Chapter 12
Chapter Summary: [Elegant and Charming, Part Four]
Upon seeing this title, Jiang Cheng's lips twitched. It was clear they were still at Cloud Recesses; Wei Wuxian was posting something again.
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[The Fourth of the Elegant and Refined]
Upon seeing this title, Jiang Cheng's lips twitched. It was clear that they were still at Cloud Recesses. What kind of crazy thing had Wei Wuxian gone on there again?
Also, why is Lan Wangji considered elegant, but you, the Yiling Patriarch, considered vulgar?
The brand captivated Wei Wuxian's attention, making him wonder if he was seeing things. He couldn't even focus on the other person's face, and his breathing became erratic. Suddenly, everything went white before his eyes, as if a snow curtain had fallen. Then, the snow curtain split open, and a blue sword light, carrying an icy chill, rushed towards him.
Lan Wangji's sword, "Bichen," is renowned and famous. But to make matters worse, it's Lan Wangji!
Escape and dodge swords were second nature to Wei Wuxian; he rolled away on the spot, narrowly avoiding the sword. As he rushed out of the cold spring, he even had time to casually pluck a blade of grass from his hair. Like a headless fly, he bumped into a group of people on night patrol, who grabbed him and scolded, "What are you running around for! Running is forbidden in Cloud Recesses!"
Upon seeing Lan Jingyi and the others, Wei Wuxian was overjoyed, thinking he was about to be beaten down the mountain. He quickly offered himself up, shouting, "I didn't see anything! I didn't see anything! I definitely didn't come to peep at Hanguang-jun bathing!"
Upon hearing this, the younger disciples were immediately stunned into silence by his audacity. Hanguang-jun was a revered and untouchable figure everywhere, and the younger disciples of the clan held him in the highest esteem. To spy on Hanguang-jun bathing near the Cold Spring! Just thinking about it was a heinous and unforgivable crime. Lan Sizhui's voice trembled with fear: "What? Hanguang-jun? Hanguang-jun is inside?!"
Lan Jingyi angrily grabbed him: "You damned homosexual! This, this, this is how you peep?!"
Wei Wuxian pressed his advantage, solidifying his own guilt: "I didn't see Hanguang-jun without clothes on at all!"
Lan Jingyi angrily retorted, "You're just trying to cover your tracks! If you don't have anything to hide, what are you doing sneaking around here? Look at you, you're so ashamed you can't even show your face!"
Wei Wuxian covered his face with his hands and said, "Don't be so loud. Noisy places are prohibited in Cloud Recesses."
Amidst the chaos, Lan Wangji, draped in white robes and with his long hair flowing freely, emerged from behind layers of orchids. In the short time it took to exchange a few words, he was already impeccably dressed, his sword, Bichen, still sheathed. The younger generation quickly bowed. Lan Jingyi hurriedly said, "Hanguang-jun, this Mo Xuanyu is truly despicable. You only brought him back because of the help he received from the Mo Family Manor, but he… but…"
Wei Wuxian thought he would be kicked out of the mountain gate this time because he could no longer tolerate it, but to his surprise, Lan Wangji glanced at him casually, remained silent for a moment, and then with a clang, she sheathed Bichen and said, "Disperse."
Three simple words, yet under their combined authority, left no room for argument, and the crowd immediately dispersed. Lan Wangji calmly grabbed Wei Wuxian by the back of his collar and dragged him towards the Jingshi. In their previous life, the two were of similar height, both exceptionally tall and slender, Wei Wuxian only slightly shorter than Lan Wangji; when standing together, the difference of less than an inch seemed negligible. But in this life, having woken up in a different body, although already considered tall among ordinary people, he was still more than two inches shorter than Lan Wangji, and held in his hand, he had no chance to struggle. Wei Wuxian staggered and tried to cry out, but Lan Wangji coldly said, "Those who make noise are silenced."
Throwing him down the mountain would be more than desirable, but silencing him is something we politely decline. Wei Wuxian was utterly baffled: When did the Lan family become so lenient towards such a shameless crime as spying on their own clansmen bathing? How could they tolerate this?!
Everyone: ...
We'll just quietly watch you play... um... play?
It's all over, the image of the Yiling Patriarch is completely ruined...
