Chapter 75: The Wide Han

The three of them shot toward the Wasteland Cemetery like a bolt of lightning. When that black mountain peak broke through the clouds, Wei Wuxian’s heart tightened further.

From far off, the howls of malevolent corpses came from the black forest—and not just one or two, but a whole horde. Lan Wangji formed a hand seal, and the Bichen Sword instantly sped up several notches, yet remained perfectly steady.

The moment they landed, they saw a dark shadow dart out from the woods, shrieking as it lunged at someone. The Bichen Sword sliced it in two. The person on the ground was pale-faced; seeing Wei Wuxian, he cried out urgently, “Lord Wei!”

Wei Wuxian flicked his wrist, sending a talisman flying. “Uncle Four, what’s going on?!”

Uncle Four said, “The Fumo Cave… the malevolent corpses in the Fumo Cave have all escaped!”

Wei Wuxian said, “I set up a barrier! Who touched it?!”

Uncle Four said, “No one touched it! It’s… it’s…”

Just then, a clear, sharp shout came from ahead. A woman’s voice cried, “A-Ning!”

In the black woods, over a dozen Wen Clan cultivators were confronting a figure. That figure was Wen Clan, his eyes rolled back to show only the whites, his expression utterly ferocious. The talismans that had once plastered his body were mostly gone. In his hands he dragged two malevolent corpses, already torn to shreds by his bare hands, dripping with black blood, almost reduced to skeletons—and Wen Clan was still slamming them violently against the ground, as if he wouldn’t stop until they were ground to dust. At the front, sword in hand, was Wen Xu. Wei Wuxian shouted, “Didn’t I say not to touch the talismans on him?!”

Wen Xu didn’t even have time to be surprised that Lan Wangji was here. She said, “No one touched them! No one even entered the Fumo Cave! He went berserk and tore them off himself—not just the ones on his body, he also smashed the barriers around the Blood Pool and the Fumo Cave. All the malevolent corpses inside the Blood Pool crawled out! Wei Wuxian, go help Granny and the others, they can’t hold out over there!!!”

As she spoke, strange hissing cries came from above. Several people looked up: a few malevolent corpses had actually climbed to the treetops, coiled like snakes on the high branches, baring their teeth downward, some unknown foul fluid dripping from between their fangs. Wen Clan looked up and saw them too. He threw aside the mangled limbs he’d crushed into pulp, leaped up, and vaulted straight into the air, landing right on the treetop!

That tree was at least fifty feet tall. To reach such a height in a single leap was astonishing explosive power. Once on the tree, Wen Clan tore those malevolent corpses apart with his bare hands, limbs flying everywhere, a rain of blood sprinkling down. Still unsatisfied, he leaped toward another side. Wei Wuxian drew Chenqing. “Lan—!” He’d meant to ask Lan Wangji to go save the others first while he dealt with Wen Clan, but when he looked back, the man was already gone. Just as his heart was about to burst with anxiety, he heard the clear, ringing notes of a zither shake the heavens, startling a frenzy of crows from the black forest. It turned out Lan Wangji had already gone ahead without needing to be asked. Wei Wuxian’s heart eased. He brought Chenqing to his lips and blew a long, piercing note. Wen Clan’s landing faltered slightly. Wei Wuxian seized the chance. “Wen Clan! Do you recognize me?”

Over there, the zither sounded three times and then fell silent, meaning Lan Wangji had subdued all the out-of-control malevolent corpses within those three notes. Wen Clan lowered his body slightly, a low growl rumbling in his throat, like a wary, tense beast poised to strike. Wei Wuxian was about to blow again when he suddenly realized Wen Yuan was still clinging tightly to his leg, not daring to breathe—he’d actually forgotten about the kid this whole time!

He hastily scooped up Wen Yuan and tossed him toward Wen Xu. “Take him and get far away!”

At that exact moment, Wen Clan lunged forward.

It felt like a boulder crashing down. Wei Wuxian was slammed backward, flying through the air and smashing hard against a tree. Heat surged in his throat; he cursed. Lan Wangji, who had just turned back, saw this scene and his expression changed drastically. He rushed to Wei Wuxian’s side. Wen Xu had just pushed Wen Yuan into someone else’s arms and was about to check Wei Wuxian’s injuries when Lan Wangji cut in front of her, startling her. Lan Wangji almost cradled Wei Wuxian in his arms, gripping his hand and directly transferring spiritual energy. Wen Xu hurriedly said, “Let him go first, don’t! Let me! I’m Wen Xu!”

Wen Xu of Qishan was a first-rate physician. Only then did Lan Wangji stop transferring energy, letting Wen Xu examine Wei Wuxian—but he still didn’t let go of his hand. Wei Wuxian, however, pushed him away. “Don’t let him get past!”

After injuring Wei Wuxian, Wen Clan dropped his arms and began walking down the mountain. That was exactly where the other Wen Clan cultivators were hiding from the malevolent corpses. Wen Xu shouted down, “Run! All of you, run! He’s heading your way!”

Wei Wuxian broke free from Lan Wangji and, holding his breath, chased after him. Lan Wangji caught up again. “Where is your sword?”

