"Meilien?"

"A-Xuan?"

"Exactly where are we going?"

"Ask Susu."

"Hm," Zhao Haoxuan nodded and turned to his right, on which the two Immortal duo was walking beside him. "Susu, where are we going?"

"We..." Wei Wuxian gulped. "Well, we– I mean, A-Cheng heard of this demonic beast that had arrived to rest near some villages, bordering a forest here in Yunmeng."

"Oh? I see," Haoxuan, now almost fourteen, nodded. "But... Susu? Why do you attack beasts?"

"Huh?" Wei Wuxian looked down at him.

"I mean, why attack beasts? Just because they're demonic?"

"..."

Wei Wuxian turned to Jiang Cheng, who smirked. "Eh, A-Xuan, you an animal lover or something?"

"Sect Leader Jiang is, too!"

"Ah!" Jiang Cheng gulped and shut up, flushing with embarrassment.

Lan Xichen chuckled.

Wei Wuxian sighed and turned to the one person he really could trust to bring him out of all troubles.

"We don't attack indiscriminately," Lan Wangji replied to Haoxuan.

"But Hanguang-Jun..." Wei Wuxian was the only one Zhao Haoxuan would refer to intimately. "It's not righteous to kill beasts for the sake of ridding evil... Susu's a demonic cultivator, we don't chase him down to kill. Xiangxiang-jiejie's a demoness, Meilien's another demonic cultivator."

Lan Zhan smiled subtly, proud to see this young lad understood to distinguish between right and wrong at such a young age. Jin Zixuan was striving to make amends.

He shook his head, proceeding to explain. "It is righteous. Because we attack these beasts only once we find them out. Beasts are good at hiding, and can only be discovered if they cause harm to someone or something. Villages, people, cultivators, children, normal wild animals. Or if they wreck lands. So if we find them, then it means they have caused some harm." 

Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen gawked at him. Since when did Lan Wangji talk so much? The longest he'd spoken was only ever to his Wei Ying! 

A-Zhan? Wei Wuxian spoke through their connection. 

No need to be amazed, Lan Zhan smiled imperceptibly. I'm happy to meet another who thinks like me. 

Wei Wuxian smiled and nodded. 

"Ah..." Zhao Haoxuan nodded. "Then it is okay to attack them... So this beast? What did it do?"

Lan Wangji pointed to Jiang Cheng with the tip of Bichen. Jiang Cheng moped and blocked the sword with Sandu. "Lan Wangji!"

"Only passing the conversation to you," Lan Zhan muttered coldly and looked forward, returning his attention to the sounds of the forest.

Wei Wuxian sighed. A-Zhan... You still have that grudge on him?

Unremovable.

A-Zhan...

No use talking. I'll never forgive him.

Aish, A-Zhan darling, look–

A-Ying. Not a word more. Be happy I'm at least talking to him. For you and gege.

Wei Ying sighed. A-Zhan, you can be incredibly stubborn when you want to. But... he smiled. Also incredibly caring. So you're cool with A-Cheng only for me and gege? Hehe, such a darling... The smile broadened as he wrapped his hands around Lan Zhan's arm and hugged it close to his heart while they listened to the forest, alert through it all.

"Sect Leader Jiang?" Zhao Haoxuan turned to the newly core-bound duo to his left, striding beside Meilien.

"The beast has attacked a family of villagers who had gone hunting for pheasants in the jungle," Jiang Cheng answered him. "The mother was injured. Father and son safe. But the daughter... killed. That's how our watchtowers heard of it."

"KILLED!" Haoxuan gripped the sword in his right hand.

"See?" Meilien smiled at him.

"Mn, I understand now," he nodded.

"Strange," Lan Wangji muttered.

"I thought the same," Lan Xichen nodded.

"What?" Meilien looked up.

"The beast... its attacks..." Wei Wuxian nodded to them.

"Always the women," both Jiang Cheng and Zhao Haoxuan answered at the same time. 

Jiang Cheng laughed. "Look who's getting smarter, hm?"

Haoxuan blushed and nodded. "But, really. Always the women..." The clench on his sword tightened. "Meilien's the one in most danger here."

