Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and art used in the story. OOC and AU.

Premises: The story follows events from donghua and its character design. After Wei Ying saved Wen Remnants and moved to Burial Mounds, Wangji secretly did everything he could to help them. A few times, he would sneak in with the necessary supplies. Wei Ying thinks Lan Zhan doesn't trust him and helps him only out of duty to protect the innocent. He also works with Wen Qing through his issues and starts understanding the extent of abuse Jiang inflicted on him. Wei Ying stopped believing he owed them something and seeing them as a family. Out of courtesy, Wei Wuxian decided to attend the one-month celebration. Unfortunately, they were ambushed.

****

News about the death of Jin Zixuan and his cousin spread like wildfire. LanlingJin demanded punishment and a siege on Burial Mounds or at least Yiling Patriarch head with Yin Hufu. The celebration turned into a chaotic mess. Nie Huaisang looked timid and scared, sneaking between shouting cultivators towards the exit. He clumsily bumped into Second Master Lan. No one noticed a folded note, Huaisang slipped into his hand, and a slight nod Wangji gave him.

****

A private room in the inn on the outskirts of Lanling was full of nervous tension. Finally, the door slid open, and the cultivator in white entered. The person at the table folded the fan and pointed at the seat.

"We have been careless," he said, opening his fan. "Whoever we are against is smart. They cursed that dumb idiot and convinced him it was Wei-Xiong. How could we miss it?"

"Where is Wei Ying now?"

"Wen Ning took him back to the Burial Mounds. My spies informed me that Jin Guangyao had made a proposal. If Wen Qing and Wen Ning turn themselves in, they will let Yiling Patriarch live."

"We both know it's a lie. If Wei Ying loses them, he will wage war against all sects. He will die either way."

"I believe that's their goal. Jin Guangshan and his son are too interested and pushy about Yin Hufu. We must stop Wen siblings and Wei-Xiong before things go too far."

"What about the rest of the Remnants? Is relocation ready?"

The man smiled above his fan and nodded. "We should be ready in three days. He is not going to lose his family."

There was a sudden knock at the window, and a person in black jumped in. "Wen Qing and Wen Ning showed up at Koi Tower, Master."

"Fuck, we are too late. Can you use your position to talk with them? Who will refuse the esteemed Hanguang-Jun right to interrogation? After all, you hate Yiling Patriarch the most."

The man in white smirked, then left the inn straight for Koi Tower.

"Observe Burial Mounds. As long as Wei-Xiong stays there, he will be safe. Inform me of any changes immediately."

"Yes, Master."

The man closed his fan and sighed. Things got much more complicated for them, but he wouldn't back down. Wei Wuxian was the first person who saw him as him and never judged him. A true friend who helped him, even if his own life was a mess. It was time to return the favour.

****

The conceited look on their faces made him sick. How dare they call themselves righteous after atrocities committed against innocent Wen? Plotting behind everyone's back to gain more power. 'Disgusting,' Lan Wangji thought, gripping Bichen tighter. It took all his willpower to not slaughter this annoying dwarf and wipe out his fake smile.

"Welcome, Hanguang-Jun!" Jin Guangyao rushed towards him, bowing his head. "Your brother already left for the Cloud Recesses."

"I'm not here to see Xiongzang," he replied coldly. "I heard the main collaborators of Yiling Patriarch are imprisoned here. I wish to interrogate them and find the way to lower his barriers."

For a brief moment, his face tensed, which didn't escape Wangji's attention. Was Guangyao involved in the plot against Wei Ying?

"Perfect solution," Sect Leader Yao shouted. "Hanguang-Jun should easily find necessary information from them."

"That's right," another Sect Leader supported the idea. "He is sunshot campaign hero."

Wangji felt his stomach churning while his body burned with rage. Did they already forget who won the war for them? When Wei Ying saved them from Wen Ruohan, they were all praising him, but as soon as he stood up for the innocent, they discarded him. Their greed has no bounds. They only cared about laying their hands on Yin Hufu and keeping Wei Ying under control. When he refused, they slandered him. The rumours were outrageous. But the most disappointing was the reaction of his own sect. GusuLan was supposed to be the most righteous of them all. How naïve he was. All they cared about was rules and pampering their image. Even his own brother refused to listen about innocent Wen Remnants and blindly believed Jin Guangyao. Wangji felt betrayed, but then help came from a most unexpected source.

