Chapter 43

Chapter 43: The Ninth Companion

He hadn't really expected Lan Wangji to actually drink with him. He tilted his head back and drained the cup in one go. Unexpectedly, Lan Wangji looked at him, remained silent for a moment, then lightly rolled up his sleeves, poured himself a cup, paused, and slowly drank it down.

Wei Wuxian was slightly surprised and said, "Hanguang Jun, you're actually drinking with me? That's surprisingly thoughtful."

The last time they drank, Wei Wuxian hadn't paid much attention to Lan Wangji's expression, but this time he did so intentionally.

When Lan Wangji drank, he closed his eyes, slightly furrowing his brows. He finished the cup in one gulp, inconspicuously pressed his lips together, and then opened his eyes. His gaze took on a soft, misty sheen.

Wei Wuxian propped his chin on his hand and began counting silently. Sure enough, by the eighth count, Lan Wangji put down his cup, supported his forehead, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Wei Wuxian was thoroughly impressed: fall asleep before getting drunk, as expected!

A strange, almost irresistible urge welled up inside him. He finished the remaining wine in the jug, stood up, and paced back and forth in the private room with his hands behind his back. After a short while, he walked over to Lan Wangji's side, leaned down, and whispered in his ear, "Lan Zhan?"

No response. Wei Wuxian tried again, "Wangji?"

Lan Wangji supported his forehead with his right hand, his breathing steady and even.

His face and the hand supporting his forehead were pale and flawless, like polished jade.

The faint scent of sandalwood emanating from him was originally cold and somewhat desolate. But now, mixed with the aroma of wine, the cold fragrance took on a hint of warmth, as if blended with a touch of sweet intoxication, subtly enchanting.

Wei Wuxian, getting closer, found the scent enveloping his breath. Involuntarily, he leaned even closer, lowering himself further, vaguely thinking, "How strange... Why do I feel a bit warm?"

Amidst the wine and sandalwood fragrance, his face drew nearer, yet he remained completely unaware, his voice dropping lower with a hint of flirtatiousness, murmuring, "Lan... Brother..."

Suddenly, a voice drifted over, "Young Master..."

Wei Wuxian snapped out of his daze, his face almost touching Lan Wangji's. The "Brother" was about to leave his lips when he heard the sound. His feet slipped, and he nearly fell over.

He immediately shielded Lan Wangji behind him and turned to face the source of the sound, the wooden window.

The window was tapped gently, and a small voice slipped through the window seam, "Young Master..."

Wei Wuxian realized his heart was beating a little fast and thought it strange. He steadied himself, walked over, and suddenly opened the window. A black-clad figure was hanging upside down outside the window, having just hooked onto the eaves, about to tap again. Wei Wuxian startled him by suddenly opening the window, hitting his head. The figure let out a soft "Ah," and caught the window with both hands, meeting Wei Wuxian's gaze.

A cold night breeze rushed in through the window. Wen Ning's eyes were no longer a dead white but had a pair of quiet black pupils.

The two stared at each other for a moment, one standing upright, the other hanging upside down.

Wei Wuxian said, "Get down."

Wen Ning lost his grip on the eaves and fell, landing heavily on the ground below.

Wei Wuxian wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead.

He thought to himself, "Couldn't have picked a better spot!"

Fortunately, they had picked this tavern. For the sake of quietness, the wooden window of the private room faced a small forest instead of a busy street. Wei Wuxian propped the window open with a pole and leaned out to look down. Wen Ning's heavy body had created a human-shaped indentation in the ground, and he lay there, still staring up at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian whispered, "I meant 'come here,' not 'fall down.' Understand?"

Wen Ning looked up at him, got up from the indentation, patted the dirt off his clothes, and hurriedly said, "Oh, I'm coming."

He then hugged a pillar, preparing to climb up. Wei Wuxian said, "Stop! Stay there, I'll come to you."

He returned to Lan Wangji's side, leaned close to his ear, and said, "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, please sleep for a while longer. I'll be right back. Be good, alright?"

