MDZS - In Cinemas Now! Starring WWX and LWJ

Chapter 14 - Refinement

Lan WangJi did not look at Wei WuXian. He nodded to indicate respect and spoke in a monotonous voice, "First, liberate; second, suppress; third, eliminate. The initial approach is to utilise the gratitude of his relatives and grant his dying wish, set free what he could not let go of. If it fails, suppress it. If the crimes were extremely wrongful, and its energy of resentment does not dissipate, exterminate it completely. The cultivation world should precisely keep to this order of measures. No errors should be allowed."

Everyone stared blankly at Lan Wangji's picture, internally wondering how dull of a childhood he must have had to be able to answer a question in such a thorough, but dry way. It certainly sounded very accurate, like a page from a manuscript written by a thousand-year-old bearded cultivator. It seemed that Lan Wangji's personality had remained constant from 15 years old to now.

"I wonder how he was able to handle Wei Wuxian... he certainly didn't follow those rules." one cultivator whispered. Her friend elbowed her, casting a terrified look behind her at Wei Wuxian, who was gazing past them, the slightest hint of a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth.

Lan QiRen nodded with satisfaction, "Not a single mistake was made." With a pause, he spoke again, "No matter in terms of cultivation or as a person, one needs to be as solid as this. If one becomes complacent and proud just because they defeated a few simple mountain beings in their home and hold some empty reputations, one would definitely bring disgrace upon themselves, sooner or later."

Lan Qiren gave a huff. "And was I wrong?", he muttered, loud enough for Wei Wuxian to hear.

Wei Wuxian pulled a face. "Well, no, but that wasn't because I was complacent and proud from defeating a few simple mountain beings."

"Wasn't it?" Lan Qiren shot back. "Wasn't it because of your arrogance, thinking that you understood right and wrong better than the rest of the cultivation world that you got thousands of people killed? Including your own family?"

Wei Wuxian's heart jolted. Mentioning that death of his shijie was way below the belt, but... Lan Qiren was right. He had often wondered if it had been his fault, not Jin Guangyao's. Believing that he could control his demonic cultivation, that he could be the hero and save the Wens... hadn't it led to all their deaths? The death of his sister? His own death?

Lan Wangji gave an irritated frown at his uncle and looked anxiously at his husband's downcast face, thinking hard about what to say to cheer him up.

"Wei Ying. Watch. I remember this is close to the part where you get thrown out of the class."

Wei WuXian raised his brows and took a look at the side of Lan WangJi's face. He thought, so, apparently this old man meant it for me. He called his best pupil to listen with us in order for me to watch.

He spoke, "I have a question."

Lan QiRen replied, "Speak."

Wei WuXian, "Although 'liberation' comes first, it is often impossible. 'To grant his dying wish' sounds simple—it would be easy, if the wish was a new piece of clothing, but what if the wish was to kill lots of people for revenge?"

There was an uncomfortable silence. Why did Wei Wuxian feel the need to bring up such an example? Still, it wasn't a bad question and most of the cultivators were genuinely curious to hear the answer.

Lan WangJi, "Thus, suppression assists liberation. If it is necessary, elimination would also follow."

Wei WuXian smiled, "Such a waste." He paused, and continued, "It wasn't that I didn't know of this answer, I was only thinking of a fourth path."