Over the last two years, he and Nie Huaisang worked behind the scenes to help Wei Ying. The cultivation world turned its backs on the person who saved them too quickly. Both of them found it suspicious. Then the rumours started. Someone put a lot of effort into making Wei Ying look bad. Portray him as a villain. Despicable.

"He hates Yiling Laozu the most!" someone shouted. "We should let him handle it."

Pushed against the wall, Jin Guangyao had no choice but to allow Lan Wangji into the dungeon. Gathered sect leaders decided he could go by himself. At the same time, they could focus on planning the siege and execution of the Wen siblings.

It was the most preferable outcome, but it didn't make him feel any better. They had to save Wen Qing and Ghost General for Wei Ying's sake. Unfortunately, they were spread thin even with the Nie Huaisang spies division. Too many variables to control. Huaisang was busy organising relocation and ensuring Remnants' safety during travel North. His spies watched sects and Burial Mounds, while some were on stand-by, ready to extract siblings from the dungeon. The burden was immense, but Wangji would not hesitate. It was for Wei Ying.

As he followed the guard, Wangji marked the path for the extraction team.

He ordered the guard to stay outside, then walked into a small, dark cell. The view broke his heart. Wen Qing was covered in bruises, while her brother was chained to the wall. "Wake up!" he yelled, showing her message to play along.

Wen Qing nodded. On her signal, Wen Ning started trashing and making noise with his chains. Wangji crouched in front of her and pushed medicine into her mouth.

"Where is Wei Ying?"

"I left him unconscious in his cave. He should be out for a couple of days."

"We are getting you out of here," he whispered, leaning closer. "You will go with Nie Huaisang's men shortly after I leave."

"What about A-Ying and our family?"

"We are getting you all out," reassured her. "Now, scream a bit. They plan to burn you in the Nightless City, and we want the believe they did. Huaisang is working really hard on getting the dummy ready. I will inform everyone that you are unconscious or even died due to torture. Of course, I could not let Ghost General live and to get you to talk, I obliterated him."

"Sounds like a solid plan, but please get to A-Ying as soon as possible."

"I will."

Wangji released the chains, then stuck an invisibility talisman on Wen Ning. The Ghost General hid in the corner of the cell while Wen Qing started to wail and curse Hanguang-Jun. An alarmed guard burst into the cell at the moment when bluish energy hit Wen Qing, and her body went limp.

"What happened?!"

Wangji looked at him coldly. "Abomination like him wasn't allowed to live, so and did my duty and sent his poor soul to the afterworld."

"But... but there is nothing left."

"Of course, I could not risk Yiling Patriarch reviving him again."

"R-right... W-what about her?"

Wangji shrugged. "Probably dead, easier to burn."

Guard looked at him, shocked. His hatred towards Yiling Patriarch must have been more profound than anyone suspected. He did not even bother checking and led Hanguang-Jun outside.

As soon as he returned to the main hall, sect leaders surrounded him, asking multiple questions. The amount of socialising he had today gave him a headache. He kept telling himself that it was for Wei Ying and pushed through. It did not escape his attention how annoyed with news about Ghost General both Jin Guangyao and his father were. Did they plan something else for him? Wangji had a sinking feeling that Guangyao was behind everything that happened to his soulmate. Still, without evidence, there was nothing they could do.

****

With Wen siblings secured and on route to a safe location, their attention turned towards the more challenging part of the operation. Moving fifty people unnoticed. Transport was ready at the far edge of Burial Mounds, and only one person could enter the barrier without permission. Under cover of the night, Lan Wangji sneaked in. It wasn't difficult with everyone focused on the Nightless City and execution.

"Second Master Lan!" Granny shouted, running towards him. "You must save A-Ying!"

His blood turned cold. "Where is Wei Ying?"

"A-Qing said he would be asleep for two more days, but he broke her spell and rushed to Koi Tower to save them."

"Impossible..."

"He used teleportation talisman before anyone could stop him. Please, Second Master Lan, we can't lose him as well."

"Wen Qing and Wen Ning are safe. We rescued them earlier today," replied, still in shock.

"But A-Ying... he doesn't know...."

Suddenly, Lan Zhan paled. Once Wei Ying arrives at Koi Tower, he will learn that Wangji killed his sister and little brother. Wei Ying will come after him without giving him a chance to explain the truth. He had to move fast.

