Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Han Guang Seventeen 2

The three of them immediately sped towards the Burial Mounds, moving with urgent haste. As the black mountain peak broke through the clouds, Wei Wuxian's heart tightened even more.

From afar, the howls of fierce corpses echoed through the black forest—not just one or two, but an entire horde. Lan Wangji made a hand seal, and Bichen instantly sped up even more, yet remained extremely steady.

As soon as they landed, they saw a black shadow dart out from the forest, screaming and pouncing on someone. Bichen cleaved it in two with a single, swift strike. The person on the ground was pale and, upon seeing Wei Wuxian, hurriedly shouted, "Wei gongzi!"

Wei Wuxian flicked a talisman out, asking, "Uncle Four, what's going on?!"

Uncle Four replied, "The fierce corpses in the Burial Mounds... they've all escaped!"

Wei Wuxian said, "Didn't I set up a barrier? Who messed with it?!"

Uncle Four said, "No one did! It's... it's just..."

At that moment, a clear shout came from ahead, and a woman's voice called out, "A-Ning!"

In the black forest, a dozen or so Wen family cultivators were confronting a figure. That figure was Wen Ning, his eyes rolled back, looking extremely ferocious. The talismans that had been densely pasted on his body were now almost all gone. In his hands, he dragged two fierce corpses, which he had already torn to shreds with his bare hands, their black blood dripping, leaving almost nothing but two skeletons. Yet Wen Ning was still violently smashing them, as if he wouldn't rest until they were ground to dust. At the forefront, sword in hand, stood Wen Qing. Wei Wuxian shouted, "Didn't I say not to touch the talismans on him?!"

Wen Qing didn't even have time to be surprised by Lan Wangji's presence. She said, "No one touched them! No one even entered the Burial Mounds! He went berserk and ripped them off himself. Not only did he tear off the talismans on his body, but he also destroyed the barriers around the blood pool and the Burial Mounds. The fierce corpses in the blood pool have all crawled out. Wei Wuxian, hurry and save Granny and the others—they can't hold out much longer!!!"

As she spoke, strange hissing sounds came from above. Several people looked up and saw a few fierce corpses had climbed onto the treetops, coiled like snakes, baring their teeth downward, with some kind of foul, sticky liquid dripping from their fangs. Wen Ning also looked up and saw them. He threw the mangled limbs in his hands aside and leaped up, directly jumping to the treetops!

The tree towered at least five zhang high, and with a single leap, he reached such a height, displaying astonishing explosive power. Once on the tree, Wen Ning tore the fierce corpses apart with his bare hands, limbs flying everywhere, and a rain of blood fell from the sky. Still unsatisfied, he leaped to another side. Wei Wuxian drew Chenqing and shouted, "Lan...!" He had intended to ask Lan Wangji to go save the others first while he dealt with Wen Ning. But when he turned around, Lan Wangji was already gone. Just as he was feeling anxious, the clear sound of a zither rang out, startling the crows in the black forest into a frenzy. Without needing to be asked, Lan Wangji had already gone ahead. Wei Wuxian felt a sense of relief and brought Chenqing to his lips, letting out a long note. Wen Ning's landing faltered slightly. Wei Wuxian seized the opportunity and called out, "Wen Ning! Do you recognize me?"

The zither's sound rang three times and then fell silent, indicating that Lan Wangji had subdued all the out-of-control fierce corpses within those three notes. Wen Ning slightly lowered his body, a low growl emanating from his throat, like a wary, uneasy beast ready to pounce. Wei Wuxian was about to play again when he suddenly realized Wen Yuan was still clinging tightly to his leg, not daring to breathe. He had completely forgotten about him!

He quickly scooped up Wen Yuan and tossed him towards Wen Qing, saying, "Take him and hide!"

At that moment, Wen Ning suddenly pounced.

It felt like a boulder slamming down. Wei Wuxian was sent flying backward, slamming heavily into a tree. His throat burned, and he cursed. Lan Wangji, who had just returned, saw this scene and his expression changed drastically. He rushed to Wei Wuxian's side. Wen Qing, who had just pushed Wen Yuan into someone else's arms, was about to check Wei Wuxian's injuries when Lan Wangji beat her to it, leaving her momentarily stunned. Lan Wangji nearly cradled Wei Wuxian in his arms, holding his hand and directly transferring spiritual energy. Wen Qing hurriedly said, "Let go of him, it's not necessary! Let me handle it! I'm Wen Qing!"

Wen Qing of Qishan was a top-tier physician. Only then did Lan Wangji stop transferring spiritual energy, allowing Wen Qing to examine Wei Wuxian's condition, though he still didn't let go of his hand. Wei Wuxian, however, pushed him away, saying, "Don't let him go over there!"

After injuring Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning hung his arms and walked towards the foot of the mountain, where the other Wen family cultivators were hiding from the fierce corpses. Wen Qing shouted down, "Run! Everyone, run! He's heading your way!"

