Blue flames lit up a brightly illuminated little hut in an unknown mountainside. Wei Wuxian let the flames fade away and dusted down his robes before looking around. Finding Baoshan Sanren cultivating in a corner, he crossed his hands behind his back and grinned as he tiptoed over. Without warning, he jumped at her, flinging his hands around her neck and burying his chin in her collarbone. "Grandma!"

Baoshan Sanren shot out of her meditational reverie and chuckled. "You silly child," she patted his back.

"Scared Grandma, didn't I?"

"Hmph, scare me? Not even the Ghost King could scare me!" She grinned smugly.

"Oh, definitely, the fellow's pretty handsome and kind," Wei Wuxian laughed. "He's my bestie, Grandma! He won't scare you!"

Baoshan Sanren laughed and shook her head. "Figured as much. So? What brings you here?"

"Grandma won't believe it if I tell you I came just to see you?" Wei Wuxian sat in front of her and pouted. "I'm a filial grandson!"

"Right. But two things prove otherwise."

"What?"

"One. Cangse should have come with you. Two, I thought you wanted to introduce my grandson-in-law the next time you came? So? Where's the handsome lad you can't miss a moment with?"

"Grandma..." Wei Wuxian's pout deepened as he blushed and nudged her knees repeatedly with his fists in embarrassment. "Look, jokes aside, we need your help."

"My help? What for?" 

**********

"Zhan-Er? What do you mean only we can help?"

Lan Wangji, seated in front of his mother-in-law at her house in Cloud Recesses, sighed. "Demonic plague. Just Mama, myself and Baoshan Sanren can heal the patients."

"Why? What is this plague?"

"The Red Death."

"Such a strong demonic plague..." Cangse Sanren frowned. "What could have caused it?"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "Don't know, Mama. But we do know one thing. Cure's the energy of Immortals."

"Then Ying-Er?"

"Only spiritual."

"True, he's demonic himself," Cangse nodded. "So if our energy cures them, then that means... the plague's more of a possession?"

"Mn."

"Demonic possession? How does it transmit?"

"Selectively."

"Oh? The evil spirits select and possess?"

"Mn."

"Then we better find a pattern for the selection so we know which of the people will be at highest risk."

"Mn. Huaisang's started it. Said it tends to be young women with children."

"Hm? Non-virgin females? Sounds like a terrible ghoul at work. A-Sang's already gotten to work? What else? How far have you progressed?"

"Jiang Wanyin and Huaisang are producing medicine for fever and blood loss in stocks. Rulan and Sizhui have begun treatments with them. Gege and Huaisang are working on setting the scouts to pick out the possible targets."

"Excellent. Zhan-Er," Cangse smiled and tucked a strand of loose hair behind Lan Zhan's ear. "Your friends and sons are indeed amazing. Well then? Do we get to work?"

"Mn."

"And my mother?"

"A-Ying went to call her."

"MAMA!"

Cangse Sanren jumped at the sudden shout from behind her.

"Tee-hee, see, Grandma? I scared her at least!"

Baoshan Sanren shook her head and walked towards the table. "Wuxian, it would have been nicer to teleport to the porch and knock before barging in like this."

Lan Wangji smirked.

Cangse Sanren read his mind and burst out laughing. "Apparently, according to Zhan-Er here, Ying-Er never knocks," she laughed.

"A-Zhan!" Wei Wuxian plopped down beside him and punched him hard. "I'm going to put a sealing talisman on your mind now!"

"Mother came?" Cangse turned to Baoshan Sanren.

"Yes. Wuxian told about the Red Death."

Cangse Sanren nodded. "Zhan-Er told me. Oh, Mother, this is– Wait, no. Ying-Er!"

"Mama?" Wei Wuxian, who had been busy fixing Lan Zhan's hair ornament, turned around.

Cangse Sanren pointed with her eyes, rolling them from Lan Zhan to Baoshan Sanren.

"Ah?" Wei Wuxian blinked. "Oh, oh, okay. Er, Grandma...?"

"Yes?" Baoshan Sanren pretended to not understand anything that was happening and play along.

"Er, this is Lan Zhan. My..." Wei Wuxian gulped and crimsoned. "Ahem, hu– hus........ band..........."

"Pfft," Lan Zhan couldn't stifle the chuckle. In front of anyone else, Wei Ying would arrogantly stand in between Lan Zhan and the other person and proudly announce Lan Zhan to be his husband. Fluently. Without stammering. But when the person was his mother or grandmother... He covered his mouth and snickered heartily.

"Oi!" Wei Wuxian punched his arm. "I'm trying hard, okay?"

Lan Zhan gripped the hand that was punching him and clasped it tight to swallow the laughter. "Mn," he nodded and looked up at Baoshan Sanren with a helpless grin. Cangse Sanren stared at him, amazed. Zhan-Er never laughs. Never smiles either, at that. Ying-Er... you mean a lot to him, she beamed inwardly.

Baoshan Sanren was even more amazed. From what her pal, Wang Meihui, had said, Lan Wangji was one with a face as cold and hard as ice. Unbreakable ice. I guess Wuxian's the only sunshine that can melt his ice, she too grinned. She looked straight into Lan Zhan's golden eyes as he gulped down the smile, returned to his composed self and spoke.

"Baoshan Sanren, greetings. I'm Lan Wangji, Lan Zhan, Wei Ying's husband," he stood and bowed to her.

Baoshan Sanren's smile widened as she too rose and bowed to him.

