Surpriiiiiiiissseeeee...... double updates.
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Just as the juniors had finally landed in the Time Bubble Control Room, an alarm went off. The four of them, unaware of the new development, looked at each other in shock. They were slightly scared and immediately got vigilant of their surroundings.

'Now, what the hell is this?' Jin Ling scoffed, looking around warily. SiZhui’s hand slipped into his, as they both held onto each other tightly.

Right then, they heard some faint sound of footsteps, steadily growing closer to them. As they had no use of weapons in the Time Bubble, they had kept them in their rooms. So, currently unarmed, they stayed together while trying to find a weapon to attack the oncoming enemy.

ZiZhen immediately came forward and covered the other three in an attempt to safeguard them.

JingYi voiced all three's opinions:'What the hell are you playing at ZiZhen? Why are you so eager to play a hero now of all times? None of us have any kind of weapons on us. So we are all equally in danger.'

'Yeah, why are you behaving like a brat and putting yourself in even more danger? Are you that masochistic that you have to seek danger by yourself?' Jin Ling scoffed with worry laced in his tone.

ZiZhen resolutely kept quiet. The only movement in his completely stiff body was his hand pulling something out of his robes....

The three of them were trying to peek at it, but they were pulled out of the trance by the approaching pitter patter of footsteps in the dead of the night. The footsteps were extremely close now, raising their heart rate as beads of sweat appeared on their forehead. The door creaked, indicating that whoever was on the other side was finally coming inside. The four of them held their hands together as they waited to battle the threat together, praying to the Heavens to send their Wei-qianbei and HanGuang-Jun as soon as possible. ZiZhen's weapon was the lone protection they had, except nobody knew what exactly it was other than ZiZhen himself.

The door creaked open, and their stance stiffened. But in the next moment, they loosened up as soon as they witnessed that it was their Wei Qianbei and HanGuang-Jun themselves. Seeing those two was like, finally getting water while wandering parched and thirsty in a desert.

'Wei-qianbei, HanGuang-Jun,' 'A-die, Baba', 'Da-jiu', the four of them screamed before rushing off to embrace Wei WuXian, who almost lost his balance with the force of the four almost adult teenagers. Lan WangJi immediately moved behind him to support him in a way such that even he ended up in the awkward group hug.

'Hey, kiddos, it's okay. You are all safe. Relax now.' Wei WuXian said after patting them for a few moments.

The juniors nodded before separating, and SiZhui asked, 'But A-die, what was that sound? I don't think it was there when he had left for the simulation. It sounded somewhat like a warning,  very omnious.'

'Ah... You would be right there, My Radish. (SiZhui couldn't help the embarrassed smile from appearing on his face at the nickname like every other time. But he loved every moment of it). In fact, Lan Zhan, I think I should change the tune so that the visitors don't get scared. Hehe...
(Turning towards the kids) Actually, I installed that new feature to warn me the moment you all land here. So it would give me a heads up before your entrance, and I might keep the dangerous experiments on hold.' Wei Ying explained.

'But didn't it ring at the time we landed? So that means it's still not perfect, is it?' JingYi asked eyeing the small box like thing which had been developed further from the talismans that initially supported this simulation and Time Bubble.

'Hmm.... yeah. I guess I need to tweak it a bit more. But right now, you all go and sleep. It's already quite late.' Wei WuXian tried shooing them off to bed when Jin Ling stopped in his tracks.

'Where is Jiujiu? Why didn't he come to meet us?' He asked as his brows frowned in confusion and suspicion.

'Aiyah, it's so late at night. What do you think ChengCheng must be doing? Of course, he is sleeping. He will meet you tomorrow. Now shoo shoo... off you all go,' Wei WuXian made an excuse before shooing them all off to sleep finally.

'Why did you lie to him?' Lan WangJi’s husky voice from beside his ears caused goosebumps to rise on his skin all over his body, though he did not say one single dirty word. But then, that's the power WangJi held on him.

