Chapter 106, 106
Chapter Summary: [After uttering this cry, Wei Wuxian seemed to wake himself; his long eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes…]
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After shouting this, Wei Wuxian seemed to wake himself up. His long eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes. His gaze went from being hazy to clear. Suddenly, he realized that he was holding Lan Wangji with both hands as if he were holding onto a lifeline or a piece of driftwood in the water.
He immediately withdrew his hand, almost rolling away, but the sudden movement aggravated his abdominal wound. He winced with a cry of "Ah!" and then remembered his injuries. A flurry of lights flashed before his eyes—Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, Jiang Fengmian, Madam Yu… many faces swirled in front of him. Lan Wangji pressed him down, asking, "The wound in your abdomen?"
Wei Wuxian said, "Injury? It's nothing, it doesn't hurt..."
Lan Wangji held him firmly, lifted his clothes, and saw that his abdomen had been properly bandaged. Upon removing the bandages, he saw that the wound had already healed. Looking at his legs, the curse marks had also disappeared.
Wei Wuxian asked, "How long have I been lying here?"
After confirming that his injuries were indeed healed, Lan Wangji released him and said, "Four days."
Jin Ling's sword pierced the wound squarely, leaving a deep scar. It will take four days to heal completely without leaving a scar, thanks in no small part to the high-quality pills from the Gusu Lan Clan. Wei Wuxian thanked him and then sarcastically remarked, "Having been reborn, I've become so delicate. I can't even withstand a single sword stab."
Lan Wangji said calmly, "No one can withstand being stabbed with a sword."
Wei Wuxian said, "That's not necessarily true. If it were my body from my past life, I could stuff half my intestines back in and fight another three hundred battles."
Everyone: ...
Delicate? Three hundred matches?
This must be a second life where she's being pampered by Lan Wangji.
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes as he looked at Wei Wuxian, who was leaning weakly against the bed in the shadows: He really had been raised into a pampered young master by Lan Wangji. When he was a child, he was whipped by Madam Yu for doing something wrong, but the next day he was still going to go into the water and climb trees.
As for being stabbed, back then...
Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered that Wei Wuxian had been stabbed in the same place by him years ago. Although Wei Wuxian said that he would be fine in a few days, it seems that such an injury would take a long time to heal, let alone in a place like the Burial Mound.
Lan Wangji was unaware of the unspoken criticisms of the crowd, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with Wei Wuxian being unable to withstand Jin Ling's sword strike.
Not to mention that Wei Wuxian was in Mo Xuanyu's body with low spiritual power at that time, even if he were still a young boy with abundant spiritual power, he would not want Wei Wuxian to go back to the days when he was covered in wounds but still had to force himself to fight his way out.
She knows how to show weakness, how to act coquettishly, and how to find someone to rely on.
That's good.
Seeing that he had just woken up and started talking nonsense again, Lan Wangji shook his head and turned his face away. Wei Wuxian thought he was going to leave, so he hurriedly said, "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Don't go. I'm talking nonsense, I'm not good, please don't ignore me."
Lan Wangji said, "Are you afraid that people will ignore you?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I'm scared, I'm scared."
He hadn't felt this way in a long time—having someone by his side after waking up from an injury.
Hearing Wei Wuxian's heartfelt words, Jiang Yanli couldn't hold back and turned to bury her face in Jin Zixuan's shoulder, suppressing the urge to cry.
Ah Xian, you've suffered too much.
Lan Wangji gently stroked Wei Wuxian's hair.
From now on, I will stay by your side and never leave again.
Lan Wangji had two swords at his waist. He took the sword Suibian from his waist and handed it to him: "Your sword."
Upon seeing the sword, Wei Wuxian was taken aback for a moment before saying, "Thank you."
He gripped the hilt, gently drew the sword, and a pair of eyes appeared on its gleaming blade. Wei Wuxian stared at those eyes for a moment, then sheathed Suibian again, saying, "Did it really seal itself automatically?"
Lan Wangji also gripped the hilt of Suibian's sword and tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge. Wei Wuxian sighed, patted the sword, and thought to himself, "I knew Jin Guangyao wouldn't dare to make things up... he actually sealed the sword. I've stumbled upon such a once-in-a-million stroke of luck. Now, the evidence is irrefutable; the one who pulled it out is definitely Wei Wuxian, no doubt about it. There's no way he can deny it."
