"So exactly how good is your skill, Wanyin?"

"Hmph, mind you, you aren't the only Sect Leader here."

"Oh, right. So you're ready enough to take on your father's duties?"

"Of course!"

Lan Xichen nodded, hands cross behind his back as they walked side by side into the training grounds. "Meaning your sword fighting is just as good?"

"Is that even a question?"

"Love your spirit," Xichen grinned.

"Jiang traits," Jiang Cheng flipped his hair back and unsheathed Sandu. He swiped it around the field, pointing to the Lan disciples around. "You all better stay away. Stand back."

"Yes, Jiang Gongzi," the junior Lan disciples excitedly waiting took three steps back from the diameter of the compound.

"Oh? No, no, don't worry, Wanyin, I'll take it easy on you, hm?"

"Hmph, I never asked you to," Jiang Cheng smirked and brandished his sword impatiently.

"Fine, fine," Shuoyue was brought out with a long, drawn-out zing. "Since you're so sure of yourself... On the count of three."

"ONE!" The Lans clapped.

"Two," Wei Wuxian whispered with a grin, hiding behind a building to watch the show.

"Three!" Jiang Cheng shouted and swung Sandu at the older one.

Sandu swished against his billowing white robes, swiping under his feet, gliding past his ear in the nick of time as he twirled away on one foot.

"Goodness, Wanyin!"

"You're too slow," Jiang Cheng shrugged and slammed his blade forwards.

CLASH!

"Oh? You think so....?" Lan Xichen blocked successfully. While gently and calmly twisting his sword round to bring down Sandu, he kept up his glowing smile. "Wanyin?"

Jiang Cheng gulped. This idiot. Seduction mid-fight should be banned in Cloud Recesses.

"Seduction? But I merely called your name! ... Wanyin."

"What! I s– said that aloud?"

"You really should zip your mouth, you know," Xichen chuckled and attacked, with grace and power. The most elegant sense of strength one could find.

Whereas Jiang Wanyin's was sheer force. Tactic and force. And a touch of cunning, thanks to duel lessons with Wei Wuxian.

"Wanyin... I thought it'll be a friendly duel?"

"Tell me you're not calling my name like that on purpose?"

"'Like that'? Like what, Wanyin?"

"Like THAT!" Smash!

"Angry are we? Outraged? Or is it..."

"No it is NOT flustered, quit talking and get fighting."

"But I didn't even suggest the word flustered..."

"You–!" 

Crash! Slash! Swipe! Swing around, swipe, parry, clash.

"Haha! Wanyin," Zing! "You flutter around like a purple butterfly, you know that?"

"Ex-CUSE me?"

Flutter.........

That's right. Flutter...... That's what he felt. He could feel his innards fluttering... Those god-accursed caterpillars or whatever it was Wei Wuxian called them. The damned things were wiggling like crazy.

And why?

All because of that drawn-out, husky-voiced "Wanyin". He was suffering because of his own name.

How impressive, Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Cheng shook his head at himself while blocking another assault. You get turned on by your own name... Tsk!

"You're losing focuuuuuuus, Wanyin!" Xichen called in a light-hearted singsong voice.

Wanyin.

Wan. Yin.

At night. I chant.

Hmph. He sure is chanting my name, dammit.

"God damn you Wretched Swan!" He exclaimed, losing his patience at yet another gentle 'Wanyin'.

Spin-

Swish-

Crash-

Bump-

Zing!

"Hah... hah..." Lan Xichen panted. "You're a real fighter when you're angered," he smiled, his hand stretched to its full length, Shuoyue successfully lying against Jiang Wanyin's sun-kissed neck. "I almost lost to you."

"Don't get too hot-headed," Jiang Cheng grinned.

"Eh?"

"Woah! IT'S A DRAW!" The juniors cheered loudly.

"There's someone who almost beat the Chief Cultivator? That's insane!"

"That's the new Jiang Wanyin to you, I guess," an older adult disciple chuckled to the juniors.

"D– Draw?" Lan Xichen felt a sudden sheen catch his attention at the corner of his eye. He turned his neck to see and found sharp metal barely touching his pale skin. "Wow, you... you're as good as Wangji!"

"Lan Wangji comes to draws with you?" Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes, returning Sandu to its sheath.

Lan Xichen followed suit, still in a daze of awe. "He does. I can't beat him, he can't beat me. Wanyin, you've improved a lot since your school days, you know?"