'Aiyah, Lan Zhan what benefit will I get from telling the kid that his uncle who was supposed to arrive today has been delayed, for who knows what except the letter that said, 'Wei WuXian, i will come tomorrow beacause of some unforseen circumstances. Don't worry, and do not tell Jin Ling.'

'By his tone only,I know Jiang Cheng is safe. They will come back by tomorrow. Don't you worry. He even sent me the "Cloud message," so I think we should stop worrying and go to sleep,' Wei WuXian suggested as he yawned.

Lan WangJi's corner of the lips upturned at the cute sight as both of them left for JingShi.
          **************

On such a usual day, Grandmaster Lan was doing the most unusual thing. It was already past the Lan sleeping time, but light was still emanating from his room at this time. Some guards who were patrolling around the area looked at the scene in confusion but dared not approach it because they were afraid of him. Thinking that he was an elder and knew what was right from wrong, he must be busy with something extremely important. Thus, they left him to his own devices.

What none of them knew was that their grandmaster was busy reminiscing about the past. A long lost past which was hidden in the deepest corner of both his brain and heart.

Actually, during the day time, Lan QiRen had decided to clean up his storage room and make way for some more recent things that were of no use, but he couldn't bear to part with them. So, while cleaning and searching around to make space, he stumbled upon something. Confused about such a large thing, he picked it up to check. But it was completely covered in dust and soot. It seemed to be either a potrait or a painting. He didn't know what it was, and neither did he remember. Thus, he decided to throw that one out as it didn't seem to be of any use.

While taking it out, something pricked his palm that was sticking out of the side. Blood oozed from the place and covered a small area of the frame. He thought nothing of it as he immediately healed his wound, not realizing that it wasn't his own spiritual energy that healed him. Rather, the energy slightly emanates from the object in his hands. He wanted to throw it out, but his instinct warmed him to at least have one clear look before discarding it. So, he was back in his room and was searching for a spare cloth to clean it, when he heard a "click".

Turning around, he realized that it came from the object itself. Looking at it warily, he took measured steps towards it because he had no idea why it was in his possession in first place or who gave it.

Once he was close enough, he checked for any kind of demonic energy. But there was none. Thank goodness, otherwise he would have to approach that brat. But the peculiar thing was that the spiritual signature on it seemed somehow familiar. Yet, he had no idea why.

Taking the cloth, he cautiously touched the frame. But nothing happened. Rather, he could feel a wave of energy that seemed to be extremely welcoming as if... as if... like a ....a.... a... LOVER. Huh...

He was now extremely confused with all the feelings, so he immediately cleaned the back of the frame first trying to delay it as long as he could brcause there was this feeling in his gut that nothing would be same after this.

When he finally wiped the upper portion of the frame, he was visibly stunned because it felt like he was looking at WangJi or XiChen. Rather, it was somebody entirely different, but at least had the Lan trademark features. Staring at it for five minutes straight, he realized it that it was his own self staring back from his younger days when he used to have no goatee. When he was so young and naive that he had believed the bastard's fake and empty promises of togetherness and eternity.

He couldn't dwell on those useless feelings right now, for he had a mission to accomplish. He cleaned the potrait completely and looked at the younger him who was staring from inside the frame. The potrait was beautiful in a way that he had never imagined himself to look. But the big question was, 'Who is the creator?'

Suddenly, he was reminded of the liar, who used to say, "QiRen, you don't know how you look in my eyes. But I want you to witness it at least once in this life because once you do, you are going to fall in love with yourself."

QiRen could not forget his sugar-coated words, however much he tried. It just seemed to be impossible. He looked at the potrait and let out a mirthless chuckle because he realized who the creator was. Just thinking about the chaos it would bring if someone were to realize what this was. It was a potrait of himself in his younger days, one drawn by The Wen Ruohan himself.

He suddenly remembered that he had heard a click sound. So he searched for the source and finally found a small lock which was already open. It seems that his blood was the key. 'How very original, Wen Ruohan?' QiRen scoffed internally. If he were to open it, it would be like a book.