Looking around, he saw a clean and simple room, dimly lit except for a paper lamp in the corner. Wei Wuxian asked, "Where is this?"
Lan Wangji said, "The Cloud Recesses are unknown."
Wei Wuxian said, "You're taking me back to Cloud Recesses? What if your elder brother finds out?"
One person said, "I've already discovered it."
The crowd erupted in uproar.
Many older cultivators recalled the massive manhunt for the Yiling Patriarch years ago. No wonder Wei Wuxian was nowhere to be found; it turned out that Hanguang-jun was so audacious.
Even Zewu-jun protected them like this.
A person entered from behind the screen, dressed in white with a headband, with a face like fine jade and a solemn expression.
Having spent four days recuperating at Cloud Recesses without being captured by the Lanling Jin Clan, Wei Wuxian figured Lan Xichen posed no threat, especially with Lan Wangji by his side. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "Where is Chifeng-zun's body?"
Lan Xichen said, "Everyone has seen my elder brother's body. It is currently being kept by Huaisang, and I have also sent someone I can trust to look after it."
Wei Wuxian was slightly relieved, then asked, "Jin Guangyao's reaction?"
Lan Wangji said, "Flawless."
Wei Wuxian knew that Jin Guangyao would put on a show to make sure he couldn't destroy the evidence. But Lan Xichen said slowly, "He said that this matter will be investigated thoroughly and a proper explanation will be given. Now that Young Master Wei has woken up, shouldn't you, Wangji, also give me an explanation?"
Lan Wangji stood up and said, "Brother."
Lan Xichen sighed and said, "Wangji, what can I say about you?"
Lan Wangji said, "Brother, Chifeng Zun's head is indeed in Jin Guangyao's hands."
Lan Xichen asked, "Did you see it with your own eyes?"
Lan Wangji said, "He saw it with his own eyes."
Lan Xichen asked, "You believe him?"
Lan Wangji said, "I believe you."
He answered without hesitation, and Wei Wuxian felt a surge of warmth in his chest. Lan Xichen asked, "And what about Jin Guangyao?"
Lan Wangji said, "It's not believable."
Lan Xichen smiled and said, "Wangji, how do you determine whether a person is trustworthy or not?"
He looked at Wei Wuxian and said, "You believe Young Master Wei, but I believe Jin Guangyao. Our elder brother's head was in his hands. We didn't witness this ourselves; we believed his story based on our own understanding of him."
"You believe you understand Wei Wuxian, therefore you trust him; and I believe I understand Jin Guangyao, therefore I trust him too. You trust your judgment, so why can't I trust mine?"
Upon hearing these words, many cultivators shook their heads helplessly.
Poor Zewu-jun, he was deceived by that scoundrel Jin Guangyao for so long.
Only Jin Guangyao stared blankly at Lan Xichen, who was arguing for him in the sky, and his eyes welled up with tears.
He knew Lan Xichen trusted him, but he never expected that such trust would lead him to argue with his own younger brother.
He betrayed Lan Xichen's trust; he personally pushed away an older brother who had once been willing to treat him as an equal and protect him with all his heart.
"Second brother, I'm sorry..."
Jin Guangyao spoke softly, but Lan Xichen heard him and shook his head with a smile.
"I don't regret believing in you, but if I could do it all over again, I would prefer to guide you onto the right path."
Wei Wuxian, fearing that the two brothers would quarrel over this, said, "Sect Leader Lan!"
It wasn't that he couldn't understand Lan Xichen. He saw Jin Guangyao through Nie Mingjue's eyes, taking in his cunning, treachery, and ambition. However, if Jin Guangyao had been feigning loyalty to Lan Xichen for so many years, there was no reason for him to distrust his sworn brother and instead trust a notorious and ruthless figure.
Just as Wei Wuxian had thought.
In front of others, Jin Guangyao is smooth and shrewd, sometimes even cruel and cunning. But in front of Lan Xichen, Jin Guangyao is just Meng Yao from back then, the younger brother who went through difficulties with Lan Xichen and respected and loved him.
Lan Xichen nodded and said, "Young Master Wei, you don't need to worry. Before the truth comes out, I will not believe either side, nor will I reveal your whereabouts. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had Wangji send you to my Cold Chamber and heal your wounds."
Wei Wuxian said, "Thank you, Sect Leader Lan, for giving me this opportunity. It is absolutely true that Chifeng-zun's head is in Jin Guangyao's secret chamber. Not only did I see it, but I was also affected by his resentment and saw some things. I wonder if this can be considered as proof?"
