"Haha haha!" A deep voice roared with evil laughter. The minions watching shivered at the cackling Leader. "So much for the GREAT Yiling Patriarch! Now let's see how he stops us!"

"Leader Zhen, what makes you think he won't stop us anymore?" One of the Rebel Leader's closest lackeys asked.

Leader Zhen cackled again, "That man is nothing without his flute. Now, let's check this out."

"Leader Zhen," the lackey began again. "Why did you want us to do all that just to get this stupid flute? We could have gotten you one–"

"You're the stupid thing here. This is not any flute! This is the one that can control massive armies of corpses. The one that summons the darkest energies. It's Chenqing!" The Rebel Leader cried, pointing Chenqing to the skies.

Rumble! The heavens clamoured.

At the sound of its name, the black flute shifted slightly in the Rebel Leader's hand. The movement was ever so small that the man didn't notice.

Chenqing waited. And waited. Why wasn't its master playing anything? He definitely summoned it... No, this wasn't Master. Chenqing couldn't sense the darkness in Wei Wuxian's demonic energy. Nor the warmth of his soul. This wasn't Master.

Chenqing began to shiver slightly. Slowly, gradually, the bare shivers sped into rapid shakes and pulsing fits. The Rebel Leader stared for some time, open-mouthed. The flute was literally moving on its own: no, to be precise, it seemed to be struggling to get out his grasp. "What?" Leader Zhen gasped as Chenqing shook faster and faster, writhing with fury. Out of fear, he let it go, dropping the flute to the ground.

Chenqing stopped writhing but began to twist about on the ground. Leader Zhen and his underlings watched, the expressions on their faces darkening with horror. Was this a possessed flute?

Chenqing, meanwhile, turned around, searching. Finally, he let go. This man must be an enemy. When Master finds me, I'll lead him here. Master? Where are you?

**********

"Lan Zhan, I'm better now, right Doctor?"

"Well, it's best if you could rest longer..."

"DOCTOR!"

"A-Ying, you need to rest," Lan Zhan said coldly.

"Didi, Wen Ning tried so hard to treat you, if you run off now, it'll all go down the drain!" Xichen attempted to pacify.

"But, my Chenqing... I need to find Chenqing," Wei Wuxian was saying desperately, while Jiang Cheng held him back from dashing out of the Jingshi. "Doctor..." Wei Wuxian pouted childishly at the Lan physician, who finally grinned with a barely visible wink.

"Nonetheless... Master Wei is right. If they get their hands on Chenqing, the world is doomed. Chenqing is part of the Stygian Tiger Seal itself, the fifth bit of Yin Iron. It's bad enough they already got it, but worse if they began to use it," Doctor Lan explained.

"So what happened was a damned distraction?" Jiang Cheng, asked, Zidian flashing by his side.

"No, not all of it. The attack on Koi Tower must have been purposeful, but this was another motive," the doctor said.

"Yes, I had barely summoned Chenqing back when the arrow struck," Wei Ying nodded along.

"Well.. In that case..." Xichen muttered, glancing at Lan Wangji, who sighed and nodded.

"You're not going alone," Lan Wangji said.

"Right, we're coming along," Jiang Cheng, automatically dragging Xichen into the expedition.

"Er... Wanyin, I better stay, since Shufu is also not here. You guys go. I'll send someone else," Xichen said, nodded to the group and left, the juniors tagging along behind him, waving to their fathers.

Wanyin stood there, stunned, for some reason feeling sad. Oh well, guess the three of us will have to make do.

"Excuse me, then, Hanguang-Jun. Please take care," the doctor also bowed and left.

Within minutes, the trio had left, with Sect Leader Jiang on Sandu, lilac lightning already flashing across the sky, while Hanguang-Jun stood atop a glowing blue Bichen, with his soulmate behind him, arms around his waist.

**********

They landed somewhere near the Jin sect's premises.

"Wei Ying, what now?"

Wei Ying brushed his hair down. "Well," he began, fastening his ribbon, "we need to track Chenqing."

