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Chapter Text

Xie Lian remembers going back to ghost city to rest after sorting through thousands of prayers and issues in the heavenly court. Jun Wu had offered to handle it for a few days so he could rest. It had been a few years since the whole realm shook at the revelation that the former heavenly emperor as well as the standing heavenly emperor of the heavenly court right now are both the most terrifying supreme ghosts of the era.

The prince had so much more things to do, there are a lot of issues that needs to be adressed but he had been working for the last couple of months nonstop that his husband had barged into his palace and dragged him back to the mortal realm.

The raging fire and screams of his people weren't something he remembered so it was a surprise when he woke up to see the Ghost City in flames. Everyone is trying to put out the fire while some are scurrying away with injured bodies. Xie Lian jumps from stall to stall till he was at the heart of the chaos. His husband had an important errand to ran that morning so he was not here. In the middle of the flames was a small child, clutching into a small ghost flame. He looked scared.

Xie Lian slowly flicks the fire away from the child, the small being scurried away from him. The prince cautiously held out a small piece of cherry candy to coax the boy.

Seeing as that the god would not hurt him, the boy gently takes the candy from his hand.

"What's your name, child?"

The small boy clutches on the flickering flame who seems to nuzzle into him, maybe comforting the young child. How did he even get into Ghost City and create this chaos? He looked nothing more like a four-year old boy.

"Wen Yu . . . A-nie calls me A-Yu."

"Where's your mother, A-Yu?"

The little boy helds out the ghost fire for him and Xie Lian gasps. The little soul looked torn and broken up. It was in such a bad state that Xie Lian can't wonder how such person died. He takes the flickering ghost fire into his hand and gently strokes it's flame.

"How did she die, A-Yu?"

"There was a war. A-nie led it but they betrayed him."

Xie Lian doesn't question that the child refered to his mother as him. What shooked his core was that there was a war. A war had been going on under their nose and it led to such soul to break.

"Lian-chengzu, Hua-chengzu is back." Yin Yu says as the red silhoutte marches towards them, the prince had started to cradle the child who in turn holds the ghost fire in his hand. Hua Cheng eyeis the child warily, he crouches infront of them and gently turns the child's chin towards him. He inspected the child's robe and only stopped when a wooden butterfly dropped to the groun, a protection talisman on top of the toy. Xie Lian have never seen a talisman like that before.

"Gege, something huge happened."

The god nods his head slowly while Wen Yu stares at thim curiously.

"A war broke out."

________________

Hua Cheng leads them to a barren land that reeked of demonic aura. Xie Lian feels it in his every step. The amount of pain and suffering that have held this land in place. A few small huts tumbled on the ground, some burned and some rotten. With every step he takes, he hears the screams and pleads of the ghosts driven down the ground.

"That's A-Yu's house!" The little child claps in joy as he points at the old ruined pile of wood. Xie Lian could only grimace as they continued walking.

"The war hadn't been long, just been a few week or so."

The god nods to himself. That's why the remnants were still so strong, it hadn't been long.

Before they could investigate any further, the sounds of growling ghouls and clashing blades caught their attention. Xie Lian nods his head at his husband and rushes to where the sound is coming from. A white robed injured man raises his sword against a pack of ghouls, a small clearly sick child clutches to him unconcious. Xie Lian shifts to a mortal form and quickly disperses Ruoye to fight them.

"Are you alright?"

The man raises his sword against them, clearly suspicious although his face remained stoic. Xie Lian can't really blame him since they did appear out of no where with a spiritual device.

"We're cultivators."

The man looks up with them with golden eyes and Xie Lian's eyes widens. He had never seen a golden eyed person before. Some heavenly officials had golden eyes but they were always dull. He was not a stranger to unique eyes like his husband's or other people under his wing. Yet the glimmering gold eyes reminded him of someone or maybe a memory he should have buried long ago.

"A-die! That's A-die!" A-Yu screams in delight. The man's gaze turns to the little child who was smiling happily at him. His eyes flashed with recognition, disbelief and confusion. The appearance of the child seemed to fuel his suspicions even more.

"Why . . . How? A-Yu?"

The god, although confused, looked back at the child. He was clearly human, the way his hair flutters with the wind and the glint in his eyes. The child was warm as well and Xie Lian can feel his heart beating through his skin. There was no way that this child was a supreme ghost even; due to Xie Lian having influence in all of the realms. If a new supreme was to be born, he or his husband was the first to know. Xie Lian takes his hand gently and almost stumbles. The child did not have any fingerprints. But he was clearly alive.

"Died a year ago."

"T-that can't be . . . this child is clearly alive. He's not a ghost."

Yet he did not have fingerprints, Xie Lian's mind screams.

"I'm alive! I'm clearly alive, A-die! What are you talking about!? A-Yu gave you a flower crown on your birthday. A-nie wouldn't let me meet you."

The man clutches on his waist where a clearly already wilting band of flowers dangled. Hua Cheng, seemingly having had enough and calling Ruoye back who had already finished wiping the floor with the ghouls, he placed his hand over Xie Lian's shoulder and showed a small broken piece of a ribbon to the man.

"Wei Ying." Hua Cheng spoke the name with familiarity and Xie Lian really stumbles on his feet this time. The ghost king's arm keeps him from falling.

"Three weeks ago, a cultivator named Wei Ying courtesy name Wuxian died here."

"Mn." The man agrees reluctantly, lowering his sword and cradled the young boy in his arms instead. A-Yu seems to reach out to him. Xie Lian takes a closer look at the boy and did not know if he would laugh or cry. In the man's arms was a small boy that looked exactly like A-Yu but instead of the blue ribbon that kepts the boy's hair, there was a red one instead.

________________

The man, Lan Wangji, takes them to what seems to be the abode of a great cultivation sect. Xie Lian vaguely remembers that this was called the Cloud Recesses. It was a sect that Xie Lian had entered unknowingly when they were looking for informations regarding a certain savage ghost cousin of his. He remembers taking the disciples into a nighthunt before he left to deal with a water ghoul that was just practically fed to He Xuan. It consisted of around twenty disciples and the most prominent ones where the Twin Jades and the Twin Prides of their sect. The two prim and proper Lans, Wangji and Xichen as well as the rowdy boys of yunmeng, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. The four disciples had insisted on learning from him and had even called themselves the couple's disciples. It amuses Hua Cheng to no end when he teaches them probably the most gruesome topics to be ever said and the quadro listens to him diligently. He was even afraid back then that such torture methods would make the quadro thirsty for blood but it seemed they were really just thirsty for knowledge. ( Maybe each other too if the way the Lans looked at their respective Yunmeng counterparts says anything. )

His husband took a liking to Wuxian back then due to the young boy's antics. The ghost king had even showed him a few tricks of his own and left him a spiritual device from his own little collection. A flute as black as the night.

Xie Lian had no time to come back due to his responsibilities as one of the rulers overseeing the ghost realm and his abrupt ascension. He didn't know it had been that long already. He truly regrets not visiting sooner. 'They might have prevented this catastrophe' was what he was thinking but he knows as neither a human, he was not allowed to interfere with human matters. Maybe if he hadn't ascended, he could have helped a little as the ghost king but he had restrictions as a god. Politics are such a pain.

"What do you want to know?"

Hua Cheng does the talking this time, knowing Xie Lian was still digesting the situation. A-Yu had climbed into the bed where the other child was resting. The Lan Sect's healers had already checked his condition and he just had a mild fever.

"Whose the child?" Xie Lian asks abruptly to which the two males stopped.

"Yuan, Wei Ying's son."

"A-Ying married?" Hua Cheng asks in disbelief. The ghost king always teased the child that he was gonna grow to be a philandering bastard like Pei Ming.

Lan Wangji gently shakes his head.

"Adopted."

"Are A-Yuan and A-Yu twins?"

"Mn."

"How did A-Yu died?"

"Poison, hates Wei Ying. Killed A-Yu."

Xie Lian's body turns cold with anger. To do such thing to an innocent child. Which monstrousity could have done such thing?

The Lan jade pulls out a few stacks of scrolls which seems to contain all of the reports, incidents and informations about the war that occurred. Xie Lian mentally scolds himself for not knowing about this incident earlier. How could such a big issue even slip from his jurisdictions? He handles the whole realm for fuck sake.

"Most temples here are abandoned, Dianxia. You don't have a temple here."

"I'll try asking the other officials." Xie Lian sighs to himself as he skims through the documents on his hand. It was gonna be a long night.

________________

Xie Lian didn't notice that he had already fallen asleep. When he woke up, the sun was already peaking from the windows and the heaves of the disciples echoed while they go through their morning training. He fixes his robe, a red one probably from his husband's and walked to where he hears the clashing of blades. Lan Wangji stood with a stoic expression like how he always looked while guiding the Lan disciples.

The appearance of the red clad man, contrasting to the white and blue of their sect, caught the eyes of the disciple immediately. Xie Lian smiles gently at them while his hair continues to fall down and frame his face.

"Lian-shizun." Lan Wangji greets him quietly yet it was enough for everyone to hear.

"Don't mind me, please continue." Xie Lian ushers them while they stared at him in disbelief. The Lan had always been stubborn to call Xie Lian shizun when the god was teaching them a few of his knowledge. Xie Lian looked younger than Lan Wangji in every way. His physique stayed the way it was as when he was seventeen and had first ascended. Lan Wangji was a proper adult now so hearing the man call him shizun was something quite bizarre from everyone. Yet with a stern look from the older man, they quickly continued their practice.

"Shizun, you never told me why you haven't age." Lan Wangji asks, drowned by the voices of the disciples. The god could hear him easily though.

The former prince only grins at him and places his hand on the man's shoulder. Lan Wangji immediately shivers as his cold hands makes contact. Xie Lian slowly channels a small portion of his spiritual power to Lan Wangji but it was enough to see the man fall to his knees and gasping for air.

"W-what?"

Xie Lian smiles before petting his Ruoye who had started to beg his attention.

