Chapter Text
Winter in Gusu had always been chilly and bitterly cold.
There's barely any snowfall. The ground was covered with withering grass. In the Cloud Recesses, the remaining evergreen shrub was the Pine Trees.
Lan Xichen walked unhurriedly along the meticulously swept stone path. His destination was another private residence secluded within a different part of the pine forest in the Lan Clan's mountains. At the end of the road, a courtyard began to come into view, with a plaque reading "Songshi" hung solemnly at the entrance.
He looked up at the courtyard and raised his fist to his lip, coughing lightly before knocking on the door. "Uncle. It is me, Xichen."
It's time for another discussion.
The Uncle and Nephew sat facing each other.
Choosing to initiate the conversation first, Lan Qiren spoke in a low voice, "I hope you are here to explain properly what you have done."
Lan Xichen chuckled lightly. "Uncle, the way you phrase it makes it sound as though I have done something wrong."
"After sending such a troublesome treasure all of a sudden, without prior notice, are you in a position to deny your misstep?"
"Xichen apologizes for the Mirror’s sudden arrival. However, calling an Immortal Treasure a troublesome thing..."
"Otherwise? Too much wealth invites greed. Trouble arises from others’ envy and covetousness. And you still wish to display the Mirror to the whole world!" Lan Qiren snapped the book in his hand shut.
His eldest nephew, on the other hand, raised a hand to pacify him. "Uncle, please calm down. Naturally, Xichen understands the consequences of displaying one's wealth and power."
The Gusu Lan Clan had always been modest. It wasn’t that they had no destructive techniques; they simply hid them away in their Forbidden Library. It wasn’t that they lacked peculiar treasures; they stored them safely in the Treasure Pavilion.
If Lan Xichen had merely sent back the Kunlun Mirror and allowed it to remain hidden within their sect, it would not have caused such an uproar. However, the Sect Leader’s decision to reveal this controversial treasure to the public elicited doubts and worries among the clan members, including Lan Qiren himself.
"You said you understood the consequences. Then let me ask you, Lan Xichen—do you believe you are powerful enough to stand against the world? Are you assuming your Lan Sect is mighty enough to bear everyone's various sentiments? Do you think everyone will simply agree to let our clan possess this Immortal Treasure? Have you never considered that some will raise objections, claiming the treasure should be in better hands?"
They claimed it should be in better hands, but in reality, others simply could not accept the Lan Clan owning such a treasure. Once dissatisfaction arose, chaos would be inevitable. People would resort to any means to obtain it. They would search for any excuse to prove that the Lan Clan was unfit to hold it.
At that time, the peaceful tranquility the Lan Clan had long maintained would be gone.
Lan Qiren's face turned grave as he spoke another sentence, "...Were you blinded by power, because of Wei Ying?"
"I have not been blinded by power. Neither will I."
“Uncle, as you have mentioned, when others desire something we possess, they may resort to anything. But, Uncle, just because we fear others coveting what we have, are we supposed to remain stagnant? Just as we were back then? When Qishan Wen came to the mountain, we were left helpless. Is it right to continue like this? If one day others wish to trouble us, they can simply do so. If they decide to act against us, they can act without restraint.”
Lan Qiren’s eyes narrowed. “So you seek strength? Does that justify your pursuit of power and fame?”
Lan Xichen laughed softly. “Uncle, please do not misunderstand. What Xichen seeks is not the power to rule others, but the power to protect ourselves.”
The room fell into a tense silence for a while. Lan Xichen remained composed. His uncle’s stare, which seemed capable of drilling a hole through him, did not make even the angle of his smile falter.
It was Lan Qiren who snorted at last. “Tell me. What are you actually planning?”
Lan Xichen took out a scroll from his sleeve and placed it on the table. “What Xichen wants—” Once the thick paper was unrolled, the contents were revealed. It was a map of their cultivation world. “—is a reconstruction of our society.”
Before Lan Qiren could comment, Lan Xichen added, “Uncle, this is not a sudden reckless move or a whimsical vision. I am aware this is not an effortless endeavor. However, someone needs to do this. We have to do this. Otherwise, our cultivation society will deteriorate sooner or later.”
“A deteriorating society?” Lan Qiren sneered. “On what basis do you judge the world so?”
“Uncle, where did Wangji get his title from? Hanguang-Jun—he appears wherever there is chaos. Since he was young, he has been known for night hunting in various places, be it major hunts or small cases. Xichen has some doubts. There are more than enough cultivation clans spread throughout the regions, so how did Wangji come to be known as such?”