Wei Wuxian broke free from Lan Wangji and, holding his breath, chased after Wen Ning. Lan Wangji caught up and asked, "Where's your sword?"

Wei Wuxian waved out twelve talismans, saying, "I don't know where I threw it!"

The twelve yellow talismans burned in the air, forming a chain of fire that instantly bound Wen Ning. Lan Wangji plucked his zither, and Wen Ning's steps seemed to be hindered by invisible strings, pausing for a moment before continuing forward with difficulty. Wei Wuxian brought Chenqing to his lips, but due to the recent blow, blood foam spilled out as he played. His brows furrowed, but he still managed to play steadily despite the pain and the blood churning in his chest.

Under their combined efforts, Wen Ning fell to his knees, howling at the sky, causing the leaves in the black forest to tremble. Wei Wuxian finally couldn't hold back and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The sound of Wangji's zither suddenly became sharper, and Wen Ning clutched his head, roaring wildly and curling up on the ground. Wen Qing cried out, "A-Ning! A-Ning!" She wanted to rush forward, but Wei Wuxian warned, "Be careful!"

Seeing her brother tormented by the zither's sound, Wen Qing, though knowing that if they didn't act decisively, he might be in danger, couldn't help but feel heartbroken for Wen Ning. She pleaded, "Hanguang Jun, please show mercy!"

Wei Wuxian said, "Lan Zhan! Go easy..."

"...gong...zi..."

Wei Wuxian suddenly froze and said, "Wait?"

He said, "Lan Zhan, stop for a moment?!"

The voice had come from Wen Ning's direction.

Lan Wangji pressed his fingers on the guqin strings, stopping the lingering vibrations. Wei Wuxian exclaimed, "Wen Ning?!"

Wen Ning struggled to lift his head.

In his eye sockets, there were no longer the ferocious, deathly whites, but... a pair of black pupils!

Wen Ning opened his mouth and continued, "...Wei... Wuxian...?"

It seemed as if each word was forced out, as if he might bite his tongue. Yet, it was indeed human speech, not meaningless roars.

Wen Qing stood frozen in shock.

After a long while, she suddenly let out a loud cry, scrambling forward and shouting, "A-Ning!"

They both tumbled to the ground from the impact. Wen Ning said, "Sister... sister..."

Wen Qing hugged her brother tightly, crying and laughing, burying her face in his chest, saying, "It's me! It's your sister, it's your sister! A-Ning!"

She kept repeating Wen Ning's name, over and over. The other cultivators seemed to want to join in, but they didn't dare, only hugging each other and laughing wildly. Fourth Uncle, a member of the Wen family, ran down the mountain, shouting, "It's over! It's done! It's done! A-Ning is awake!..."

Wei Wuxian walked over and squatted beside Wen Ning, asking, "How are you feeling now?"

Wen Ning lay on his back, his limbs and neck still somewhat stiff, and said, "I... I..."

He struggled for a long time before finally saying, "...I want to cry, but I can't. What's going on..."

After a brief pause, Wei Wuxian gently patted his shoulder and said, "You remember, don’t you? You’ve already passed away."

Once he was sure Wen Ning was truly conscious, Wei Wuxian let out a long sigh of relief in his heart.

He had done it. He had succeeded.

Back then, due to a moment of impulsive anger, he had turned Wen Ning into a low-level corpse. Although Wen Ning had personally identified and torn apart the overseers who had tortured and killed him, after Wen Qing woke up, facing this brother who no longer recognized her and only growled like a mad dog, biting and tearing at everything, craving flesh and blood, she was even more heartbroken.

After calming down, Wei Wuxian solemnly promised her that he had a way to restore Wen Ning's consciousness. But who knew, he was just making empty promises to reassure Wen Qing. In reality, he had no real confidence and could only push forward with determination.

After days of relentless effort, forgetting to eat or sleep, he had actually fulfilled his promise.

Wen Qing held Wen Ning's pale face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Finally, she couldn't hold back and burst into tears, just like the night she saw Wen Ning's corpse.

Wen Ning, with stiff limbs, patted her back. More and more members of the Wen family came up from the mountain, either joining in the crying or looking at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji with awe and gratitude.

Wei Wuxian knew that the siblings must have a lot to say, and Wen Qing would certainly not want outsiders to see her crying. He said, "Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji looked at him. Wei Wuxian said, "Since we're here, why don't we go in and sit down?"

The two of them walked to a cave entrance on the mountain, where a cold wind blew.

Lan Wangji said, "Burial Mounds?"

Wei Wuxian said, "That's right. I named it. What do you think?"

Lan Wangji remained silent.

Wei Wuxian said, "I know, you're probably thinking, 'Not great.' After it spread, I heard some people discussing it, saying how could a demonic cultivator like me, who's essentially a demon lord, have the nerve to name his lair 'Burial Mounds'?"

