Xue Yang discreetly makes his way back towards the guest house, wishing he was older, more powerful, more something, in order to take care of this situation. His Baba told him to keep an eye on whatever happened in Cloud Recesses while he's gone, but Xue Yang is only eight years old now, and never has he felt so inadequately prepared to deal with this.

He's felt hatred before; living on the streets gave him enough people to direct this emotion towards, but what he's feeling now is so much more stronger than that.

It is loathing, coupled with an intense anger. How could someone be so heartless towards their own child? Qingheng-Jun had been particularly cruel, and the worst part was that it had been intentional.

Perhaps Xue Yang might not have cared so much before, in the time before he was given this family. But for better or worse, they are his now, and he will do anything to protect them.

He's so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't see Wei Changze outside the guest house and bangs Into him, rebounding so hard that he would have ended up flat on his back if the kind man hadn't grabbed him quickly enough.

"A-Yang...are you alright?" He says the words carefully, after seeing the look on his face.

"No. I don't know what to do."

"Well, in that case, I have an idea," he says, with amusement in his voice if not actually smiling with his mouth.

That's good because the matter is quite serious. But before Xue Yang can ask him about it, he's enveloped in the most comforting hug he's ever experienced. There's something wonderful about the way this man smells, a mix of leather and musk and tea that calms Xue Yang immediately. It is both soothing and like a balm on a wound, a physical demonstration of relief that is brought about whenever an older person promises that everything would be okay.

"Why don't we sit here and talk about it, whatever is bothering you?" Wei Changze tugs him over to the porch of the guest house and they sit down, their legs dangling over the edge.

"I was looking for A-Yi," Xue Yang admits, already feeling better.

"Ah, then maybe you can wait until she wakes up? It's a rare moment when all three are asleep together, so I thought I would fetch lunch for everyone." Wei Changze smiles encouragingly at him.

Xue Yang feels bad now. He's obviously interrupted Wei Changze from an important errand, something he might not get the chance to complete before one of three precious souls inside wakes up. His regret must show on his face, because Wei Changze puts an arm around his shoulders and draws him closer.

"When you get to my age, you'll see that it's possible to trust in the universe without any reservations. Your A-Yi taught me that, and so I can honestly believe there's a reason why we met here, right now. I don't mind staying here with you, you are more important than the reason I was leaving, and it's nothing that can't be done later. Okay?" he waits until Xue Yang nods.

Unfortunately, his kind words make tears fall from his eyes, and really, Wei Changze can give God-level hugs and anyone who gets one is a lucky person, indeed. Today that person is Xue Yang because he's had two, and he's not complaining.

"A-Yang, whatever it is that's worrying you, it can't be that bad. Things always seem overwhelming and terrible when we first experience the bad things, but with time and distance, and a good friend, it becomes easier. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I would like it if you believe me when I say that I want to help you. They say a problem shared is a problem halved, for a reason, you know."

Wei Changze strokes his hair and isn't that just the best feeling in the world?

Xue Yang finds himself telling Wei Changze everything he overheard, from the harsh and loveless words of a father to his son, and that son's devastation upon hearing them.

"I hate him," Xue Yang admits, his fists clenching hard behind Wei Changze's back. "How could he say something like that to Huan-Ge? Huan-Ge is such a kind, soft person. He doesn't deserve that!"

Wei Changze doesn't say anything at first, and Xue Yang has to lean back in order to see his face. He's shocked because he has never seen this calm and caring person truly angry before.

Oh.

Maybe...maybe telling him wasn't such a great idea.

"Do you know what I want to do to that man?" Wei Changze says, in the most quietly dangerous voice Xue Yang has ever heard.

He shakes his head, feeling as if he is standing on the edge of a great precipice, looking down.

"I want to kill him."

That's a promise if ever Xue Yang heard one.

Wei Changze takes a deep breath, and then another one, and then he smiles. This one isn't kind at all, and gives Xue Yang goosebumps bigger than the mountains that surround them.

"And if I'm feeling like this, then imagine what your A-Yi will feel when you tell her what you heard. She'll ask for her sword and then go to the infirmary to chop his head off, no questions asked. But we can't let that happen." He adds that as an afterthought.

"Why not?" Xue Yang asks him curiously. It's not a bad idea, in his opinion.

"We can't do that for two reasons. One, because your Baba isn't here, and he might get upset with us for acting without his permission."

"What if the person really needed their head chopped off?"

"If it was anyone else, then I'd agree with you. But this is his brother. Besides, what if he wants to do the chopping himself?"

Xue Yang nods in agreement. That's a reasonable assumption.

"So we should wait until he comes back."

"What's the second reason?"

"Your A-Yi is in quite a bit of pain right now."

"How do you know?"

