioned them, “From the above!”

Wei WuXian shouted, “Disperse!”

As soon as he said it, a large hole was smashed through the ceiling of the central chamber. It was fortunate that most of the disciples had already scattered around, thus nobody was hurt. A black figure leaped down from the opening in the roof.

The man wore black cultivational robes.

There were no pupils within his eyes, only deathly fields of white.

It was a fierce corpse!

“What the hell is going on?! For heaven’s sake, give those poor kids a break!” Jiang Cheng yelled, glaring furiously at the screen.

“Jiang Cheng, keep your tone down,” Wei WuXian said, finally sitting up and stretching with another tired yawn. “Making noise is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, remember? ”

"It's too wrong—in break Lan zhan didn't let me rest,... Ouch Ouch my back... It seems sore...eyes are really heavy and stomach is empty and above all that, these people aren't giving me a break... Aaah," Wei Wuxian internally cried, covering his mouth to avoid another yawn.

Jiang cheng glared wei wuxian like he was watching a lunatic, "Idiot, how could you sleep in such a critical moment," He groaned in annoyance, " Open your damn eyes and see, Kids are again facing the corpse."

"ChengCheng that's the reason I am suggesting you to find someone and second this is all not gonna happen as things are going to change. Third, dear kids are safe with us and have faith in future me... You know my capabilities." He flashed a cheeky grin, as if deliberately poking at Jiang Cheng’s fraying patience.

Juniors chuckled, shaking his head while Jiang Cheng huffed in annoyance, giving death glares to wei wuxian.

"Arrogance is also forbidden in cloud Recesses," exclaimed Su she, staring at Wei wuxian.

Wei Wuxian turned to him, and gave a tight smile "Believing one's self is not arrogance."

Su she scoffed off, annoyingly.

JingYi gave a glare to Su she " but people who copy others and try to outsmart, wouldn't understand this concept."

"Don't you think, you speak more than it needed." Chimmed in Sect leader Yao staring at the junior.

"Don't count me, in your category—it's insulting for me." JingYi replied with a muffled laugh.

Others laughed, making sect leader yao lose his face and all of them loudest was zizhen and Jin Ling.

"JingYi, enough ! " Scolded Master Lan, and stared at everyone who was fuzzing over useless topics. He turned to wei wuxian and spoke in a strict voice "If someone is so sleepy then they can go and rest in the guest room, without disturbing the others." 

Wei Wuxian pouted, pretending to be innocent but the old man ignored him and again moved in eyes on screen.

As soon as everyone determined this fact, he launched an attack with his sword in his hand.

He aimed his attack at Jin Ling, who was the closest to him. Jin Ling defended with his sword. The power that came with the attack was so strong that his arm almost numbed. If it wasn’t for the immense spiritual powers of his own sword, Suihua, it might have broken and he might have died on the spot. With a failed first attack, the black-clothed corpse attacked again. His movements were smooth and natural, while his attacks were sharp and ruthless. This time, he lunged at Jin Ling’s arm. Under desperation, using his sword, Xiao XingChen defended the attack for Jin Ling. Possibly because the corpse poisoning broke out again, he finally collapsed.

Lan JingYi panicked, “Just what exactly is he, dead or alive?! I have never seen a...”

A corpse with such high speed and fine swordsmanship!

He didn’t finish his sentence, because he remembered that he  had  seen one before.

The Ghost General was also like this!

The members of the Jin Clan exchanged glances, their expressions finally shifting from panic to relief. Gratitude shone in their eyes as they looked toward Xiao XingChen.

Madam Jin pressed a hand over her chest, visibly shaken, while Jin zixuan bowed his head slightly in silent acknowledgment of the debt owed. Jiang yanli wrapped her hands around Jin ling like she could protect him from there with this action.

At the mention of Wen Ning,—Wen Qing hissed in agony, keeping her hand near heart "A-Ning ! ". A layer of mositure formed in her eyes and she wondered,"Where must be he hiding? I hope no one troubling him? Even Wei Wuxian can't keep eyes on him as Second Young Master Lan doesn't like A-Ning near Wei Wuxian. How must my poor brother be dealing with these monsters."

"I swear, I am gonna break his legs so that troublesome nephew of mine can't run into trouble again... Why the hell all the corpses attack on him only... First that Wen Ning , now this." Jiang cheng pressed the bridge of his nose, sighing tiredly.

Although Wei Wuxian advises Jiang Cheng to have faith in his future, but watching Jin Ling in danger gave chills to his spine.

Wei WuXian watched the cultivator with utmost attention. Thinking quickly, he pulled out the bamboo flute by his waist and played a shrill, ear-piercing long tone. It was so painful to listen to that everyone who was present covered his ears. As the cultivator heard the sound, despite how his figure reeled and his hands trembled, he still attacked at Wei WuXian!

He couldn’t be controlled. This corpse had a master!

The sword was as fast as thunder, yet Wei WuXian dodged it.

"Wei Ying, " a Shanky whisper escaped from Lan wangji's mouth.