Lan Wangji neither confirmed nor denied. The two of them had already stepped into the cave. Wei Wuxian's laughter reverberated through the vast, hollow cavern: "But actually, they're all wrong. I didn't name it with the meaning they think."

Lan Wangji said, "Explain."

Wei Wuxian said, "Simple. It's just because I often sleep here. A cave where a demon lord sleeps on the ground—isn't that the Burial Mounds?"

Lan Wangji: "..."

The two entered the main cave, and Lan Wangji asked, "What about the blood pool?"

Wei Wuxian pointed to a dark pool of water in the cave and said, "This is the blood pool."

The cave was dimly lit, and the pool's color was indistinct—whether black or red—emitting a faint yet distinct smell of blood.

Originally, a circle of warding lines had been drawn around the pool, but they had been destroyed by Wen Ning. Wei Wuxian reattached and reinforced them.

Lan Wangji said, "The yin energy is heavy."

Wei Wuxian replied, "Yes, the yin energy is strong, perfect for nurturing evil. This is where I 'nurture' some unfinished fierce corpses. Guess how many are lying at the bottom?"

He chuckled, "Honestly, I don't even know how many are down there. But the water in the pool smells more and more like blood."

Perhaps it was the lighting, but Wei Wuxian's face looked unusually pale, his smile carrying a faintly sinister edge. Lan Wangji quietly watched him and said, "Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What?"

Lan Wangji said, "Are you really in control?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "Control what? Are you talking about Wen Ning? Of course, no problem. Look, he's already regained his consciousness." Wei Wuxian said proudly, "An unprecedented kind of fierce corpse."

Lan Wangji asked, "What if he goes berserk again?"

Wei Wuxian said, "I have experience dealing with his berserk state. He's under my control. As long as I'm fine, he won't have any issues."

After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji said, "What if something happens to you?"

Wei Wuxian said, "It won't."

Lan Wangji asked, "How can you guarantee that?"

Wei Wuxian said firmly, "It won't. And it can't."

Lan Wangji asked, "Do you plan to continue like this from now on?"

Wei Wuxian said, "What's wrong with continuing like this? Do you think my turf isn't good enough? This mountain is even bigger than your Cloud Recesses, and the food here is much better too."

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji said, "You know what I mean."

"..."

Wei Wuxian sighed helplessly, "Lan Zhan, you... are something else. I had already changed the subject, and you brought it back."

At that moment, a slight itch in his throat caused a sudden surge of blood qi. Wei Wuxian suppressed a cough. As Lan Wangji reached for his hand, Wei Wuxian dodged, asking, "What are you doing?"

Lan Wangji said, "Your injury."

Wei Wuxian replied, "Don't bother. It's just a minor injury. No need to waste spiritual power. It'll heal by itself if I just sit for a bit."

Lan Wangji didn't argue with him and went to grab his hand again. Just then, two people walked into the cave. Wen Qing's voice said, "It'll heal by itself if you just sit for a bit? Do you think I'm just going to sit back and do nothing?"

Behind her was Wen Ning, holding a tea tray. Wen Ning's skin was deathly pale, and the unerased curse inscriptions were still visible on his neck. Clinging to Wen Ning's leg was Wen Yuan. As soon as he entered, he rushed over to Wei Wuxian and latched onto his leg. Seeing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both look at him, Wen Ning's lips twitched as if he wanted to smile, but the muscles on his face were too stiff to move. He simply said, "Young Master Wei... Young Master Lan."

Wei Wuxian lifted a leg, swinging Wen Yuan in the air, and teased, "What, you came in already? Done crying so soon?"

Wen Qing snapped fiercely, "Just you wait and see how I'll make you cry later!" Despite her words, her voice still carried a thick nasal tone. Wei Wuxian said, "A joke? How could you make me... Ah!!!"

Wen Qing walked over and slapped him hard on the back, causing Wei Wuxian to cough up a mouthful of blood. He looked at her in disbelief and said, "You... you're really something..."

With that, he closed his eyes and fainted. Lan Wangji's face turned pale as he caught him, calling out, "Wei Ying!"

Wen Qing, however, pulled out three gleaming silver needles and scolded, "I have even more cruel methods you haven't seen yet. Get up!"

Wei Wuxian got up from Lan Wangji's arms as if nothing had happened, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said, "No thanks, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I don't want to see it."

It turned out that Wen Qing's slap had merely cleared the stagnant blood clogging his chest. As the renowned top physician of Qishan, how could she not know her own strength? Realizing it was just another prank, Lan Wangji flicked his sleeve in annoyance and turned away, seemingly unwilling to deal with such trivial people anymore. Wen Ning, who had just woken up, was slow to react. Seeing Wei Wuxian cough up blood, he was stunned for a moment, then remembered that he had injured Wei Wuxian when he was out of his mind. Guiltily, he said, "I'm sorry, Young Master..."

