"Xianxian."

"Shijie! I knew you were still here! My Shijie would never leave Xianxian!" Wei Wuxian grinned and tossed his arms around Yanli's neck — only to fall right through her.

But of course, Lan Zhan would never let him fall.

"A-Ying! What happened?" Lan Zhan asked, holding Wei Ying's arm tight.

"A-Zhan... Sh-Shijie... She's here... Not alive, like I thought... but here..." Wei Wuxian muttered as he clawed Lan Zhan's arm and stood up. He could barely stand straight, shocked by falling through his Shijie's body — no, her soul.

"Shijie... you really are gone..."

"A-Xian, I never left." Wei Wuxian could hardly tolerate Yanli's angelic smile as she waved her palm over A-Xian's heart.

"A-Xian, what's going on? Why can't I see her? Do I... do I not deserve to see her..." Jiang Cheng was now mumbling, forlorn. Xichen finally walked over, put an arm around his shoulder, and spoke.

"Wanyin? Stop blaming yourself like this," he said in a stern voice. Then he turned to the other Yunmeng Pride. "Didi, even we can't see Lady Jiang."

Wei Wuxian put his worries aside for the moment and focussed on the present. Tapping his nose, he pondered over all he learnt and knew. Suddenly, a candle lit up in his head. "Everybody come close!"

The Great Five and the Junior Trio abided. Afterwards, Wei Wuxian nodded to Yanli and scribbled a spell in mid-air. 

Lan Wangji watched as blood-red characters floated through the air, a symbol of Wei Wuxian's supreme demonic cultivation in action. The letters landed on the ground before them and diffused outwards into a bright red circle. An array.

Everybody's eyes moved to the centre of the array, where light began to glow. Slowly, the purple figure of the charming Lady Jiang came into view. Every single person in the room was well within the circle, hence, they all saw the beautiful lady standing before them, smiling at her Xianxian. Xichen and Huaisang gasped. The first cried "Yanli-mei!" The latter, "Yanli-jie!"

He who was the actual brother cluttered to his knees. "A-jie..." he whispered, tears now unstoppably flowing down. Jin Ling watched it all, shocked to the core. He had no memory of his mother and father, so seeing such beauty and hearing that she was his mother... He was speechless. And so were the other two Juniors and Lan Zhan.

"A-Xian, can they hear me now?"

"Mn. Shijie, they can hear you, see you, talk to you." Wei Wuxian smiled feebly. Lan Zhan was aching, seeing all this.

"My wonderful Xianxian, you really are the greatest!" She ruffled his hair, but her hand slipped through him, sending chills down his spine. 

"Oh, sorry, hehe," she laughed nervously, despite the betraying tears on her cheeks. "A-Cheng! My didi!" She bent down before her kneeling brother. "A-Cheng, why are you like this?"

The Angry Lotus was actually sobbing. And mumbling. Yanli bent towards his mouth to listen.

"A-jie... You'll never forgive me, I was harsh. But forgive him, he didn't mean any of it... Forgive him. Forgive him." 

Xichen, having knelt behind him to keep him upright, had heard it all. "Wanyin..." He didn't know what to say.

"A-Cheng, are you out of your mind?"

Jiang Cheng looked up. Everyone looked up. That voice. That tone of fury and command. That voice that sent lightning through your bones. Madam Yu. But no, it was her only daughter.

"A-jie?" His voice was shaking.

"A-Cheng, are you crazy? Of course, I'll forgive you. And A-Xian. Neither of you meant any of it. It wasn't A-Xian's fault A-Xuan died, or I died. A-Xuan died because that rascal confused Young Master Wen, and I..." Yanli thought for some time, then continued. 

"Someone came to stab my brother. I just saved him. A-Cheng, you tell me, had you seen that the man coming to stab A-Xian, would you have done the same, or not?"

The Great Sect Leader Jiang couldn't bring himself to respond. He shook his head.

"Speak!" Madam Yu's — no, Yanli's voice roared. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji shivered at the memory of her telling off Jin Zixun.

"I wouldn't."

Wei Wuxian sighed, smiled sadly, and looked down. Lan Wangji was on the verge of slapping Jiang Cheng, when the latter continued, "I wouldn't have let him die."

"Exactly. You tried to stab him, you couldn't. You could have fought him with the Jins at Koi Tower, you didn't. You told me all this at the Ancestral Hall, A-Cheng, you don't have to! Not just me, even mum and dad have forgiven him!" 

Jiang Cheng looked up at her, eyes questioning, 'Mum and Dad?'

"Yes, they have moved on, now. Dad, murdered, was wandering, but Mum killed herself, so she was at peace. So she moved on and dragged Dad with her. They had waited to talk to me. I waited to talk to you two. Please, reconcile, now." The last word was not a request, it was an order. 

Almost chuckling at her unexpected resemblance to her mother, both brothers smiled and hugged before her. Wangji, Xichen and Yanli beamed on, proud as ever.

