Meet Me Halfway

Arc 9 - Coincidence

"Lan WangJi ... what happened to A-Xian?" Lan WangJi glanced back at the Jiang family. The clan Leader look on seriously, hugging on his pale daughter. Jiang Cheng was looking at everywhere but at the person that making him frown heavily.

"You said that my death was the final strike for him ... " despite the paleness and the frail looking appearance, Jiang YanLi implored Second Young Master Lan to tell her the truth.

Minutes passed by without any of them move. Each of them realized that Lan WangJi had the crucial information. "He jumped off the cliff,"  the declaration was a mere whisper, but to those who cares, it's as loud as someone who screamed.
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"WangJi, the least you can do was to be subtle," Lan XiChen quietly scolded his younger brother as he pulled him out of the room. Meanwhile, Lan WangJi allowed himself to be pulled without any protest.

Lan XiChen finally slowed down once they were nearing Lanshi. "It's no use to be beating around the bush. This is serious matter, xiong-zhang," said Lan WangJi calmly.

"I never refute the importance of the matter, WangJi." Sighed Lan XiChen sombre. Lan WangJi's face as expressionless as ever, but the reflection in the eyes is respectful.

"Let's leave them to rest. I'm sure a good rest will be good for everyone right now. We can discuss more after everyone was composed and with clear mind," suggested Lan XiChen, feeling sad and weary. He felt young people nowadays very stressful and difficult. There are only a few years gap, but the difference in their way of thinking, enjoying life and living a meaningful life very wide.

"Why would he have that kind of memory?" asked Jin GuangShan suddenly, surprising the Lan brothers out of their little quarrel.

"What kind of memory?" asked Lan WangJi defensively over the memory he'd gained. Ever since he first introduced to the clan Leaders Jin, Lan WangJi never associated him with good feeling. After he learnt of his characteristics, whatever Clan Leader Jin said, he always take them with grain of salt.

"He saw a battle of many clans. What role does he hold?" question Jin GuangShan calculative.

"Yes, he must be someone important," agreed Nie MingJue reasonably.

"I'm not sure the real reason the battle happened. However, I know that Wei WuXian was one of the forces that had the ability to either start or stop the battle. Thus, his tragic death was unexpected."

"You only witnessed one memory?" Asked Jin GuangShan curious.

"There's another memory ... he was trapped in a cave, and there was someone warned of something,"

"Who was that person?"

"It was unknown." Lied Lan WangJi through his teeth.

"Let me show you to your room," Lan XiChen gestures to the two clan leaders to follow him, while his eyes lingering on his younger brother.

'He didn't even bat an eyelash.' thought Lan XiChen impressed. 'That was ... intriguing,'

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"WangJi, could you tell us in detail everything you have seen while in empathy?" As usual, Lan QiRen didn't waste time on pleasantry.

"There were two memories. One was the battle ... Another was in the Cold Spring Cave."

"Cold Spring Cave," Lan XiChen instinctively glance at this uncle. "The continuation of the event at the cold Spring pool?" Mutters Lan XiChen to himself, forgetting his brother have a sharp hearing.

"Something you need to tell me about Wei WuXian?"

"Since you have already involved, it will be totally pointless to keep it from you."

"I'm all ear, so take your time, xiong-zhang,"

"A day before the official date of admission for this year's lessons, the disciples from the Jiang Sect arrived. However, Young Master Wei passed through our gate while he was unconscious." Revealed Lan XiChen.

"They were attacked? He was ill?"
Lan WangJi looked at his brother confused when the response was negative.

"It was a mystery for me, for a while until Clan Leader Jiang and his wife visited." Lan XiChen look at their uncle, who nodded as if giving permission. Lan XiChen left the table to take a book from the shelf.

"It's still new and look ordinary." Comment Lan WangJi as he lay his eyes on the book.

"Read the book, WangJi," Lan QiRen impatiently stared at his younger nephew.

The room blanketed with silence. Lan WangJi read each words his eyes laid on carefully. He closed the book after he was done reading first entry. He look at his brother as if he wanted to say something, instead he took a deep breath. He continued reading another entry and frown heavily for minutes.

"Wangji?"

"There's another entry," replied Lan WangJi curtly. He read the last entry too quickly and snapped the book closed. "What is this uncle? Brother?"
Asked Lan WangJi impatiently and slightly anxious.

"That book was brought to our knowledge by Clan Leader Jiang and his wife, Madam Yu. They claimed it was belongs to Wei WuXian."

"You believed their claimed,"

"Wei WuXian once came to me and confessed of his 'dreams' that he also keep another record of those dreams."

"I can tell with confidence that I have never experience the events mentioned in this book and in the empathy I've witnessed." Said Lan WangJi.

"Either it will happen eventually or it won't happen at all." Concluded master Lan QiRen in deep thinking.

"We met ancestor Lan Yi while in the Cold Spring Cave,"

"You lied to clan leader Jin."

"I never trust him, xiong-zhang,"

"Don't worry, WangJi. It's good to have such instinct."

"What about the second memory?"

"We was there in the cave by accident and found ancestor Lan Yi. She in turn warned us of the possibility of irresponsible person to exploit 'yin metal' consequently will be  endangered to many civilians and cultivators."
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"Wei Ying!"

Lan WangJi breathing heavily, looking wildly around the dark room. He still can remember the emotion that gripped him while in empathy. The heavy pressure caused by the resentment energy that was in abundance that moment while in the memory.

His chest is feeling the phantom pains of the despair and dare he labelled as love? Those emotions affected him strongly.

Who are you?

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A/n - Any comments are welcome. Thanks 😉

Published (1023 words)