Wei Wuxian flung out twelve talismans with a sweep of his hand. “Lost it somewhere ages ago!”

The twelve yellow talismans lined up in the air and burst into flame, striking Wen Clan like a chain of fire, instantly binding him. Lan Wangji plucked the strings of his zither in reverse; Wen Clan’s steps seemed tangled by invisible threads. He paused, then continued forward with difficulty. Wei Wuxian brought Chenqing to his lips. Having just taken a blow, he blew out some bloody foam, his brow furrowed tight, but he still forced himself to blow steadily, suppressing the churning blood and pain in his chest.

Under their combined efforts, Wen Clan dropped to his knees, threw back his head, and let out a long roar that made the leaves of the black forest tremble. Wei Wuxian finally couldn’t hold back—he choked up a mouthful of blood.

The notes of the Forgetfulness Zither suddenly turned sharp and piercing. Wen Clan clutched his head, howling madly, and curled up on the ground. Wen Xu cried out wretchedly, “A-Ning! A-Ning!” She started to rush forward, but Wei Wuxian said, “Be careful!”

Seeing her brother tormented by the zither notes, in agony, Wen Xu knew that if they didn’t use heavy-handed measures in this state, there might be danger—but she still couldn’t help pitying Wen Clan. “Lord Lan, please show mercy!”

Wei Wuxian said, “Lan Zhan! Go easy—”

“……Lord… Wei…”

Wei Wuxian suddenly froze. “Wait?”

He said, “Lan Zhan, stop for a second?!”

That voice… was coming from Wen Clan.

Lan Wangji pressed his five fingers against the zither strings, silencing the lingering vibrations. Wei Wuxian said, “Wen Clan?!”

Wen Clan raised his head with difficulty.

In his eye sockets were no longer the ferocious dead whites, but… a pair of black pupils!

Wen Clan opened his mouth and continued, “…Lord… Wei…?”

It was as if each word was being squeezed out, as if he was about to bite his tongue. But it was actual speech, not meaningless roaring.

Wen Xu was completely stunned.

After a long moment, she suddenly let out a cry, scrambled over on hands and knees, and threw herself at him, shouting, “A-Ning!”

The two of them toppled to the ground together from the impact. Wen Clan said, “Jie… jie…”

Wen Xu wrapped her arms around her brother, crying and laughing, burying her face in his chest. “It’s me! It’s your sister, it’s your sister! A-Ning!”

She kept calling Wen Clan’s name. The other cultivators looked like they wanted to pile on too, but didn’t dare. They just hugged each other randomly, shouting and laughing. Uncle Four ran wildly down the mountain, yelling, “It’s over! It worked! It worked! A-Ning’s awake!…”

Wei Wuxian walked over and crouched beside Wen Clan. “How do you feel now?”

Wen Clan lay on his back, his limbs and neck still somewhat stiff. “I… I…”

He struggled for a long time before finally saying, “…I really want to cry, but I can’t cry. What’s going on…”

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian patted his shoulder. “You remember, right? You’re already dead.”

Once he was sure Wen Clan was truly conscious, Wei Wuxian let out a long, deep sigh of relief in his heart.

He’d succeeded.

Back then, in a moment of impulsive rage, he’d forced Wen Clan into a low-level malevolent corpse. Although he’d let Wen Clan personally point out and tear apart those overseers who had tortured him to death, after Wen Xu woke up and faced this brother who didn’t recognize her at all—who only growled low like a mad dog, tore and bit at everything, craving flesh and blood—her pain only grew deeper.

A calmer Wei Wuxian had sworn to her, promising he had a way to restore Wen Clan’s consciousness. But who knew? He’d just been boasting, wanting to set Wen Xu’s mind at ease first. In reality, he had no real confidence; he was just charging ahead stubbornly.

Days of racking his brains, forgetting to eat and sleep, had actually let him fulfill his promise.

Wen Xu cupped Wen Clan’s pale face, large teardrops sliding down. In the end, she still couldn’t hold back, and burst into loud sobs just like the night she’d seen Wen Clan’s corpse.

Wen Clan, his hands and feet stiff, patted her back. More and more members of the Wen Clan came up from down the mountain—some threw themselves into the crying huddle, others looked at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji with awe and gratitude.

Wei Wuxian knew the siblings must have a lot to say, and Wen Xu certainly wouldn’t want outsiders to see her crying like this. He said, “Lan Zhan.”

Lan Wangji looked at him. Wei Wuxian said, “Since you’re already here, want to come in and sit for a bit?”

The two of them walked to the mouth of a cave on the mountainside, where a chilling wind gusted.

Lan Wangji said, “Fumo Cave?”

Wei Wuxian said, “That’s right. I named it. What do you think?”

Lan Wangji was silent.

Wei Wuxian said, “I know, you’re definitely thinking, ‘Not great.’ After word got out, I heard some people gossiping too, saying how dare a cultivator of the Ghost Divine Art, a great demon lord himself, have the nerve to name his own lair ‘Fumo Cave’?”