Lan Wangji's eyes swelled in confusion when she bowed back.

"We're equally talented Immortals, you and I and Cangse and Wuxian. I see no inferiority in you," she explained with a smile. "Also, thank you for being by his side. All along."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, a sign that things would forever remain so. "Always, Baoshan Sanren."

Wei Wuxian's pouting face melted into a soft and tender smile at that. He and his mother also stood and turned to them. He quickly hugged Lan Zhan's arm tightly in gratitude for his words. Lan Zhan patted his hand.

"So, Wangji?" Baoshan Sanren cleared her throat. "What's the plan?"

Lan Wangji looked at them and explained in extremely short and accurate detail how he had worked it out with Luo Qingyang.

The ladies nodded and agreed in no time.

"Grandma's willing?" Wei Wuxian's eyes grew rounder.

"What? Why not?"

"Well, you've been in your mountain for God knows how long..."

"I've left the other orphaned cultivators there under my seniormost student's care so things are good. If my daughter and son-in-law are in this, I guess I can adapt. But I won't be speaking to a soul. I don't have anything to do with anyone but you three in this outside world, get me?"

"Yes, Madam!" Both Cangse Sanren and Wei Wuxian saluted.

"Cheeky brats," Baoshan laughed. "When do we start? And exactly which of us?"

"The four of us are embarking together," Wei Wuxian explained. "I'm just there to guard you. Should more of whatever these demons come, I know what to do," Wei Wuxian grinned, red eyes flashing momentarily.

"A-Ying..."

"Aish, A-Zhan, trust me it's not sacrificial!"

"Every one of your plans are."

"NO!" Wei Ying crossed his arms. "Look, trust me, okay? I'm the Demon Master! If I can't handle a bloody ghoul who feeds off non-virgin females, what the hell of a demonic Immortal am I? Hmph! Useless I would be. I'm doing this, you aren't stopping me."

Lan Wangji pursed his lips and turned to their mother for help. Cangse Sanren nodded subtly and narrowed her eyes, focussing on Wei Wuxian's mind as he ranted on. Mn, the plan's fine. Harmless, she nodded to herself and gave Lan Wangji a thumbs-up.

"Fine," Lan Zhan nodded, ending Wei Wuxian's rant. "I agree."

"Ha! Great! So the four of us will go. While the doctors and healers give the medication, you three will do the energy-passing."

"When things are done," Lan Wangji spoke, "Baoshan–"

"Grandma."

"Er... Grandma," Lan Zhan nodded with silent joy. "Grandma can go back. Mama and A-Ying and myself will return home."

"Well, I'm guessing there's hundreds to treat?" Baoshan Sanren turned to her daughter.

"Yes, Mother," Cangse Sanren nodded.

"Then we'll get started quick. Leaving now?"

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded.

"Well then," Baoshan Sanren tightened her ponytail and inclined her head to Lan Wangji. "Will Wangji Sanren show us the way?"

"Hahahaha!" Wei Wuxian doubled up laughing and sauntered out first, holding the door out for the new Sanren Trio. 

**********

"A-Sang? A-Sang? Are you alright, A-Sang dear?"

"Xuanji..." Nie Huaisang looked up from the scroll on his table to find his wife sitting across the table, shaking his hand, face frowning, worry etched across her rosy skin. "Ah, no, no... Just..." he held her wrist and pulled her hand up, placed her palm on his head and held it there, letting her cool skin — cool from the sweat of training — soothe his throbbing head.

"A-Sang..." Chen Xuanji sighed and stood. She shut the door to his hall, walked over to sit beside him, and forced his head down on her lap. Calloused and sturdy fingers running through his hair, she patted his arm. "What is it now?"

"Stupid plague..."

"What about it? Haven't the medical stocks been sent out?"

"Yes, and we're making more as well."

"Good. And haven't our Sanren Trio gotten to work?"

"Mhm."

"So? Everything's pretty great, right? What's the matter now?"

Nie Huaisang moped. "Tch, I really can't... Xuanji, just take that scroll. Read it and you'll see."

Chen Xuanji picked up the scroll and skimmed through the report from Jin Ling, Lan Sizhui and Ouyang Zizhen. "Lanling, Gusu and even Bailing? Bailing's got thiry-two? Both Lanling and Gusu passed the hundred patients mark!?"

"Yeah..."

"Wait..." Xuanji saw the last bit of the report and turned hastily to her husband. "What! Twenty from Qinghe as well!"

"Outskirts. The plague's attacking the lands of the higher up sects. Zizhen's sect has risen to almost our level thanks to Zizhen and Xiuying. So yeah. I think we're being targeted: LanlingJin sect, GusuLan sect, BailingOuyang clan and our QingheNie sect."

Chen Xuanji nodded but realised that there was something amiss in her husband's tone. "Jin... Lan... Ouyang... Nie... Hold on. Why aren't we getting news from the YunmengJiang sect?"

"That's proof."

"That it's them?" Xuanji frowned. "Impossible."

"No, not Jiang-xiong. It's proof that this plague is being kicked up by some person."

"What makes you think so?"

"Whoever it is..." Nie Huaisang grinned mischievously and proudly. "Is terrified of offending them."

"You mean afraid of Jiang Cheng?"

"Nah, everyone's afraid of him!"

"Ah? You mean it's someone avoiding Wuxian-gege's wrath?"

"Precisely," Nie Huaisang smacked his fan on his palm.