Luo Qingfei attacked with all her might and talent, swinging her sword from left to right, slicing up and down, chopping off diagonally, while Wei Wuxian jumped and ducked like an acrobat. She slashed across his feet and he jumped, leaping up high enough to land on a branch nearby, before lifting his hand in the air to catch an incoming Suibian.

"Oh? I thought you only used that flute of yours?"

"Well," Wei Wuxian grinned jumping down from the branch to face Luo Qingfei, "you clearly don't talk to your sister too much. This has always been my sword, my Suibian. Now, then, let's get back to the killing!"

And with that, he unsheathed Suibian and slashed away furiously. He knew every last one of the Jins' moves well enough to be able to predict her moves. Luo Qingfei was indeed impressive, so much so that Wei Wuxian had no doubt she was Mianmian's cousin. The two assaulted each other, one with the Jins' obstinacy and the other with the ferocity of the Jiangs.

Suddenly, the villainess's moves changed. She began to attack in a new pattern, a new style, an entirely different technique. It took Wei Wuxian quite some time to recognise it, thanks to having never truly fought with that conceited Wen Chao: all they had done was brawl. Well, turns out competing with Jin Zixuan and practising with Wen Ning will save his life today.

"Good! Using the haughtiness of the Wens?"

"I can be as crafty as you, Wei Wuxian. Do you know what they call me? MeiRen Sha!" She cackled.

"Oh? Evil Beauty? Fine! Then let me give you a good treat too!" He cackled, as he too abruptly changed his style. Now this was a style completely different from the Jiangs in every way, such that it left the woman flabbergasted.

Wei Wuxian assailed her, but in the most gracious way possible. The swiftness of his turns, the sharpness of his moves, the elegance and the grace with which he wielded the usually thrashing Suibian, would have been breathtaking had she been under different circumstances. This finesse... it was like poetry in motion... The Lans?

"Since when does the Yiling Patriarch practise the charm of the Lans?"

"Since I married the most charming Lan ever," he Cheshire-grinned, before twisting his wrist and swinging the sword in a series of beautiful circular movements.

Luo Qingfei twisted her sword and twirled very now and then to avoid the dexterous onslaught of Suibian. She was bewildered. Of course, he had married Lan Wangji, but they'd actually taught him their skills? Not good, she better finish him off soon.

With the next swing of her sword, she leapt into the air, somersaulted and landed on the grass behind Wei Wuxian. During the few seconds of delay Wei Wuxian took to realise and spin around, she spun on one foot and crashed her blade through the man's side. Wei Wuxian halted mid-turn. His hand moved to the side of his waist as he touched the region that was sending urgent pulses of pain through his skin. As he moved the hand away, it was already blanketed in bright carmine. There was even a hint of silver, not that Wei Wuxian noticed. 

He sighed. His eyes grew blurred and his consciousness began to threaten to fade away. But he wouldn't let himself succumb to weakness just like that. If he couldn't even defeat Mianmian's sister, what use was he? And the Seal? And Chenqing? If he fainted now, she'd take it all. No, he'd have to finish this first.

Forcing his demonic energy to liven him up, he waited as he felt his core and meridians flare up with dark energy, before straightening his back and staring at the woman.

"Luo Qingfei. How dare you come to my Lan home to shed blood on its pure land!" The light and cheery voice now turned deep and chastising as his roar echoed across the woods.

Thick streams of black and red smoke began to drift out of Chenqing and Wei Wuxian's own core. He let the energy lift him into the air. Luo Qingfei watched, half-horrified, half-grinning, as the man's feet left the ground and he rose into the airspace. "You dare to send your dogs to destroy my homes, my sects. Lotus Cove, Gusu, even my son's Koi Tower! You dared to make that mongrel of yours torture my Lan Zhan!"

Luo Qingfei smirked.

"Do you know who the man you chained up is?"

"Oh, please enlighten my stupid self," she grinned.

Wei Wuxian spread his arms, letting the resentment and sorcery emanate from him. "My husband, you SHREW!"

