The Untamed - Extended Ending

The Aftermath

 As Wei Ying stood alongside Lil' Apple, he could smell the fragrance of the wild Gusu flowers on the breeze and watched as the wind moved the tall grass of the hills in the distance. Although his senses were engaged, his thoughts were elsewhere. Nostalgically, he took out his flute and played one of his favorite songs, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Pondering over the events of the last sixteen years, he wondered what it was all for. He never understood blind ambition. All he cared about were the simple things in life and living with no regrets. Wondering if he had to do it all again, would he have made the same decisions? Now knowing what the consequences of doing the "right" thing was, would he risk it all and make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good? At the end of the day, he was still himself. In his heart, Wei Ying knew he would do it the exact same way. He would rather die and be hated by all if he could rest his head at night with a clear conscience. Those who ridiculed and persecuted him could not do that. They would never be able to do that, truly.

Suddenly, his body came to a stop and his ears perked-up. Someone behind him called his name, "We-Ying." Recognizing the voice, his heart skipped a beat. Rolling his eyes to the side as he cautiously turned around, his eyes lit up and his mouth took the shape of a wide grin. Letting his shoulders slump in a relaxed manner, his eyes squinted as his cheeks raised from his huge smile. If he could have his liquor and a few good friends, life would be perfect. Luckily for him, that was the case. Standing in front of him in all his glory was Lan Zhan. Wearing his typical Lan Clan white and silver encrusted robes, he stood a couple inches taller than Wei-Ying. With a stoic demeanor, his long black hair was flowing, and his signature silver hair clasp clung to the top of his head like a crown. Lan Zhan was gracefully gorgeous and one of the most elegant men Wei Ying had ever come across. Not only was he stunning to look at, but he was also the best cultivator around.

In his "hay-day," Wei-Ying's skills were rivaled by none. Growing up at Lotus Cove, he thought of himself as a prodigy, excelling at anything he put his mind to. Unfortunately, he had given up on his cultivation skills long ago. At that time, the only person who could match his skills was Lan Zhan. Of course, back then, Lan Zhan always seemed to be irritated by Wei-Ying's wild, untamed spirit. Being of the Lan Clan, Lan Zhan had followed strict rules from childhood. There were three thousand rules of ethics, to be exact. And Wei Ying knew them all by heart. From his time spent at the Gusu Cloud Recesses, Wei Ying had to transcribe all three thousand rules many times as punishment for his insolence. Luckily, Lan Zhan had loosened up over the years and had become Wei-Ying's confidante and most loyal friend. Sticking by him when the whole world was against him, Lan Zhan surprised Wei-Ying. He criticized him when he was at his highest point, and desperately defended him when he was most hated.

"Wei-Ying," Lan Zhan repeated with a look of urgency painted on his brow. Whenever Lan Zhan exhibited any kind of emotion, Wei Ying always knew it was of the utmost importance. Normally, Lan Zhan remained indifferent towards most things. If it weren't for his actions, Wei Ying would still think that Lan Zhan despised him. Or, when he managed to get his law-abiding mate drunk off of the Emperor's Smile liquor of Gusu to lower his guard. Drinking, along with anything else remotely pleasurable, was off-limits for members of the Lan Clan. However, Lan Zhan became a bit of a rule-breaker after befriending Wei-Ying. Still smiling, Wei Ying nodded his head up at his friend, and replied, "Lan Zhan," as he folded his arms across his chest, still holding onto Lil' Apple's lead. "What's going on?" Gritting his teeth, Lan Zhan clenched his hand around his sword and stood stiffly blinking into Wei-Ying's mid-section. Lan Zhan was not big on eye contact or feelings.

Now, Wei Ying became worried at his friend's hesitation and awkward stance. Furrowing his brow in concern, Wei Ying asked, "Lan Zhan. What is troubling you?" Trying to lighten the mood in his typical fashion, Wei Ying let his hands fall to his sides and his frown turned into a squinting smile, again. "Lan Zhan. Are you missing me already? I just left." At that, Lan Zhan's body tensed more and then he quickly composed himself. Finally flicking his eyes to meet Wei-Ying's, Lan Zhan simply said, "Don't go." Inquisitively, Wei-Ying's head fell to the side and his eyes drifted off as he pondered his friend's statement. Bringing his eyes back to Lan Zhan, he saw the look of pain in his eyes. Blinking, he waited for Lan Zhan to muster up the courage to explain further. Wei Ying knew not to push his companion on things of this nature or else he would just clam-up and stop talking altogether. Waiting patiently, he gave Lan Zhan a comforting, toothy grin, trying to encourage his friend to continue.

Swallowing hard, Lan Zhan said, "I." Lan Zhan struggled to convey, with a look of anguish on his face and numerous pauses. Taking a deep breath and slowly emptying his lungs, he started again, "You are my friend and brother and..." Lan Zhan's voice trailed off, uncomfortably. Wei-Ying, still smiling at him, hung onto his every word. Finally, Lan Zhan gazed up into Wei-Ying's eyes as if he was trying to telepathically express his feelings. After being around Lan Zhan for so long, Wei Ying became an expert in deciphering his vague, short sentences. As they stood, looking at one another, Lan Zhan could feel his hand getting clammy around his sword as he clutched onto it for comfort. Lan Zhan whispered, "I want you to stay. With me. At Cloud Recesses." Wei Ying stood back to better evaluate what Lan Zhan was saying. He was never one for talking, so Wei Ying needed to monitor his gestures for indications. From the way Lan Zhan was acting, Wei Ying surmised this was something his friend deeply desired. If he could do anything to make Lan Zhan at peace, he would do it in a heartbeat. Smiling at him, he nodded without a second thought. Holding onto Lan Zhan's upper arms, Wei Ying grasped onto him for emphasis and replied, "Alright," as his eyes twinkled.

Struggling with a half smirk, Lan Zhan's posture relaxed, and his eyes glistened. Turning to Lil' Apple, Wei Ying said, "Alright donkey. You get to go back to play with your bunny friends again." Pushing himself back to an upright position, Wei Ying gleamed at Lan Zhan, as Lan Zhan nodded in reply. The two turned around and headed back in the direction of Gusu. To pass the time, Wei Ying played his flute atop Lil' Apple and Lan Zhan led them both back to the Cloud Recesses. There was a song that Lan Zhan had composed beautifully that Wei Ying was particularly fond of. The first time he had heard it was when he was badly injured from battling the monster Xuanwu. Jokingly, Wei Ying asked Lan Zhan to sing him a song to brighten the gloomy atmosphere. To his amazement, Lan Zhan began to sing. He had the most soothing voice, which didn't surprise Wei-Ying. Everything about Lan Zhan embodied serenity and beauty.

Although he only heard it once, it embedded itself in Wei-Ying's head. To Wei-Ying's dismay, Lan Zhan refused to talk much about it let alone tell him the name of the song. From what Wei Ying could recall, there were words to the song, but Lan Zhan sang them so quietly, he could barely hear them. Plus, he was halfway into a coma when Lan Zhan sang it to him. Even though he could not hear or remember the words well, the melody was unforgettable. Secretly, Lan Zhan named it "Wangxian." However, he refused to share the title with Wei-Ying. It was a mixture of both of their formal names. Although Lan Zhan called him Wei-Ying, his proper name was Wei Wu Xian and Lan Zhan was Lan Wang Ji. As Wei Ying played the tune, he smiled reminiscing of all their adventures and how they had ended up at this point. Watching Lan Zhan's robes and hair dance in the air, he was captivating, and it caused his cheeks to happily rise as he softly blew into his instrument.