Underneath The Moonlit Night

Chapter 53 - In The Shadow Of Loss

As Lan Xichen soared through the skies on his flying sword, his wedding robe billowed behind him, a stark contrast to the urgency in his heart. His determination to reach Khufu as swiftly as possible was palpable, driven by a potent mix of anxiety, restlessness, and the fear of losing Qing Yi forever. Each beat of his heart echoed a desperate refrain: You must hurry. Don't let it happen again.

The ghosts of those he had loved and lost haunted his thoughts. Each departure had left a jagged wound in his heart, wounds that still ached with grief despite the passing of time. Now, faced with the prospect of losing Qing Yi, another soul he held dear, Lan Xichen felt a primal terror grip him. Memories of their precious moments together flooded his mind, momentarily drowning out the discomfort and headaches that had plagued him since the start of his wedding festivities. Lan Xichen couldn't comprehend why some of his fondest memories with Qing Yi had eluded him until now. It was only in the face of the looming threat of loss that his recollections began to flood back, like a torrent unleashed by the fear of impending separation.

With every mile he covered, Lan Xichen's resolve hardened. He couldn't bear the thought of history repeating itself, of yet another cherished person slipping through his fingers. Balancing on the edge of his flying sword, Lan Xichen willed himself to fly faster, to defy fate and reach Qing Yi's side before it was too late.

Lan Xichen's thoughts churned as he flew, a tumult of self-doubt and regret. "I promised him everything would be alright if he could trust me. How could I have forgotten all the important things I ever said to him?" He squeezed his temple, trying to quell the rising tide of guilt.

"Brother!" The voice of Lan Wangji shattered his reverie, pulling him back to the present moment.

Turning sharply, Lan Xichen beheld Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian flying together on Lan Wangji's sword, an unexpected sight. Even more surprising was the sight of Jiang Cheng and Jing Shi riding together on Jiang Cheng's flying sword.

"You... Wangji... Clan Leader Jiang... Are you joining me?" Lan Xichen's words stumbled out in a jumble of astonishment, trying to make sense of the unexpected company.

"Yeah, well... your... um... wife, I suppose? She insisted on coming along, given it's her brother and all. So I offered her a ride," Jiang Cheng responded, his tone tinged with annoyance. He shot Lan Xichen a pointed look. "Since her newlywed husband decided to just up and leave all of a sudden."

Lan Xichen remained silent in response to Jiang Cheng's observation, but the tension in his demeanor was palpable. In truth, Jiang Cheng also felt a twinge of worry after learning of Qing Yi's predicament. Despite the incident where Qing Yi had nearly plummeted to his death, a situation largely instigated by Qing Yi himself, Jiang Cheng couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility for not keeping a tighter hold on him. Moreover, Qing Yi had proven to be a more complex individual than Jiang Cheng had initially believed.

"I'm sorry, Ze Wu Jun," Jing Shi's voice broke through the uneasy silence, her expression mirroring Lan Xichen's own worry and anxiety. "Like you, I'm also worried for my only brother's safety."

Lan Xichen's gaze softened as he turned to his new wife, guilt weighing heavily on him. "Of course, I apologize, my lady. I was just..." He struggled to find the right words to convey his inner turmoil to Jing Shi. However, in that moment, his thoughts were consumed by the urgency of reaching Qing Yi, drowning out everything else.

"Qing Yi comes first," Jing Shi replied, her understanding glance a silent reassurance that she shared in Lan Xichen's concerns and priorities.

"I understand we're heading to Khufu's palace, right? But are we certain Qing Yi is even there?" Lan Wangji voiced his concern as they neared their destination.