The Path In-Between

Chapter 4: A Deal with the Lans

A/N: Hello! I'm back with a new chapter! This one has multiple perspectives from Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren! Warning for self-hatred and self-blaming in this chapter.

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The smell of lavender perforated Wei WuXian's surrounding, bringing back a clearer mind and the ability to think. Wei WuXian froze realizing where he was, whose arms he was in, and why he was here. Sensing his distress, A'Yuan curled into him and whined softly.

Ducking his head to hide flaming cheeks as he looked pulled away from Lan Wangji, Wei WuXian attempted to clear his throat and was once again surprised at the hospitality he was being shown when Lan Qiren placed a cup of hot tea in front of him.

'It will not last long~ They are all waiting for your death! Surrender, Wei WuXian! Give us blood! They will kill you and your child! You are a monster~'  The voices screamed.

Grabbing the cup placed in front of him, Wei WuXian downed the scalding hot tea like he would liquor, internally wincing at the bitterness. The warmth that would have been scalding to everyone else was good to him as he felt warm for at least a second before the yin energy inside him circulated and brought back the cold. Wei WuXian cleared his throat to avoid the bug-eyed stare of Lan Xichen and raised brow of Lan Qiren.

"Lan-Xiansheng..." Wei WuXian rasped. "Zewu-Jun."

Wei WuXian looked up and saw that he had the complete attention of everyone in the room. A'Yuan fiddled with his sleeves.

Without further fanfare, he laid out his ultimatum.

"I, Wei WuXian, hereby surrender myself to the Lan Sect to pay for the crimes I have committed in this life and believe that the Lan Sect ought to do as they see fit with this one. Whether that be execution or imprisonment, " He continued, ignoring Lan Xichen's sharp inhale and Lan Wangji's noise of protest, "I surrender myself upon one request. That the Lan Sect provides sanctuary for the last remnant of the Wen. Wen Yuan."

With this, Wei WuXian pulled A'Yuan off of his robes, turning him around so that the Lan Sect Leader and Elder could see him.

"Much like his late family, I assure you that he is innocent of any crimes that the Wen Sect and myself have committed against the Cultivation world. He similar to his late family has not created a golden core but is a bright and intelligent child. I am sure that with time, he will forget about the occurrences of his early life and be a great addition to the Lan Sect disciples. Please. I beg of you. Do not subject him to the same fate as his late family," Wei WuXian forced down tears at the memories of his Jiejie and Didi. He pushed away the images of sprawling in Wen Popo's lap and yawning like a cat in the sun. He pushed away her teasing laughter. He pushed away memories of Fourth Uncle sneaking him alcohol, "I beg of you to protect the last living memory of the Dafan Wens."

It was not the first time that Wei WuXian had kneeled and begged for something. Though it may be the most memorable. Right next to kneeling in front of Yu-furen and begging her to cut off his hands when she whipped him with Zidian instead. Her last act of kindness for him.  But she died too.

'And whose fault was that?' the voices whispered.

He expended his energy on another futile attempt to suppress the voices that had reigned his life ever since he left the burial mounds for the first time.

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Lan Qiren found that the pain in his left chest was heartbreak. The same heartbreak he had experienced when his sister-in-law said that she did not feel strong enough to keep going. The same pain he felt when he walked in the next morning and found her lying in her bed much past rising time, the most peaceful smile he had ever seen on her face. The same pain he felt when he realized that the unfamiliar tea on her bedside was as frigid as her skin.

"I, Wei WuXian, hereby surrender myself to the Lan Sect... Whether that be execution or imprisonment... -ect provides sanctuary for the last remnant of the Wen. Wen Yuan..." the words the boy had said swim in his head. Wei WuXian, the bright child that had secretly warmed his nephew's and his own heart, the child that had been dubbed Yiling Laozu after his reappearance on the battlefield, the child that he had also played a role in condemning, was surrendering himself. Like his sister-in-law. To death.

He watched emotions flash on the boy's face as he spoke about how the Wen child would be good and would not cause hindrance to the sect. He watched and realized that this child had lost his family three times. That he had played a role in killing his last family. He realized that Wei WuXian was but a boy when he had to enter the battlegrounds. Younger than Wangji. He realized that this boy was still young and held responsible for all bad things by those he once trusted. Barely twenty-one years old. So young. What had Qiren done? What was he supposed to do now?