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Grandmaster Qiren walked with his son and new granddaughter. He had so many doubts over the shotgun adoption that happened a few days ago but looking at them now.. they seem like they've known each other for years.
Wuxian asked his permission to pass by the training ground to check on his disciples and make sure that they are not slacking off. Qiren didn't mind taking a look himself. Wuxian has a class scheduled for next week and Keeper Daozi suggested that they put everyone on high alert for that day. Wuxian laughed it off thinking that they were joking.. Keeper Daozi never jokes.
Wuxian was holding his daughter's hand and walking in silence, accompanied by his father. They both had a lot on their mind after reading the second page found from the prophecy book. Wuxian almost tripped over his own feet but managed to recover before making a scene. It didn't go unnoticed by the little girl holding his hand.
A few paces away, Yuxio was skillfully practicing with a fire lit sword just like Wuxian taught her. She is slowly developing her own style and can't wait to show her grandmaster her new moves once she perfects them. Hweiru sees Yuxio's show stopper drills and gasps: "Mama! Look!" She tugs in Wuxian's hand and starts dragging him towards the Phoenix Warrior.
Yuxio sees them coming and smirks, putting more effort into her moves to impress the beautiful man before her. Wuxian huffs: "Show off."
Hweiru's eyes were sparkling with wonder and excitement: "Mama! Her sword is on fire!"
Wuxian pats her head, wondering when he lost the ability to be impressed by simple things in life. Children do remind you that sometimes we take things for granted and forget about the small things.
Grandmaster Qiren: "It is fascinating to watch."
Yuxio finished her drill and moved towards her grandmaster, hoping to receive his praise. The little girl next to him clapped for her and The warrior bowed in appreciation: "Thank you, Princess."
Hweiru played along and curtsies.
Wuxian rolls his eyes and folds his arms: "Why are you training alone?"
Yuxio flutters her eyelashes at him: "After training with a God, one cannot be satisfied with mortals."
Wuxian fake-hurls: "Where do you come up with these things?"
Yuxio winks at him: "With the right inspiration, everything is possible."
Wuxian throws his hands in the air and turns to his father: "See what I have to deal with?"
Qiren looks at her critically: "If she was my disciple, I would have her flogged for insubordination."
Hweiru tugs Wuxian's sleeve: "Mama, may I touch her sword?"
Yuxio smothers a laugh: "Mama?"
Wuxian glares at her with a warning: "Yuxio, meet my daughter: Lan Hweiru."
Yuxio gasps in fascination: "Mini grandmaster!"
Hweiru chuckles over the grown woman's silliness.
Wuxian sighs and begrudgingly says: "Unfortunately, this is one of my disciples: Yu Yuxio."
Hweiru bows in respect and Yuxio smiles broadly to Wuxian: "You and Lan Wangji make beautiful babies."
Wuxian grits his teeth, holding the insults he wants to say to the pervert but couldn't in front of his innocent child.
Hweiru tugs his robe again: "Mama, may I touch it?"
Wuxian nods and sends Yuxio a warning look. She says: "How about I teach you a few moves?"
Hweiru jumps enthusiastically then turns, waiting for her mother to approve. Wuxian sighs: "I have an appointment to attend to."
Yuxio pouts: "I'll bring her back before your second extra meal."
Wuxian warns his daughter: "Be careful."
Hweiru nods and bounces to follow Yuxio into the training grounds.
Grandmaster Qiren watches them walk away: "We will regret this moment one day."
Wuxian sighs: "I regret it now."
They made their way to the main hall, where Mianmian and Lan Ran took all morning to sort and organize the items for Wuxian. There were a lot. Mianmian did her dues while investigating and didn't leave anything behind. Wuxian looks at the amount of junk littering the room and scratches his head: "I'm supposed to touch all this stuff?"
Lan Ran shakes her head: "We organize them so you don't have to. Start from the right and hopefully we find the answer before we even reach the middle."
Wuxian stretches his arm and moves to touch the first item. It was a tea cup that belonged to the old lady that runs the tea shop in town. He felt his ring glow with energy but couldn't see anyone around. That never happened before.
Qiren sees his son turning left and right and asks: "What are you seeing?"
Wuxian frowns: "Nothing."
After searching for a few more minutes, he moves on to the next item.. and the one after it. Still nothing. He knows the ring is working because he can feel its energy flowing but the spirits are not showing up.
Mianmian was starting to get frustrated: "Has this happened before?"
Lan Ran shakes her head: "Never. He never failed to call upon the dead."
Mianmian moves towards the frustrated man and takes out a pendent: "My husband gave this to me on our wedding day. Maybe this one will work?"
Wuxian takes the pendent from her and holds it tight with his ring finger. Something is not right. This feels off somehow. He whispers to her: "What's your husband's birth name?"
Mianmian says: "Li Xiu."
Wuxian closes his eyes and concentrates on the energy flowing from the ring. He whispers: "Li Xiu, can you hear me?"
He feels a soft breeze pass by and hears from a distance: "Who's calling my name?"