"Sure. Though I must say... strange how even Lan Wangji can't beat you. Maybe he's not using full skill."

"Well, not meaning to boast, but... I am the Chief Cultivator for a reason..."

"No, not saying you're not skilled enough but... I thought Lan Wangji was A-Xian's equal. For your information, I can only ever come to draws with you. A-Xian will definitely beat you fair and square."

"Oh? Wuxian? Interesting how everyone, including Wangji, claims him to be so skilled."

"He's known to be a Divergent after all."

"Ah yes, as skilled as Baoshan Sanren, hm? I should try a duel with him. Albeit friendlier," Lan Huan pouted, rubbing his right arm. "You really tired me out today."

"Then go get some sleep. I'm leaving now, doesn't look like A-Xian will be coming soon. See you, Xichen."

"Hey, wait!"

"Mn?"

"Erm..." Lan Xichen pursed his lips and looked around.

Luckily, nobody was around. All the audience had returned for their evening study sessions and to prepare for night hunting.

"Do you... want to..."

Tch, why is this so hard?

Wangji. It's just like taking Wangji to town. Simple as that. Come on!

"I was planning on going to visit the candy stores after this, do you want to come along?"

"Oh? Candy store!" Grey eyes lit up with a shimmery sparkle full of childish glee.

"Mn. Then we'll go. It won't take long." 

**********

Late night.

8 PM.

I know I said it won't take long but... how am I supposed to let you go home, Wanyin? Just a while longer...

"You know, Gusu sure is boring and has absolutely nothing good to do or see, except for these."

"Hm? Wait, you mean my Cloud Recesses isn't the least bit interesting?"

"No, it isn't! Plain ol' mountain school, boooooring."

"Wanyin, it's a school built by my ancestors centuries ago–"

"Ugh, I know, I know, I did graduate Grumpy Old Shifu's History class, mind you. Still! Just because something is ancient doesn't mean it'll be interesting! Look at these! Chocolates! Hawthorn candies! The fresher they're made, the more scrumptious they taste." Jiang Wanyin popped another chocolate in his mouth. "I mean, look at Grumpy Old Shifu. Ancient. But boring as hell. And mean, too."

"Wanyin, you're really really drunk."

"I'm not, I can hold my alcohol well. Four whole jars! Wei Wuxian's limit is seven. I'm working on it."

"Please tell me Yanli-mei doesn't drink!"

"Of course not."

"Thank Heavens. Four jars, eh?"

Four jars... Wanyin, if you get drunk after this... I wonder what you're like when intoxicated...

"Eh? This is the fourth?"

"Yes..."

"Oh dear, I'll lose my mind if I drink more. Never mind, I'll stop here."

"Ah? Ah no-no, think I counted wrong. That..." Lan Xichen counted on his fingers. "Is the third." He swiftly covered the third empty jar on the table with his broad sleeve.

"Ah, great," Jiang Cheng gulped down the chocolate and reached out for the fourth jar, ready to take a swig. Swirling its contents, he grinned. "There's only one thing in the world that grows better with age. Wine. Xichen, you didn't have enough."

"No, I'm good, thanks. So, Wanyin, you mean to say... After two years of non-contact, how do I look?"

"Ptoo!" Jiang Cheng turned his head away and spat the sip of wine away from the table. "What the– What kind of a question is that!"

"I just wanted to know if what you said meant appearance goes down with age, too. So do I look old and wrinkled?"

"Hmph, you aren't a bloody sixty-year-old." Ssslurrrp!

"True, but have I lost my touch?"

Jiang Cheng saw the faint smirk on Lan Xichen's sparkling face. What the hell? He's teasing me? Fine!

"Absolutely. Long ago, you looked so good even I would have fallen for you like all those swooning girls. Look at yourself now, must be out of overworking."

Xichen grinned. "So I did look good, and you sort of did fall for me?"

Shoot! Plan backfired???!!!

"I..."

"..."

"Er..."

"Hm? I'm listening!" 

Should I spill the crap in my head out now? I mean, if all of tonight was A-Xian's plan... he'd want me to say it all now, right?

Should I?

I... Let's try.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Wanyin squinted his eyes shut.

"I–"

"SECT LEADER!" A Lan disciple came sprinting into the inn.

"Lan Zi'er?"

"Sect Leader, the night hunt, turned into utter chaos!"