"I don't know what I am either, Wangji. I'm supposed to be dead and traveling to the after life. Or maybe I am supposed to be a god in the heavens, watching over his people. These two beings should have never met. Yet I am both, an anomaly of the universe."

Xie Lian sees the slight frown in his former disciple's face yet it was only as if he was digesting the information. It amuses the god to no end how both twins of gusu and yunmeng had always believed everything he said without any second thought. They didn't call him a lunatic or a liar, they simple nodded to themselves and believed every single word. Maybe it was built out of mutual trust, he believed in his disciple's every word just as much they believed in theirs.

"A-Yu? What is he?"

The god smiles behind the sleeves of his robe, his eyes flickered to the room that the twins occupied. A-Yu had been clutching the soul of Wei Ying protectively and the ghost fire didn't leave the child's side either no matter how beaten and broke it was.

"How about you show me that flute you hide in your bedroom first? The one Hua Cheng gave to Wei Ying before we left."

________________

Lan Wangji was not a difficult person. He treasured the only thing that he had left of Wuxian, his flute chenqing and his son Wen Yuan.

"Will Wei Ying come back?"

Hua Cheng stares at his lover before their gaze goes back to the clearly shaken Lan. They hadn't been with the quadro that long but they adored each and every one of them. These simple things that no one could see, they could understand every single thing. From the way his shoulders tense in contemplation and his body shakes with hidden pain.

"Do you want Wei Ying to come back, Wangji?"

The male shakes his head before opening the case of the flute. The spiritual device looked as beautiful and cared for as Hua Cheng last saw it.

"Just need to know if Wei Ying's happy."

Xie Lian gazes at him sadly, not any pity but just with sadness because even at the brink of separation, the only thing this man wants is to know if the love of his life was happy. He was content with just the thought of Wei Ying smiling and being free. From what Xie Lian had seen from the reports and Wangji's memories, Wei Ying's last moments were filled with pain. From the years that his life went down the wrong path to the days that he tried to protect the only thing he had, it was all filled with suffering.

"A-nie's soul is in chenqing." A-Yu pipes up from where he sat.

"You knew?"

The child slowly nods before offering the little flame to the ghost kings. He looks at them awkwardly while the ghost flame flickers to the flute. "A-nie didn't want me to say anything."

"You can talk to the ghost fire?"

A-Yu only smiles. "A-nie will explain when he's recovered. He asked me to ask you a favour."

"What's his favour, A-Yu?"

"A-nie said 'I have unfinished business in this world, Shizun. I do not need vengeance but I can't leave just yet. I will tell you everything at the right time. Please take care of A-Yu'. That's all."

The ghost flickers around the flute and Xie Lian sees a few sparks of it's broken soul emit from the spiritual device. It glowed bright enough for the whole room to be illuminated until it's fire formed into a silhoutte. A hand caresses Wangji's cheek but it did not burn, it was warm and gentle. The figure walks to where Yuan still laid, smoothing the crease of the child's forehead.

It left a kiss on the child's forehead before the fire dimmed into the soft glow of a ghost's body. His hair translucent at the end and the face of Hua Cheng's favoured disciple. He falls to the floor, unconcious and figure still sparking with fire.

Lan Wangji stands at the side with uncertainty.

"He's fine, Wangji. His soul is just still recovering and getting used to getting it's parts back."

The immediate relief on his stoic face sent Hua Cheng into laughter immediately.

"He's gonna be fine, we'll take care of him Wangji."

________________

A year into Wei Wuxian's soul recovery, his eyes finally opened from his slumber. A child's squished cheeks met his gaze immediately and the laughter of the ghost festival rang on his ears.

"Already awake, A-Ying?"

Chapter Text

Wei Ying woke up like he was punched in the gut. He doubled over and screamed in agony, clutching at his chest. A-Yu who had fallen asleep by his side, jolted awake and quickly ran outside to look for anyone who could help. The little undead dragged Yin Yu by his sleeve with as much force as a child could do. The ghost chief immediately feels chills run down his spine at the painful wails from the room.

Xie Lian ran frantically from the other direction, he probably heard Wei Ying scream from their chambers. Hua Cheng follows close behind, worry washes over his figure.

"Wei Ying!"

The prince takes his arm immediately, his spiritual energy glowed into the veins of his disciple. The ghost seems to calm down for a bit, eyes still hazy with pain. Hua Cheng kneels beside his lover, gently patting the disciple's head either for his comfort or the ghost king's. Wei Ying stares at them with both familiarity and relief.

"S-shizun . . ." He cries out brokenly, eyes swelling with tears. It broke the two to see him so pained.

Xie Lian gently guides him to sit and the ghost lunges at his chest with a choked cry, his sobs seems to hold the weight of the world. Maybe it did once. The prince wouldn't know. Just what on earth has this poor child been through to sacrifice his life. He couldn't reprimand him either for he knows if he was at Wei Ying's shoes, he would have done the same.

"Gege . . ." Hua Cheng whimpers like seeing Wei Ying like this has given him physical pain as well. Even He Xuan who had dropped by to deliver medicine from his lair couldn't keep the anger boiling in his guts. The ghost king had overseen their night-hunts from time to time and was extremely please with Lan Wangji's knowledge.

The god gently rubs his thumb on his husband's arm, his other hand cradles his disciple's head while Yin Yu checks wether his soul still has some broken or unstable pieces. He Xuan helps him in his own way, massaging Wei Ying's body to let his spiritual energy flow easier through the ghost's tensed body.

"He seems fine already, Dianxia. Maybe a bit overwhelmed."

A-Yu perks up at his words, climbing on his lap and wiping his salty tears. Wei Ying laughs at the child's messy attempt to comfort him. The child, hearing his laugh, grins as well and embraces him tightly. "Don't be sad, A-nie." A-Yu cups his cheek gently.

"I told you to stop calling me that, A-Yu."

"Baba then, baba." The child giggles while still wiping the ghost's tears.

The prince smiles at their interaction, leaning on his husband's chest while the ghost king wraps his arms around his lover.  The two, He Xuan and Yin Yu, steps out from the chamber to give them space. At one point, A-Yu had started to push lotus seeds into his mouth and the ghost had already stopped crying.

Xie Lian takes his hand gently and Wei Ying glances at him in confusion. "A-Ying . . ." He calls out to him gently, afraid to scare the cultivator. The ghost smiles sadly at him, whisphering something to the child to make him scamper away. A-Yu would probably play in the ponds with the koi fishes like he always does when he's not sticking to Wei Ying's side. The child has a fascination with koi fishes for some reason, something about a little didi in yellow.

"A-Yu is a failed attempt." The demonic cultivator sighs into his palms. "He died at the hands of Lanling Jin Sect." Wei Ying seethes, anger visible in his eyes, sparking with red and black. "I found his body at the middle of the battlefield, Shizun! His body was broken badly and his skull was cracked . . . we couldn't save him." Didn't Wangji said he died of poison? He needs to investigate about this.

"That doesn't make any sense, A-Ying. That child is alive."

Wei Ying nods solemnly, gripping his knees trembling. "I found a way to save him but it was a gamble. In the end, I couldn't do it completely."

"A way?"

"There's a soul exchange ritual I've created. If you call the soul of a vicious ghost and offer your body to them, they can grant you three wishes. But ofcourse, it is in return for your own life."

"T-then . . ."

The demonic cultivator shakes his head this time. "There's a secret in that ritual. If you perform it at the time of the ghost festival and gather enough demonic energy to be sacrificed, you can revive someone completely with your chosen soul."

"How much demonic energy?"

"A whole battlefield."

Xie Lian falls to his knees. A grave mistake. Wei Ying made a grave mistake. And he knows it. Because he had done it before. He had gambled with souls of the fallen soldiers before. They could kill an entire empire if they deem so. And Wei Ying, the bastard gambled it for a child not even his own.

Hua Cheng seems to not have find this any pleasing at all. The table at the corner of the room was flipped and destroyed with a slam on the wall, his obsidian eye seethed with red. He glares at the ghost with as much anger as he had once done with Jun Wu.

"Wei Wuxian! Are you fucking insane!?"

Even the prince had jolted with how vicious the ghost king's tone was. Wei Ying holds his head in his hands, fresh tears flowing down his cheeks. "I know." He whisphered weakly, clutching at his head desperately as the screams erupted at his ears from the ritual. What choice did he have back then? What could he have done other than  gamble his life away with the fire?

"He was crying, Hua-shizun. He was b-begging me." Wei Ying cries out pathetically as he remembers his sweet A-Yu's eyes when he got caught up in the fight. The child's lifeless corpse laid at his arms, crying and begging to be saved. "He didn't want to die . . . He shouldn't have died, Shizun! He was begging me to save him!? What else could I have done!?" Wei Ying screams in agony, it feels like a millenium's pain had crashed through his body and nestled there.

"My baby died in the war . . . what else could I have done?"

Hua Cheng had no choice but to cradle the man in his arms. They both knew what their disciple had gone through. Xie Lian understands their emotions right now the best. Souls were people that are under the ghost king's protection. Although he may not express it openly, Hua Cheng cares about his people. But at the same time he could not get mad at Wei Ying. A parent would do anything to protect their child. Hua Cheng would have done the same if it was Wei Ying's broken soul that begged him to live.

Xie Lian really hates the heavens. He was a god for fuck sake.

"If you knew about this, why didn't you revive your shijie as well?"

Wei Ying shakes his head that was nuzzled on Hua Cheng's chest. The man had grown taller over the years but his habits of hiding on his Hua-shizun's chest when Xie Lian scolds him still stays the same. He peaks at Xie Lian with tired, red eyes and murmured softly.

"It didn't work. A-Yu is still a ghost, he just has a physical body and can grow normally."

The god nods to himself and gestures for his husband to leave the ghost to rest. He had just woken up, he was probably still exhausted.

________________

Xie Lian meets the gods at the martial hall just after they deemed Wei Ying soundly asleep. He Xuan and Hua Cheng follows his steps, uncaring of anyone other than the prince. He sits at the throne with a sigh, still not happy with the fact that he has to face the heavens like this all the time.