"And just how the hell do we do that?" Jiang Cheng asked.

Wei Wuxian smirked. "Wait and watch." He put his fingers to his lips and blew a long, sharp whistle. The call was followed by something appearing behind them. Wei Wuxian turned around, smiling.

"Xiangxiang."

"Master! Are you better now?"

"Yes, much better."

"I knew Second Master Lan will take good care of you," Xiangxiang beamed and bowed to Lan Wangji. "Master, there's something we noticed that night, but I believe you called for that?"

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Xiangxiang, did you three see Chenqing?"

"Yes. Those who shot you, more pawns of the scarred fellow, took Chenqing away. They disappeared... in that direction. Hei'An might be able to trace the dark energy of Chenqing, Master," Xiangxiang said.

"Good. HEI'AN!" Wei Wuxian shouted after another whistle.

"Master," a deep voice grumbled.

"Hei'An, this is my husband, and this is my brother. A-Zhan, A-Cheng, this is Hei'An. You'll know him as the Darkest Doom," Wei Wuxian cooly introduced demon to cultivators and back. The two cultivators nodded, unfazed. Jiang Cheng gripped his fist to prevent Zidian from flashing on its own; Lan Zhan gripped Bichen, which had begun to sense the demons' presence.

"Hei'An... Chenqing?"

"Master, follow me. I followed the trace but it broke off somewhere along the countryside. Near Dafan mountain."

Wei Wuxian nodded, "Alright then, take us there."

**********

Standing atop a hill, Wei Ying kept his hands on his hips and turned in a circle to get a 360° view of the hillside. Dafan Mountain... So many memories... This life and before...

He suddenly felt a cold finger on his face, stroking. "A-Ying?" Lan Zhan tenderly wiped the tears away.

"A-Zhan. Just... memories..." Lan Zhan pulled him into his chest, burying him there for a few seconds before Jiang Cheng cleared his throat very loudly.

"Guys, I hear something. Someone's coming," he said. The words had hardly finished before the sound of flapping robes became audible. Even before the figure came into view, something came flying like a boomerang at them. Wei Ying jumped high and caught it, grinning at the familiar object. Cream-white with intricate golden borders and black ink: a drawing of a landscape on one side, characters of poetry on the other.

"Huaisang! Do you want to kill me with a fan?" Wei Ying laughed.

Nie Huaisang landed in front of them, chuckling, swinging his hand to summon his fan back. "Wei-xiong, you seem much fitter now!"

"Oh? So you know the tale?"

"Of course he does, who do you think found the man who shot you?" Jiang Cheng huffed.

Wei Wuxian smiled softly and bowed in gratitude. Huaisang chuckled and held the other's arms. "Wei-xiong, Hanguang-Jun's partner shouldn't be bowing to people like us, you know," he wiggled his brows.

Wei Wuxian coloured, side-glancing at Lan Zhan while punching Huaisang on the ribs. Huaisang wailed mockingly. "Alright now, how far have you progressed on your search?" 

"You know about it?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Sure I do, Er-Ge sent me to accompany you." 

Something told the group that Xichen had sent Huaisang to accompany a specific 'you', one who was turning scarlet under his purple robes. But none spoke a word.

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Great! This is Hei'An. Hei'An, Huaisang," he introduced the two to each other. Hei'An growled his acknowledgment, while Huaisang said 'hello' nervously behind his fan. "Hei'An was just saying this is where the trace of Chenqing's energy vanished."

"How's that possible? They couldn't have destroyed it. They'd rather cherish it!"

"Master, I think this is the spot where ScarFace came to collect Chenqing," the Darkest Doom spoke.

"Oh? Why?"

"Chenqing won't simply lose its energy. It's just that I sense something way stronger that overpowers the trace of Chenqing."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "So you mean it's the Seal? So the Leader took Chenqing from here?"

Hei'An gave a brusque "Yes."

"Can you track the Seal?" Lan Wangji asked.

"No, Second Master Lan. The Seal had somehow, effectively removed both Chenqing's and its own trace," Hei'An replied.