Lan Wangji neither confirmed nor denied. The two had already stepped into the cave. Wei Wuxian’s laughter echoed endlessly in the empty cavern: “But actually, they’re all wrong. The meaning I had in mind when I named it isn’t what they think at all.”

Lan Wangji said, “Explain.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Simple. It’s just because I often sleep here. A cave where a demon lord lies down to sleep—isn’t that a ‘Fumo Cave’?”

Lan Wangji: “…”

The two entered the main cavern. Lan Wangji said, “And the Blood Pool?”

Wei Wuxian pointed to a dark pool of water inside the cave. “The Blood Pool is this.”

The light in the cave was dim. It was hard to tell if the water was black or red, and it gave off a faint but distinct smell of blood.

Originally, a circle of barrier lines had been strung around the pool, but Wen Clan had destroyed them. Wei Wuxian re-strung them, knotting and reinforcing them.

Lan Wangji said, “Heavy with yin energy.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Right, very yin, perfect for nurturing evil. This is where I ‘nurture’ some malevolent corpses that aren’t fully refined yet. Guess how many are sunk at the bottom?”

He smiled. “To be honest, I don’t even know exactly how many. But the water in the pool smells more and more like blood.”

Maybe it was the lighting, but Wei Wuxian’s face looked especially pale, and that smile seemed to carry a faint, sinister air. Lan Wangji watched him quietly. “Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian said, “What?”

Lan Wangji said, “Are you truly in control?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Control what? You mean Wen Clan? Of course, no problem. Look, he’s already regained his consciousness.” Wei Wuxian said proudly, “An unprecedented malevolent corpse.”

Lan Wangji said, “If he goes berserk again, what then.”

Wei Wuxian said, “I’ve got experience dealing with his rampages. He’s under my control. As long as I’m fine, he won’t have problems.”

After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji said, “And if you have problems?”

Wei Wuxian said, “I won’t.”

Lan Wangji said, “How can you guarantee it.”

Wei Wuxian said firmly, “I won’t. And I can’t.”

Lan Wangji said, “Do you intend to continue like this from now on?”

Wei Wuxian said, “What’s wrong with continuing like this? Looking down on my territory? This mountain is bigger than your Cloud-Deep Unknown Place, and the food’s way better too.”

“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji said, “You know what I mean.”

“…”

Wei Wuxian said helplessly, “Lan Zhan, you… really are something. I’d already changed the subject, and you dragged it back.”

Just then, a slight itch rose in his throat, a sudden surge of blood churning upward. Wei Wuxian suppressed it and coughed twice. Seeing Lan Wangji reach for his hand, Wei Wuxian dodged. “What are you doing?”

Lan Wangji said, “Your injury.”

Wei Wuxian said, “No need. Why waste spiritual energy on a little injury like this? It’ll heal on its own if I just sit for a while.”

Lan Wangji didn’t argue with him, just went to grab his hand again. At that moment, two people walked into the cave. Wen Xu’s voice said, “Heal on its own if you just sit? Do you think I’m dead?”

Following behind her was Wen Clan, holding a tea tray. Wen Clan’s skin was deathly pale, and on his neck you could still see un-wiped talisman script. Clinging to Wen Clan’s calf was Wen Yuan. As soon as he entered, he pattered over to Wei Wuxian’s side and switched to hanging onto his leg. Seeing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both look at him, Wen Clan’s mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile, but the muscles in his face were stiff and dead, unable to lift. He could only greet them: “Lord Wei… Lord Lan.”

Wei Wuxian lifted one leg, hoisting Wen Yuan into the air and swinging him. “What are you guys doing in here? Finished crying already?”

Wen Xu said fiercely, “Just you wait and see how I make you cry later!” Even as she said it, her voice was thick with a nasal tone. Wei Wuxian said, “Yeah, right, how could you possibly make me… Ah!!!”

Wen Xu walked over and slapped him hard on the back—so hard she actually knocked a mouthful of blood out of Wei Wuxian. He looked utterly incredulous. “You… you’re so vicious…”

With that, he closed his eyes and passed out. Lan Wangji’s face went pale as he caught him. “Wei Ying!”

But Wen Xu brandished three gleaming silver needles. “I’ve got even more vicious things you haven’t seen yet. Get up!”

Wei Wuxian got up from Lan Wangji’s arms as if nothing had happened, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said, “No thanks. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned—I’d rather not see it.”

It turned out Wen Xu’s slap had just dislodged the stagnant, useless blood stuck in his chest. How could the physician renowned among the Hundred Sects, Qishan’s number one, truly not know her own strength? Seeing it was another prank, Lan Wangji flicked his sleeve sharply, turned away, as if he simply didn’t want to deal with such a ridiculous person anymore. Wen Clan, having just woken up, was a bit slow on the uptake. Seeing Wei Wuxian spit blood just now, he’d been stunned; now he remembered that Wei Wuxian had been injured by him when he was out of his mind. Guiltily, he said, “Lord Wei, I’m sorry…”

Wei Wuxian waved a hand. “Alright, alright, with that punch of yours, did you really think you could do anything to me?”

