Chapter Text
“Have you heard? The Jiang clan has caught a jiaoren!”
So, that must be why so many people are heading towards the pier, Wei Wuxian thinks, as he stuffs a lollipop in his mouth and hops onto his bike.
For many years, the cultivation world has been after the jiaoren but they were never able to capture one, resulting in a good number of cultivators dismissing the claims that these creatures actually exist.
Perhaps those ancient books were incorrect or simply mistook the creatures for something else of a similar kind.
This elusiveness gave the merfolk the status of mythical creatures, there’s many stories about them, some speak of how their weeping tears will turn into beautiful pearls or how their scales have magical powers, of how you can tame one only by cutting off their precious tails, which will turn into a weapon.
Although Wei Wuxian has worked alongside the Jiang clan since he was a child and he has been formally adopted by their leader Yu Ziyuan and her husband, Jiang Fengmian, he has never really given it much thought.
If they exist or if they don’t won’t make much of a difference to him — Wei Wuxian will only deal with them if they cause trouble or if they are in need of help.
However, Wei Wuxian has a curious nature and when he sees everyone rushing to take a look at this creature, why wouldn’t he go and take a peek?
As he approaches the pier of the lake where the supposed jiaoren is currently being held, Wei Wuxian is taken aback by the sheer violence of the high-pitched shrills — it sounds as if they are being tortured.
The fact that people have gathered around as though it was a show to watch makes Wei Wuxian feel sick.
Then, his gaze falls on the jiaoren.
There’s no words to describe how otherworldly beautiful the jiaoren is — their piercing golden eyes, their luscious pitch-black hair, their translucent blue tail.
Wei Wuxian can’t stop staring at them
Across the jiaoren’s tail; Wei Wuxian notices a deep open gash, which is still bleeding profusely — no wonder they're screaming in pain.
But Wei Wuxian knows, from first-hand experience, how cruel Yu Ziyuan can be.
As a child, Wei Wuxian loved warm summer nights where he and his parents would sit outside to chat with the neighbors and eat watermelon. Time passed like a gentle song until one day when his parents didn’t come back from a night-hunt with the Jiang clan.
It might seem weird but the most unforgettable memory of his childhood is uncle Jiang’s voice as he explains to Wei Wuxian that his parents won’t be coming back, the slight quiver in his voice, the way it cracks at certain words.
In the modern world, there aren’t many families who still carry on the tradition of cultivation and night-hunting: the Wei clan and the Jiang clan were considered the most powerful in their area, nearly infallible, invincible.
Both clans functioned as modern-day companies, with offices across the city and a list of services that they could offer, such as getting rid of your friendly neighborhood ghost, helping with dream demons, and all sorts of similar issues.
And yet, Wei Wuxian’s world came crashing down when he found out that they weren’t so invincible after all.
Life with the JIang family hasn’t been bad per se — Wei Wuxian and the Jiang siblings, Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin, had been friends since kindergarten; but the constant waves of grief for the loss of his parents combined with the way Yu Ziyuan treated him weren’t exactly what Wei Wuxian would describe as having a good time.
In spite of all that, Wei Wuxian’s smile never faltered.
“Whoever can tame this jiaoren shall be rewarded handsomely,” Yu Ziyuan announces with a pointed look at her son, who looks away almost immediately.
What she’s asking could be impossible — nothing much is known about jiaoren, let alone about how to tame them.
It’s understandable that Jiang Wanyin doesn’t want to undertake a task where failure is the most possible outcome; his mother would remind him of her disappointment on a daily basis.
But Wei Wuxian has been known in recent years for his different approach to cultivation, for how he befriends even ghosts and demons, instead of eliminating them — as far as the cultivation world is concerned, Wei Wuxian stands alone in this kind of approach, which is reprimanded far and wide as dangerous and unnecessary
“Auntie Yu,” Wei Wuxian says, making his way through the crowd and finally standing face to face with her.
“Wei Wuxian,” Yu Ziyuan sneers.
“Allow me to try.”
Normally, Yu Ziyuan would refuse any requests where Wei Wuxian could gain recognition, which is why Wei Wuxian asked her in front of so many people. That way, she will have to agree or she will lose face.
Before heading to the cave protected by the magic barrier where they moved the jiaoren, Wei Wuxian drops by his only relative, his martial uncle Xiao Xingchen, to pick up his scent blockers and heat suppressants. Wei Wuxian doesn’t want to think about what would happen if Yu Ziyuan finds out that he’s an Omega — she would most likely marry him off to some rich Alpha for money.
