Chapter Text
Caiyi Town, Gusu.
After the Qishan Wen Sect collapsed, the city that had once been the most flourishing of all seemed to vanish overnight, falling swiftly into ruin. A large number of cultivators began seeking new places to establish themselves, scattering across various cities. Among them, Lanling, Yunmeng, Gusu, and Qinghe received the greatest influx. Coupled with the recent cooperation between the Gusu Lan Sect and the rogue cultivators, Caiyi Town, long considered the heart of Gusu, became even more prosperous.
On the streets, people hurried to and fro. Cultivators from clans, small sects, and independent groups alike carried swords at their waists, speaking loftily about the fate of the current world. All of them appeared in high spirits.
Just as famous as the tale of Zewu-Jun’s affection for his cultivation partner — who was said to have been in a relationship with him since they were fifteen or eighteen — the most talked-about thing in Gusu recently was Tianzi Xiao (Emperor’s Smile).
The liquor brand had long been famous among wine connoisseurs. However, it had recently become a household name among common people as well. The reason for its rising fame was none other than the cultivation partner of a certain sect leader from Gusu. The reference was deliberately obscure, of course, since no one dared to casually speak about either of the individuals involved.
These days, the former liquor shop had been transformed into the largest inn and tavern in Caiyi Town. It not only served wine to the people of Gusu, but had also expanded into the lodging business for travelers. The front building was still used as a tavern, while the newly constructed rear building was designated for accommodation.
The owner of Tianzi Xiao Tavern had just finished counting the money from the previous guest when he heard someone else come in. He looked up and greeted them energetically, as usual. The person who entered was a young man, tall and slender, dressed in black, with a wide black brocade belt around his waist embroidered with silver cloud patterns that complemented his handsome and captivating appearance.
This person was not an unfamiliar face in the tavern. Rather, he was one of the largest patrons supporting their business, whether directly or indirectly. What surprised the proprietor somewhat was the other individual following behind him. He could not help but cast a few discreet glances while greeting the young man.
“Is it the usual three jars, Gongzi?”
“Yes, please. Add one set of dishes as well. Oh, and do you have any private booths available? If so, I’d like to reserve one.”
“There are some left, of course. Xiao-er!” he shouted to the waiter on the other side of the room. “One private booth upstairs!”
“Right away!”
As he watched the two guests being led toward the private cubicles on the second floor, he felt someone pat his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw his wife craning her neck curiously in the direction he had been staring earlier. “Isn’t that Wei-Gongzi? Who is he with? She looks like—”
“Shhh! Watch your words!” He quickly covered her mouth.
Pulling her down behind the counter, he spoke in a low voice, “I told you, didn’t I? Don’t casually gossip about those cultivators’ private lives. No, I mean, it’s fine if we talk about it at home, but in the shop, you mustn't comment or speculate. This is a basic principle if we want to stay in this kind of business. Otherwise, disaster might come from the mouth!” His eyes darted around, confirming that not many people were present that afternoon and that no one had heard his wife’s earlier words.
A few people had turned their heads in curiosity before, since the person who came in wore such elegant clothing and had a striking appearance. However, although Wei Wuxian’s name resounded across the cultivation world, in truth, only a portion of the upper ranks of the clans had seen his face, much less ordinary mortals. It wasn’t just Wei Wuxian—most scions of the major sects would not be immediately recognized unless they wore their sect robes or revealed their distinctive weapons, such as ChenQing or WangjiQin.
The proprietress’s face paled a little, but it didn’t dampen her curiosity. “I understand. But husband, weren’t you staring at the girl quite brazenly as well? Weren’t you curious? Why would Wei-Gongzi bring a girl, a dirty one who looked like a beggar, to a private booth in the middle of the day, just the two of them?”
“How should I know? Maybe… maybe he felt sorry for the female beggar and wanted to treat her to lunch?”
His wife raised her brows, giving him a look that clearly said, 'Do you even believe your own words?'
The proprietor coughed lightly. “How about… how about you make your specialty, spicy meat-filled Baozi, and take it upstairs?”
—Maybe then, they could catch a glimpse or two for their gossip.
“We’re here. Sit down and drink some water first,” Wei Wuxian said, pouring the warm tea the waiter had brought earlier and offering it to the woman.
Noticing the tremor in her hands, he steadied the cup for her and helped her drink, allowing her to finish it in two or three gulps.
During the climb to the second floor, Wei Wuxian had supported her the entire way. Her body was still weak; her head spun, and her legs trembled with every step. Even now, he kept one hand on her arm, gently guiding her down into the seat.
Seeing how miserable she looked, he turned, intending to step out, but the other person suddenly clung to him and pleaded hurriedly, “Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian, don’t, don’t go yet. Wei-Gongzi, I beg you, please hear me out…”
Rising too abruptly made her head buzz again with dizziness, and she nearly tumbled from the seat if not for Wei Wuxian bracing her figure, letting her lean against his chest.
