This Time I Will Not Leave Your Side

Chapter 6

Lan Zhan found Wei Ying in one of the taverns. He walked up to him just as Wei Ying took another long sip from the wine jar. He came to stand before and called his name softly. "Wei Ying ". Wei Ying looked up and gave him a smile that's not truly reaching his eyes. Lan Zhan sits down opposite him and Wei Ying raised the wine jar and said." You know for a mere moment I asked myself if I was doing the right thing you know. Defecting from the sect and doing my own thing. I was even considering to go back with the sect Leader". Wei Ying gave a low chuckle. " But you know what Jiang Cheng said". He asked Lan Zhan as he took another long sip from the wine jar and shook his head. Lan Zhan looks at him worried. He knows that Wei Ying still cares about the jiangs very much just like he cares for his family. Wei Ying continues. " He said to me that I should not come crawl back to them when I don't make it as a rogue cultivator. That his mother was right about me all along. They took me off the streets and this is how I repay them". He lowered his head and sigh softly. Lan Zhan reached out his hands and took Wei Ying's hands in his squeezing it. " Wei Ying you do not owe them anything this time. You have a right to live your life as you see fit. I am here and I am not going anywhere". Wei Ying gave him a small smile." Thanks Lan Zhan. I just can't do it anymore. Be his shield and buffer. Not this time. I can't be the one who have to endure the sect madam anger. I always thought that I owned them for taking me in. I owned them my life. I loved them as my family and I accepted them as my family but thinking back now when lotus pier fell. The words they said to me I only realise now that they were orders. Orders I had to follow to the end. And I did. I protected their children as best as I could". " Wei Ying I am sorry. I do not know what you went through in that sect but I promise I will not let anyone of them harm you this time. You are not alone in this. We will let our past be our beacon on our way forward. We will not make the same mistakes we made before. We will get the Dafan Wens to safety and decide from there what we will do". Lan Zhan told him. " Lan Zhan can I be honest with you". Wei Ying asked him."Always". He answered. " I do not feel or even want to help the YungmiangJiang sect anymore. They are not my responsibility this time. I do not even want to par take in the war. Why do it when in the end they will still come after me. They will still want to kill me and my family. I just wants to live in peace". Wei Ying said looking down at their entwined hands. " Wei Ying I can not force you to do what you do not want to. If you decide you do not want to be part of the war then we will not be but I also know that we won't be able to live with ourselves if we do not at least protect the innocent and the common people who would be caught in the war". Lan Zhan said as he looks at him." Ah Lan Zhan always the voice of reason. We will decide after the Wens are safe and sound". Wei Ying answered him this time with a genuine smile and Lan Zhan gave him a little smirk of his own which made Wei Ying gape at him and said." Lan Zhan did you just smile". And Lan Zhan just nod. " I assume you defected as well Lan Zhan.  So how are we going to get to Wen Qing now?". Wei Ying asked.
"I did. Brother and uncle did not take it well". He answered.

They sat in silence for awhile before a light bulb goes of in Wei Ying's head." I know how we can get to her. In our first lives she did not attend the classes. She spent all her time in the back hills and now I know why. She was looking for the yin iron. If we could get back into the Cloud Recess we will for sure find her there". Lan Zhan think for a moment and said." Wei Ying remember how you broke the wards on his first night maybe you can do it again but we have to go directly to the back hills so not to be caught". Wei Ying tap his nose with his finger and said." We will spend the night in the inn and go back tomorrow ". "Fine by me because tonight we are definitely breaking into the Cloud Recess because there is something I need to retrieve from the treasury". Lan Zhan answered and with a straight face. Wei Ying looks at him confused before he realise what Lan Zhan is actually talking about. He starts to laugh and said." Lan Zhan what have I done to you. The rule  abiding Lan Zhan wants to break into the Cloud Recess and steal from his own family ". Lan Zhan gave him an offended look and said." Not stealing like I said before. I will just take what's mine". "Ohk,ohk not stealing then just retrieving what belongs to you I get it now". Wei Ying said and Lan Zhan nods his head. Wei Ying waved a server over and ordered some food and more wine and a pot of tea for Lan Zhan. There is still so many things they need to do. Plans to make about how if Wen Qing believes them to get her family safely away and to the manor. They still needs to decide what they will do about the beast in the cave and also the waterborne abyss. As they wait for their food to arrive they did not even realise that while they were busy talking someone had entered the same inn and took one table away from them listening to every word they were saying. He had a slight frown on his face his brain working a mile a minute as he put two and two together. These two had traveled back in time. But one thing he is happy about is that his friend had defected from that sect. He had seen how the Jiang sect heir treated Wuxian and how he had talked to him. But now he understands why the second young man Lan and Wuxian seems so close all of a sudden. A war on the horizon spell nothing good. That could only means that the Wens would be the ones starting it but why would the two wants to protect the Dafan Wens what had happened to them. He needs to keep his eyes and ears opened from this day forward. He stood up and made his way out of the inn forgotten is the wine he came here to buy and made his way back to the Cloud Recess. The two boys food and drinks arrived and they started eating. Wei Ying talking a mile a minute as Lan Zhan eats in silence only answers with a mmm in between to let Wei Ying know that he is listening to him. Once they were done and the server had cleared their table they asked for a room for the night. The server informs the owner who came over immediately and took them upstairs and showed them to the room.