"Gather everyone and head towards the northern border. There is transportation waiting for you with Second Master Nie. I will try to bring Wei Ying back," he added and rushed towards the Koi Tower.

****

The Koi Tower was suspiciously quiet, with only a few guards by the dungeons. Wei Ying watched them from the shadows, searching for signs of another trap. He was more than aware of a second flute player during the ambush, but there was nothing here. He approached them slowly, listening to their chatter.

"I heard they will burn her in Nightless City anyway."

"Bitch will get what she deserves!" one of the guards laughed. "I would love to see Yiling Patriarch's face when he learns that his precious Ghost General is nothing but a pile of dust."

His face grew cold, and his crimson red eyes were full of silent ferocity. "Oh? Take a good look then," he hissed, then sent them to the ground with a wave of demonic energy. Deep red tendrils wrapped around the previously laughing guard and pulled him closer. The man whimpered in pain, afraid to look at Yiling Patriarch. "Where is Wen Ning!"

"Ha-Hanguang-Jun destroyed him," the man rasped.

His eyes widened in shock. "What did you say?!"

The other guard rose to his knees and explained everything, trying to save his friend. Once they finished recounting the afternoon, a massive wave of energy threw them on the wall, and Yiling Laozu disappeared.

His whole world shattered. It hurt. It hurt so badly he couldn't breathe. The person he loved with every fibre of his being took everything from him. Despair started to take over his senses, but Wei Ying pushed it away. He had to at least try to save his Qing-Jie... then, he would hunt down Lan Wangji and make him pay.

****

As soon as he noticed unconscious guards, Wangji knew he was too late. It was frustrating. Why couldn't he save the only person he loved? The only person he needed to live? Annoyed, Wangji slapped the guard to wake him up.

"What happened?"

"It was Yiling Laozu..."

"I figured that much," he cut him off angrily. "Where is he now?!"

"Probably Nightless City. He doesn't know Wen Bitch is already dead," the guard chuckled. "He will walk straight into a trap."

"Fuck," Wangji swore under his breath.

"The look on his face when he learned about Ghost General was priceless, but I'm sure you can take him on, Hang...."

Lan Zhan finally snapped and hammered his head into the wall. The guard died on the spot with a mocking smile frozen on his face. Wangji sent the message to Huaisang, then rushed to the Nightless City. He would save Wei Ying even if it kills him.

****

Wei Ying soundlessly landed on the rooftop, and broken pieces of his heart sunk. Jin Guagshan laughed triumphantly, spreading ashes in the air, while others cheered and called for a siege on Burial Mounds. Everyone kept mentioning Yin Hufu and glorifying Hanguang-Jun for obliterating Ghost General. They called him a monster, so that's what he will give him. The only person who kept his sanity in check was gone... the only person he lived for betrayed him. Wei Ying no longer had a reason to hold back. Yin Hufu shot up in the air, pulling all resentment gathered in Nightless City, then released it, bringing everyone to their knees.

"How dare you, Wei Wuxian!" someone shouted, struggling to keep their head above the ground.

"I heard you were looking for me. Shouldn't you be grateful I came here to save you the trouble?"

"You should die with your Wen dogs!" a member of the Jin clan yelled.

Instantly a crimson red tendril shot towards him and pulled him to Yiling Patriarch. With a bone-chilling smile, Wei Ying grabbed his neck and broke it, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground. "Who's next?"

"You vile fiend!"

Another person dropped dead, while crimson red eyes turned even more cold and indifferent. Wei Ying no longer felt anything. His mind was dominated by revenge. If sects allowed abuse and killing of innocent, he would play by their rules and kill everyone who dared to stand against him.

"Wei Ying!"

"Oh, you are finally here," he hissed, turning his gaze at the person he hated the most. A person who ripped his heart out and stomped on it.

His heart sunk. This wasn't Wei Ying... it couldn't be. His Wei Ying wasn't so lifeless. His Wei Ying never looked at him like this. "You need to listen to me," he yelled desperately, but cheers from gathered cultivators drowned his voice. Getting closer to Wei Ying was impossible. Resentful energy was incredibly swift and protective of his master.

Suddenly, the army of fierce corpses rushed in, causing chaos. The celebration of Wen Qing's death turned into a fierce battle for their lives.

Wangji pushed through the resentment. "Wen Ning is..."

"Shut up and die!" Wei Ying cut him off.

Lan Zhan barely escaped with his life, shielding himself from the crimson red mist with his guqin. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. It felt like any chance of getting through to Wei Ying was lost.

