A Means to an End (WangXian)

When Colors Collide

Sparks flew, swords clashing in a speed that matched the light. No one could see their moves. It was too quick, too precise.

But eyes wandered, a hand slipped. A sword passed the person's cheek, a threat lingered.

"You are distracted," Lan Wangji called.

Wei Wuxian sighed and sheathed his sword. "They could be making their move any day now. We still have too much to do."

"We are ready."

Wei Wuxian licked his lips. "Are we? We still have civilians here. Not all of our forces are gathered. We're still waiting for Jiang Cheng to return with more cultivators from Lotus Pier."

Lan Wangji sheathed his sword and approached Wei Wuxian.  He pulled Wei Wuxian towards him, one arm resting on his upper arm, the other placed on the side of his neck.

"We have done much. Time and handwork have allowed us to be here, ready and strong. You must have faith," he breathed gently.

Wei Wuxian nodded in agreement. He smiled at Lan Wangji. "I make you worry too much," he laughed.

"I will always worry about you."

Wei Wuxian elbowed Lan Wangji. "You can't just say things like that! At least warn me," he huffed.

Lan Wangji's lip twitched slightly. Only Wei Wuxian had managed to see it.

"Alright. I am glad the two of you spoke and cleared some tension, but we must return to practicing."

Wei Wuxian turned to the woman wearing an elegant light red robe. It looked almost pink in the faint light of the evening sun.

The two pulled their swords back out, listening to Baoshan Sanren's instructions. 

She taught the two of them diligently. Her wisdom surpassed anything either of them had learned. 

Her techniques in cultivation, martial arts, and sword wielding were supreme and uncanny to what the two had already mastered. It took their knowledge of cultivation and presented an endless amount of questions in whether the techniques they had learned were accurate, or, at the very least, something was missing.

The two trained for hours, bleeding into days as more movement from the Wens became apparent.

There was still no sign of Jiang Wanyin, still trying to bring more cultivators to aid in the battle, but Yu Ziyuan was continuing to make things difficult.

The rest of Wen Qing's and Wen Ning's family were nearly moved out. Even the people from the village had all vacated.

The cultivators from the other sects took Wei Wuxian's and Lan Wangji's example, taking every opportunity they could to practice and prepare from the approaching slaughter.

Everyone was on edge. There was no lighthearted tone, or one of arrogance. It was just heavy, quiet.

It drove Wei Wuxian to train harder, to tune out the silence.

Lan Wangji was worried as well. He feared that this battle would end as gruesomely as it had done in the previous future. But more so, he worried what this battle could do to Wei Wuxian.

He's watched him, late at night working on talismans and pouring over battle strategies. He watched him push his plate away during meal times, only forcing him to eat something else later. 

However, everyone was on edge. He watched his brother do the same thing, even Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang looked like they hadn't slept, busy training or strategizing.

If the Wens did not make their move soon, he feared it would drive everyone here mad.

And luckily, they did not have to wait much longer.