Wei Wuxian waved his hand and said, "Enough, enough, with that punch of yours, do you really think you could hurt me?"

Wen Qing, with her dark eyes, glanced at Lan Wangji's expression and said, "Hanguang Jun, would you please sit down?"

Wei Wuxian suddenly realized, thinking to himself that he had forgotten something. It turned out that Lan Zhan had been standing all this time since he entered. But the only places to sit in the cave were a few stone beds, each covered with strange items—flags, knives, boxes, blood-stained bandages, half-eaten fruits—a complete mess.

Wei Wuxian said, "But there's no place to sit, right?"

Wen Qing indifferently said, "Of course there is." With that, she swept everything off one of the stone beds onto the ground and said, "See, now there's space."

Wei Wuxian was shocked, "Hey!"

Wen Ning also said, "Yes, Young Master Lan, please sit, have some tea..." As he spoke, he moved the tray in his hands closer to Lan Wangji. On the tray were two teacups, washed very clean, but Wei Wuxian glanced at them and said, "How cheap, serving guests plain water without even any tea!"

Wen Ning said, "I just asked if there was any, Fourth Uncle said we have no tea stored..."

Wei Wuxian picked up a cup of water and took a sip, saying, "This is unacceptable. Next time we have guests, we must prepare some." After saying this, he realized how ridiculous it sounded. Where would there be a next time, and where would guests come from?

Wen Qing then said, "You have the nerve to say that. Every time I send you down the mountain for supplies, you come back with all sorts of junk. What about the radish seeds I asked you to buy today?"

Wei Wuxian said, "I didn't buy junk! I bought fun things for A Yuan, right, A Yuan?"

But Wen Yuan, uncooperative, said, "Brother Xian is lying. It was this brother who got them for me."

Wei Wuxian was furious, "How ridiculous!"

As laughter filled the Burial Mounds, Lan Wangji suddenly turned and walked out of the cave without a word.

Wen Qing and Wen Ning were both startled. Wei Wuxian called out, "Lan Zhan?"

Lan Wangji paused for a moment, his voice devoid of emotion, and said, "I should go back."

He left the Burial Mounds without looking back. Wen Ning became anxious again, as if it were his fault. Wen Yuan urgently said, "Brother!"

He tried to chase after him with his short legs, but Wei Wuxian grabbed him and tucked him under his arm, saying, "Wait here for me."

He quickly caught up to Lan Wangji and said, "You're leaving? Let me see you off."

Lan Wangji remained silent.

Wen Yuan, under Wei Wuxian's arm, looked up at him and said, "Brother, won't you stay and have a meal with us?"

Lan Wangji glanced at him, reached out a hand, and slowly patted his head.

Wen Yuan, thinking he would stay, showed a happy expression and whispered, "A Yuan overheard a secret, they said there's lots of good food today..."

Wei Wuxian said, "This brother has food waiting at home, so he won't stay."

Wen Yuan let out an "Oh," his disappointment evident as he hung his head and fell silent.

The two of them walked quietly with the child between them until they reached the foot of the Burial Mounds, where they both stopped in unison, neither speaking.

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian said, "Lan Zhan, you asked me earlier if I planned to keep living like this. Actually, I want to ask someone too. If not like this, what else can I do?"

He continued, "Should I abandon demonic cultivation? But what about these people on this mountain?

"Should I abandon them? I can't do that. I believe if it were you, you couldn't do it either."

He added, "Is there anyone who can show me a straightforward path? A path where I don't have to practice demonic cultivation but can still protect those I want to protect."

Lan Wangji looked at him but didn't answer, though both of them knew the answer in their hearts.

There is no such path.

No solution.

Wei Wuxian spoke slowly, "Thank you for accompanying me today, and thank you for telling me about my martial sister's wedding. However, right and wrong are my own to bear, praise and blame are up to others, and gains and losses don't matter. I know what I should do, and I believe I can control myself."

As if he had already anticipated Wei Wuxian's attitude, Lan Wangji slightly tilted his head and closed his eyes.

With that, they parted ways.

As they walked back up the mountain, Wei Wuxian remembered his promise to treat Lan Zhan to a meal, but in the end, they had parted ways in a rather tense atmosphere. Naturally, he had also forgotten to pay the bill.

Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "Ah, well, Lan Zhan is so rich, it's no big deal if he pays again. Speaking of which, he should still have money, right? It's not like he spent it all on some children's toys. At worst, I'll treat him next time... though where would there be a next time?"

Reflecting on it, nearly every encounter with Lan Zhan ended in a disagreement for one reason or another. Perhaps they really weren't suited to be friends.

But then again, there wouldn't be many opportunities to try in the future.