After saying that, his hand started to tingle, and he couldn't resist using his fingertip to lightly brush against Lan Wangji's eyelashes.

Lan Wangji's long lashes fluttered slightly, and he shifted uncomfortably, his brows furrowing. Wei Wuxian retracted his hand, leaped out of the window, and after a few bounds on the eaves, landed on the ground. Just as he turned around, Wen Ning knelt down in front of him.

Wei Wuxian said, "What are you doing?"

Wen Ning remained silent, head bowed. Wei Wuxian said, "Do you really need to talk to me like this?"

Wen Ning replied softly, "I'm sorry, Master."

Wei Wuxian said, "Alright."

After that, he also knelt down in front of Wen Ning. Startled, Wen Ning immediately kowtowed to him. Wei Wuxian reciprocated by kowtowing to Wen Ning. Frightened, Wen Ning jumped to his feet, and Wei Wuxian stood up, patting the dust off his clothes, saying, "Isn't it better to speak with your back straight like this?"

Wen Ning kept his head low and dared not speak. Wei Wuxian asked, "When did you come back to your senses?"

Wen Ning said, "Just now."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Do you remember what happened when the skull spikes were in your head?"

Wen Ning said, "I remember some things... and some I don't."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What do you remember?"

Wen Ning said, "I remember being chained in a dark place, and it seemed like someone came to check on me occasionally."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Do you remember who it was?"

Wen Ning said, "No, I only know someone was driving nails into my head."

Wei Wuxian said, "It was probably Xue Yang, who used to be a guest of the Jin family of Lanling. He controlled Song Lan with the skull spikes too. It's unclear whether he acted on his own or under the orders of the Jin family of Lanling." After thinking for a moment, he added, "It was probably the Jin family of Lanling's orders. Back then, they claimed you had been reduced to ashes. Without the Jin family's interference, Xue Yang couldn't have pulled it off on his own."

"What happened after that? How did you end up at Dafan Mountain?"

Wen Ning said, "Later, after what seemed like a long time, I suddenly heard clapping, and I heard you say, 'Not awake yet,' so I... broke the chains and rushed out..."

That was the command Wei Wuxian had given to the three corpses at the Mo family estate.

The Yiling Patriarch had given countless commands to the Ghost General back then, so when Wei Wuxian returned to the world, the first order he gave was heard by him as well.

Thus, Wen Ning, confused, followed the guidance of his fellow corpses and Wei Wuxian's command. The Jin family of Lanling also understood that they couldn't publicize the fact that they were hiding the Ghost General. If the news got out, it would not only damage the family's reputation but also cause panic. So, even though Wen Ning escaped, they didn't dare to pursue or put out a large-scale manhunt, feeling constrained. Wen Ning wandered aimlessly until he finally caught up with Wei Wuxian's flute summons at Dafan Mountain and successfully reunited with him.

Wei Wuxian sighed and said, "Your 'after what seemed like a long time' actually means over a decade has passed."

After a pause, he said, "Well, it's been about the same for me. Do you want me to tell you about some things that have happened over the years?"

Wen Ning said, "I've heard some things already."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What have you heard?"

Wen Ning said, "I heard that the Burial Mounds are gone, and everyone... everyone is gone."

Wei Wuxian had been planning to tell him some minor details, like how the Lan family's rules had increased from 3,000 to 4,000. But Wen Ning's opening was so heavy that Wei Wuxian fell silent.

Though it was heavy, Wen Ning's tone wasn't filled with grief, as if he had already known. In fact, he had indeed known. More than a decade ago, the worst possible outcomes had been anticipated many times.

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian asked, "What else have you heard?"

Wen Ning softly said, "That Jiang Cheng, the family head of the Jiang family, led people to attack the Burial Mounds. And that... he killed you."

Wei Wuxian said, "I need to clarify, it wasn't him who killed me. I died because of a backlash from using my powers."

Wen Ning finally looked up and met his gaze, saying, "But… Lord Jiang seemed to—"

Wei Wuxian said, "You can't expect to walk on a tightrope forever without falling. Some things just can't be helped."