Lan Qiren eyebrows twitched, "How many corpses are being controlled and who is doing so. This is the end of humanity."

"Again," wei wuxian spoke in his mind.

"Uunnhh, he can't even control a corpse now but still everyone worships him as master of the dark path." Jin Zixun scoffed arrogantly, loud enough for all to hear.

Lan JingYi turned sharply, visibly offended. "At least he’s trying to save lives instead of flapping his mouth like a broken bell,"

Nei Huaisang chuckled, "Ah… some people really don’t know when to stop embarrassing themselves." And covered his face.

Madam Jin scolded his nephew, "Zixun, do us all a favour and shut up."

Jin Zixun stuttered for a moment, the arrogance slipping from his face. He glanced away, lips twitching in frustration.

As they brushed past, he calmly played another tune. A split second later, the mannequins patrolling outside also hopped onto the roof and jumped down through the hole. Sensing that something was wrong, the corpse stabbed twice with his right arm, vertically slicing two of the mannequins into four halves. With his left hand, he pulled out his whisk. It was as if the thousands of soft, white strands turned into the poisonous spikes on a mace, slashing and piercing with each whip. If it accidentally touched someone, they would sure be turned into a bloodied sieve.

In the midst of multitasking, Wei WuXian managed, “Nobody come here. Be good and stay in the corners!”

After his words, he immediately returned to commanding the corpses. Though the cultivator used both hands and attacked with strong hostility, paper mannequins ceaselessly dropped from the roof, encircling him with attacks. When he fought one side, more came on the other; when he killed the ones in front, there’d be more behind him. It really was impossible to deal with everything at once. Suddenly, a Nether Brawler shot down from above and landed on him, holding him on the ground with a foot on his shoulder.

Immediately afterward, three more Nether Brawlers jumped down from the opening and slammed onto his body one by one.

In legends, Nether Brawlers had incredible strength. Thus, the robed corpse was securely held down onto the ground by the four Nether Brawlers.

Jin zixun's face turned red in embarrassment as he can feel piercing hot gazes on himself and he also knows the reason for that. He growled and avoided looking at anyone.

Jin guangyao gave a smirk, " his first floor is really empty... And good for me."

"Can everyone see, how excellent senior Wei is in his cultivation field," announced zizhen with a winning smirk.

Wei Wuxian gave a smile to the junior who was mocking those gullible audience and nestled into Lan wangji arms.

Jiang cheng rolled his eyes while peeping at the action of wei wuxian, " Can't he sit correctly for damn one second. Clinging to the Lan wangji like Baby Sizhui."

Then automatically his eyes moved to Lan xichen who was keenly watching the screen. His face was serious and the warm smile which he always bears is nowhere to be seen. In that moment, he didn’t seem any different from his younger brother, Lan Wangji—calm, unreadable, and distant.

Jiang Cheng gulped down a lump in his throat, his mouth suddenly went dry. He wanted to avert his gaze, to look anywhere else—but somehow, he couldn’t. His eyes remained locked, as if compelled, on one person.

For the first time, he found himself thinking—Lan Xichen truly deserves his reputation. He really is... Excellent.

Across the room, Lan Xichen felt the weight of an intense gaze. Curious, he turned his head slightly—and met Jiang Cheng’s eyes.

For a brief, breathless moment, their eyes held. Time seemed to pause.

Then, Lan Xichen offered him a gentle, polite smile.

Jiang Cheng immediately broke eye contact with a sharp snort, whipping his head away as his face flushed an unmistakable shade of red.

Lan Xichen blinked in quiet surprise. A slight crease formed between his brows as he continued glancing in Jiang Cheng’s direction, puzzled.

Why was Sect Leader Jiang staring at me? he wondered. And why did he look so... angry the moment I smiled at him? His face turned red in an instant. Did I do something wrong?

He frowned slightly, thoughtfully.

Should I... apologise?

He chuckled lightly, ' why do I find it adorable... How could it be possible for a person to look adorable when he is clearing sheathing in anger ? '

Wei WuXian walked over and found that an area on the back of his clothes had been torn. Soothing it out, he noticed that there was a wound, both thin and narrow, near his left shoulder blade. He commanded, “Turn him over.”

The four Nether Brawlers proceeded to turn the cultivator over.

Wei WuXian brushed the finger with the cut near each of their lips as awards. With crimson tongues made of paper, the Nether Brawlers slowly licked the blood beside their lips, as if they truly cherished the delicacy. Only then did Wei WuXian look down again and continue his inspection.

It seemed as if he died with a stab through the heart.

The corpse had been struggling as hard as he could. Low growls came out of his throat and ink-colored blood trickled from the corners of his lips. Wei WuXian pinched his cheeks and forced him to open his mouth. Inside, his tongue had also been pulled out from the root.

Blind eyes, detached tongue. Blind eyes, detached tongue.

Why did these two traits appear so often?

“I see more and more people walking the path of darkness,” Sect Leader Yao spoke, his gaze pointed towards Wei Wuxian.“I fear righteousness is fading from the cultivation world.”

