The meaning of protecting you with my life

Hanguang-Jun

Wei Wuxian just made it out of the Burial Mounds and he was exhausted. All his previous determination was still there, but his body had finally given out on him despite his best efforts. He had wanted to head directly to Meishan so he could start searching for his siblings there, hoping that they had made it at least that far. Perhaps they were still with their grandmother even now, unaware that their parents were alive and held prisoners in the dungeons of Nightless City.

Wei Wuxian's mood suddenly dropped when he remembered that he did not know how long he had spent trapped in the Burial Mounds. It could have very well been that Uncle Jiang and Madame Yu were not alive anymore. His heart was pierced by guilt again; he should have been faster. He was always too late and he hated it. No, when he found his siblings, he should not tell them anything and first check if Uncle Jiang and Madame Yu were indeed still alive, he would hate to give them false hope, it would ruin them.

His eyes were closing despite himself and his whole body was becoming unbearably heavy, he wanted to sleep for a week before doing anything. Yet, he knew he could not do that, not until he made sure he kept his promise; perhaps it had been Uncle Jiang's and Madame Yu's dying wish for all he knew.

He gathered himself and headed towards the town he could see in the distance, surely he could get food and shelter for the night there, and he could gather information about how long he had been missing and how the war had progressed thus far, for he was sure that burning of Cloud Recesses and the attack on Lotus Pier were just the beginning. He dreaded already what he would learn.

When he stepped onto the busy street, he faltered slightly, not used to the busy atmosphere and the crowd after such a long period of loneliness and isolation. His head started hurting even more. He had to get out of the street again, as soon as possible, he should probably find a less lively area. But first, he still had to ask some questions and understand what had happened in his absence and how long it took.

He gritted his teeth and started inquiring the stall tenders around. They seemed happy enough to share their gossip and he had learned about the war which had erupted and about the allied forces who came together to combat the Qishan Wen sect and its leader. He could not ask directly about Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, he was sure the merchants this far away would not know them but he was beyond glad to learn that the Yunmeng Jiang sect was once again one of the powerhouses. That must have meant that at least one of his siblings was alright.

Before he could learn more, he felt he had had enough at last. He really needed some rest and then he would continue. He turned around and wanted to get out of the town when suddenly, he froze in place as he thought he heard a familiar voice call out his name. He stood there, convinced that if Jiang Cheng was really calling him and it was not just an illusion of his tired mind, his brother would surely not give up until he was heard.

"Wei Wuxian!"

There it was again and Wei Wuxian could hardly keep his tears back as he turned around and his eyes immediately spotted the purple clad figure. He stood in place, still dumbfounded about the fact that his brother was here, safe and sound and so very much alive. He was even wearing the Yunmeng Jiang sect robes so the Wens must have not been after him anymore. Surely Jiang Cheng would not be so stupid to paint a target on his own back, that was Wei Wuxian's speciality.

Before he could do anything, he felt his brother to scope him in a bone crashing hug right in the middle of the busy street where they were still standing. He did not react at first, still too out of it and surprised but after a second, he returned it with all the vigour his body could muster. He did not want Jiang Cheng to start suspecting anything about his missing golden core.

And he did not have to even pretend to be happy with the hug, he truly was. It meant that his brother was possibly not mad at him anymore after their last interaction who knew how long ago.

He was not left in the darkness for long as Jiang Cheng started to scold him almost immediately, although his voice was far from truly angry: "Wei Wuxian, you idiot! You have disappeared for more than three months! We were looking everywhere for you. Do you know how worried sister was? You..."

His brother's tirade got interrupted by a subtle noise of someone clearing their throat. Only then did Wei Wuxian realize that Jiang Cheng had not come to find him alone. He had to blink a few times to assure himself that his eyes were not deceiving him.

In his always perfectly pristine robes, Lan Zhan was standing a few steps away from the both of them, at the edge of a small circle of free space which had formed around him and his brother. They were attracting too much attention which could not have been good.

"We should continue elsewhere," Lan Zhan added when Jiang Cheng turned around to look at him, clearly angry about being interrupted.

However, his brother only nodded and took Wei Wuxian by his wrist and dragged him to the nearest inn. He paid for a room, never letting go of Wei Wuxian's hand and then they were already in a private room. He let go of Wei Wuxian's wrist and the said man knew that he would have bruises there later, not that it bothered him in the slightest. He was overjoyed to see his brother and Lan Zhan.

He had almost forgotten what Jiang Cheng had asked before being interrupted. But his brother of course dutifully reminded him of the topic: "So where were you these last three months? We have heard rumours that you fell into the Burial Mounds but that surely cannot be right, no one had ever gotten out of that place alive."

The doubt and curiosity in Jiang Cheng's gaze hurt a bit and Wei Wuxian immediately understood that even if he told the truth, which he had no intention of doing anyway, his brother would not have believed him. But all was good, he did not want to burden him.

Fearing a long conversation, he carefully sat down on a table, still very much conscious of the fact that he could faint at any moment. He looked up at the duo of cultivators in front of him, fully aware that since Jiang Cheng had said they had been looking for him, he must have included Lan Zhan in that equation as well.

He felt somewhat warry. Lan Zhan was still looking at him with worry in his eyes but Wei Wuxian knew it would not last long, only until he would realize that Wei Wuxian was now a demonic cultivator, even though his ways were a little bit different than Wen Ruohan's. It was still demonic cultivation all the same and he knew that someone from the Gusu Lan sect would never accept it.

That did not matter anymore however, he could no longer spend his time with Lan Zhan, he had a more important mission. He had to protect his brother at all times, he would have to make sure he would not let him out of his sight ever again. He would have no time to try and mend any kind of friendship with Lan Zhan, it would take too much time which he did not have. His heart was breaking for some reason, but he knew it had to be done.

"Aya, Jiang Cheng, you know that is impossible yourself. I have just found an abandoned cave and inside were cultivation manuals. Do you believe me?" he asked playfully, doing his very best to conceal the origin of his new cultivation.

Jiang Cheng only snorted, of course he did not believe him. But it was find, he did not look like he was going to ask other questions.

Then Wei Wuxian's gaze shifted towards Lan Zhan and he saw that this particular cultivator was not buying his story at all. The Second Jade of the Gusu Lan sect was looking at him with suspicion and a strange urgency in his eyes. Wei Wuxian did not quite like it, it had been better when Lan Zhan had been ignoring him before the indoctrination.

"Wei Ying, what about the flute?" Lan Zhan asked, staring intently at Wei Wuxian's spiritual tool for demonic cultivation.

Wei Wuxian stood up at once, hiding the flute behind his back, out of sight. He had to dispel those suspicions, the soon the better.

"Lan Zhan," he started but then he stopped himself. It would not do to continue to be this familiar with the Second Jade, it would hurt too much to be reminded of the friendship he could no longer have every time he would have to talk to or about the other. Better set up polite boundaries to protect his heart.

"No, I should probably call you Hanguang-Jun now. And about the flute," he put the instrument in front of him again and twirled it between his fingers a bit, "I just happen to have picked it up."

Seeing the hurt expression in Lan Zhan's eyes pained Wei Wuxian deep inside, to the very marrow of his bones. But this was for the best. He had other priorities at the moment and he could not let himself be distracted. He had his mission cut out for him.