“There’s an inn at the back of this shop. I was about to ask for a room, since you look like you haven’t slept for days,” he explained.
“No need! No, I mean, there’s no time for that. I won’t be able to sleep anyway. Just… please, quickly… please save A-Ning.”
Wei Wuxian nodded. “I know. But I need to settle you first before I go. Wen Qing, it’s fine if I go alone. I’ll definitely bring back Wen Ning.”
The woman—Wen Qing—shook her head vigorously and clutched his collar. “No! No! I’ll go. I have to go with you!”
After Wen Ning went missing, she had run from Qishan to Gusu with barely any rest along the way. She hadn’t closed her eyes for days. When she finally saw Wei Wuxian, she urged and begged him as though she had gone mad. Now, with pale lips and vacant eyes, she looked worn down to a mere shadow.
The sight reminded Wei Wuxian of the time he and Jiang Cheng were on the run.
There was a knock on the door, and the proprietress entered, carrying the meal set along with extra steaming white buns, her specialty.
Wei Wuxian smiled and thanked her. He picked up the bowl of soup first and placed it in front of Wen Qing, gesturing for her to eat.
Seeing that the proprietress had no intention of quickly finishing her task and leaving, Wen Qing relented and finally loosened her grip on Wei Wuxian. With reddened eyes and tangled hair, she drank the meat soup. She knew she was reaching her limit and had to replenish her strength, no matter what.
Soon after the proprietress closed the door, he reassured her again, “Don't worry. I’ll definitely bring back Wen Ning.”
Wen Qing sobbed as she swallowed the remaining bits of tender meat in the soup. “I knew I shouldn’t have left… but I had no choice. They forced me to go to another city. When I came back, Wen Ning and the entire group were gone! I knew I shouldn’t have left him alone!”
“He’ll be alright,” Wei Wuxian said.
Wen Qing shook her head, breaking down. “He won’t! A-Ning has been timid since he was young. He’s cautious and easily frightened. He wouldn’t even dare hire quick-tempered people as his subordinates, they’re all a bunch of mice like him! When I’m not there, he doesn’t know what to do in an emergency!”
Wei Wuxian remembered the time he had left with Jiang Cheng on his back. Back then, Wen Qing had said, 'No matter what the result of this campaign is, from now on, we owe each other nothing. It’s all settled.'
He could still picture the proud expression on her face. Yet just now, when he met her in front of the tavern, her clothes filthy and disheveled, he had almost failed to recognize her.
After arriving in Gusu, Wen Qing had learned that Wei Wuxian was famously fond of a particular liquor, Tianzi Xiao. It was even said that at least once a week, he would appear to buy a few jars. Knowing that no one could easily enter the Cloud Recesses, she placed her hopes on waiting for him outside the shop.
Later, just as the rumors claimed, she spotted him approaching from the far end of the street. She rushed toward him desperately, clutching his hand and refusing to let go, almost dropping to her knees as she pleaded, “Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian, Wei-Gongzi, please help me. I really can’t find anyone else. You have to help me find A-Ning! There’s no one else I can turn to but you!”
— None of her former pride remained.
Wei Wuxian sighed. He understood Wen Qing's desperation. Just like back then, he had also run like a madman to Lotus Pier the moment he discovered Jiang Cheng's disappearance.
However, “Wen Qing, I need to go back to the Cloud Recesses first. It’ll be quick. If you don’t want to sleep in a proper room, at least rest here in the meantime. I promise I’ll be back soon, and we’ll go find Wen Ning.”
Wen Qing gasped, looking as though she were about to speak, but recalling something, she shut her mouth and nodded.
If Wei Wuxian were a simple cultivator under the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, he would have no qualms about going directly to find Wen Ning without informing anyone else. Not only did the circumstances demand urgency, but he and Jiang Cheng were separate individuals. Even if he did something drastic, it would have little to no impact on Jiang Cheng. Martial siblings bore no responsibility for one another; whatever path each chose would not implicate the other. Should matters take a turn for the worse, they could simply declare his departure from the sect and sever ties thereafter.
In this life, however, Wei Wuxian was no longer just one person. Married couples, spouses, or cultivation partners, were destined to bear accountability for one another. Back then, when they knelt before Heaven and Earth, Wei Wuxian had sincerely committed himself to the other person.
To take Lan Xichen’s well-being as his own responsibility.
To uphold his honor as though it were his own,
...and to cherish his reputation.
The Lan Sect’s personal residence lay within a remote mountain outside the city of Gusu.
White mists lingered there all year round. From afar, only long stretches of white walls and black tiles could be seen, half-veiled beneath drifting clouds. Pine trees blanketed the mountainside endlessly, solemn and austere. Other than trees and wild grass, scarcely any vegetation could be observed within the isolated grounds.
Yet amidst the towering pines, clusters of slender bamboo also flourished along several ridges.
And hidden within one such dense bamboo grove stood a secluded residence.