Wen Yuan held Wei Wuxian's left hand, clutching a small wooden sword in his right, with a grass-woven butterfly perched on his head. He asked, "Brother Xian, will the rich brother come again?"

Wei Wuxian burst out laughing, "What's a 'rich brother'?"

Wen Yuan replied seriously, "The rich brother is the rich brother."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Then what about me?"

Sure enough, Wen Yuan said, "You're Brother Xian. The poor brother."

Wei Wuxian glanced at him, suddenly snatched the butterfly, and said, "What, you like him just because he's rich?"

Wen Yuan stood on tiptoe to grab it back, urgently saying, "Give it back... he bought that for me!"

Wei Wuxian, ever the troublemaker, found amusement in teasing the child. He placed the butterfly on his own head and said, "I won't give it back. You call him 'father,' but what do you call me? Just 'brother,' so I'm a generation lower than him for no reason!"

Wen Yuan jumped, "I didn't call him father!"

Wei Wuxian insisted, "I heard you call him that. I don't care, I want to be a generation higher than 'brother' and 'father.' What should you call me?"

Wen Yuan said pitifully, "But... but A Yuan... doesn't want to call you 'mother'... that's so weird..."

Wei Wuxian laughed again, "Who told you to call me 'mother'? The generation higher than 'brother' and 'father' is 'grandfather,' don't you know that? If you like him so much, you should've said so earlier. I would've let him take you away. His family is rich, but it's terrifying. He'd take you back and lock you in a room, making you copy books from morning till night. Aren't you scared?"

Wen Yuan quickly shook his head and whispered, "...I won't go... I still want my grandma."

Wei Wuxian pressed on, "You want your grandma, but not me?"

Wen Yuan coaxed, "I want Brother Xian too." He counted on his fingers one by one, "And the rich brother, Sister Qing, Brother Ning, Fourth Uncle, Sixth Uncle..."

Wei Wuxian threw the butterfly back onto his head and said, "Enough, enough. You're overwhelming me with all these names."

Wen Yuan quickly tucked the grass-woven butterfly into his pocket, afraid that Wei Wuxian might snatch it again, and asked eagerly, "Will the rich brother come back again?"

Wei Wuxian kept smiling.

After a while, he finally said, "He likely won't come back."

Wen Yuan asked disappointedly, "Why not?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "No reason. Everyone in this world has their own things to do and their own paths to follow. There's enough to keep busy at home; who has time to always revolve around others?"

In the end, they were not destined to walk the same path.

Wen Yuan let out an "Oh," seeming to understand but still looking dejected.

Wei Wuxian scooped him up, tucking him under his arm, and hummed, "...Who cares about the bustling highway? I’ll take this narrow, rickety bridge to the very end... Walk! To!... To the end?"

As he hummed the word "end," he suddenly realized it wasn't dark at all tonight.

The mountaintop, which used to be pitch black when he returned, looked very different tonight.

The area around the small huts was swept clean, weeds and all. A few red lanterns hung in the nearby woods. The lanterns were handmade, hung on branches, round and simple, but they emitted a warm glow, illuminating the dark forest.

At this time, the fifty or so people would usually have finished their meals and retreated to their dilapidated wooden huts to sleep. But today, they were all gathered in the largest hut. The hut was supported by eight wooden poles with a roof, large enough to accommodate everyone. The small hut next to it served as the "kitchen," so this one was used as the dining hall.

Wei Wuxian, puzzled, walked over with Wen Yuan tucked under his arm and asked, "Why is everyone here today? Not sleeping? So many lights, so bright."

Wen Qing emerged from the kitchen, carrying a plate, and said, "We hung these lanterns for you, old man. We'll make more tomorrow to hang along the mountain path. It's dangerous to keep stumbling around in the dark. You might slip and break a bone one day."

Wei Wuxian replied, "If I break a bone, I’ll still have you to fix it."

Wen Qing said, "I don’t want to do extra work without getting paid. If you break something, don't blame me if I set it wrong."

Wei Wuxian shivered and quickly slipped away. As he entered the hut, everyone made room for him. Three tables were set, each with seven or eight plates of steaming dishes. Wei Wuxian asked, "What, hasn't anyone eaten yet?"

Wen Qing said, "No. We were waiting for you."

Wei Wuxian said, "Why wait for me? I ate outside."

As soon as he said this, he realized he had messed up. Sure enough, Wen Qing slammed the plate onto the table, causing the red peppers on the dishes to bounce. She angrily said, "No wonder you didn't buy anything. You blew all the money on eating out, didn’t you? I gave you all the money I had, and you spent it so freely!"

Wei Wuxian said, "No! I didn't..." At that moment, Grandma Wen, leaning on a cane with one hand and holding a plate with the other, wobbled out of the kitchen. Wen Yuan wriggled out from under Wei Wuxian's arm and ran over, calling, "Grandma!"

