Savage Wolf, Lotus Heart [Never Let You Go, Again: Book 4]

3: Wangji Sanren

Blue flames lit up a brightly illuminated little hut in an unknown mountainside. Wei Wuxian let the flames fade away and dusted down his robes before looking around. Finding Baoshan Sanren cultivating in a corner, he crossed his hands behind his back and grinned as he tiptoed over. Without warning, he jumped at her, flinging his hands around her neck and burying his chin in her collarbone. "Grandma!"

Baoshan Sanren shot out of her meditational reverie and chuckled. "You silly child," she patted his back.

"Scared Grandma, didn't I?"

"Hmph, scare me? Not even the Ghost King could scare me!" She grinned smugly.

"Oh, definitely, the fellow's pretty handsome and kind," Wei Wuxian laughed. "He's my bestie, Grandma! He won't scare you!"

Baoshan Sanren laughed and shook her head. "Figured as much. So? What brings you here?"

"Grandma won't believe it if I tell you I came just to see you?" Wei Wuxian sat in front of her and pouted. "I'm a filial grandson!"

"Right. But two things prove otherwise."

"What?"

"One. Cangse should have come with you. Two, I thought you wanted to introduce my grandson-in-law the next time you came? So? Where's the handsome lad you can't miss a moment with?"

"Grandma..." Wei Wuxian's pout deepened as he blushed and nudged her knees repeatedly with his fists in embarrassment. "Look, jokes aside, we need your help."

"My help? What for?" 

**********

"Zhan-Er? What do you mean only we can help?"

Lan Wangji, seated in front of his mother-in-law at her house in Cloud Recesses, sighed. "Demonic plague. Just Mama, myself and Baoshan Sanren can heal the patients."

"Why? What is this plague?"

"The Red Death."

"Such a strong demonic plague..." Cangse Sanren frowned. "What could have caused it?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Don't know, Mama. But we do know one thing. Cure's the energy of Immortals."

"Then Ying-Er?"

"Only spiritual."

"True, he's demonic himself," Cangse nodded. "So if our energy cures them, then that means... the plague's more of a possession?"

"Mn."

"Demonic possession? How does it transmit?"

"Selectively."

"Oh? The evil spirits select and possess?"

"Mn."

"Then we better find a pattern for the selection so we know which of the people will be at highest risk."

"Mn. Huaisang's started it. Said it tends to be young women with children."

"Hm? Non-virgin females? Sounds like a terrible ghoul at work. A-Sang's already gotten to work? What else? How far have you progressed?"

"Jiang Wanyin and Huaisang are producing medicine for fever and blood loss in stocks. Rulan and Sizhui have begun treatments with them. Gege and Huaisang are working on setting the scouts to pick out the possible targets."

"Excellent. Zhan-Er," Cangse smiled and tucked a strand of loose hair behind Lan Zhan's ear. "Your friends and sons are indeed amazing. Well then? Do we get to work?"