Grey Scale

Internal Laughs

"Glady," but before Wei Zhouhui left, he turned around. "However, let me tell you one thing first. No shouting, no noice, no lashing out in anger, and do not make an opinion without knowing the full story. Those are all rules of the GusuLan sect are they not? Yet you, the supposed righteous Teacher Lan, broke each one of those rules including plenty more. So what is the punishment? It should be one hundred strikes from the discipline boards, should it not?

Lan Qiren was awestruck, how could an insolent demonic cultivator be so proficient in the GusuLan sect rules, not to mention the punishments? It was his first time stepping into the Cloud Resesses, how could he know?

"I-I!"

Heh, "That's what I thought. Good day Teacher Lan," Wei Zhouhui turned around, leaving with a small smirk on his face.

That day, the class had grew respect, fear, and admiration for the one and only, Wei Zhouhui.

*****

Later in the day, he took a walk in the surrounding forest, stopping to wonder of the events that were to come. He considered of the possible things that he can do to change to outcome of his past self. I wish Qing-jie was here. Lan Zhan is here too, but he must still despise me of my crooked ways. However, he is still of the GusuLan Sect, he must want to save our past as well. Ah, Qing-jie would've known what to do.

Thoughts crossed over his mind, in this timeline, the Web Remnants are still alive. With only that thought in his mind, he turned to leave the Cloud Resesses, and headed toward Yiling.

The Yiling Patriarch is back.

*****

Wei Zhouhui was ready to head straight out, but a sudden blob of white showed up.

Lan Zhan...

Forehead ribbon, decorated with cloud designs embroidered into it, flowed in the wind, the Lan's eyes filled with emotion, "Wei Ying-" he began to speak, but Lan Nianzu got cut off.

"It's Wei Zhouhui now, what do you want?" His voice was harsh, he must want to lock me up, but then I can't see Qing-jie and Wen Ning, and maybe A-Yuan's parents, I can't get locked up yet.

"Where are you going?" Lan Nianzu questioned, pale golden eyes shimmering.

"Going to become the Yiling Patriarch again."

The Lan's eyes widened, grabbing onto the other's wrists, "You cannot."

Suprised of his fierce gesture, he stared with wide eyes at the man he admired as the perfect gentlemen. He must really hate my crooked path.

"I can and I will, I must save the Wen remnants, I can't allow them to die this time." Wei Zhouhui stared straight into the other's eyes, displaying the small message of 'You better let go of me right now.' Seeing that he man wouldn't let go, he calmly said, "I won't lose control, as I don't have the Stygian Tiger Amulet, and I won't be using much of it. If you have doubts, feel free to follow my every step. Don't even think about telling me to cultivate the righteous path, as I can't anymore, I have no core."

Hearing this, the once tight grip loosened, and taking the chance, Zhouhui snatched his hand away.

The man stumbled back a few steps, "The rumors were true? You really have no golden core?" Tears formed in his eyes, as he saw Wei Zhouhui nod, he reached out to embrace the other.

Dumbfounded, he tried to push Lan Nianzu away, but to no avail. The two stood there for awhile, simply hugging each other, as one of them silently shed small tears for the other.

*****

Commotion was heard from a distance away. Interrupting their small moment, they rushed towards the loud uproar.

When they were out of the forest, the two were met with a large group of disciples, most were infuriated by something.

"Those damned Wens! How dare they chase a whole waterborne abyss to Caiyi town?!" A disciple of a sparks amidst the snow uniform shouted. A vermillion mark was found on his forehead, indicating he was of the Jin Clan.

The little peaco- Wei Zhouhui coughed quietly, Jin ZiXuan.

He looked at member in white next to him. "It came sooner than I thought. Way too quickly in fact, it hasn't been a week since the disciples from the different clans arrived. Wen Ruohan is getting bolder I suppose," He whispered to Lan Nianzu.

Nianzu nodded in agreement, "Must be on guard."

Wei Zhouhui stepped forward, coughing to catch the attention of the aggravated cultivators. "A waterborne abyss?" He asked.

The crowd of disciples turned their attention to the sudden question. Seeing the seniors, they bowed, some out of fear for Zhouhui.

Lan Xichen stepped out, slightly distressed, "Yes, a waterborne abyss has showed up from the Biling Lake, and it seems to have been chased from the QishanWen Sect." He bowed at the two, "I'm afraid many will lose their lives due to the the waterborne abyss, and Uncle is currently out of commission right now. He was unwell earlier today."

Wei Zhouhui internally laughed, heh, that old hag really became unwell from that?

He coughed, "Well, I hope he gets well soon, [cough] Do you have any ideas as to get rid of the waterborne abyss?"  He felt the piercing gaze from Lan Nianzu, but simply coughed once again from embarrassment.

Lan Xichen stared, "I do not, and Senior Wei, are you unwell? I have noticed you have been coughing quite a bit, do I need to send you a physician?"

Holding in the cough he wanted to let out due to the awkwardness, he spoke, "No need, but I do have an idea as to the deal with the waterborne abyss though."

Hearing this, disciples perked up their ears, paying close attention to the senior.

"The core of a waterborne abyss is of resentment, I can absorb the resentment."

Eyes wide open, the disciples were shocked, many started to talk amongst themselves. Feeling the glare from a certain Lan, he quickly added another statement.

"And then I will condense it into a small mass, then Lan Nianzu here, can purify." Breathing a sigh of relief when the pressure on his back was relaxed.

"Can you really do that?!" Wei Wuxian, with wide eyes asked, full of curiosity. Earning a smack from Jiang Cheng. Ah, curiosity really did kill the cat in this one.

Internal laughs

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Welcome to the universe of universes my child, Lali here!

This is a reupload of "Internal Laughs," the double meaning of the chapter title will make sense in the next chapter. Which is one of the main reasons why I reuploaded this chapter so it fits better to my outline for the story that I have. The other reason being that I simply wasn't satisfied of the quality of the chapter, in my opinion, it seemed rushed, pushing to many scenes together in too little words. In this, I've shortened the amount of scenes, but carried out everything I wanted for this chapter, so I'm more content with this chapter now. I have many plans with the many scenarios that are going to branch, and take reference from this chapter, so it had to be the best I can. I hope it conveys the rest of the story well enough for anyone who reads this.

And goodbye good children! See you in the next chapter!