Wen Qing turned to help, complaining, "I told you not to carry anything heavy. Just sit down; the kitchen is full of smoke. Your legs are bad, and your hands aren't steady. If you fall, we won't have many plates left. It’s not easy hauling these ceramics up the mountain..."

The other cultivators from the Wen family set out chopsticks, poured tea, and cleared the main seat for him. Wei Wuxian felt somewhat uneasy accepting this treatment.

In the past, he had noticed that the Wen family members were somewhat afraid of him.

They had all heard of his fearsome reputation during the Sunshot Campaign, his widely known brutal and evil methods of venting, and had even witnessed him controlling corpses to kill. In the early days, Grandma Wen would tremble at the sight of his legs, and Wen Yuan would hide behind her, only daring to approach him after many days.

But now, over fifty pairs of eyes were fixed on him. Though there was still fear in their gazes, it was a respectful fear, mixed with a bit of flattery and caution. More than that, there was gratitude and goodwill, much like what he saw in the eyes of the Wen siblings.

Wen Qing said softly, "You’ve been working so hard these past few days."

Wei Wuxian replied, "You... suddenly speaking so nicely to me, I'm a bit shocked?"

Wen Qing's knuckles seemed to make a cracking sound, and Wei Wuxian immediately shut his mouth.

Wen Qing, however, continued to speak in a low voice.

"...Actually, they've always wanted to have a meal with you and say thank you. But you're either bouncing around all over the place or holed up in the Burial Mounds for days on end without coming out, and you don't let anyone disturb you. They're worried about bothering you, thinking you don't like to mingle or deal with people, so they've been too shy to chat more. Today, A-Ning woke up, and Fourth Uncle said no matter what, we should gather around a table with you... Even if you're stuffed from eating outside today, just sit down. You don't have to eat, just sit and chat, have a drink."

Wei Wuxian was startled, his eyes lighting up: "Drink? There's wine on this mountain?"

Several older members of the Wen family had been nervously watching this side, and upon hearing this, one immediately said, "Yes, yes. There's wine, there's wine." He picked up a few sealed bottles from the table and showed them to him, saying, "Fruit wine. Brewed from wild berries we picked on the mountain—smells amazing!"

Wen Ning squatted by the table, saying, "Fourth Uncle also loves to drink. He brews it himself, specially brewed. Tried for many days."

Because he spoke slowly, word by word, he didn't stutter. Fourth Uncle smiled somewhat embarrassedly, still staring at Wei Wuxian, a bit nervous. Wei Wuxian said, "Really? Then we must try it!"

He sat down at the table, and Fourth Uncle quickly opened the bottle's seal and handed it to him with both hands. Wei Wuxian sniffed it and laughed, "Indeed fragrant!"

The others joined him, beaming at his praise, and eagerly picked up their chopsticks.

For the first time, Wei Wuxian drank without really tasting the wine.

He was thinking in his heart: "Walking a path to the end...?"

It wasn't that dark.

Suddenly, he felt refreshed all over.

Fifty people crowded around three tables, chopsticks moving in and out. Wen Yuan sat on his grandmother's lap, showing her his new treasures, fighting with small wooden swords and knives for her to see, the old lady laughing with her toothless mouth open. Wei Wuxian and Fourth Uncle exchanged stories about the wines they had drunk, lively and enthusiastic, finally agreeing that the famous Tianzi Lao from Gusu was indisputably the best. Wen Qing circulated, serving fruit wine to the elders and their aides, but the bottles ran dry in no time. Wei Wuxian said, "What? It's all gone? I barely got a sip!"

Wen Qing said, "There are still a few bottles, saved for later. Today, you shouldn't drink anymore."

Wei Wuxian said, "How can that be? As the saying goes, 'Better a fleeting fame than a lasting thirst.' No more talking, fill it up, thank you."

Since it was a special occasion, Wen Qing relented, pouring him another cup. "Just this once," she warned. "You really need to cut back—you drink way too much."

Wei Wuxian said, "This isn't the Cloud Recesses—no need to quit drinking here!"

Mentioning the Cloud Recesses, Wen Qing glanced at Wei Wuxian, seemingly casually saying, "I forgot to ask—you've never brought anyone up to the Burial Mounds before. What's the deal today?"

Wei Wuxian said, "You mean Lan Zhan? I ran into him on the road."

Wen Qing said, "Ran into him? How? Another coincidence?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Yeah."

Wen Qing said, "What a coincidence. I remember you also coincidentally met in Yunmeng before."

Wei Wuxian said, "Not surprising, Yunmeng and Yiling often have cultivators from other families around."

Wen Qing said, "Just now I heard you calling him by his name directly, quite bold."

Wei Wuxian said, "He also calls me by my name directly. It's nothing, we're used to it since childhood, we don't mind."

Wen Qing said, "Oh? I heard your relationship wasn't very good? Sounded like fire and water, fighting whenever you meet."