Wen Xu’s dark eyes studied Lan Wangji’s expression. “Lord Lan, won’t you please sit?”

Wei Wuxian suddenly realized—no wonder he felt like he’d forgotten something. Lan Zhan had been here this long and still hadn’t sat down. But the only places to sit in the cave were a few stone beds, and each one was covered with strange things: flags, knives, boxes, blood-stained bandages, half-eaten fruit—a complete disaster.

Wei Wuxian said, “But there’s nowhere to sit, right?”

Wen Xu said flatly, “Of course there is.” With that, she ruthlessly swept everything off one of the stone beds onto the ground. “See? Now there is.”

Wei Wuxian was shocked. “Hey!”

Wen Clan also said, “Yes, Lord Lan, sit… have some tea…” As he spoke, he moved the tray in his hands toward Lan Wangji. On the tray were two teacups, washed extremely clean. But Wei Wuxian took one look and said, “So shabby! Giving a guest plain water, not even any tea leaves!”

Wen Clan said, “I just asked if we had any. Uncle Four said we don’t keep tea in stock…”

Wei Wuxian picked up a cup of water and took a sip. “That’s really not right. Next time a guest comes, we should prepare some.” Only after saying it did he realize how absurd it sounded. Where would there be a next time? And where would there be another guest?

Wen Xu said, “You have the nerve to say that. How many times have I sent you down the mountain to buy supplies, and what乱七八糟的东西 did you come back with? Where are the radish seeds I told you to buy today?”

Wei Wuxian said, “What乱七八糟的东西 did I buy! I was just buying fun things for A-Yuan, right, A-Yuan?”

But Wen Yuan utterly failed to cooperate. “Xian-gege is lying. It was this gege who bought them for me.”

Wei Wuxian was furious. “Outrageous!”

Just as laughter filled the Fumo Cave, Lan Wangji suddenly turned without a word and walked toward the cave entrance.

Both Wen Xu and Wen Clan were startled. Wei Wuxian said, “Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji paused his steps. His voice betrayed no emotion. “I should go back.”

He walked out of the Fumo Cave without looking back. Wen Clan grew anxious again, as if he thought it was his fault. Wen Yuan cried urgently, “Gege!”

He tried to chase after him on his short little legs. Wei Wuxian scooped him up and tucked him under his arm. “You all wait here.”

He took the steps two at a time, catching up to Lan Wangji. “You’re leaving? I’ll walk you out.”

Lan Wangji remained silent.

Wen Yuan, tucked under Wei Wuxian’s arm, looked up at him. “Gege isn’t eating with us?”

Lan Wangji glanced at him, reached out a hand, and slowly patted his head.

Wen Yuan, thinking he was going to stay, showed a happy expression and whispered, “A-Yuan overheard a secret. They said there’s lots of good food today…”

Wei Wuxian said, “This gege has food at home. He’s not staying.”

Wen Yuan went “Oh,” his disappointment written all over his face. He drooped his head and didn’t speak again.

The two of them, with a child tucked under one arm, walked quietly all the way to the foot of the Wasteland Cemetery. They stopped simultaneously, and neither spoke.

After a long while, Wei Wuxian said, “Lan Zhan, you asked me earlier if I really planned to keep going like this. Actually, I want to ask someone too. If not like this, what else can I do?”

He said, “Abandon the Ghost Divine Art? Then what about the people on this mountain?”

“Abandon them? I can’t do that. I believe if it were you, you couldn’t do it either.”

He said, “Is there anyone who can give me a nice, smooth, broad road to walk? A road where, even without cultivating the Ghost Divine Art, I could still protect the people I want to protect.”

Lan Wangji looked at him and didn’t answer, but they both knew the answer in their hearts.

There was no such road.

No solution.

Wei Wuxian said slowly, “Thank you for keeping me company today, and for telling me about my shijie’s wedding. But right and wrong lie with oneself; praise and blame come from others; gain and loss don’t matter. I know in my heart what I should do. And I believe I can control it.”

As if he had long anticipated this attitude, Lan Wangji turned his head slightly and closed his eyes.

And so they parted.

On the way back up the mountain, Wei Wuxian finally realized: he’d said he would treat Lan Wangji to a meal, but in the end they’d gone their separate ways in a rather heavy atmosphere. And of course, he’d also forgotten to pay the bill.

Wei Wuxian thought, Ah, well, Lan Zhan’s so rich anyway, letting him pay one more time is no big deal. He should still have money on him, right? It’s not like buying a few kids’ toys would clean him out. At most, I’ll treat him next time… if there even is a next time.

Come to think of it, almost every time he and Lan Wangji met, they ended up parting on bad terms because of one thing or another. They probably really weren’t suited to be friends.

But then, there wouldn’t be many chances to try in the future anyway.

Wen Yuan held his hand with his left hand, a little wooden sword in his right, the grass-woven butterfly perched on his head. “Xian-gege, will the rich gege come again?”

Wei Wuxian choked. “What’s ‘rich gege’?”

Wen Yuan said seriously, “The gege who has money is the rich gege.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Then what about me?”

Sure enough, Wen Yuan said, “You’re Xian-gege. The no-money gege.”