"Hey!" Jiang Meilien crossed her arms. "Don't get worked up, I can fight for myself, thank you," she huffed.

"Whatever," Haoxuan sighed and looked forward. 

Jiang Cheng went on to explain the beast's appearance as he understood from the reports. "So apparently it's... in height... looks like a... has... immense strength, not really to agile..." Meilien and Haoxuan listened close to the details.

"STOP!"

Jiang Cheng turned. "A-Xian?"

"Sh," Wei Wuxian kept a finger to his lips. "Not a word. Hush." Wei Ying took a step forward. Lan Zhan grasped his sleeve.

A-Zhan, I just sensed it, don't worry.

Sensed it? How far away?

Miles away... Kun Peng's senses are wonderful, Wei Ying grinned to him. Hey, no worrying, let me go. What's a little beast to me?

Mn, Lan Zhan nodded and let go of his black sleeve, albeit doubling his hold on Bichen.

Wei Wuxian took a few steps forward and looked into the forest, face turned north-east. "It's running. Seems to have sensed a fellow beast's presence," he smirked. "How I wish a Kun Peng had legs. And didn't need water. You guys ready? It's getting closer."

"Ready as hell," Jiang Cheng stroked his ring. Recalling, he looked down at the two children. Meilien had already brought out both Baishan and Xinqing. The necklace hung over her robes. Haoxuan unsheathed his own non-spiritual sword, the golden-lilac ring on his finger gleaming in the light reflected off the sword. Good, they both have their protections.

Wanyin, don't panic. They'll be fine.

Hah! I said that out loud?

No, just to me, Xichen grinned and turned to face the direction Wei Wuxian was glaring in.

"Here it comes," Wei Wuxian's red eyes readily took on their gleam. This thing was going to be dangerous, he could sense its deadly aura. He wasn't going to take it easy so that the children got to fight. Prepared for anything, is the best stance to take up, he decided.

Thundering and pounding footsteps raced towards them in time with their excitedly hammering hearts. The trees were pushed aside as a seven-foot tall lion crashed in, humongous golden spikes that blended in with its vermilion fur protruding from its back. Golden mane fluttered in the breeze it created, in the storm its clamorous feet kicked up.

"Exactly like Daddy described," Meilien gasped.

"Even deadlier when you really see it!" Haoxuan gulped, not as certain and confident as he had been anymore.

Wei Wuxian was the first. Chenqing at his lips, he tried controlling it. With the melody raging into its ears, demanding to manipulate it, the monstrous lion grew enraged. The beast pounced at Wei Wuxian, paw raised, crashing into him. Wei Ying found himself being pulled by his hand away from the beast, spinning round and round until he crashed into the familiar white chest. Slash! A pale blue flash wheeled out of Bichen, cutting into the beast's raised left paw, cutting it along the limb.

"Th–Thank you, A-Zhan..."

"Where's the 'incredible senses of a Kun Peng' now?" Lan Zhan smirked, holding him tight, mad at him for nearly getting killed by a damned lion.

"Tch, slow reflex," Wei Ying pouted embarrassedly.

Jiang Cheng shook his head and unleashed Zidian, swinging it sharply, wrapping it around the beast's neck. The lightning scorched its proud mane, but the lion wouldn't surrender, writhing and rolling until the lightning whip finally tore off its neck. Jiang Cheng found himself being thrown backwards by the swing of Zidian being tossed back at him. Lan Xichen sighed, catching him by the arms. "Your recklessness will kill you someday."

"You say it as though you'll be the happiest to see me die, hmph," Jiang Cheng harrumphed and shoved his arms away. "Meilien?"

Jiang Meilien nodded and lunged. Baishan's bright white flash sent the beast spiralling a foot away. A girl? A little girl could do this to it? Never had a lion been more infuriated.

Oh dear... Lan Xichen quickly moved closer to guard her and pulled out Shuoyue. He hadn't thought it necessary at first, but who'd have figured this thing could be so strong?