He wished to hate him with everything he had. Kill him and walk away from surrounding him hypocrites, but he couldn't. Even if Lan Wangji betrayed him, he still loved him. Everything he cared about was gone. He wished to be gone. Wei Ying looked at the people below him. All this mess... suffering to get Yin Hufu. "Very well," he said, hovering in the air with the seal above his palm. He unleashed resentment gathered within it, shattering it to pieces. He could feel life escaping from him, his body falling down. But it didn't matter... nothing mattered to him anymore.

Summoning energy he didn't know he had, Wangji dashed towards Wei Ying on Bichen and caught him at the last moment. He held him as if his life depended on it, leaving the battlefield unnoticed. At the same time, so-called righteous cultivators were busy fighting for pieces of Yin Hufu.

They were halfway towards the meeting point when he ran out of energy, and Bichen came to a stop. Staggering and fighting to take another step, Wangji managed to find shelter from the freezing rain in a small cave. He gently laid Wei Ying against the rocks and checked his vitals. His pulse was weak, but it was there. "Everything will be okay, Wei Ying," he whispered, cradling him to his chest. The exhaustion and stress of the last several days took their toll on him, and Wangji fell asleep with Wei Ying in his arms.

The day's first rays peaked into the small cave, stirring the man in white. Wei Ying was still unconscious but alive. He gently gathered him into his arms and mounted Bichen. Wangji figured it was safest to arrive at the camp before Wei Ying woke up and tried to kill him again.

****

Since her family arrived with news about Wei Ying, Wen Qing couldn't sleep, and she kept circling around the edge of the camp. When did he learn to nullify the effect of her needles? Did Lan Wangji manage to get to him? Suddenly, her steps staggered. What if Wei Ying heard about A-Ning and her before Wangji got to him? He would be devastated and most likely forego his own life.

"Miss Wen, you need to rest," Huaisang said gently, pulling her towards the tent. "What if they need medical care, and you will be too exhausted to help them?"

"Can we go search for them?"

He shook his head. "I'm sure Wangji is keeping a low profile, and we don't know how he plans to get here. But he will be here with Wei-Xiong. I promise."

Unable to combat his reason, Wen Qing stopped arguing, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

"Master, two unknown cultivators are approaching camp."

"Take a protective formation. I can't stress enough how important people behind us are."

"Yes, Master."

Nie Huaisang took a deep breath and headed towards strangers. His usual playful and silly expression was gone. It was a truly unexpected and informative encounter.

****

At dusk, Wangji finally spotted the signalising fire. The camp was just slightly further ahead. He breathed a sigh of relief and sped up.

"A-Ying!" Wen Qing exclaimed, rushing to them. "What happened?"

"I was too late," he replied with an apologetic tone. "He wouldn't listen to me, and we fought, then he destroyed Yin Hufu and has been unconscious all the time. I tried to pass him some energy, but it was rejected."

"A-Ying doesn't have a golden core... he gave it to that ungrateful asshole," she explained, trembling with rage. "In recent months, he developed demonic core. He barely slept, pushing past his limits to get stronger. All this hard work to protect us... us who did nothing for him."

"You did more than you think. You gave him a family and the support he needed. The first time I saw his real smile was during my visit to Burial Mounds. That's on you, Wen Qing."

She brushed off her tears and resumed her examination. "A-Ying just exhausted his energy. He should wake up soon."

"It's best if I leave."

Wen Qing shook his head. "You should stay and tell him your feelings when you get a chance; otherwise, he will never know."

"Mm."

It was a long night, but none of them left the tent. Wen Ning kept a watchful eye on sleeping on the makeshift bed man, while Lan Wangji and Wen Qing kept dozing off.

At dawn, Wei Ying woke up with a soft groan. His mind felt fuzzy when someone's face showed in his vision. "A-Ning?"

"Ying-Ge! You are finally awake!"

Wen Qing rushed towards him while Wangji stayed behind, giving them space. "What were you thinking throwing your life away like this!"

"Look who's talking," he muttered, trying to understand what happened. His siblings were clearly alive, and they weren't in Burial Mounds. Then his gaze landed on the person behind them, and he understood everything. "Lan... Zhan... I...."

"We will get you a breakfast," Wen Qing uttered, pushing her Didi outside the tent.