When he finally flipped it open, to say he was shocked would be an understatement. It boggled his mind so much that he had to turn and check the front of the potrait again and even blink and rub his eyes. He was shocked at the contents, no doubt, but another fact was that he had never even known about its existence in the first place, and so many years had already passed.

He knew that Ruohan had a penchant for grandeur, proof being his Nightless city and the Sun Palace. But he had no idea that Ruohan would do something like this and even go to such extreme lengths. Suddenly, he remembered, back in the days - fresh after their breakup - this framed potrait had arrived as an anonymous gift. But he knew who had sent it. It was a breakup gift, after all. So QiRen had not even bothered to check it. Instead, he stowed it away in the storage room, unable to burn or throw it away because of those remnant feelings in his innocent heart that would never be able to love anyone else again with the same passion or intensity.

With passing years, he had entirely forgotten about it until today. Now he understood why it was the only salvageable items amongst a few others from that fire that the Wens had ignited in Cloud Recess years ago.

'It was Ruohan's personal creation. Of course, it was inflammable. Urghhhh.... that.... that..... absolute prick.' Lan QiRen screamed inside his head.

He looked back at the contents on the inside of the potrait once again. On one side, there was a letter safely stowed for him and one picture of him in a very sensual way. It had already turned the tips of his years red. The other picture was so shameful that QiRen dared not even look at that side. He knew, after Wei WuXian, if anyone could make him Qi-deviate, it was Wen Ruohan himself even though he was already dead.

Wen Ruohan was always an idiot wanting to do such shameless things. QiRen doesn't even want to remember why he had agreed for the painting to even be drawn in the first place. His own potrait in the front was completely from Wen Ruohan's imagination. May be that's why he had never seen himself like that. Anytime his potrait had been painted, they all used to make him look like an angry old man or make a smiling face for him that would look way out of place. But, Ruohan always used to say, "The QiRen in my eyes is the most beautiful creature on this earth. No one can compare to his shining bright presence, just like he is the light in my dark and depressing life."

Though flattered, QiRen used to think that he was spewing nonsense. Never in his wildest imaginations had he ever even thought that Wen Ruohan would actually paint him like that. Whether the potrait or the two shameless erotic pictures inside, the amount of concentration and efforts that must have gone into it was commendable. He would give that to Ruohan.

But QiRen determined, 'Let me go to the afterlife. And then, even if you have moved on, I will find you, bring you back and kill you again,' while looking at the extremely shameless erotic painting of them both entangled in the sheets in the most sensual way, completely bare.

He decided to stow the painting away before someone else saw it. It would be a complete nightmare. Nope. He couldn't let this painting ever see the light of the day. He took it back into the deepest corner of the storage room and hid it behind many locking talismans and arrays. But hours later, one could see him still holding onto the painting and looking at it as if Ruohan would himself jump out of it.

QiRen had been controlling himself to not read the letter, but his control also had a limit. And it already had been too long since it was written. So once his control snapped and he immediately took the letter and opened it with shivering hands.

My baobei,

Ah! Many years must have already passed beside you even dated to open this letter. Right? I know you well. Once you are angry, you become single-minded, refusing to think of anything else. I don't know if I am even alive or not. I mean, I would not be able to live much longer without you anyway.

You know, while writing this letter I can imagine you frowinng and and stroking your goatee- which I am very sure, you are growing just to spite me- while the tips of your ears must have turned red while after looking  at the paintings. (Qiren checked himself and was astonished to find his reactions extremely accurate)

Stop confirming. Don't be so surprised. (QiRen’s eyes widened with just how accurate Ruohan was) I hope you haven't forgotten that the only person in this world who knows you the best inside out is me. Baobei (Though, irritated at the nickname, QiRen couldn’t help the fond smile from gracing his lips as he could almost hear Ruohan's rough and deep voice calling him "Baobei"), do you remember the promises we made together? (Of course, QiRen needn't be reminded of them. Even if so many years have passed, he still remembered them word to word)

I know, I couldn't fulfill any of them. Neither could I stay by your side for an eternity, nor could I fight for our love, nor nighthunt with you for the rest of our lives nor.... (a smudge mark at this point told QiRen that Ruohan must have cried, which was a feat in itself, because Ruohan liked to think that he could never cry. Qiren smirked as he won their bet, which proved that Ruohan could cry. But it also unsettled his heart to imagine that rock solid man crying.) I don't think I can even enlist any more of them.

