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The resentful energy surrounding Wei Wuxian when he dies is so powerful that it turns him into a god. His physical body is ripped apart but his spirit is still intact and the resentful energy surrounding him elevates his spirit into something so powerful. It’s a life after death. In the beginning, the body Wei Wuxian has is wisps of black smoke with angry, red energy. But as time goes on and as he kills more people, he gains a corporeal body, much like his old one. He’s fully aware of what happened and of his actions in his death. There is great vengeance in him but since the resentful energy turned him into a god, or demon depending on who you ask, he uses this to allow him to reap punishments on the corrupt and tyrannical.
Wei Wuxian stays based in Yiling since the Burial Mounds is ripe with resentful energy. At first, the people of Yiling are apprehensive, some downright terrified, because they have a demon or god haunting the Burial Mounds. Many cultivators come to exorcise Wei Wuxian but to no avail. Some who try are killed, while others are let go, turned away. Those who are killed are those who were deemed corrupt and use their cultivation to hurt others and to gain something. The ones he releases are safe unless he rejudges their characters and deems them unworthy.
Crows have been deemed the harbingers of death, so of course, Wei Wuxian capitalizes on this. He becomes friends with the crows because he feeds and pets them. They are his messengers and his lookout. He is able to keep his eyes and ears out all over the cultivation world. Within a year of his death, people are warned to be careful of the crows because if one followed you then you had to be careful. If two followed you, that meant you were a definitive target of the god of death, Yiling Laozu. However, if three crows followed you, then you would be dead within the week.
The first well-known person to be killed by the Yiling Laozu is Jin Guangshan, only two months after Wei Wuxian’s death. Jin Guangshan has always been known to be corrupt and power-hungry. But when he starts reaching too far, Wei Wuxian sends a crow to watch him, then two, until finally, he sends three which is the last straw. Within a week, Jin Guangshan is dead with the eerie sound of a dizi dancing on the wind.
A few other cultivators are killed. Sect leader Yao is killed because he insulted Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli which Wei Wuxian does not tolerate people saying terrible things about his siblings. There are some minor cultivators that are killed, a few rogue cultivators that Wei Wuxian felt needed to die. Abusers also are targets, regardless of if they are cultivators or not. They would be followed by crows and then killed. If there are any children involved they would be rescued and either taken to a better home or taken in by Wei Wuxian himself to care for.
When Xue Yang exterminates the Chang clan, Wei Wuxian sends a crow after him while he sits in his cell. Nie Mingjue demands Xue Yang’s head delivered to him by Jin Guangyao, but he’s not the one who does it. Wei Wuxian kills Xue Yang in his cell and decapitates him then he delivers Xue Yang’s head to Nie Mingjue personally. Wisps of black smoke and furious, red energy creep around the head until it's delivered in front of Nie Mingjue. Three crows perch in a windowsill and caw, only flying away when they receive raw meat from Nie Mingjue. Payment for their service. An echo of a dizi plays in the wind, an acknowledgment.
This also leads to Wei Wuxian beginning to watch Jin Guangyao purely because he was hesitant to get rid of an evil man like Xue Yang. This just causes Jin Guangyao to be increasingly more careful with his plans. He sends people to exorcise Wei Wuxian but none of them are able to do it.
Jiang Cheng goes purely because he wants to see his brother again. He ends up having a long conversation with Wei Wuxian about everything. They talk about growing up in Lotus Pier. About the Sunshot Campaign. The death of their friends and family. They cry over Jiang Yanli. Wei Wuxian even tells Jiang Cheng the truth about the three months he was missing and the truth about Jiang Cheng’s golden core. After an entire day passes, Jiang Cheng eventually leaves physically unscathed but with so many warring emotions weighing on him. He leaves with Wei Wuxian’s promise that the crows would always look out for him and all he needed to do was ask.
The crows don’t follow Jiang Cheng but if they see him passing, they fly onto his shoulders. He feeds them on occasion and pets their heads. It terrifies half the cultivation world because the crows have never targeted him. This immediately goes for Jin Ling as well. The crows watch over him and protect him. Especially when he’s at Koi Tower and away from Jiang Cheng. It scares the Jin half to death at first because they think Wei Wuxian is after Jin Ling. But Jin Ling loves the crows and plays with them. This is half the reason that Jin Guangyao gets Jin Ling a dog, Fairy, because he wants to be rid of the crows. The crows, unlike Wei Wuxian, pay the dog no mind and Fairy absolutely loves the crows.
