Way too untamed, way too wild

Epilogue

Just as Lan Wangji had assumed, things had changed in the Cloud Recesses after the children had been brought in. It was not that they were as wild as he had feared, they started to behave once the rules had been explained to them, but still, there were incidents. At the heart of most of them was the now notorious troublemaker Wei Ying. However, even if his uncle often shouted angrily at the boy and sometimes even punished him, Lan Wangji could see that he was in fact fond of him.

They ha d found out that the boy was actually son of Lan Qiren's childhood love, Cangse Sanren. It could have been this or that fact that Lan Qiren was very fond of all the rescued children, that he had started treating Wei Ying as a third nephew in no time.

The children were quickly getting stronger and healthier and it was warming Lan Wangji's heart to see them energetic and happy at last. They still spent almost all their time together, only just getting used to the new environment but everyone could see they would be fine. The younger ones had already managed to forget all the horrors of living in the Burial Mounds and the older ones' memories would fade with time as well. Everything was looking bright for them.

Nearly all of them decided to pick up cultivation and were now attending classes, studying diligently. Although they had must to catch up on, being in the Burial Mounds and isolated from the world for all their lives, but it was clear they were thriving.

Only Wen Qing and Wen Ning, together with the baby A-Yuan decided to leave the Cloud Recesses. The work camps set up by the Lanling Jin sect had been obliterated and all the remaining Qishan Wen sect's people had been provided a small piece of land in a fertile valley to build up their community once more after having been abused for so long without the rest of the cultivation world knowing. Wen Qing and Wen Ning went to join them as soon as they learned that some members of their family had apparently survived the massacre.

Wei Ying had been sad to see them go, but at the same time, he was ecstatic they have found their own family alive and well.

The boy was also thriving, much to Lan Wangji's delight. He was now on a good way to recovery, already almost at a healthy weight for his age and he had had a growth spurt and was now almost the same height as Lan Wangji himself. Moreover, he was getting more and more curious to discover the outside world. At times, Lan Wangji had his hands full with just him and had to ask Lan Xichen to take over the beginner guqin classes he was now teaching. It never bothered the First Jade, he only gave him a fond smile each time.

Wei Ying also picked up proper cultivation. Before Wen Qing left, she and the Gusu Lan sect healers came up with a way for the boy to start forming a golden core safely. By now, he had already cultivated one, although still quite weak, and he was also improving in his form of demonic cultivation at the same time. He was the first man in the history of the cultivation world who could wield both spiritual and resentful energies at the same time.

Once he started taking classes and understanding further musical cultivation, it did not quite surprise Lan Wangji that Wei Ying was proclaimed a genius at almost anything, perhaps excluding history and sect politics which he said bored him to death. Indeed, Wei Ying was a true prodigy, he could do everything after being showed or explained only once and he was regularly coming up with his own ways of cultivation and new inventions of talismans and spiritual tools as well.

By now, all the other sects were talking about him. His ingenuity knew no bounds as he could combine knowledge about both spiritual and resentful energies in his work. Even though he had started later than anyone else, it did not even take a year for him to be given his own spiritual sword and named a full-fledged cultivator.

Every month, he and Lan Wangji departed for the Burial Mounds. The Second Jade did not forget the boy's promise to his 'Big Sister' and they often went to visit. At each turn, they spend two or three days in the Burial Mounds. It was always very educative for the young demonic cultivator as the Burial Mound were teaching him how to better control the resentful energy and to protect himself properly from the burden of its use. Now that Wei Ying had a golden core to balance both energies, it was just a matter of practice.

They also played duets together when they were there. Sometimes just for fun but more often to help cleanse the Burial Mounds of the excessive resentful energy. They have found out that when they combined their musical cultivations, one controlling the resentment and the other liberating it and cleansing, the results were very satisfying. Perhaps sometimes, in a not so distant future, the Burial Mounds could become habitable for humans again. Previously thought as impossible, Wei Ying was proving everyone wrong.

During their short visits, they have gotten closer to each other. Lan Wangji had already understood that he long stopped thinking of the boy as a friend, he wanted to become more to him. But he would have to wait for Wei Ying to understand as well. The boy was still way too innocent and naïve when it came to the matters of love. Since he had struggled from a very tender age, he had to apparently give up on many things and emotions which were unnecessary for survival.

A kiss on the lips only made him laugh and he always brushed it right off, never getting the meaning behind it. Being hugged and sleeping in Lan Wangji's arms was normal for him, as he and the children always snuggled together to keep warm. Lan Wangji would probably had to explain to him properly one of these days. Lan Xichen already knew and he was amused by the boy's innocent ignorance and the Second Jade's futile attempts at a subtle explanation.

However, Lan Qiren was another matter altogether. He was the only reason why Lan Wangji did not take their relationship any further for now. He would first have to find a way to assure that his uncle would not go through a qi deviation once he learned the truth.

Well that was the plan at least, one for the immediate future. Although amused by the boy's reactions to his subtle advances, he was slowly getting impatient and he knew he would not last too long before he would take his forehead ribbon off and show Wei Ying in which way exactly he cared about him.

When I have started writing this story, I had actually a little different ending in mind. However, as always, I went with the flow and it just developed in this way. Hence as epilogue which hopefully wrapped up the storyline.

Thank you for reading and supporting me this whole time. I hope you enjoyed the story. If you feel like it, I would be glad to hear what you thought about it :)