Phoenix

Chapter 30 *Revised*

            It had been a few weeks since the group of three had made it back to the camp. Everyone was happy to have the lovebirds back on the front lines initially. As of this moment, Lan Wangji was venerated as Hanguang-Jun, the light-bearing lord. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, was feared by most cultivators no matter how kind he tried to be. His fighting style on the battlefield was too violent.

             Only Wen, who had joined their side, and his family kept his mood from getting too gloomy. He had always hated being part vampire, but at this moment, he understood the things his predecessors who left the mountain did. If vampires had always been so discriminated against, then he wasn't sure what to believe.

             Wei Wuxian had seen a little boy on the streets of a town they had liberated. The boy tugged at his heartstrings. He was reminded of himself after his parent's deaths. So he bought the boy food, patted his head, and told him not to give up. When he finally made it back to camp, the rumor was that Wei Wuxian was preparing a kid to be his next meal. Never mind that he didn't drink from anyone but his beloved. To the cultivation world, he was just a mindless bloodsucker. 

           The fight that had recently occurred between himself and the peacock over Jiang Yanli didn't help his image either. That one he didn't care about. Jiang Yanli had been running all the finances, learning more medicine from Wen Qing, and in the kitchens, but she always made her lotus root soup for their family as a pick-me-up. She had also been making a bowl for her ex-fiancee since she was still in love with him. 

            She didn't expect anything, and most of the time, she didn't even deliver it herself. That day, every one of the staff was busy. She decided to take it before heading off to meet her brothers. Jin Zixuan happened to be in his tent and became enraged seeing her. He accused her of being nothing but a golddigger who took credit for other people's work while she did nothing.

              With such strong insults from the man who owned her heart, it was no wonder she started to cry. Wei Wuxian, who is now a full vampire and can sense dark emotions, felt it immediately and rushed to find out to see what was happening. He froze for a moment at the sight of his always-smiling sister in tears while the peacock threw insult after insult at her. 

              Without thinking, he rushed forward and punched Jin Zixuan in the face, flinging him through a table before asking menacingly what happened. His fury was obvious in his words. An annoyed Jin woman stepped forward and explained the situation. She made it known that she was on Maiden Jiang's side. By the time the story ended, Wei Wuxian was not the only brother there. Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji stood with Jiang Yanli, trying to provide comfort. Nie Huasang stood by Wei Wuxian, looking sneeringly at the Jin heir over the edge of his fan. 

          Nie Huasang did not allow Wei Wuxian to strike the man again, no matter how much they wanted to. Jin Zixuan had smirked, thinking that he was in the right before Nie Huasang told him the truth. He had the girl who took credit for Maiden Jiang's work whipped in front of everyone for insulting his sworn sister. Wei Wuxian was satisfied with the Jin's pale face.

         Huasang reminded them that their sect leader had only sent a handful of them compared to all of their own army. The last thing he needs is to insult the sister of the twin jades, Nie Huasang and Wei Wuxian. Huasang made sure they knew that even though Jiang Yanli was forced to leave her home behind, it wasn't dishonorable. On the contrary, it was because she was the only one they would kill for. After that, no one dared insult Jiang Yanli again, only talking about her overprotective brothers since the Jades were still giving the Jin the cold shoulder. 

           All these things impacted Wei Wuxian's bad fame. The story got more elaborate every time. One telling had Wei Wuxian actually digging his claws into Jin Zixuan's chest. It was no wonder Wei Wuxian's self-esteem kept plummeting. It was on a day that Wei Wuxian's smile was especially bright, with his laughter ringing like bells in the war camp, that Nie Huasang had enough.

             He quickly called a meeting with his sworn siblings, Wen Qing, and his own brother, the head of the war council, Nie Mingjue. He gathered all the information they had and made a plan to end the blasted war with the help of the Wens now loyal to Wei Wuxian. With a firm nod, they all worked to set everything up. 

            Their armies would set up a frontal assault led by Nie Mingjue to occupy their military. In the meantime,  Wen Qing would escort the twin Jades through tunnels into a position to attack Wen Rouhan directly. Another small group of Wen cultivators would be led by Wei Wuxian, with Wen Ning as a guide. 

           The plan would have gone on swimmingly if not for how powerful the Wen sect leader was. He was easily keeping pace with the twin Jades, mocking them at every turn. When Wei Wuxian arrived, the situation was a bit better since Wei Wuxian was as fierce as Wen Rouhan. The man was still easily keeping up with all three. Surprisingly, Nie Huasang and Jiang Yanli joined the battle, and Wei Wuxian pulled back, drawing a very intricate array.

              He had placed the last stroke when he saw his beloved get pushed to the ground by Rouhan, whose sword was ready to come down and kill Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian didn't think his body reacted, using the shadows to propel him over Lan Wangji's body, not caring about his own life if his beloved lived. 

              Everyone watched with growing dread as the blade came down, and Wen Rouhan laughed maniacally. Just as the blade touched Wei Wuxian, three things happened. One Lan Wangji used all his energy to repel the blade off his beloved. Two Lightning struck the two tangled lovers, charging them with energy, and three Wen Rouhan was flung back. 

             Wei Wuxian transformed into his black phoenix form and mercilessly decimated all enemy soldiers in the area. Lan Wangji had transformed as well and was ruthlessly killing any reinforcement that came to aid the Sect leader. Wen Rouhan transformed into a giant vulture and tried to use its sharp talons to attack Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian avoided his strikes easily, sending black fireballs to retaliate. 

                Lan Wangji joined the battle, providing his lover with backup anytime Wen Rouhan got too close. After an hour, Wen Rowhan touched down on a building to take in the scene, but that was just what Wei Wuxian was waiting for. Using the shadows he had become so accustomed to the last few months, he wrapped them, binding Wen Rouhan to the building.

                 While the sect leader struggled to move, he didn't see Lan Wangji rush at him. Using his sharp teeth, he tore off Wen Rouhan's head. Everything and everyone stopped fighting as they watched Wen Rowhan's transformation come undone, his headless corpse still held by a surprised Wei Wuxian's shadows.     

             Both men transformed back, Wei Wuxian still in shock about the end of his enemy. Lan Wangji wrapped his arms around his beloved, trying to coax him out of his dazed state. Lan Xichen and Nie Huasang rushed to collect Wen Rouhan's head and flew to where their main military was fighting to announce that the war was over. Jiang Yanli had messaged their elders. All the immortals teleported there to see the state of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji with their own eyes. 

            Wen Li rushed over to the figure of a sitting Lan Wangji holding an unresponsive Wei Wuxian. She wrapped them both in a hug while Baoshan worked to pry control of the shadows from Wei Wuxian to release the body. They walked into the castle at Nevernight and placed Wei Wuxian on a bed after Wen Qing had knocked him out.

           "What's wrong with him?" Lan Wangji's voice sounded small and broken in the empty room as he looked at Baoshan for answers. She smiled and patted his head before telling him to just let Wei Wuxian rest. She would explain when they could all meet up again and her grandson was awake. Until then, she would watch over them, and Wen Li and Junjie would take their place. They would be helping clean up and going to meetings as your representatives. "Now rest." Lan Wangji cuddled by his husband's side and fell asleep after asking Baoshan to please bring them their egg.