The implications of what both the brothers were saying wasn't lost on anyone.

"You think it's connected to why we're here?" Hui Gai asked, unconsciously moving to stand next to Wei Ying.

Even Lan Zhan shuffled closer, squeezing his hand.

"I'm saying it's connected to something, and whether or not it's anything to do with whatever we find out here, that remains to be seen. But you have to admit, something just lying around and maybe shoved from place to place, when something like that can't be found, that's suspicious." Wei Ying admitted.

"Mn."

"I agree. Maybe we ought to take a trip to Lotus Pier too, just to see if we can find it." Jiang Cheng said.

"I love going home." XiChen injected.

Everyone turned in surprise towards him then.

Jiang Cheng had a warm smile on his face as he tugged the Sect Leader closer and kissed his temple.

"I didn't know you thought of Lotus Pier as your home. That's nice." He murmured to his husband.

"A person can have more than one home, you know. And I have nothing but good memories of that place. Only when you were ill..." He stopped himself from continuing.

"Well, as long as we're here, we should probably do what we came for." Wei Ying quickly changed the subject and Jiang Cheng shot him a grateful smile.

Lui Xing meaning Falling Star village was a medium sized place with around five hundred residents. There were clusters of cabin-like homes and cottages littered about, close enough to be called part of the same village, but far enough apart to afford some privacy between the residents. It was relatively clean and organised with patches of vegetation, at the moment barren because of the end of the winter time, but Wei Ying could see the beginnings of shoots springing up here and there.

Outside one of the huts, an old lady wearing a brown shawl stoked a fire. She eyed them at first suspiciously, but recognition dawned on her face as she took in their coloured robes. She stood up and bowed, her aged face crinkled with years of understanding.

"Madam, please rise. We have come to ask you questions about your village." XiChen said, lifting up her arms.

"Where is everyone?" Wei Ying asked, looking around.

He spotted a few faces behind dirty windows, hurrying away when he made eye contact. There was an underlying fear present here, one not easily felt unless you were looking for it.

Jiang Cheng threw him a questioning glance.

"It's not that late in the afternoon...at the very least, children would normally be running around, people would be out...all that kind of ordinary bustling around...is missing." He explained.

"These aren't ordinary times though, are they?" The old lady spared him a shrewd look. "At least we should be glad that finally, the Cultivation Sect under which we reside deemed it necessary to visit." She had a tone.

XiChen blushed. He was about to answer when Jiang Cheng did instead, perhaps more defensively than was needed.

"The Lan Sect is responsible for over a hundred villages like this one. It would be prudent to remember that." He would have said more, but a hand on his arm from his husband stopped any more words from coming out.

"We're here now. And someone of your sharp wit would surely have grasped the reason for our visit. Now please tell us, how many victims has your village suffered? Where is the current Leader? Perhaps it would be easier to talk to him." XiChen took control of the situation immediately.

Lan Zhan had often seen his brother in action, and it never failed to impress him how exactly efficient his brother was. Even in the little things like making sure he was respectful while being respected, it was a talent. And one he could appreciate, because when it came to talking to strangers, Lan Zhan was beyond uncomfortable. He could do it, but his brother was so much better at it than he was himself.

"The leader was my son." She replied, and with the long drawn out sigh, it seemed her fighting will also disappeared. She sat down heavily, stoking her fire again. "We have had over twenty deaths in this village alone. All over fifty, all falling asleep for three days and dead on the fourth. There is no explanation." She sighed again.

"There has to be. We cannot let something like this happen and not do anything about it." XiChen insisted. "Where was the last place he went? Could it have been something as easy as a snake bite?"

She laughed scornfully.

"I've seen a fair amount of snake bites. But he had nothing on his body to suggest a venomous bite."

"I think you're on to something, XiChen-Ge." Wei Ying suddenly said. "Where was the last place he went?"

"Him and a group of five went to the city. When they came back in the early hours of the morning, he went to sleep. And then he didn't wake up." She said flatly.

"So did that happen to anyone else who went with him?" Wei Ying felt the beginning of excitement, a growing need to pull on this thread they had found.

"Call those men here." XiChen demanded. "Let's talk to them face to face. Is there anywhere we can use as a temporary office?"

The woman gestured to the building behind her.

"You can use my home. I'm the only one left now. Plenty of space."

There was no bitterness in her voice, only a sorrowful resignation.

Wei Ying felt terribly sad on her behalf.

She gave a low whistle and a little boy ran out from the neighbouring house. She whispered in his ear what she wanted him to do, and he ran off eagerly to do it.

XiChen went inside her home, and they followed. Soon, the door opened and four men came in, looking frightened and uncertain.

"Please sit down." XiChen gestured towards the floor, where he was sitting with Jiang Cheng.

Wei Ying preferred to stand, so he leaned against Lan Zhan while Hui Gai fidgeted. He was examining the room out of curiosity, picking up trinkets and smelling them, wrinkling his nose in disgust now and then.

The house itself was clean on the inside, which was a feat for the old woman still seated outside.

"What do you want?" One of the men asked nervously.

"Do not be anxious." XiChen hurried to reassure them. "We just want to get a general idea of what happened on the night you all went into the city. And I thought the old lady said five of you and her son? Why did only four of you come here? Where's the fifth person?"

"He's currently in the Sleeping coma. It's his second day." One of the men replied, looking at his companions.

Wei Ying studied them all. They looked over forty for sure, their faces weathered by nature and working out in the fields.

"Perhaps you can take us to see him after we are finished here?" XiChen continued.

They nodded.

"Why did the six of you visit the city? Where did you go?" XiChen had pulled out a piece of parchment and ink, an inkstone and a brush, and was making notes as they talked.

"Every year around this sort of time, we go into the city. Mostly it's to see what's new, we talk to other traders to see what the current prices of our crops is going to be, pick up tools and supplies ready for the spring and the first plantings. Ordinary stuff." The little group's speaker told them.

"So what did you do after that?" XiChen asked.

The four men looked a little bit guilty as they glanced at each other.

"If there's any money left, we go and spend it at the local wine house. The one we picked...it had...had a .... brothel upstairs." Their faces were red from embarrassment.

"Ah..." XiChen understood now, why they were blushing.

"Did all of you go?" Wei Ying asked them, his gaze sharp now.

"There must have been something in the drink...we all felt intoxicated too soon. I fell asleep." One of them said, too quickly.

There were murmurs of "so did I" and "I can't remember".

Wei Ying had a feeling that even if they knew anything, they would be too embarrassed to say. Especially if they were married.

Nobody wanted to rock the boat unnecessarily.

"XiChen-Ge...would it be possible to go and visit the sleeping man instead?" Wei Ying said. He had the beginning of a plan in his head, and it would be far more effective than trying to milk these fellows for information.

"Yes...I think you're right. Even if they know something, they won't tell us." XiChen said, abruptly.

The four fellows had the good grace to look embarrassed, but true to his words, they didn't offer anything else.

"We can take you to our friend." One of the men said, clearly relieved.

They all stood up to go.

"So be it. Lead the way." XiChen said, following them out.