"How is it this powerful?" Wei Wuxian sulked, the usual series of melodies having failed to control it. Watching Jiang Cheng and Meilien attack it, occasionally joined by Xichen, he turned to Lan Zhan. "Lion with spikes on his back. Might this be the Qiong Qi?"

"That's a tiger. And it's much larger. As big as your Kun Peng."

"Oh, okay," Wei Wuxian moped. Not even the Qiong Qi, and he was actually getting tired with some useless lion? Tch, it's too powerful to be a normal demonic beast...

"Leave your doubts for later," Lan Wangji shouted at him, dashing in to block a pounce for Zhao Haoxuan. "A-Xuan?"

"I... I'm good, thank you, Hanguang-Jun."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, sighing at the look of zero-confidence on Haoxuan's face. "Trust yourself."

Huh? How did he know? Haoxuan stared as Lan Wangji joined the Pride and older Jade.

Wei Wuxian hopped up onto a high branch, from where he could easily watch the battle and play his tunes. I'lll have to go for something stronger, he bobbed his head to his thoughts and proceeded to call in hundreds of ghouls to capture the savage. Meilien leapt out of the battle, leaving it to her elders, and joined her uncle. While Xinqing and Chenqing played on, Haoxuan waved his hand and drew out a demonic talisman for summoning evil, slamming it into a tree next to him. Delighted at its success when he saw threads of black spinning into the woods from all around, under the calls of three demonic cultivators, he quickly drew out more.

"Five's enough," Lan Huan told him.

When five were done, Haoxuan wiped his brow. That had turned out well...

Rrrrrrrrrip! CRASH!

He looked up to see where the sounds had come from.

The threads and strands of demonic spirits, devilish ghouls and whatnot, had wrapped themselves around the beast, trying to take control if it, almost tie it up.

But something suddenly changed in the beast. Under the pressure of the evils swathed around it, its dark eyes flashed a bright green — just for a bare second — and it roared, tearing the spirits off of its body. All the thousands of ghosts wrapped around it were ripped off like wax torn off skin. The black smoke had spiralled away at top speed, away from the beast, crashing into the trees all around. Both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Meilien had fallen from their branch up above. Wei Wuxian just managed to grab a lower tree branch with his right hand, dangling from it while he held on to Meilien with his left.

"Good Lord!" Xichen ran over. But before he could suggest jumping to catch, or flying upwards himself to pick Meilien up, he heard Lan Wangji running to them.

But he was running backwards.

Tsk-ing, Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen helped him to block the beast.

Wei Wuxian stared in horror when he saw the lion dashing towards the tree. Right, women were its target. Must have seen Meilien hanging from my hand. With both himself hanging from the tree and his niece hanging from his hand, they were in too dangerous a situation: one slam on the tree's bark and they could go topping into the beast's wrath. Or fatally crash into the forest floor. Tch, I can jump off... Wei Wuxian swallowed, ignoring the height at which they hung above ground. Lan Zhan's still blocking it a few feet away... She might have a chance. "Little Lien, you better trust A-Xuan."

"HAH!" Meilien shrieked.

"If that thing crashes into our tree, you and I are going to fall ten feet down, might break a bone or skull. He's the nearest."

Meilien nodded, understanding his words — albeit in despair.

Just when the beast swung its humongous paw over the heads of the three fighters and straight into the tree, Wei Wuxian's hands shook, Meilien instantly giving away and falling.

Right into her friend's arms.

"Knew he'd catch you," Wei Wuxian sighed in relief, desperately holding on to the branch. Another punch by the beast and he found himself toppling downwards. He smirked, knowing too well what had slipped under his falling feet a few feet above ground. 

Mid-fall, he found himself standing atop Bichen, glowing bright white. "Hahhh, thank goodness," Wei Wuxian patted its handle, winking at Lan Zhan who was handling Wangji in the distance.

Lan Wangji blinked in confusion, gaping at the empty sheath in his waist belt. Exactly whose sword are you now? He chuckled inwardly, satisfied by at least his sword having noticed Wei Ying's danger.

The beast had had enough. A loud and tumultuous roar boomed through the forest, as it pouncing up, landing far behind the fighting trio in a single pounce. Too fast for either of them to even realise what had happened.

