WangXian Forever 7

Chapter 42 Harvest

Dashi had been a resident of Cloud Recesses since his return from the Nether world. The healers had kept him sedated because somewhere in that muddled brain of his, he had decided he wanted to fly...and Cloud Recesses being on top of a mountain didn't help. He was carried on a stretcher, behind the other travellers.

As they made their way down to Caiyi Town, Lan Zhan handed Wei Ying a white handkerchief, silently.

Wei Ying took it, also without a word, wiping his eyes.

"Wei Ying will be better once we are away." Lan Zhan told him, pulling him close to kiss his forehead.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan. I can't seem to help myself...I love Cloud Recesses." He smiled through his tears.

"Home." Lan Zhan told him proudly.

Hongse was waiting for them.

"I've made some modifications to my travelling array." She told Wei Ying.

"Really? Are you going to show us?" He asked excitedly.

"If I may. How about I take all of us where we want to go? The array is limited in that we must know where to go. I have to see the image in my mind, and it must be a real place. Not a picture."

"That seems easy enough." Wei Ying said. He looked up at the sky. "It's too early to visit Dunshi...how about we go to the festival instead? In Lanling."

The children were happiest about that, as they all stood in a circle, holding hands.

Hongse stared at Huaisang until he was forced to put away his fan.

Then she held her right palm over her left and began to chant under her breath. Underneath their feet, a red mandala array appeared, faint at first but as her chanting became louder, it began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Close your eyes!" She shouted and there was a sudden wind in their hair, on their faces and ruffling their robes.

And then silence.

"Open your eyes." She announced, amused.

Then, the noise volume grew as they realised she had transported them right in the middle of the festival.

Wei Ying didn't wait for anyone, he grabbed both his children, knowing Lan Zhan would follow, and aimed for the first food stall. They snacked on fried finger foods as they passed fire eaters, knife throwers, and acrobats. The children were wide-eyed and enthralled with everything going on around them, until they reached a hoopla stall.

"Do you want to try?" Wei Ying encouraged both of them.

At first, Rumi hid behind his robes, until he saw Li XiWang take up the challenge. Her first throw was aiming for a sweet little stuffed pig, and she missed, getting a toy toad instead. Her second throw earned her a packet of sweets and for her last throw, she asked Rumi what he wanted. He pointed to a bow and arrow set, clearly for children. This time, her hoop fell on the right item, and the friendly vendor handed it over.

Rumi was examining his gift with determined interest; he had never seen something like this before. Lan Zhan crouched beside him.

"Your father is an expert at archery. When we go where no one can get hurt, if you ask him, he will show you."

Rumi handed him his gift for safe keeping.

Wei Ying was blushing too much to say anything, but he grabbed Lan Zhan's hand and squeezed.

Lan Zhan pulled him closer, inhaling that beautiful floral scent mixed with wine.

"It is merely the truth. No one can beat Wei Ying."

Wei Ying was saved from having to say anything because Li XiWang had spotted a candy floss stall, and she dragged everyone there. The stall owner was an expert and made the sweet treat into little animals; Rumi picked a mouse and Li XiWang had a kitten. Wei Ying asked for two bunnies which he happily shared with Lan Zhan while the owner gave them funny looks.

The Ferris wheel guy recognised Lan Zhan because the last time they had met, Lan Zhan had turned the wheel for him, much faster than he could manage, and the man was so pleased with his strength, he had even offered Lan Zhan a job, much to Wei Ying's amusement.

They even saw a man making snakes dance, there was a racing course for big headed ants, and a fight between a pair of praying mantis.

The sun was just beginning to set when they finally had enough.

"Do we need to tell the Jin Elders that we're back?" Wei Ying wondered. "They'll probably throw another spanner in the works, just for the sake of it."

"Then we can always make some excuse later." Nie Huaisang suggested.

He was still excited to see what Wei Ying had mentioned.

"Alright, Phoenix Mountain it is, then." Wei Ying told Hongse. "By the way, I'm loving this new modification. Not only does it work really well, but it's looking amazing too.

Hongse grinned.

"I can't wait to show my master."

"I bet he'll be so proud of you." Wei Ying told her. "Not long to go now. However long it takes us to find the Jiyi Huifu." He looked over to a tree, under which Chihong and Xinghong were sitting next to him. Dashi was still not awake.

"When he wakes up, can we please leave him alone? It pains me to see him like this, asleep and immobile. When he was alright up there," She tapped the side of her head, "He was always thinking up new ideas, trying out different ideas, always moving forward. I think I just miss him so much."

Wei Ying patted her arm.

"What do you say to pulling a heist?" He winked and gave her the naughtiest smile.