Although scent blockers are not entirely legal, Xiao Xingchen and his partner, Song Zichen, run a little shop known by many in the cultivation world where they sell all kinds of useful stuff.
Without them, Wei Wuxian would have suffered a much worse fate.
“I’ve heard that Yu Ziyuan has caught a jiaoren, is that true?” Xiao Xingchen asks, while he carefully removes all labels and packs Wei Wuxian’s medication.
“Hah, yeah…,” Wei Wuxian answers, fidgeting with the buttons on his oversized red shirt.
Xiao Xingchen raises an eyebrow inquisitively, “... is there something that you would like to tell me?”
“... ah, haha… ,” Wei Wuxian taps the side of his nose nervously, “... do you have anything with healing properties that might be suitable for a jiaoren?”
From behind the counter, Song Zichen side-eyes Wei Wuxian, “... don’t get yourself into trouble again, A-Xian.”
“A-Xian swears he won’t,” Wei Wuxian grins, holding up three of his fingers in a solemn vow, “... I have Auntie Yu’s permission.”
“Oh?”
“She wants someone to tame the jiaoren and I asked if I could try.”
“That sounds like trouble,” Song Zichen says, standing up to help Xiao Xingchen look for any kind of medicine that could be used on such a creature.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Wei Wuxian says, stepping closer to the jiaoren.
Sensing Wei Wuxian getting closer, the seals put in place by Yu Ziyuan glow a fiery purple, reminding Wei Wuxian how dangerous it could be to attempt any kind of removal.
When the jiaoren’s only answer is a violent hiss and a death glare, Wei Wuxian takes a step back and makes himself comfortable on the ground.
“Do you understand our language?”
The death glare continues.
And if Wei Wuxian’s honest, the jiaoren kind of looks really handsome when they're angry and staring at him like they want to sink those fangs into Wei Wuxian’s sk— and huh… where was he going with this?
Wei Wuxian quickly shakes the thought away. What the fuck was that about anyway?!
“Um… do I know a spell that I could use to communicate with a jiaoren?” Wei Wuxian asks himself.
Wei Wuxian tries one he used a long time ago when speaking to that spirit who kept eating his friends’ dreams for some reason, then he tries the one that worked when he successfully tamed a tiny, little dragon (more like a salamander really), and many others.
Yet, the jiaoren only keeps glaring at him with disdain.
Realizing that he doesn’t know any spells that work on the jiaoren, he makes a mental note to visit Nie Huaisang later; his extensive collection of books will surely have something on this topic.
So, out of options, Wei Wuxian does the next best thing — with a flick of his hand, he knocks the jiaoren unconscious in order to apply the medicine, without irritating them further.
While the jiaoren is still unconscious, Wei Wuxian also feeds them spiritual energy and checks them over, finding himself staring at their beautiful face, wondering what kind of voice they have, what language they speak.
They probably feel scared — have they been forcibly taken away from their family?
How worried their family must be; Wei Wuxian knows that sinking feeling well, when a loved one doesn’t return home on time, when they don’t return your calls…
“Little fish,” Wei Wuxian murmurs quietly, although no one is listening, “... I’ll make sure you safely return to your family.”
Wei Wuxian stops himself before reaching out and tracing the pretty curves of the jiaoren’s lips, the sharp edges of their jawbone.
For a fleeting second, Wei Wuxian gets the urge to break all the barriers and release the jiaoren back into the sea, but that would earn them both a death sentence if caught.
Yu Ziyuan did promise him whatever he wished if he tames the jiaoren and she has something that Wei Wuxian needs.
Something that he can finally get back.
“So, pretty jiaoren, be good for me and we’ll both get what we want,” Wei Wuxian says to the unconscious jiaoren.
Nie Huaisang’s bookshop isn’t far away but Wei Wuxian takes his sweet time, stopping from time to time to snap pictures of the flowers in bloom.
As expected, Nie Huaisang is excited about the prospect of meeting a jiaoren.
“You … what! Wei-Xiong, you need to let me meet the jiaoren! My god, this is amazing!”
“...do you want me to die?”
“Ah, come on, will she notice if you sneak me in at some ungodly hour?”
Wei Wuxian gives Nie Huaisang a sour look, because Yu Ziyuan will notice; that woman has eyes and ears everywhere, of course she will notice Wei Wuxian bringing in guests into the heavily guarded dungeon (by spells and guards altogether) to see the jiaoren.
Sighing dramatically, Nie Huaisang calls over his pet bird, a blue and graceful qingniao, and complains about how cruel Wei Wuxian is, coming to his bookshop just to take advantage of his generosity and giving nothing in return.