This type of long nails were used to control high-level fierce corpses so that they’d lose consciousness and the ability to think for themselves. Without knowing the corpse’s identity and character, Wei WuXian decided that he shouldn’t rashly pull the nails out, but instead interrogate him first. However, since his tongue was no longer there, even if the corpse regained consciousness, he wouldn’t be able to talk.

Wei WuXian asked the disciples from the Lan Sect, “Have any of you studied  Inquiry ?”

Lan SiZhui raised a hand, “Me. I have.”

Wei WuXian, “Have you brought your guqin?”

Lan SiZhui, “Yes.” At once, he took out a simplistic guqin, the wood of which still looked bright, from his Qiankun Pouch.

"He is not rashly hurting anyone, and also taking all the protective measures before using any of his tricks." Exclaimed zizhen, sending dagger to sect leader Yao.

"Wrong is wrong—nothing can justify it," Master Lan said firmly, his eyes falling on Zizhen. "Resentful energy has no place in cultivation. What is the point of risking everything to walk such a path?" His voice was sharp, his words clearly directed at Wei Wuxian.

Jin Ling looked straight at Lan Qiren, unflinching. "No one chooses to lose the people they love—especially not someone like Uncle Wei, who would stand up for anyone in need. But sometimes, we’re forced to act… to choose, even when the choices before us aren’t good—they’re just necessary."

His gaze shifted from the old man to Wei Wuxian, then to Jiang Cheng and Lan wangji at last Lan xichen and his mother. All of them had made some choices,.. they regretted too. But had they really had a choice?

Or were they pushed, backed into corners by circumstances?

One decision led to another, until they arrived at a place where turning back wasn’t even an option—even if they desperately wanted to.

Lan xichen came forward, and intervened in the conversation, "Young master Jin, uncle was talking about the negative side of this path and this path needs criticism otherwise people can easily get lured to this path. He is not blaming Young Master Wei." He steals glances at his brother.

Before Jin Ling can reply, Sizhui turned to Lan xichen and smiled indifferently "Zewu jun don't mind his words," He paused for a second, lowering his gazed he continued again, "Young Master Jin is just sharing his experience from his life till now. He is neither supporting his uncle nor criticizing your uncle. He is the one who lost almost his whole family either from the dad side or mother side. He spent his half life in the dark. The uncle he thought was the villain of his life found to be innocent in future and the uncle he thought was the sweetest turned out villain."

Lan xichen was at loss of his words and just stared at his nephew then Jin Ling. He didn't get what Sizhui wanted to point out and why he is telling all this to him.

While others were puzzled with the revelation and curiously gazing at Sizhui to continue the story.

Jin ling snorted and appeared non-chalant, "Sizhui! why are you so talking suddenly? " He was a bit embarrassed with sudden, centre of attraction.

Even saying it made him feel absurd. Sweetness and Jiang Cheng didn’t belong in the same sentence. He wondered who could be Jin ling's sweet uncle who turned out to be a villain as till now all they'd ever seen was Jin Ling either getting scolded by Jiang Cheng—or scolding Wei Wuxian.

Seeing that the guqin was fairly new, Wei WuXian asked, “How is your qin language? Have you had actual experience? Will the spirit that you summon be able to lie?”

Lan JingYi interjected, “HanGuang-Jun said that SiZhui’s qin language is fine.”

If Lan WangJi said that it was “fine”, then it must be fine.

Lan SiZhui added, “HanGuang-Jun told me to focus on quality instead of quantity. The spirit that I summon will be able to avoid answering, but will not be able to lie. So, if it is willing to answer, then it will definitely speak the truth.”

Wei WuXian, “Then, let’s start.”

"Sizhui ! you are really a brilliant child." Nei Mingjue praised the junior.

All the displeasure that Lan Qiren felt a while ago, disappeared in thin air like it never existed. His eyes shined brightly.

Lan xichen was now feeling embarrassed for some unknown reason and wasn't able to look at anyone.

"Wei Wuxian believes Lan wangji more than himself."

"Once Lan wangji denied that he didn't know the grave digger and Wei Wuxian believed it instantly."

"Now they said Lan wangji SAID Fine... He believed it without another thought."

While Wei Wuxian grinned, " Hanguang-jun you really raised A-Yuan gratefully. "

Wen Qing's heart was also swollen in happiness then he glared at Wei Wuxian, "Learn something from Second Master Lan, —what one should teach to a kid."

Wei Wuxian pursed his lips like an infant, and whined "cruel lady show some mercy and I also taught A-Yuan good things."

Hearing Wei Wuxian's words, Lan Sizhui's face immediately turned red.

Wen Qing gave 'are you kidding' look to wei wuxian and then focused on screen as she thought arguing with Wei Wuxian means waste of time.

Wei Wuxian made a dejected face and turned to Sizhui, "A-Yuan tell Wen Qing what good things I taught you."

Jiang cheng made a ridiculous face, " yes you thought him...

I love you ...

I love you too .." jiang cheng acted how baby Sizhui had done this when Wei wuxian asked Lan wangji for food.