Lan Xichen: Wuxian, you've misunderstood. It's not that the Lan family can tolerate it, it's just that Wangji can tolerate it.
Then he turned to look at Lan Qiren beside him, and well... there was one of them who was about to ascend to heaven.
Lan Wangji dragged him into the quiet room and headed straight for the inner room, where he slammed him onto the couch with a thud. Wei Wuxian yelped from the fall and couldn't get up for a moment. He awkwardly sat up, intending to give Lan Wangji a few coquettish words to make him shudder, but when he looked up, he saw Lan Wangji holding the Bichen sword in one hand, looking down at him.
Having grown accustomed to seeing Lan Wangji with his headband and long hair tied up, always so meticulous and precise, Wei Wuxian had never seen him with his hair slightly disheveled and dressed in light, thin clothes before. He couldn't help but take a few more glances. After being dragged and tossed around for a while, Lan Wangji's tightly closed collar was pulled open a bit, revealing his distinct collarbone and the deep red brand below it.
Upon seeing the brand, Wei Wuxian's attention was immediately drawn to it.
He also had this mark on his body before he became the Yiling Patriarch.
The piece on Lan Wangji's body at this moment, in both location and shape, was exactly the same as the one he had in his previous life, so it was impossible for him not to find it familiar and strange.
Strangely enough, it wasn't just the brand that was being displayed, but also the more than thirty whip marks on Lan Wangji's back.
Lan Wangji rose to fame at a young age and was highly regarded. He was a quintessential member of the cultivation world, one of the two pillars of the Gusu Lan Clan, and his every word and action was considered a model of excellence for all the elders of the cultivation world. What unforgivable mistake could he have committed to deserve such severe punishment?
More than thirty whip marks—it was practically a brutal beating. And once those marks are on the body, they can never be erased, the purpose being to ensure the punished person remembers them forever and never repeats the offense.
Following his gaze, Lan Wangji lowered his eyes slightly, casually tugging at his collar to cover his collarbone and conceal his injuries. He was once again the aloof and icy Hanguang-jun. Just then, a deep bell tolled from beyond the heavens.
The Lan family has strict rules and a rigorous schedule: rest at 9 PM and rise at 5 AM. This bell is a reminder of the time. Lan Wangji listened intently to the sound of the bell and said to Wei Wuxian, "You will sleep here."
Without giving Wei Wuxian a chance to answer, he went into a separate room in the quiet room, leaving Wei Wuxian alone on the couch, feeling lost.
It wasn't that he hadn't suspected Lan Zhan had guessed his identity. However, this suspicion was neither logical nor reasonable. Since the sacrificial ritual was a forbidden technique, very few people knew about it. Most of the surviving texts were incomplete and ineffective; over time, even fewer people would believe in it. Mo Xuanyu didn't know where he had obtained the secret scroll to recall Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji couldn't possibly recognize him based on the broken flute he played.
He asked himself if he had any profound or unforgettable relationship with Lan Wangji during his lifetime. Although they had been classmates, adventured together, and fought side by side, it was always like fallen petals drifting on water, coming and going in a hurry. Lan Wangji was a disciple of the Gusu Lan Clan, which destined him to be both "refined" and "righteous," making him quite incompatible with Wei Wuxian's temperament. Wei Wuxian felt that their relationship wasn't bad, but he was too embarrassed to say it was good either. He guessed that Lan Wangji's evaluation of him was the same as others: rampant evil and lacking in righteousness, destined to become a great threat one day. After Wei Wuxian betrayed the Yunmeng Jiang Clan and became the Yiling Patriarch, the grudge he formed with the Gusu Lan Clan was not small, especially in the months before his death. If Lan Wangji had identified him as Wei Wuxian, they should have fought fiercely long ago.
Everyone: ...
Those who had just been resurrected by Xiao Niangui were one thing, but the group of cultivators who had witnessed Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch, going in and out together and being inseparable all day long, all had three black lines appear on their heads as they listened to Wei Wuxian's inner complaints.
Young Master Wei, do you perhaps have some misunderstanding about Lord Hanguang?
As if she had discovered a new continent, Madam Lan first glanced at Lan Wangji, who was as cold as an ice sculpture, and then leaned close to Qingheng-jun's ear and whispered, "It seems that our A-Zhan fell in love with someone first?"