And just as fast, it swiftly sprinted towards the girl lying a few feet away and slashed its paw at her. Wei Wuxian blocked it with Bichen, jumping onto the grass and cutting its limb off with Bichen's flaming blade. The monster's wail of agony shook the ground, a second raised paw thrashing Wei Wuxian away to a side. Three of its claws had scraped against him, torn his robes apart, baring his chest to make visible the three gashes on his chest and the blood leaking out of them. Not like he cared. "Little Lien!"

Meilien stubbornly brandished her sword at the bloodthirsty beast, regardless of whether she was its target or not. Haoxuan fought with her, not as confident as she was. His manipulation of the metal was just as fantastic, but... how could he compare to Yunmeng's White Lotus?

Meilien dodged to avoid a punch in the face by the thing's paws, bending low to miss the attack. But just as she did, the lion lowered its head and deftly swiped its mouth at her. Screaming in pain, Meilien rolled away, clutching her arm. She had ducked away in time, but her arm was bleeding already.

At least it wasn't my head, she sighed with relief.

In a flash, an immobilising talisman had slammed onto the beast's front. In the two seconds for which it was immobilised, the creator of the talisman shot towards Meilien, checking on her wound.

"Nah, I'm fine," she trembled, while sub-consciously amazed by Haoxuan's swift talisman shooting. 

"Oh, shut up, Miss Valiant," he grumbled. "Look at yourself." Just then, another roar from the lion and a millisecond's flash of green eyes tore off the talisman on its back and it came crashing towards the two.

"Haoxuan!" Jiang Cheng sprinted.

"Meilien!" Lan Xichen readily sent Shuoyue into the distance, chasing after it but letting it go in to attack first.

Shuoyue hit the spiked back, digging into the flesh, crimson spilling over the wonderful gold. Zidian warped and buckled around the remaining front limb in an attempt to stop it from getting any nearer.

But both husbands stopped in their tracks when the huge head of a lion, mane gleaming gold, streaked with blood, rolled over the grass, landing somewhere near an unconscious Wei Wuxian's feet. Both Jiang Cheng and Lan Huan were holding onto a headless body. 

Lan Wangji knelt beside Wei Wuxian, moving him away from the head and lying him against a tree before turning to the children.

Jiang Meilein was... shocked? Mind blown? Amazed? No, 'amazed' barely summed it up. 'Awestruck' sounded right.

Or simply just... dumbfounded.

"A... A-Xu... A-Xuan?"

Haoxuan's own mouth was hanging in the air. "It... I... What?" He stared at the head and yelped when the headless body crashed down to the ground, lifeless. He looked down at his sword. Sure enough, scarlet dripped down its blade. "HUH!"

"Woah..." Jiang Cheng beamed and slapped his back. "A-Xuan, excellent!"

"I... k– killed it?"

Lan Xichen laughed as he walked closer, lightly pushing the lion's body away from them with Shuoyue before spinning around to face them. "A-Xuan, you did great."

Zhao Haoxuan nodded slowly, realising the unbelievable fact that he had just killed whatever that... thing... was. Remembering what he had done it for in the first place, he turned around. "Meilien? Are you alright?"

Jiang Meilien was leaning against a tree, watching her unconscious uncle when she turned to face him. "Hm?"

"Are you alright? It bit your hand?"

"No... Teeth grazed my upper arm, that's all."

Jiang Cheng bent beside her and rolled up her sleeve. "It's hideous. We've all got injuries, you and A-Xian have got the worst, we'll go get treatment. Yunxi will have a lot of work today," he grinned, picking Meilien up in his arms. "Lan Wangji?"

"He's waking up," Lan Zhan nodded, lightly slapping Wei Ying's cheeks with the back of his palm.

Silver eyes yawned open and squinted at Lan Zhan's whiteness. "Ah, A-Zhan... What happened?"

"Killed."

"You're the best," he smiled.

"Not me." Lan Wangji nodded to Zhao Haoxuan who had rushed to their side to check on Susu. The other three approached slowly.

"Ah?" Wei Wuxian sat up, leaning on his husband out of fatigue. "A-Xuan?"

