It's Not Over

When The Plan Backfires

No one could say that Wei Wuxian wasn't a genius. It was the actual opposite. He was intelligent and could figure a problem in front of him quicker than most people who had ever lived. He lived in chaos, but within that chaos, he solved problems.

This was something he wasn't prepared for.

When he had gone to bed that night, finally curling into Lan Zhan's warm heat he had missed while working on his latest talisman, he had very specifically told his little kits not to touch anything in his studio, specifically the one that looked like a musical note. It had been a drunk invention. One made on the anniversary on the downfall of the Burial Mounds, a silent reminder of all his failures. He hadn't touched it since, not exactly sure what it was supposed to do since he had managed to drink himself to a black out state. And to be brutally honest, from what his notes had read, he wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to know.

Which is why when he felt the draft of the energy float over their skin, Lan Zhan's eyes snapping open in fear before the blackness surrounded them, he knew exactly who messed with it.

And when their vision faded back in to existence, he glanced around the room, ignoring the many caught in the backlash of what this specific man had done. He didn't stop to take in anything else around him until his eyes landed on the man in particular.

It was the same person giving him a terrified look from the middle of the dark black abyss that now surrounded them. He could hear the groans and complaints from the many in the room with them, but he couldn't snatch his eyes away from the boy that watched him wearily, grimace on his face.

"I'm sorry!" Jin Ling cried out, dodging the hand that came to smack him upside the head. "It was an accident!"

"What was an accident?"

Well, shit. Wei Wuxian finally tore his eyes away from the cowering boy to the many that resided in the room with him. What had he done?

Lan Zhans hand rested on his elbow, but did not draw his eyes away from who was in the room with him.

All the Lan disciples, Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen gazed around in awe. If they were gently swiping away at the curl of resentful energy that surrounded them, they would never admit it.

Jian Fengmian, Yu Ziyuan, Jiang Yanli, Jin Zixuan, Madam Jin, Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao, and Jin Zixun clambered to their feet, each glancing at the other with awe. The soft stabbing pain in his chest made his heart throb a little harder, nearly causing him collapse while watching them embrace each other without thought to the fact that more than half of them were dead not moments ago.

It took everything in Wei Wuxian's might not strangle Su She and Meng Yao as they made their way to the group, each greeting the clans that had built around them.

But that wasn't what stopped Wei Wuxian.

No, it was the sight of the Wen Remnants. Wen Qing patting her brother down that made his breath catch in his chest. Uncle Four's smile when he walked over to Lan Sizhui, who stood as stunned as him, and patted his cheek. It was the many people he had tried so hard to save, but failed in the end.

"I didn't do it!"

Wei Wuxian sighed, turning back to see Nie Mingjue towering over Nie Huisang's terrified form. He could actually say he wasn't the one who did it for once.

"It wasn't him," Wei Wuxian sighed, glancing at Lan Zhan to see the amused glimmer in his eyes. "You can blame the boys this time!"

The calls of denial echoed through the room, overshadowing the joy that was filling the air. A joy that he couldn't seem to pull forth, instead letting himself bask in the happiness that his invention had at least given peace to some of those who had managed to make their way back to living even for a little bit. He heard Jin Lings call for his parents, the soft thump of what he assumed to be a hug. He wanted to turn and look at them, to see the moment, but instead focused on the man he had married, the one who was looking at him with a glimmer of happiness and worry. The man who gently rubbed his face before looking behind him at something that Wei Wuxian couldn't see.

He startled at the hand that patted his back, turning to see his sisters smiling at him for the first time in years, giving him looks that he had only dreamed about.

"You did good, XianXian." Jiang Yanli pulled him in to a gentle hug. "You did good."

"Even if you are an idiot," Wen Qing added, giving him a small smack to his head once it was in reach. "Now, what did you invent that created this black hole?"

"I don't-" Wei Ying paused, a bright light catching his attention.

"Welcome one and all to the only and grand showing of The Untamed Cultivator. We the gods have decided that it was time to see what really happened, and how we got here. The other clans will be arriving shortly-"

Shortly was not the word for it. Wei Wuxian watched as the smaller clans came in, each giving disturbed looks while glancing over at him. Of course, this wasn't just going to be an easy 'only the family issue'. It was going to involve the cultivation world.

"Will everyone take a seat -" Chairs seemed to appear on command. "And enjoy the show."

There was a murmur of discontent, but there was nothing to be done. Wei Wuxian made his way over to Lan Xichen, pushing Lan Zhan to sit between the two of them and giving as much distance between him and the Jiang clan. He wasn't ready to deal with that yet.

He heard the shuffling of his kits as they sat on the floor by his feet, an excitement radiating from them as part of the blackness turned a bright white and music began to play.

"REJOICE, Wei Wuxian is dead!"

It was going to be that kind of night.