Once upon a lifetime

Chapter One - Before

Revised 03/11/25

* * *

Lan Wangji must have been dreaming.

Why else would he see Wei Wuxian crumple to the ground amongst the dead?

Wei Wuxian, who was never without a smile. Wei Wuxian, whose mischievous laughter had echoed in Lan Wangji's mind like a particularly endearing song. Wei Wuxian, who had charmed his way into his heart and never left.

Wei Wuxian, who was so unbearably good.

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Look at me!"

"What's the name of this song?"

"Lan Zhan, I thought of you as my soulmate..."

It couldn't have been him, could it? But Lan Wangji's eyes couldn't deny the sight before him: Wei Wuxian, now a bundle of black and red robes dirtied by old blood; Wei Wuxian, whose laughs were indistinguishable from his sobs — his voice, once so innocent and warm, was hot, angry and laced with deadly venom.

Wei Wuxian, who looked like he was about to break.

And Lan Wangji didn't know how to fix him.

"Wei Ying," he whispered.

All around them, chaos reigned; cultivators tore one another apart for the rogue Stygian Tiger Amulet. Their bodies, once radiant with life, now littered the ground until Nightless City itself began to resemble the Burial Mounds.

Then Wei Wuxian moved.

Lan Wangji's gaze didn't waver — he knew that if he blinked for even a second, Wei Wuxian would disappear.

Except this time, he wouldn't return.

Not now that the Wens, Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Wen Yuan, Jin Zixuan, and Jiang Yanli were dead.

But Wei Wuxian did something entirely unexpected; a nearby cultivator lunged for him, sword in hand, and he simply allowed them. The blade pierced his lower chest and without so much as a wince, he turned around, blood bubbling at his lips.

And he smiled.

The cultivator paled. He quickly yanked the sword out, but he was too late. The resentful energy within Wei Wuxian lunged for him, and within seconds he was engulfed by the tendrils until nothing was left.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji called again. But Wei Wuxian didn't hear him. In fact, he started to walk further and further away from him, and if he went any further, there was no doubt that...

Lan Wangji's heart sank. He intuitively knew what Wei Ying intended to do; that utterly broken expression on his face, as though he had given up on the entire world, was telling enough.

And he lunged for him.

It was an odd sight, the Second Young Master of the Lan Sect, blood soaking through his sleeves, his forehead ribbon hanging loosely halfway down his hair. But Lan Wangji's resolve didn't falter. He reached out and managed to catch Wei Wuxian's hand just in time—

—before his chest slammed against the rocky ground. The breath was knocked from his lungs, and pain shot through his injured arm as the weight of another pulled it down.

Wei Wuxian's voice trembled. "Lan Zhan...?"

"I'm here," Lan Wangji told him. He tried to shuffle back, to pull Wei Wuxian back up — but his arm... His arm...

"Let me go."

"No." Lan Wangji's reply was quick. "No."

Wei Wuxian laughed softly. Blood smeared across his lips like a coat of bold lipstick. "Why?"

Why?

Because I love you, Lan Wangji wanted to tell him. And I always have.

So why do you look like you're the only one left in this world? Why do you throw your life away, as though no one ever cherished you?

"Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian whispered, and Lan Wangji's heart stuttered at the address — How long had it been since he heard his name being uttered so caringly by Wei Ying's lips?

"Mn?"

A droplet of blood slid down his arm and landed on Wei Wuxian's cheek with a soft splat.

Wei Wuxian smiled faintly. "Thank you."

It took Lan Wangji a few moments to realise Wei Wuxian's gaze wasn't on him. He jerked his head around, but he was too late — Jiang Wanyin's sword descended down on them — Wei Ying was tearing his hand away —

Lan Wangji's blood ran cold.

He felt his heart beat speed up as his brain tried to catch up with what he was seeing.

Wei Ying had fallen.

"Lan Zhan, I got you these rabbits? Do you like them?"

He...

"Ahahahaha! You're such a fuddy-duddy!"

He would never hear that voice again...

"Lan Zhan, can you sing a song for me?"

That laughter...

"If you agree to not tell on me, I'll let you have one. Deal?"

That smile...

"Thank you."

It was all gone.

Because Wei Ying was dead.

***

YES, I am going over this again. Initially, I was just reading it so I could catch up on the plot (I forgot most of it as it's been 2 years lol) but... You know how I am. I haven't spent this time sitting around, no - my writing has gotten better so I can't bear to leave it as it is. I won't unpublish any chapters like I did before, but I'll swap them out with a newer version from time to time.

So, I think I won't post any new chapters until I've caught up. I'll probably be working on the plot for the rest of the book instead!