"We've searched everywhere for what you're saying, Dianxia but there are no indications of such ritual."

The prince had expected this much. Demonic cultivation was something that Wei Ying had invented himself so his ways were probably not known to anyone but himself. They had tried to look for any records of demonic cultivation or simply Wei Ying's techniques but there were none. Looks like the cultivator really dragged all of his gold to the graves with him.

"We did find two cultivators who emitted the same energy as the one who showed us."

"Do tell."

Ling Wen nods her head and opens a golden scroll from the pile she was holding. The scroll falls down to her feet with a thud. "There are only two, Xue Yang and Mo Xuanyu from Lanling Jin Sect. The two seems to be a troublemaker duo and constantly has each other's back. It also seems they are mistreated in their sect, Dianxia."

"Mistreated, huh?" didn't that what drove his precious disciple to the abyss as well?

"General Qi Ying, I'd like to ask you to escort both of them back here." Xie Lian calls out to the half dozing off martial god. He immediately jolts away when he heard his name come out from the god's lips. Hesitance fleets through his eyes and Xie Lian could barely hold himself from rolling his eyes at the god. He didn't even want to be a god. Xie Lian can relate to that.

"I'll ask Yin Yu to help you as well." The martial god seems to light up like a little puppy at the mention of his shixiong. The prince adores this side of him. If only he wasn't brutally honest and naive, Xie Lian would have adopted him in an instance. He was troublesome though.

"You can leave it to me, Dianxia. What are you gonna do with them though?"

Xie Lian smiles sweetly before gesturing to his husband. "I'm gonna feed them to my husband."

"I'm kidding." The god giggles as fear crosses their faces immediately, he gives them a toothy grin. "They're just gonna learn under Hua Cheng as his disciples. I'm gonna need them in the future."

That seems to be an even bigger shock to the heavenly realm.

________________

The god taps his fingers on the desk with irritation and anger. He glares down at the white robed man who seems to only be amused with his antics. He stabs the knife on his side to the desk in annoyance, dragging it over the wood.

"You're telling me . . . they stabbed the child with poison that slowly killed him for a month?"

Jun Wu shrugs his shoulders carefree before tossing an arrow knife at the god. The blade was glimmering with a dark liquid inside it, purple and seems to be very deadly. Xie Lian doesn't know if he should laugh or cry at the revelation.

"To be precised, it wasn't meant for him but the child was caught up in the fight. They were planning on poisoning the sect leader of a clan, Nie Mingjue. It's not deadly for cultivators but if you don't cleanse it properly, it will eat you alive till you die of qi deviation. Not to mention, you can't trace it after death."

The prince crushes the blade with his bare hands and whisks it away to the floor.

"It seems we have to interfere with their wars."

Chapter Text

The laughter of children filled paradise manor. Giggles and foot steps echoes on the hall with excitement.

"Xue-gege! Mo-gege! Wait for me!" Wei Yu's laughter fills the hallway as Xue Yang and Mo Xuanyu takes the child out to play. They burst out to the bustling ghost city, greeted by the warm smiles of the residents. Some gives them treats to share as they walk to the plaza where a group of performers start their show.

"Young masters, is it alright for you to be outside?"

"It's okay, Hua-shizun said we can come out to play."

──────⊱𖥸⊰──────
10 years passed

The shadows fleet through the dark forest, hiding from the sight of the Lan disciples. The disciples raise their swords in defense, the cackles of people ignites fear in the cultivators' hearts. A thud from a nearby tree alerted them immediately. A white fox masked figure illuminates under the glow of the moon. The person's body was dressed in white robes with gold and red ornaments. The sleeves were embroidered with gold butterflies and red flowers.

"Who are you!?" One disciple shouts as the figure continues to sway their legs on the tree branch.

"My, aren't you rude for a Lan disciple."

"Is that how Lans act? Do you see this, Mo?"

"Right! Right! Our precious Shuhe is much more polite than they are." The figure cackles as another joins him in the tree. This one had a red fox on his face. More and more appeared with ghost masks on their face. Around ten people now surrounded the band of disciples.

"Look at them tremble."

"They're so scared! Xue, we shouldn't tease them too much."

"If you know then why are you still doing so, Xue-ge, Mo-ge." Another figure walks toward the disciples, he seems the same age as them unlike the other two who were a bit older. His face was adorned by a gold fox mask.

"My apologies for my comrades misconduct. We were told that the Lan disciples headed to the village of Mo needed assistance. We are cultivators." The gold masked gently says as if afraid to scare the disciples even more. It seems to lessen their worries but not enough for them to lower their swords.

"From what sect?" The disciple that seems to lead them asks cautiously. The gold masked figure's eyes seems to soften at the presence of the disciple.

"We aren't from a sect. We're from Qiandeng Temple."

It seems enough for the disciples to lower their god, apologizing for their behavior as well. The Qiandeng Temple is known to be the heart of the devotees of two of the Five Famous Tales, the prince who pleased god and the ghost who ascended. It is the temple devoted for the god of death and mercy as well as the god of luck and mischief. They are also worshiped as the gods of marriage and homosexuality due to the famous stories of their love story. The two gods did not like to be built temples, their devotees usually only has a small home shrine devoted for the two gods. There are two Qiandeng Temples that exists, one in the ghost realm and one in the mortals. They are known to only open a few times every year.

It wasn't heard that they accept disciples though.

"I didn't know that the Qiandeng Temple accepted disciples."

The three figures looked at each other and laughed, the duo jumping down to join their shidi. They dusted their clothes before joining the disciples' camp. "Our shizun's don't. We're excemptions for some reason."

"That's because you're a rowdy kid who wants to rule the world."

"And you're a romantic who doesn't know when to shut up."

Their arguments seems to only be lighthearted so the disciples didn't really care to listen. The gold masked seems to only smile politely while they argue. "We're all disciples of our shizun's first disciple. Our original mentor already left the world and we're orphans who were taken in by the temple."

"Ah I see, that's a sad situation."

"Hey! Hey! Now that I look at it, Mo. Doesn't their head disciple look a lot like Shuhe?"

This statement seems to take the disciples' attentions. They look at their head disciple before looking back at the red fox masked man. He peers at him before the gold masked disciple takes him by the collar and pushes him to their other comrade.

"Stop bothering them. Uncles, we'll be fine here now. You can go back."

"Are you sure, young master?"

"I'm sure."

The figures leave them there, the fox masked trio only remains.

"Ah forgive my manners, I'm Lan Yuan, courtesy name Sizhui."

The other disciples seems to understand and follows as well, introducting themselves one by one. The gold masked figure takes all their names into mind just in case. You never know when you need a person's name.

"Xue Chengmei."

"Mo Xuanyu."

They seem to not recognize the names due to their age and it's just an advantage for the trio. The gold masked fox then dusts his pants and smiles. "Wei Shuhe"

"Wei?"

"Isn't the Yiling Patriarch's surname Wei?"

"Now now, it might just be a coincidence." Lan Sizhui hushes them and the disciples seems to respect him enough to hush their questions about the qiandeng disciple's name. They rest for the night, tends to the wounded before they travel again the next day.

________________

"Isn't the village named after you, Mo?"

The white masked man snorts before pushing his friend away. He flips his ponytail behind his back and saunters to where the main family is. Ignoring the teasing laughter of his friend.

"Are they always like this, Wei-xiong?"

A Lan swings his arm over the gold masked boy casually. His name was Lan Jingyi if Wei Yu remembers correctly. The qiandeng disciple only nods his head and smiles.

"Don't you get tired of them?"

"The three of us grew up together. This is nothing."

"Really?"

Wei Yu nods his head slowly, gripping the bell on his waist. "Xue-ge and Mo-ge were taken by our Hua-shizun when I was five. They became Xie-shizun's disciples by then. Their cores were weaked and almost broken but we managed to salvage it. Xie-shizun is one of the greatest cultivator I know, they taught all of us what we know today. "

"Wow, your shizun seems to be an amazing person. But you said you have two mentors?"

The disciple smiles and pushes his arm away from his shoulder. "We have three." He mutters before following the duo who had gone ahead of them. The Lan disciples couldn't do anything but follow as well.

In the midst of the gentle atmosphere, a dark shadow fleets through the heads of the group, heading straight for Wei Yu. "Watch out!" Lan Sizhui shouts but he was too far away to push the Qiandeng disciple away. What they did not expect though was for the beast to curl on his arm and nuzzle his cheek affectionately. It seems to be a snake with a scorpion tale.

"Jiejie, you're here." A small girl passes through the gawking horde of Lan disciples and calls back the snake who curled on her shoulder, her face was adorned with a black fox mask. She smiled and pat the boy's head affectionately before smiling at the crowd, following the rowdy duo. "Banyue-jiejie!" Xue Yang laughs and smashes to her little body with a bone crushing hug. The girl seems to not be bothered by it, squeezing the latter back in greeting.

"Who is she?"

"A Qiandeng disciple?"

Wei Yu nods and dusts his sleeves where remnants of dirt from the snake have stucked. He made sure his robes were clean enough to be called decent before responding. "Banyue-jiejie is a direct disciple of Xie-shizun and Hua-shizun only. She's like their adopted daughter."

"Your shizun's are both male, right?"

Wei Yu once again nods.

"But they adopted her? They're her parents?"

"That's correct."

"How did that happen?"

"They're married."

The Lan disciples seems to falter in their steps, some even stumbling on their feet and falling to the ground. Wei Yu raises an eyebrow under the mask, a frown visible on his face like what he said was the most normal thing in the world.

"They're cut-sleeves?"

"Qiandeng temple? What did you expect?"

"T-then are you . . ."

The qiandeng disciple smiles and leans close to the Lan disciple, WAY TOO CLOSE for personal face. He gives him a toothy grin, hands tucked on the slits of his robe with probably the smuggest smile you could see on anyone's face. Xie Lian who was watching back at paradise manor using Hua Cheng's wraith butterflies bursts out laughing. The child played with the ghosts a little too much.

"Why? Are you gonna give me a pretty gege to marry? You perhaps?"