"Lan Zhan you need to change your robes.Maybe black robes would be best that way we could blend in with the darkness of the night". Wei Ying said to him and Lan Zhan turn around and went out the room not long he came back with a pair of black robes. Wei Ying just shakes his head and smiles as his silliness. Lan Zhan went behind the divider and change out of his white robes and put on the black robes. When he step out from behind the divider Wei Ying looks at him wide eyed and said."It suits you very well Lan Zhan. And I like it". Lan Zhan looks at him with a please smile on his face. "So we are really doing this. Breaking and entering. Just hope we don't get caught". Wei Ying said." We won't". Lan Zhan answered him. " You are very confident Lan Zhan. We have to get past the night guards and how are we even going to get into the volt. You don't have your token anymore. Do you actually have a plan of how we are going to get in their without being seen or caught". " Wei Ying ". Lan Zhan said. "Me. What do you mean by that Lan Zhan". " Wei Ying is very resourceful and clever. I trust that you will get us in and out with no trouble ". Lan Zhan answered without any trouble.  " You sure have a lot of faith in me Lan Zhan ". He answered. " I always have". He said and Wei Ying just laughs. Just after midnight the two jump out of the window of their bedroom and landed in the street. They made their way towards the Cloud Recess and when they arrived at the gate and just as last time there were no guards. Wei Ying quickly draw the sigil and the two walked in. "So which way now". Wei Ying whispers.
Lan Zhan looks up and nods his head towards the roofs." Ah I see. Good thing the it's a dark night and the moon doesn't shines to brightly ".
Wei Ying says as he looks up at the sky. Lan Zhan once again just nods his head and jump up onto the roof and Wei Ying followed soon.

They hop from rooftop to rooftop. Whenever they spot a guard they would hide themselves or lay flat on the roof. Their black robes fitting in perfectly with the darkness of the night. Lan Zhan leads the way and they finally arrived at the door of the treasury. Wei Ying looked at the lock on the door. Inspecting it before he bit his finger and draw blood. Lan Zhan watch him with curious eyes. Wei Ying draw once again a sigil and aim it at the lock and it immediately sprang open. They opened the doors and closed it behind them again. They made their way inside and Lan Zhan lights a lantern. He walked straight towards a part of the room that held all the gold and silver. Wei Ying looked around in shock. " Hey Lan Zhan. How are we supposed to get all this gold and silver out of here? We definitely have to make a few trips". He said. " Wei Ying we are only taking what belongs to me". Lan Zhan said as he at him and he walks towards a cupboard with his name on." Oh I see. So each of your family has their own gold and silver". Wei Ying asked him. " Yes we do and we can do with it whatever we want". Lan Zhan answered him as he opened the doors of the cupboard. Wei Ying's mouth fell opened as he looks at the content inside. It was filled from top to bottom with silver and gold. Lan Zhan took out around twenty quakin bags and pushed half of it into Wei Ying's hands." This is all yours". He asked dumbfounded. "Yes. So start putting it into the bags we don't have the whole night". Lan Zhan answered him. Wei Ying shut his mouth and starts to throw the coins into the bags. It took them almost an hour and a half to empty the whole cupboard. Once they were done Wei Ying could not help but to complain.
" Lan Zhan it's heavy. I don't think I will be able to carry all of it. My arms would definitely fall off". Lan Zhan looked at him and said." Wei Ying it is not that heavy". Lan Zhan said as he looked at Wei Ying with a raised eyebrow. "Lan Zhannnnn". He whined. Lan Zhan grab him by his arm and drag him towards the door. He quickly opened it and they walked outside locking the door behind them. They silently walked and once again jumped onto the roof. Once they are safe and outside the gates of the Cloud Recess they made their way back towards the inn. They jumped through the window and made their way over to the table. Wei Ying waste no time in dropping his bags and fell onto floor.
" Lan Zhan my arms is so sore. I don't think I will ever be able to use them again. How could you do that to me?". He whined and pouted as he lifts his head and looks at Lan Zhan who just shakes his head and said." Wei Ying will be fine. Wei Ying is strong". Lan Zhan says as he also took out his bags and puts it down.
"Lan Zhan". He says as he looked at him with wide eyes. "You are so cruel to me". " I can never be cruel to Wei Ying. Come let's get some rest we have alot to do tomorrow ". Lan Zhan says and turns around and made his way over to the bed. Wei Ying looks at him and got up also making his way towards the bed.
"I will get you for this Lan Zhan. You just wait and see". He says as he went and lay next to him. Lan Zhan just smiles and said." Good night Wei Ying ". "Good night Lan Zhan ". After that they both went to sleep.