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Wei Sizhui didn't know how exactly he got stuck in this situation. He supposed being head disciple of the Yilling Wei Sect probably had a part to do with it.
And what is this situation exactly you ask? Well it was dealing with an invasion of Sect Leaders and his gremlin shixongs whose comments about just killing them on the spot was not making things better. The only reason he had not lost his cool yet was the presence of the entity that was the Mountain, who everyone had unanimously called Qianbei.
Currently they had taken the appearance of a teenage girl in similar disciple robes as them and were staring down the tied up Sect Leaders. What Sizhui couldn't understand was how they had gotten through the resentment at all.
Finally Sizhui heard his Baba's voice and he let himself relax. Baba would handle everything.
◇◇◇◇◇
It had been a long sixteen years. Hearing this voice that he had never thought he would hear again was surreal.
"Well well well, isn't this quite the gathering." Despite now seeing the man in addition to hearing him, he still couldn't quite believe it.
But then the man bowed and greeted them. "Esteemed Sect Leaders and Heirs." Then he smiled like he couldn’t help it as he turned his eyes towards him and added “Lan Zhan” in that particular tone he always used. He said the name like no one else and Lan Wangji had to close his eyes to suppress a shiver because this could only be him.
One of the boys guarding them snickered. "Clearly, you don’t have any favorites, Shifu."
Wei Ying reached and bonked him over the head with Suibian because apparently he was carrying Suibian again . "As my lovely first disciple says, there's no way I have any favorites and that's why you're definitely not assigned to welcome our guests tonight."
The boy shut his mouth so hard Lan Zhan heard his teeth click while his sect siblings, because apparently there was a sect in this place, hid their smiles.
"So anyone asked these guests what they're here for. Sizhui? Qianbei?" Wei Ying didn't wait for an answer and turned to them expectantly, raising an eyebrow.
"Wei Wuxian, how are you here?" It seemed that he wasn't the only one seeing a ghost. Jiang Wanyin had gone particularly pale and his voice shook.
"Ahh it's not much of an interesting story. It's simply that those who enter the Burial Mounds can never leave, I was only allowed to leave temporarily to play my part in the war because I had so much anger.” His lips twisted in a sardonic smile. “So much…resentment. And after, when I had won the war, I was summoned back." Nobody missed the implications of his words, not the allusions to resentment which suggested that he could be something other than human nor the reminder that he had basically single handedly won them the war, the reminder of his power which was probably enhanced in this place where thousands were buried.
He twirled Chenqing in his other hand. "But enough of that. What could be happening that it required the attention of all these esteemed Sect Leaders and Sect Heirs? We haven’t heard of anything happening around and no one from Yilling came to ask for help either." He turned to his disciples. “Or is there something I didn’t hear about?” But the youths all shook their heads, a smile playing at each of their lips, knowing exactly what their sect Leader was doing.
It was his brother who finally spoke. "There have been many reports about a change in the Burial Mounds in the past years. Things reached a point where it could no longer be ignored so we all agreed to investigate together. "
"Ah, well I can answer that question for you. I just did a little decorating, what with us becoming a Sect and all. The feng shui of the place was so messed up before you could basically hear the poor souls living here scream in frustration.” Strangely, the teenage girl scoffed and the other disciples couldn’t help but chuckle at her. Even Wei Ying winked at her before turning back to them. “Well now that you have your answer, will you leave?"
But everyone present knew what the answer to that would be. Wei Ying didn’t even pretend to wait for an answer and turned to his proteges. "I'll take things from here. You lot, go and help with the preparations. We have more important guests than these esteemed gentlemen coming tonight or did you forget already?"
Two of the boys saluted and turned to leave but the youngest one hesitated while the girl made no move of leaving. Wei Ying smiled and threw his arms around the boy's shoulder. "Ah Wei Sizhui, what is this? Don't you trust your Baba? But if you still aren’t sure, Qianbei here will stay with me. Go and prepare three guest rooms and tell A-Jie what's happening." Qianbei seemed to be referring to the girl. Lan Zhan had a feeling it was something more than just an unusual name. Baba. Wei Ying had a son. The boy looked too old to be biologically his so had he adopted him?
There was also someone he called A-Jie when Lan Zhan had never heard him refer to the Jiangs as his siblings even once. He had a family here, Lan Zhan realized, he had made a home on this mountain of bones. Did he also have a partner who shared his cultivation, his family, his bed? Even after all of these years when he had thought his Zhiji to be dead, the thought of Wei Ying with someone else made him drink vinegar.
Though Lan Zhan still couldn't understand who and why someone would willingly stay here. Unless they had been like Wei Ying, thrown in and not allowed to leave. And didn't that piece of information unsettle his mind? Had Wei Ying been bound all the time during the war, had he been hurting?
After Wei Ying had disappeared, hadn't he looked for him in the Burial Mounds as well but the resentment had been so thick it seemed that no cultivators no matter their strength would be able to survive here. BUt then again, didn’t Wei Ying make a habit of doing the impossible? How was it that his Zhiji had been so close but yet out of reach?
"I will allow you to send three people from this group with me. At most one Sect Leader. They may stay as they would like to observe that we are not a threat. If any negotiations are to be had, that's to be decided after. I will free you and you will have five minutes to decide who to send. If you disagree with my terms, you are free to leave. If you decide to attack me, the wards will simply teleport you out. Understood?"
And then with the flicker of his wrist, the bindings holding them captive to each other dissipated into nothingness and he stepped back to give them time to discuss while he himself nudged his son to walk away and exchanged a few words with the female disciple.
"I'm going." Jiang Wanyin announced but he was immediately shut down by Nie Mingjue, citing that his feelings would prevent an objective assessment.
Lan Zhan was fully prepared to take advantage of the fact that no one could read him and everyone thought he had an enmity with Wei Wuxian and volunteered himself. As expected, no one argued but he did receive a look from his brother which he chose to ignore.
In the end, it was decided that Jin Zixuan, Nie Huisang and himself would be the ones to go. How Huisang had managed to convince his Dage, despite having seen it himself, he didn’t understand. But now thinking of it, why had Huisang insisted on accompanying them today when normally he would make any excuse to avoid such excursions…Had he already known? Wei Ying and Huisang had been good friends once upon a time, had they kept in touch? Lan Zhan wouldn’t put it past Wei Ying to create a communication talisman if he wanted to, ingenious as he was.
"Before we proceed, I have a question.” Huisang said. “Wei-xiong, you mentioned having more esteemed guests than us before? I have to admit I’m quite curious"
Wei Ying looked like he wanted to laugh but didn't hesitate when he replied, "The Heavenly Emperor Dianxia Xie Lian and his husband Crimson Rain Sought Flower Hua Chengzu. "
"You cannot expect us to believe-" Nie Mingjue burst out but Wei Ying didn’t let him finish.
"I'm not asking you to. Your liaisons will report to you the truth. Besides, you'll find that the Burial Mounds today are a very changed place."
And he said that, the heavy fog around them parted and they could see, in the distance, a bustling city and what seemed to be a palace carved in the mountainside. There was no trace of resentment. Instead, it seemed to be a thriving settlement.
Wei Ying smiled. "Like I said, I did some redecorating. Welcome to the Spiritual Mountains."