Also during this time, Lan Wangji visits the Burial Mounds to meet up with Wei Wuxian. He has fresh scars on his back and a new furious glint in his eyes. Wei Wuxian’s heart breaks for him for what he lost that he didn’t even realize he ever lost. Lan Wangji is quiet and calm on the outside but a storm of emotions cloud his eyes. It causes Wei Wuxian to poke and prod and flirt and do whatever he can to bring a smile to Lan Wangji’s face. There’s a hint of their days in the Cloud Recesses that make both of their hearts ache but it’s something neither will admit.
Lan Wangji comes back every other month just to talk. He doesn’t play cleansing because he learned on their first encounter not to as it only causes the crows to dive bomb. Instead, he plays Wangxian and puts his entire soul into it. Sometimes Wei Wuxian joins in and Yiling is filled with beautiful, heartbreaking music. The resentful energy of the Burial Mounds accepts Lan Wangji automatically. It doesn’t harm him and instead wraps itself around Lan Wangji like a blanket or a cloak. Something that Wei Wuxian gets really embarrassed about and Jiang Cheng laughs himself to tears. Ours, caw the crows. Ours, caws the resentful energy. Mine, whispers Wei Wuxian quietly in the solitude of darkness.
The crows watch Lan Wangji as well. But never to haunt him. They adore him and follow him around because they’ve accepted him as one of their own. They warn Wei Wuxian when Lan Wangji needs help. The crows are the reason that Wei Wuxian finds out that A-Yuan is still alive. The next time Lan Wangji visits, Wei Wuxian pulls him into a fierce hug and doesn’t let go. A sobbed thanks. The crows now protect A-Yuan as well. A-Yuan is delighted by the crows and the flashes of black among the stark white of the Cloud Recesses is a reminder that the Yiling Laozu’s mark is forever there. The other Lan juniors are wary of the crows at first, but they too come to adore them. They don't have meat in the Cloud Recesses, however, old rice and vegetables and fruit are always a treat for the crows. The crows supervisor the elders and are happy to find that they aren't harming the children. The god of death is content to know children are safe here.
Lan Xichen eventually visits the Burial Mounds to talk. He doesn’t necessarily want to exorcise or kill Wei Wuxian, he simply wants to understand. They talk about life and what Wei Wuxian is doing. He is also warns that if Wei Wuxian ever hurts Lan Wangji it’ll be the last thing he does.To which Wei Wuxian laughs because Lan Wangji is the best man he’s ever met, he will forever be protected by Wei Wuxian. If he ever purposely hurts Lan Wangji. He will accept death for himself and nothing less. They also talk about Nie Mingjue because Lan Xichen mentions the fact that Wei Wuxian dropped off Xue Yang’s head to the man.
It’s obvious that Lan Xichen is worried about Nie Mingjue and thinks he’s going to qi deviate soon just based on his behaviors and current events. Wei Wuxian keeps a close eye on Nie Mingjue. He hears the song of clarity that is supposed to cleanse and heal but the crows sense that something is wrong. The next time Lan Wangji visits, Wei Wuxian plays the song he heard Jin Guangyao play and Lan Wangji is automatically suspicious. He comes back a week later with an ancient book of songs that is missing pages.
When this is brought to the attention of Lan Xichen, he is wary. He doesn’t want to suspect his sworn brother of such things but he will try to remain objective throughout the whole investigation and do his best to ignore the ache in his heart.
Wei Wuxian is coming closer and closer to figuring out Jin Guangyao’s truth and Jin Guangyao is getting more and more nervous. A second crow joins the first one that’s been keeping tabs on Jin Guangyao and the rest of the cultivation world is shocked. They think that Yiling Laozu is targeting innocent people. But Jin Guangyao is getting paranoid because he knows that the truth is close to being revealed. He is desperate.
Children everywhere go missing, including Jin Ling and A-Yuan (now called Lan Sizhui). Wei Wuxian is lured out of the Burial Mounds by Jin Guangyao and the children are tied up and left in the Burial Mounds. The rest of the cultivation world is warned that Wei Wuxian is a monster that has stolen everyone’s children. They all prepare to storm the Burial Mounds. Wei Wuxian runs into Jiang Cheng and is freaking out because he can’t find Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen and the children are gone?! Jiang Cheng is exhausted but he knows now that his brother wouldn’t steal innocent children to harm them.
The two of them make their way cautiously to the Burial Mounds and see most of the Cultivation world already there. When they see Wei Wuxian, they prepare for a fight but he doesn’t fight them back. He simply pushes passed them and checks on the children. He’s joined by Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, who help him free the children and get them back to their parents or guardians. The rest of the Cultivation World is confused. Why would the Yiling Laozu free the children? Why he help them? Where was Jin Guangyao, Lan Xichen, and Nie Mingjue?