"Wei Ying," Wangji started, slowly approaching him. "I'm sorry I was too late. I never meant to hurt you like this."

"Why are you apologising to someone who tried to kill you."

"If you really tried, I would be dead already," he replied with a gentle smile. Then, feeling courageous grabbed Wei Ying's hand while his golden amber eyes looked at him warmly. "Wei Ying... I... we... I mean, Huaisang and I planned everything when we heard about the ambush."

There was a flicker of disappointment in Wei Ying's eyes as if he hoped to hear something else. 'What did you expect, idiot,' he mentally slapped himself. Even if Lan Zhan didn't hate him, he would never love someone like him. It hurt, but he was slowly getting used to it.

Wangji didn't like the look on Wei Ying's face. He wished to erase it and bring back his genuine smile. Following his instinct and forgetting about the consequences, he leaned and kissed him slowly. Their lips moved in sync, expressing everything they could not say out loud. The whole world faded away, even a woman with a cheeky smile and tray of food. Wen Qing set it on the table and left quietly.

"I love you, Wei Ying," he breathed. "It can't be anyone but you."

He leaned his forehead against Wangji's and smiled. "I love you too, Lan Zhan."

Wangji explained everything to him during breakfast, completely forgetting about his sect's rules. All that mattered to him now was his and Wei Ying's happiness. "We are going to leave sects and cross over the mountains. We should be safe there."

Wei Ying looked at him, speechless. "What about your home?"

"It's right in front of me."

"Huh?"

"It doesn't matter where I live as long as you are there with me."

"Lan Zhan! Warn me before you say something like this. My heart can't take it."

Wangji smiled and pulled him into another kiss. He didn't dare to dream for them to be like this... to feel how soft Wei Ying's lips were. It still felt unbelievable, but he would do everything he could to protect this happiness.

****

Everyone in the camp and at the foot of the Northern Mountains exchanged knowing looks when they joined them, smiling fondly at their linked hands. Huaisang mouthed 'finally' to Wen Qing while she grinned at him. It seemed like they became pretty close in the last two days.

"Wei-Xiong, let me introduce your marital uncle, Xiao Xingchen and his partner Song Lan."

"You have your mother's eyes," the cultivator in white said softly, approaching them. "I can't believe you are alive. Jiang told us you died with my Shijie."

"What do you mean?"

"Unfortunately, four or five years passed before we learned about Cangse's death. Baoshan Sanren immediately left the mountain to look for you. She even visited Lotus Pier, but Jiang Fengmian told her you passed away with your parents. We were devastated. Only now, Second Master Nie explained you were at Lotus Pier all the time. I can't believe they lied to us."

"I can believe it," Wei Ying said absentmindedly. "They needed a shield for their children, and I had nowhere to go. They took advantage of it."

"I'm glad you fully understand it now," Wen Qing said softly.

"We have been informed of your situation," Song Lan spoke. "We would like to lead you to a safe location near the Celestial Moutain. There is a small village you can settle in with abundant resources, and I'm sure your Grandmother would love for you to stay close to her."

After short consideration, Wen Remnants decided to take them on the offer and started preparing for crossing. Nie Huaisang chose to return to Qinghe and ensure everyone believed that both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian died at Nightless city. He had already started to spread news, but it was best to stay behind.

"We can easily communicate with Wei-Xiong's talismans. Besides, someone needs to stay here and find the evidence. I won't let them get away with it."

"Be careful and inform us about any trouble."

****

Several seasons passed, and Wen Remnanats built a life for themselves in Lingjian. At the same time, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan would mostly stay at Celestial Mountain. Baoshan Sanren greeted them warmly and offered to train them towards immortality. She also encouraged them to create their own sect to protect people they cared about.

After discussing her idea with Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan and Wen Qing, the Si Ji Sect was born with Wei Ying and Lan Zhan as co-leaders. They had only two rules. Uphold justice and protect the innocent. Under their leadership, Lingjian flourished and soon grew into a large and prospering city.

In their third year, a request for help from Nie Huaisang arrived. He was concerned about his brother's health which always seemed to worsen after Jin Guangyao's visit. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan decided to test how far Wuxian's newest invention could take them.

"Impressive as always," Wangji muttered, pulling him into a deep kiss at the border of Qinghe.

"I can take it as partial payment for transportation," Wei Ying said with a cheeky smile and hungry look.

"Take your mind out of the gutter," Lan Zhan teased, pushing him towards the meeting location.

