A Way to Heal

Part 1

It's already been a few years since the incidents in Guanyin temple, Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian are still roaming around the cultivation world. Those two never stayed in the same place more than a few days and most of the time they had to settle with the small amount of money they earned from the villagers in return for killing the fierce corpse or eradicating the resentment. Who knows whether it was chaos following them or them following the chaos? But the couple were enjoying this new rogue life. The two men were happy, extremely happy and if you ask, In his almost 35 years of life Lan WangJi has never been happier. But this new wandering life didn't mean they completely let go of their roots. Though Lan WangJi didn't like the idea of tying his husband down to the rigid sect rules, both were visiting Cloud Recess more often than they imagined they would.

Lan XiChen is out of seclusion now and resumed his role as sect leader. He started engaging in the sect duties more giving himself less time to dive into the horrendous past. He laughed like usual, talked like usual but one's face didn't always convey what their heart wishes, especially in the case of Lans. Let's say the rule prohibiting The excessive expression of emotions was perfectly working to hide the pain & guilt in his heart. Finally a good use of some of those abundant rules. His mind was still disorganized but among all the nightmares there was one thing he was very sure of, That he will not be a leader like his father. The kind who would hide in a cave of guilt while dumping the duties to his own brother. Lan XiChen knew it would be unfair not only to WangJi but also to himself if he decided to engulf the peace in an imaginary world rather than accepting the cruel reality.

With the truths in light now and the constant threat of Lan WangJi eloping with his partner in the air, the old Lan decided to give in to his younger nephew's stubbornness. Lan QiRen became more adaptable to his nephew in-law. Certainly It was not easy to accept a man, a demonic cultivator, as his precious WangJi's partner. But wasn't he the one who raised both of his nephews ? If it's not him, then who can understand them better?? As a first step to the change, the rules solely aimed at Wei WuXian were removed from the wall of rules. Needless to say, Lan XiChen getting into his own role was also paying off.

The juniors were still going on night hunts with Wen Ning, though the ghost general was not allowed inside the Cloud Recess. Even the relationship between Wei WuXian and Jiang WanYin is also getting better. Whenever WangJi and WuXian passed by near Yunmeng or Lanling, they would stop to meet Jin Ling. The excuse was Wei WuXian wanted to spend more time with his Shijie's son but who were they kidding? It was a chance for the earlier twin prides of Yunmeng to meetup without the fear of interrogation. During those meetings the martial brothers would exchange a couple of sentences. The process was slow but working. Yes, it's not easy to forgive and forget. Especially, when what you had to trade for it was your entire life. But it is safe to say everything is changing for the better and all of them are healing slowly.....

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One of those days both Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi reached Cloud Recess after visiting Jin RuLan in Lotus Pier. After the dinner, Lan WangJi was checking some documents in Jingshi, hoping to ease his brother's workload. He turned his head searching for his beloved who became awfully quiet after their visit in Lotus pier. Wei WuXian was lying in their bed, his eyes closed, fingers fidgeting at the end of his ribbon.

"Wei Ying"

"........"

"Wei Ying ?"

".............."

This time he just got up walking straight to his bed. For someone who knew Wei WuXian more like the back of his hand, it was not hard for Lan WangJi to guess that something was stuck in his Wei Ying's mind. He sat on the edge of their bed, careful not to startle the other, slowly he ran his fingers through Wei Ying's long hairs. That did the work. Wei WuXian looked at his beloved husband, smiling.

"What were you thinking ?"

"How unfair the life is"

Lan WangJi definitely did not expect Wei WuXian to answer, so this reply surprised him.

"Jin Ling was only 15 when he took charge of the Lanling Jin sect. Around the age as ours when I first came to Cloud Recess for study. Oh ! How much fun we had that time. Along with Jiang Cheng and Nie HuaiSang, making every minute of our teen years memorable. Now that I think of it, I absolutely enjoyed my stay here. And there was you ... My most favorite in the entire Gusu."

He smiled remembering those days. Those good old days.

"He is a sect leader now. A sect leader, Lan Zhan. At the age where he should play around and enjoy his life, at the age he should be pampered and advised by his parents, he is maintaining a sect. Without his parents being his side "

"NOT. WEI YING'S. FAULT"

Lan WangJi said, making sure to emphasize each word. By now he understood the picture. It was one of those days where Wei WuXian's self-blaming session starts. Especially today After visiting his brother and nephew, it was predictable. It would be wrong to say Lan WangJi didn't see it coming.

"But I started everything. If I was not carried over by emotions, Jin ZiXuan wouldn't have died. If I was a bit more careful, ShiJie wouldn't have died. I can't escape from this Lan Zhan. Every time I meet Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling, the guilt is eating me up. I can't escape from the fact that I'm the reason for their sorrows."

After a while of silence he continued.

"Only if there was a way to turn back time, only if there was a way to bring them back.. If there is nothing, then I'll make one. I would do anything to get that done, anything "

Lan WangJi who was silent all this time definitely was not feeling good. How determined he sounded talking about bringing the dead back brought back his memories of those 13 years without Wei Ying. Lan WangJi was getting this hunch. Something was going to happen. More like his Wei Ying was up to something. Something that would change their life as a whole. something that could rewrite the entire story.

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Note: Let's get used to the names Jiang WanYin and Jin RuLan. I am going to use them a lot in this story