Wei Wuxian shot him a look, then suddenly snatched the butterfly away. “What, you like him just because he has money?”

Wen Yuan stood on tiptoe to grab it back, frantic. “Give it back… he bought that for me!”

Wei Wuxian was just that kind of bored person—he could even get a kick out of teasing a little kid. He put the butterfly on his own head. “I’m not giving it back. You called him ‘A-die,’ but what do you call me? Just ‘gege,’ so I’m a whole generation lower than him for no reason!”

Wen Yuan jumped. “I didn’t call him A-die!”

Wei Wuxian said, “I heard you. I don’t care, I want to be higher than ‘gege’ and ‘A-die.’ What should you call me?”

Wen Yuan said, aggrieved, “But… but A-Yuan… doesn’t want to call you A-niang… that’s so weird…”

Wei Wuxian choked again. “Who told you to call me A-niang? The one higher than ‘gege’ and ‘A-die’ is ‘A-ye,’ didn’t you know that? If you like him that much, you should’ve said so earlier. I’d have let him take you away. His family’s rich, but it’s terrifying. He’d lock you in a room and make you copy books from morning till night. Scared?”

Wen Yuan quickly shook his head and whispered, “…I’m not going… I still want Grandma.”

Wei Wuxian pressed him. “You want Grandma, but not me?”

Wen Yuan said, placating, “I do. I want Xian-gege too.” He counted on his fingers, one by one. “And rich gege, and A-Qing jiejie, Ning-gege, Uncle Four, Uncle Six…”

Wei Wuxian tossed the butterfly back onto his head. “Enough, enough. You’re drowning me in the crowd.”

Wen Yuan hurriedly tucked the grass-woven butterfly into his pocket, afraid he’d snatch it again, and pressed on. “Will rich gege come back again or not?”

Wei Wuxian kept smiling.

After a moment, he said, “He probably won’t.”

Wen Yuan said, disappointed, “Why not?”

Wei Wuxian said, “No reason. Everyone in this world has their own things to do, their own paths to walk. Their own families keep them busy enough—who has time to always revolve around someone else?”

In the end, they weren’t walking the same road.

Wen Yuan made an “oh” sound, not really understanding, and looked thoroughly dejected.

Wei Wuxian scooped him up and tucked him under his arm, humming, “…Let them have their bustling, well-lit highways… I’ll take that single-plank bridge and walk it to the end… walk! it! …to the end?”

When he hummed the word “end,” he suddenly realized it wasn’t dark at all.

The mountaintop that was always pitch-black when he returned was very different tonight.

The area around the few small shacks had been swept clean, even many of the weeds pulled. A few red lanterns hung in the nearby woods. They were handmade, hung from branches—round and crude, but they gave off a warm light that illuminated the dark, shadowy forest.

Normally at this time, the fifty-some people would have finished eating long ago, each retired to their own dilapidated wooden huts with the lights out. Today, however, they were all gathered in the widest of the shacks. This shack was just a roof held up by eight wooden posts, big enough to hold everyone. The small hut next to it was the “kitchen,” so this one served as the dining hall.

Wei Wuxian, puzzled, walked over with Wen Yuan tucked under his arm. “Why’s everyone here today? Not sleeping? So many lights, so bright.”

Wen Xu came out of the kitchen nearby, carrying a plate. “Hung them for you, old man. We’ll make more tomorrow to hang along the mountain path. Rushing around in the dark all the time, not walking properly—sooner or later you’ll slip and break a bone.”

Wei Wuxian said, “If I break a bone, I’ve still got you.”

Wen Xu said, “I don’t want extra work, and I don’t get paid. If you break something, don’t blame me if I grind your bones when I set them.”

Wei Wuxian shuddered and quickly slipped away. Entering the shack, the crowd made room for him. Three tables, each set with seven or eight plates of steaming hot food. Wei Wuxian said, “What, hasn’t anyone eaten?”

Wen Xu said, “No. We were waiting for you.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Waiting for me? I ate outside.”

As soon as he said it, he knew he’d messed up. Sure enough, Wen Xu slammed the plate down on the table so hard the red chili peppers on the food jumped. She said angrily, “No wonder you didn’t buy anything—you ate it all at a restaurant, right? That was all the money I had, and you spent it so freely!”

Wei Wuxian said, “No! I didn’t…” Just then, Granny Wen also came out of the kitchen, leaning on a cane with one hand and holding a plate with the other, trembling. Wen Yuan wriggled free from under his elbow and ran over. “Grandma!”

Wen Xu turned to help, complaining, “I told you not to carry anything, you don’t need to help, just sit. It’s smoky in there. Your legs aren’t good and your hands aren’t steady—if you drop them, we won’t have many plates left. It wasn’t easy getting these ceramics up the mountain…”

The other Wen cultivators set out chopsticks, poured tea, and cleared the head seat for him. Faced with this, Wei Wuxian found it a little hard to accept calmly.

In the past, he hadn’t failed to notice that these Wen people were actually a little afraid of him.

