WangXian: The Arrangement ✔️ [Untamed Fanfic]

6-Words and Music

After half an hour passed with no sign of Lan Zhan, Wei Ying began to browse the stacks. When he came to an entire section on incantation, he looked around to make sure he was alone. He had a talent for incantation, but many frowned upon cultivating that skill too highly. Unlike swordsmanship or music or meditation, incantation was seen as a path to the darker arts.

He was somewhat surprised to see even a few spell books on the shelves. None of the Lan clan disciples would be able to read them. Until your level of skill was sufficient to perform them, the spells were invisible. To most, these books would seem like collections of blank pages.

His eyes widened when he saw a copy of 'Incantations of the Core." He yanked it off the shelf and opened it wide, gasping when he saw full pages. He'd only ever been able to get one spell until now. He'd bought a torn page from a sketchy street vendor in an alley in Nightless City a few years ago.

To his surprise, it had worked. That spell had unlocked something in him, allowing him to see the cultivators' golden cores.

You were either born with the spark of immortality or you weren't. But, if you had it, then its power grew with cultivation - learning, meditation, discipline. After completing the incantation, he had learned that the core's size and brightness changed as well, reflecting the power of its owner. They called them 'golden cores,' and most were. Some were dull, some bright.

He'd only ever seen three people who had cores that were different.

A creak alerted him that he was no longer alone, and he shoved the book back into its slot.

Peeking around a corner, he saw Lan Zhan scanning the room.

When Lan Zhan's eyes fell on him, he grinned and waggled his fingers. "Miss me?"

Pursed lips were the only response.

"Come," Lan Zhan said. "I'll take you to collect your belongings. Some things have been decided."

Wei Ying swallowed. Why don't I like the sound of that?

***

Collecting his few belongings from the guest quarters didn't take long. 

It surprised him though that Lan Zhan led him to the room opposite the small courtyard from his own.

"This is for me?" he asked, stepping inside.

"You did say you wished to be treated as family. I could hardly leave you in the guest quarters."

Wei Ying watched Lan Zhan's tall, lean frame cross the threshold. "Thank you," he said. "I know I'm not exactly the betrothed you always imagined for yourself."

Lan Zhan's dark eyes tracked off into the distance. "I always assumed I would marry someone I liked and respected and that we would share a life and a home together."

Wei Ying snickered. "Some quiet, studious maiden from a good family?"

One side of Lan Zhan's mouth turned up. "Something like that."

Wei Ying put down the basket he was carrying and put both hands on his narrow hips. "Well, Lan Zhan, then you can consider me as your savior. Someone like that would have bored you to tears!"

"So it is I who should be thanking you?" Lan Zhan was almost smiling.

Wei Ying laughed and moved closer. "Lan Zhan, before the year is out, not only will you be thanking me, you'll be begging me."

Lan Zhan's smile faltered. "Begging you for what?"

"Why, to move across the courtyard, of course."