Oh boy, the Lan became a tomato instantly and Xie Lian is rolling on the ground holding his stomach now.

"San Lang! Look what you did!"

"I did nothing, Gege." Hua Cheng laughs fondly.

"Was that a marriage proposal, Lan Jingyi!?"

"Our sect stars aren't a cut-sleeve!" (Oh boy, I'm pretty sure that's not what Lan Sizhui says when he's with Jin Rulan.)

"You're pretty loud for a bunch of Lan disciples." Wei Yu snorts before following his shixiongs and ignoring the disciples. A small smile plays on his lips, mischievous and playful. Oh boy, Xie Lian should have really scolded the boy more knowing he's spoiled by two demonic entities.

________________

"As we have discusses, ma'am. We'll be handling the affair. We just ask you to stay inside at sun down."

"Alright, thank you very much."

The qiandeng disciples have been silent through the whole ordeal, some glares daggers to the family, cold and vicious. Mo Xuanyu hides his face on Xue Yang's shoulder, body shaking with tremor.

"Why is he acting like that? Is he a cut-sleeve? What a disgrace." The young master of the family laughs out loud, slapping his servant's back. It seems to finally snap the tense atmosphere, spiraling it down the abyss. Wei Yu straightens his posture from leaning on a pillar, Banyue holds his sleeve and shakes her head but the younger only gently pries her hand off.

"So what if he is?"

"Your sect accepts someone like that?! How low."

The qiandeng disciple strides to the man and grabs him by the collar. It sparks chaos between the family and the disciples but before any other could interfere, a web of strings covers the main hall.

"Take a step and I'll mince you to pieces." Xue Yang growls, holding Xuanyu closer who had already started to breathe hard.

"Xue-ge, take Mo-ge out." Wei Yu glares at the man infront of him. He's disgusted at even touching the bastard but he wants to tear him to pieces with his own hands. This man, this treacherous spoilt brat hurt his Mo-gege.

"No!" Mo Xuanyu suddenly screams, parting from Xue Yang and striding to where the master of the house sat. He grabs the man by the chin, forcing him to face the young boy. His fox mask falls to the floor, red blazing eyes stares deep into his soul. His face, as beautiful as Wei Yu had remembered from his youth with a touch of growth and time. "Look at me properly, Master Mo."

"M-mo Xuanyu."

The disciple smiles and rubs his thumb on his cheek, sinister and gentle. "I'm glad you remember the child you've abused for years. If you hadn't, this would have been less painful."

"You lunatic! How dare you come back!?"

The Lan disciples looks at each other before looking back at the madame of the house who was fuming mad at the boy yet she couldn't step any closer or Xue Yang would cut her down. She settles into throwing her shoe at him which he easily caught. Mo Xuanyu crushes the shoe easily, throwing it at the wall and created a dent.

"Consider this the last favour I'll do for your pathetic lives."

________________

"You're part of the Mo family?"

"Former . . ." Wei Yu whisphers just enough for them to hear. Mo Xuanyu had seeked comfort on him just like everytime Wei Yu woke up from a nightmare and climbed the older's bed. The boy lays on his lap, arms around his hips.

"You're all still too young. Sixteen years ago, Lanling Jin Sect took in Mo Xuanyu as a cultivator but because his core was weak, he wasn't really given much and was just discarded away."

The gold masked boy gently pets his shixiong's head. Trying to soothe the still trembling boy. "Mo-ge fell in love with Jin Guangyao but ofcourse, it was unrequited. The bullying and abuse started then. Our mentors found out about it and took Mo-ge and Xue-ge out of Lanling Jin Sect."

"What kind of master do you all have to be able to defy Lanling Jin!?"

Wei Yu and Xue Yang looked at each other before giggling to themselves, keeping quiet and not answering the Lan disciples.

"Monsters, probably." Mo Xuanyu jokes instead.

The Lan disciples shiver before looking at the two alarmed. This just caused the two to burst out laughing even more.

"Is it okay to even tell us something like this?"

"It's not even a secret. Ask about our names in Lanling Jin and you'll hear what we've told you. But they're probably gonna tell you we're lunatics."

"Aren't you though?"

The duo shrugs and laughs again. "I'm pretty sure we are."

Lan Sizhui shakes his head fondly, he was pampered since he could remember so he doesn't understand their pain. Sure, he grew up without a mother. Or being constantly told he was an illegitimate child. Or the pressure of being one of the sect heir candidates. But he didn't know the pains of being abandoned, betrayed, abused and hurt to no return. Atleast he had his A-die and Zewu-jun. His grand uncle as well as the Lan disciples who were loyal to him than anyone else. But for these boys to keep smiling and joking like they didn't just go through those pain was something Lan Sizhui could appreciate.

Suddenly, their happy atmosphere broke. Wei Yu's eyes flash red before he's tapping Mo Xuanyu's shoulder. He points at the place where they set up the array.

"Blood, Mo-ge, Xue-ge. Someone died."

"How do you know that?"

"I can smell it." Wei Yu whisphers, standing up and heading to where the smell comes from. The Lan disciples, for the heaven knows how many times, followed the young disciple. The stench of blood becomes evident once they were a few meters away from the array. The wails of servants echoes in their ears.

"What happened?"

"My son! My son's dead!" Madame Mo cries as she held the withered corpse of her son. The Lan disciples could only turn their heads away from the gore. Banyue however, took the corpse's wrist and closed her eyes. One of her scorpion snakes hiss and bites the corpse.

"We're on the right track. Mo, Wei, scourge the place. It musn't get out of the village." She murmurs before retreating her snake. Seeing the grave situation, one Lan disciple sends for a single for help from their sect. Mo Xuanyu and Wei Yu stood back to back, drawing a talisman and creating a wide-range array.

"Xue, handle the corpse."

The disciple gets on his knees, silently prays under his breathe before drawing his own talisman and plastering it on the young master Mo's back. The corpse raises to it's feet, growling fiercely.

"T-that's demonic cultivation!?"

Wei Yu finishes up just in time to catch Mo Xuanyu from falling to the ground. Wide-arrays take a lot of energy specially ones who specialized in barriers.

"Shut up and follow Xue-ge. If that gets out of the array, a lot of people will die." Wei Yu mutters coldly. The Lan disciples seems to value life over values, follows the qiandeng disciple to scourage through the village. The corpse leads their group to a dark alley. The personal servant of the young master or what seems to be him walked unsteady at the ally. His skin was gray and his eyes white. He'd become a fierce corpse.

Xue Yang lunges forward with his sword, Lan Sizhui follows him close behind, striking when the corpse throws Xue Yang away. Lan Jingyi is hot on his steps, skeeding behind the corpse and piercing it's abdomen. The corpse with them lunges at it's back and bites it by the neck. The corpse falls to the ground easily, fighting against the other corpse on it's neck but it pins him down with force.

Banyue, Wei Yu and Mo Xuanyu meets them just in time. Banyue grabs the purse on her waist to hold the corpse with but a cold tune echoes through the crips air. The corpse falls to the ground limp, Banyue covers her ears in pain.

"Hanguang-jun!"

Xue Yang looks at the others in panic, he quickly scoops Banyue into his arms. Mo Xuanyu grabs Wei Yu by the arm who looked torn between following or stopping them. In the end, he followed. They didn't make it far before a band of cultivators from Gusu Lan, Lanling Jin and Yunmeng Jiang blocks their path. Xue Yang pulls Banyue closer to his chest, one hand pointing a sword at the cultivators. Mo Xuanyu stands infront of him in defense.

The qiandeng disciples who protecting their sister looks up to the figure casted by the moon. Pristine white robes fluttered as the person jumps down infront of the disciples, a sword raised against them. His cold gold eyes rakes over the figure of the quadro. Wei Yu raises his sword at him in retaliation, gaze fleeting from him to the Lan disciples who were looking at them confused.

"Is Ms. Banyue okay?" Lan Sizhui tries to take a step forward but he was blocked by his father.

"Banyue?"

The girl slowly calms down, enough for her to get back to her feet. She wobbles slightly but regains her foothold without any more incident. The disciples from different sects have raised their swords against them in defense. Wei Yu grabs Mo Xuanyu's arm and  pushes him to Banyue.

"Take Jiejie and go."

"Don't move!" One of the disciples shouts at them but Wei Yu only grits his teeth in annoyance. He faces Mo Xuanyu who was contemplating wether he should follow their head disciple's words.

"Do you have confidence in facing hundredths of people?"

"No . . ."

"Then take Jiejie and get away from here!"

"Look at this bastard, planning on facing all of us. You demonic cultivators are really something else." One Jin disciple scoffs. Mo Xuanyu steps back in hesitance but before he could move an inch, an arrow flies straight to his mask. The fox mask cracks in half but the face behind reminds unscathed. Ocean blue eyes widened in shock meets their gaze. Another batch of arrow follows but a sword cuts it in half before it could reach the qiandeng disciple. Banyue's mask has crumbled to the ground as well, no arrow have reached her with the help of her snakes other than the first shot.

"Go!" Wei Yu screams once the last arrow falls. Mo Xuanyu falters to his step, planning to run. The disciples aim for another round but the qiandeng disciple steps forward instead and grabs the younger by the arm. Their lips slotted against each other naturally, moving desperately with a promise, sealing it with a kiss. Mo Xuanyu leans back with a determined gaze, taking advantage of the shocked state of the disciples. He grabs Banyue's arm and runs to the forest. "Don't you dare die, Wei Shuhe or I'll bring you back to life and kill you again!" Wei Yu hears before their figure retreats through the vegetations. A small huff, close to a laugh, rumbled from his chest.

"Aren't you already dead?" Xue Yang jokes.

"Wei Shuhe . . ."

Wei Yu faces the crowd who seems to recover slowly from the shock. Lan Wangji stares at him with longing, it makes Wei Yu's chest ache. Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi who seems to notice the change in his demeanor, looks at them curiously.

"Demonic cultivation is forbidden here."

