After Wei Wuxian's death, Baoshan Sanren was on a mission. She was going to help bring her grandson back. To do that she needs some help from someone she could trust. That person was Lan Wangji. Baoshan and Wangji work together to bring Wei Wuxian's...
⚠️This chapter Contains Sensitive topics of depression, death, and describing of bodily harm⚠️ . . . _____________
Baoshan and Wangji were standing on the docks of Lotus Pier. It was almost sundown so many people were already closing their stalls and heading home. Wangji found it odd, the way Wei Wuxian described it does not at all seem like how it looks. Wei Wuxian was always lively, even at night.
So why were the streets basically empty?
"Wei Ying always told me Lotus Pier was so lively no matter the time of day, this does not seem how he described it," Wangji said.
"Maybe it all changed due to the war with the Wen Sect and the conflict between the sects," Baoshan said and sighed, "you see why I never got involved? It is such a messy world and the sects are getting worse as the years go by."
"Try living in one," Wangji said, "especially in one that has over three thousand rules."
"Cloud Recesses has over three thousand rules?" Baoshan asked, "When my good friend Lan Yi was sect leader, there were only a third of that, maybe even a quarter of that many rules. What on earth happened?"
"I think it has something to do with my father and then my uncle taking over the sect after Father went into seclusion. Before my brother was old enough to take over, more rules were added," Wangji explained.
"Lan Qiren...that old man," she said, sighing, "he never changes."
"I can tell you more about my family after we speak to Jiang Wanyin," Wangji said. Baoshan nodded and then they began to walk through town. As they were walking, Wangji saw his brother entering the Jiang Sect gates, "Xiongzhang?" He whispered.
"That was your brother just now?" Baoshan asked, "why would he be here?"
"Maybe he found out I was not at home. He might think I would go looking for Wei Ying," Wangji said.
Baoshan looked at Wangji then snapped her fingers. His Gusu Lan Sect robes were gone, including the forehead ribbon. He was then in dark blue robes with gray embroidery. His hair was no longer in that fancy headgear, just a simple half up ponytail.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I also want you to wear this," Baoshan said, handing him a necklace.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"What is it?" Wangji asked.
"It protects you from surprise attacks and it has storage capacity so you can carry whatever you want. You can store your weapons there. Your sword will still be Bichen but I can change the look if you want," Baoshan explained.
"I will keep it as is for now," Wangji said, "and my ribbon?"
"You still want it?"
Wangji shook his head, "after the way I was treated, I do not want to go back to the sect. Having it would be pointless."
"Say goodbye to conducting one's self," Baoshan said, tapping his nose with her finger. Wangji gave her a small smile. Baoshan was such a wonderful woman. She felt so motherly and Wangji was enjoying her company, "stick close to me, I will handle your brother if he gives you a hard time."
Wangji nodded and followed her inside the gates of the Jiang Sect. The two then made their way to the main hall, which was where Sect Leader Jiang was and Sect Leader Lan was also there.
"Hanguang Jun?" Jiang Wanyin asked.
Lan Xichen turned around to see Wangji in new robes. His look was different and he did not even pass Xichen much of a glance, "Wangji? Where have you been? How did you get out?"
Wangji said nothing and let Baoshan speak for him, "I let him out," she said.
"Why?" Lan Xichen asked, "he was under house arrest."
"I secede from the Lan Sect," Wangji said.
"What? Wangji you cannot do that!" Xichen said.
"I can and I will," Wangji said, "because of you, I lost the love of my life. Because of you, I became miserable. Because of you, I am constantly reminded that I am just like my father...and guess what, I am my father's son and I am leaving the Lan Sect and living under her as her new disciple."
"Who are you?!" Xichen asked livid.
"Do I really need to answer that question?" She asked, holding up a token that was all too well known throughout the cultivation world. If it was seen, it meant they were connected to Baoshan Sanren.
"You are, Baoshan Sanren?" Xichen asked.
"I am, and I am here to take back what belongs to my grandson," She said.
"Take back what?" Xichen asked.
"His golden core," Baoshan replied.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Jiang Wanyin asked angrily.
"My grandson gave up his life for you, and you never once knew it," Baoshan told him, "I was not the one who gave you that golden core when yours was destroyed by Wen Zhuliu. That was Wen Qing. She spent two nights and one day cutting my grandson open, who had to be awake for the whole process with only a fifty percent chance of it being successful, for you to be able to cultivate again.
Why do you think Wei Wuxian never used his sword after you found him?
Why would he pick up such an unorthodox path?
Wei Wuxian waited for you after that surgery. He waited for several days but you never showed. The tea house you were to meet at, he was captured by Wen Chao, beaten to a pulp and thrown into the burial mounds. He had two choices...let the resentful energy take him and die there in the mounds, or learn to use it and break free from the mounds as he knew his siblings needed him for that war. Yet all of you damn sects were so greedy afterwards you never saw how much pain you left him in!"
"B-Bao-Baoshan?" Wangji asked in a stutter as he was now crying, "please t-tell me th-that is a l-lie!" He was sobbing as his legs gave out and he fell to the ground.
Baoshan grabbed him quickly and knelt beside him and comforted him, "I am afraid so, he could have died...he might as well have died after being in the mounds. He was never the same again after he experienced three months living there."
"Wangji...I am...I am so sorry," Lan Xichen said now that he knows Wei Wuxian's biggest secret. He felt ashamed that he did not notice the boy's pain, and he just let him and his brother suffer.
"I hate you!" Wangji said to his brother, "you are one of the reasons he is dead now!"
Lan Xichen has never felt such wrath coming from Wangji. He was angry and his cold, harsh tone made Lan Xichen's blood freeze. He now realized he has just lost his trust in his brother and he doesn't know if he will ever get it back.