They’d all heard of his fearsome reputation and wild deeds during the Sun-Striking Campaign, heard the widely circulated tales of his brutal, vicious methods of venting his rage, and seen with their own eyes how he commanded corpses to take lives. In the beginning, Granny Wen’s legs would tremble at the sight of him, and Wen Yuan would hide behind her. It took many days before the boy dared to slowly approach him.

Yet right now, more than fifty pairs of eyes were looking at him. In these gazes, though there was still fear, it was the fear of awe, mixed with a bit of ingratiation, a bit of caution. But more than that, there was gratitude and goodwill, the same as in the eyes of the Wen siblings.

Wen Xu said softly, “You’ve worked hard all this time.”

Wei Wuxian said, “You… suddenly talking to me so nicely, I’m a little shocked?”

Wen Xu’s knuckles seemed to crack. Wei Wuxian immediately shut up.

But Wen Xu continued softly.

“…Actually, they’ve always wanted to have a meal with you and say thank you. But you’re either jumping around everywhere, or shut up in Fumo Cave for days and nights on end, not letting anyone disturb you. They were afraid of interrupting your work, annoying you, thought you didn’t like dealing with people, didn’t want to bother with them, so they were too embarrassed to talk to you much. Today A-Ning woke up, and Uncle Four said no matter what, we had to get a table together with you… Even if you’re stuffed from eating outside today, sit down. You don’t have to eat, just sit and chat, have a drink.”

Wei Wuxian was taken aback, his eyes lighting up. “Drink? There’s wine on this mountain?”

Several of the older Wen clansmen had been watching this side with some anxiety. Hearing this, one immediately said, “Yes, yes. There’s wine, there’s wine.” He picked up a few sealed bottles from beside the table and showed them to him. “Fruit wine. Made from wild fruit picked on the mountain. Very fragrant!”

Wen Clan squatted by the table. “Uncle Four loves wine too. He knows how to brew it, brewed it specially. Tried for many days.”

Because he spoke one word at a time, very slowly, he didn’t stutter. Uncle Four smiled a little sheepishly, still watching Wei Wuxian, a bit nervous. Wei Wuxian said, “Really? Then I have to try it!”

He sat at the table. Uncle Four hurriedly opened the bottle’s seal and handed it to him with both hands. Wei Wuxian sniffed it and smiled. “It really is fragrant!”

The others also sat down with him. Hearing his praise, each of them seemed to have received great commendation, beaming with joy, and they all started picking up their chopsticks.

For the first time, Wei Wuxian drank wine without tasting what it was like.

He was thinking, “Walk a single road to the end…?”

It wasn’t very dark.

Suddenly, his whole body felt refreshed and clear.

Fifty people crowded around three tables, chopsticks darting in and out. Wen Yuan sat on his grandma’s lap, showing her his new treasures, using a little wooden knife and a little wooden sword to fight for her. The old woman laughed, her toothless mouth open wide. Wei Wuxian and Uncle Four exchanged notes on wines they’d drunk, getting heated, finally agreeing unanimously that the Gusu famous brew Tianzixiao Tavern was the undisputed best. Wen Xu went around pouring fruit wine for several elders and their subordinates. She’d only done two rounds when it ran out. Wei Wuxian said, “How is it gone already? I haven’t had much??”

Wen Xu said, “There are a few more bottles, saved for drinking slowly. Don’t drink any more today.”

Wei Wuxian said, “How can that be? As the saying goes, ‘Better a cup of wine now than fame after I’m gone.’ No more talk, fill me up, thanks.”

Today was special, so Wen Xu filled his cup. “Just this once. I really think you should quit drinking. You drink too fiercely.”

Wei Wuxian said, “This isn’t Cloud-Deep Unknown Place, what’s there to quit?”

Mentioning Cloud-Deep Unknown Place, Wen Xu glanced at Wei Wuxian and said, as if casually, “Forgot to ask, you’ve never brought anyone up to Wasteland Cemetery before. What happened today?”

Wei Wuxian said, “You mean Lan Zhan? Ran into him on the road.”

Wen Xu said, “Ran into him? How? Another coincidence?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Yeah.”

Wen Xu said, “What a coincidence. I remember you two also had a chance encounter in Yunmeng before.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Not strange. Yunmeng and Yiling both often have cultivators from other clans passing through.”

Wen Xu said, “Just now I heard you calling him directly by his name. Pretty bold.”

Wei Wuxian said, “He calls me by my name too. It’s nothing, we got used to it as kids. Neither of us minds.”

Wen Xu said, “Oh? Weren’t you two on terrible terms? Sounded like fire and water, fighting whenever you met.”

Wei Wuxian said, “You heard wrong rumors. Our relationship wasn’t great before, and we did fight a few times in anger during the Sun-Striking Campaign, but later it wasn’t as bad as people said. It’s okay.”

Wen Xu said nothing more.

The food on the plates was quickly swept clean. Someone tapped a bowl and shouted, “A-Ning! Go fry a few more dishes!”

“Fry a lot, get a basin to put them in!”

“Where would we get a basin for food? They’re all for washing faces!”

Wen Clan didn’t need to eat. He’d been standing guard by the shack. Hearing this, he said slowly, “Oh, okay.”