Slap! The fumes that had seeped out of every pore on the Yiling Patriarch's skin, now rose as one massive figure into the air and slammed itself down on the unprepared villainess. She was struck down on the ground in the first shot itself: the ill will in Wei Wuxian's very soul was that intense. Xiangxiang had been right. He was all angelic until his Lan Zhan got hurt — that's when things turn hellish.

He stroked his heart, making the pungent, dark and cold vapour recede, letting his feet touch the ground again. He sauntered over to the fallen villainess. What now? Kill her?

She was Mianmian's sister... but no, had it even been Mianmian herself, he'd still kill her. Nobody, nobody at all, can mess with the love of his life.

'Sorry, Mianmian,' he whispered, as he raised Suibian and walked forth. He was only a few feet away when arrows came whizzing in from every direction, crashing at him. He couldn't dodge because they came from all around, but he slung Suibian at the arrows, waving the blade around him as he spun in circles, slicing off the assault of arrows. These weren't the perfect Jin arrows but normal wooden ones, so they were easy to get rid of. But the number was just too many. He could have done with another sword. If only Bichen was here...

As though on cue, a louder, sharper whistle rang through the sky above the clearing. Something flew straight into the clearing and axed the arrows in half even before they reached the Yiling Patriarch. It was fierce and arrogantly protective, its usual faint blue glow now almost blinding. It finished off the incoming arrows and shielded a surprised and smiling Wei Wuxian with its white-blue glow. But all of a sudden, while it was focussed on an abrupt collective attack of arrows from one side, a single sneaky arrow came soundlessly flying towards an unaware Wei Ying, slamming into the one spot he forgot to protect: the bleeding side of his waist.

Wei Wuxian screamed in pain. The agony was a wildfire, igniting at the wound and raging through his skin and throbbing nerves. The pungency of its ashes and smoke wafted out of the wound as blood leaked out and stained the dewy green grass. The white bunnies who had been watching the whole episode from afar were horrified. They hastily hopped over to their Master to huddle around his feet, looking up with tear-filled bright eyes. The arrows had ceased to attack, and Wei Wuxian's protector was now standing in mid-air, its glow suddenly vanished, the blue light almost... gloomy... sad.

"Bichen, I'm fine," Wei Wuxian stammered.

But Bichen, like its original master — who was absent — didn't trust its selfless master. It drifted towards Wei Wuxian but Wei Wuxian stopped it with his blood-covered hand. "No, Bichen, I don't need to fly on you, I think I can walk back. See if the others are gone," Wei Wuxian muttered. 

Bichen, though panicked by its master's breathlessness and the barely alive-touch to his voice, obeyed the command. It whizzed through the forests nearby in seconds before floating back to its master's side. The glow dimmed more and more at the lack of life in its master.

Wei Wuxian nodded as Bichen returned. "They've run off, haven't they. Not alone either," he smirked bitterly as he saw that Luo Qingfei's unconscious body was missing.

But he didn't have the time to think or say any further than this. Fatigue, loss of blood, distress and agonising pain drove his intellect and consciousness away, chasing his brain to a dark corner, forcing him to fall lifeless. Just before the world turned lightless, he heard a faint shout.

**********

Miles away near Qinghe, a man in white mourning clothes stopped in his tracks. He inadvertently clawed at his chest.

"Wangji, are you alright?"

Lan Wangji turned to Lan Xichen. He shook his head. "Xiongzhang... I don't know... something feels wrong," he mumbled.

"It must be your worrying heart. Didi will be alright. Come now," Lan Huan smiled gently and took his brother's arm, walking forth to tackle the jungle demons they'd heard were haunting the woods around Qinghe. Everyone else was here too. But suddenly, before all their amazed eyes, Bichen shook in Lan Wangji's clench, before freeing itself from his grasp and shooting off across the sky back in the direction it has come from. 

Nie Huaisang, Jiang Wanyin, Jin Rulan and Lan Xichen stared open-mouthed, while Lan Wangji's hand gripped his heart. 

Calm down, calm down, Wei Ying must be playing tricks, Lan Zhan told himself.

But hardly minutes later, while the squad was walking on again, deeper and deeper into the forest, Lan Wangji stopped again. This time he was hyperventilating, utmost panic pounding through his soul. What was going on? Bichen. My soul and its spirit are connected. Is Wei Ying in trouble? No, I should return right now.