"Mn," Haoxuan smiled.

"Truly unbelievable... Proud of you, boy! Hey, where's Little Lien?"

"Susu..." Meilien whimpered from Jiang Cheng's arms. Lan Xichen rubbed her hair, frowning at her wincing in pain.

"Little Lien!" Wei Wuxian stumbled up onto his feet. "What's wrong?"

"It attacked her arm," Jiang Cheng answered.

"Then we'll get home– f– fast..." he gulped, body slumping inadvertently.

Lan Wangji held him by the arm. "You're injured. You both need treatment, so let's get going."

"We're all injured, turns out," Lan Xichen waved his hand from his bleeding leg to Jiang Cheng's sprained wrist to Haoxuan's little cut on his forehead. "Fierce fight. Let's go home."

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded and got onto Bichen, careful not to hug Wei Ying too close should the wounds be compressed.

Shuoyue carried Xichen and Haoxuan while Sandu took Jiang Cheng and Meilien in his arms.

**********

"You can still carry her, when she's so tall and strong," Jiang Yunxi chuckled, tucking the ends of the white strip of cloth around Meilien's arm into the bandage.

"Well, not everyone needs to be a Lan to have arm strength," Jiang Cheng humphed, crossing his arms, shooting a side-glance to his husband when Xichen cleared his throat to stifle a laugh. "Plus, Meilien's tall but light. Like A-Xian." Must be a Wei body feature by blood, he sighed internally. "No wonder even A-Xuan could catch her at thirteen!"

"Catching her in your arms at thirteen itself, eh, A-Xuan? Keep going!" Yunxi laughed, ruffling Zhao Haoxuan's hair. Haoxuan crimsoned and looked away. Jiang Meilien blinked, clueless as to what Yunxi was hinting at. Or what Haoxuan was irritatedly blushing for. 

"Tch, won't even let a child be a child, will you, Yunxi?" Baozhai smacked his head.

"HEY!"

"What?"

"Watch it!"

"Dare you to fight back!"

"I can't sword fight with you," Jiang Yunxi stood and dusted his hands, giving Meilien a thumbs-up. "But who said I can't just punch you in the face?" He shouted at Baozhai, ramming his fist into Baozhai's cheek playfully.

"Thanks for the pat on the cheek," Baozhai snickered.

"You two haven't stopped fighting all these years, eh?" Wei Wuxian shook his head from the bed nearby. "Not fair! Yunxi, remove this stupid thing, I want to join!"

"Ahem," Yunxi bit back the grin. "You see, I wouldn't mind it, but there's someone here ready to kill me with Bichen if I play the fool with you while you've got three wounds in your chest."

Lan Wangji nodded with a smug "Mn." 

Wei Wuxian smirked and hugged the sheets. "Yunxi, why do I have to stay in bed?"

"All this time you were pale and weak, and you still are, just because you want to fight doesn't mean you can fight! Now shut up and stay there, wait till you're better, I'll have a bloody duel with you if you want, later," Jiang Cheng cut in.

"Woah, woah, calm down, I'll stay, I'll stay. But... hey, at least get me something to eat."

"Er..." Xichen nudged the bowl of soup beside Wei Ying's bed in the Healing Hall.

"Aish, no, gege," Wei Ying shook his head. "A-Cheng knows what I mean," he winked.

"I'm pretending I don't. I'm staying with Meilien, I can't be running around fetching my greedy gege sweets," he humphed.

"GEGE?" Baozhai, Yunxi and Qiao shouted.

"Er... Erm... Ahem..." Jiang Cheng looked down at his feet and turned all attention to Meilien.

"I'll get them if you promise to stay put," Lan Wangji tapped Wei Ying's hand.

Wei Wuxian nodded eagerly. "Tie me up with my ribbon if you want," he chuckled, making Lan Zhan's ears turn red as he sprinted out to get cotton candy, chocolates, and whatever he wanted. 

"Meilien?" Jiang Cheng stroked her hair as she sat on the edge of Wei Wuxian's bed. "Are you alright?"

"Ah?"

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Little Lien? You look flustered."