Wei Wuxian's jaw dropped in shock and he was speechless while Juniors enjoyed the show.

The guqin was laid horizontally before the cultivator’s head. Lan SiZhui sat on the ground, his robes spreading neatly around him. Having tried a few notes, he nodded. Wei WuXian began, “The first question: who is he?”

After some thought, Lan SiZhui silently chanted the incantations, and was finally ready to play the first sentence.

A moment later, the strings of the guqin vibrated . Two notes rumbled out, sounding as if a rock had exploded.

Lan SiZhui widened his eyes. Lan JingYi urged him, “What did he say?”

Lan SiZhui, “Song Lan!”

... Xiao XingChen’s most intimate friend of cultivation, Song Lan?!

In unison, everyone turned their heads toward Xiao XingChen, who lay unconscious on the ground.

“Weren’t… weren’t they close friends?” one cultivator whispered.

“How could he attack his own friend?” another muttered, tone thick with disbelief.

A sharp voice cut in, “Xiao XingChen gave his eyes to him! And look—he’s being ungrateful.”

A softer reply came from the back, “He’s a corpse now, being controlled by someone. It’s reasonable he’d act against his will.”

“Then who turned him into a corpse?”

The whispering swelled into low, overlapping voices. Some criticized Song Lan harshly; others leapt to defend him. The hall was split—half disbelief, half justification—each murmured opinion carrying its own weight of suspicion.

Lan SiZhui whispered, “Does he know that the one who came is Song Lan...?”

Jin Ling also lowered his voice, “Probably not. He’s blind, while Song Lan is mute, and even became a fierce corpse who lost his senses... It’s best if he doesn’t know.”

Wei WuXian, “The second question: who killed him?”

In all earnesty , Lan SiZhui played another sentence.

This time, the silence was three times longer than the one before.

Just as they were about to conclude that Song Lan’s soul wasn’t willing to answer this question, the strings of the guqin vibrated three times, their tones echoing grief.

Lan SiZhui blurted out, “That is impossible!”

Wei WuXian, “What did he say?”

Lan SiZhui replied as though he couldn’t believe what he had just heard, “He said... Xiao XingChen.”

The one who killed Song Lan was Xiao XingChen?!

All the whispering were hastily stopped and their eyes widened in shock. The hall fell into stunned silence. They couldn't believe what they heard.

“What?!” Jin zixuan almost shouted before catching himself, his voice cracking with disbelief. “That… can’t be right!”

"How could it be possible? "

"He gave his eyes to Song Lan... No chance he could kill him." Jin Guangyao’s polite smile froze mid-curve.

Nie Huaisang’s fan slipped from his fingers and clattered softly against the floor. “Xiao XingChen… killed Song Lan?! ” His tone was high-pitched, teetering between shock and horror.

Lan Xichen’s expression tightened—deep sorrow clouding his eyes. “Those two were inseparable… why would he…?” His voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Jiang Cheng’s gaze darted to the screen, then to Wei Wuxian, searching for answers. “What kind of twisted mess is this now?”

Wei Wuxian’s brows furrowed in disbelief, lips curling slightly in frustration. “That doesn’t make sense…” His tone was measured.Wei Wuxian gazed at Sect leader Chang then at screen. His heart was not ready to accept that his uncle could do these things as compared to his image but he didn't speak his thoughts loudly.

Nie Mingjue slammed a hand against the armrest. “If this is true, then there’s more to the story than anyone has told! ”

Lan Qiren's eyes went wide. “Ridiculous! That righteous young man? He wouldn’t—this is absurd! ” His words were loud, indignant, yet there was an uneasy flicker in his gaze, betraying doubt.

Sect leader Chang aggressively spoke, "Xiao XingChen is responsible for my future self's death then what's surprising if he had killed his friend too ? "

Nie Huaisang finally managed to pick up his fan again, shaking it open with unsteady fingers. “I… I think I need something stronger like wine, right now…”

They asked a mere number of two questions, yet the answers to those questions were more than shocking. Jin Ling was skeptical, “You played it wrong, right?”

Lan SiZhui, “But ‘who are you’ and ‘who killed you’ are the two easiest and most common questions of  Inquiry . When someone first starts to learn  Inquiry , these are the first and second sentences that they learn. One would practice them no less than a thousand times. I checked them before I played. I definitely did not play them wrong.”

Jin Ling, “Either you played  Inquiry  wrong, or you interpreted the qin language wrong.”

Lan SiZhui shook his head, “If playing them wrong is impossible, then interpreting them wrong is even more impossible. The name and the three characters of ‘Xiao XingChen’ are not at all common in the spirits’ answers. If he answered a different name and I interpreted it wrong, it would not have just happened to be this name.”

Lan JingYi murmured, “... Song Lan went to find the missing Xiao XingChen, yet Xiao XingChen killed him. Why would he kill a good friend? He does not seem like this sort of person.”

Jin ling could feel cold gazes of Lan disciples. He pretended to be clueless and kept watching the screen.

JingYi and zizhen chuckled at the bratty behaviour of their friend.