Lan Zhan was deaf to the questions which the others bombarded; he turned around. Just then, he felt weird. He felt... uncomfortable, like he was covered in — no, more like drowning in — some thick liquid. All of Lan Wangji's heart, soul and mind were screaming, telling him to run to Gusu right now. It was blood. He felt blood staining his soul. Bichen again. Blood. Wei Ying's blood. He began to run when he heard a clear shout.

"Father!"

Lan Wangji halted momentarily but kept on running. He didn't expect to be caught up with by his tall son. "Rulan, get back."

"Father, come," Jin Ling pulled Lan Wangji by his arm to a stop. Lan Wangji turned to look. Jin Ling was standing on Suihua, his hand out. Lan Zhan smiled gratefully at his son and taking his hand, hopped on. Without a word to the uncles, Jin Ling drove his father to Gusu. 

Instinctively, Lan Zhan pointed to the bunnies' clearing.

The minute they approached, Lan Zhan jumped off, landing perfectly on his feet on the ground, right by his husband's side. Jin Ling sheathed Suihua and ran forth crying "Daddy!" Lan Zhan caught an already falling Wei Ying.

 **********

Nie Huaisang and Lan Qiren were left behind to see to the rest of the world while three sect leaders crowded around a bed.

"Jin Ling, stop biting your nails."

"Jiujiu, you stop twisting Zidian, the sparks are hitting me you know!"

"Wanyin, Rulan, silence."

The Jingshi's atmosphere had never been more tense.

"Xiongzhang, where's Doctor?"

Lan Xichen tried to smile reassuringly, placing his hand firmly on his little brother's shoulder. "He's on his way, Wangji, don't worry, didi is strong."

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded. Lan Zhan blinked back the threatening tears, chiding his mind for being pessimistic and anxious. But how could he not be? He was holding a thick cloth to absorb the blood and apply pressure on the wound, but the bleeding just wouldn't stop. Lan Zhan watched in horror, as in spite of him exerting his ultimate force and entire Lan-Clan-arm-strength on the wound, the sheets and wood on the bed turned a sorrowful red.

And despite Lan Xichen wetting Wei Wuxian's face with a cool, damp cloth, the fever wouldn't go down. Wei Ying's skin was too warm, the fire of pain raging within him letting its rage out as scorching heat.

Right when Lan Xichen was about to send another message, the doors opened and the Doctor rushed in.

Having examined the lifeless man all over, from head to toe, with Lan Wangji's help, he turned the man over. Checking him again top to bottom, the doctor was free from doubt and asked Lan Wangji to turn him over again. Lan Zhan obliged, then covered him in the blanket again. Earlier, he and Jiang Wanyin had undressed the unconscious man before laying him on the bed, because the robes were soaked in blood that radiated not-so-demonic exhausted energy.

"Doctor?" Xichen began.

"Sect Leader," the doctor turned to the Chief Cultivator. "The situation's bad. Worse than last time."

"Is it poison again?" 

The doctor nodded.

"Isn't it the same poison?"

Doctor Lan shook his head. "No, in fact, I can't even tell what it is. It seems to be derived from impure water. This is something new, even Young Master Wen wouldn't know. I'd have to go through the records and our books to find this. While I do that, could you do this?" He handed Lan Wangji a fresh white cloth, soaked in some strange liquid. "It's soaked in a herbal medicine to reduce the bleeding. And Sect Leader," he handed a drenched white sheet. "Place this on his forehead, and cool it with your spiritual energy, to reduce the fever," he said. As the others watched, he dashed out of the Jingshi to find out the secret behind the poison.

Several hours passed by, and the sheets grew redder and redder. At one point, Jiang Cheng noticed a tinge of silver embedded with the bloody red. He voiced his findings aloud, but none could think of any reasoning. Xichen merely mumbled, "It might be the poison."

He was right. Finally, the Doctor came running into the Jingshi again.

"I found it. It's called Fatal Silver. It has already entered Master Wei's blood. It's deadly, it affects the nerves more. Master Wei's cognition might be hindered by this."

"Fatal Silver?" Xichen wondered.

