The tale of the fox and the dragon egg

Chapter 39 - Unknown

Of course, Lan XIchen reacted the same way Lan Zhan did when he first heard that absurd thought.

Eyebrows furrowing, the teacup stopped just shortly in front of his lips. It rested there for a few seconds, not approaching but not leaving, until it was calmly set back onto the table in front.

A second passed. Then two. The clan leader visibly needed a few seconds to collect himself. 

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When Wei Ying and Lan Zhan arrived within the office of Lan Xichen, the sun had already set fully.

Darkness and silence engulfed the whole of Cloud Recesses, a calming start into the night when everyone would prepare for their nightly rest. Through the windows of the room, the soft light of the moon caressed everyone inside, right besides the candles lit around them.

Compared to the resting Lan in the other parts of the clan, the four cultivators standing in the room were wide awake. Wen Ning was already within the room. Both him and Lan Xichen were already talking about what the phoenix got to know in the little time he and Wei Ying spoke before.

When the door opened and the fox stepped inside, Lan Xichen's gaze was already confused and littered with concern. Because of what, the fox didn't know. Maybe it was the feeling of bad news or his still recovering body.

Every step felt like he would float and his muscles shook in the first steps he took out of the Jingshi. The feeling of being in his body after a forceful Empathy was strange, but his mind and soul quickly accepted their home back with open arms.

"Master Wei, Wangji", Lan Xichen said as a greeting and both brothers dropped into the simple bow of the head. Because the information was so urgent, Wei Ying didn't even find any time to bow like he would usually do. Instead, he giddily leaned from one foot to the other.

"Zewu-jun, I urgently need to speak to you", he immediately began.

Lan Xichen nodded once, but gestured towards the table and sitting mats on the ground, fresh brewed tea already ready in four cups.

"Yes, Master Wen already told me what he knew. But please, take a seat first. I have the slight feeling that this will take longer than a mere minute."

He was definitely right. However, Wei Ying was almost too anxious to do anything else. If it was after him, he would pace through the whole room. Only due to the soft tugging of Lan Zhan's hand on his own did he move to the table, taking a seat right across from Lan Xichen.

The tea in front of them was still hot and steaming. It must have been poured just shortly when they arrived and the calming scent wafted over to Wei Ying's nose, smoothing over some of the ripples in his mind.

"Wen Ning, what did you already tell him?", the fox asked and the phoenix straightened himself, looking serious.

"I have explained the conditions of Empathy. Together with the – the dangers and truths behind it."

Empathy was an ability which was purely known from the foxes. But that did not mean that everyone knew of the dangers and true abilities behind it. It was extremely difficult to control and the fox was only able to perform it because of Nie Mingjue's mind, which was so full of resentful energy that it oozed out of every pore.

Lan Xichen nodded at his words; his face serious as well. He knew the weight of those information.

"Then Zweu-jun should know that whatever I will tell him know, it's not from my own fantasy", Wei Ying said with a cautious look towards the other dragon, "What happened to Nie Mingjue – it was not an accident. It was set up."