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Sizhui knew that being the only son of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian was a lot of pressure to bear. He was a proud son who would do anything to please his adoptive parents. They both live under high standards and share very polar views in life. Trying to please both of them at the same time has been a struggle. When Hanguang Jun tasked him and Taiho with going through the city census documents to find clues about the indigenous clan that used to occupy this city, he took it as a challenge. He needs to feel like a contributing member of this family and this was his chance.
The documents were simple to follow. Using deductive reasoning, they started with anything that was dated 500 years ago. Since the boy has been stuck 408 years in the well and his father had no other descendants, they had to go into different branches of the family tree to find a living relative. Hopefully, the bloodline still continues and whoever it is still lives within reach of this city. Sizhui was able to find an account of mass murders that occurred around 410 years ago, which made him assume that's when the old man started killing the clan members who opposed him. That helped him narrow down the clan name.
Taiho was able to find the family tree of the mother who bore the boy, but she was an outsider and her family tree was not included in the city scripts. After many hours of searching, Sizhui found key information that could help solve this mess.
Wuxian entered the room, dragging Nie and followed silently by Wangji. Wuxian smiles happily at his son then clapped his hands in excitement: "What have you discovered?"
Sizhui pulled out an old book and opened a page to show them: "According to this document that dates around 450 years ago, the clan that used to rule this city had a leader who bore two sons. They requested a vote to transfer successorship from the first son to the second son."
Sizhui took out a big stamped parchment paper: "According to this document form, the reason behind the change is because the first child was physically challenged."
Wuxian frowns: "What does that mean?"
Taiho: "They didn't specify his condition. From Lady Meili's storyline and the number of years that passed, we can safely deduce that this man is the uncle of the boy in the well. We traced the names and he had many descendants but his bloodline stops short. Around 50 years ago, his last descendant was declared an outsider and they stopped adding his family information to these books."
Nie: "So we hit a dead end?"
Sizhui: "If we can figure out why the uncle was exempt from leadership and why his descendants were kicked out of this city, we might be able to find them."
Wuxian: "How do we do that?"
Nie: "Why not ask our in-house expert?'
Wuxian wiggled an eyebrow at him teasingly: "Subtle."
Nie: "What? She was helpful before. She seems capable."
Nie left with the boys to go question Meili, while Wuxian made his way back to his room. Wangji followed silently until the door closed: "We received a letter from Liwei."
Wuxian turned to listen to him so he continued: "He said he's closing in on the sect location. He hasn't found the brute man or the book yet. He did hear rumors about him which somehow made my brother feel unsettled. We didn't have time to discuss it further."
Wuxian smiles at him: "Nie knows the man and the location of Shenhua Clan sect."
Wangji's eyes widen: "How?"
Wuxian: "Apparently, they have history. He said the brute man renounced his name and goes by a title: The Slayer. He has a bitter history before he joined that clan. Nie hinted that father or the elders might know more details about his past. We can ask them after this mess is settled."
Wuxian sighs deeply and sits down: "I'm so tired."
Wangji pours him a warm cup of water and hands it to him: "Drink."
Wuxian looks up at him: "Can we trust Nie Huaisang?"
Wangji sits next to him: "At the moment we need his help."
The next morning Zewu Jun joins them for a debriefing: "So according to Nie's intel, which I sent right away to Liwei for confirmation, Shenhua Clan sect is located in the north. It's a 12 days journey from Cloud Recesses and a 7 days journey from this city. I think I might know the identity of the Slayer but I contacted Uncle for confirmation and when he replies I will update you all."
Wuxian: "What about the boy? I promised him that I would return and it's been many days. I have a healing session tomorrow. If that doesn't go well, things will be delayed further."
Zewu Jun: "Have patience. Meili didn't have any extra information to help with the search. She asked to leave yesterday to consult with the scriptwriter that sells her books but I refused to let her out. The townspeople are bigoted and I didn't want her to be harmed."
Wuxian sighs: "We don't have time to play these games with them. It's their lives on the line!"
Zewu Jun: "Calm down, brother Wei! I already sent some of your disciples with a letter she wrote. They came back with 15 relevant books and diaries. Yuxio, Lady Lou and Meili are now looking into it."
Wuxian places his head on the table and mumbles: "I want this to be over."
Wangji rubs the back of his neck: "Soon it will be."
Wuxian: "No it will not. We dig ourselves out of a pit only to fall off a cliff. When will this end?"
Zewu Jun: "All in due time. We can solve anything if we work together and do our best diligently."
Wuxian: "I want to go home."
Wangji: "I will take you home soon. Just bear with it a little longer."
Turns out, the boy's uncle was deformed. Once that piece of information was revealed, the other puzzle pieces fell into place. The bloodline was cutoff 50 years ago because a frustrated father couldn't take the constant bullying coming from the people who he considered neighbors and friends. The deal he made included separation from the city records.. which meant one thing: Meili was the last descendent from the original clan that built the blessed well. She was the only family left to save the immortal boy. Oh.. the irony. She didn't have to think twice when Wuxian asked her if she was willing to adopt the boy. Nie invited her to move to Qinghe City for a fresh start and she accepted. With a plan in hand, all they had to do was save the boy, remove the blessing from the well which in turn prevents the man from harming the city. The only question left is.. is this enough to stop the man from killing and destroying Luxia City?