"Right! A silvery appearance. Harms the cognition. Effects may vary from slurred speech to paralysis." Jiang Wanyin mumbled.

"Sect Leader Jiang is right," Doctor Lan nodded.

When Xichen looked at him with questioning eyes, Jiang Cheng explained, "It's a liquid extracted out of water, we've found it very rarely around Yunmeng."

"True. Then, Sect Leader Jiang, would you know the antidote?"

Jiang Cheng scratched his head. "Dash it all! I've GOT to forget that RIGHT NOW! It wasn't an antidote though, more of a months-long treatment..." Jiang Cheng cursed himself internally.

"Jiujiu, we'll send a notice to Lotus Pier officials asking what it was," Jin Ling suggested. Jiang Cheng nodded. 

"But there's one thing."

"What's that?" The doctor asked.

"Well, this Fatal Silver poisoning occurred only a few times: three, if I remember right. And out of those three..." he didn't know how to say it.

"Wanyin, spit it out!" Lan Xichen was exasperated.

"Out of those three, only two lived. The other one died soon after."

"After? You mean he died after the treatment? He must have been an elderly–"

"No, alright? That's my point! He died soon after the treatment only started. He was my age," Jiang Cheng finished, staring at the floor. Never had he felt more desperate and hopeless.

The doctor thought this over for some time. "Well, two did survive! We'll think only of that! Now then, Sect Leader Jiang, if you'd send the YunmengJiang Doctor and Head Cook here?" Jiang Cheng nodded.

"We'll also notify Wen Ning. Put together a treatment with every last element combined," Xichen determined.

"Sure. I'll send that little Lan Sizhui to find Young Master Wen. Second Master Lan, while you're here, I want you to place this cloth," he handed a thick pale blue cloth soaked in the same liquid as earlier, "on the wound and then wrap this," he now handed a white roll of fabric, "around his waist and secure the cloth. Do not remove the bandage until I return. I need to prepare some herbs to stuff in the bandage, we have to stop the bleeding while we wait for the poison's cure." And with that, the Doctor left the Jingshi.

Jin Ling went with him.

Jiang Wanyin left to return from Yunmeng with their Doctor and Head Cook. 

Xichen held the white roll while Wangji placed the cloth first, then the two silently wrapped the younger. Wangji tried to tie a firm knot, but his fingers kept shivering and letting go of the cloth. Xichen stopped him and tied a tight knot, before turning to his brother and silently holding his hands in his own. While stroking his hand, he sent spiritual energy to his brother, while Lan Wangji continued to pass his own spiritual energy to the unconscious Wei Wuxian. 

Neither spoke a word. Both felt helpless.

Lan Xichen knew his brother well enough to know nothing he said would change his mind. Neither could he calm his xiongdi down, nor could he reassure either Wangji or his own heart, that Wuxian-di would wake up. And what with the thing Jiang Cheng had said... what if Wei Wuxian really didn't wake up? 

Lan Wangji was feeling lifeless himself. That gut feeling he had had when kissing his husband goodbye... Wei Ying had always told him to be less insistent on logic and go with his guts sometimes... If only he had listened... But he hadn't. He had gone away, leaving his husband home all alone. Wei Ying had called for Bichen but Lan Zhan had dismissed it thinking he was messing with him again. His regrets all his life, from not being by Wei Ying's side back then at Nevernight, to having let go on the cliff, to this incident, all those sour memories came flooding into his mind like a broken dam. 

And so did the tears. His mouth never moved, but the droplets shimmering white as they slid down his jade cheeks, were things Xichen didn't miss. But alas, Wei Ying wasn't here to kiss them away. So Xichen wiped them off himself. 

Lan Zhan continued to tell himself off.

He hadn't listened to Wei Ying. Now what? What would happen to Wei Ying now? What would happen to him now? Would he be left here, grieving, mourning, all over again? No, Jiang Wanyin will find a cure. But what if it didn't work? Like what he'd said about that young disciple? What if it couldn't cure him? What if Wei Ying never woke up? What if he had been too late? 

______________________________________________________

Note: MeiRen Sha is 美人煞 in Chinese, which translates to 'Evil Beauty' or 'Kill Beauty'.