"Wei Ying!" The very fabric of Lan Wangji's being resonated as he called Wei Ying's name. Finding Wei Ying was everything Lan Wangji had been desperately struggling for for months. Finding Wei Ying now, when Lan Wangji had just left Nuan-er in Wei Qing's expert care, was like the first breath of air after nearly drowning. Painful, and gasping, and still such a desperate relief.

Between one breath and the next Lan Wangji was there. Close enough to touch. Close enough to know that Wei Ying was real and not a figment of his imagination. Wei Ying's gaze was glassy and vague, like he was struggling to focus on the things around him. It was achingly familiar, bringing Lan Wangji's mind back to countless instances where Wei Ying had become lost between the past and present. Lan Wangji understood it so much more now than he did before. He had understood it intellectually. It had made sense and Lan Wangji was happy to do anything that helped. But Lan Wangji knew it now. He knew it viscerally. Had felt it and struggled with it.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying's voice was breathy. Lan Wangji's name was half a question, like Wei Ying wasn't entirely certain that Lan Wangji was actually there. Wei Ying's eyes blinked into focus momentarily. "Nuan-er," Wei Ying's voice was filled with urgency. "We have to find her! I need... I need talisman paper! She was supposed to sneak out when they were moving me from the cell. I didn't want her to go alone, but it was the only chance. She had her Don't-Look-At-Me, but I don't know how many hours it might have been since they used the light-transmitting mirror. I don't know how long it took me to reverse the array, but I had to make two attempts and that must have been hours ago. She might still be trapped inside somewhere, but even if she made it outside she wouldn't know where to go from there."

Wei Ying's words tumbled out one over the other in a barely intelligible rush. As he began searching himself, presumably for the mentioned talisman paper. Suibian was thrown to the ground in frustration. The naked blade clattering against large rock before falling into the dirt. It left a small speckled pattern of blood against the rock it had struck. There was a slight sharpening in the resentful energy of the area as Wei Ying's eyes flashed red in his frustration.

"Why don't I have talisman paper?!" The frustration in Wei Ying's voice began to overpower the anxiety of before. The way the resentful energy fluctuated around Wei Ying in response to his emotions was worrying. It felt unusually sharp and hostile, less protective and defensive than Lan Wangji had come to expect. "We have to find her before the Jins do. If Jin Guangyao or Xue Yang find her they're going to hurt her!"

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji gripped Wei Ying by the shoulders as he interrupted his spiral. Wei Ying had hardly taken a breath between his sentences at it made it incredibly difficult for Lan Wangji to respond with the reassurance that Nuan-er was safe.

Wei Ying flinched at the abrupt contact when Lan Wangji touched him. It hurt. Lan Wangji felt that flinch like the sharp snap of a broken bone. Lan Wangji swallowed past the ache in his chest and maintained a gentle but firm grip on Wei Ying's shoulders. "Nuan-er is safe. She is with Wei Qing and Xiongzhang."

Wei Ying stared at him, blinking like he couldn't comprehend what Lan Wangji was saying. Lan Wangji waited for the words to sink in. Waited for the spark of recognition and the relief that would follow once Wei Ying understood that their daughter was safe. There was a small flicker in Wei Ying's eyes, some measure of urgency that slipped away leaving Wei Ying's gaze emptier for its absence. It was not the release of tension or breath of relief that Lan Wangji had expected. Something worn and exhausted intensified in the way Wei Ying held himself. It looked terrifyingly similar to an expression of surrender.

Lan Wangji pulled Wei Ying against his chest. The look on Wei Ying's face. Exhausted. Hopeless. Empty. That expression in Wei Yings eyes had featured in Lan Wangji's nightmares. Accompanied by a Wei Ying that didn't want to live anymore. Lan Wangji enveloped Wei Ying in a fierce embrace. Terrified that if he didn't hold him tightly he might lose him.

"Wei Ying, come back to Gusu with me." Lan Wangji whispered desperately. There was a long pause. Long enough for Lan Wangji to regret his words and open his mouth for a longer explanation, additional reassurance to make it clear he wanted Wei Ying to come home with him and be safe.

"I killed Jiang Cheng." Wei Ying's voice was a tiny broken whisper, so soft Lan Wangji wasn't certain Wei Ying realized he had spoken it out loud.