Jin zixun glared back at Lan disciple, " why are you giving a nasty look to jin Ling ? He didn't say anything wrong."

Jin zixuan gave a disbelief look to his cousin "Can you stop bringing troubles to our Sect. "

Jin zixun's face turned red, "How could you stay calm when the Lan sect is threatening your son ? Didn't you see how much your son is terrified of Lan wangji ?"

Jin Zixuan glared at his lunatic cousin "Zixun for God shake stop your nonsense otherwise I will ask mother to send you away."

“Senior Jin, I suggest you do it instead of wasting time warning him,” JingYi spoke with a sly smirk.

Zixun was shaken by the statement and couldn't afford to speak as he didn't want to leave his lavish lifestyle— his cousin’s words had rattled him more than he wanted to admit.

Wei WuXian, “Let’s not worry about this for now. SiZhui, ask the third question: who is controlling him?”

With a stern face, Lan SiZhui didn’t even dare to breathe as he played the third sentence. All pairs of eyes stared at the strings of the guqin, waiting for Song Lan’s answer.

Lan SiZhui interpreted the reply word by word, “The. One. Behind. You.”

Everyone spun around as fast as they could. Xiao XingChen, who lay collapsed on the ground a few moments ago, had already sat up, with one hand holding his chin. Giving them a smile, he raised the left hand that was covered by a black glove and snapped.

Except for the juniors, everyone else was visibly shaken by the revelation. Several cultivators went pale; some stiffened, eyes wide as if the truth had physically struck them.

“How… how…?” a voice stammered from the side.

“He’s… really evil,” someone muttered under their breath.

“Oh my god… how could he turn out like this?” another whispered, voice trembling.

Master Lan, who earlier had looked upon Xiao XingChen with quiet approval, now lowered his gaze in disappointment and disbelief because he knew that Inquiry can't be wrong “This is unacceptable,” he said gravely.

Wei WuXian blinked rapidly, his mind racing, replaying every moment from the start until now, trying to connect the pieces.

“I already suspected something was wrong with him,” Jin GuangYao said smoothly, his expression unreadable.

The juniors exchanged uncertain glances but kept their silence.

“I told you—this man is evil. Now the evidence is in front of us!” Sect Leader Chang’s voice cracked with fury, his whole frame trembling.

Lan XiChen exhaled slowly, a faint note of disbelief in his voice. “The future truly is unpredictable…”

Nie MingJue’s gaze flicked to ZeWu-Jun, steady and penetrating. “Or perhaps… some of us simply refuse to acknowledge the truth, even after so many hints.”

Lan XiChen’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean, Sect Leader Nie?”

Nie MingJue’s eyes cut briefly toward Jin GuangYao before returning to his sworn brother. “ZeWu-Jun… we shouldn’t blindly trust someone, no matter what they’ve done for us.”

Lan XiChen held his gaze for a moment, then asked carefully, “Sect Leader Nie… are you referring to WangJi and Young Master Wei?”

“No.” Nie MingJue’s answer was immediate, sharp. His voice carried a clear edge of frustration. “I’m talking about Jin GuangYao.”

The name dropped into the air like a stone into still water.

Lan XiChen’s expression flickered with surprise, but no words came to him.

When the crisp sound travelled to Song Lan’s ears, it was as though it exploded right beside him. Song Lan suddenly threw off all of the four Nether Brawlers who had been holding him down!

He leaped up at once. Wielding his sword and whisk again, with both of his hands, he slashed twisted the paper mannequins into colorful pieces of confetti, which drifted toward the ground. His sword pressed against Wei WuXian’s neck, while his whisk threateningly pointed to the disciples.

Within the mere area of the shop, the situation had changed drastically.

Jin Ling put his hand onto his sword. Catching the movement with a sideway glance, Wei WuXian immediately stopped him, “Don’t move. Don’t add to the trouble. In terms of swordsmanship, even everybody together wouldn’t be a worthy opponent to this... Song Lan.”

His body was low in spiritual power and his sword wasn’t by his side. Moreover, there was also Xiao XingChen—it remained undetermined what he intended on doing or whether he was friend or foe.

Wei Wuxian's felt heartful gazes on himself because again everyone started to think Wei Wuxian is responsible for it.

It was Wei Wuxian who brought Xiao XingChen inside the house and now everybody was in danger because of him.

Before anybody could blame wei wuxian, Sizhui took the initiative " Before blaming baba, I request you all watch the whole incident."

Su she snorted,"we don't need to watch anything else because we can clearly see that wei wuxian invited the danger."

"I agree with him." Supported Sect Leader Yao, giving hateful gaze to Wei Wuxian.

"If anybody can't watch the screen silently then wangji can make them silent." All of them heard hanguang-jun's cold, firm and dominating voice.

Now no body has the guts to go against the Second jade of GusuLan. They could curse Wei Wuxian in their minds only as they were scared to even take breaths loudly.