Lan Xichen calmly said, "Young Master Wei, perhaps you did see something, but you cannot prove that you saw it in the secret chamber of Jinlintai."
Wei Wuxian said, "Hmm. That's true. Then let me talk about something else. The direct cause of Chifeng-zun's death was indeed qi deviation, but don't you think the timing is too coincidental, Sect Leader Lan? The sword spirit's interference is one reason, but haven't you considered that there might be other contributing factors behind it?"
Lan Xichen asked, "What do you think the trigger was?"
Wei Wuxian said, "The Pure Heart Melody."
Lan Xichen said, "Young Master Wei, do you know that the Pure Heart Melody he played was taught to him personally by me?"
"Qingxinyin, is there a problem?"
The question that had been weighing on Nie Mingjue's mind since he saw Wei Wuxian playing the zither while he was empathizing with Wei Wuxian's head can finally be answered.
He did not doubt Lan Xichen, but he could not imagine how Jin Guangyao would use the Qingxin Yin.
Let alone Nie Mingjue, even the Lan Clan members who had practiced the Qingxin Xuanqu might not have been able to tell the difference.
Wei Wuxian said, "Then please listen to this piece of music, Sect Leader Lan, and see if there's anything strange about it?"
His flute lay on the bedside table. Wei Wuxian picked it up, pondered for a moment, and then began to play. After finishing the piece, he asked, "Sect Leader Lan, is this indeed the piece you taught Jin Guangyao?"
Lan Xichen replied, "That's right."
Wei Wuxian was slightly surprised, but he kept his composure and asked, "What is the name of this piece?"
Lan Xichen said, "This piece is called 'Washing Away the Splendor,' and it has the effect of calming the mind and spirit."
Wei Wuxian said, "Xi Hua. I've heard many famous songs from the Xuanmen sect, so why don't I remember its name or melody?"
Lan Wangji said, "This piece is obscure and difficult to learn."
Lan Xichen replied, "That's right."
Wei Wuxian asked, "Did Jin Guangyao specifically request that we learn this song?"
Lan Xichen said, "That's right."
Wei Wuxian asked, "Is it really that difficult to learn? Then why did Jin Guangyao specifically choose this piece instead of other easier ones?"
Lan Xichen said, "Because I told him that although 'Xi Hua' is difficult to learn, it is extremely effective. This piece is indeed tricky; didn't Young Master Wei just play a section wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Wuxian's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Did I play it wrong just now?"
Lan Wangji said, "There's a mistake in the middle."
Wei Wuxian laughed and said, "No, no. It's not that I was wrong. It's that Jin Guangyao was wrong! When he was overwhelmed by resentment, that's exactly how he played it. I can guarantee that I repeated the piece without missing a single word."
Lan Xichen asked in surprise, "So he learned it wrong? That... is impossible."
Wei Wuxian said, "Indeed, it's impossible. Lianfang-zun is so intelligent and has an exceptional memory. How could he have misremembered the tune? I'm afraid it was mostly intentional. I'll play it again. Sect Leader Lan, Hanguang-jun, please listen carefully to the part where he 'played it wrong' this time."
He played it again, and when he was almost at the end of the second verse, Lan Wangji said, "Stop."
Lan Xichen said, "It's this part from just now."
Wei Wuxian took the flute from his lips and said, "Is this really the part? But I don't think it sounds out of place."
Lan Xichen said, "It does not feel out of place. However, it is definitely not part of 'Xi Hua'."
If it were just a simple playing error, it wouldn't blend so seamlessly with the rest of the original piece. This melody must have been deliberately crafted and inserted. And this unfamiliar melody, which doesn't belong to "Xi Hua" but is mixed in with it, is very likely the key to Nie Mingjue's death.
After listening carefully to Wei Wuxian's re-playing of the piece, Lan Qiren stopped dwelling on the fact that his two beloved sons had harbored the Yiling Patriarch, and instead frowned: "This piece..."
Even without musical talent, Nie Mingjue understood at this moment that the problem lay with the adapted piece.
"I never expected you to have such superb musical skills, enough to kill someone without leaving a trace."
Jin Guangyao chuckled self-deprecatingly, his gaze calmly fixed on Tianying.
Having faced death so many times, he no longer cared about anything else.
If he could get out of here, whether he lived or died, it was up to him.
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