A twist in time

Unexpected meetings

Yiling was bustling since every local shop was trying to make themselves look more presentable and inviting. A bunch of cultivators had visited the otherwise abandoned area, the burial mounds scared many people away and no one really thought about trying to get Yiling under their protection, though the Wen sect and Jiang sect often acted as if it was part of their sect when it was convenient.

CangSe sent a letter to her friend in Gusu and Wei ChangZe had also send a letter to lotus pier after long consideration, however he wasn't sure when it would reach its destination.  This also led him to even more surprised too see his friend in the backroom of the inn, which they had rented to have a secret conversation with the others. Madam Jin was a completely unexpected variable. However he was pulled out of his confusion when his wife suddenly spoke up. "I think we all know why we're here and we can start talking without further ado. A-Ying would you join your new friends at the back table?" She said without any hesitation and ChangZe just then noticed the other table with the kids. There was a light glow surrounding their table meaning their friends had already used a silencing talisman.

"So we are all in the same situation? How amusing." Yu Ziyuan said in an unamused tone. "Well we have to use this chance to change the future, because I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has regrets." she continued looking at her children and A-Ying.

"Yeah, I regret passing away and leaving my child in your care." Cangse said in a venomous tone. Everyone tended up and Yu Ziyuan's expression darkened.

"At least I took him in, gave him food, clothing and education!" She said her tone far sharper than it was just a moment ago.

"Oh please, you talk as if you did that out of pure goodwill! You just wanted to use him as a human shield for your children!" Cangse said, her voice rising and her gaze snapped to a particular sect leader. "And you Fengmian! I would have expected better from you! You're Changze's sworn brother and best friend! But what did you do when  he died? You took the child in four years after we died. FOUR GODDAMN YEARS! Do you even know how much my A-Ying suffered? Then you took him in and trained him. Which, don't get me wrong, I am grateful for, but when your wife was obviously abusing him you just turned a blind eye. And you acted as if you cared for my child oh so much, while you in your last moments told him to become a human shield for your children. Your ridiculous 'favouritism' brought my child so much pain, but it wasn't even really like that. You two messed up my child's life, while acting like you were helping him!" Her voice had begun to lower itself, but the venom in her voice didn't get any less. She had always wanted to say all that, but their paths hadn't crossed all that often and definitely not long enough to actually say what she wanted too.

"Wait he did what?" Yu Ziyuan said looking at her husband, after hearing what he had said to the child he had always favoured so much.

The sect leader just looked down on to his lap, like a child that had just been scolded by his mother and he didn't even dare look anyone in the eyes. Only now had he fully realised his fault at the child's misery, his best friend hadn't even attempted to defend him, he had just held his wife's hand to ground her. ChangZe spared not a glance at him since he sat down and had only ever made sure that his wife didn't do anything that she might regret.

Yu Ziyuan sighed, before she then replied to Cangse. "Listen I'm aware of my mistakes and I want to fix them, but I had my own reasons back then. I have seen a lot after my death and I did regret my actions, especially when I saw how much Wuxian actually cared about my children and when he lost control and died such a gruesome way-" "Wait you actually think he lost control?" Changze cut in. The tension at the table was so thick, you could have cut it with a knife, when everyone realised what he meant.

Wei Wuxian had died not because he lost control, but because he had given up control. He died because he didn't want to live anymore.

The realisation made everyone speechless and they looked over at the little child who smiling brightly, while excitedly telling a story, all the other kids were listening with awe and even Lan WangJi seemed intrigued. How cruel was the world to turn such a child into the feared Yiling patriarch?