"Demonic cultivation is forbidden here." Xue Yang mocks before rolling his eyes. "You bastards would find any fault anyways and kill us. Lanling Jin scums." He barks as a disciple jumps to attack him but he easily blocks it and sends the disciple tumbling back. The Lan disciples seems to hesitate, familiarity or debt, the two didn't really know why.

"You have guts badmouthing a sect you're too unqualified to even join!"

"Unqualified? You must be fucking with me. I was one of your gems before but you decided to fuck it up. Good thing you did because I would have vomit one day dealing with your bullshit!" Xue Yang shouts as he kicks a disciple to the middle of the town. The ground cracks at where he fell, creating a dent with it.

"What?"

"Why don't you ask your precious sect leader Jin what happened? Why are you bastard here anyways? Why are you all sect bastards here?"

Jin Guangyao furrows his brows in anger at the qiandeng disciple's words. An arrow shoots at the edge of Xue Yang's head but he didn't flinch one bit. The mask falls to the ground with a thud. His eyes met blazing gold ones, a golden archer, beautiful and fierce. Jin Rulan.

"Don't you dare bad mouth my uncle."

"And there's this fucking young princess. Coddled and spoiled aren't you? Your uncle is a fucking bastard!"

Another arrow shots at the man but a long sword chops it into two. Wei Yu who had decapitated four disciples at once, intervenes the cold tension. His mask had long been crushed while smashing it on a disciples head in annoyance.

"It's not time yet, Xue-ge."

His gaze rakes over the disciples, the Lans falls to the ground in shock. Porcelein white skin, plump lips and eyes as dark as blood. A face so similar to their head disciple, it's frightening. Yet contrast to the Lan disciple who had the air of elegance and calmness like Hanguang-jun, the disciple reeked of danger and mischief. An aura hauntingly similar to the Yiling Patriarch for those who had meet him. The Yunmeng Jiang who had been silent at the whole ordeal, collapses. Their sect leader's jaw clenches painfully.

"Who are you?"

"That's none of your business, Yunmeng Jiang's Wanyin."

Jiang Cheng glares at him sharply, eyes burning through the face of the child. The smirk taunts him endlessly, so so similar to his brother's yet even more cunning, mysterious and deadly. He whips zidian at the disciple but Wei Yu easily slaps it away. His eyes blaze with anger.

"Is this what you used to kill the Yiling Patriarch?"

The sect leader jolts at the accusation, the child's eyes stare daggers into his skin. "Is that what you used to kill MY father, Jiang Wanyin? I'm asking you, it's impolite to not answer, you fucking bastard." Wei Yu whisphers coldly, low enough for it to only be heard by those intended to.

"Wei Wuxian's child?"

"He had a child!?"

"Shut up, you ignorant fools!" Wei Yu shouts before meeting the sect leader's gaze again. "What about you? Those swords you hold now? Is that what you used to burn my village to the ground? Is that what you used to slaughter those people at burial ground?"

"Yiling Patriarch killed even more innocent people!"

"My father never did any of that, Jin Rulan!" The disciple shouts even louder, pain evident in his voice as he glares at the jin. The younger's cheeks were streaked with tears but Wei Yu felt even more pained now that he was facing the people who caused his whole remaining family's pain. "Your parents died protecting Baba. He didn't kill them. Do you believe a loving brother would slaughter his own beloved sister?"

"Jiujiu . . ."

"And you, Jiang Wanyin! You turned against my father so fucking fast! Who was the one who held him in his dying moments!? Who saved him when he needed the most!? It was not you! You left Wei Wuxian when he needed the most! Blamed him for all the things that wasn't even his mistakes!" Wei Yu cries out, swinging his sword against the ground.

"A-Yu." Lan Wangji calls out to the crying child. Wei Yu looks at him broken, wet tears spilling down his cheeks and chest heaving heavily.

"It's not fair, A-die."

"I know, A-Yu. I know."

Lan Wangji takes the sobbing child into his arms, cradling the boy like how he held Sizhui when he was sick. The head disciple's chest aches, like this was something natural, this was something that should have happened long ago. He doesn't know who Wei Shuhe is and why he's calling Hanguang-jun A-die but the disciple knows it's something that was supposed to happen. Something like a buried memory he forgot about.

"My my." A figure falls from the sky, white robes fluttering against the wind. The disciples stare at his beauty in awe, wide eyeid and curious.

"I'm sorry, Wangji. I though A-Yu would have been fine but it looks like I sent him out too early and his grudge against the sects haven't subsided one inch."

Chapter Text

Xie Lian pins the group of cultivators on the ground with his stair, the white mask dangling on his waist identical to his disciples indicates his position. He internally sighs and raises his brow at Jin Guangyao. "Did I raise you to do such indecency, A-Yao?" He speaks with venom, raising Wei Yu who had fallen asleep into his arm.

"I must say I'm impressed but have I ever taught you to conspire against your peers?" The man visibly jolts at his icy tone.

"Who are you?"

"Shut up and follow me."

The man tries to attack him with his sword but the god only flicks his sleeve and sends him tumbling away. The disciples gasp in suprise, fear evidently crawling in their eyes. "Relax, I just knock him out." Xie Lian mumbles as Wei Yu slowly wakes up from his nap, placing the boy gently to his feet.

"Shizun." Wei Yu greets tiredly.

Lan Wangji bows to him as well, Jiang Wanyin following soon and lastly, Jin Guangyao. "Xie-shizun." They greet in unison, eyes filled with relief, confusion and suspicion.

"What's happening?"

"You, pesky humans, creating war under heaven's nose and now! I have to fix your mess! Do you know how difficult it is to do so?" Xie Lian reprimands as he takes Wei Ying by the hand, one hand juggling a pair of dice on his hand.

"Open the door and get in or I'll break your legs."

"Is that where Sect Leader Jiang got his threats?"

Xie Lian gives them a last glare before they're all filing into the distance shortening array. What met them was a bustling city, filled with lights and color. The cultivators shreaks in fear as the residents of Ghost City greets them.

"Xie-chengzu! You're back." A ghost child tucks a white flower on his ear before floating away giggling. Xie Lian gives her a small smile and a candy into her little hands. "Yu-gege is here too!" Another child exclaims as Wei Yu crouches infront of them and gives them a small bun. The child thanks him cheerfully before boundinf away with the other ghost children.

"Where are we?"

"At the home of Qiandeng Temple, Ghost City."

Wei Yu tumbles back as a body crashes into his. His arms wraps on the older's waist, the other glaring at the band of cultivators behind the younger. The Jins smiles awkwardly at him while the others only cower away at the visible dark aura surrounding the duo. "Mo-ge, don't run around. You're gonna trip." Wei Yu reprimands him, scolding the older boy. Xue Yang stands behind him, talking to what seems to be a blind ghost.

"That's Xiao Xingchen!? Didn't he die two years ago?"

"Everyone here is dead." Xie Lian mentions offhandedly, leading them to Paradise Manor. The door opens with little puppet dolls, all garnering fake red lips and eerie looking eyes. Butterflies immediately greets them, lifting Wei Yu up his feet and jiggling like bells. Lan Wangji looks at him with adoration, content with seeing the boy having a good life in Ghost City.

"Then are you fierce corpses with conciousness?"

"Like the Ghost General?" The god laughs while they file to the main hall of the manor. "Ironic because the Ghost General isn't even a ghost." Xie Lian hums while plopping on the throne at the middle, it was big enough to fit two grown men. Wei Yu stands behind him with Mo Xuanyu by his side, Xue Yang takes his left with Banyue.

"We're the real ghosts, child. The spirits of the dead." Xie Lian smiles, crossing his legs.

________________

Xie Lian sends the people who aren't needed away. He's not that cruel to subject them to this torture. Besides, this is an issue between him and his students. The people in the room are seated into a long table with tea and snacks that the residents of Ghost City had personally made.

"Let's start with you, A-Yao." Xie Lian sighs as he glares hard at the man. Hua Cheng and He Xuan had returned with other important people. Lan Xichen is delighted to see his old teacher while Lan Qiren is the same as always, polite but indifferent. Nie Huaisang has a pout on his lips, hidden behind his fan. Shi Qingxuan is gossiping with him about different accessories and tapestries they could collect. Where did the windmaster came from? Xie Lian can probably deduce He Xuan is behind it.

"Should I list all of your crimes?"

Jin Guangyao shakes his head and offers his arm to the god. No amount of conspiracy against the god could get him away anyways. As someone who had been taught by Xie Lian at the time in Cloud Recesses, he knew of his and his husbands power. Even with Xie Lian alone, he can bring a whole empire down with his bare hands.

"I can't win with you, Shizun."

"Won't even try."

"Taizi Dianxia, you've lived centuries more than I have. Your influence over the realm is far greater than I could ever do."

The god cooes at his confession. Looked like he did his research. Good to know since the man was one of the two who adapted his manipulation skills. He would be disappointed if he didn't figure out atleast that much. At the same time, he understood why it had come to this. He knew of the sins that his father had done to the child. It was no surprise that it had come to this. He truly regrets upholding the rules of heaven at that time. He should have just chopped Sect Leader Jin's head. No one would bat an eye anyways.

"You can kill me right here, right now."

"Scared of Wangmin?"

Jin Guangyao eyeis the jittering sword on his side, beaming like an excited little kid. "Dianxia!" The sword beams in excitement, E-Ming bounces beside him with Ruoye watching over their actions, read to bind them if the devices get impatient. The man in question visibly gulps in terror of the legendary sword drenched in the blood of it's foe.

"No one's gonna die tonight. That's no fun." Jin Guangyao begs to differ, death would be better than to land on the two supremes' hands

"I have a present for that Lan child."

Lan Sizhui furrows his eyebrows when the god's gaze lands on him. Xie Lian looks back at Wei Yu who had started to fidget in his spot. He nods once before the child is bounding to his twin brother, a hand opens to him. He gestures for the juniors to follow him, leading them to the back of the manor where a pond filled with lotuses were grown. Lan Jingyi and Jin Rulan stood beside Lan Sizhui, suspicion swarms on their eyes as they gaze at the carbon copy of their friend.

