The Song of Inquiry | The Untamed 陈情令

Chapter 01: Clarity

"MISS??" A VOICE OF A MAN EXCLAIMED as both of her eyes jolted open. Her vision is blurry until a face of a man whose leaving a little strand of hair in front of his face startled her. "Ah!" she screamed and got up in her position - shocked when she stared down in her body - observing herself and realized she is wearing a white kimono with lotus flower printed all around.

She slowly reached her hair, who's tied in a perfect half bun. Confused, she stared at the man once more - cloaked in white robes with hints of blue straps attached to it, long hair...she thought for a moment and realized she is not in her home anymore.

"Miss? Are you alright?" he asked again as she stared at him and reply, "I'm...fine...by the way, where am I?" the man chuckled, much to her confusion. "You don't know? You're in front of the Cloud Recesses entrance! You've been sleeping there...and you don't know??" a boy beside the man replied as she shook her head.

"I-I don't understand...am I not in Tokyo anymore?" she observe the place where full of trees and grass confused her. The man in front of her raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean?" she blushed realizing inside that she is not in her time anymore...and remembered a scene in an anime she watched where this scene that is happening same as hers.

"I....I was playing a flute...and a weird image appear to my mind...I...I fell asleep and woke up here..." the man shook his head while he whispered to the boy before he left. He brushed his head and replied, "Okay, calm down miss...let's go inside and see my uncle so we can talk about this." She nodded as the man walk inside and she followed him.

"Uncle?" she asked as the man replied, "Master Lan Qiren of Gusu Lan Sect is my uncle, which is here..." he said as she nod.

"By the way...I haven't introduced myself...My name is Lan Xichen of Gusu Lan Sect and you?" he added as she hesitated for a second and became speechless. Shall I say my modern name? She thought to herself and replied, "My name is.....Uh.....its Ashley...my name is Ashley."

"Ash...ley?" he replied as she chuckled. "Uhhhh...Ashley...it pronounced together." He nodded and replied, "I see...we do need to talk to my uncle about this..." her eyes wonder the place as what it seem same cloaked as Lan Xichen walk towards them and bowed, while she does the same for adjustment.

While her eyes wonder how huge the place is, she saw a man alone in the front area where flowers are planted in it. Lan Xichen stopped in his tracks and saw her eyes towards the figure, "that is Lan Wangji known as HanGuang-Jun...he is my brother...he is the best disciple in this place." She nodded as she observed him, a sudden ache of her head endured and a flash of image of the same scene she endured in her home repeated.

Lan Xichen noticed her discomfort and pat her shoulder, "You alright?" she nodded as the two continue to walk towards his Uncle's room...not knowing Lan Wangji saw them behind. As both of them reached his Uncle's room, he opened it and the two enter where his uncle meditates while a boy beside him play a relaxing music in Guqin.

The man opened his both eyes and saw the two while the music stopped, the boy stood, bowed and walk away while Lan Xichen sat - she as well. "Uncle, this girl...I found her sleeping in front of Cloud Recesses...and seems you need to know how she got in there." His uncle nodded and stared her. She gulped and sigh before she began to speak,

"My name is Ashley Danvers, and I'm from Tokyo, Japan. I was playing a flute...the music ummm... I don't know what the title is...but-"

"Play the music." Lan Xichen widen his eyes and she as well, "Pardon?" she replied while Lan Xichen reach an object and gave it to her, "Here...play the music." She stared at the flute for a while and she did as she positioned herself and start to play the music. Lan Xichen widen his eyes as does his uncle while she played the music.

Same image flashed upon her as she knelled down and endure the pain, Lan Xichen helped her to get up as his uncle stood up, observing her features. He widen his eyes, "it can't be....the music....the music you played....Lan Wangji and him knows only...." She became confused of what Lan Xichen's uncle said and replied,

"What do you mean...?" She asked while Lan Xichen is about to answer, a figure of a man walked towards them. She widen her eyes when she realized it's the man...the man she saw earlier - Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji bowed and stood while his eyes stared upon hers, Ashley felt the sting in her chest as Lan Xichen sighed. "What's the matter, Wangji?" he asked as Lan Wangji repied, "One of the disciples discovered a body near in Cloud Recesses." His uncle stood and replied, "What?" His uncle walk towards and follow Wangji while Lan Xichen stared at Ashley. "Ummm, Lan Xichen?" he stared at her and replied,

"Zewu Jun...call me that...there is no need to call my name..." she nodded as she replied, "Zewu Jun, what does your uncle met when he said...Lan Wangji and him knew?" Lan Xichen thought for a moment and replied, "My uncle and I believed you might be....Wei Wuxian." Ashley widen her eyes and replied, "Wei Wuxian?" memories of what it seemed of him flashed upon her, in her time...she just finished a Chinese series and seems she finally realized what is going on.

"The Yiling Patriarch?!" Lan Xichen widen his eyes when he heard Ashley. "How did you know?" she gulped and sighed, "Zewu Jun, in my time...the story of the Yiling Patriarch is foretold...I finally remember!" Lan Xichen became confused as Ashley chuckled. "Your uncle is the master in Cloud Recesses isn't it? The forbidden library...ummm Wei Wuxian's death in Nightless City..." Lan Xichen widen his eyes as he grabbed Ashley's hand, "Ashley...you-"

"Brother." Lan Wangji spoke as Ashley and he stared at him, Lan Wangji's eyes stared towards her and seems familiar with her. Ashley chuckled in a low voice as Lan Xichen let go of her hand. "Wangji...this is...." Ashley interrupt and replied, "Usagi! My name is Usagi...er Ying! Usagi Ying!" she replied as Lan Wangji stared at her and stared back towards his brother. "Uncle needs you there." Zewu Jun nodded as he spoke, "A- I mean Usagi...stay here. Wangji, tour her for she is from a foreign place...she is our new disciple." Lan Wangji nodded as Zewu Jun left. Ashley, on the other hand sighed in relief.

Usagi ehhh? Shiyaaa, it means 'Rabbit' in English...it seems I am the only one who knew about him who loves rabbits or maybe Zewu Jun knows because he is Lan Wangji's brother....oiiiiiiii she thought to herself as she realized Lan Wangji is already staring at her - even the flute in her grasp. "Uhhh hehehe, ummm, errrrr Hi......" she smiled as Lan Wangji spoke, "Come with me." She nodded as she followed him, knowing deep inside...she hardly knew him in the fullest.