Wei Wuxian said, "You heard wrong. Our relationship wasn't great before, during the Sunshot Campaign we did fight a few times in anger, but later it wasn't as bad as rumored. It's okay."

Wen Qing said no more.

The plates were cleared in no time, and someone banged their bowl, yelling, "A-Ning, whip up a few more dishes!"

"Cook more, get a basin to serve the food!"

"Where would we get a basin to serve food? They're all for washing faces!"

Wen Ning, who doesn't eat, had been standing guard by the shed. Hearing this, he slowly responded, "Oh, okay."

Seeing an opportunity to show off, Wei Wuxian quickly said, "Hold on. I'll do it! I'll do it!"

Wen Qing was skeptical, "You can cook?"

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow, "Of course. I'm a jack-of-all-trades. Watch me. Everyone, wait."

Everyone clapped in anticipation. However, when Wei Wuxian brought two plates to the table with a mischievous grin, Wen Qing took one look and said, "Stay out of the kitchen from now on."

Wei Wuxian defended himself, "Try it. Don't judge by looks, taste it and you'll know it's good. That's the flavor."

Wen Qing retorted, "Taste what? Didn't you see how A Yuan cried after tasting it? Wasting ingredients. Don't touch it, no need to give him face!"

...

Within three days, almost all the righteous clans heard terrifying news: Wei Wuxian, who defected from the Jiang family and established his own base in Yiling, had created the highest level of ferocious corpse so far—swift, immensely strong, fearless, ruthless, and with an intact mind and clear consciousness, invincible in night hunting!

Everyone was horrified: There would be no peace! Wei Wuxian would surely mass-produce such ferocious corpses, attempting to establish his own sect and compete with the other clans! And many young talents would surely be attracted by his opportunistic evil ways, flocking to him. The future of the righteous clans was bleak, their prospects dark!

However, in reality, after successfully creating the ferocious corpse, the most practical use Wei Wuxian found was having a tireless laborer to haul goods up the mountain. Before, he could only carry one box of goods, but now, Wen Ning alone could pull a cart of goods, with Wei Wuxian lounging on the cart doing nothing.

But no one bought it. After making a few appearances in night hunts, many actually came seeking fame, hoping to join the "Patriarch" and become his disciples. The once barren wilderness suddenly came alive with activity. The ferocious corpses Wei Wuxian set to patrol at the foot of the mountain would not attack, at most just flipping people over and growling. No one was hurt, and the crowd at the foot of the Burial Mounds grew larger. Once, Wei Wuxian saw a long banner reading "Supreme Evil Sovereign Yiling Patriarch" from afar, spat out his drink, couldn't stand it, went down the mountain, and unceremoniously accepted the offerings "to honor his old self." From then on, he used another mountain path to come and go.

That day, he was shopping in a city in Yiling with his laborer when suddenly, a familiar figure appeared at the alley entrance. Wei Wuxian's gaze sharpened, and he quietly followed. Following that figure, the two slipped into a small courtyard. As soon as they entered, the courtyard gate was closed. A cold voice commanded, "Get out."

Jiang Cheng stood behind them. He had closed the gate, and the command was for Wen Ning.

Jiang Cheng was very vengeful, his hatred for the Wen family of Qishan extending infinitely. Plus, during the treatment period of Wen Qing and Wen Ning, he had been unconscious and couldn't empathize with Wei Wuxian, so he was never polite to Wen Ning. The last time, he had even struck hard. Seeing it was him, Wen Ning immediately lowered his head and retreated.

In the courtyard stood a woman, wearing a veiled hat and a black cloak. Wei Wuxian's throat tightened, "...Shijie."

Hearing footsteps, the woman turned and took off her hat, the cloak also coming off. Under the cloak was a bright red wedding dress.

Jiang Yanli, wearing this dignified wedding dress, with bright makeup adding color to her face. Wei Wuxian took two steps closer, "Shijie... what is this?"

Jiang Cheng said, "What is this? You think she's marrying you?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Shut up."

Jiang Yanli opened her arms, showing him, her face slightly red, "A-Xian, I... am getting married soon. Came to show you..."

Wei Wuxian's eyes warmed.

He couldn't attend Jiang Yanli's wedding, couldn't see his family in wedding attire. So, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli had specially come quietly to Yiling, led him into the courtyard, to show him alone what his sister would look like on her wedding day.

After a while, Wei Wuxian finally smiled, "I know! I heard..."

Jiang Cheng said, "Who told you?"

Wei Wuxian said, "None of your business."

Jiang Yanli shyly said, "But... it's just me, can't see the groom."

Wei Wuxian made a dismissive gesture, "I couldn't care less about the groom."

He circled around Jiang Yanli twice and praised, "You look beautiful!"

Jiang Cheng said, "Sister, I told you. You really do look beautiful."

Jiang Yanli, always self-aware, replied seriously, "Your opinions don't matter. Your words can't be taken seriously."

