[Completed]
After being separated by morals, by death, and at last by duties, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji find themselves with an empty space in their lives and an unexplained longing to see each other again.
With everything they have been through, t...
"Surprises are everywhere in life. And they usually come from misjudging people for being less than they appear." ― Brownell Landrum,
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Wei Wuxian
With each step I take forward towards the house, I feel more and more of dark energy. Whoever the person who has been affected by this, is in deep trouble.
Before going to the house, I ask a villager for some information. According to him, three people lived in the house. After getting the needed details I reach the door with Lan Zhan. We knock, and an old woman opens it. I observe her and conclude that she was not the one affected. I glance at Lan Zhan and he nods, understanding my message.
"Madam, we're cultivators," I say with a smile. "If there's any help you need we are willing to offer." She stares at us blankly.
"Who is it mother?" a male voice inside the house asks.
"Cultivators," she replies. When she said it, we hear a crash from the house continued by hurried footsteps. A man comes to the door. He looks at us as if he's seen a great fortune, hope gleaming in his eyes.
He doesn't seem to be affected either. That leaves only one person left.
"Young masters, it's an honor to have you here," he says.
"It's our pleasure," I tell him. "We sensed some unusual things here. Is there anything we could do for you?"
"Yes, indeed. Please come in."
When we enter the house, I see a girl lying on a bed, with black marks on her neck.
Here's what I've been looking for.
"That's my daughter." The man says when he sees me looking at her.
"What happened to her?"
"Her mother died a few months ago. It affected her badly. She used to visit her grave every day. One day I couldn't take her during the day, so she wanted to go after nightfall. Knowing the dangers I didn't let her go. But she is a stubborn girl just like her mother." He lets out a wary chuckle before continuing.
"She sneaked out of the after everyone slept to visit her. When I woke up in the morning, she was not in the house. I went looking for her and found her near the grave. But it was too late. Some grave diggers have attacked the grave that day. And this poor girl was lying next to it unconsciously. She hasn't woken up since then."
"When did this happen?"
"Not long after my wife's death. We asked for help from many cultivators. But when they tried to help her, she started screaming in pain."
Months ago, this should be around the time of the second siege.
"Lan Zhan, if grave diggers showed up, this could be Jin Guangyao's attacks. She must have been affected when he made fierce corpses. Since he didn't want children in his army he must have left her. Besides she was alive when this happened."
"Yes. Usual cultivators will not be able to exorcise the spirit." Lan Zhan says, summoning Wangji.
"Lan Zhan, the spirit might be reluctant to leave her body. If you force it, it will hurt her."
"There's no other way." He says. And I don't reply, I'm still stuck in deciding if I should use my powers or not.
Lan Zhan starts playing. Gently at first, then commandingly. And the girl started whimpering. He increases the power and the screaming begins.
Her body was too fragile to fight such a fierce spirit. Seeing that Lan Zhan stops playing.
"It will hurt her too much." He says and looks at me.
If you do this there's no going back, Wei Ying. You'll have to tell him the whole truth.
"I'll do it" I finally say.
Not waiting for Lan Zhan's response, I take Chenqing out. Seeing it, the man finally seemed to recognize me. He visibly paled.
Ignoring my surroundings I walk next to the girl and start playing. I change the tone of the melody accordingly. Gentle, fierce, calming. And the girl seemed to relax since I made sure that she felt no pain. After some effort, the spirit leaves her body. Her eyes flicker and I immediately play a calming score of the Lan sect.
When she fully opened her eyes I ask her, "Hey there, how do you feel?"
She thinks for a while. "Good, but I'm tired." I smile and pat her head.
I avoid everyone's eye contact. I'm sure they're shocked. No one knew that the Yiling Patriarch could heal people until today, although I've done it a thousand times. But now it wasn't the time for explanations.
"She's fine now. Give her some food." I tell to no one in particular.
The man stares at me in shock. After a few seconds of regaining composure, he says, "You're the Yiling Patriarch. And this is Hanguang Jun?"
I sigh. "Yes, you're correct. I hope that doesn't bother you. We'll be leaving now. Take care of her"
I turn to leave without another word.
"Childe, the payment?"
"There's no need. We were just helping" I say.
I step out of the house and Lan Zhan follows me. We find Wen Ning there. We bid him goodbye and he leaves to his cottage.
"Wei Ying?" he enquires once we're alone.
I sigh. "Not now Lan Zhan. Let me clear my mind first."
During the rest of the walk, Lan Zhan lets me clear my mind indeed, as usual by staying silent.
Well, he's always silent, keeping things to himself. Even though he opens up when I ask him to, he ponders on his thoughts, again and again, making things worse for himself. Just in the way blames himself for the past.
Which is exactly why I hid my ability to heal people away from him. Because to reveal this fact I have to explain the reasons for my decisions of the past. And the more I reason myself, the more he burdens himself thinking that he should've seen it before.
But I guess it's always a matter of time till secrets are revealed. Now it's the time for the revelation of this.
Why I did what I did. Why I became what I am.
You deserve to know Lan Zhan. But you don't deserve to get hurt.
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