XiChen met them outside the Jingshi.

"Nie Huaisang is back. He wants to talk to all of us."

"I need to talk to you." Jiang Cheng pulled him away towards the Hanshi.

"Don't mind us!" Wei Ying shouted, laughing when they both blushed.

"I have to go see Shen Ling." Wei Ying told Lan Zhan.

"Do you want to rest first?" He held his shoulders.

"Aww. You're so sweet. I love you very much, Lan Zhan." He carefully cupped his face and kissed him. "But there's no time. I also want to know what Nie Huaisang has got for us."

"Then we will go together." Lan Zhan kissed him back. "I love you more," he added.

*****

Lan XiChen was worried about Jiang Cheng. He was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. He wasn't sure if he should interrupt or not.

"So..." He began. "I really missed you."

"I love you!" Jiang Cheng blurted out. And then looked horrified. "I mean, look...I didn't want to say it like that!" He resumed pacing. He pointed at him, accusingly. "This is your brother's fault! He made me ruin it."

XiChen was astonished. Out of all the different possibilities running through his head, that one didn't even make the list.

He couldn't stop smiling. XiChen went and stood in his way, waiting for him to stop, but Jiang Cheng was so caught up in his thoughts, he tried to go around. XiChen stopped him by holding onto his waist.

Jiang Cheng looked fearfully at him. It was such a foreign emotion on his face, that XiChen laughed. But Jiang Cheng looked hurt and was about to pull away, which sobered him up.

"I love you too. I just...I only realized it now." He admitted.

"You don't have to say it back."

"I know." This earned him a hopeful look.

"I think this time apart made me understand how important you are to me. It's different...to how I felt before...with Jin GuangYao." XiChen smiled. "See? I can even say his name and not feel...so terrible now."

"You mean it!" The joy on Jiang Cheng's have said it all.

He lifted XiChen up and whirled in a circle. "I'm so glad. I was worried it was too soon."

"I'm...happy." XiChen looked amazed now. "You make me happy."

Of course, Jiang Cheng had to kiss him."

Later, when they were walking to the library, XiChen remembered something.

"What did you mean, my brother made you? What has Lan Wangji got to do with this?"

"It's a long story." The blush crept up his neck, making XiChen even more curious. "Oh look, we're at the library." He hurried in with XiChen still looking at him.

*****

Shen Ling was also pacing. He stopped with one foot raised, looking in their direction as they approached.

Wei Ying bounded up to him. "I missed you, Shen Ling. And I have good news."

"Welcome, Young Master. I am also pleased to see you."

Wei Ying could sort of see him smiling, hard to say with all those exposed sharp teeth. And then he stopped suddenly. He couldn't mask his horror.

"Young Master!"

"Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan took his arm. "What's wrong?"

"I...I just realized...that bridge." He could feel his body shaking with rage and disgust.

"What bridge?"

"The one in my vision, the one you made me see.... it's made out of dragon teeth."

Shen Ling snarled. It was truly a frightening sound. Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying behind his body.

"How dare they? We should be revered, we are sacred creatures!" He roared. He took a running jump and flew up, into the air.

Wei Ying was shaking badly. Lan Zhan pulled him against his chest, securing him within his arms.

"Calm."

Wei Ying took big gulps of air. "I shouldn't have told him. That's not what I came to say."

"He will come back."

"Thank goodness you're back!" A desperate voice called out behind them.

Wei Ying wiped his face before turning and facing JingYi. He took a full step back. And then pulled Lan Zhan behind him.

JingYi had seen better days. "If you're wondering why I look like this," he waved a hand across his filthy body, "it's because, they're not babies any more."

Wei Ying squealed with delight.

"Let's go look, Lan Zhan!"

He pulled his husband into the stables, leaving a disgruntled JingYi outside.

"That wasn't the point, you know. I have studies!"

******

Wei Ying was much happier after he played with the dragon babies. They were delightfully strong, could even fly a little bit. The stables were probably going to be too small soon...

A disciple had to call them to the library.

Wei Ying had thought Jiang Cheng would be pacing and angry, but he actually looked happy.

Except when he saw him.

"Where have you been?"

"With the babies." Wei Ying replied, innocently.

Tea was poured as they began talking. XiChen was taking notes of all the relevant details. He paused when they told him about Wei Ying's curse.

"I'll get some disciples to start investigating this." He looked worriedly at Wei Ying. "How are you feeling now?"

"Not bad. The painkilling medicine is good for now. And," he blushed. "I've been keeping a close contact with the knife. It helps."

Then it was Nie Huaisang's turn.

"The Tower curator had a lot of information about cults, especially these Dragon Hunters. Did you know, they were actually an established sect until they started killing animals and that led to practice of the dark arts." He fanned himself. "That's why they were kicked out of the cultivation world. And because it didn't end there, they went underground."

"What do you mean?" Wei Ying asked.

"They were hunted by the Wens leading other clans to weed them out. There was no other way."