"She's the kind of person who will get dramatic when it's something she can easily cure by herself, using her golden core. But it's when she stops complaining that you really have to worry, and so far, she hasn't protested once about the painkilling tonics the healers keep giving her. So out of the two of them, your A-Yi, and that shitty excuse for a father, I would prefer to look after my wife."

"Okay," Xue Yang agrees. "I will wait for Baba to come back before I say anything." It's surprising to him how much talking about it has dialled back his murderous rage.

"There's something else we can do, while we wait for your Baba," Wei Changze adds, internally relieved because Xue Yang looks so much better now.

"What?" he asks eagerly.

"Well, first, let's go and fetch lunch for everyone. Then you can go and find Lan Huan, Nie MingJue and Nie Huaisang, and bring them here so we can look after them. We won't mention what happened unless they want to talk about it, alright? Lan Huan might not want to because it will just make him feel bad, so we should respect his feelings. That's what family does."

Xue Yang smiles and jumps off the porch, waiting until Wei Changze does the same like a little kid, and then he takes his hand as they make their way towards the kitchens. Maybe they can sneak in extra dessert for Huan-Ge instead.

That's what family does.

**************

In the morning of the next day, a few hours later, A-Zhan and A-Ying wake up. Lan Qiren insists on helping them get ready for the day and after breakfast, he takes them on the short walk downstream to view the lake where people have been dying frequently.

Wen Tang Changpu and Nie XiongMeng accompany them, along with Wen Zhang, the Head Disciple. Lan Qiren approves of the young man, telling his friend on more than one occasion how lucky she is to have such a dedicated and diligent person by her side to help her with running the Sect. Now, he trails behind them listening to what they're talking about, and hopefully learning how to deal with such problems in the future.

All night hunts, and hunting in general, can be teachable moments, unexpectedly coming in useful when the need arises.

They're still high up, able to observe the swirling waters below them. Flowing past in shimmering greens and turquoise, the currents sparkle in the sunlight that makes it appear as if diamonds are glittering under the surface of the water. The river has shaped its own path following a curve and dipping into a lake formed by a narrower opening further on, and so unlike other lakes, a person could be forgiven for believing they were safe to bathe or swim in such deceivingly calm conditions. However, the hidden underlying current could suddenly sweep a person off their feet in no time, no matter how much of an experienced swimmer they might be.

"Well, I guess this is where the waterborne abyss will come to be formed," Wei Ying remarks, stepping back from the ledge they're standing upon, having seen enough.

Lan Qiren is holding both of the children by hand, ready to whip out his sword should either of them slip. Only they three have ventured this far away from the others, just to get a better grasp of the situation.

"Can you see anything strange in the water?" Lan Qiren asks him.

"Nothing from here, but I bet it would be a different story if we took a boat into the river," Wei Ying replies.

"When we were called into Caiyi Town to investigate the water ghouls in Biling Lake, we were lured right into the centre where the waterborne abyss showed itself." Lan Zhan remembers.

They make their way back to the others.

"So how should we proceed?" Lan Qiren asks them.

"Back in Lotus Pier, whenever we had a case of water ghouls, we turned it into a game of who could catch the most," Wei Ying grins. "But that was only one or two. This could be many." He taps his nose and then suddenly beams at Lan Qiren. "What if we used the spirit luring flags? We could plant one on that opposite side, one on this side on the riverbank, and plant two on the remaining opposite compass points in the river. Or, or, if we can't, if the river is too fast, we could have two cultivators holding them up to triangulate an array. All the water ghouls would have no choice but to gather in one place, where we choose!"

"Mn." Lan Zhan gives his approval.

"But then what? How do we kill them?" Wen Zhang asks the question on everyone's minds.

"You could electrocute them..." Wei Ying suggests.

"That would kill all the fish in that area prematurely." Wen Tang Changpu murmurs.

"Better a few fish than a lot of people," Lan Zhan replies, already biassed in favour of whatever Wei Ying says.

"He's not wrong," Nie XiongMeng guffaws. "How quickly can we do this?"

"As soon as I draw up the flags," Wei Ying promises. "Then it's up to you guys."

They all agree and get to work.

*************

In the end, all that planning works out and the water ghouls are dealt with surprisingly fast. Wei Ying's spirit luring flags is a success, attracting anything with an ounce of Resentment energy until the array in the centre of the lake is black and dark with it. As soon as Wen Tang Changpu fires a bolt of lightning in the centre, the water explodes into crackling streaks of energy, pulverising anything that moves.

Then, just as suddenly, the water stills, and boats are sent out to collect the dead. They are burnt on a funeral pyre, and Lan Qiren and his disciples play Rest until all the resentment energy is dispersed.

They set off for Muxi mountain before late evening.