Seeing a chance to show off his skills, Wei Wuxian hurriedly said, “Hold it. I’ll do it! I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”

Wen Xu said, disbelieving, “You can cook?”

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow. “Of course. I’m presentable in the hall and capable in the kitchen. Watch me. Everyone wait.”

Everyone clapped in anticipation. However, when Wei Wuxian brought two plates to the table with a smugly wicked expression, Wen Xu took one look and said, “From now on, stay as far away from the kitchen as you can get.”

Wei Wuxian defended himself. “Just eat it. You can’t judge by looks, you’ll know it’s delicious once you try it. That’s just how it tastes.”

Wen Xu said, “Eat my ass! Didn’t you see how A-Yuan cried after eating it? Wasting ingredients. Don’t anyone touch it with your chopsticks, no need to give him face!”

……

Within three days, nearly every major clan knew a terrifying piece of news: that Wei Wuxian, who’d defected from the Jiang Clan and set up his own stronghold in Yiling, had refined the highest-level Malevolent Corpse to date—fast-moving, immensely strong, fearless, ruthlessly effective, and with its mind intact, its consciousness clear, dominating every Night Hunt!

Everyone was horrified: there would be no peace! Wei Wuxian would definitely refine these Malevolent Corpses on a large scale, attempting to establish his own sect and compete with the other clans! And all that fresh young blood would surely be drawn to his opportunistic, unorthodox path, flocking to join him. The future of the orthodox Xuanmen Hundred Sects was bleak, the road ahead utterly dark!

In reality, however, the greatest use Wei Wuxian found after successfully refining the corpse was that he now had a hardworking, uncomplaining laborer for hauling goods up the mountain. Before, he could carry one crate at most. Now, Wen Clan alone could drag a whole cart of goods, with an extra Wei Wuxian lounging on the cart, legs crossed, doing nothing.

But no one believed that. After making a splash in a few Night Hunts, quite a few people actually came seeking his fame, hoping to pledge themselves to the “Patriarch” and become his disciples. The once-desolate, lonely wild mountain suddenly had a bustling gate. The Malevolent Corpses Wei Wuxian had patrolling the foot of the mountain didn’t actively attack, at most just tossing people away and snarling. No one got hurt, but the crowd blocking the foot of Wasteland Cemetery grew larger and larger. Once, Wei Wuxian saw a long banner from afar that read “Supreme Evil Lord Yiling Patriarch,” spitting out a mouthful of fruit wine. He couldn’t take it anymore, went down the mountain, and unceremoniously accepted all the “offerings for his venerable self.” After that, he changed to another mountain path for coming and going.

On this day, he was out shopping with his laborer in a town in Yiling when suddenly, a familiar figure flashed at the mouth of an alley ahead. Wei Wuxian’s gaze sharpened, and he followed without a sound. Following that figure, the two of them slipped into a small courtyard. As soon as they entered, the courtyard gate was closed. A cold voice came. “Get out.”

Jiang Cheng stood behind them. He’d closed the gate, and those words were for Wen Clan.

Jiang Cheng held a grudge fiercely. His hatred for the Qishan Wen Sect spread limitlessly to everyone connected. Plus, during the period when Wen Xu and Wen Clan were treating him, he’d been unconscious, so he couldn’t share Wei Wuxian’s feelings. Therefore, he was never polite to Wen Clan, and last time he’d been able to strike hard. As soon as Wen Clan saw it was him, he immediately lowered his head and retreated.

A woman stood in the courtyard, wearing a veiled hat and a black cloak. Wei Wuxian’s throat tightened. “…Shijie.”

Hearing footsteps, the woman turned and took off her hat, then removed her cloak as well. Under the cloak, she was wearing a bright red wedding dress.

Jiang Anli wore this dignified wedding dress, her face adorned with bright makeup that added color. Wei Wuxian took two steps toward her. “Shijie… what’s this?”

Jiang Cheng said, “What’s this? You think she’s marrying you?”

Wei Wuxian said, “You shut up.”

Jiang Anli spread her arms to show him, her face slightly flushed. “A-Xian, I… I’m getting married soon. Came to show you…”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes grew hot.

He couldn’t attend Jiang Anli’s ceremony, couldn’t see a loved one in wedding clothes. So Jiang Cheng and Jiang Anli had specially, quietly come to Yiling, lured him into the courtyard, to show him alone what his sister would look like on that day.

After a long moment, Wei Wuxian finally smiled. “I know! I heard…”

Jiang Cheng said, “Who’d you hear it from?”

Wei Wuxian said, “None of your business.”

Jiang Anli said, embarrassed, “But… it’s just me. You can’t see the groom.”

Wei Wuxian made a dismissive face. “I don’t want to see any groom.”

He circled Jiang Anli twice, praising, “Beautiful!”

Jiang Cheng said, “Jie, I told you. It really is beautiful.”

Jiang Anli, always quite self-aware, said seriously, “You two saying it doesn’t count. What you say can’t be taken seriously.”

