Backlash Part 1

Chapter 67: Mysterious Array

It was long past curfew when Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji left the Jingshi. This was the seventh day in a row that they were coming out past curfew to make their way towards the library. Wei Wuxian hadn't fully explained exactly what he was doing to protect the library. Lan Wangji would have liked to know, but if Wei Wuxian didn't want to say he wouldn't push. The first night they had placed Wei Wuxian's new talismans until he didn't have any left. They hadn't been able to put one on every structure, but they had gotten all of the most important buildings and all of the buildings near points of entry.

Wei Wuxian hoped to eventually make enough to put one on every structure, but Cloud Recesses was a huge place. Much bigger than Wei Wuxian had realized because he had only ever been there as a guest. The guest residences were very centrally located. Wei Wuxian only realized later that this was on purpose. The guest rooms were located near all of the main gathering spaces and lecture halls. However this was really only a small section of Cloud Recesses. The residences of the sects disciples were all in another area entirely. Several lecture halls used only for the GusuLan sect as well as two additional training fields.

After placing all the talismans, Wei Wuxian had begun working on the library. Every night Wei Wuxian would gather water from the Cold Spring. Lan Wangji wasn't certain what Wei Wuxian was trying to do exactly. He had never seen anyone use water to create an array, but that sort of seemed to be what Wei Wuxian was doing. He'd mix a small amount of blood into the water of the Cold Spring, then ask Lan Wangji to channel spiritual energy into the water. It was an odd request but turned out to be easier than he expected. Wei Wuxian had painted the container with a small array that facilitated channelling the spiritual energy into what it was holding and kept it inside without allowing it to dissipate.

To be perfectly honest Lan Wangji had been so fascinated with how Wei Wuxian came up with this that he hardly paid any attention to what Wei Wuxian was doing to the library the first night. Wei Wuxian methodically painted directly onto the main pillars and exterior walls of the library. Wei Wuxian would channel spiritual energy into the array, making every previously invisible mark glow in fluctuating colours of energy. Wei Wuxian would completely exhaust himself, to the point that Lan Wangji often had to carry him back to the Jingshi.

Tonight proceeded much the same. Wei Wuxian methodically covered the support beams and walls with the same markings he had made every night. He poured his spiritual energy into the array. At first the array lit up in fluctuating colours, and then it burned a brilliant white. Wei Wuxian tiredly got to his feet and dragged Lan Wangji to the front of the library. He manually placed Lan Wangji's hands onto the pillar wordlessly.

"Send some of your spiritual power into the array. A small amount is fine." Wei Wuxian said calmly. Lan Wangji sent a small flair of spiritual energy. A flash of pale blue shifted across the array before it was again glowing white. Slowly the light dimmed down and the array was once again invisible. Invisible to the naked eye, but if Lan Wangji focused and rested his hand on the pillar he could feel the hum of energy beneath his fingers.

"The library will be safe. I can't say what exactly the array does. If anything happens to the library in the future, wait until Cloud Recesses is safe. Then try to reach out to this array with your spiritual energy." Wei Wuxian said in a serious tone.

"The array is complete?" Lan Wangji inquired. Wei Wuxian nodded.

"Mn. You won't have to sneak me out in the middle of the night anymore." Wei Wuxian said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Lan Wangji felt his heart stutter in his chest. He loved that look in Wei Wuxian's eyes. Especially after watching Wei Wuxian work so seriously for hours.