Lan Xichen looked at his uncle and smiled. “That is because most clans do not care about their areas. If there is no death report, they will not come to handle it. That is why Wangji has gained such a reputation.”
“…And what of it? Those are the affairs of other clans.”
“What Uncle said is true. They are indeed other clans’ affairs. However, this affects the situation of our society as a whole. There is only one Hanguang-Jun, but countless regions. No matter what, it is not enough. On the other hand, rogue cultivators are hesitant to hunt within the territory of cultivation clans. If they encounter clan descendants, conflicts—similar to what happened at Baifeng Mountain between clan disciples and rogue cultivators—may occur.”
“There are conflicts. But why do you call it a deteriorating society?”
Lan Xichen looked slightly surprised. “Uncle, if things continue like this, cultivation itself may one day perish.”
“Perish? That is a rather presumptuous assumption.” Lan Qiren frowned in disapproval.
“Uncle, let us consider it this way. The current atmosphere makes life difficult for rogue cultivators; someday, there may be none of them left. Nowadays, descendants of cultivation clans may only handle matters once there is a death report. In the future, they may only pursue large cases for fame. However, without training on smaller cases first, their abilities will dull. As a result, they may not be able to resolve major incidents at all. This inability may discourage them. In the end, cultivators may think that forming a Golden Core is sufficient, even without combat skill. But without practice, how can cultivation be tempered and advanced? Despite possessing a Golden Core, they would be no different from mortals. Then they may begin to think—why cultivate at all? Would it not be enough to focus on politics and live as wealthy men?”
Lan Qiren fell silent. Of course, he would not rebut with, “So what if the cultivation world dies out? What does it matter to you—or to us? Why must you step forward?” Those words, regardless of his personal feelings, would not be uttered by a gentleman.
“As Xichen has mentioned, this is not a reckless move or a sudden whim. I began thinking about it months ago, when Wei-gongzi first showed me his creations. I had a hunch that they would be essential to the general masses. Afterward—”
Lan Xichen gestured toward the map on the table. “Not long ago, I had a discussion with Lianfang-zun. It concerned his plan to build watchtowers in regions not monitored by cultivation clans.”
His uncle immediately countered, “Are you certain his proposal is entirely for the benefit of the common people? Is it not also driven by another purpose—transforming the Supervisory Offices into watchtowers? Those who control the watchtowers will effectively control the entire cultivation world. It may be called regional monitoring, but it will be up to them to decide which incidents are reported and which are concealed.”
“Naturally, Xichen has considered this as well.” Lan Xichen laughed helplessly.
It was to be expected that his uncle would be so distrustful. Considering the recent conduct of the Lanling Jin and the questionable past of Lan Xichen’s sworn brother, Lan Qiren—who disliked misconduct above all—would naturally be the first to doubt.
To be fair, if it were him in the past, Lan Xichen would have had no vigilance toward his sworn brother at all.
If Jin Guangyao said it was to benefit the common people, then it must be true. Lan Xichen would never have imagined that the hardworking young man, who silently endured prejudice, might use them for other purposes—such as intercepting any news about the Jin Clan’s "Dirty Laundry" in remote regions.
He paused for a moment before explaining, “Regardless of the risks, the idea itself is beneficial. As long as people do not misuse the watchtowers to manipulate other clans or serve their own interests, I believe it is worth trying.”
“So you are planning to work together with LanlingJin? And QingheNie as well, I assume?”
Lan Xichen shook his head. “They will indeed be our partners. But to be precise, this project requires the participation of all the cultivation clans.”
“How are you going to convince them?”
However, before Lan Xichen could reply, Lan Qiren’s pupils contracted slightly as realization dawned. “The Kunlun Mirror.”
He looked at Lan Xichen, who was smiling in front of him. “…I see. So that is why you need to establish your reputation—to convince others?”
“It is not so much about seeking fame.” Lan Xichen modestly corrected.
The older gentleman’s brows knit slightly.
Although his tone was no longer as resistant as before, he voiced another concern. “The construction of watchtowers will require substantial funds and resources. Even if you can convince the other clans, they will not willingly hand over their assets. If you rely on the wealth of LanlingJin, it's just the same as giving them a handle to get an account from us in the latter days.”
Lan Xichen smiled and took out another scroll.
Lan Qiren: “…” He strongly felt a sense of déjà vu at this kind of scene.