JingYi gave a winning smirk to all of them while Wei Wuxian chuckled, " why all of sudden everyone is not blaming me ? "

Master Lan groaned in disbelief, " where did I go wrong? Wangji can't threaten everybody, it Will create political problems and nobody will come forward to help us later on."

Wei Wuxian leaned towards Hanguang-jun,"Lan zhan, I will reward you for it."

Lan wangji eyes shifted at Wei Wuxian with curiosity in it but his outer expression was Stoic as always Yet anybody can guess his excitement from his shining, golden eyes.

Wei Wuxian's voice became slow and husky "I will reward you a mind blowing night." He winked at last with a teasing grin.

Lan Wangji’s ears turned red in an instant, and he hastily glued his eyes back to the screen, pretending nothing had happened.

Wei Wuxian, however, burst into laughter so loud and gleeful it could probably wake the dead.
The rest of the audience sat frozen, faces stiff—because Lan Wangji had personally threatened them into keeping their mouths shut earlier.

Wei Wuxian's laughter was most annoying sound for them but they couldn't do anything for it.

Xiao XingChen, “Adults are going to talk to adults. The children can wait outside.”

He gestured to Song Lan, who obeyed at once and drove the disciples outside. Wei WuXian comforted them, “Go outside for now. You won’t be much help here, anyways. The corpse-poisoning powder should’ve settled already. When you go outside, don’t run around and stir up the dust again. Breathe slowly.”

Hearing “you won’t be much help here”, Jin Ling was both unconvinced and upset. He didn’t want to accept the defeat, yet he knew that he couldn’t do anything, so he stormed outside. Before Lan SiZhui left, he looked as if he wanted to say something. Wei WuXian turned to him, “SiZhui, you’re the most sensible one here. Guide them a bit, won’t you? Can you do that?”

Lan SiZhui nodded.

Even if some still didn’t want to openly side with Wei WuXian, they couldn’t bring themselves to argue against him either. Deep down, they all knew that Lan SiZhui was the most sensible among the juniors—calm in judgment, clear in thought. His words carried a weight that couldn’t be brushed aside.

A few elders and sect leaders felt a muted sense of relief; at least their own heirs or younger brothers would now be kept far from the storm Wei WuXian had stirred. Distance from danger was a blessing, even if it came wrapped in someone else’s misfortune.

Jin Ling felt a quiet pang in his chest. His mind wandered back to the past, to all the times his pride had been quick to flare and his temper quick to snap. He’d always been desperate to prove himself—desperate to show that, even without parents, he was no less than anyone else. Looking at the situation now, he began to see the shadows of his own mistakes.

Jiang cheng greeted his teeths, "again ! "

Lan wangji wrapped his fingers around Wei Wuxian's wrist, his heart was filled with worry.

Lan xichen glanced at Wei wuxian," Young master Wei wanted to keep kids away from danger,.."

Wei WuXian added, “Don’t be scared.”

Lan SiZhui, “I am not.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Lan SiZhui smiled, “Senior, you are so much like HanGuang-Jun.”

Wei WuXian was puzzled, “Us? How are we alike?” They were obviously like fire and ice. However, Lan SiZhui only grinned in reply, and led the rest of the group out.

He continued his thought silently,  I do not know, either, but they just feel similar. It is as though if either one of the two seniors are present, I will not need to be scared or worry about anything.

As soon as Sizhui thoughts were displayed on the screen, his face flushed in red. Years of training under Gusu Lan clan had taught him to keep his emotions tightly restrained but this book exposed his emotions infront of hundreds of people.

Wei Wuxian grinned then he dramatically spoke,"A-Yuan you think that lunatic Mo is reliable as your A-die ? " He sounded a bit offended.

Jiang Yanli covered her mouth, giggling softly, while Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Idiot! That lunatic is you ! ” he snapped, glaring at him.

Wei Wuxian eyes widened like he had solved the biggest mystery of the life. Juniors gave a Deadpanned look to their senior.

Lan Wangji sat as still and unshakable as ever, but those who knew him well could catch a slight curve at the corner of his lips.

Master Lan gazed at Wei Wuxian and he couldn't deny the fact that Wei Wuxian was always protective towards the kids either they are from Lan sect or some other.

Xiao XingChen took out a red elixir from somewhere and put it into his mouth, “How touching.”

After he ate it, the purplish-red hue of his face faded immediately. Wei WuXian asked, “Cure of the corpse-poisoning powder?”

Xiao XingChen, “Correct. A lot more effective than your scary bowl of congee, right? And it tastes sweet.”

JingYi and jin ling were most annoyed when they saw a better cure than scary bowl of congee.

Even Lan SiZhui’s lips pressed into a thin line, though he said nothing.

Wei WuXian pretended not to notice the sulking, but the twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement.

Wei WuXian, “Your performance was wonderful. From courageously killing corpses, tiring out, to blocking the sword for Jin Ling, losing consciousness. They were all for our entertainment?”

Xiao XingChen raised a finger and wagged it in front of his face, “Not for ‘your’ general entertainment, but ‘your’ singular entertainment. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, the YiLing Patriarch, that is. It’s better to see for oneself rather than listening to mere tales.”

