Fated (Wangxian)

#25#

"..."

"What?!!" Lan Xichen's eyes widened with realisation, "You mean to say that all this might be culprit’s plan to keep the entire cultivation world in control, even after his crimes are exposed?

By killing everyone if they tried to go against him? Doesn’t it mean that the culprit is aware about someone trying to find evidences against him?

Or more specifically, aware about you and Huaisang working together to uncover the secret behind Sect Leader Nie Mingjue and Wei Wuxian’s death along with all the events that led to it including the death of Jin Jixuan and Lady Jin during the siege against Wei Wuxian, almost nine years ago?!

And... if I’m not assuming wrong then the mysterious death of Sect Leader Jin Guangshan a few years ago must also be related to the culprit as well!” Lan Xichen’s calm voice turned even more distressing as he connected the situation with every single incident that happened in the last few years, hiding his hands that trembled with sheer possibility of that one person behind carefully executed incidents, that one smiling and understanding person whom he trusted- used to trust wholeheartedly, that one person who had the motive, power, and resources to carry out such cruel yet flawlessly dangerous and deceitful plan without much hindrance.

“Mn. Three days from now, will visit the dark forest to examine all those resentful creatures myself.” Lan Zhan declared in a determined voice.

"Nonsense!" Lan Xichen exclaimed, his usual calm and serene voice rising with distress a few pitches higher unconsciously, "As your Sect Leader and elder brother, I refuse to allow you to venture alone in that dark forest, Wangji. No matter how much you want to keep yourself busy, how much you want to distract yourself from living in Cloud Recesses without Ying’er by your side and how much you want to leave this place to avoid the pain of staying in Jingshi alone even on Yingying's coming birthday, it's still not an excuse for you to go into that ominous forest without any proper preparation or our disciples.

Especially when there’s a high chance that the culprits are already aware of your intentions! Quite possibly, they have trained those bloodthirsty beasts to… to remove you from their way!”

Lan Zhan took a deep breath, sighing silently as he elegantly stood up from behind the small mahogany tea table,  his feet taking him towards the back window and his golden eyes solemnly looking for a glimpse of his soulmate, “Wangji isn’t unprepared, Sect Leader Lan. If it would've been any ordinary resentment energy, our disciples who went to search with their spiritual swords, talismans and the protection spell woven in our clan robes would have been enough to save their life against those beasts.

However, we have already seen the results. Sect Leader Jin- culprit and his accomplices must have found a way to create those beasts in a similar way how Wen Rouhan converted humans into monsters using Yin Iron.” Lan Zhan said, opening a particular page of a simple notebook kept on his neat and methodically arranged bookshelf and passing it to his Xiongzhang, “We too have gathered certain information about those beasts with the help of Sect Leader Nie's omnipresent spies.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes widened in shock and horror reading the much needed detailed observations before looking at his brother in sheer disbelief, “Even after knowing how dangerous, huge and uncontrollable they are, you still want to go into the dark forest alone? Are you out of your mind, Wangji?! And this also says that Xue Yang along with that sect defector, Su Minshan of Moling Su clan are working together with the culprit?! Since when were you aware of all this? Why didn't you inform me about it earlier?”

“I didn't have all the evidence earlier but now I do. Xiongzhang didn't seem to believe my words when it comes to Sect Leader Jin Guangyao." Lan Zhan said nonchalantly, "Xue Yang stole the broken parts of Yin Iron during the siege. He somehow restored Yin Iron but with it's very weak strength and efficiency couldn't work on humans and therefore he started trying other creatures and-”

“It worked just fine on small innocent dogs, turning them into bloodthirsty vicious beasts,” Lan Xichen sucked in a sharp breath, unable to believe his own words and accept the identity of the culprit behind everything that had happened, including his Dage's death.

“Mn. Wangji must go and assess the situation in the forest. Track traces of the dark resentment back to the lair of culprits to finally reveal the truth in front of the whole world and bring justice to my Wei Ying and everyone who was wronged and lost their lives to his wicked schemes. The very last step to catch the culprits red-handed.”

“B-but didi you cannot go there alone! I...cannot...won't be able...just can't let you do this knowing that the culprits are out there waiting to take your life! Let Xiongzhang come with you, plea-”

*Knock knock*

"..."

"..."

“Baba?! Uncle Xichen?! May we come in? BunBun and I've come to see you!” They heard Sizhui’s calm yet cheerful voice outside Jingshi as he continued to curiously ask Ying’er why he stood outside Jingshi so suspiciously silently instead of going inside when earlier his BunBun broke the rules and ran so fast towards Jingshi forgetting about his Ayuan gege as if he couldn't wait to meet- err...couldn't wait to resume Lan Zhan's special lectures again.

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