~*Wei Wuxian's POV*~

"Can I see your ribbon?" Lan Zhan asked.

I carefully took it out of my hair and handed it to him. He smiled at me and wrapped one end around my wrist, while the other was wrapped around his.

I smirked, "this is like in the cold cave...you used your forehead ribbon so the chord assassination wouldn't attack me," I reminded.

"Really? You two got engaged way back then?" Xichen-Ge asked.

"Huh?" I asked, "the forehead ribbon...isn't it on regulating one's self?"

"And can only be touched by there parents, there kids, and significant others," Xichen-Ge added.

My eyes widened, "excuse me?" I then looked at Lan Zhan, "why didn't you tell me that?"

"The amount of times you wrong the rules and principles, you never knew?" Lan Zhan asked.

"You really expect me to remember all three thousand rules?" I asked, "I'm lucky enough I didn't break any since being back here."

"Over time you will remember them all," Lan Zhan told me.

"Wait...did you like me back then when you did it?" I asked.

Lan Zhan was quiet. The way he was looking at me, said it all. He did. I felt my face get a bit warm, "I guess you were confused a bit back then...I wasn't exactly the easiest person to be around either."

"I have liked you since the first day we met. Remembered you as a kid, and saw you again at the gate many years later. Still the same smile," he explained, "I just did not want to admit it."

I just stared at him at that point. He has been fond of me since the very beginning. He was cold and distant because he was afraid of my rejection I'm sure. Back then, I always thought I was straight and into women. I would flirt with them all the time but I would never get anywhere with them. When I met Lan Zhan, it was like something inside of me ignited. Maybe I didn't want to admit it back then, but I was fond of him back then too.

I cleared my throat and looked at my ribbon tied around our wrists, "so why did you tie the ribbon like this?" I asked.

"So you can see and here her with me," he said, "if it is too much, you do not have to wear it."

I shook my head, "I will wear it," I told him, "I'm just a bit nervous."

"That is normal," Xichen-Ge stated, "even if she does not answer, I am sure a spirit will come forward. If they do, you can ask them if they know anything of your situation. You are looking for anything in your new cultivation, Baoshan, or even your family history."

I nodded, "I understand," I said, "anything else I must know?"

"When asking questions, the spirit cannot lie. As I am here they will only speak the truth or they will choose not to answer," Lan Zhan told me.

I nodded, "okay," I let in a deep breath, "I think I am ready."

Lan Zhan nodded back to me and started to play inquiry. Calling out to my mother's spirit, "Cangse Sanren?" I heard him asked, "are you there?"

Soon enough, a woman appeared. She had beautiful facial features, her hair was long and to her waist, those she was a spirit, she had a blue hue, but her robes were white, with red and purple accents. Her eyes were as calm and kind as her smile....it was really her.

"A-Niang?" I whispered. She smiled at me. I felt Xichen-Ge place his hand on my back for comfort and support. I looked at Lan Zhan to continue.

"What is your first question?" Lan Zhan asked me.

"Can you ask her if she is doing okay? If father is close by?" I asked.

He nodded. He played the chords and waited for a response, "He is close by," Lan Zhan said from what the response was, "she and him did not want to be put to rest until you were safe and doing okay."

"Can I not here her talk?" I asked.

"She is responding through the guqin, so I'm guessing this is how she will speak for the moment. Give her time. She is at least letting you see her," he explained, "next question."

"Does elemental cultivation run in the family?" I asked.

Lan Zhan played, and soon he got a response, "yes," he said.

"Does it respond through emotions or can I use it like normal cultivation?" I asked.

Lan Zhan asked the question. He got a little bit more of an answer this time and he spoke, "they can react to emotions if not learned properly. They can be used normally, but it takes a lot of patience and training."

"Should I seek out Baoshan?" I asked.

Lan Zhan asked. There was a pause in answering but she did respond, "you can try. She is sometimes hard to find."

"Would she be okay to meet me?" I asked.

"She said, she would be happy to see her grandson. Though she has challenges for those who wish to meet her and gain her guidance," Lan Zhan said.

"How can we find her?" I asked.

"We?" Lan Zhan asked looking at me.

"Do you really think I will go look for her alone? I assume you'd want to join me," I told him.

He smirked and turned back to his guqin and asked mother how to find Baoshan.

"There are a few locations to try to find her. Yiling, North of Qinghe in a place called Hejian, and then stopping between Baling and Tingshan," Lan Zhan said, "she visits those places looking for orphaned children. She has been searching closer to Yiling and Yunmeng for the past several years though."

"Has she been trying to find me? Does she know of me?" I asked.

Lan Zhan asked the question. He then spoke, "Cangse sent a letter to her main location to let her know of your birth. She has been looking for you since she found out about her daughter's death."

"She is actually looking?" I asked.

Lan Zhan nodded, "seems to me, she is still trying to find you."

"What kind of challenge does she want her new disciples to do?" I asked.

Lan Zhan asked her, "she likes to challenge their skills and knowledge. Test you on strength, swordsmanship, archery, calligraphy and the arts, and their special abilities. She also tests their knowledge with special puzzles and tests to test how smart you are. If you have potential, she will help you. She may take you if there is a small chance of success. These challenges are for those who try to seek her out."

"This is a lot of talking for you, isn't it?" I asked Lan Zhan.

He nodded, "I am fine," he said, "do you wish to ask her anything else?"

"Does she want to be put to proper rest?" I asked, "her and father?"

To my surprise, Mother and Father wish to stick around. They have been watching over me. When they felt the time was right, they will seek our attention to be put to proper rest. That was when I asked Lan Zhan to tell her I love and miss her and to let her go. Mother soon left and I got my ribbon back completely.

"Question, should I now go find Baoshan?" I asked.

"If she is searching for you, she may be of help to you," Xichen-Ge said, "I cannot go, but it is something you and Wangji could do. Travel to a few of those places and see if there is a sign that she was near."

"We don't know what she looks like," I said.

"Your mother said she has been seen in and near Yiling and Yunmeng," Lan Zhan said.

"Maybe we could visit Jiang Cheng, ask him if anyone new has been walking around," I suggested, "if she was close to Yunmeng, she might have been near Lotus Pier."

"It would give you a chance to see your siblings," Xichen-Ge stated.

"When did you want to head out?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Well, why don't we write to Jiang Cheng first, then speak with your Uncle about setting a trip," I said, "if anything, it will be at least a week before Jiang Cheng gets the message from us so we need time for him to respond. Maybe two weeks or so."

"We could use the butterfly messengers," Xichen-Ge offered, "they travel faster."

"Okay," I said, "if we can maybe try within a week, that would maybe be more plausible. I want to try and get a handle on this cultivation before I destroy something or hurt someone."

"You have a point," Xichen-Ge said, "I will speak with Uncle. You two can send a butterfly to Lotus Pier."

Lan Zhan nodded in agreement, "meet yo again tomorrow or day after," he said.

"Alright," Xichen-Ge said.