Wen Ning seemed like he wanted to sigh, but he had no breath to do so. Wei Wuxian said, "Alright, let's not mention him anymore. Did you hear anything else?"

"Yes," Wen Ning looked at him. "Young Master Wei, you died a horrific death."

Seeing his sorrowful expression, Wei Wuxian said, "Come on, didn't you hear anything good?"

Wen Ning frowned and said, "No, not a single piece of good news."

Wei Wuxian found himself at a loss for words.

At that moment, a loud sound of shattering porcelain came from the hall on the first floor. Lan Jingyi's voice followed, "Weren't we just talking about Xue Yang? Why are we arguing about this now?"

Jin Ling angrily said, "We were talking about Xue Yang, am I wrong? What did Xue Yang do? He's a beast of a person, but Wei Ying is even more disgusting! What do you mean, 'we can't lump them all together'? These demonic deviants are a scourge on the world and should all be wiped out, killed, exterminated!"

Wen Ning stirred, but Wei Wuxian gestured for him to stay still. Lan Jingyi joined in, shouting, "Why are you so angry? Sizhui didn't say Wei Wuxian shouldn't be killed, he just mentioned that not all who cultivate the ghost path are like Xue Yang. Is there a need to throw things around? I hadn't even eaten that yet..."

Jin Ling sneered, "Didn't he also say, 'the creator of this path probably didn't intend to use it for evil'? Who is the 'creator of this path'? Tell me, other than Wei Ying, who else could it be? It's baffling. You Gusu Lan family are also a prestigious cultivator clan. Didn't many of your people die at Wei Ying's hands? Was dealing with Wen Ning and the Yin Tiger Tally not a headache? How come you, Lan Yuan, are speaking in such a strange manner? Are you trying to defend Wei Ying?"

Lan Yuan, also known as Lan Sizhui, defended himself, "I'm not trying to defend him. I'm just suggesting that we shouldn't rush to conclusions without understanding the full story. Before we came to Yi Cheng, many people assumed that Chang Ping of the Liyang Chang family was killed by Daozhang Xiao Xingchen in retaliation. But what was the truth?"

Jin Ling said, "Whether Chang Ping was killed by Daozhang Xiao Xingchen or not, no one saw it. Those were just speculations, not assertions. But Wei Ying's ambush on the Qiongqi Road and the massacre at the Nevernight Pavilion, how many cultivators lost their lives in those two battles, at the hands of Wen Ning and the Yin Tiger Tally? Those are facts seen by countless people, undeniable and irrefutable! And he incited Wen Ning to kill my father and caused the death of my mother, things I will never forget!"

If Wen Ning had any blood left in his face, it would have drained away at that moment.

He whispered, "…Lord Jiang's son?"

Wei Wuxian remained still.

Jin Ling continued, "My uncle grew up with him, my grandfather treated him like his own son, and even my grandmother wasn't unkind to him. But what did he do? He turned Lotus Pier into a nest of rabble for the Wen family, caused the Yunmeng Jiang family to fall apart, and led to the deaths of my grandparents and parents. Now, only my uncle remains! He brought this on himself, caused chaos, and ended up dying without even a proper burial! What's unclear about this story? What is there to defend?"

His aggressive tone left Lan Sizhui speechless. After a while, another young man said, "Why are we arguing about this? Can't we just drop it? We're eating, and the food is getting cold."

Recognizing the voice, it was the "romantic" young man Wei Wuxian had teased before. Another person chimed in, "Zizhen is right. Let's not argue. Sizhui just spoke without thinking. He didn't mean any offense. Jin Ling, sit down and eat with us."

"Yes, we just came out of Yi Cheng, we've been through life-threatening situations together... Must we quarrel over an unintentional mistake?"

Jin Ling snorted. Only then did Lan Sizhui speak again, still polite, "Apologies, I was careless with my words. Jin Ling, please sit. If we keep arguing, we might draw Hanguang Jun down here."

