The Venerated Triad Aftermath

Part 1-4

Part 1: Zewu-jun

Lan XiChen has been in voluntary seclusion.

Can you blame him? After all, that's two of his sworn brothers sealed in that coffin.

He really didn't know them as well as we thought?

And I thought he was the smart one of the three.

Enough! Weren't you fooled by Jin GuangYao too?

Aiyah! We shouldn't talk about this anymore. It's bad luck. Weren't people doing the same when the Yiling Patriarch died the first time?
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"Why?-"

"Why have you never told me?"

Lan XiChen was in seclusion, in the ice cavern wherein an ancient GusuLan guqin was serving a sad purpose.

"Did you both take me as a fool?"

The strings vibrated harshly, sending tumultuous sounds that bounced and echoed off the walls. The notes were chaotic and dissonant, like there were two people fighting over the instrument.

"Stop!" Lan XiChen cried, finally fed up with the noise.

Noise.

It was all but noise. Everything. Just empty numbing sounds that bring nothing of value. Pointless, useless. Why was he even doing this?

He had been in and out of seclusion as there were things to take care of. But he was distracted. Details of announcements get mixed up. Some names he has already forgotten. People were starting to question his abilities. It was all becoming one big mess.

Useless.

Wanji and Master Wei finally returned from their honeymoon. Wanji had visited him and tried to comfort him. And Lan XiChen felt a bittersweet ache in his heart. His brother was finally happy. He deserves to be happy. But Lan XiChen wondered if he deserved it too. Maybe he didn't?

In retrospect, he was who he was, all in an effort to maintain some semblance of peace. Wanji was distant and aloof so he had to be the more sociable one. He HAD to be. Or else people will mistake his brother's silence for rudeness (it kind of was). Or, worse, fill that silence with their own opinions.

His uncle and father were resigned to their cold relationship. He (and in some form, Wanji) had to be the bridge between the two… something both seniors could hold on to, a reflection that their brotherhood was once great and was still good. He HAD to be their hope.

When he finally made a friend, it had to be Nie MingJue. Who else wouldn't feel insecure next to one of the Twin Jades of Lan? For, no matter how amiable or approachable he made himself to be, people just put him on a pedestal… adored, respected but alone.

But Nie MingJue had his own problems and shortcomings as well. Dealing with the violent curse of his family made him volatile and aggressive. He always needed an outlet and was surrounded by fierce warriors and trusted generals matching his temperament.
Lan XiChen felt like a stick in the mud when he was present during group discussions. It wasn't that he didn't believe in fighting, but he believed everything had a proper time and place. His sound reasoning was refreshing but was also a cold bucket over the heads of warlords who believe violence to be the only solution.

Besides, Lan XiChen can be fierce too. When push comes to shove, he can physically defend himself and his logical arguments. Very few can match him, much less win against him. So, many cultivators have no choice but to bite their tongues, unable to fight him in either a battle of swords or wits. Not only that, he has defended and excused Nie MingJue's behaviors to others who would call the latter too aggressive, boorish and rude (pretty much the same way he defends WanJi).