Black Greed

THIRTY THREE

"Ugh, can someone tell me why the hell it feels like I've been trampled by ten Midnight in my sleep?"

Wei MeiLan grunted as soon as she regained her consciousness. Her body feels sore and her head is pounding from headache. Even the light streaming from her window makes her pounding head worse.

She sat up from her bed and tried to calm her headache before leaving the room. Lan YuXia was on her way to her master's room when she saw Wei MeiLan walking out of her room, holding her head and still pale.

"Master! Why did you leave your room?"

"A'Xia, how long I was out?" Wei MeiLan asked as Lan YuXia held on her arm, supporting her.

"Master, only a couple of days. How do you feel?"

"Where's A'Cheng?"

"He's at the hall, talking to someone. Should I call for him-"

"No need. We will go there." Wei MeiLan went to the hall to see Jiang WanYin talking to several elders of the clan. She waited for them to finish then went inside.

"A'Cheng," She called out. "I need to-"

"Second Sister, you should be in bed, resting! Please go back!" Jiang WanYin rushed over her when he saw how pale she is and trying to walk to him just to talk.

"I'm fine," She insisted.

"No you're not. I'll call the physician that ZeWu-Jun told me about and food to your room."

Wei MeiLan stared at him. "Call Lan Huan and Lan WangJi for me."

Jiang WanYin was stunned. "Second sister, has your...memories, returned?"

"Answers will come if they come," She said. "And I want you to be open minded this time."

Lan YuXia helped her to walk back to her room as her body struggles to move forward from the overwhelming pain.

"I need to meditate again, this is annoying," She murmured to herself.

"Don't push yourself master," Lan YuXia said. "I don't know how you got those injuries back then in the hidden place as I attempted to follow your instructions but I failed to leave the valley and got caught in an accident."

Wei MeiLan squinted and smiled. "Now, I think I found some answers, and I need to relay it directly."

******

"Wei Qing!/Lady Wei!/Sister Mei!" Several voices shouted as they barged in to Wei MeiLan's room. She was overwhelmed with the sudden outbursts coming from the people that she isn't expecting to come.

"You people are abusing the fact that you can enter my room despite me being a woman because I allow you guys to, everyone out!" She put down her spoon in frustration.

Everyone were shocked that she kicked them out just like that. "Also, I only asked for certain people to come here. Why the hell the whole gang is here?"

"Sister Mei...." Nie HuaiSang whined.

Wei MeiLan smiled. "We will talk later, ok? I need to say something to your Second brother."

"T-then I'll stay with Jiang Cheng." Nie HuaiSang folded his fan and pointed outside as he went out.

The Lan brothers stayed and went forward. She's trying to decide which side dish she should eat with the congee that was served to her, poking them with the chopsticks.

"Wei Qing," Lan XiChen looked worried, seeing that she's playing with food. "Are you really fine now?"

She put down the chopsticks and stared at Lan XiChen. "We need to talk, Lan Huan."

Lan XiChen sighed in relief. Then Wei MeiLan turned towards Lan WangJi whose staring at her. "Second Master Lan, it's with you, right? Keep it well. Give it to him when he returns, I think I won't be able to persuade him not to do it."

"En." Lan WangJi nodded and replied.

She put her cheek at her palm, pondering. "My brother is a real piece of work, I don't know how you will be able to shut him up besides the silencing spell. And speaking of spell, I forgot."

She sent a spiritual energy towards one of the nearest pillar to activate the silent barrier. "Lan Huan, I will tell you what happened in Flowing Water Valley that day."

"Wei Qing—"

"Have you ever wondered, how or why those stupid things were created? The last time we encounter was different back then. That disgusting feeling from them didn't intensified, but their prowess was stronger. They're somewhat stronger and tougher to defeat. If they didn't assaulted us there back then, I wouldn't find my lost memories. They are waiting for me to return, knowing I have something that they need."

The Lan brothers didn't spoke and waited for her to continue. "That is a yin metal, with condensed and pure resentful energy. It's their meal. The more they use it, they get stronger. Their methods are far too cruel; using alive people to experiment on them. They lose their rationality, their reasoning, and their identity. My brother tried to revive Wen Ning, and Lan WangJi knows what happened back then. But this one is pure insanity."

She stared at Lan XiChen. "I don't know what they want to prove, or what they want in cultivation realm, but I'm not happy with what they are doing. It will turn everything we know upside down."

"Wei Qing, why didn't you told that this is serious?"

"Do I need to? I'm expecting my beloved to be smart enough when I drop hints. Have you ever wandered why my brother never took disciples even though some people have potentials? It's not because of him fearing of using it in bad, but of his secret. He didn't say, but he wants that cultivation ends with him, and him only. No one else. Not even me."

Lan XiChen asked again. "So, what do you want to do? What do you need? What I must do for you then?"

Wei MeiLan smirked, despite of her pale complexion. Her eyes shows mischief and playfulness. "Are you up to playing with me in the next few days, Lan Huan?"