Fateful Turn

Burial mound

The air in Burial Mound was heavy with resentment like there was a blanket of fog had into every crevice of the hill but there was no wind to carry it away. Wei Wuxian led the group deeper into the mound, Lan Wangji 's hand clutched firmly in his own. He could feel the heat radiating off of Lan Wangji's palm like it was on its way to burn his own skin.

"Wei Ying, are you sure this is where you want to bring them?" Lan Wangji asked.

Wei Wuxian turned to look at his husband, who was still looking around with a furrowed brow. "Yes. This is right." He said firmly. "It's the safest place for now. No one would dare to come in here and no one would be able to without my permission."

Jiang Cheng huffed in disbelief, his brows knitting together in uncertainty. "But this place doesn't look like it's inhabitable at all," he grumbled. He swept his arm across the desolate landscape, as if to emphasize his point. "Can people even live in such a damned place?"

A flicker of pain crossed Wei Wuxian's eyes, a fleeting glimpse into the memories that lay hidden within the depths of his soul. It was a reminder of the hardships he had endured, the sacrifices he had made. "I lived three months in here," he replied bluntly. His husband's grip that was around his waist tightened like a silent comforting gesture.

Lan Xichen overheard what he said and he couldn't help asking, "What do you mean, Young Master Wei? When did it happened?"

"It was right before the war started," Wei Wuxian replied briefly. He then shook his head and forced a smile on his face, "However, now is not the time to talk about the past. We are reaching the place soon."

A cave stood at the peak of Burial Mound, the entrance covered in moss and vines welcomed them. The inside was filled entirely with murky blackness.

"Let's gather some wood for fire first." Lan Wangji said, surveying the environment carefully.

The group that trailed behind them didn't waste time and followed his instructions quickly. Within seconds, they were back with a decent amount of wood stacked neatly within their grasp.

Wei Wuxian swiftly wrote a fire talisman and ignited the kindling, providing illumination and warmth.

The Wen remnants sat on their haunches in front of the bonfire, they looked at the four men with wariness in their eyes. They were grateful but at the same time, they could not quite make sense yet of why the men chose to save them.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian went out and put his flute under his lips and played a melody, calling out to hundreds of fierce corpses residing within the Burial Mound. Soon, each one of them began patrolling the foot of the hill and left no gaps unguarded. No one that he did not approve would be able to enter the area now.

"So, what's the plan now?" Jiang Cheng asked. The four men now stood outside.

"First and foremost, Wangji and Young Master Wei need to come back to Cloud Recesses with me." Lan Xichen decided. He looked at the couple and said, "You two need to hold a wedding ritual before the elders."

"A wedding? At this time?" Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Xichen in confusion. "Sorry Zewu-jun, but I don't think this would be the time to hold a wedding."

"Young Master Wei, please hear me out. " Lan Xichen insisted. "What happened earlier will cause rifts between both our sects and Lanling Jin sect. If we want to stand up against Lanling Jin Sect, it is best that you two establish your status as officially married couple so that both our sects can formally unite and provide mutual support to each other."

Jiang Cheng nodded his head in agreement. A political bridge through marriage is a good deal for Yunmeng Jiang's sect stability as well. "That makes sense, Sect Leader Lan. I agree."