Wei Wuxian glanced at the wooden plaque in front of the courtyard—Hanshi.
His steps faltered.
He knew that from the moment he agreed to help Wen Qing, he was bound to stir up trouble once again. The reputation that Lan Xichen had painstakingly rebuilt would crumble once more. He would have to endure a wave of backlash and criticism, just as before.
—Wei Wuxian understood.
Yet he had no choice.
—In the end, he closed his eyes briefly and opened the door.
Wei Wuxian stood at the entrance, framed by the fading light outside. He wore his usual black robe, loose and unrestrained, the red threads of his Dizi coiled at his wrist, fluttering faintly. It was his most familiar appearance, the one that countless people had seen since his return after the 3-month disappearance during the early SunShot campaign.
During the roughly one year of union with this bright youth from Yunmeng, Lan Xichen had seen many sides of him.
His confident stride, his carefree laughter, his radiant smiles, the mischievous glint in his eyes, his quiet and serious look, his frustration and anger, even the most intimate moments, when he was intoxicated with lust and desire during their tryst—of all these facets of Wei Wuxian—Lan Xichen dared say he had witnessed them all, and wholeheartedly cherished every one of them.
Yet, this expression of his was one Lan Xichen had never seen before. He did not like it. It filled him with a vague sense of foreboding.
In the past, Jiang Yanli had commented that Wei Wuxian was born with a smiling look. No matter what unfortunate thing happened, he wouldn’t dwell on it; no matter what circumstance he was in, he would find happiness somehow.
Even at this time, the young man's smile still made him handsome as ever. But the smile did not reach his eyes. More precisely, his eyes seemed distant, like someone standing at the edge of a cliff, watching the horizon beyond. He looked lighter than usual, like a bubble that would drift away in a mere touch.
Outside, the Dusk has fallen.
He averted his gaze, idly tracing the rim of his cup as he spoke. “I met Wen Qing in Caiyi Town. Wen Ning and the rest of her family have been seized and taken elsewhere. I was hoping to ask you about their whereabouts… since you’re acquainted with Lianfang-Zun and all.”
Lan Xichen asked, “Do you plan to go there to check? Will you take them somewhere afterward?”
“Let's see the situation first.” Wei Wuxian paused. “…But I might. Which is why I came to tell you that I’ll be away for some time.”
After a while of silence, Lan Xichen whispered, “Wei-Gongzi…”
His voice sounded like a mixture of emotion. A blend of helplessness and disapproval. Deep down inside, Lan Xichen felt reluctant to Wei Wuxian's choice, yet he understood that voicing his opposition would make the other person displeased instead.
He blinked several times in quick succession. A rare trace of bewilderment flickered through his eyes. The sudden turn of events had truly caught him off guard.
Somehow, at this very moment, Lan Xichen finally understood the reactions of his Third Sworn Brother and that Cheap father of his back then, when they discovered that the person involved was him instead.
It simply had never been part of the plan he'd meticulously arranged for their life
Not in Plan A. Nor Plan B. Not even Plan X, Y, or Z!
It was as if someone had abruptly tossed a miscellaneous ingredient in the cauldron while he was refining medicine, causing the carefully balanced concoction to veer entirely off course. Right now, Lan Xichen was at a loss. Unsure how he ought to salvage the situation.
Wei Wuxian caught sight of Lan Xichen’s dazed expression from the corner of his eye, and for a brief moment, his heart wavered.
A faint sense of powerlessness rose within him. Somewhere deep in his mind, a traitorous thought quietly surfaced, asking—Why had things turned out this way again? Just when his life had finally begun to settle. Just when everything seemed to be falling back into place. Why must it once more take a turn for the worse?
In the past, it had been like this. And now, today, it was still the same. As if he, Wei Wuxian, was fated never to live in peace for long.
Yet almost immediately afterward, Wei Wuxian ruthlessly smacked himself awake inside his mind.
How could he think of this as trouble? How could repaying a kindness be considered burdensome? Others had extended their hands to help him without hesitation, yet the moment it was his turn to return that grace, he was already preparing countless excuses to evade it.
Wei Wuxian took a deep breath, and his gaze turned firm. “Let me make this clear first, I’m here to give you a heads-up, not because I have a guilty conscience. I won’t do anything out of line. Zewu-Jun, you should know that I, Wei Wuxian, understand what should and shouldn’t be done. However, others might not see it that way. That’s why I plan to help her free her family first, and later settle them in Yiling.”
He lifted his head and suddenly met a pair of lifeless eyes.
Not good!
Sensing something was amiss, he hurried to add, as if placating Lan Xichen, “Don’t worry! It’s not like I’m asking for a divorce, or as if we won’t be able to see each other again. Gusu and Yiling are far apart, but not anymore, with the teleportation array we’ve recently discovered, right? Zewu-Jun...” Wei Wuxian’s words trailed off as he studied the other’s expression.