Back to the Past

He's Gone

Xichen walked towards Jingshi to call his brother Lan Wangji so that they could have breakfast with their uncle.
When he arrived in front of the Jingshi, he knocked and waited for his brother to open the door, but nothing happened.
He knocked again, thinking maybe his brother was busy meditating. Still, no one opens the door. He finally decided to go inside and see what is taking wanji so long because he is usually very punctual. As he enters, he soon realises that the shutter is still close, the backdoor is also close, and he looks around the divider where the bathtub is but no wanji. He walked out, closing the door behind him, thinking maybe Wangji had already left. When he arrived at his uncles residence he knocked and when his uncle gave him permission to enter he went inside.

As soon as he enters his eyes immediately search for his brother.

"Xichen is everything fine?."

Lan Qiren asked his nephew.

"Uncle have you seen Wangji this morning. He wasn't in Jingshi when I went to call him, so I thought maybe his here with you which he isn't."

He asked worriedly it's not like Wangji to just not show up. Not without informing them beforehand that he won't join them.

"No, I haven't seen him Xichen. It's not like Wangji to be late. Did you ask some of the disciples if they seen him."

Lan Qiren informs his nephew and Xichen nodded his head.

"I will ask them now uncle."

Xichen said before he turn to leave.

Xichen ask the disciples if anyone of them saw Wangji and the answer is always the same not since yesterday. Xichen became more worried.

'Where is my little brother? What could have happened to him? Did someone kidnap him? But who nobody can enter cloud Recess without a pass. And it's not like Wangji to just disappear like that.'

He thought to himself before he return to his uncles residence. He slid the door open and Lan Qiren looked up and when he saw Xichen's worried face he himself could not help but to get worried about where Wangji could have gone to and that without informing anyone.

"Uncle, maybe we should sent disciples to go look for him."

Xichen informs his uncle and Lan Qiren agrees with him.

They gave the order but everyone came back with the same answer. Wangji isn't in Cloud Recess.
Xichen are close to tears now, his little brother is gone and nobody knows where he is.

'Wangji, where did you go?. It's not like you to do things like this.'

Now both uncle and nephew were worried.

"We should write to the other sects and ask for their help in finding Wangji."

Lan Qiren said and Xichen agrees with him.

"I think it's a good idea uncle."

They started sending letters to all the sects asking them for their help in finding their second master. The only thing they can do now is wait, hope and pray that someone will be able to give them some good news.

Lan Qiren and Xichen was very worried because they know Wangji wouldn't just disappear something must have happened. The next day Nie Mingjue came to cloud Recess to find out if their are any news because from his side there were nothing. Xichen told
him that Wangji just disappeared over night. Nobody has seen him since the previous day. Xichen were close to tears. His baby brother don't like crowds or people touching him.

" His just 10 years old Mingjue, my didi is out there all alone and I don't even know where he is and if his hurt."

Xichen could not finished his sentence as worry eat away at his heart and mind.Mingjue laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and told him that they will find him.

"I hope your right, and thanks for coming."

Xichen said and Mingjue shook his head and said.

"Anytime that's what friends are for."

They were in the hanshi drinking tea afterwards when they heard a knock on the door. He gave the person permission to enter. The disciple bow and told him that someone said they saw a little boy in white and with a forehead ribbon who fits the second masters description. They both sigh in relieve and stood up.

"Where did they see him."

Xichen asked the disciple.

" In Yiling sect heir Lan."

The disciple answered and they both were shocked.

" Yiling?. How did Wangji end up in Yiling?."

Sect leader Nie questioned but received no answer.

" Let's go Xichen."

Mingjue said and Xichen nodded his head.

"The sooner we leave, the quicker we can get to Yiling."

"I'm just going to inform my uncle and then we can leave."

Xichen said to him and they left the hanshi. He informs his uncle of what the disciple told him and Lan Qiren was shocked.

"How did Wangji end up in Yiling and so far from Gusu Xichen. "

He asked with concern and worry evident on his face matching the same expression as his nephew.

"I do not know shufu but me and sect leader Nie will go to Yiling and find out."

He assure his uncle and Lan Qiren nodded his head and Xichen left.
The moment they were down the mountain, the mound their swords and fly in the direction of Yiling. They fly as fast as that they could.

When they finally lands outside yiling
they immediately start asking the vendors if they had seen a 10 year old boy with all white on and a forehead ribbon. But all they got was a no. Until one woman told them that she saw two boys, one in rags and one in all white.

"The last time I saw them they were running towards the woods."

She told them and Xichen asked.

" So you haven't seen them again."

And the woman answered.

" No, I haven't. I am sorry."

"Which way did they run can you show us please. "

Xichen asked her.

"They ran that way."

She showed with her finger towards the woods.

"It looked as if they were running from away from someone or something."

She told them and Xichen and Mingjue gave her a confuse look before looking at each other and than back at the woman again.

"Why would you think that that they were running away from someone."

Mingjue asked confusion evident in his voice.

"At the time the Yunmeng Sect were here searching for someone or something."

She answered the Nie sect leader and they looked at each other before thanking her and left in the direction she pointed at.

They searched and searched but couldn't find any trace of them. After hours they chose to go back. When they arrived at Cloud Recess Xichen informed his uncle what the lady told him and that they searched the area but they didn't find any trace of them.
But now they know that Wangji is alive
but what they don't understand was what was he doing in Yiling with a unknown boy. Not long after mingjue told Xichen that he must leave, but he will keep them informed if he should hear anything.

"Uncle maybe we should asked the Jiang Sect Leader who he was searching for in Yiling around the time Wangji and this mysterious boy disappeared."

Xichen suggested and Lan Qiren agreed.

"You are right I will write him a letter. Maybe he can shed some light on who this mysterious boy might be."

Lan Qiren said and Xichen nods his head. The worry in his heart continues to grow for his little brother and he hope and pray that Wangji is safe wherever he is. But who is this mysterious boy he is with and where did he meet him to just go off and leave without telling anyone.