In the morning after breakfast, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan bring Xue Yang to Lan Qiren. They explain that this is the same person who helped them in Nightless City and that he wants to come back to Cloud Recesses with them.
Lan Qiren gives nothing away, intensely looking back at the seven year old.
"Very well. Is there anything you must pack or anyone you want to see before we head out? Then I suggest you go and do that."
Xue Yang grins and races out of there before the old man can tell him not to run indoors.
They're back in the sleeping room and it's just Lan Qiren and the boys, so when they're alone again, Lan Qiren locks the door and places silencing talismans all around them.
"First of all, before you invite anyone to come back with us, I would appreciate some warning." He paces in front of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, agitation oozing out from his every action.
"Sorry, Shufu," Lan Zhan bows down to him.
"No, no, Lan Zhan, it was me. I should be apologising." Wei Ying also bows down to him. "Shifu. I'm sorry, it was my idea. Spur of the moment kind of thing."
"Hm. Explain yourself." Lan Qiren knows he's being difficult, but the matter is most serious. "Wait, does this have anything to do with your past lives?"
"Yeah."
"You mentioned before that Xue Yang was there."
"Yes, Shifu." Wei Ying answers properly after Lan Zhan nudges him.
"Then I want you to tell me everything you know about him in that life first. Leave nothing out."
"We heard rumours of a massacre at the Chang mansion, on our quest to find more of the Yin Iron. When we investigated, Xue Yang had killed everyone and was waiting for us. But before we could fight him, Xiao XingChen and Song ZiChen came and helped us subdue him. He was brought to Nightless City because Nie MingJue was renowned for his upright personality and unwillingness to compromise in the face of injustice, and because the Unclean Realm was closest to us. We heard he escaped during Wen Xu's attack, though it wasn't clear how that happened. It was suspected that Xue Yang was hiding the Yin Iron fragment but even upon searching him, it wasn't found." Wei Ying looks down, even when Lan Zhan reaches for him.
"Do you know why Xue Yang killed all those people?"
"No. But if the circumstances around that event have changed, then it's possible that they won't be killed like that in this life." Lan Zhan defends Wei Ying's account.
Lan Qiren pinches the bridge of his nose, feeling a terrible headache coming along.
"Can either one of you tell me why you thought this was a good idea?"
"We...well, actually it was just me. I thought we could help him more, if he was with us. Last night, he was telling us how scared he is of what could happen to him. But after he gave us the Yin Iron, he looked so much better." Wei Ying tells him brightly.
"WHAT?" Lan Qiren turns around abruptly, staring straight at them. "He gave it to you? Just like that?"
"Er...yeah?" Wei Ying throws Lan Zhan a look, saying, what's up with him?
Lan Zhan shrugs at him, but then he turns to his uncle. "Wei Ying talked to him."
"I...I don't know what to say. I must admit, I thought it would be harder, especially if he had no idea what it was, or what it could do. Do you want to give it to me for safekeeping, or do you want to hold onto it for now?"
"Xue Yang must have known what it was because he was with me in Wen Ruohan's underground hideout. He saw the one piece floating weirdly above the firepit." Wei Ying remembers.