A young cultivator in Jin sect robes by the name of Mo Xuanyu steps forward. He has an idea of where they might be but only a few people can go. Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji, and Wei Wuxian follow Mo Xuanyu to a temple where Jin cultivators are patrolling and keeping people away. Using demonic cultivation, Mo Xuanyu tricks the Jin cultivators and helps the other three in.
They are met by the sight of Nie Mingjue laying on the ground a stab wound to the stomach. Nie Huaisang in ripped robes trying desperately to stop the bleeding with scraps of fabric. Lan Xichen is also there sword sheathed and surrounded by Jin cultivators, who have their swords trained on him. In the middle of all of this is Jin Guangyao, monologuing and promising Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue that if they are in it together they won’t last against him.
Before anyone can act Wei Wuxian is calling upon the resentful energy within him. But suddenly a golden cord is wrapped around his throat since he’s in his corporeal form. With the cord wrapped around him he can’t turn back into the wisps of resentful energy and escape. Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng make a move to attack but Jin Guangyao tightens his grip and Wei Wuxian feels his second life begin to slip away. Both Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng promise to seal their spiritual energy in exchange for Wei Wuxian’s life.
After releasing Wei Wuxian, Jin Guangyao immediately stabs Mo Xuanyu for leading them to him and for not doing what he was told. As Mo Xuanyu lays there bleeding, Wei Wuxian drops down and tries to use his resentful energy to heal the young man. The resentful energy heals him slightly but it also infuses itself into Mo Xuanyu’s being just as it did with Wei Wuxian years ago. Nie Huaisang begs him to heal Nie Mingjue but is refused because the resentful energy would force the man into a qi deviation.
A fight ensues between Wei Wuxian and Jin Guangyao during which, Lan Xichen’s spiritual energy unlocks again. He gets rid of the cultivators guarding him and drops down immediately to Nie Mingjue’s side to save his life. Then he unlocks the spiritual energies of Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji so that they can help Wei Wuxian. Jin Guangyao is defeated but not yet dead. He reveals his entire plot, everything that led him to where they are today. Reveals that he was trying to kill Nie Mingjue and orchestrated the death of Jin Zixuan among others that led to the world’s hatred of Wei Wuxian.
Originally, Lan Xichen is planning on bringing Jin Guangyao to trial and determining from there what must be done. But he warns the man that if he moves wrong or goes to attack anyone then he won’t hesitate to strike. Nie Huaisang screams and points and just like that Jin Guangyao has a sword through his heart.
They clean up the temple and tell the world what happened. Nie Mingjue heals and the effects of an almost forced qi deviation are eventually reversed. Lan Xichen goes into seclusion for a few months but comes back out because he doesn’t want to turn into his father and because he still has his closest friend and other sworn brother, Nie Mingjue, at his side. He also has his brother, Lan Wangji, and his uncle, Lan Qiren, to support him, and even if his heart aches he knows his path forward.
Wei Wuxian is still the god of death. He can still travel on the wind through the darkness. The resentful energy that surrounds him fuels his existence. But he leaves the Burial Mounds and moves back to Lotus Pier at Jiang Cheng’s request. He needs his brother and right-hand man at his side again. They take in a recovering Mo Xuanyu, who learns how to properly control resentful energy.
As for Lan Wangji, now that Wei Wuxian lives full time in Lotus Pier, he feels better about bringing A-Yuan, Lan Sizhui, with him on his visits. Lan Sizhui becomes fast friends with Jin Ling. He hugs his Xian-gege close to him and asks to learn about demonic cultivation, so Wei Wuxian teaches him. Lan Wangji keeps coming and he and Wei Wuxian keep dancing around the truth.
It’s a few years later that Su She surfaces and attacks Lan Wangji. Of course, Lan Wangji is many times stronger than Su She but being under threat brings out Wei Wuxian’s protective side. He rushes to Lan Wangji’s aide and together they bring down Su She. Finally. Finally, they admit their feelings for each other and get married. They half elope but get distracted and when Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen find out that their brothers haven’t had a proper wedding they arrange for them to have one.
Wei Wuxian may be originally made up of the remaining wisps of resentful energy he had collected back when he was actually human, but he’s a god now. Some still call him a demon. Others lord him as the god of death and pray to him for protection. They leave out gifts for the crows in an act to appease him and ask for his assistance. The crows are happy to listen and Wei Wuxian is always happy to help.
There’s a reason why a group of crows is called a murder. One crow is a warning, two crows are an omen, but three crows are a harbinger. The god of death is made of resentment and fueled by a deep yearning for justice. So next time you see a crow, count your blessings, and watch your step.