A bunch of people with good hearing around me—
Lan Qiren: ...
Lan Xichen: ……
Lan Wangji: ...
The current situation is both laughable and lamentable: He used to be so easily angered by Lan Wangji's antics that Lan Wangji could tolerate him now, even when he goes to great lengths to cause trouble. Shouldn't this be considered a significant improvement, something to celebrate?!
After staring blankly for a long time, Wei Wuxian got off the bed and quietly went to the next room.
Lan Wangji lay on his side on the couch, seemingly fast asleep. Wei Wuxian silently moved closer.
Still unwilling to give up, he prepared to touch it, hoping to find the long-awaited jade token. But as soon as he reached out, Lan Wangji's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes.
Wei Wuxian steeled himself and threw himself onto the bed.
He pounced, landed, on the bed!
"Cough...cough cough cough..."
Coughing sounds echoed throughout the space.
Looking at the Yiling Patriarch so bold and unrestrained...
They all choked on their own.
He remembered that Lan Wangji hated physical contact with others; a mere touch could send him flying. If Lan Wangji could tolerate that, he definitely wouldn't be Lan Wangji. He suspected that Lan Wangji had been possessed!
Wei Wuxian positioned himself above Lan Wangji, kneeling on either side of his waist with his legs spread apart. His hands braced against the wooden couch, trapping Lan Wangji between his arms, and he slowly pressed his face down. The distance between their faces grew closer and closer, until Wei Wuxian could barely breathe. Finally, Lan Wangji spoke.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "Go down."
Wei Wuxian, shameless as ever, said, "I won't go down."
A pair of very light-colored eyes met Wei Wuxian's gaze from close range. Lan Wangji stared at him intently and repeated, "...Get down."
Wei Wuxian said, "No. If you made me sleep here, you should have expected this to happen."
Lan Wangji asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"..." For some reason, Wei Wuxian felt that he had to carefully consider his answer.
Just as he was about to curl the corners of his mouth into a smile, he suddenly felt a numbness in his waist and his legs went weak. Then, he collapsed onto Lan Wangji with a thud.
The half-hearted smile froze on his lips, his head pressed against Lan Wangji's right chest, his entire body unable to move. Lan Wangji's voice came from above.
His voice was low and deep, his chest vibrating slightly with each word:
"Then you can stay like this for one night."
Wei Wuxian never expected this outcome. He tried to move and get up, but his waist was constantly sore and weak. He could only stick to the other hard man in an awkward position, completely dumbfounded.
What happened to Lan Zhan all these years? How did he become like this?
Is this still the same Lan Zhan from before?!
He's the one who got possessed, right?!?!
His heart was in turmoil when suddenly, Lan Wangji slightly rose. Wei Wuxian thought he had finally reached his breaking point, and his spirits lifted. But to his surprise, Lan Wangji simply waved his hand.
The lights went out.
...
The entire Lan Clan of Gusu looked at Lan Qiren: Uncle/Mr. Lan, are you alright?
Lan Qiren just wanted to look up to the sky and howl: My cabbage!!!
Everyone: ...
We don't want to see Hanguang-jun and Yiling Laozu flirting like a couple. Can you guys do something serious for me?
Later, Wei Wuxian thought about it and realized that his bad relationship with Lan Wangji could be traced back to the three months he spent studying at the Gusu Lan Clan with Jiang Cheng when he was fifteen.
Seeing this, everyone was deeply moved, as if they had returned to thirteen years ago.
Seeing the boy in the picture regain his handsome face from his previous life, everyone suddenly felt a sense of relief. They were so tired of seeing that hanged ghost before, and now it was a good time to cleanse their eyes.
The female cultivators stared intently at the screen. Who said that the Yiling Patriarch of yesteryear had a blue face and fangs and looked like a devil?
He was clearly a handsome young man, and he was in no way inferior to the Second Young Master Lan when they stood together. One was as cold as frost, and the other was unrestrained and free.
Just as they were enjoying the view, the screen suddenly went blank. The group was puzzled and about to shout when they saw Xiao Niangui's figure appear in front of the water curtain.
