"If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul."
― Drew Barrymore

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Lan Wangji

I don my white robes and look at the sleeping figure on the bed. Wei Ying hates waking up this early but today it can't be helped.

I manage to wake him after a few kisses and hugs. He drags himself out of the bed and grumpily goes through his morning routine.

When he's ready, he looks at me, while I tie my headband, as if he was deciding what he could do with me. Then he moves close to me and rests his chin on my shoulder.

"I'm sleepy," he whines, leaning on me, like a small child who's complaining.

"We have to head out now."

"I know, I know."

I put my arms around him and let him stay that way for some time.

"Let's leave." He finally says with a sigh.

***

As expected the juniors were waiting for us. They greet us when we approach and we prepare to leave.

"I'll be joining you today." Says a familiar voice.

"Brother Xichen!" Wei Ying says and I hear a few gasps and murmurs. "We're glad."

When my brother was out of the earshot, Jingyi speaks out his confusion.

"Why are all three of you joining at once? Is this a test?"

"Let's say it's a test for us." Wei Ying says. "What, don't you want us to join now?"

"We do," Sizhui says, hitting Jingyi's head.

Wei Ying smiles. "All right, then let's leave."

***

The night hunt was planned in the woods. Generally, this area is used to practice fighting when a group splits up. But today, I instruct the team to stay close to each other. They were experienced enough to fight against fierce corpses, but since we were unaware of the numbers and the capabilities of the attack, it was best if they stay close to me, Wei Ying and my brother.

We were halfway through the exploration when the attack started. It was Wei Ying who first felt them approach.

"To your right!" Wei Ying yells, and I immediately summon Wangji attacking the wave of fierce corpses. Following me, my brother and the juniors start fighting against them.

As planned Wei Ying concentrates on the dark energy trying to locate the attacker.

"Lan Zhan, that way."

Wei Wuxain

I close my eyes and concentrate on the energy flow. I could feel Lan Zhan's energy clearer than the others, the unsettled energy of the corpses, the energy of the juniors here and there, and Zewu Jun's. But I don't find an attacker. I concentrate harder on the energy of the corpses and follow the command, and there I feel it, just a slight vibration not far from here.

"Lan Zhan, that way," I call him and he follows me towards the direction where I sensed the attacker.

There was something odd in this energy. Something oddly familiar.

I lead us to the place where I felt it, but what I find is not what I expected. Well, it was less than that.

It was a man who looked nothing out of ordinary, but dark energy was dwelling around him. He looks at me as if he was dreaming.

He is possessed.

I approach him but he seemed unbothered. I glance at Lan Zhan in confusion. Then he too moves close and at once something that came from the man attacks him. Lan Zhan ducks down and the thing that took the shape of a ball moves past him, and turns back and returns to the source.

"Lan Zhan, stay back. He doesn't attack me."

"Senior Wei..." I hear a familiar voice.

Oh no!

I look back and see Sizhui and a few other juniors run towards me.

"Sizhui stay back!" I yell, but it was too late. The man attacks in the same way as before. Seeing it Sizhui moves away, but it hits the disciple who was standing behind him, and he screams in pain as he falls. Like before the ball returns to him, but its color was red this time.

The fierce corpses were almost defeated and I see the other juniors too were coming to this direction, unaware of the danger

I have to protect the kids.

I take Chenqing out and start to play making a barrier around the juniors separating them from us. The man attacks once again, but it hits my barrier and rebounds. The impact affects me, and I feel a sharp pain within my body.

I couldn't fight him and protect the kids at the same time. Noticing it Lan Zhan and Zewu Jun takes over making the barrier and I focus on fighting the man.

For some reason, my instincts tell me to not harm him. So I try to send away the dark energy instead, even though it cost me way too much of my strength.

When I'm about to increase the force, I see another group of fierce corpses running towards the kids.

Oh come one... Give me a break.

I attack the corpses and exorcise the man simultaneously, and I feel fatigued making my vision blurred.

Hold on Wei Ying, a bit more.

Lan Zhan sends a wave of spiritual energy using Wangji towards the corpses, and they turn in to dust. With this help, I finally manage to separate the spirit from the man.

I suddenly feel dizzy and feel my legs give up when a pair of strong hands hold me.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan asks right next to my ear but it felt like it came from a thousand miles away. He sits down and leans me into him, and I feel drowsy with the comfort that I was feeling.

I barely register what's happening around me.

"Are you all right?" Zewu Jun asks the man, who was conscious but confused.

"Where am I?" he asks.

At once a voice laughs in my head, and I immediately recognize it. Suddenly I'm unable to think, as fear envelops me.

I know this voice. Of course, who else knows it better than me?

"I'm back!" it says

No!

A pang of dread strikes me and I cough out blood.

My vision darkens, and I lean back on the comfortable surface again, listening to his sweet, deep voice calling my name, as I fall into a slumber. 

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It was a bad idea to take the kids.

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