Wei Yu holds out a carved lotus from his belt, dangling by a thin piece of blue ribbon that Lan Sizhui could recognize as the same cloth used for their clan's forehead ribbons. The characters "Wen Yu" was carved on the bottom of the toy. Sizhui's eyes widen and hastily grabs the wooden butterfly on his robe. The characters "Wen Yuan" carved on it's left wing. The butterfly slots into the middle perfectly.

"Nice to meet you, Yuan-gege. I'm your twin brother, A-Yu."

The boy looks back at his friends who only looked back at him in confusion. He looks back at Wei Yu who stares at him with softness and fear. The male shifts his weight from one foot to another, patiently waiting for his reply. He looks straight into Wei Yu's eyes and bursts out crying for the first time the last thirteen years. He grabs his arm and pulls him for a tight hug. Lan Sizhui feels a part of him fill at the presence of the younger. "Twins!?" Lan Jingyi screams to which the older laughed. Wei Yu couldn't help but cry as well, finally reunited with his brother after years of only watching him from afar.

Lan Wangji had sneaked around to meet him regularly, the only way they could communicate due to the fact that Wei Yu was supposedly dead and reaked of demonic energy. His second father had explained to him gently when he asked why his brother wouldn't meet him. How the older twin woke up from his fever dazed and without memories of who Wei Wuxian or Wei Yu or even the whole Wen Clan was to him. Wei Yu was devastated but he had no choice other than watch his brother from afar. It was too risky, too dangerous. If he was caught even just once, Lan Sizhui could be executed as the remaining Wen. Throughout the years, Lan Wangji had not kept it a secret to Lan Sizhui of his origins, of how he was the last remaining Wen there is but due to Wei Yu begging to not reveal his existence, the Lan Jade never mentioned him to his twin.

"You're such a crybaby, Lan Sizhui." Jin Ling teases to which he got a smack from Lan Jingyi.

"Where were you?! I thought I was the last one alive."

Wei Yu gazes at him sadly, taking his already cold hands into his. They had been outside the whole night. "You are, Gege. You're the last one."

"What do you mean? You're right here."

"He's a ghost." A woman dressed in robes of red and white interrupts. A casket of medicines and herbs were carried by her arms with ease. A gentle looking woman dressed in violet and gold stood by her side with a pile of scrolls. The scrolls tumbles to her feet when her eyes found the juniors, shock and familiarity evident on her face. Tears swell on the edge of her eyes as she takes a step forward, reaching out to the golden robed boy but deciding against it.

"J-Jin Ling? Rulan?"

The Jin disciple frowns when his name was called, raking his eyes over the woman's figure. He doesn't recognize her. Her baby doesn't recognize her, Jiang Yanli realizes.

"Do I know you?"

Jiang Yanli's heart shatters to pieces. Her poor baby. She slowly walks to him, gently embracing the boy while her tears starts to paint her rosy cheeks. Wen Qing stood by the side with a small smile on her lips. She's joined by a golden robed man who stares at the duo with longing. "My baby, you've grown so well." Yanli sobs as she presses a kiss into his forehead. Jin Ling struggles in her arm, Yanli releases him quickly.

"Who are you?"

His mother smiles sadly at him. "A'yi . . ." Wei Yu calls out to her sadly. Lan Sizhui only looks at them confused while Lan Jingyi was already close to passing out from the amount of things he had heard.

Jin Ling stumbles backward and runs back to the main hall where Xie Lian was just finishing what punishments were Jin Guangyao will be subjected to. Yin Yu was leading Jin Guangyao to the backdoor with Ruoye binding his arms when Jin Ling bursts into the room. He runs immediately to Jiang Cheng who caught the boy mid-air. The sect leader asks what happened when Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan enters the room. The air grows cold as the crowd only stares at one another.

"Jiejie . . . How is it possible!? You died! I saw you die!?"

The jiang looks back at his teacher and to Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen who both looked equally as shock as he is. Nie Huaisang seems to be getting a handful of giggles from what was happening. Jiang Yanli only smiles and embraces her brother, the warmth from her body was so similar that Jiang Cheng didn't question it anymore, just happy that her sister was back. Jin Zixuan places a hand at his shoulder, his eyes bore straight into Jin Ling whose still dazed and confused. Jiang Cheng ushers him over and takes his hand.

"This is your mom, A-ling."

The child bursts into tears just like how Lan Sizhui did, the head disciple didn't tease him about it. Jiang Yanli embraces him tightly this time, whisphering gentle words on the boy's ears. Although still confused, Jin Ling's heart recognizes his mother. He felt safe at that moment. Safer than he ever did the last 13 years. Jin Zixuan joins their little hug, happy to finally see his family reunite.

"So much drama." He Xuan jokes and Shi Qingxuan pinches his arm. The ghost yelps in pain before the god is laughing their ass off from his antics.

"We're not done yet."

____________________

Xie Lian sighs for the upteenth time that day as he faces Gusu Lan. Lan Xichen only smiles at him encouragingly. Xie Lian wishes he has the patience of Lan Xichen right now. Lan Jingyi was not needed but he had stubbornly stayed as emotional support for Lan Sizhui. Wei Yu never left his twin's side, it made Lan Wangji smile when he remembers how hard it was to keep the two away from each other when they were still kids. Wherever the oldest goes, A-Yu would be waddling close behind.

"My business would be so much easier if it wasn't this."

"Aren't you the god of marriage, A-Lian? Suck it up." He Xuan laughs as the other smiles sarcastically at him. Xie Lian is tempted to flip him off, godhood be damned.

"What is there to discuss, Dianxia?" Lan Qiren interrupts their banters. Xie Lian sighs again before pushing an intricate box into the front of his table. The box opens enough for everyone to see what was inside, a dizi as white as snow with a violet charm dangling on it's edge. Intricate designs of lotuses and clouds in red and blue were carved on it, the characters WangXian marked on the back. Lan Qiren nearly faints at the presence of the object.

"Your nephew had already asked my blessing for his marriage with my disciple."

Everyone splutters their drink or food at his words, coughing into their robes. Lan Wangji looks at them calmly before shaking his head. Xie Lian could see that he finds this amusing and annoying at the same time. His bestfriend was like a rock too, okay? He Xuan's a little better at expressing emotions these days because of Shi Qingxuan but you get the point.

"Which nephew and who is he bethroted to?"

The god giggles behind his tea cup before settling it down. He looks at Lan Wangji once before staring back at Lan Qiren. "Lan Wangji."

"I thought Lan Xichen would get married first."

"Maybe if your uncle made any move, darling Jin Ling, then maybe they would have been married by now." Another round if coughs and a glare from Wangyin later, Xie Lian is giggling openly now. Hua Cheng squeezes his waist in warning but the god only sticks his tongue out childishly at him. He composes himself before continuing.

"Who will he be bethroted to?"

"Wei Wuxian." There goes another round of coughs.

"Are you gonna say Wen Qing is alive as well?"

"Well I'm not really considered alive." The lady pops her head to the window, carrying another batch of herbs. Her appearance almost made them all die from a heart attack.

"Is there anyone who you didn't revive!?"

"I didn't revive them." Xie Lian sighs before downing his drink in one gulp. "They're ghosts, spirits who don't want to disappear into the afterlife just yet. Our city is a resting place for souls who can't rest. It just so happened that Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan couldn't rest in peace knowing Jin Ling is alone in this world. Wen Qing couldn't rest knowing Wen Ning is alive out there and being a subject to Lanling Jin's tortures. I gave them a choice if they want to continue or to end it."

"How about Wei Ying?" Jiang Cheng asks cautiously.

Xie Lian looks at him, studying his face intently. It looked like the younger jiang still held care for his adopted brother no matter how much Wei Ying had damaged. The god sighs before waving Wen Qing off to do god knows what experiment she had come up with again. "A-Ying wasn't in the state to be reincarnated. His soul was torn to pieces."

Jiang Yanli closes her eyes in pain, she had heard this story before but hearing it all over again still pained her. To think that her A-Xian suffered through such lengths for the sake of others.

"He was barely hanging on for A-Yu. The child was protecting Wei Ying with all his might no matter how weak or how small his body was before. We surged for his soul and nurtured it for two years before Wei Ying was stable enough to walk around the manor without collapsing. That was how much damage your war had caused MY DISCIPLE." Xie Lian finishes with an icy cold glare.

"He dug his own grave."

The god wanted to retort but the door opens with Qi Rong and Quan Yizhen dragging a trashing Wei Wuxian into the room. "Shixiong! I brought him!" Yizhen grins cheerfully before running to Yin Yu who was standing beside Xie Lian. The fallen god lets him nuzzle on his neck, gently caressing his curly locks. Wei Ying sat at the end of the table with a huff, glaring at everyone in the room. When his eyes lands to Lan Wangji, he quickly avoids his gaze and opted to staring at the wall instead, ear reddening with a blush. He noticed that Wei Yu and Lan Sizhui were conversing comfortably, his eyes seek Xie Lian who nodded slowly. A smile paints his lips that immediately made Lan Wangji's eyes soften and for his breathe to get caught on his throat. No one notices except his brother who was sitting infront of him.

_______________________

The god squeezes his husband's hand in annoyance to which the ghost king only smiles and squeezes back, unaffected by his strength. Xie Lian recounts everything that had happened, every little detail that was not said. Every thing they have got from their investigation to the testimonies of the dead and the stories of the springs. Water has memories after all.

slowly the sun shone through the clouds and the noise outside dies down as the ghosts hides into their respective homes. The whole manor is filled with cries and outbursts, apologies and regrets.

Wei Yu sat at the corner as he watches everything come to place. It took them thirteen years to learn the whole truth and prepare for the outcomes. He's glad everything fell to place easily.