"Shijie, do you know him?" Wei WuXian pointed at someone behind Yanli, grinning.

Yanli turned around.

The eyes... The robes... The sword...

"Suihua... My A-Ling!"

"Mother!"

The two stared at each other, wishing for the same thing. Suddenly, both looked pleadingly at the greatest cultivator in the room.

"A-Xian, can't you let me hug him?"

Wei Wuxian tapped his nose. "Hm...Make you physical... Shijie you could always possess someone!"

Seeing Shijie's glare, he quickly cleared his throat and moved on, "Er... Soul and body, soul and body..."

Click!

"A-Cheng!"

"A-Xian!"

"ZIDIAN!" They shouted together, beaming. Yanli couldn't hide the pride bubbling through her.

Jiang Wanyin was still unsure; Xichen understood. "Don't worry, Wanyin, she's a soul, no pain felt."

The listener glowed, to Xichen's delight. "Alright then! Ready?"

Wei Wuxian held up a hand. "Wait a minute."

He strained his ears. He could hear talking just outside the array. "Yo, what about me? He's my son too you know?"

"You idiot, get in here, how else could they even see you?" Wei Wuxian was grinning, but the others were frowning in confusion. They heard nothing. Only Yanli was beaming.

"I can't!"

"Use Suihua."

"SUIHUA!" The voice summoned.

Jin Ling watched, horrified, as his sword suddenly flew out of his hand. And landed in mid-air, just outside the array.

Everyone watched as slowly, Suihua entered the array. When it reached the centre, a golden figure appeared.

"You peacock, how do you look so flamboyant even after death?"

"Wei-xiong, stop calling me that!"

Wei Wuxian smiled. Jin Zixuan grinned back.

"Jin-xiong, are you ready to take Zidian's strike?"

Huaisang and every other senior in the room were amazed to see them on "xiong" terms.

"Hmph! As if it'll hurt me even if I was alive! Bring it on, didi!"

Wanyin gaped. Had he just called his brother "xiong" and himself "didi"? Jiang Cheng shook his head, grinned, and slashed a flash of purple lightning at the couple. Zidian had two powers: to separate soul and body; and to temporarily give the soul a physical form. This was the first time the second was put to use.

Slowly, the pellucidity of the two beautiful souls reduced. Once the transformation was over, Jin Zixuan nodded to Yanli, who ran straight to one person.

"A-Xian!"

"Shijie..." The tears held back for so long, now poured out. The long-gone Lady Jiang and Madam Jin was back in a physical form, and the first person she hugs is the Yiling Patriarch. Lan Wangji was, for once, not jealous at all; he was overjoyed, knowing his dearest will treasure this forever.

"Sh...Shijie...you really are Madam Yu's daughter..." he was choking. Not with tears, but from the bear hug. Shijie laughed and let go.

"A-Cheng, come here." And with that, the three had a group hug.

"Shijie, now that you're physical... can you carry me?" Wei Wuxian smiled after Lan Wangji wiped his tears.

Yanli chuckled. "A-Xian, you're too old and big!" She took his hand in hers.

"But I'm still three-year-old Xianxian!"

Zixuan and Wanyin were rolling eyes impeccably.

Yanli, meanwhile, had touched something on her younger brother's hand. A beautiful, simple makeshift ring. "Oh? But my three-year-old Xianxian's married! Don't pretend you aren't, you came and requested my blessings, too!" Wei Wuxian pouted, despite the crimson face: somehow, he looked just like little A-Yuan without a Butterly-toy.

Shijie turned to Lan Wangji. "Second Young Master Lan... Didi, thank you."

"Mn? Yanli-jie, for what?"

"For being by A-Xian's side when I couldn't."

Lan Wangji nodded. "I always will." Not one person bothered to hold back their smiles.

Finally, having all reconciled, Shijie and Zixuan turned to their son. "Jin Rulan, my son," Zixuan said.

But Jin Ling replied otherwise. "Ru-Rulan?"

Both parents were horrified. Immediately, they realised what had happened. "All these years..." Zixuan was flaming, the former glorious arrogance returning. "All these years, just because Wei-xiong gave the name? JIANG WANYIN!"

"A-Cheng, what's this?"

Wanyin was... 'ashamed' would be a massive understatement. "A-Cheng," his mother's voice was roaring again, "tell him!"

"Yes, A-jie. A-Ling, you've always asked why you never had a courtesy name. Sorry, you did. Rulan is your courtesy name. Your Wei Shishu gave it."

Jin Ling nodded, and beamed at Wei Wuxian, his eyes filmy.

"Good. A-Rulan," Zixuan began again and hugged him tightly. He pulled Yanli into the hug as well, while Jin Ling stood there, tears of almost two decades of orphanhood now being released. 

After some time, Zixuan and Yanli pulled back, and Zixuan asked, "Have you cultivated well?"

Jin Ling only nodded, but his friends butted in. "Senior Jin, Jin Ling is excellent! He works very hard, the Jins are proud of him being Sect Leader," Sizhui spoke up.