"Please don't worry, everyone. I'm just here to deliver someone to you."
Xiao Niangui glanced around and said indifferently, his gaze finally settling on Lan Wangji.
"Young Master Lan."
Lan Wangji and Xiao Niangui exchanged a glance and immediately understood her meaning. He immediately stood up, walked to the water curtain, and his slightly trembling eyes and his left hand tightly clenched behind his back showed his urgency.
A few breaths later, a pair of black boots slowly stepped out from the water curtain. The newcomer was tall and slender, with a smile on his lips and a pair of peach blossom eyes that sparkled. He lightly turned the flute in his hand, revealing the face of Wei Wuxian from his previous life.
"Lan Zhan!"
As soon as he came out, he saw his beloved Lan Wangji's tall and straight figure, and Wei Wuxian immediately took a big step to stand in front of Lan Wangji.
"Wei Ying, you..."
Looking at the face that was once etched into his bones, now both familiar and unfamiliar, Lan Wangji suddenly found it hard to believe.
"Oh, you mean my face?" Wei Wuxian raised his hand and touched his face. "Thanks to Miss Niangui for helping me recover."
As he spoke, he bowed to Xiao Niangui.
"Ah Xian!"
A voice that seemed to come from another world came from behind Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian paused for a moment.
The smile froze on her lips.
Following the direction Lan Wangji stepped aside, a familiar light purple dress appeared before them.
Wei Wuxian's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
"Senior sister..."
Is she really my senior sister?
Just like Jiang Cheng before him, he cautiously reached out and touched Jiang Yanli's sleeve.
"A-Xian, it's Senior Sister! It's Senior Sister!"
Jiang Yanli felt a lump in her throat and quickly grabbed Wei Wuxian's hand to show that she was really there.
"Senior Sister!"
Wei Wuxian gripped Jiang Yanli's hand tightly, as if afraid that this was all a dream, a dream that had lasted for more than a decade.
But when he looked up, he saw Jiang Yanli's gentle and beautiful face, but suddenly he remembered the image of a long sword piercing Jiang Yanli's throat in Nightless City, and her blood-covered body lying in front of him.
As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, Wei Wuxian abruptly released Jiang Yanli's hand and knelt down.
"A-Xian! What are you doing? Get up!"
Jiang Yanli was also startled. She didn't know where she got the strength, but she managed to hold up Wei Wuxian, who was about to kneel down.
"Senior sister, I'm sorry, it's all my fault, it's all my fault..."
A tear slid down Wei Wuxian's cheek.
"A-Xian, it's not your fault. You didn't hurt Shijie, do you understand?"
Looking at Wei Wuxian's red eyes, Jiang Yanli couldn't help but feel heartbroken. Back then, he was just a young man who had just reached the age of twenty, with a bright future ahead of him. However, after Lotus Pier was destroyed, the two orphaned boys had to hide and flee from the pursuit of the Wen Clan cultivators.
Moreover, he knew his younger brother well. Although Cheng had been strictly taught by his parents since childhood, he must have panicked and lost his composure after losing his parents and his family. But although Xian seemed unreliable at times, he was never hesitant when it came to important matters.
All the way back to Meishan, all the burdens fell on the young man's not-so-broad shoulders: Lotus Pier had been occupied by Wang Lingjiao, and the Jiang couple, who had raised him for ten years and were like parents to him, had died. This was the second time he had lost his family, and he felt no less grief than the Jiang siblings.
He longed to vent his frustrations, but he couldn't. He wasn't just a child of the Jiang family; he was also the eldest disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan. He needed to support Jiang Cheng's survival, he needed to find his senior sister, and together they could rebuild the Yunmeng Jiang Clan.
Therefore, he endured all of Jiang Cheng's insults and accusations, and bore all the responsibility for the destruction of Lotus Pier.
Jiang Yanli didn't know what had happened three months before Wei Wuxian disappeared, nor did she know why Wei Wuxian chose a different path three months later. But she knew that this was her younger brother, who would protect her no matter what and be her strongest support.
So on that day at Nightless City, she willingly took the sword. As the older sister, how could she watch her younger brother be in danger without caring?
Hearing her words, Wei Wuxian just kept shaking his head.
Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan.
