Black Greed

FIFTY FOUR

Baoshan Sanren and Wei MeiLan are sitting face to face while at the veranda of a small house, drinking tea.

"Grandmother, I have a question," Wei MeiLan asked out of nowhere.

"Coincidentally, I also have one," Now that they're alone, Baoshan Sanren removed the hat that is covering her face. Her body structure might say that she looked young, but time has been catching up on her now. "Why did you tampered with their fates?"

Wei MeiLan stiffened. No one ever raised that question on her, not even her family.

"Do you know what are the consequences of you doing that?"

Wei MeiLan smiled before answering with resolve. "I do, and I won't regret what I've done,"

Baoshan Sanren smirked. "You're indeed the daughter only child. But that's not the reason why I took you away. Are you aware that you're well known in the cultivation world?"

"...no?"

"You and your twin are famous; him for his demonic cultivation and you for being one of the best strategist and info broker in cultivation world,"

Baoshan Sanren put down the cup of tea and looked at her. "Your mother is one of the best students that I have, but I never expected that her offsprings will do way better that I anticipated. You had been living at Lotus Pier almost your life after they died, and I must say, even though I'm traveling around, I hear tales of what you two do,"

"You flatter us, grandmother," Wei MeiLan stared at the sky.

"You helped the remaining Jiang main family to build the Yunmeng Jiang clan, guided the remaining Nie to lead their clan, and now you're the regent to the Jin clan.

"And let's add to the fact that you're going to be the wife of the head of the Lan clan. Do you want me to add some more?"

Wei MeiLan choked at the explanation. She never thought of those things, yet it sounded so ridiculous and exaggerated to her ears. "They sound extreme to my ears,"

"But there's more than meets the eye, right?"

This time, Wei MeiLan froze. It really looked like what she had done is for a good cause, but it is indeed more than what meets the eye.

"You, of all people, together with your twin, knows that there is always balance in everything. That sacrifice of that kid, costing his life to have your brother back. And you, defying the fates of every people around you. What is the exchange? It's not just life force. You revived someone, prevented someone's death, appeased a vengeful soul and predicted the future. Tell me,"

Wei MeiLan stared at Baoshan Sanren, silently studying her. "It won't change anything, grandmother. I had tried to defy fate for my parents, I wasn't successful. I know I have enough power to do it now, regardless of what I will pay for that,"

"Stop being silly, child. I'm not asking you to stop. If you think what you're doing is for the best of everyone, then do so. Everyone has reasons as to why they do it, it can be a selfish or a sacrificial reason, but one must know that there is consequences in everything, whether it's good or bad. However, I want to know why,"

Wei MeiLan took a deep breath before telling what her gut feelings tells her. No filters, no lies, nothing. Baoshan Sanren listened intently, taking note of every details she hears to her mind.

"I know that tragedy will help a person to learn, however, I never wanted it to be this way, having everyone suffering. If I can do something for this, then I won't hesitate to lift a hand,"

"But you're the one who's going to suffer,"

"I have Lan Huan with me, I know he understand my intentions," Wei MeiLan took a sip of the tea. "My tongue might be poisonous and sharp, but I don't tolerate ill intentions towards others,"

"Then again, you're corroding,"

"I'm perfectly fine still, grandmother," Wei MeiLan assured her. "I'm still intact,"

"It's not about you losing a limb, but you're almost color blind, right? And also touch,"

"How-?"

"People that cultivates have sensitive senses, you don't recognize the colors anymore in complexity and shades. When I tap you lightly you don't even respond,"

Wei MeiLan stared dumbly at Baoshan Sanren. Someone noticed that her eyesight is not doing well, and it's not her twin brother.

"You have most of the characteristics of your mother," Baoshan Sanren stared at the orange sky. "Enduring everything for the sake of others, but you are doing it to the extreme. I suggest you that not to go extreme before it costs you your life,"

"Grandm-"

A muffled 'thunk' was heard behind him, making them face towards that direction. Lan XiChen and Wei ZhuanYi-Meng Yao-was staring at them in disbelief.

"So my conclusion was right; I should be dead back then, right? But you saved me," Wei ZhuanYi spoke quietly. "Why? Why would do something that-"

"Ugh, can you not ask things right now?" Wei MeiLan groaned. "How did you found put this place?"

"You gave the location," Lan XiChen answered.

"I did? I don't remember giving any when I was dragged-ah, yeah, so it works?"

Lan XiChen lifted a hairpin that she gave to her years ago and smiled. "Young Master Wei gave me clues to find you. I never thought that you had been making me you anchor all this time without me knowing,"

"However," Baoshan Sanren interrupted. "I need to talk to you, young man. That is the reason why I took her away. Shall we?"

Baoshan Sanren gestured to another room for them to speak, leaving the siblings alone. Wei ZhuanYi sat beside her.

"You kept me alive, and I owe you this," Wei ZhuanYi said after a long silence.

"You owe me nothing," Wei MeiLan answered. "I don't want Lan Huan to become heartbroken if you died, he treated you like his brother. And besides, what you want is family that will love you. You yearn to your mom so much that you will recreate what my brother had done, however you do not have that skill, and he had a help for that to happen.

"Dead stays dead, Big brother. Wen Ning was barely breathing when he revived him. And I'm sure your mom wouldn't like that. There's no hope in reviving a dead that a soul already crossed the yellow river,"

Wei ZhuanYi stared at her. "You knew my intentions all along?"

"However you hurt another person for that. Your half-brother misinterpret your decision of casting him off of the clan that lead to his sacrifice. You gave false hope to someone that they will be able to revive that person if they helped you, you let an idiot to be your helper to execute your plan. But everything is all for naught," Wei MeiLan feels light and drowsy.

"We can provide the familial love you want, if you accept..."

She never managed to finish those words when she felt her world was tilting and her vision went black.

Wei ZhuanYi was shocked to see her fainted while giving a lecture at him.

"Wei Qing!"