Solstice Souls Book 2: Black Fire, White Flame

Solstice Sons

Lan Zhan's POV

Suddenly, everything made sense.

"The Lullaby!" Wei Ying said, by way of explanation.

"Mn. These Bracelets, and these birthmarks." Lan Zhan's hand automatically went to the nape of his neck, and he moved his hair aside to show the crescent shape on the nape of his neck.

Wei Ying showed his birthmark, too.

Cangse Sanren looked smug, Wei Changze looked proud and his Uncle Qiren and XiongZhang looked even more shocked.

"The cave drawings!" XiChen remembered. "They depicted two cultivators who had the artifact, the one that can control resentment energy."

"Ahuh, XiChen-Ge, that's right, and we both learned so much more about them." Wei Ying goes on to explain about their counterparts, who both himself and Lan Zhan were in their past life, all those years ago. The dreams he and Lan Zhan had seen, which clarified what had actually happened at the end of their last life. How they each had absorbed the artifact into their cores, after splitting it in half.

"We are destined to become one, to bring our families together." Lan Zhan says, reaching for Wei Ying once more.

As soon as their hands touched, warm fingers accepting his hand, wrapping around to comfort and support, Lan Zhan immediately felt better.

"We have to make peace between our clans." Wei Ying says, smiling brightly even though his words were completely serious. "It's even more important than ever now."

"There is an old legend, perhaps forgotten now..." Uncle Qiren stroked his whiskers, thoughtfully. "It speaks of conflict reigning until, when the snows of Gusu melt, the arrival of Camellias will herald the end of war. When this happens, a great calamity will come to test the Cultivation World, but victory lies in being faithful to justice and righteousness." He sighed. "All these years, that legend has been wrongfully interpreted. It was widely assumed that the arrival of Camellias meant the calamity would come with the arrival of the flowers. Though that is not the case." He looks relieved.

"You know what they say about that, don't you?" Baoshan Sanren returned with a tray of cups and behind her, Jiang YanLi followed with snacks and a steaming teapot.

She paused to smile at the happy couple, before pouring tea for everyone.

"I'm sure you'll tell us." Uncle Qiren said, his left eye twitching uncontrollably, upon her arrival.

"Absolutely!" She replies, gleefully. As soon as she makes eye contact with her daughter, they both chant: "when you assume, it makes an ass out of you and me!" And then they fell about laughing.

"I imagine there's much to discuss about the current situation, too. WangJi, please tell us what happened once you left in disguise, from Cloud Recesses." XiChen quickly intervenes in what could turn into an incendiary conversation, since Uncle Qiren is changing colours faster than a kaleidoscope.

Lan Zhan fills them in on the attack at Lotus Cove and Madam Yu's deceitful behaviour, the results of which led to the Wens being let in and then being able to take Wei Ying away as their prisoner.

Wei Ying jumps in when necessary to complete the parts where Lan Zhan wasn't present, and together, they paint an accurate picture of life behind the imposing walls of Nightless City, and the terrifying possibility of an impending war brought upon the entire Cultivation World, due to the greed of one man and his formidable army.

And it is a formidable army. Whatever they may lack in skill, they make up for in sheer numbers.

"Even tiny ants can overcome prey more than double their size because of their numbers. It is the same thing with the Wen forces. They will make their move as soon as they find a replacement for Wei Ying." Lan Zhan's appraisal of the Wens and their possible military strategy was on point.