But the one thing that I diligently did was to love you with every single breath of mine. I won't say anything more as it's completely worthless. I failed to fulfill my promises. But I just wanted to request one thing from you. Just go to the address written on the back of the letter. There is something I have kept there for you. Even if you don't go, it will lay there for an eternity because only you can access it.

Do remember QiRen, my baobei, I love you with all my heart. We might not be together right now, doesn't mean we can not be together in our next lives or aren't already together and happy in a parallel world, where we ultimately found our way to each other.

Your husband
A-Han

By the end of the letter, QiRen's eyes weren't devoid of tears. He could almost feel Ruohan saying all these to him personally while sitting in front of him. He raised his hand, wanting to wipe those tears in A-Han's eyes, but he suddenly disappeared, for it was only an illusion.

He caressed the word 'husband' as he was reminded of the marriage they had according to the Lan Traditions in the Cold Pond Cave with Elder Lan Yi's blessings.

Back in the day, even when they had been on the opposite sides claiming to hate each other, they never came face to face because both of them knew that the moment their eyes would meet, both of them would lose in front of their hearts.

It was good that they never confronted. But the day QiRen heard that Wen Ruohan was finally dead, he couldn't stand amongst the happy faces who were celebrating his lover's death. For a moment, he wanted to kill everyone for smiling when someone had died. His heart was breaking into pieces, and all these people were celebrating it. They all seemed to be like villains to him. All those thoughts literally muddled his brain. So he went into seclusion.

A week later, when he had finally calmed himself down, he came back to the real world wearing the same mask he had perfected during all those years.

His mind knew and had even accepted since the burning of Cloud Recess that Wen Ruohan was wrong, that he had turned evil. But his idiotic heart stubbornly refused to accept it. It was as if his heart was trying to find reasons and jusfications for Wen Ruohan's crimes. He chided, meditated, and regularly secluded himself, trying to remind himself of all the rules. With time and new problems like his nephew and the YiLing Patriarch diverted him. May be that was why he had refused to listen to WangJi’s claims because he had replaced WangJi with himself and Wen Ruohan with Wei WuXian in their story. He was already biased against WuXian, and this particular comparison did not help the situation even one bit.

The dead knot stayed in his heart. But he lived on peacefully or turbulently depending on the political situation, until now, when this letter came out and once again he had to confront all those treacherous feelings in his heart.

He was confused and kept reading and re-reading the letter again and again throughout the night until he went to find the address on the letter on the pretext of night hunt the next morning.
            *************

An eerie silence had fallen over Cloud Recess as most of its residents were asleep. But the tumultuous emotions of the juniors, on the other hand, disturbed the tranquility of the air. They were all in a heated discussion about the second weapon of ZiZhen, who was sitting their mutely taking in all the berating from JingYi and Jin Ling. After a very long tirade, the only thing that came out of his mouth was, 'I still don't understand how you both aren't twins, with just how similar you both are.'

'I am not like that Brat/Young Mistress', both of them shouted together and then glared at each other.

Before the argument could go on any longer, SiZhui intervened, 'Okay, okay, okay, guys. Look, it's already past our bedtime. I think we should go back to sleep before you wake up the elders, and we are in a pickle tomorrow for breaking rules. Don't you want to go to the simulation room? Or do you want to copy rules so much?'

JingYi and Jin Ling's eyes widened at the reminder, and they were immediately in the bed and were out in a few seconds.

'They must be very tired if they were asleep the moment their head touched the pillow,' ZiZhen commented, earning himself a small smile from SiZhui.

Unable to keep it to himself any longer, ZiZhen opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by SiZhui, 'A-Zhen, you are our friend. It's more like family, after all that we have gone through. So we would not pressurize you. We are just worried about you, that's all. You don't have to tell us everything in your life. If you feel comfortable someday, come tell us and we will listen to you with completeconcentration. Do not worry, and do not go against your heart.'

