The tale of the fox and the dragon egg

Chapter 35 - Dark gaze

There was dead silence after that.

Not one of them wanted to back down and so the uncle and nephew remained within a silent conversation that carried on for long seconds. 

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Wei Ying was definitely not ready for this conversation.

But he wouldn't be ready on any other time too.

The gaze of Lan Qiren was almost terrifying. Not even in his past did the fox see him so angry, with a head so red he had the worry it would explode any second now. With how those brown eyes glared at Lan Zhan and then himself, this could definitely happen in reality.

Within the silence of the room, his seven tails roamed free. Because of the nervousness roaming free inside Wei Ying's chest, they started to loosely pound onto the ground. It left a dull sound on the heavy wood, but it was enough to disturb the air. The fox only stopped it when the old man Lan glared at him even more and when Lan Zhan's hand took a hold of his own under the table.

Warm skin rested against warm skin and the fox clung to the hand like nothing else. When Lan Zhan's thumb swept across the back of his hand, he finally had something to focus on and the tails, which were so restless before, started to loosely curl around the dragon.

The one person that was neither calm nor understanding was Lan Qiren.

"Wangji, sit properly."

Lan Zhan was sitting perfectly. Wei Ying was the one draped over him.

"What shameless behaviour of yours", Lan Qiren said, still standing with a posture so outraged that one could think he would storm out of the room at any given moment, "You sit next to this uncivilized fox? And dare to stand next to him on the trial? I have forgiven you for whatever happened before, but now you dare to approach Cloud Recesses not only with this sinner, but with a Wen as well?!"

The old man was gazing intently at Wen Ning, who was still sitting behind them. His hands fidgeted on his lap, his eyes towards the dark wood of the floor. Within the colours of the Wen, he stood out as something long forgotten in these halls.

Not long forgotten for Wei Ying, nor long forgotten for Lan Qiren.

Deciding that it was better to keep quiet in the face of the rageful Lan, Wen Ning let the words that weren't even meant for him spill over his ears. Maybe it was indeed a better decision. Wei Ying didn't want him to become a scapegoat like he was once. Wanted him to not get the focused anger on himself.

"A Wen that I believe was said to be dead."

It was truly amazing, how calm Lan Zhan was within this situation. With that sharp golden gaze that dared to defy the old dragon standing in front of him. But that was exactly why Wei Ying felt so calm.

Any other way and he would panic right then and there.

Maybe Lan Qiren didn't know that a phoenix of the Wen was able to revive itself. However, it was apparent that the old dragon was knowledgeable. A phoenix that was able to revive itself once was truly a powerful foe. And that must be the reason the old Lan was so against the idea.

It was not that the phoenixes revive themselves. They were not truly dead in the sense that everyone thought. They were simply gone – a flame the only thing that would rest in the darkness of death. Their life essence and energy were never dead to begin with. It simply slept. Only a powerful spirit was able to contain it's energy like that and gather further enough to gain a physical body once more.

Lan Zhan, "I have explained uncle what has happened."

Lan Qiren, "I have accepted the horrendous telling of the betrayal of our own disciple, but that does not excuse that you have brought them here and expect them to stay! I have made countless exceptions for that Wen child already. I will not allow two criminals to remain within these walls, one of them at your side of all things!"