"Ah... Er..." Meilien pursed her lips. She turned to her other father. Lan Xichen was standing by the bedside, a hand on Zhao Haoxuan's shoulder. "Shouldn't Daddy send him home?"

"We should, he wouldn't go until your bandaging was done."

"I'm alright now, A-Xuan, go home before Uncle and Auntie start worrying."

"Oh," Haoxuan nodded. "Then, I will."

"And tomorrow morning," Jiang Cheng turned to him. "Come here. Tell your parents. You're coming with Meilien and us to Cloud Recesses."

"Lessons by Susu?" Haoxuan asked.

"No, child," Wei Wuxian laughed, feebly reaching out to tousle his hair. "The records of night hunts have always been kept in the hands of the Lan sect. You should report last night's events to Sect Leader Lan."

"Sizhui-gege!" Haoxuan beamed.

"Yes, him. And also... You killed a beast on a night hunt. You've got to get your bounty. Chief Cultivator has to give that, so you guys will go to the Unclean Realm in Qinghe as well. Huaisang will be ecstatic."

"Chief Cultivator!" Oh wow... Haoxuan's cheeks grew rosier in humble pride.

"Say Zhilan and Little Zian I said hello," Wuxian smiled. "Xuanji-mei, too."

"Susu's not coming?" Meilien asked.

"You two and Meilien's fathers will go, that's enough. You know your Lan Shushu... A-Zhan won't let me off until I'm two hundred percent better."

Meilien nodded.

"Then I'll be going!" Haoxuan waved to Wei Wuxian and walked with Lan Xichen to the door. "Zewu-Jun, I can go–"

"I took responsibility for your safety. I need to hand you over. And thank your parents for raising such a brave son who saved my daughter," he smiled.

Haoxuan nodded happily and stepped over the threshold.

Wei Wuxian looked up at Meilien seated near him, smiling at her clenched fists. "Little Lien... anything to say?"

"A-Xuan!"

Haoxuan stopped and spun around. "Meilien?"

Xichen winked to Wuxian, who smiled weakly back.

"A-Xuan... Thank you."

"Ah? For what?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," she snapped. Realising she was being like her Jiang father, she took a deep breath and calmed down. "Er... For saving me. Thank you. For catching me earlier, and for saving me afterwards. I... wouldn't be here... safe and alive... if it weren't for you... so thank you." Flustered and completely out of composure, she looked down at her dancing feet and twiddling thumbs.

Jiang Cheng sighed. Why does she send off 'me' vibes...

"Ah... Er... Y– You're welcome..." Haoxuan nodded.

"I saw you were unsure of yourself. But you did that... thank you for trusting in yourself."

"Hm," Haoxuan nodded.

"Really?" Wei Wuxian smiled. "I saw it too. Confidence was zero, A-Xuan, you've got to be more sure of yourself. But well, looks like damsel-in-distress mode puts you into the fighting mood?"

"Certainly," Baozhai laughed.

"I... I– I– I'm going! Bye, Meilien!" Without waiting for Xichen, Haoxuan ran outside. Laughing, Xichen chased after him.

"Though, I must say," Jiang Cheng nodded. "He really almost... transformed when Meilien was in danger."

"Right?" Wei Wuxian beamed. "Right!" 

"Seriously?" Jiang Qiao smiled. "Well, then. I guess last night was on fire. Heroic soul, affectionate heart, all opened up."

"Haoxuan is going to be beyond famous," Yunxi clapped gleefully. 

"Famous, handsome, heroic, talented," Jiang Qiao chirruped in a mock-girlish voice. 

Jiang Baozhai laughed and joined in. "Valiant, gallant, an undaunted knight!" 

"I know!" Wei Wuxian snapped his fingers, laughing along with them. "Young Master Charming!" 

"HAHAHAHA!" the girls laughed. 

"Tch, Susu..." 

"Oh, sorry, sorry. Apologies for mocking your saviour, that breathtaking young swain, darling damsel," Wei Wuxian chuckled. 

Grumbling under her breath, ears red-hot, she marched out of the Healing Hall, followed by a snickering Jiang father.