The mention of Hanguang Jun had an immediate effect. Jin Ling stopped his grumbling, and the sounds of moving tables and stools indicated he had sat down. The hall grew noisy again, and the voices of the young cultivators were soon drowned out by the clattering of dishes and utensils. Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning remained standing quietly in the small grove, both with heavy expressions.

In silence, Wen Ning knelt down again without a sound. It took Wei Wuxian a while to notice his movement. He gave a vague wave and said, "It's not your fault."

Just as Wen Ning was about to speak, he suddenly looked past Wei Wuxian, his expression shifting slightly. Before Wei Wuxian could turn around, a white-clad figure passed him and kicked Wen Ning in the shoulder.

Wen Ning was kicked into the ground, leaving another human-shaped imprint.

Wei Wuxian quickly grabbed Lan Wangji, who was preparing to kick again, and said repeatedly, "Hanguang Jun, Hanguang Jun! Calm down, please!"

It seemed that the time for rest had passed, and now it was time for him to act. Lan Wangji seemed even more composed than before. His boots were perfectly in place, and even when performing such a rough action as kicking Wen Ning, his expression was solemn, righteous, and impeccable. After Wei Wuxian pulled him back, Lan Wangji straightened his sleeves, nodded, and stood proudly in place, no longer kicking as instructed. Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to ask Wen Ning, "You okay?"

Wen Ning said, "I'm fine."

Wei Wuxian said, "You good? Get up! Why are you still kneeling?"

Wen Ning rose to his feet and, after a moment of hesitation, said, "Lan Wangji."

Lan Wangji furrowed his brow, covered his ears, and turned his back to Wen Ning, positioning himself in front of Wei Wuxian to block his view.

Wen Ning blinked, unsure of what to say.

Wei Wuxian said, "You better not stay here. Lan Wangji, uh, doesn't like seeing you."

Wen Ning looked confused. "What's wrong with Lan Wangji?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Nothing much. He's just drunk."

"Ah?" Wen Ning seemed unable to process this. After a long pause, he said, "Then... what should we do?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "What else can we do? I'll take him inside and let him sleep it off."

Lan Wangji said, "Okay."

Wei Wuxian shot him a look. "Huh? Weren't you covering your ears? How can you hear me now?"

This time, Lan Wangji didn't respond, still tightly clutching his ears as if the person who had just spoken wasn't him. Wei Wuxian, both amused and exasperated, turned to Wen Ning. "Watch yourself."

Wen Ning nodded but glanced at Lan Wangji again. Just as he was about to leave, Wei Wuxian called out, "Wen Ning, maybe find a place to hide for now."

Wen Ning startled, and Wei Wuxian added, "You've already died twice. You should rest properly."

Once Wen Ning was gone, Wei Wuxian removed Lan Wangji's hands from his ears. "Alright, let's go. Can't hear anything, can't see anyone now."

Lan Wangji finally lowered his hands, his light-colored eyes staring intently at Wei Wuxian.

The clarity and intensity of his gaze made Wei Wuxian feel a surge of mischievousness. Something inside him ignited, and he grinned, "Lan Wangji, how about you answer whatever I ask? Do whatever I tell you?"

Lan Wangji nodded. "Hmm."

Wei Wuxian said, "Take off your forehead ribbon."

Without hesitation, Lan Wangji reached behind his head, slowly undid the tie, and removed the white forehead ribbon, embroidered with cloud patterns, that he always wore.

Wei Wuxian examined the ribbon closely, turning it over in his hands. "It's not that special after all. I thought there was some big secret hidden in it. Why were you so angry when I took it off before?" Maybe back then, Lan Wangji just didn’t like him or anything he did.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian felt his wrists tighten. Lan Wangji had tied his hands together with the forehead ribbon and began to tie the knot methodically.

Wei Wuxian asked, "What are you doing?"

Curious, Wei Wuxian let him continue. Lan Wangji tied his hands tightly, first making a loose knot, then undoing it, seemingly unsatisfied. He made a firmer knot instead, and still unsatisfied, added another.

The forehead ribbon of the Gusu Lan Family had long trailing ribbons at the back, which fluttered elegantly during movement, making it very beautiful and quite long. Lan Wangji tied several firm knots, creating a series of unsightly little lumps before he was satisfied.