Wuxian opens his eyes hoping to see the man but finds no one around: "Where are you?"
Xiu: "Trapped in a dark place."
Wuxian: "How did you get there?"
Xiu: "After I passed, a man with an enchanted bag summoned all the spirits in the city and trapped us in it."
Wuxian can feel the darkness Mianmain's husband was talking about, he closes his eyes to concentrate on hearing him: "Did you recognize the man?"
Xiu: "I didn't see his face."
Wuxian frowns, starting to feel a little bit claustrophobic: "Why?"
Xiu didn't reply for a few seconds then whispered: "Because he didn't have one."
The pendant Wuxian was holding was yanked out of his hand. He opened his eyes to see who and why but the world around him was blurry. Strong hands helped him sit down on the ground and a cloth was placed under his nose. Wuxian was disoriented: "W..what's going on?"
Grandmaster Qiren's worried face appeared before him: "You're nose is bleeding."
Wuxian blinks at him, confused. Lan Ran takes the cloth off his face to show him the blood before returning it. Wuxian leans back on the strong presence behind him: "Oh. Ok."
Pale hands with black veins sneak up from behind him to wrap around his waist. Mianmian was fussing around him, taking his pulse and asking him questions to assess his condition. Wuxian sighs: "I'm fine."
Qiren: "Fine people don't have nose bleeds and look pale as snow."
Wuxian waves his hand: "I'm fine enough."
Healer Shi makes her way into the main hall: "Twice in one day.. Why do I even bother leaving your side?"
Wuxian stares at her: "Little turtle, are you stalking me?"
Shi chuckles while checking his nose bleed: "That role has been thoroughly fulfilled by Yuxio."
Wuxian shudders: "Don't remind me. She's probably corrupting my sweet little child as we speak."
On the other side of Cloud Recesses, Yuxio was surprised with the amount of skills the little girl in her care demonstrated. She thought she was just babysitting while humoring Hweiru with some moves but the girl can hold her own in a fight. Yuxio heard rumors about the return of the orphaned girl, covered in blood. She is surprised that no one questioned her on what happened and how she found her way back. Yuxio blocked a kick to the shin and tried to distract the tiny fighter: "So.. Hweiru, how is your new family?"
Hweiru manages to step in Yuxio's foot but the warrior recovers quickly: "Not new. Mama is the same."
Yuxio frowns: "How so?"
Hweiru: "She feels the same. I know it in my heart."
Yuxio stops to look at the little girl, trying to comprehend what she just said: "So, you think that Grandmaster Wei is your real mother?"
Hweiru: "I don't think. I know."
Yuxio: "How do you know?"
Hweiru cocks her head: "I just told you: I feel it."
Yuxio debates whether to continue this conversation but she's heard crazier things. If the girl wants to believe in instant reincarnations then so be it. To each their own.
Hweiru bows to Yuxio after finishing their exercise: "Thank you, Teacher Yuxio. May I ask where you learned your techniques?"
Yuxio kneels to brush some stray hairs and soothe the girl's robes: "Your mama taught me. That's why I call him Grandmaster."
Hweiru's eyes sparkle: "So he can teach me when I grow up too?"
Yuxio grabs the girl's hand and smiles while leading her back to her father: "At this rate, he won't need to teach you. You're already an amazing fighter."
Hweiru blushes under her praise.
They run into Sizhui and Wuxian's disciples on their way. Sizhui moves to hug his sister and introduces her to his peers: "Brothers, this is my new sister: Lan Hweiru."
The girl bows respectfully and he introduces them to her: "Hweiru, these are father's disciples: Taiho, Bhao, Kaoji and Jingyi."
Yuxio whispers to her: "Jingyi thinks he's the favorite."
Jingyi: "Don't plant seeds of deception, demon! We all know that I am the favorite."
Hweiru looks confused: "Favorite what?"
Sizhui sighs: "Father's favorite person in the world."
Hweiru scratches her little head: "What did he do to earn that title?"
Taiho folded his arms: "Nothing. He's just delusional."
Jingyi juts his jaw out in annoyance: "You are all jealous. You can't even compete with me."
Hweiru steps into his space: "I want to compete with you."
Jingyi glares down at the girl who's looking up at him defiantly: "I'm not fighting with a girl."
Yuxio: "I wouldn't do that if I were you. She has skills."
Jingyi points at the small girl: "She barely reaches my elbow!"
With lighting speed, Hweiru punches him in the gut and watches him go down and roll in pain. She huffs: "Am I the favorite now?"
Sizhui laughs in awkwardness and ushers his sister away from Jingyi before he retaliates: "That's not how it works, little sister. Father chooses who's the favorite."
Hweiru grabs his hand and smiles: "I will ask him then!"
Jingyi balls his fists while watching the girl bounce away. That little menace will not steal his spot. Revenge is a dish best served cold: 'You can fool all these people with your cute smile and sparkly eyes but I see through you, mini-goblin! If you threaten my title then I will defend it with my life!'
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