"Wah?! It can do that?" Huaisang asked open-mouthed.

"Yo, of course it's great, judging from its creator," boasted the creator himself, grinning.

"A-Ying," Lan Zhan spoke before the conversation got drifted elsewhere by the sect leaders. "How do we find it now?"

"Well... I can feel the energy somewhere nearby, not too near for me to follow it, but near enough for Chenqing to hear me!" Wei Ying beamed. While the others cocked their heads trying to make sense out of what he said, Wei Ying whistled a tune. The melody drifted through the woods, not bone-chilling, but enquiring, calling, all the way over the hillside into a forgotten gloomy town, where a black flute, tossing and turning on the ground, eagerly picked up the call.

Master! Chenqing gladly rose above ground and took flight, following the whistle. The melody brought it to four man and a demon waiting atop a mountain.

While the others watched flabbergasted, Wei Wuxian waved at his companion. "Chenqing!" He raised his palm in the air. Chenqing more than willingly flew into it. Wei Wuxian gripped his flute hard. "My old friend, you didn't forget me, did you?"

The warmth of its Master's soul filled up its innards. Chenqing had never been more thrilled.

"A-Ying?" Lan Zhan mumbled, the wonder twinkling in his deep oceans of a pair of eyes.

"A-Xian, how did this happen?"

"A-Zhan, A-Cheng, my Chenqing's not just a flute. Ever noticed how black smoke enwrapped it whenever I was angered? Just like your Zidian, or A-Zhan's Bichen, Chenqing can sense my emotions. It has its own spirit. Its own soul," Wei Wuxian explained, gently stroking Chenqing's red tassel.

"It's your spiritual tool," Lan Zhan smiled and nodded.

Wei Ying nodded back, thinking while stroking.

'A-Xian, this is your spiritual tool, give it a proper name.' A soft, honey-sweet voice echoed in his mind. Wei Ying let out a deep breath. He needn't feel sad anymore; he had sent his his Shijie to peace. Maybe she'll come back someday, to him and A-Cheng. But for now, she and her sweetheart were happy little butterflies, and things shall stay like that.

"Chenqing, where is the man?" He asked, suddenly gripping the tassel in anger. He had been right. Three men and a demon watched with amazement as dark smoke drifted from the flute to encircle Wei Wuxian. Chenqing keenly pointed its tassel's loose end into the forest.

Good. He dared to mess with those I love? He dared to take my Chenqing? I'll finish him off. Wei Wuxian nodded firmly. "Let's go!"

"NO!"

The two sect leaders, who had already run halfway into the forest, skidded to a halt.

"Lan Zhan, what now?"

"You're going nowhere. You're still under treatment," Lan Zhan said, taking Wei Ying's hand in his.

Wei Ying was about to retaliate when he saw Lan Zhan's eyes boring into his. There was the most sincere look of apology mixed with caring in them. Wei Ying shut his mouth, nodding with his trademark pout.

"It's fine, Wei-xiong, I'll go with my scouts. Chenqing, it's past the forest?" Huaisang asked, smiling at the flute.

Chenqing waved its tassel to say 'Yes'.

"Over the hills?"

The crimson tassel did a small leap. "Right, on the other side of the hills. Thanks," Huaisang nodded to the spirit of the flute.

"Thanks, Huaisang," Lan Zhan nodded at his friend.

Nie Huaisang waved his fan nonchalantly. "Ah, it's nothing, Ji-xiong. Wei-xiong, Jiang-xiong, see you later!" And with that, Nie Huaisang took off into the woods.

"Right, then let's go back!"

"Hei'An, thank you for the help," Wei Wuxian waved to the demon.

The Darkest Demon nodded and vanished.

"A-Zhan, A-Cheng, sword or teleport?"

"Sword!" Both husband and brother shouted the reply simultaneously.

These two caring idiots... Wei Wuxian chuckled as Lan Zhan lifted him into his arms, jumped aboard Bichen, and flew back home with Jiang Cheng.