ZiZhen was so relaxed after hearing it that he immediately hugged SiZhui, who was shocked at the proximity. The GusuLan people tended to be a bit touch starved, to be honest.

ZiZhen- SiZhui, I promise that I will tell you all one day, just not right now. But I definitely will. Thanks for understanding.

SiZhui patted his back awkwardly, while a small smile played on his lips, 'It's fine. Really. Now stop thinking about all this and go to sleep. We need to wake up early tomorrow.'

And the lights were out in the next few seconds.
           **************

Wei WuXian was sleeping in Lan WangJi’s embrace. Normally, he would be enjoying it a bit too much while doing something naughty. But today, he was so distracted and uncomfortable after his arrival that he was restless.

WangJi sensed his emotions immediately and frowned before getting up and lighting up a lantern.

'Wei Ying, are you okay?' He asked while trying to discern the look on his husband's face.

WuXian looks at his husband but has a faraway look in his eyes, which means that he is thinking about something else and not mentally here. That absolutely got WangJi all worked up, who immediately came and sat beside him. He held WuXian’s hands and cupped his cheek, 'Wei Ying, what happened? Please tell me. You are getting me worried.'

Finding still no response from him, WangJi did the only thing that came into his mind. He kissed him. Like truly kissing the life out of him. That somehow seemed to have worked because WuXian slowly came back to his senses and kissed him back. And they kept kissing, trying to reassure themselves of the other's presence.

A few moments later, when they finally separated, WangJi was still holding his hands, 'Wei Ying, please speak up. What happened? You have been distracted since you came back from QingHe. Wait a minute! Did... di... did.... Nie Huaisang put you up for something crazy? He didn't try to put you through an experiment, right?'

WangJi’s worried gaze roamed all over him while his heart was tightening at the imagination of Wei Ying going through any kind of horrific experiments of Nie Huaisang, that crazy bastard

'Lan Zhan, you know this is the first time you have been so eloquent and speaking so many sentences in a single breath? I think I should mark today's date, right?' Wei Ying teased him, trying to dissipate the tensed atmosphere.

'Wei Ying, this is not the time for teasing. Please, I beg of you to....' Lan Zhan was almost close to tears, scared at the possibility of losing his husband once again.

'Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, Lan Zhan. I am fine. Do not worry, Huaisang did not put me through another experiment. He is not a monster, Lan Zhan. It's just that he is not okay since Chifeng-jun's death. Only planning about revenge all these years, he had completely forgotten how to live. To him, there is nothing bright and beautiful left in this world anymore. So.... he.... (he paused, trying to articulate the blasphemous idea Nie Huaisang suggested) he wanted to.....

Flashback

Wei WuXian was in Huaisang's study when he came inside with a nervous expression and wringing hands. Wei WuXian felt the omnious air around him but decided to wait and listen to him before coming to a decision.

'Wei-xiong, actually, the main motive of me inviting you here was to show you a few manuscripts that I had collected over the years, but I do not understand them much. I was hoping you could help me with that aspect and confirm something for me.' Huaisang requested, though the wringing of his hands had increased and Wei WuXian doubted that Huaisang understood the manuscripts very well. He might just be in need of Wei WuXian’s help in working out the kinks. He did not want to call out on his bluff because of how nervous his friend seemed to be, even more so than normal. He suspected that the topic must be very sensitive. Thus, he kept quiet and waited for him to show the manuscripts.

'Of course, Nie-xiong, is that even worth asking about? Bring it on,' Wei WuXian relaxed, thinking that it was only about a few manuscripts. He took a sigh of relief, unaware of the next bomb about to be dropped on his head.

Huaisang came back into the room with a bunch of manuscripts and laid them out in front of WuXian one by one, 'This one came from the Wen war spoils. And this one was found somewhere in the Nie treasury. Plus, this pne was the most delicate one as it was very difficult to get my hands on it. It came from Jin's mirror room when Jin GuangYao was busy confronting you and staging his wife, Qin Su's death.'