Wuxian went through the healing session and came out of it relatively fine. Cold sweats and shivers were benign symptoms compared to the more aggressive ones he suffered from previously. He laid in bed after the session was over to figure out how to actually get the boy out of the well: 'Was there a specific way? Does the boy know?' Wuxian would assume that if the boy knew he would've left a long time ago. He heard Da Ziran whisper to him: 'I will help you release the spell, young Oracle. All you have to do is jump in and take me with you on your next visit.'
Wuxian found himself back in the endless water pool after returning to the well and touching the mark before he jumped in a few days after he recovered. He waited for a few minutes until the boy emerged from the water: "You came back!"
Wuxian smiles at him: "I keep my promises."
The boy: "Did you find my family?"
Wuxian nods: "I did. Her name is Meili and she's eager to meet you."
The boy looked at the snake and cocked his head: "What is that?"
Wuxian pets Da Ziran: "She's my spirit animal. A gift from the Earth Deity. She will help you leave this well and join the mortal realm. Would you like that?"
The boy grabs Wuxian's hand: "I've been waiting for many years. I wish for nothing else."
Da Ziran turns into a golden hue that envelopes the occupants of the well. When the light dims enough for the two to open their eyes, they were standing outside of the well. The boy looked around taking in the odd surroundings while still holding Wuxian's hand.
Zewu Jun steps close to the soaked Wuxian and hands them both blankets before kneeling in front of the young boy: "Young man, welcome back to the land of the living."
The boy squints his eyes: "It's too bright!"
Zewu Jun leads the boy away while keeping a light conversation to keep him calm. Wuxian sits heavily on the ground when a strong shiver wrecks his body. Wangji kneels in front of him: "Wei Ying, can you walk?"
Wuxian looked up to nod to his soul-bond but got distracted by what was behind him.
He suddenly pushes Wangji out of the way and the hand that was about to grab his soul-bond ended up around his neck: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
The loud voice kicked everyone in the vicinity into high alert. The man in dark clothing showed up and from the tone of his voice.. he was not happy.
Wuxian grabs the wrist of the hand choking him and struggles to say: "Wh.. what?"
The man yanks Wuxian up until he is on his toes and sees in his peripheral sight that people were starting to close in, ready to fight him.
He groans in frustration and with his other hand loosens the strings of a big pouch attached to his belt. Instantly, dark smoke associated with vengeful energy started leaking out of the bag and attacking people all around them. Everyone was busy trying to contain the spirits and get to Wuxian but to no avail.
Wuxian was barely able to breath from the tight grip on his neck. Da Ziran moved to attack the man but a gust of wind carrying a dark vengeful spirit whisked the snake away. The snake cannot transform because Wuxian already used the remainder of his energy to get the boy out of the well. They're both tapped out. Wuxian was whimpering and clawing the hand cutting off his breath until the man loosened it a little to continue their conversation: "What have you done?"
Wuxian was gasping to breathe: "I fr.. freed him."
The man: "I HAD PLANS! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP ME!"
Wuxian tried his best to take a deep breath and looked definitely at the man: "What do you want?"
The man pulls Wuxian close, Invading his personal space to whisper into his ear: "A weakling like you wouldn't understand."
Wuxian tried to push the man away and when he wouldn't budge he raised his right hand to snap his finger. The man grabbed his wrist before he could unleash his attack, pulling it to the side and gripping it hard.
Wuxian whimpered when pain radiates from the death grip on his hand. He can feel his bones struggling not to snap under the unyielding pressure.
The man moved his hand from Wuxian's neck to his lower back, pulling the smaller man intimately close. He took a deep breath, smelling Wuxian's neck and chuckled darkly: "I see you have visited the Wishing Tree. How is she coping after I took her son?"
Wuxian's eyes widen. This is the same man who abducted La Zaxia's son?
He felt the man take another deep breath. Bile almost made its way out of Wuxian from how disgusted he felt. The man hummed: "I see you have powers. What a shame. Such energy shouldn't be wasted on a.." He rubs his nose under Wuxian's ear ".. delicate man."
Wuxian starts thrashing and kicking, gritting his teeth: "GET AWAY FROM ME! STOP IT!"
The man hums his disapproval and tightens his grip on Wuxian's side, leaving bruise marks on the smaller man and hearing a groan of pain. He whispers with a voice filled with challenge: "You took something from me. It's only fair that I take something from you."
The young Oracle looked around desperately seeking help. Everyone was busy fighting or trying to contain the rogue spirits. They were surrounded by innocent people who were screaming and running in fear. Every single cultivator present had their hands full, including Wangji and Wen Ning.
Wuxian was trapped. He was terrified and helpless. The only thing left for him to do is whimper desperately: "Lan Zhan!"
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