Mo Xuanyu nudges his arm, eyes fluttering close from time to time. He must be tired from everything that had happened. Lan Sizhui had already dozed off on a pile of pillows where they are, Jin Ling is knocked out on his chest from exhaustion. Lan Jingyi is close by, clutching his necklace close to his chest. Wei Yu promptly lifts Xuanyu into his arms, the older snuggling on his chest. Xie Lian spares them a glance before going back to conversing with Nie Huaisang who was openly laughing at Jiang Cheng's misery. He would have to apologize soon about his outburst the night before but his priority right now is to let his Mo-ge rest.

He trudges through the halls of the manor until he reached his destination, the separate house for the disciples. It's a small traditional style two story building with six rooms for Wei Wuxian, Jin Zixuan, Wen Ning, Wei Yu, Mo Xuanyu and Xue Yang on the second floor. The first floor is a lounging area where they bring scrolls and just stay when their rooms get stuffy. There's also a small kitchen and bathroom with it but the kitchen mostly goes untouch unless Wei Yu is feeling up to cooking. The kitchen would burn if anyone other than him uses it. Wen Ning and Jin Zixuan aren't official disciples of the gods but they might just be that in this case. Wen Ning, who had picked up archery once more, was constantly trained by Xie Lian's old friend, Feng Xin. Jin Zixuan was also trained by the god's old friend, Mu Qing. Wei Yu thinks it's because of Jin Zixuan's self blame, of not being strong enough to protect his family so he's determined to strengthen his self although he's already a ghost.

The women of their group, Jiang Yanli, Wen Qing and Ban Yue stays in a smaller house adjacent to theirs. Wen Qing had started developing medications and health related practices for the realm under qiandeng temple's name. Jiang Yanli expressed interest in medicine as well, helping Wen Qing with the clinic they have built at the qiandeng temple in the mortal realm. The duo became disciples of Ling Wen as well as the currently standing god of alchemy, He Xuan. How it happened, Wei Yu doesn't want to know. It's something about He Xuan being curious about finding things to consume, mixing different stuff and creating things on accident because he wants his hot pot to taste EXQUISITE. So practically the ghost ascended officially this time as the god of alchemy and had been experimenting because you know, he's a sadist who loves to torture people. He'd done good with his work, yes, but yeah, most of his inventions are sadistic. Heavens, the chaos they do on a daily basis.

Wei Yu gently lays Mo Xuanyu on his bed, he coaxed the other to atleast change into more comfortable garments but all he could do was make the older strip his outer robes. The qiandeng disciple is soundly asleep by now, shallow breathing and calm. Wei Yu gently pries his hands away from his robes so the younger could go wash and head to bed as well.

"If you leave me, I'm gonna kick your ass." Mo Xuanyu threatens as his hold on the boy's robe tightens. The head disciple giggles before placing a soft kiss into his lips. "I'll be back, Ge. Just gonna wash, promise." He cooes as the other finally lets him go with a grumble.

The disciple slowly slips out of the room, seeing no one is around. He slides the door shut and almost screams his head off before he remembers that Xuanyu is sleeping already. Hua Cheng raises a groomed eyebrow at him, opal eyes glimmering with mischief. "Hua-shizun! What are you doing here?" Wei Yu squeaks before plastering an awkward smile.

"Until when were you gonna hide it?"

"Hide what?"

"That you've been fucking my disciple."

Wei Yu screams indignantly this time, staring at Hua Cheng as if he had finally lost his mind. Haven't he, though? A question for another time. "I h-haven't been . . . uhm that . . . doing that to Mo-ge!" The teen stutters, glaring at the ghost king as best as he could. Hua Cheng only smirks and ruffles his hair.

"I want an official letter of courtship by tomorrow noon."

The disciple gapes as the ghost saunters away mischievously. Oh fuck. His Baba will hear about this soon and this is gonna be insufferable. If Hua Cheng knows, everyone knows. "Wait, Shizun! You're not against this!?" He shouts, he was expecting a bit of resistance. He was technically a disciple of Hua Cheng as well but Mo Xuanyu was a direct disciple. A heir to his teaching as to Wei Yu is a heir to Wei Wuxian. So he expected the ghost to atleast disapprove or make it difficult for him but here he was, asking Wei Yu to send a formal letter of courtship for his very own disciple.

"I'm the half of the gods of homosexuality, A-Yu! I don't care how gay you're gonna be."

Hua Cheng will always surprise him.

Wei Yu hears another grumble before he's skidding to the bathroom and washing all the grime off of his body. He gets ready for bed, being greeted by a pouting Mo Xuanyu who was still half asleep and reaching out for him. Wei Yu slips under the covers and lets his Mo-ge snuggle into his chest, humming comfortably with his warmth.

_________________

When Wei Yu woke up again, Mo Xuanyu isn't there anymore but there's a tray of breakfast by his bedside. A cute little note with a doodle of a lotus and the words "you were sleeping so comfortably so I didn't wake you up. Eat and come to the main hall after you finish." Wei Yu finishes his meal quickly, fixing his attire and getting ready for the day. It's only mid-afternoon, the buzz of Ghost City will only start when the sun has already set.

The main hall is piled up with people, Hua Cheng is standing infront of a door that Wei Yu have never seen. How did that get there? Wei Yu could only see the spiritual energy flow from his palm to the door. Mo Xuanyu bounds to him with a skip to his steps.

"What's Shizun doing?"

"They're planting the same device Shizun uses when he travels away. It's gonna be a doorway to the four sects so they can visit and we can visit anytime."

"Why?"

Xie Lian approaches them this time, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. Wei Yu looks at him in confusion. Why would they need it? "A-Yu, you can't go with your A-die."

"Why not?"

"Your body, A-Yu." Wei Ying explains gently, wiping the tears that have spilled from his eyes. Wei Yu didn't even notice he was already crying. "You're still half dead, you're not like your Aunt Yanli or Uncli Zixuan who were revived completely by my methods. I'm sorry, A-Yu."

Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan were revived by the same methods Wei Wuxian had done for Wei Yu. But this time, he succeeded. Because he didn't need demonic energy, the abundant spiritual power from the two supreme ghosts were enough for the ritual to succeed. They wanted to do the same to Wei Yu but Wen Qing protested against it, Wei Yu was a different case and it would be a gamble they all know would have less probability to succeed. The reason why they didn't want others to know about this method is because it's highly dangerous unless you're a god or a supreme. Wei Yu's body could break easily with how two energies circulate in his veins.

The qiandeng disciple looks at his twin who was already staring at him sadly, broken that they would have to seperate once more. "You can still visit, but only a month at most and you need to come back to Ghost City to let your body heal." Wei Yu nods his head solemnly, better than nothing.

Wen Qing hugs him tight, "We'll find a way, A-Yu."

________________

Three years into the research, Wen Qing made a ground breaking discovery and Wei Yu's body is finally returned to how it was supposed to be. The boy is overjoyed at the thought of finally going back home.

Chapter Text

Wei Yu sneaks around town for a while, taking in the scenary that he had never seen before. His body is a bit heavier than before but he's getting used to the lightweight steps instead of the usual chains locking him to the ground. Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli are residing in Lanling Jin while Zixuan takes over the position of sect leader. The news of the Yiling Patriarch's revival is still a hot topic between the people although it had been five years since they have appeared again to the surface of the earth. His parental figure still stays in Ghost City to help the remnants of the Wen Sect that seems to still bore hatred against the cultivation world. He heard that the Yiling Patriarch would come back to his husband (yes husband. Apparently, they got married under Wei Yu's nose for the last ten years. The audacity of these two. ) when the last of the Wens have gone to the afterlife. Minus, Wen Qing and Wen Ning. The woman was still stubborn and excited of all her discoveries and her brother, they haven't found a way to disperse the curse Wei Ying had done for the corpse to regain his conciousness. The circumstance also applies to two other individuals that his father oh so kindly messed with as well, Song Lan and Nie Mingjue.

"Aiyah~ young man! You look familiar." An old woman approaches him with a smile. The disciple offers her a smile before tugging his hood lower, a black velvet cloack courtesy of Shi Qingxuan as a parting gift. The god acts as if he won't visit ghost city or the heavenly realm on a regular basis. They would probably be the one to barge into Wei Yu's room any given moment if he'd be honest.

"Ahh!" She gasps in recognition before pointing her dainty fingers at him. "You look exactly like the head disciple of Gusu Lan Sect."

Wei Yu groans under his breathe and tries to step away from her but a crowd had formed from her loud screams. The disciple shakes his head in disbelief before tucking the fox mask back to his face. The people whispers around him, the crowd had grown enough that a few Gusu Lan disciple had noticed and approached them.

The newly revived disciple looks around for a way to escape. The woman is using his twin's name due to the fact that his existence had been a secret so if he carelessly used the methods he was taught, they might blame it on his brother. He could disappear with an array but he doubts anyone would let it slide and it could only result to another wave of headache for his second father. He was tasked to send something to Hanguang-jun anyways, worse case scenario is they bring him to his second father.

"What's happening? Why are there so many people?" A Gusu Lan disciple parts the crowd with wonder as he stood there calmly. The woman explains what had happened to the disciple, fondly talking about Lan Sizhui. Wei Yu can't help but smile at how the town loves his brother so much. If he has anything to expect from his brother, he probably gives out candies to the children and helped the elderly from time to time when he was in town.

"Our head disciple? That can't be, Ma'am. He's with Hanguang-jun right now at the Sect Meeting in Cloud Recesses."

"You don't believe me?! Take his mask off."

"Madame, that's rude."

"He really is Sizhui! Take a look!" She persists that the disciples consider her words, looking at the masked figure. The qiandeng disciple could only sigh and opted to just approaching them instead.

"Pardon."

"Yes? Uhm, we're very sorry for the incovenience but could you just wait a moment."

"It's alright. I just need to see Hanguang-jun."

"Hanguang-jun is currently with the Sect Leaders. Could you come back another time?"

"It's an urgent matter."

The Lan disciple seems to want to argue further but bowed instead, more precisely to the person behind Wei Yu. "What's going on?" Sect Leader Nie fans himself with a forest green fan that Wei Yu could remember seeing in Shi Qingxuan's collection. Trailing behind him are the other sect leaders that seemed to have went down for the festival. Even Jiang Wanyin was there and Wei Yu represses a scowl to form on his face. His father and the sect leader had talked out their problems but the child still held some bitterness for the jiang although not like before that he would have cutted his head off without hesitance. Lan Xichen is standing close behind him, a sweet smile on his face as always.