"Yes, Senior Jin. He killed that Mo Long Hu!"

Jin Zixuan could never have been more proud. He patted his son's back, repeating one phrase: "Just like my son."

"He's my son, too, you know!"

"Wei Wuxian! What did you say?"

"Those three are all my sons. You better accept it!"

"Or else?"

"You peacock!"

"You...!"

As sorrowfully as it had all started, all of a sudden, two of the greatest cultivators of their generation were chasing each other around an array. The audience were clutching their sides, laughing at the chaos before them. 

Shijie was laughing. Wei Wuxian kept crying out Lan Zhan's name, asking for help. No more "SHIJIE!"s. She was more than glad he had found someone as precious, maybe more.

Jin Zixuan abruptly drew Suihua out. Wei Wuxian used Chenqing to block the first blow, then raised his arms in surrender, shouting, "STOP!"

"Fight like a man, Wei-xiong. Where's Suibian?"

"Suibian's with Wen Ning."

"Tch! Now what?"

"Oh no, Wei-xiong, don't let the peacock off today!" Huaisang screamed.

"But I can't hurt Chenqing!"

"It's not as soft as you! Fight!" Zixuan swung Suihua at Wei Wuxian without thinking twice. Wei Wuxian, who had already put Chenqing in his belt, covered his head with this hands. "SHIJIE! LAN ZHAN!"

Clang! Clash!

He looked up to see Jin Zixuan staring in amazement at a fallen Suihua, dropped to the ground by a shining sword. But the handle had no hand around it. The sword alone hung in mid-air, guarding Wei Wuxian, its blue glow signalling the presence of its spiritual form.

"Bichen?" The Chief Cultivator's sword had itself arrived to save its second master. Wei Wuxian crimsoned and smiled at Lan Zhan.

"Not fair!" Zixuan humphed.

"Attacking A-Xian? Alright then, I'll give you something fair!" Sandu and its owner flew into the fight as purple and gold clashed at each other in a memorable fight that made the juniors gape in awe. After some time, the two had come to a draw, and hence giving up, resorted to playing tag. Purple, gold and red ran round and round the array, which Wei Wuxian had secretly widened for the very purpose.

An entire quarter-hour or so dashed by, before Wei Wuxian halted, clutching at his red night-robes. The other two also stopped. 

Wei Wuxian quickly stood straight, crossed his hands behind his back and grinned. "Shijie, Jin-xiong, why are the two of you still here? Are you not at peace?"

"Well..." Zixuan couldn't speak.

Yanli took over. "A-Xian, I am at peace. I just stayed to wait until I got the chance to speak to my brothers and son."

"Mn. And Zixuan?"

Even Yanli couldn't speak now. She just looked down. Now it struck Wei Wuxian. "Oh, he was murdered." Forcing away the guilt, he continued, "Then, Shijie, you too were... killed." He spitted out the word. "How are you at peace?"

"Right, and why are you not in the Jin clan's white funeral clothes you were wearing?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"I died with a peaceful mind, A-Xian."

"She saved you." Wangji muttered. Wei Ying sighed and nodded.

"And Wanyin, if you are at peace after death, you bear the appearance of yourself in your happiest times." This reply was from none other than Xichen.

"Oh! So A-jie was happiest at Lotus Pier!" Jiang Cheng was beaming, at last.

"Yes. A-Cheng, my happiest times were my time with the two of you."

Both men smiled at their older sister, no tears left.

Wei Wuxian looked at his husband. "A-Zhan." A look of understanding passed between them. Lan Wangji nodded.

"Xiongzhang." Xichen also nodded.

Simultaneously, Liebing and Wangji flew out.

"Yanli-jie, Zixuan, ready to move on?" Xichen's kind eyes were sparkling with benevolence.

"Great!" The couple said, before looking at their son.

"A-Rulan."

"A-Ling."

"Stay strong!" They cheered him on. All he could do was smile and nod.

They hugged each friend in the room, from Huaisang to Wei Wuxian, then patted the two other juniors' heads and stood at the centre of the array, holding hands, twinkling.

Without a word, the Jades played a soft melody. In five minutes, not even a shadow of the heavenly couple was left. None had dared to bid farewell.

Wei Wuxian held his palm above the array. "Dismissed."

The intricate pattern vanished.

A few minutes passed in silence before Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian lifted their heads in surprise, a strange feeling of familiarity buzzing through them. "A-Cheng, the window." All glanced at the window.

In flew two butterflies, one amethyst, the other sprinkles of gold on white. Both flew to Jin Ling, kissed both cheeks.

Then, the marshmallow purple one flew over to each of the two Yunmeng Prides, kissing each of them on a cheek, before fluttering away with its golden other-half, dancing in the sunlight.

A lone tear dropped from every pair of eyes in the room.

The two were gone — but nobody had the time to fret over their departure.

Unable to hold on any longer, Wei Wuxian slumped to the floor, blood trickling from his mouth, staining his scarlet night-robes.

"A-Ying!"