Wei WuXian didn’t react to his words and his expression remained unchanged. Xiao XingChen continued, “I’m guessing that you haven’t yet told anyone who you really are, have you? So, I didn’t expose your secret either and told them to go outside for us to shut the doors and converse in privacy. How’s that? Aren’t I thoughtful?”

Wei WuXian, “All of the walking corpses in Yi City are under your control?”

Xiao XingChen, “Of course. Just as you guys came in and your whistles started, I began to think that you were a bit weird, which was why I decided to attend to the matter personally and sound you out. As I expected, someone who could give way to such strong powers with the low-level sorcery of the Summoning of Painted Eyes could only be the founder.”

Lan JingYi’s mouth fell open. “He… he knew all along? ” he blurted before Lan SiZhui quickly tugged on his sleeve to shut him up.

Lan wangji twitched his eyebrows before giving an icy look to the person on screen,"Why does he want to meet my Wei Ying ?"

Nie Huaisang, ever the dramatic, clasped his fan and bowed deeply toward Wei WuXian.
“It’s an honor to meet the great Yiling Laozu,” he said, voice dripping with theatrical reverence.

Wei WuXian grinned like a mischievous child and returned the bow with equal exaggeration, clearly enjoying the little game.

Nie Mingjue’s glare could have sliced through stone, aimed directly at his younger brother’s antics.
“This is a critical moment, Huaisang,” he growled, tone heavy with warning.

The rest of the hall exhaled in collective resignation, choosing to ignore the two troublemakers entirely

Xue Yang walked his old path. Since it was the same practice, both using improper means, Wei WuXian couldn’t fool him. Wei WuXian asked, “So, taking the group of children as hostage , what do you want me to do?”

Xiao XingChen laughed, “Senior, I want you to do me a favor. A tiny favor.”

His mother’s shidi was calling him a senior. The generations really didn’t match up. Just as Wei WuXian was chuckling in secret, Xiao XingChen took out a Spirit-Trapping Pouch and put it onto the table, “Please.”

Wei WuXian put his hand over the the pouch and felt it for a while, as if he was feeling someone’s pulse, “Whose soul is this? It’s already in shambles. Even glue won’t be able to stick it together. There’s only one breath of life left.”

Xiao XingChen, “If this person’s soul was that easy to stick together, why would I need your help?”

Wei WuXian took his hand away, “You want me to fix this soul? No offense, but there really isn’t much left of it in here. When they were still alive, the person probably suffered from a lot of torture. It should’ve been rather painful. They probably committed suicide, so they probably don’t want to come back to this world. If a soul itself doesn’t have any desire to live, then it’ll most likely be impossible to save. If I’m not wrong, the soul was probably patched up by force. As soon as it leaves the Spirit-Trapping Pouch, it’ll dissipate at any moment. You understand this more than anyone.”

Xiao XingChen, “I don’t understand and I don’t care. Even if you don’t want to, you’ll have to do me the favor. Senior, don’t forget that your children are still staring at you from outside, waiting for you to help them out of the danger.”

The tone that he spoke in sounded quite odd. It was affectionate, almost sweet, but had a vicinity that arose from nowhere.

“Whose soul is it?” one of the Lan clan members finally asked, breaking the heavy silence.

“He looks desperate,” Nei Huaisang murmured, fanning himself nervously.

Then came a sudden, sharp cry from the Jin sect: “Wei Wuxian—if you truly have this power, could you bring life back if we gave you someone’s soul?”

Another voice rose up from the Jiang sect, trembling with raw emotion: “Can you bring my mother back to life?”

“Yes, yes, yes—bring my lover back!” shouted someone else, almost hysterical.

“I want my brother back!” another cultivator cried.

In the blink of an eye, the hall became a chaos of voices, shouting, pleading, demanding—despair and greed mixing together into a storm. The crowd, who had condemned him only moments before, now clung to Wei Wuxian like drowning men begging for a lifeline.

The juniors exchanged uneasy glances. Lan JingYi whispered, “What’s wrong with them…?” Jin Ling frowned, clutching his sword tightly, as if the noise itself was suffocating.

Lan Qiren’s brows furrowed deeply. “Outrageous!” he barked. “How dare you treat human life and death as if they are tools to be bartered ?!” His voice cracked across the hall like thunder, but it did little to calm the restless voices.

JingYi's lips curved in a bitter, mocking smile. “So that’s what it takes, huh? You all called him a monster, but the moment you think he could bring back what you’ve lost, suddenly he’s your savior?” His eyes flashed with anger. “Shameless.”

In his calm voice, Lan Xichen tried to soothe the frenzy: “Life and death are part of the natural order. To tamper with them… is to invite endless suffering. Please, everyone—be rational.”

And through it all, Wei Wuxian sat still, expression caught between bitter laughter and grief. His lips curled into a half-smile, but his eyes betrayed the ache within. “You see? When they want me to rot in hell, I’m the villain. But when they want the impossible…” His voice lowered, almost inaudible. “Then I’m their only hope.”

