Wei Ying dissolved the talisman which had protected them and ventured onto the lake bed. It hadn't been that deep after all and now that the water had left, the coloured stones littering the ground were exposed.
Their true beauty shone in a myriad of colours, pebbles of all shapes and sizes and smoother than pearls. They were coated in something which made them shine in the same way that oil stains shone after rainfall.
Rumi was more excited by these than the chest which Wei Ying was bringing back to them. Wei Ying saw his interest and compared it to his own fascination with coloured marbles when he had been a child...so he picked up a handful of them and showed Rumi before giving them to Lan Zhan for safe keeping.
The little demon baby was so pleased, excitement shone from his purple eyes and he gave Wei Ying a delighted toothy grin.
"How about we return home now?" Wei Ying suggested.
"Mn." Lan Zhan took the chest and picked up Rumi. "Let's go."
"Lan Zhan! Let me carry something!" Wei Ying protested. "Save me some face."
"No need. I am here." He insisted, meaning it and Wei Ying had no choice but to hold on as they teleported back to where Hui Gai was waiting with Zago.
They both stared curiously at the chest and then at Rumi and his parents.
"We can open it in Cloud Recesses." Wei Ying said. "Are you coming with us?"
Hui Gai nodded. "I've been good for too long...Time to stretch my muscles." He replied enigmatically. "Plus, I've been invited to a wedding..."
"Wow...First one?" Wei Ying asked, pleased but curious.
"First one outside the Nether World. I'm rather looking forward to it." Hui Gai grinned.
"I'm not invited?" Zago asked, looking pissy.
"You can come too. Weddings are all about family." When Wei Ying said that, he truly took in everyone there.
Hui Gai loved that the best about him. Wei Ying was so willing to accept everyone into his heart, so ready to believe the best of everyone...and it was a remarkable quality.
They all returned to Cloud Recesses.
It was past sunset when they returned to Gusu.
Li XiWang was still with Grumple so they went to Uncle Qiren’s quarters.
"I suppose we can open the chest here. If we find anything weird, Uncle Qiren can advise us on what it might be." Wei Ying remarked, knocking on his door.
A ruffled Uncle Qiren opened it, looking more than delighted to see them.
Wei Ying stifled a snort of laughter because his little rabbit took after him, and Wei Ying was pretty sure Li XiWang had exhausted the Elder with her endless questions.
They traipsed in, one after another and arranged themselves around the little table. Hui Gai and Zago remained standing.
"That is what you found?" Uncle Qiren asked them, stroking his beard. "Have you opened it yet?"
Wei Ying shook his head.
Li XiWang had sat herself between her parents and she looked up to her parents, silently asking for permission. When they nodded, she cautiously touched the cold wood.
There was nothing too remarkable about it either, it looked pretty worn and the hinges and clasps were rusted through and through.
"Do you feel anything different about it, Little Rabbit?" Wei Ying asked her, putting his own hand on the wood too.
She shook her head and withdrew her hand.
"Neither do I." Wei Ying smiled at Rumi. "It might just be an ordinary chest. Let's get cracking then."
Wei Ying opened the catch and it disintegrated...but the lid would not open.
"I would have been disappointed if it was that easy." He smiled to himself.
Lan Zhan watched proudly as all eyes were on his clever husband. Wei Ying pulled out a blank talisman paper and asked permission from Uncle Qiren to use his brush and ink. When he received an affirmative, he deftly drew characters requesting the chest to open.
"So...you're asking?" Li XiWang said, eager to learn more.
"Hmm." Wei Ying finished it off. "What most people don't understand is, just because we want something to happen, doesn't mean it can or should be granted. Asking for help is better than demanding it, and most times, the request is met because you are willing to give them a choice."
"And that's better?" Li XiWang thought she understood but a little more context was helpful.
"Imagine you have a fire...you cannot fight it with more fire, you need something softer, like a wet blanket. Or water. It is all about balance. If we forced this chest to open, and bear in mind that we don't know what's inside, the contents could hurt us in the forced opening. If we request assistance, the chest recognises our need of help and possibly offers protection."
Li XiWang nodded, eyes bright with admiration.
"Let's open it, then." Uncle Qiren said, gruffly but, he too looked proud of Wei Ying's explanation.
"Okay...here goes." Wei Ying let the yellow paper hover above the chest before making a sign with his two fingers in the air that glowed blue before they were absorbed into the paper, turning it red.
The talisman fluttered over the chest before sticking to the lid and then disappearing.
Slowly, the lid crept open, eliciting gasps from the young ones.
Even Hui Gai and Zago leaned forward to see what was inside, curiosity making them want to know.
"I think Rumi should take out whatever is in there." Wei Ying said, looking at the Demon baby. "Seeing as it was his mother who put it in there for him. Let's not take the risk of another protection curse on anyone not Rumi touching what doesn't belong to them."
"Mn. Good point." Lan Zhan agreed.
If Rumi's mother was someone who had thought in advance of a decoy, and possible booby traps, it stood to reason that she would not make this any easier.
"Still, it makes me feel better that she cared so much." Wei Ying mused. "And, it proves that whatever is inside, it is valuable enough to warrant such protection that it not fall into the wrong hands. I would not be surprised if it's not something simple."
"Mn. Wei Ying is correct." Said his biggest supporter.
"Alright, Rumi. Take it out." Wei Ying encouraged.
Rumi put his hand into the chest.
********
A/N
Dear fabulous readers,
I've planned for more updates (hopefully) today. But this one is especially for IvoryReaper92 for two reasons: one, my amazing and honourable new nickname, and two, their comments make my naughty side come out and I cannot stop myself from writing the cliffhangers...
Thank you so much, dear friend.
So if the rest of you want to blame anyone, the pitchforks should be aimed over there...you can thank them too, if you like...
Have a great Sunday everyone,
And don't forget about the chocolate...
Charlie
YOU ARE READING
WangXian Forever Book 8
RomanceOne final challenge remains for Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian. They have been given the titles of Light Bearer of the North and his Dark Angel...but as yet they have no idea what this could mean. And Wei Ying is still suffering from a mysterious ailment...
