The world is still such a bright place

Chapter 72

When Jin Guangshan started talking, Lan Wangji saw from the corner of his eye Wei Ying take a small step backwards and start trembling violently. He immediately turned his eyes away from the Lanling Jin sect leader and focused on his brother.

At first, he thought that We Ying could sense the lustful stare which had been on him but then he realized that the distress the other was experiencing at the moment was not caused by that. It could not be because Jin Guangshan was not looking at him like that anymore, he seemed now to be deep in thoughts, probably trying to recall where he had already seen Wei Ying.

With each pensive word, his brother shuddered more until his knees gave up under him and he all but fell onto the ground, rolling himself in a tight ball and covering his ears. This was all the proof Lan Wangji needed. He acted immediately, half on instinct as conscious thoughts only came to him after he had already cast a silencing spell on the Lanling Jin sect leader.

The silence was now complete, no one dared to utter a word when the Second Jade kneeled beside his brother and observed him closely. It was clear that Wei Ying was having another one of his episodes, and from the look of it, it was quite severe. He was not sure he or even Jin Zixuan would be enough to help him this time around.

Lan Wangji gave Jin Guangshan a furious glare after he had finished his examination. It was now crystal clear to him what had happened to Wei Ying in his past, he finally pieced the puzzle together and he was not happy about the whole picture in the slightest.

From how hungrily Jin Guangshan had watched his brother, the way he thought he recognized him and Wei Ying's reaction which was similar to those he had in the very beginning, after being just brought to the Cloud Recesses, he concluded that they had met each other in the past. And the circumstances of that encounter – hopefully only one but Lan Wangji feared it was worse than that – must have been extremely traumatizing to the small, vulnerable and fragile child Wei Ying had been at that moment.

Lan Wangji was starting to see red. He was having a hard time reining in his fury. Only the knowledge that his brother needed him more at this moment kept him from causing an inter-sect incident. He could always deal with Jin Guangshan later, after he had helped his brother.

Not minding that he was standing in the middle of the reception hall in another sect, he sat down on the ground with his legs crossed and got his guqin out of his qiakun pouch that he never ever forgot to take with him anywhere he went, especially if he was accompanying his brother. Without another moment to spare, he started playing soothing melodies, hoping that even if they would not snap Wei Ying out of his dazed state, they would at least help to alleviate his distress.

He was so focused on channelling his spiritual energy through his music that he had not noticed right away what Jin Zixuan was doing. When he finally focused on the Lanling Jin sect heir again, he had only time to say: "No..."

Jin Zixuan was now kneeling next to Wei Ying with his hand outstretched towards the other. It was more than clear that he wanted to touch him. That was a terrible idea, Lan Wangji knew it all too well. He was however too late to warn the Lanling Jin sect heir.

Just as he feared, upon sensing someone touching him, Wei Ying drew into himself even more, the tremors seizing his body became more violent still. Lan Wangji was very worried since he could feel how his brother's qi started to act up, it was now all over the place. He focused even more on sending his way all the spiritual energy he could, together with the calming and soothing effects of the song he was just playing.

If they did not snap Wei Ying out of his state soon, there would be no way back, they did not have his doctor here and explaining what they should do to a new one would take too much time. Luckily, his song seemed to be taking effect as Wei Ying fell asleep the next moment and Jin Zixuan caught him in his arms before he could hit the ground.

Lan Wangji gave out a small sigh of relief, hoping that they were passed the worst. He could feel his brother's qi slowly calming down and his breath evening. He could now only pray that his sleep would not be haunted by nightmares and once he would wake up, he would be more or less alright.

He glared at Jin Guangshan again, his fingers never leaving the strings of his guqin while he continued to play for Wei Ying. He did not know what he should do next, he was too outraged at the moment to think straight about how he should deal with the situation.

Jin Zixuan was preoccupied with whispering something into Wei Ying's ear while holding him tightly against his chest and caressing his hair gently. Lan Wangji was not sure that it was the best thing to do seeing how his brother reacted earlier to the mere attempt of a touch, but he let it go on the end. He still clearly remembered that it had been the Lanling Jin sect heir who had calmed Wei Ying down the last time he had had a panic attack like this. Hopefully he knew what he was doing.

Suddenly, he flinched a bit when a well-controlled voice of Madame Jin echoed through the hall: "Servants, please go fetch a doctor and some water."

Even though all the servants in the room must have been shocked by what was happening in front of them, Lan Wangji had to commend them for obeying their sect leader's wife and immediately bowing and exiting the room. They were now left alone, only Jin Zixuan, Wei Ying, him, the still silenced Jin Guangshan and his now furiously looking wife.

She turned towards her husband, anger seeping from her eyes so much that the Lanling Jin sect leader must have been now almost drowning in it. Lan Wangji was somewhat satisfied to see that he had cowered a bit in his chair, avoiding his eyes.

The previously nice and cultivated lady had now turned into a vengeful spirit when she started shouting at her husband, her fury evident in each of her words: "Jin Guangshan, how dare you! I tried to overlook you coming after the servants and going to brothels, but putting your filthy arms on disciples of another sect? And a sect heir of all people? No, I have had enough with you, you unfaithful scumbag! If you want to get out of this with all your precious body parts still attached, you will announce your retirement into seclusion immediately or I will rain the hell loose on you! Do you understand me?"

Jin Guangshan seemed completely terrified right now. He did not even hesitate for a second and he was nodding his head vehemently since he could still not speak because of the silencing spell Lan Wangji had casted before.

"Perhaps," thought the Second Jade, "he would not have been able to speak even without me using the Gusu Lan sect secret technique on him. He seems completely beside himself... I wonder if this was not his first offence since Madame Jin is this furious... It looks to me like this might have been just a last drop into the cup of her patience and tolerance. Not that I should even be concerned by this, it is a Lanling Jin sect's internal affair."

He remained completely impassive when guards had been called into the hall and Jin Guangshan was taken away, probably to his appointed seclusion chamber. Then Madame Jin turned towards him, her eyes and expression calm once more, and she apologized: "Second Young Master Lan, I am sorry you had to witness this. And I am even more sorry that my husband had offended your brother in the past. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I wish to make it up to both of you to the best of my abilities."

She bowed to him and Lan Wangji inclined his head in response as he could not get up to reciprocate her politeness since he was still playing his guqin. An awkward silence fell upon the room.

Luckily, it only lasted a minute or two. The servants were coming back with a man in gold Lanling Jin sect colours, probably the doctor who had been called to attend to Wei Ying. Lan Wangji now turned to him and informed him about his brother's condition and how he would usually be treated.