"Impossible! My naked husband is always on my mind."

"Shameless!"

"Isn't that the main reason you love me so much?"

Wangji suddenly stopped, spun around, pinned Wei Ying to the tree, and then kissed him hard. "There are at least hundreds of main reasons why I love you more than anything," he breathed, brushing Wei Ying's ear.

"Now, I want to do all sorts of things to you."

"Do you ever stop flirting?" an amused voice asked them.

Wei Ying looked above Wangji's shoulder and smiled. "Never, A-Sang," replied cheerfully, but his face grew serious. "How is your brother?"

"Lan Xichen visited yesterday and played Clarity for him. He seems better."

"Didn't you say that Guangyao also plays Clarity?" Wangji asked, scrunching his eyebrow. It was Lan's secret technic, and no one outside the sect should know it. Why would Xichen teach it to that annoying dwarf?

"He does, but I have the impression it's a slightly different version, and Da-Gege always feels worse. He even considered stopping treatments, but Xichen and Guangyao convinced him to continue."

"I never heard about a different version. Is it possible Guangyao learned it wrong?"

Nie Huaisang shook his head. "Impossible. He has an incredible memory."

"Is he playing it wrong on purpose? If Xichen's works as intended, but his doesn't...." Wei Ying trailed off, lost in thoughts.

"What are you suspecting?"

"The flute player from the Qiongqi path. They were able to create fluctuation in resentful energy within A-Ning and take over his mind. Modifying a music score to agitate resentment would be equally possible. Someone is playing with things they shouldn't."

The change in his voice sent a nasty shiver down their spines. It reminded them why Wei Ying is called a Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.

"He's coming today. Can you come with me and listen to him play?"

"Of course. We came here to help you and won't leave till your brother is saved," Wangji reassured him while Wei Ying completely drifted into his thoughts. Assuming his husband had already started thinking about a solution, Lan Zhan grabbed his hand and led him safely to Impure Realm.

****

Hidden behind the thin wall, Wangji and Huaisang were focused on music. At the same time, Wei Ying was busy drawing some complicated arrays and diagrams. He seemed wholly engrossed in his work and not paying attention to his surroundings. His companions exchanged knowing looks and smiled when suddenly Wei Ying looked up from the table, his red eyes gleaming dangerously.

"This passage was wrong," Wangji said, looking at Huaisang with concern. This music was extremely dangerous to his brother, judging from Wei Ying's reaction.

"A-Sang, can you cause a mess to him stop playing? We need to get him out of here and treat your brother as soon as possible."

"On it, Wei-Xiong."

His bright and intelligent face instantly turned into a mixture of utter panic and fear, with tears rolling down his cheeks. Huaisang slapped his cheeks to add to the image and rushed to the main hall, wailing loudly.

"How is he doing it?" Wei Ying asked.

"I'm not sure if I want to know. Do you have a solution?"

"I think so, but I need to consult it with Wen Qing."

On the other side of the wall, chaos erupted. Huaisang was wailing even louder. His speech was incoherent and panicked. The music stopped, and everyone tried to calm him down. Nie Mingjue yelled at him angrily, but it was expected with the amount of resentment in his dantian. Huaisang stood his ground, and his brother finally caved in and agreed to follow him to investigate this scary thing in his bedroom. During the commotion, Jin Guangyao was sent away and asked to return a few days later. As soon as he was gone, Huaisang's face changed again, his voice calm and collected.

"We have two important visitors, Da-Gege. I want you to carefully listen to them."

Nie Mingjue looked at him, shocked. This wasn't his whiny and scared brother. There was a strength in his voice he had never heard. "A-Sang?"

"It's for your own good," he replied sternly, then slid open the door to the back room.

"Greetings, Sect Leader Nie," Wei Ying smiled playfully, drew a complicated symbol in the air and pushed it into Mingjue's chest. "You can thank me later."

"Wei Ying, do not tease Sect Leader Nie. He has been through a lot recently."

"As you wish, Lan Zhan."

"W-what?" Nie Mingjue stammered. He could not believe they were alive and apparently in cahoots with his brother. How little did he know about his own Didi? Nie Mingjue was shocked to the bone.

"How are you feeling now, Da-Gege?"

It felt like a calming wave washing over him, subduing resentful energy flowing in his dantian. He could not remember when last time he felt so at ease and relaxed. "Better, thank you. But I believe you owe me an explanation, A-Sang."