"Chaos?"

"Yes. All us intermediate juniors went today, and we split up into three teams. One senior for each team. My team had Senior Lan Bojing, but we lost him somewhere into the woods. Bojing Qianbei and three others of my team went missing!"

"Missing?"

"Yes."

"The other teams?"

"I sent off a signal and we reassembled at the starting point. The other two teams were intact. Well, except one..."

"Details, please, child."

"I was in Team C. Team B had Senior Lan Hong. But Team A had Wei Qianbei–"

"No wonder there's chaos," Jiang Cheng smirked.

"Hong Qianbei's team is alright. Wei Qianbei's team is a bit lost. The nine disciples are all fine. Just that Wei Qianbei had disappeared from their team for a while, and had returned to notify them they should meet with us because he had to leave on sudden notice."

"So all of you are okay, but Bojing and his five are missing, and Wuxian just... left?"

"Yes."

"What on earth..."

"A-Xian. He definitely knows something about this. Xichen, you go to the forest and check on them, I'll go find A-Xian."

"Mn. Thank you for the help, Wanyin."

"Anytime," Jiang Cheng nodded to both Lans and marched out. 

**********

Ten minutes ago...

**********

Aish, I feel awfully guilty... but never mind, they're all intermediates, they'll be alright. I need to find the source of that sound... before they fall in trouble...

Crash!

There it is! Wei Wuxian's ears perked up and he cut through the thicket, sprinting in the direction of the sounds.

For three whole minutes, he ran. Sprinted, dashed, raced Time. Until the rustle suddenly stopped.

Hm? What happened? The fight's over?

He heard the sound of a sword cluttering to the ground. And a light, faint groan...

Oh no, casualty!

In a flash, Wei Wuxian had reached a clearing that reeked of corpse poisoning.

Goodness, so many corpses had been here? Where's the fighter? He looked around and around but didn't see anyone. Until he spotted a bright gleam, metallic and mercurial.

A sword!

He rushed over and bent down by the sword. There, lying slumped against a tree, lay the fallen fighter, exhausted, bleeding, shuddering. Wei Wuxian tried calling him. "Gongzi? Gongzi!" He couldn't see a thing about the man except for his black robes.

Black robes? Hold on...

He blindly greed and reached up to the face.

First thing he touched was a pair of full and plushy lips.

Blushing fast because the lips felt familiar somehow, he reached higher up until his fingertips struck wood.

A suave and decorous mask.

"Heiguang-Jun!" Wei Wuxian cried.

"Gn....... Ngh...." The man tried rolling around to get up. When he finally did succeed, he shoved off Wei Wuxian's arm on his shoulder and picked up his sword.

Strange how I didn't notice his sword's sheath was well-hidden, wrapped in cloth... Wei Wuxian shook his head and turned back to the man. Seeing him under the moonlight now that they were both standing, he gasped in horror. "Heiguang-Jun, you're bleeding..."

"It's fine," the same deep and gruff voice from earlier days croaked. "I can... manage........." something in the voice cracked and revealed a tinge of vulnerability, the last syllable sounding in a very, very familiar voice. Wei Wuxian didn't have time to notice because he found Heiguang-Jun falling, unconscious, limp.

Just as he had caught Wei Wuxian in his arms, Wei Ying did the same.

"Heiguang-Jun? Heiguang-Jun! Shoot, you're bleeding too much... I'm afraid I'll have to take you home. I'll... I'll do something about my husband... nobody else will see you. Will you come? I promise to protect you at the cost of my life."

"..."

"Oh, you're unconscious... Then pardon me. Your face is bleeding, not good to keep that mask on."

Fingers trembled. He didn't know who this person was... and he was finally about to find out. Of course he was shaking!

Fingers slipped into the knot at the back of his silky head, undoing mask and slipping it off. His eyes first went to the source of the bleeding. "Such a deep gash in your cheek... must be because of the pressure of the mask............... Truly ruins the beauty of your face......................... Your........................ face....................................."

Wooden mask cluttered to the floor. Perfect and sharp jaw dropped open at the breathtaking beauty revealed before his eyes.

Breathtaking indeed.

He had always thought his Shijie was the prettiest. Only one person had ever impressed him more. Beaten all images of his mother herself.

And this was that very person.........

"Lan... Zhan..." Wei Ying gulped, index finger tracing the bleeding scar.