Jiang Cheng sighed helplessly, "You don't believe me, and you don't believe him either. Do you only believe it when *he* says you look beautiful?"

Hearing this, Jiang Yanli's face turned even redder, the blush spreading to her pale earlobes, even the pink of her rouge couldn't cover it. She quickly changed the subject, "A-Xian... come and pick a name."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What name?"

Jiang Cheng said, "The name for my unborn nephew."

The ceremony hadn't even taken place yet, and they were already thinking of a name for the future nephew. Wei Wuxian didn't find it strange at all and, without hesitation, thought for a moment and said, "Alright. The next generation of the Jin family of Lanling is the 'Ru' generation. Let's call him Jin Rulan."

Jiang Yanli said, "That's good!"

Jiang Cheng, however, objected, "No, it sounds like Jin Rulan, the 'Lan' from the Lan family. Why should the descendants of the Jin family of Lanling and the Yunmeng Jiang family be like the Lan family?"

Wei Wuxian said, "There's nothing wrong with the Lan family. Orchids are the noble among flowers, and the Lan family are the gentlemen among people. It's a good name." Jiang Cheng retorted, "You didn't say that before." Wei Wuxian replied, "I was the one asked to choose the name, not you. Why are you being so picky?" Jiang Yanli quickly intervened, "Alright, you know how A-Cheng is. It was his idea to have you pick the name. Let's not fight. I brought some soup for you, wait a moment."

She went inside to get the pot, and Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng exchanged glances. Shortly after, Jiang Yanli came out and handed each of them a bowl. She then went back inside and brought out a third small bowl, walked to the door, and said to Wen Ning, "Sorry, there's only a small bowl left. This is for you."

Wen Ning, who had been standing guard at the door with his head down, was flustered and stammered, "Ah... th-there's a portion for me too?"

Jiang Cheng said discontentedly, "Why does he get one too?"

Jiang Yanli replied, "I brought plenty, so there's enough for everyone."

Wen Ning stammered, "Thank you, Miss Jiang... thank you."

He held the small bowl, filled to the brim, too embarrassed to admit he couldn't eat it. It would go to waste. The dead don't need to eat. Jiang Yanli noticed his hesitation and asked a few questions, standing outside the door and chatting with Wen Ning. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng remained in the courtyard. Jiang Cheng raised his bowl and said, "To the Yiling Patriarch."

Hearing this title, Wei Wuxian was reminded of the fluttering, imposing banner with the eight glittering golden characters, "The Supreme Evil Lord, Yiling Patriarch." He said, "Shut up!"

After a sip, Jiang Cheng asked, "How's the injury from last time?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "It's long healed."

Jiang Cheng said, "Hmm." After a pause, he added, "How many days did it take?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Less than seven days. I told you, with Wen Qing around, it was nothing. But damn, you really went for it."

Jiang Cheng ate a piece of lotus root and said, "You were the one who had him break my arm first. It took me over a month to recover."

Wei Wuxian chuckled, "It had to be convincing, right? It was just your left hand, it didn't stop you from writing. A broken bone takes a hundred days to mend, so three months isn't too long."

Outside the door, Wen Ning's stuttering replies could faintly be heard. After a moment of silence, Jiang Cheng said, "So this is how you're going to live from now on? Any plans?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Not for now. Those people don't dare to come down the mountain, and no one dares to mess with me when I go down. As long as I don't stir up trouble, it's fine."

"Not stir up trouble?" Jiang Cheng sneered, "Wei Wuxian, do you believe that even if you don't stir up trouble, trouble will find you? Saving someone is often impossible, but harming someone? There are countless ways."

Wei Wuxian lowered his head and said, "Strength trumps all. No matter how many ways they have, I'll take down anyone who comes at me."

Jiang Cheng said indifferently, "You never listen to any of my advice. One day you'll realize that what I say is right."

He finished the remaining soup in one gulp, stood up, and said, "Impressive. Truly worthy of the Yiling Patriarch."

Wei Wuxian spat out a bone fragment and said, "Are you finished?"

At the moment of parting, Jiang Cheng said, "Don't walk me out. It would be trouble if others saw us."

Wei Wuxian nodded. He knew it wasn't easy for the Jiang siblings to come here. If others saw them, all the effort they had put into their act would be wasted. He said, "We should go first."

Once out of the alley, Wei Wuxian walked ahead as usual, Wen Ning trailing silently behind. Suddenly, Wei Wuxian turned back and said, "Why are you still carrying that bowl of soup?"

"Ah?" Wen Ning replied hesitantly, "I'll take it back... I can't drink it, but maybe someone else can..."

"..." Wei Wuxian said, "Suit yourself. Just make sure you don't spill it."

He turned back, knowing it might be a long time before he saw the people he once knew again.

But... wasn't he about to meet familiar faces too?