Huaisang closed the door, and Wei Ying set up a protective barrier. Once they were safe from unwanted ears, they explained everything to him, including their suspicions about Jin Guangyao. It was unbelievable, but Nie Mingjue decided to trust them.

"It was a temporary solution to subdue effects from today's music. We will have to bring Wen Qing to examine the extent of the damage to your dantian, Sect Leader Nie. I have a few ideas for a permanent solution, but I need her medical expertise. I will bring her here while Wangji plays a proper Clarity song for you, but you must promise my sister won't be harmed."

"You have my word."

Wei Ying nodded, then disappeared in a crimson mist.

"How will we expose Guangyao's attempted murder without revealing you are alive?" Huaisang asked, looking at Wangji.

"What if next time you invite Xichen and convincingly ask for his help in this room while Guangyao plays? He should be able to hear the difference in scores. You could arouse his suspicions by mentioning how poorly your brother feels afterwards," he explained, continuing to play.

Huaisang's stared at him slack-jawed. "Wangji-Xiong, you spend too much time with your husband. You even sound like him!"

Wangji smirked. "It takes a lot of plotting to get him to do something he doesn't like. You need to be smart to win against someone who can throw you to the other side of the room with a wave of his hand."

"I can imagine," Huaisang chuckled. "Wei-Xiong pushes demonic cultivation to its limits, doesn't he?"

"Mm."

Their conversation was cut by the sudden appearance of two visitors. Within hours Wen Qing planned the whole treatment and assured them that most of the damage was reversible and shouldn't affect Nie Mingjue's cultivation. Then they moved towards possible solutions. Wei Ying suggested engraving an array on the sabre and the user's wrists.

"It should be able to purify most of the resentment the sabre is feeding back to the user. I can deal with the weapon, but you need someone with medical knowledge to tattoo the array on the skin. Wen Qing can easily perform something like this."

"Did you ever try something like this?" Nie Mingjue asked worriedly.

Knowing how jealous and possessive his husband could be, Wei Ying gave him a questioning look.

"You can show them."

Wei Ying pulled down his upper robes. A long inscription was running across his arms and shoulders with an extensive array on his back.

"What is it, Wei-Xiong?"

"The array enhances demonic energy, which allowed us to teleport here. The inscriptions don't allow anyone to mess with it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a countermeasure to the flute player from Qiongqi path," Lan Zhan explained, pulling Wei Ying's robes up, then, out of habit, kissed his shoulder, travelling up the neck. In response, Wei Ying playfully sucked Wangji's fingertips, lingering on each longer than he should.

"Don't mind them," Wen Qing said, seeing Nie Mingjue's shocked expression. "They are always like this."

"Their honeymoon phase will never end," Huaisang teased. "I'm sure ten thousand years later, they will be still the same."

"Of course," Wei Ying laughed, snuggling into Wangji's chest. "Now, back to work. Can I have Baxia?"

****

Exposing Jin Guangyao went smoother than they expected. Once Lan Xichen became suspicious of him, he agreed to Huaisang's plan to add truth serum to his sworn brother's tea. If Jin Guangyao was innocent, no harm would have been done. Huaisang took his chance and asked many more questions related to Yiling Patriarch. The truth coming from Guangyao's mouth was shocking and completely shattered Lan Xichen. He lost his brother to a power-hungry manipulator. It hurt beyond imagination.

"Don't worry, Er-Gege. Wangji-Xiong is now in a much better place. He is truly happy with a person he loves the most, believe me," Huaisang comforted him.

Nie Mingjue patted his shoulder and smiled. "You can trust my Didi."

Once the truth was revealed to the other sects, Jin Guangyao and his father were executed. Many felt remorseful about their past action, which caused many unnecessary deaths, especially Yiling Laozu and Hanguang-Jun. Unfortunately, the past could not be changed; to many, their regret meant nothing.

The life in Si Ji Sect continued undisturbed with more frequent visits from Nie Huaisang. Under Song Lan's wings, he started developing fan cultivation which suited him much more than the sabre. Even Nie Mingjue was impressed with his progress.

****

Many years later, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying left the sect in the care of now grown-up Wen Yuan and travelled around the world, visiting foreign countries. They would often bring new inventions and traditions to Lingjian, transforming the city into a multicultural agglomeration.

As Huaisang said, their honeymoon phase never ended. No matter how much time passed, they were absolutely smitten with each other.