After the end starts a new beginning

The snake in the lake

"Lan Zhan, don't you think there is something suspicious about all of this?"

"Hm. No one would call upon all sect leaders for something like this. Not even sect leader Nie."

"Right? He could've complained to Lan Xichen like he normally does, but he didn't. He chose to tell everyone. That doesn't sit right with me..."

Wei Wuxian sighs. It's been something that has been on his mind ever since the first meeting. It's been a few days since and they have agreed to close off the area's that have suspicious sounds or sightings around them. Sects will send out disciplines to investigate. They also decided to not say a word to the public. Because once word gets out, everyone will say they heard or saw something. It's a risk to take, but almost every sect is short on people. And if people are going to keep calling them over, over the tiniest little noise... there will soon be no one left for if someone actually sees the creature.

He has considered asking Nie Huaisang about it directly, but he saves it for later. Right now, he's more invested in trying to find the beast that attacked the Nie disciplines. He offered himself and Lan Wangji to try to find it, wich painted a big smile on the faces of most sect leaders. Some were smiling because in this situation, they were expected to go themselves and they didn't want to deal with an unknown threat. Others didn't look too happy, because then Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian would get all the glory.

But whether they like it or not, they're going to have to deal with it. No one dares to agrue with them anyway.

Right now its in the middle of the day and the two of them are approaching the village where the attack happened. It's quite small and most people seem to grow their own crops and herbs. The place is dusty and the houses look old. It's in an area where there aren't many animals or plants, or even humans. Everywhere they look, they see sand and an occasional dried bush. It's like a desert here, just by walking he already seems to create a mini sandstorm around him.

The people in the village all seem to be elderly, some with little children. Villagers wave at them whenever they walk past. A child was bold enough to approach them and stretch a fist out with a shy smile, wanting a fist bump. Of course, Wei Wuxian gave the child one and the little one ran back to their grandparents smiling and giggling .

People here seem normal, not at all like there is a terrorizing beast somewhere.

Wei Wuxian thought that they walked into the wrong village for a second, but a voice behind him confirmed that they were at the right place.

"Are you two cultivators searching for that beast? I wouldn't try, it has already injured two people from a profound sect."

"Actually, that's why we're investigating it. Do you know where the attack happened, by any chance?"

"You're standing right on it."

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji look down. Now that the dust has settled, they can see dried blood marks on the ground. It has spread out as a result of trampling over it, but it's still enough to see that there used to be a big bloodstain.

"It happened right here? In the middel of the village?"

"Everyone here falls asleep around the same time, we're all old folks here you know? All we saw in the morning was a big bloodstain and then we remembered the cultivator's that came some hours before. Sind e we couldn't find them, we assumed the worst."

"One has survived. But he has suffered great injuries."

The village chief nods in understanding. Then, he suddenly seemed to recall something and asked them:

"Are you familiar with the other two cultivators here?"

"Other cultivators?"

"Yes, two people in purple robes, a male and a female. The female had a strange hair color."