Wei Wuxian smirked. "So, are you planning on using this ribbon again?"

Lan Wangji's brow relaxed as he held the other end of the ribbon, lifting Wei Wuxian's bound hands as if admiring his handiwork. Wei Wuxian's hands were suspended in the air. "I feel like I’m being treated like a criminal... No, why am I playing along with him? Shouldn't I be the one having fun?"

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Wei Wuxian said, "Untie this. The thing binding me. The ribbon."

Lan Wangji, with a mischievous glint in his eye, reached out again—this time for Wei Wuxian's collar and belt. Wei Wuxian quickly added, "Not my clothes! The ribbon!"

The thought of being tied up and stripped by Lan Wangji was definitely not something Wei Wuxian wanted to experience.

Lan Wangji listened to his request, and his brows furrowed once more, remaining still for a long while. Wei Wuxian held up his bound hands and coaxed, "Aren't you going to listen to me? Untie this for big brother. Be a good brother."

Lan Wangji looked at him and calmly shifted his gaze away, as if he didn't understand what he was saying and needed some time to think about it. Wei Wuxian barked, "Oh, I see! When it's about tying me up, you're so eager. But when it's about untying me, you suddenly don't understand, right?"

The material of the Lan family's forehead ribbon was the same as their clothing. It appeared light and flowing, but in reality, it was extremely sturdy. Lan Wangji had tied it very tightly and made a long string of dead knots. No matter how Wei Wuxian twisted and turned, he couldn't break free. He thought to himself, "This is really shooting myself in the foot. Thankfully, it's just a forehead ribbon and not some Immortal Binding Rope or something. Otherwise, he'd probably tie me up like a prisoner."

Lan Wangji looked off into the distance while playing with the ribbon in his hand, pulling and swinging it happily. Wei Wuxian pleaded desperately, "Please untie me, alright? Hanguang Jun, you're such a celestial being, how can you do something like this? What do you need to tie me up for? That's not right. What if someone sees? Hmm?"

Upon hearing the last sentence, Lan Wangji began dragging him towards the forest exit.

Stumbling along, Wei Wuxian said, "W-wait a moment. What I meant was, it's not good if people see. I didn't mean for you to show it to them. Hey! Are you pretending not to understand? You're doing this deliberately, right? You only understand what you want to, don't you? Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lan Wangji had already dragged him out of the forest, back onto the street, and re-entered the tavern's main hall from the first floor.

A group of younger members was still eating, drinking, and playing around. Although there had been a minor unpleasantness earlier, young people tended to forget such things quickly. They were currently engrossed in a drinking game. A few bold younger members of the Lan family were secretly trying some alcohol, with someone keeping an eye on the staircase to the second floor to guard against Lan Wangji. No one expected that Lan Wangji would suddenly drag Wei Wuxian in through the unguarded main door. When they turned to look, they were all stunned.

With a clatter, Lan Jingyi scrambled to hide the wine cups on the table, but in the process, he knocked over several dishes and bowls. His attempt at hiding them only made the objects more conspicuous. Lan Sizhui stood up and said, "C-containment Lord, why have you... entered from this side again..."

Wei Wuxian laughed, "Haha, your Hanguang Jun felt hot from sitting too long, so he went out for some fresh air. On a sudden impulse, he decided to make a surprise check, and sure enough, he caught you guys secretly drinking."

Wei Wuxian silently prayed that Lan Wangji would just drag him upstairs without interacting with anyone or doing anything extra. As long as he remained silent and maintained his cold, frosty demeanor, no one would notice anything unusual.

Just as he thought this, Lan Wangji pulled him to the table where the younger members were seated.

Lan Sizhui was greatly startled, "Hanguang Jun, your forehead ribbon..."

Before he could finish, he saw Wei Wuxian's hands.

Hanguang Jun's forehead ribbon was tied around Wei Wuxian's wrist.

Almost as if he wanted everyone to see, Lan Wangji lifted the ribbon's strap and showed Wei Wuxian's bound hand to everyone.