"This person wants to meet you, Hanguang-jun."

"Hanguang-jun? Aiyah~ is this your lover?" A sect leader teases. Wei Yu's not surprised considering he was wearing a coat for a woman. Shi Qingxuan and their love for feminine clothing. He was still small enough to be considered as a girl. Although Wei Wuxian had been whining that in a year or two, he would outgrow everyone.

"More like my father's his lover." Wei Yu grumbles and Nie Huaisang immediately snorts, recognition glimmering in his eyes. The words were quiet enough just for those who have enhanced hearing to be the only one to hear. Their jaws slack and Lan Wangji raises an eyebrow at his second son, mischief swirls on his eyes.

"What brings you here, Shuhe?"

The disciple pouts to himself, his cover was blown. He removes the mask from his face, tucking it to his waist. Warm eyes glimmering with mischief. Lan Sizhui grins when his twin's face greets them. Wei Yu responds with a soft smile to his brother.

"Baba asked me to give you this."

"He could have simply sent it like normal."

"It's urgent." Wei Yu sighs before messing his already messy hair. His ruly look contrasted with his brother's clean and proper uniform. Lan Wangji opens the letter and skims through it, humming to himself. He passes it to Lan Xichen without a word and the sect leader grins happily. "Are you gonna escort us, Shuhe?" Lan Wangji asks to which he immediately nods.

"Where are you gonna go, Hanguang-jun?"

"Somewhere far away."

"Should we prepare for the journey?" A disciple asks worriedly but Hanguang-jun only shakes his head. "We won't be long."

"But Hanguang-jun!?"

Lan Xichen places a warm hand into the disciple's shoulder, successfully shutting him up. "Shuhe can protect them."

"What do you mean!? He's clearly around the disciples' age, Zewu-jun. How can you trust the live of your brother to a child!?"

Wei Yu can see the annoyance paint Zewu-jun's face and he internally prays to Xie Lian for the Sect leader's safety. All he got was an amused laugh from the god that he doubts would help them in this situation. "That child you're talking about can take on everyone here without breaking a sweat." Lan Xichen smiles before ushering Lan Wangji to go.

"Wait!" Lan Sizhui calls out at the last minute. "Can I come?"

The qiandeng disciple helds out his hand and Lan Sizhui excitedly takes it, the sparkle of childhood on his eyes was new for everyone to see.

"Hey! Hey! Don't leave us!" Mo Xuanyu laughs before jumping Wei Yu straight on. Xue Yang follows him close behind with an armful of candies. Nie Huaisang gasps in betrayal, pointing his fan at Mo Xuanyu.

"Mo Xuanyu! You were here all along but didn't greet me!? Is this all our friendship has come to!?" Nie Huaisang yells dramatically. Mo Xuanyu laughs boldly even at the face of the Lanling Jin disciples who had mistreated him before. The qiandeng disciple had found friendship from the sect leader the last five years, their fondness of beautiful things brought them together along with Shi Qingxuan. Jin Zixuan shakes his head fondly as the older continued to cling to his adorable shidi who had overgrown him by now.

"Let's play sometime else, Sang-ge!"

Nie Huaisang only smiles at him fondly and shakes his head. "You promise?"

"Yes! Yes! Promise."

"Mo-ge, time to go."

The older male smiles brightly before they are engulfed in a sea of wrath butterflies. Once they open their eyes once more, they are at the heart of Ghost City.

________________

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying shouts wildly, throwing himself into his husband's arms. Lan Wangji catches him easily, pressing a small kiss into his lips. Wei Yu gags at his parent's antics.

"Wangji, I'm glad you could come." Xie Lian greets him with a small smile on his face.

it wasn't really an urgent matter, it was just an excuse for Lan Wangji to escape and prepare for Wei Ying and Wei Yu's arrival to Gusu as well as for Grandma Wen to bid her final goodbye to A-Yuan.

________________

Wei Yu watches the disciples on a nearby tree with wonder. It had been a month since they had moved to Gusu and the shock of the whole cultivation world had come to light. It was amusing to say the least. Hua Cheng specially had a good laugh at the reaction of the cultivation world. Ofcourse, not one could hinder them now due to the heavenly realm having their back no matter how opposed they are to the appearance of the Yiling Patriarch.

"A-Yu, are you not gonna join us?" Wei Ying calls out to his son with a small smile, he had woken up early today for a change and had been teaching the Lan disciples. Wei Yu shakes his head before jumping down the tree he had been resting on. His cultivation and swordsmanship varies greatly from the Gusu Lan teachings so he doesn't participate in their trainings as much.

"You know it's worthless, Baba."

"You're so devoted to your cultivation method. Don't you want to-"

"Aiyah! Don't be vulgar, Baba." Wei Yu reprimands softly. The cultivation he was using was the same as that of the martial god, Xie Lian. Abstinence from wordly pleasures. He didn't mind. He had an excuse to ignore his father's drinking habits that way. Although he was the only one who inherited that cultivation due to Xue Yang and Mo Xuanyu already starting on the method of Lanling Jin when they were brought in as disciples. It would be a waste for the two to start over again so Xie Lian, with the help of Ling Wen, only refined the method for their benefit.

"If you won't join us then help me duel with them."

"Wei-gongzi! That's pratically telling us to fight Sizhui."

"I still lack a bit behind Shuhe in terms of techniques." Sizhui laughs awkwardly. His twin had extreme growth for the last month thanks to their father. There was a great difference in strength between their swordsmanship although their cultivations were on the same level. But this past month, Lan Sizhui was catching up to him even as Wei Yu grows on his own with his teacher's guide every once in a while. Wei Yu sometimes wonders what if the two of them were both taught by Xie Lian, how monstrous would their strength could have been. Lan Sizhui was still finding out ways to utilize his core much more efficiently.

"You've grown so much as well, Yuan-ge."

"You have to grow too, if I surpass you I'd be mad."

"Stop chatting, you two. A-Yuan help me too."

Wei Yu laughs before unsheating his sword from his waist, it was a gift from his Hua-shizun.

"What's the name of your sword, Wei-xiong?"

The disciple smiles before answering. "Zhihuan." He grins before the twins fall into a pattern, smooth like the flow of the river, they dance around the disciples in sync. Two sides of a coin finally finding each other.

________________

[ EXTRA ]

"Wei Shuhe, when are you planning to get married? My daughter is around your age. She's very beautiful." A sect leader asks them in the middle of the meeting. Wei Yu could only fake a smile at him. His brother had started to drag him into meetings because apparently "if I'm gonna suffer, you're gonna suffer with me" and it was decided that the two of them would take over the sect in the future when they decided that Lan Wangji will also stand as a sect leader for Gusu Lan with his brother. It was unheard of that two people handles a sect but no one could complain anyways and the lan elders are confident in the twin's and brothers' dynamic. So here he was to get used to what sect leaders do.

The sect leaders have caught winde of Sect leader Lan's and Sect leader Jiang's courtship so with the only bachelor of the Gusu Lan sect leaders gone, they are aiming at the next in line.

"She has an older sister as well that is very found of you, Lan Sizhui." Wei Yu internally snickers as his twin was dragged into the conversation. He side eyeis Jin Ling who was puffing his cheeks in annoyance beside his father. The youngster was also dragged into this for practice as well as Ouyang Zizhen who was awkwardly looking back at Sizhui and Jin Ling. Good for their other friends, they didn't have to suffer through this.

"With all due respect, marriage is not on our mind right now, Sect Leader Mao. Me and my brother are still too young and we would like to focus on our training for now."

"Nonsense! Marriage should be considered while it's still early." Jin Ling was growing more irritated now.

"Kindly shut up." He snaps at the sect leader who looks at him with dismay.

"You as well, Jin Rulan. You've turned away all of the matchmakers and ignored all the woman who approached you from respectable sect. Do you plan on continuing your jiujiu's legacy as the nightmare of matchmakers?"

The jin heir stares daggers right to the man's head as vicious as an eighteen year old could do. Lan Sizhui takes his hand under the table away, from prying eyes, and rubbed calming circles on the back of it. Jin Ling huffs an annoyed breathe before slumping on his seat.

"My son's marriage is actually already set." Jin Zixuan smiles mischievously to which his son glares at him for.

"Which wonderful woman had our sect heir fancied?"

The quadro sect heir chokes on their laughs, not even bothering to hide it from the sect leaders present. Lan Sizhui is hiding his face behind his sleeves, giggling quietly as Jin Ling laughs outright loud and clear. Wei Yu joins him while clutching on to his stomache for dear life. Ouyang Zizhen is covering his face with a book, trying (and failing) to supress his laughter.

"Well? Who is it?"

Jin Ling and Wei Yu looks at each other mischievously before looking at their fathers who nodded their head in permission. They looked at each other once more before breaking to a wide grin.

"Lan Sizhui."

________________

"You should have seen their face, A-Yi!" Zizhen howls with laughter once they met up with their friend. Jingyi was laughing loudly as well, wiping fake tears from his face.

"I thought you two would keep quiet until the wedding."

"They were getting annoying with all the marriage proposals." Jin Ling grumbles before snuggling into Lan Sizhui's chest. Zizhen had gotten tired of laughing by now, lounging on Jingyi's chest like it was a soft cushioned couch. The Lan disciple has his arms around the sect heir's waist.

"How about you, A-yu? When do you plan on asking Xuanyu to marry you?"

the younger twin only smiles before fiddling with the ring hidden under his robes by a string of chains. The crystal ring sat cold on his chest. The quadro juniors look at each other as realization dawns on their faces.

"Aye- no way!"

Wei Yu grins as Mo Xuanyu approaches from helping the disciples, planting a soft kiss to the crown of Wei Yu's head and proceeding to their room. Zizhen grabs him by the arm and shakes him violently.

"Why weren't we invited to the wedding!?"