The Cloud Recesses had never been this quiet, this heavy with fear. The halls that once echoed with serenity and discipline now buzzed with frantic energy. Lan disciples were running to and fro, combing through every inch of the sect grounds. They had been searching for hours, and still, there was no sign of him.
Wei Ying was missing!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Sect Leader Lan Qingheng-jun and his brother, Lan Qiren along with Wei Changze, had led the search, their faces grave and determined. Lan Qingheng-jun had even sent disciples to Caiyi Town, scouring every corner of the area in hopes of finding the mischievous boy. But so far, every lead had led to nothing.
Lan Zhan's heart thundered in his chest, each second an agonizing reminder that his little boy was still lost. His brother, Lan Xichen, scoured the grounds with the same quiet desperation, their uncle Lan Qiren close behind, barking orders at disciples who hurried in every direction. Each empty room they passed deepened the pit of dread in Lan Zhan's stomach.
Six hours. Six unbearable hours had passed since Wei Ying disappeared, and there was still no sign of him. The thought of his son alone, frightened Changze, tormented him to no end and gnawed at his resolve.
Cangse's wail tore through the courtyard, the anguished cry of a broken mother. She collapsed in Madam Lan 's arms, her grief too great to bear. Lan Jing, herself pale with worry, whispered soothing words, though none could soothe a heart splintering with fear.
Within the Cloud Recesses, young Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen moved with the same desperate urgency. They had searched every nook and cranny—the courtyards, the secluded gardens, even the hidden pathways known only to the elders. Each place that turned up empty made Lan Wangji's heart sink further, the panic swelling in his chest like an unstoppable tide.
They had been searching for hours now. Hours. How could Wei Ying still be missing?
Lan Wangji could hear the murmurs of the other disciples, their worried whispers following them wherever they went. Even Nie Huaisang and Lan Ziyi, both normally so cheerful and full of life, were close to tears. Huaisang's fan, usually fluttering in his hands, was now clenched tightly at his side as he paced in worried silence. Ziyi's eyes, wide and glistening, followed Lan Wangji and Xichen, waiting for a miracle that had yet to appear.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