Jiang Cheng said helplessly, “You don’t believe me, and you don’t believe him. Does it have to be that certain someone who says it’s beautiful before you believe it?”

Hearing this, Jiang Anli’s face turned even redder, red to her pale earlobes, the pink of her carmine unable to cover it. She hurriedly changed the subject. “A-Xian… come up with a courtesy name.”

Wei Wuxian said, “What courtesy name?”

Jiang Cheng said, “The courtesy name for my not-yet-born nephew.”

The ceremony wasn’t even done yet, and they were already thinking of a courtesy name for a future nephew. But Wei Wuxian didn’t find it strange at all, didn’t stand on ceremony in the slightest. He thought for a moment and said, “Okay. The Lanling Jin Sect’s next generation is the ‘Ru’ generation. Call him Jin Rulan.”

Jiang Anli said, “Good!”

Jiang Cheng, however, said, “Not good. Sounds like Jin Rulan, the ‘Lan’ of the Lan Clan. Why should a descendant of the Lanling Jin Sect and Yunmeng Jiang Clan be ‘like Lan’?”

Wei Wuxian said, “The Lan Clan isn’t bad either. ‘Lan’ is the gentleman among flowers, the Lan Clan are gentlemen among people. A good name.” Jiang Cheng said, “You didn’t used to say that.” Wei Wuxian said, “You asked me to pick it, not you. Why are you being picky?” Jiang Anli hurriedly said, “Alright, you know A-Cheng is just like that. The suggestion to have you pick the name actually came from him. Don’t fight, I brought you soup, wait a moment.”

She went inside to get the pot. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng exchanged a look. A moment later, Jiang Anli came out and gave each of them a bowl, then went back inside and brought out a third small bowl. She walked to the door and said to Wen Clan, “Sorry, only a small bowl left. This is for you.”

Wen Clan had been standing guard by the door, head lowered. Seeing this, he was overwhelmed and started stuttering again. “Ah… th-there’s a share for me too?”

Jiang Cheng said, displeased, “Why is there a share for him?”

Jiang Anli said, “I brought so much anyway, whoever’s here gets a share.”

Wen Clan said haltingly, “Thank you, Miss Jiang… thank you.”

He held the small bowl filled to the brim for him, too embarrassed to say, Thank you, but, he couldn’t eat it. Giving it to him was a waste. Dead people don’t eat. But Jiang Anli noticed his difficulty, asked a few questions, and started chatting with Wen Clan outside the door. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng stood in the courtyard. Jiang Cheng raised his bowl. “To the Yiling Patriarch.”

Hearing that title, Wei Wuxian remembered that long, fluttering, quite imposing banner again, his mind full of those eight glittering golden characters: “Supreme Evil Lord Yiling Patriarch.” He said, “Shut up!”

After taking a sip, Jiang Cheng said, “How’s the injury from last time.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Long healed.”

Jiang Cheng said, “Hm.” After a pause, he added, “How many days did it take?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Less than seven days. I told you, with Wen Xu here, it was nothing. But, you really fucking stabbed me.”

Jiang Cheng ate a piece of lotus root. “You had him break my arm first. You took seven days, my arm was in a sling for over a month.”

Wei Wuxian chuckled. “Had to be convincing, right? It was your left hand anyway, doesn’t stop you from writing. ‘A hundred days for tendons and bones to heal,’ three months in a sling wouldn’t be too much.”

Outside the door came the faint sound of Wen Clan’s halting replies. After a silence, Jiang Cheng said, “So you’re just going to stay like this from now on? Any plans?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Not for now. That bunch don’t dare come down the mountain, and when I go down, no one dares provoke me. As long as I don’t actively stir up trouble, it’s fine.”

“Don’t actively stir?” Jiang Cheng said with a cold laugh. “Wei Wuxian, believe me, even if you don’t stir up trouble, trouble will stir you up. Saving a person often leaves you helpless, but harming a person—there are a thousand ways and more.”

Wei Wuxian said, head down, “Overwhelming force beats ten tricks. Whatever thousand ways they have, whoever comes, I’ll kill them.”

Jiang Cheng said flatly, “You never listen to a single piece of advice I give. One day you’ll realize I was right.”

He drank the rest of his soup in one gulp, stood up, and said, “Impressive. Amazing. Truly the Yiling Patriarch.”

Wei Wuxian spat out a bone. “Are you done yet.”

When it was time to part, Jiang Cheng said, “Don’t see us off. If anyone sees, it’ll be bad.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. He understood—this trip wasn’t easy for the Jiang siblings. If anyone saw them, all the act they’d put on for others would be wasted. He said, “We’ll go first.”

Out of the alley, Wei Wuxian walked ahead as before, Wen Clan silently trailing behind. Suddenly, Wei Wuxian turned his head. “Why are you still holding that bowl of soup?”

“Ah?” Wen Clan said, reluctant. “Take it back… I can’t drink it, but someone else can…”

“…” Wei Wuxian said, “Whatever you want. Hold it steady, don’t spill it.”

He turned back, knowing that from now on, it would probably be a long time before he saw those familiar people from his past again.

But… wasn’t he on his way to see familiar people right now?