The pretty bird chirps in agreement and Wei Wuxian shakes his head, heading over to the section of the bookshop where he can find the books he needs.
To make the competition fair, Yu Ziyuan has allotted slots to different cultivators so that they can try their hand at taming the jiaoren — which means that Wei Wuxian isn’t the only one who can enter the dungeon.
And his slot happens to be after a cultivator named Su She — Wei Wuxian thinks he’s never seen nor heard of him before, so he doesn’t give it much thought.
But when Wei Wuxian arrives and hears the violent screams coming from inside the dungeon, he wonders exactly what kind of man this cultivator is and what kind of methods he’s trying to tame the jiaoren.
Although Yu Ziyuan has strictly prohibited other cultivators from interacting with each other while dealing with the jiaoren, Wei Wuxian is not one to care much about rules, especially when something unfair is happening and he can do something about it.
He is a busybody like that — Jiang Wanyin’s words.
Whatever magic this man, Su She, is unleashing on the jiaoren is obviously harmful and Wei Wuxian isn’t going to stand around and do nothing.
Wei Wuxian immobilizes the guards by the gate and uses a counter-spell to temporarily lift the barrier which allows him to enter without anyone noticing.
The last thing he wants is Yu Ziyuan showing up to make a scene.
Who knows whose side she would take.
Just like Wei Wuxian thought, the jiaoren is being tortured and this Su She only seems amused by the situation. What an asshole!
When Su She is about to strike with another spell, Wei Wuxian steps in between the two of them, shielding the jiaoren from the attack and, as a result, taking the full brunt of it himself and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
“You!” Su She shouts, visibly enraged, “What are you doing?!”
Wiping blood off his face with the back of his hand, Wei Wuxian gives Su She a smug look.
“Time’s up, my turn.”
“It’s no—,” Su She begins, but doesn’t get to finish.
The way Wei Wuxian’s eyes flash red promises nothing good.
Once Su She is gone, Wei Wuxian finally turns his attention to the jiaoren who is staring at him wide-eyed, unblinking.
Without noticing, Wei Wuxian manages to get so close that there’s mere inches in between their faces. Ah, they're just so, so beautiful.
“Aiya, that man hurt you,” Wei Wuxian says,tentatively lifting a bloodied hand to the jiaoren’s face.
When Wei Wuxian sees that the jiaoren doesn’t wince nor hiss at him to get away, his voice becomes softer, as if coaxing a scared animal.
“I bet you must be quite popular among your folk, or are they all beautiful like you?” Wei Wuxian asks, giggling to himself.
At that, the jiaoren lets out an odd noise — Wei Wuxian is a little stunned, he doesn’t know what to make of that. Is the jiaoren confused? Amused? Angry?
Does he suddenly understand his language?
Oh, right. Wei Wuxian has actually found a spell that might work and help him communicate with the jiaoren. He hastily draws a talisman and casts the spell on himself, hoping that Nie Huaisang’s book had the right information.
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to cast it right after that other cultivator whose name he already forgot hit him with an unknown spell — Wei Wuxian feels dizzy.
“... pretty fish, do you understand me?” is what Wei Wuxian manages to croak out.
The jiaoren looks at Wei Wuxian as though he’s just been insulted, the same expression ten year old children will give you when called cute and adorable but they tell you they’re cool and fearless.
Wei Wuxian will admit that it’s annoying when children do that but the jiaoren looks strangely adorable.
“Judging from the way you’re looking at me, I guess you do,” Wei Wuxian grins.
This time, the jiaoren nods.
“... and don’t you want to grace me with your beautiful voice?”
If anything, the jiaoren’s glare becomes more murderous.
But Wei Wuxian is famously stubborn and doesn’t give up easily, “... aiya, fine, I’ll introduce myself first. I’m Wei Wuxian and I’m a cultivator.”
The jiaoren gives him no reaction whatsoever.
Sighing and pouting, Wei Wuxian gives up and pulls out the little tin that Xiao Xingchen gave him so he can apply it to the jiaoren’s wounds.
This time, Wei Wuxian explains everything he does, from the way that the medicine needs to be applied to the possible side-effects.
Some of the cuts are deep — Wei Wuxian is sure that they must be incredibly painful and a tinge of sadness washes over his face. If only cultivators could stop treating any creature other than humans like they’re something to be conquered, like they’ve been created to entertain the sad, empty lives of bored humans.
When Wei Wuxian looks back up at the jiaoren’s face, he realizes too late that it was a mistake.
Their faces are so close that if he wanted to, Wei Wuxian could count the jiaoren’s pretty lashes.
Yet, Wei Wuxian can’t look away.