The noise in the hall rang louder, while Wei Wuxian’s lonely smile lingered—sharp, and aching.

Wei WuXian laughed, “I, too, would rather meet you in person instead of listening to the tales. Xue Yang, why are you pretending to be a cultivator instead of being the delinquent you truly are?”

With a pause, “Xiao XingChen” raised his hand and took off the bandages around his eyes.

He had young, likeable features, almost handsome. However, the canine teeth that appeared when he smiled were cute to a point of childish, stealthily concealing the untamed cruelty within his eyes.

Xue Yang tossed the bandages to the side, “Uh-oh. You found out.”

“What?!”

The outburst shook the quiet hall.

Jiang Cheng’s brows furrowed sharply, his voice tight with disbelief. “Who… is he?”

Nie Huaisang’s fan froze mid-wave. “Xue Yang? Then… where is Xiao XingChen?” His voice trembled, a mix of dread and confusion.

The revelation hung heavy in the air, twisting everyone’s understanding of the scene.

“This is… it’s really complicated,” Jin zixuan muttered under his breath, trying to keep up with the sudden shift.

“My eyes must have failed me… How could this even be possible? ” Lan xichen usually calm voice held the faintest quiver, his gaze fixed on the figure on screen.

Nie Mingjue’s hands clenched into fists, the urge to act barely contained.

Finally, Nie Huaisang slumped against his seat, fanning himself in quick, jerky motions. “I can’t stand it anymore… I need a break.”

No could argue for it as right now everyone needed a break — food and rest for heath.
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BREAK TIME ☕
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In the guest room

Jin Ling sat cross-legged, fiddling with the edge of his scabbard while Jiang Cheng leaned back, arms crossed, a faint scowl etched on his face.

At the low table, Jiang Yanli gently placed a steaming bowl of soup before Wei Wuxian.

The rich aroma wafted up, and Wei Wuxian’s eyes lit up immediately. He inhaled deeply, the corners of his mouth curling in delight. A soft gulp escaped him before he could stop himself.

“Aiya, Shijie, this smells heavenly—” he began, leaning forward, only to be met with Jiang Cheng’s pointed glare.

“Eat quietly,” Jiang Cheng muttered, though the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed he was holding back a smile "Lans aren't allowed to talk during the meal."

"I and Lan zhan aren't married yet so basically I can speak or sing whatever I want to do, besides Lan zhan can blend rules for me too." He gave a winning smirk to Jiang Cheng while poking his tongue in his inner cheek.

Jiang Yanli placed the bowl in front of Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling one by one," Cheng stop teasing Xian and let him enjoy the food." Her heart warmed when Wei Wuxian asked her for soup. Seeing him sitting with them again, just like in the old days, filled her with a quiet, aching happiness—as if, for a moment, nothing had ever changed.

Wei Wuxian, utterly unfazed, clasped his hands together in mock reverence. “Shijie, you truly are my savior.”

Jiang Yanli chuckled softly, while settling beside her son “Eat before it gets cold.”

Meanwhile, in Lan Qiren’s room

The air was still, the faint steam from the tea curling upward in silence. Lan Qiren sat with his usual stern expression, Lan Xichen beside him, his posture serene. Lan Wangji and Lan Sizhui sat opposite, the quiet stretching long enough to be palpable.

Finally, Master Lan’s gaze settled on Sizhui. He cleared his throat lightly before speaking.

“Sizhui… is Wei Wuxian truly Wangji’s cultivation partner?”

Sizhui’s lips curved into a warm smile. He glanced briefly at Lan Wangji, then nodded. “Grandmaster Lan, Senior Wei truly loves Hanguang-jun. There is no need for doubt. Let them live as they wish.”

Lan Xichen’s voice was calm but resolute as he added, “Uncle, they have walked through storms together. Wangji has made his choice—one I will always support.”

Lan Qiren’s brows twitched as he gave them a long, weary look, as though weighing tradition against the stubbornness of youth.

He gave a long, weary sigh, his gaze sweeping over his nephew and Sizhui before settling on the untouched tea in his cup.“He wouldn’t be able to carry the legacy of our family…”

The words fell heavy in the room, laced with the weight of centuries-old expectations.

Lan Wangji eyes turned deep and he stared at the old man, his face a perfect mask of calmness but he was internally panicking. Yet his voice was steady and deep, rang with absolute certainty. “Wangji wants Wei Ying only.”

Lan Xichen’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. “Uncle, perhaps legacy is not only in name or in blood, but in the values we preserve.”

Sizhui glanced at all three seniors before speaking calmly, “I have a four-year-old sister and a five-month-old brother… from A-die.”

Lan Xichen’s smile froze instantly, the warmth draining from his expression as if he had misheard something.

Lan Wangji’s pupils contracted sharply, his usually composed face darkening in shock as his gaze locked on Sizhui.

“What?! ” The word burst from Lan Qiren in sheer astonishment, his voice echoing in the room.

Thank you for reading,
I hope you are not bored.

Can you give the names for WangXian's babies as I am unfamiliar with Chinese names and culture.