❃ 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 ❃

🔹𝕹𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖙𝖞 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊🔹

The whole cultivation world was convinced that Wei Wuxian was building an army in the Burial Mounds, but whoever visited the place would think otherwise.

In fact, it seemed that most people believed Wei Wuxian was founding his own sect. Oddly enough, Jin Guangshan was actually the first to suggest it on the letter he had sent to Jiang Fengmian.

    "He's been plotting for a while to go to Burial Mound, hasn't he? After all, with his skills, it wouldn't be too hard to set up a sect of his own. And so, he used this as a chance to leave the Jiang Sect, intending to do whatever he pleases in the bright skies outside." He had written.

Jiang Fengmian sighed and followed Wei Wuxian up the mountain.

They walked along a road for a long time in the forest before finally hearing people ahead.

There were several round tree stumps beside the mountain road – one big one that was like a table, and three small ones that were like chairs. A woman wearing red robes and Wei WuXian were sitting on two of the tree stumps, while several well-behaved looking men were huffing and puffing as they dug up some ground near them.

Another group of men seemed to be really busy trying to use wood planks to make a shelf. They should have been Wen sect cultivators, but they had all discarded their scorching sun robes in favor of coarse-cloth robes. They climbed up and down the mountain, hustling and bustling with saws and hammers in hand, wood and rice straw on their shoulders. They didn't look any different from ordinary farmers.

Once they caught sight of the new visitors, who they realized were big clan leaders from his clothes and sword, they stopped what they were doing, seemingly out of residual fear. They looked over in hesitation, not even daring to show off any kind of aura.

Jiang Cheng asked, "What are they doing?"

"Can't you tell? They're building a house." Wei Wuxian replied.

"Building a house? Then what were those people digging up the ground doing? Don't tell me you've really decided to plant crops."

"Didn't you hear it all? That's exactly what we're doing."

"You want to plant crops on a corpse mountain? Can you even eat the stuff that grows from here? You really want to stay here long-term? Can people even stay in this forsaken place?"

"I've stayed here for three months before." Wei Wuxian remarked.

And then Wei Wuxian turned towards A-yaun asking, "A-yaun, where is Lan gege?"

"There." A-yaun pointed towards the cave, Wei Wuxian's cave, Demon Subdue Cave. "Granny is there too."

"Come, let's go see him." Wei Wuxian said walking towards the cave while ordering others to go on with their work.

The group walked behind Wei Wuxian and soon they got the sight of Lan Wangji, his back turned towards them.

An old lady with sparse hair and a wooden cane hurriedly accompanied him. Lan Wangji too was wearing simpler robes like Wei Wuxian and most of his hair clips were gone.

Lan Wangji could not see the new visitors as his back was turned towards them so he remained oblivious and continues his small chat with Granny Wen who too did not notice the newcomers.

"Second Master Lan, let me tell you," Granny Wn said, "You should not tire yourself much. See how much your feet is swollen. You should get more rest. Here, let me give you a massage."

She said, taking Lan Wangji's feet and placing it on her laps. Lan Wangji instantly refused.

"Thank you but please do not trouble yourself with me."

"How is this a trouble? You have left your sect to make sure that we are safe. Isn't it out duty to take good care of you?"

"You are taking good care of me." Lan Wangji told.

"Don't refuse. Let granny give you a massage. You will feel better."

"No, thank-..." Lan Wangji was about to refuse again when A-yaun called out Lan Wangji from Wei Wuxian's arm.

"Lan gege!"

Granny Wen lifted up her heads to meet the baby but she halted in her actions when she saw the other guests. She then excused herself. Lan Wangji was puzzled so too turned around, rather slowly and was about to reply A-yaun when his gaze fell on the unexpected visitors.

He stood up and blinked.

His mouth opened and then closed.

There stood his brother and uncle along with Nie Mingjue, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Fengmian.

Lan Wangji intended to call out to his brother and uncle, name perched at the tip of his tongue, but found his throat strangely choked shut before he could; the view in front of him was, for a moment, profoundly and achingly overwhelming.

"Lan gege!" A-yaun called again and finally he was able to get back to himself.

"A-yaun," He replied to the little boy, his gaze still lingering on others.

"Lan gege, show Xian gege what you bought me." A-yaun beamed.

"Lan Zhan, what did you buy him this time? You are spoiling him too much?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Qiren at how his nephew looked stunned and his heart softened. May be, Lan Wangji longed to meet them.

"Soon show Lan gege!" A-yaun cried.

"Mn."

Lan Wangji nodded, as solemn as he could manage with the toddler's full-force stare turning rapidly giddy.

Lan Wangji took out a lil'bunny from his Qiankun pouch and showed it to Wei Wuxian.

"A bunny?! Lan Zhan, this is why he acts so spoiled, you know!"

"A-yaun wanted them." Lan Wangji replied and soon A-yaun jumped out of Wei Wuxian's arm and ran towards Lan Wangji.

"You must promise to be very careful with it," Lan Wangji said, and held out the small bundle in his hands. A-yaun reached out to touch the soft fur of the rabbit with reverence, eyes huge and shining.

Lan Wangji called out A-yaun's name softly to make sure he had the boy's full attention. "You must promise," he repeated, and received a very emphatic nod.

He gently placed the twitching rabbit into A-yaun's waiting arms. Wen Yuan was young, and he would need to be kept an eye on certainly, but the young boy listened well, and knew how to be cautious when instructed. Moreover, Lan Wangji thought ruefully, that if the rabbits in Cloud Recesses had survived Wei Wuxian's rough handling, one could certainly survive Wen Yuan's.

"He will never be gentle. He will surely hurt it." Wei Wuxian retorted walking up to them.

"Wei Ying had never been gentle."

"Lan Zhan, you hurt my feelings!" Wei Wuxian pouted while he ruffled A-yaun's hair. "A-yaun, go and play with Ning gege. Lan gege will be back."

A-yaun nodded and soon ran off from everyone's sight, yelling Wen Ning's name.

"Did he trouble you a lot when I was gone?" Wei Wuxian asked Lan Wangji.

"He did not. He was being good." Lan Wangji replied and looked back at his uncle and brother.

"Who could be more troublesome than you?" Jiang Cheng asked walking in.

Wei Wuxian bickered with Jiang Cheng while Lan Wangji inhaled sharply and called out, "Uncle, brother."