And for the first time, Wei Wuxian notices the lingering scent of sandalwood and magnolia; his head spins a little and heat pools up in his body.
As if struck by lightning, Wei Wuxian scrambles away in a haste and mutters a vague apology.
What the fuck is happening to his body? Are the suppressants that Xiao Xingchen prepared for him not working anymore?
And more importantly, do jiaoren have secondary genders? Wei Wuxian really needs to ask Nie Huaisang.
There’s barely anything about jiaoren even online, so it’s better to ask Nie Huaisang, who’s read basically every single book in existence about them.
However, what he needs to do now is call his sister — he doesn’t feel so good and she’s the one he feels safest around.
If he’s lucky, which is a rare occurrence, maybe it’s just a side-effect of the spell he cast on himself.
The thing is Wei Wuxian doesn’t have a great track record with heats; they have historically gone very badly for him. No, really.
Years ago, when the first heat hit him out of nowhere, Wei Wuxian almost died.
Up until then, Wei Wuxian was sure that he would present as an Alpha and the only issue was that he was a late bloomer. Oh, how wrong he was.
Right in the middle of his swimming practice, in a pool full of screaming teenagers, Wei Wuxian felt the first signs: a slight fever and dizziness. At first, he thought nothing of it.
The weather had been getting chilly and it wouldn’t have been weird to catch a little cold.
Next thing he knew, Wei Wuxian woke up in Xiao Xingchen’s guest bed to the words: “Honey, you almost drowned.”
And after that: “Also, you might want to know that you’re in heat.”
So, that is how he found out that he wasn’t going to present as an Alpha anytime soon. Apparently, Wei Wuxian collapsed in the pool and thankfully, Jiang Yanli called Xiao Xingchen and not her parents or things could have gone very differently.
What followed was a fun week living under Xiao Xingchen’s care and strict supervision.
A week where Wei Wuxian discovered things about the world and about himself.
To this day, Wei Wuxian doesn’t know if those things were good or bad.
Ever since then, Wei Wuxian has been on suppressants mainly for two things: the first being that if Yu Ziyuan finds out that he’s an Omega, he’s not going to have a good time, and the second is that Wei Wuxian doesn’t like the idea of being intimate with someone for real, like he’s fine thinking about it, he’s very on board with watching the filthiest porn known to mankind, but the actual thing? No, thank you.
Of course, no one knows about this — Wei Wuxian makes up lies about his sexual escapades every other day, earning himself complaints from his brother and approving looks from Nie Huaisang.
To everyone’s knowledge, thanks to Xiao Xingchen’s scent blockers who not only cover up his lavender and hyacinth smell but also simulate a fake Alpha scent, Wei Wuxian is an Alpha, and everyone treats him like one, with the exception of his sister, Xiao Xingchen, and Song Zichen.
The second time that Wei Wuxian experienced a heat was an accident — he had been so excited about going away on a trip with Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang that he kinda forgot to pack his meds.
Long story short, Wei Wuxian spent his holidays watching porn in his room and couldn’t join his friends skiing. Instead, he had to improvise and tell them that he had a (very fake) very contagious illness.
It didn’t help that all the social media posts that Nie Huaisang published mocked him and expressed fake sympathy.
Every single photo tagged Wei Wuxian as the most disparate of things: a groundhog, a skiing helmet, a plate of European food, a bunny plushie.
So, yeah, not something that Wei Wuxian would like an encore of, if possible. And although the chances of going into heat despite taking his medications are slim, Wei Wuxian would rather be safe than sorry.
Jiang Yanli picks up on the second ring.
“Jie, I don’t feel so good. Can I send you my location?”
When Wei Wuxian gets into the car with his sister, she promptly checks his temperature and asks him a series of questions to figure out what could be the problem.
Maybe Wei Wuxian should have called Xiao Xingchen instead, but he didn’t want to be a bother.
And Jiang Yanli may not be a doctor, nor an Omega, but she knows how to take care of him best
“A-Xian… you’re not going to like this, but it does sound like something has triggered your heat. I’ll take you home so you can rest and then I’ll drop by Xingchen. Does that sound okay?”
Wei Wuxian is slowly slipping into unconsciousness, but he finds the strength to nod.
The rest of the drive passes in a blur — Wei Wuxian vaguely registers Jiang Yanli carrying him inside and tucking him into bed, only to come back briefly to set down water bottles and whatever Wei Wuxian may need.
The third heat of his life doesn’t go down well either. For the first time, Wei Wuxian thinks of someone specific as he gets himself off, he thinks of being enveloped in a cocoon of sandalwood and magnolia scent.
What the hell is happening to him?