Chapter 131: Hauntingly Beautiful

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Lan Wangji leapt atop a high roof, trying to get a better view from which to spot Wei Wuxian. He had a direction. The transformations of the battlefield fires had spread out from somewhere. That point would be where Wei Wuxian was. Wei Wuxian had not mentioned if demonic cultivators could cause such a change, but Wei Wuxian spoke very little about demonic cultivation. It was a wound that remained raw and sensitive, like Wei Wuxian expected any mention of it to be met by rejection. It hurt Lan Wangji to think that it was a version of himself that may have played a large part in instilling that fear.

A distant spark of violet electricity immediately draws Lan Wangji's gaze. Lan Wangji does not even think before he begins closing the distance. It was the distinctive colour and pattern of Zidian. On his way towards the spot he begins to try and take in as much of the scene as possible. Zidian appears to be wrapped around someone. No, it is wrapped around two people. Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian are both tied by Zidian. There are several QishanWen sect cultivators near them, but all of them appear to be stunned in a similar manner to those he just left on the battlefield. Most of the cultivators are faceless unknowns to Lan Wangji, but one of them has him very concerned.

Wen Zhuliu seems to be looking directly at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji is now close enough to see why. Zidian begins to spark angrily, the deep black of resentful energy is curling around Zidian. Snaking around the binds of the whip like smoke given substance. A red light crackles within the dark tendrils, growing in intensity as Zidian resists. With a sound like the clap of thunder Zidian's binds break, returning to the ring on Jiang Wanyin's finger.

Wen Zhuliu charges forward, spiritual energy gathering around his hand. Lan Wangji is too far away to get there in time, but he doesn't need to. Wei Wuxian charges forward to meet Wen Zhuliu head on. Lan Wangji had seen Wei Wuxian fight before. He has seen Wei Wuxian's feet dance swiftly while deftly wielding his sword. He has seen Wei Wuxian's face light up while they sparred. Seen as Wei Wuxian finally was able to take joy in the practices of a typical cultivator. Finally use his sword and spiritual energy without hesitance and sorrow. He has even seen Wei Wuxian fight in battle. Agile and brutal, and everything Lan Wangji would ever want beside him on the battlefield.

Resentful energy covered the ground, thick and tangible. While Lan Wangji always thought of it as looking like smoke, it was clear that it was so much more than that. Smoke could be seen through, it was wispy and obscure. Some of the resentful energy Wei Wuxian was wielding moved a bit like smoke, becoming transparent and seeming to dissolve into the air. Yet most of it was undeniably solid. It was the kind of darkness you might see if you were sealed inside a cave. Impenetrable blackness, and that was what Wei Wuxian was wielding. The resentful energy seemed to be darkness given form. It could not be seen through.

Lan Wangji had seen Wei Wuxian wield resentful energy a few times. He expected dark amorphous smoke that might hit something across a room. Lan Wangji had not paid it much thought, but he only now realized he had only seen Wei Wuxian using resentful energy in an unconscious or semi conscious state. He had always been defensive and vulnerable. He had never truly seen Wei Wuxian wield resentful energy like the fearsome demonic cultivator that won them a war.

From the tangible darkness that covered the ground forms began to rise. A young teen's pale form climbed from the darkness. His hair dripping wet, like he had just emerged from a lake. A woman, dressed in red with nails elongated into sharp claws. A third figure, a woman dressed in fine robes with a ghostly sword in her grip. Wei Wuxian snapped his fingers and the three ghosts shot out with a speed like lightning. There were close to twenty QishanWen sect cultivators in the area, maybe a few more than that. Lan Wangji watched as they were slaughtered by the resentful spirits Wei Wuxian had summoned.

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