Lan Wangji's pair of light golden eyes settled on the back of the figure clad in a black-and-red robe. The soft, habitual humming escaped Wei Ying's lips as he strolled along the street lined with a variety of stalls. Wei Ying had started wearing that ensemble the day after their stop in Gusu City, right after they left the Cloud Recesses. At first, he was taken aback, and his heart twinged with pain. That attire instantly reminded him of the broken man who had stood at the edge of the cliff in Nightless City. For some reason, when Wei Ying zestfully asked his opinion on the new look with those starry eyes, he could only say, "Good."
In fact, Wei Ying looked even better in those contrasting colors. Perhaps it was due to his biased view of Jiang Cheng's 'crimes' that made him want Wei Ying to shed the robe with lotus motifs and leave that clan. He would rather have Wei Ying wear that black robe than a purple one. As long as Wei Ying was happy with it, he would be happy as well.
"Lan Zhan, hurry up." The red ribbon danced in the air on that windy nightfall when their eyes met. The yellow light from the nearby hanging lanterns bounced off his lovely, well-proportioned facial features gently, illuminating his clear skin and gleeful expression. Wei Ying made yet another stop at a street food vendor's stall.
Lan Wangji began to wonder about the true purpose of this night-hunt because in the past few days since they set off, he had lost count of the stops they had made for food. He did say that he would treat Wei Ying to food, but he definitely did not see this coming. So far, from day one, they had been to stalls that sold candied fruits, steamed buns, pastries, sweet desserts, porridges, noodles, and so on. His tongue had been introduced to new flavors every time they made a pit stop in each city they passed by, not that he was complaining. As he was made to try new things, it gradually dawned on him that Wei Ying was right about the things he had been missing out on. There were more things in the world to be explored, and one of them was food. He concluded that food-hunting would be the more appropriate term for this journey to the West.
Needless to say, they did not forget their other main objective and still hunted at night along the way. Following their prior agreements and as a safety measure, Wei Ying only used his dark cultivation with a one-hour limit per night as practice. Be that as it may, he was still filled with concern whenever he saw those red eyes. To his relief, Wei Ying had always been in control so far. Therefore, he just kept a close watch while he went on with his goal of perfecting his Chord Assassination Technique and only stepped in when it was necessary to do so. At the end of the night, he would play the mind-calming song for his partner. It was Wei Ying's own prerogative, and he eagerly obliged.
When the daylight was bright enough for people to conduct their business, Wei Ying would take him around in search of more local specialties while gathering information on the unusual occurrences around the area with his brilliant social skills. When the night sky turned dark, they would wander around places where Wei Ying could sense the presence of resentful energies and evil spirits. Wei Ying had developed a skill, which he named as 'tingle sense' (whatever that meant), as he became more sensitive to the voices of the spirits. According to him, the higher the resentment, the noisier they became. He could activate it while using the dark arts, and he was able to block those noises out on a whim. Occasionally, he would dismiss the sudden appearance of a ghostly apparition or two with a command and a snap of his fingers (after a short series of cursing). For the time being, Wei Ying only used the flute to play the tune of 'Rest' to put the resentful beings he summoned into an eternal slumber. However, he did wonder if Wei Ying had learned the musical score from the library, as he had never played that melody in Wei Ying's presence before.
That early evening, they arrived at Yang Ping town after five days of stop-and-go. He watched from the side as Wei Ying went to have a chat with the lady who owned the inn where they were staying. That person of his interest was as charming as usual, and his effervescent chattering alternated with soft laughter. His eyebrows twitched as he wondered what could be the topic that made him flash his bedazzling charisma and made the lady owner all giggles and smiles.
"Stop frowning." Xiao Zhan nudged him as he got back.
"I did no such thing." Lan Wangji grumbled. His frown lines got even deeper.
"Look at yourself. Dishonesty is forbidden, is it not?" Xiao Zhan clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Didn't I promise to cook for you?"
"...Yes?" In the twinkling of an eye, the creases between Lan Wangji's eyes straightened as if they had been steam ironed. The icy gaze melted and was replaced by warm honey. As it turned out, Wei Ying was just making a deal with the owner to let him use the cooking space and facilities.
These days, Lan Wangji had been tolerating his foodie's escapades without a word of complaint. Xiao Zhan wanted to do something in return, and he remembered he still had yet to fulfill his words the other day. At the same time, he wanted this precious person to have a better life as a youth than the one he had once read in the novel. It was no secret to him that Lan Wangji was deprived of parental love, and his childhood was all about following suffocating rules. After his mother's passing, his uncle's unforgiving and strict upbringing further damaged little Lan Zhan emotionally. He could imagine how lonely and miserable it must have been for Lan Wangji, to the point that he chose to shut himself up in Jingshi, accompanied by his guqin and books, when he had no compulsory tasks to attend to. Xiao Zhan was determined; he would make this poor soul's life filled with excitement and more freedom. What better way was there to make someone feel loved by their family than by feeding them home-cooked meals? Nevertheless, he knew Lan Wangji had been raised with Buddhist dietary restrictions, which was why the food in Cloud Recesses was all bland and medicinal-tasting. He asked out of courtesy, "Are there any restrictions that you want to observe?"
Lan Wangji hesitated for a couple of minutes, questioning his resolve regarding the beliefs he had upheld for the past fifteen years. On the other hand, he was extremely curious about Wei Ying's cooking, and since his taste buds had been reawakened, he was more open to the idea of discovering the variety of delicacies. He made up his mind and answered, "None."