"Uncle Jiang...Mrs. Yu..."
“Aying, we all believe you have your own reasons, and you would never hurt Ali.”
Jiang Fengmian patted him on the shoulder.
"Uncle Jiang..."
"We've watched you grow up, and we've seen how you treat Ali."
"Madam Yu..."
"Alright, we didn't come back to see you apologize. We'll find out whether you're right or wrong in a little while."
Yu Ziyuan still looked at Wei Wuxian with the same dislike, but when she saw his red eyes, she turned her head away uncomfortably.
"Get back here and sit down, stop making a fool of yourself!"
An impatient voice sounded from behind them, and when they turned around, it was indeed Jiang Cheng.
Having just seen his resurrected senior sister, Wei Wuxian was in no mood to bicker with Jiang Cheng. He hastily wiped away his tears and sat down next to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji held Bichen in his right hand and loosely wrapped his left arm around Wei Wuxian, allowing him to lean comfortably against him.
The cultivators who had witnessed the entire Jiang family reunion process: ...
One of the cultivators couldn't hold back any longer and stood up abruptly: "Miss Jiang, Wei Wuxian caused the destruction of Lotus Pier, the deaths of Jiang Fengmian and his wife, instigated Wen Ning to kill Jin Zixuan, and then even caused your death at Nightless City. Why do you still protect this heartless and insane person?!"
Jiang Yanli was about to sit down when she heard this and paused, looking up. The Jiang family brothers, Jiang Cheng, and Jin Zixuan also turned their heads at the same time, the cold light in their eyes sending a chill down the back of the cultivator.
Wei Wuxian's grip on Chenqing tightened, and he dared not look up.
Jiang Cheng was about to draw his sword and teach the cultivator a lesson when he heard his elder sister's gentle voice: "Young master, I would like to say a few words about what you have said: First, everyone here knows that the destruction of Lotus Pier was the work of the Qishan Wen Clan. Their aim was to make an example of someone, not to prevent it from happening without A-Xian. Second, my parents' willingness to sacrifice themselves to uphold the Jiang family's honor and defend the clan's glory deserves the respect of future generations, not an excuse for you to falsely accuse and slander others. Third, A-Xian is my younger brother. Regardless of whether he cultivates demonic arts or not, he would always protect his older sister at the first moment. So, what is wrong with me, as his older sister, protecting my brother on Nightless City? Finally, there are many suspicious points surrounding Zixuan's death. Today, Miss Niangui has gathered us here, and this 'Heavenly Shadow' will reveal the whole truth to the public. You may all make your judgments after you have seen it all."
She gave a slight bow:
"Excuse me, I was rude."
After saying that, Jiang Yanli stopped looking at the cultivator who was stunned by her words and sat down gracefully.
For the first time, everyone looked at this woman, who was rumored to be gentle and virtuous but not particularly beautiful, and felt a sense of respect. Her words were neither humble nor arrogant, but clear and logical, neither impolite nor weak.
Qingheng nodded approvingly: "Miss Jiang truly embodies the spirit of the Jiang family!"
Lan Qiren stroked his beard and agreed.
Nie Huaisang looked at Jiang Yanli with shining eyes: "Wow! I want a sister like that too!"
Before he could finish speaking, he received a sharp rap on the forehead, and Nie Mingjue's voice, filled with gritted teeth, rang in his ears: "Do you want me to send you to marry into the Jiang family?"
Nie Huaisang hurriedly shook his head: No, no, no, I'm doing fine in Qinghe...
Upon hearing Jiang Yanli's words, Wei Wuxian raised his head in a daze, staring at his senior sister's straight back, speechless for a long time.
Lan Wangji sensed the unspoken emotions of the person in his arms, tightened his left arm around him, and put down Bichen with his right hand to hold Wei Wuxian's hand.
Wei Wuxian snapped out of his daze, smiled at Lan Wangji, and shook his hand in return, as they waited together for the next 'Heavenly Shadow'.
Xiao Niangui appeared and said to Wei Wuxian, "Young Master Wei, please feel free to ask any questions during the movie."
"Okay, thank you for your trouble, young lady."
The rest of the group, feeling utterly helpless and constantly being silenced: ...
Miss Niangui, you're being far too discriminatory...
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