As expected, when the scroll was unrolled once again, Lan Xichen began to elaborate. “Wei-Gongzi, as Uncle has been informed, has been working on some research these days. It concerns the teleportation array we originally used to transfer the Kunlun Mirror back here. However, Wei-Gongzi has decided to further modify the array...Uncle?”
Lan Qiren, "..."
I just knew it!
It always ended up with that Wei Ying!
Even so, he replied stiffly, "Continue what you have to say."
After making sure that his uncle was truly alright, Lan Xichen continued, "Previously, the Teleportation Talisman only worked on humans. It is a high-quality talisman, rarely used by cultivators unless necessary. Besides, it expends a huge amount of Spiritual Energy upon activation, and only cultivators with decent cultivation are able to utilize it. Not to mention that it will take a long time for that lost energy to be regained."
The Talisman could transfer people hundreds of miles away at once, but why wasn’t it used regularly? Obviously, because the loss outweighed the gain. It wasn’t something just anyone could use, nor could it be used at any time.
"That being said, after our first modification, the runes can be transformed into an array. The array itself can transport Spiritual Treasures. Now, Wei-Gongzi has modified it even further. The array can be activated without exhausting the Spiritual Energy of any cultivator by utilizing the Spiritual Veins of the earth."
Lan Qiren understood immediately. "You mean to say you are going to connect regions with a Teleportation Gate?"
"Exactly." Lan Xichen smiled.
Afterward, his face turned serious once again. "Uncle, this is what Xichen calls a reconstruction of our society. The first step has been partly completed: fortifying rogue cultivators as another formidable force on their own by equipping them with night-hunting tools and sharing knowledge — The second step is to revitalize the cultivation society. Let’s stop this rotting process of cultivators abandoning their passion to cultivate, and the Kunlun Mirror is the key. Furthermore, this change cannot be achieved by one sect or two sects alone. That’s why we have to start the Watchtower Project to gather everyone’s participation — However, distance is something people find hard to conquer. The greater the distance, the more people feel disconnected from the ongoing project — That’s why we will cut the distance with this Teleportation Gate!"
The existence of auxiliary tools in night-hunting would incite more exploration.
More exploration meant more resources to be found, and more cases to be solved.
The existence of Watchtowers was the physical manifestation of a communication channel. Better communication meant no more cases being delayed.
Teleportation Gates would ensure transportation pathways across the entire region — from north to south, from the mountains to the sea. Guaranteed access across all regions meant alliances and exchanges between sects would no longer be strictly divided by area.
"Who wouldn’t want to arrive from Qishan to Gusu in the blink of an eye, without exhausting any energy from days of sword flight? Besides…" Lan Xichen’s voice became strangely low. "This is not just for cultivators, but also for mortals — those with no Spiritual Energy..."
The one who modified the array was Wei Wuxian.
Obviously, he would make the most cost-effective solution that could be used by a “waste” with low Spiritual Energy like himself.
But if the Teleportation Gate could even be applied to mortals, then… "It will be a tremendous change," Lan Qiren remarked.
"It is," Lan Xichen agreed. "But we cannot do everything at once. Everything must start step by step. The cultivation society will be the first to receive it."
What did it mean to have all regions connected? It meant news would no longer be delayed. It meant there would be no barrier of distance. When the obstruction of distance was lifted, the exchange of techniques, knowledge, culture, economics, and other sectors would spread evenly. No more regions would be left behind.
It meant the booming of commerce. It meant wealth. It meant prosperity. It meant resources! Every clan had its own private properties and businesses to maintain its enormous spending. Who wouldn’t want more resources?
Lan Qiren asked with difficulty, despite already having a hunch in his heart, "You said before — how to take care of the money and resources to build the Watchtowers. What does that have to do with this Teleportation Gate?"
Lan Xichen smiled widely. "Of course… because the only person who understands how to assemble this Teleportation Array is Wei Wuxian."
Lan Qiren, "..."
In the past, Wei Wuxian could say, "Even if I don’t wear clothes, what can anyone do to me?"
And no one refuted it, because honestly, there was really nobody who could do anything — or force him to do anything. Literally.
So today, if Wei Wuxian refuses to build the array in your region, what can you do to him?
In other words: I told you to participate in the Watchtower construction for your own good — you’d better listen!
Besides, since everyone else could connect their region with others, and there was a chance to expand their clan’s wealth, how could anyone be willing to be left in the cold?