Lan Wangji blinked slowly as his mind processed those words. Lan Wangji had been so focused on Wei Ying that he hadn't really processed the things around him, other than their current level of threat to Wei Ying's safety. Lan Wangji now pieced together the blood on Suibian and finally processed Jiang Yanli with tears in her eyes holding a purple clad figure. Jiang Wanyin, his mind now supplied, although Lan Wangji hadn't processed who he was seeing or what it meant before.

Lan Wangji was not certain how he felt about this turn of events. He did not like Jiang Wanyin. Any willingness to forgive the man for his hurtful behaviour was used up when Jiang Wanyin wrapped his hands around Wei Ying's throat and began to strangle him. It was one thing to be short tempered and reactive in the face of intense grief. It was another to try and strangle someone you were supposedly close to. There were lines that should not be crossed no matter how upset you are. The fact that Jiang Wanyin had never expressed any remorse for the attack made the action unforgivable in Lan Wangji's mind.

Lan Wangji barely tolerated Jiang Wanyin's existence. He endured his presence only because Wei Ying still cared about the man. Lan Wangji had not confirmed himself if Jiang Wanyin was dead, but he was not interested in leaving Wei Ying's side to confirm it. Of greater concern to Lan Wangji was the fact that Wei Ying would be hurt by Jiang Wanyin's death. Even worse, Wei Ying seemed to believe he was responsible for Jiang Wanyin's death.

Lan Wangji held Wei Ying more tightly. He remembered what happened when Jiang Yanli died. Wei Ying had been almost mad with grief. Hopeless and inconsolable, with no will to keep the Yin Hufu in check. It wasn't long after that Wei Ying died. Lan Wangji's arms tightened reflexively.

Before Lan Wangji could say anything in response there was a series of loud cries of alarm. Several corpses had broken through the line of cultivators and were on course for Jiang Yanli. Wei Ying pulled away and swiftly took the flute from his belt, bringing it to his lips. Lan Wangji noted it was not Chenqing. It was similar at a distance, a flute of lacquered wood so dark it was nearly black. Up close Lan Wangji could see it was not made of bamboo.

Wei Ying played a few hasty notes on the flute, his eyes flashing red. There was no change in the corpses movement. They continued towards Jiang Yanli without pause until Lan Wangji finally shot forward with Bichen, cutting the corpses down before they could reach her. Wei Ying was frowning by the time Lan Wangji returned to him.

"They won't answer to me. Someone else must already have control of them." Wei Ying said with a small frown. Lan Wangji nodded to confirm he understood.

Wei Ying had mentioned once that a resentful being would only answer to one master. If a fierce corpse or spirit were already under the control of another, Wei Ying would not be able to control them. To the best of Lan Wangji's knowledge, Wei Ying had not encountered any other cultivators who knew how to use resentful energy. As such, Lan Wangji wasn't certain how Wei Ying learned that a corpse, once controlled, could not be made to take commands from another. There had been a shadow in Wei Ying's eyes as he spoke. That was all it took for Lan Wangji to decide he did not need to know how Wei Ying learned this.

It was not hard for Lan Wangji to guess who was behind the corpses. Regardless of who specifically was controlling them, Lan Wangji was certain this was the work of the Jins. Lan Wangji was also certain exactly who they would try to blame. Lan Wangji remembered how eagerly the sect leaders had been to slander Wei Ying's name and condemn him to death. He remembered how quickly those who praised Wei Ying during the war turned around and accused him.

"Lan Zhan. They're too many corpses across too large of an area. We don't know where they all are, or where the other cultivators might be." Wei Ying began to explain quietly.

Lan Wangji waited quietly. He kept one eye on their surroundings while devoting most of his attention to Wei Ying. He saw Wei Ying's gaze slide hesitantly towards the Jiang siblings before skittering away. The painful emptiness filled Wei Ying's eyes for a moment. Wei Ying took a breath and shook his head, as though physically needing to clear away the emotions in order to focus.

"I have a plan." Wei Ying said firmly. Lan Wangji covered Wei Ying's free hand with his own.

"I will do it with you." Lan Wangji said, wishing to hold Wei Ying tightly in his arms, but understanding that it wouldn't be practical in the rapidly escalating situation.

"You don't even know what my plan is," Wei Ying said with a small frown.

"Wherever you go and whatever you do, my place will always be at your side." Lan Wangji said firmly. Wei Ying's breath hitched at Lan Wangji's words before his face resolved into a watery smile.

"Okay." Wei Ying said quietly.

Note: trying out another chapter naming style.  Chapter Number: Main Setting - POV Character