"Then, let us go shopping!" Dragging the Second Young Master by the wrist had become a habit of Xiao Zhan, and Lan Wangji was happy to play along. It did not take them long to get the food items at the nearby market as Wei Ying expertly selected and swiftly made the transactions. It appeared to Lan Wangji that Wei Ying was used to this kind of domestic activity. He wallowed in his thoughts of Wei Ying's life in the world without cultivation. It saddened him as he realized that Wei Ying must be missing his family, whom he always talked about. Could he fill the vacant space?
In the kitchen, Xiao Zhan looked around at the tools and utensils, familiarizing himself with the ancient layout. He gathered all the things he needed to one side, folded his sleeves up to his elbows, and started to prep the fresh ingredients. Holding the kitchen knife comfortably, he was fully immersed as he smoothly controlled the motions of slicing and dicing with proficiency. Using an Ignite Talisman, he set the firewood inside the stove ablaze, and he swiftly shifted into his cooking mode.
"Alright, let's get you out of here. I can't concentrate with that glaring of yours, Young Master Lan. Just wait in your room, please? I will bring it up later." Xiao Zhan eventually pushed Lan Wangji out of the kitchen. The back of his head almost got a hole from the intense staring. He was multitasking, cooking two dishes at the same time, hence he needed to focus. The Second Young Master Lan was heavy-hearted but still did as he was told patiently.
A couple hours later, both of them sat facing each other. There were three types of dishes: a small clay pot of ginger chicken with wood ear mushroom stew, a plate of braised bamboo shoots with soy sauce, and two servings of hot and sour soup with two bowls of steamed rice on the table.
"Here." Xiao Zhan put some of the bamboo shoots in Lan Wangji's rice bowl before picking up some dishes into his own bowl. "Don't worry, I toned down the spices and peppers."
Lan Wangji stared at his bowl. No one ever did that kind of gesture for him or gave him that much of consideration. He uttered softly, "Thank you for the food."
He had tasted bamboo shoots in his sect's dishes before, but he had never thought they could taste this flavorful. The crunchy young sprouts were mildly sweet and burst with piquancy, having absorbed the soy sauce they were simmered in. The soup surprised him. It was unlike anything he had ever had or seen before. The glossy broth was filled with multiple ingredients of diverse flavors and textures, and the combination created a harmony that was tangy, hearty, and delectable.
Watching his reaction closely, Wei Ying explained lightheartedly, "That's hot and sour soup. It's one of the popular comfort foods and it's originally from Sichuan. By rights, this dish should exist in about a thousand years from now. Oh, hey! I might be the first to cook this dish in this timeline."
The main dish was the chicken, and from the moment it was placed on the table, it emitted a very fragrant, mouthwatering aroma. He had only touched meat twice in his life and hadn't found anything special about those poultry dishes. However, the one he was eating right now put him in an existential crisis. The chicken was tender and juicy. The fresh, minced ginger added a rich and slightly spicy flavor, just enough heat to encourage his salivary glands to work overtime. The chewiness from the mushrooms added some texture to the meal, and each bite revealed layers of deep, caramelized, and smoky tastes. As he slowly savored the appetizing meal, Lan Wangji finally understood the meaning of the phrase "food was supposed to be fun." It was indeed an enjoyable meal. Nonetheless, the fact that Wei Ying had cooked for him was the main reason his heart was full of bliss and pleasure.
Xiao Zhan rested his chin on his palm and looked directly into the golden eyes. "Do you like it?"
Lan Wangji replied sincerely without breaking eye contact, "Yes, it was delicious."
Xiao Zhan triumphantly thrust his fist in the air, pleased with the comment. "Great! You can expect different dishes next time."
Naturally, that was a memorable and pleasant evening for both of them. The day faded to twilight, and they were in high spirits as they wandered on the outskirts of the city with both their bellies and hearts full of warm fuzzies. Regrettably, their joyful mood did not last, and they soon felt something was amiss. Xiao Zhan felt as if he were being pulled by an irresistible force toward the forest greens, and he felt strongly compelled to go further toward the southwest. It was like a siren song sung in Xiao Zhan's ear, a call he could not refuse. Entranced, he ventured deeper and leaped swiftly toward the thick wilderness. Lan Wangji followed his trail quizzically. The terrain became more inclined, and the atmosphere grew heavier as the air stagnated. The nature on the hilly topography lost its colors, and the soil was almost black. The patches of tall grass and crooked trees were now a pale, ghastly gray color, lackluster and lifeless.
"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji caught up to him and clutched his arm, effectively stopping his stupor and yanking him back to reality.
"Hmm?" Xiao Zhan blinked multiple times, chasing away the remnants of the hazy fog that had clouded his mind earlier. "Where are we?"
"We have to leave," Lan Wangji spoke in a gravelly voice.
Xiao Zhan's anxiety shot up through the roof. His eyes grew wide with horror as he belatedly recognized the dreary macabre panorama that was thick with putrid smell and a massive amount of resentful energy swirled like smoke in the air. It had infected the entire area, leaving it dead, and would kill anyone that entered their ground.
In the blink of an eye, he heard loud, overlapping voices, incomprehensible high-pitched wailings, and disturbing cries. The overwhelming flood of auditory disturbances drove him nearly insane. It was like hearing countless sharp nails being dragged across a glass mirror over and over again. Xiao Zhan covered his ears in a desperate attempt to drown out the noises, and he felt like his eardrums could burst at any moment, but it was useless. He was convinced that he might go deaf if he didn't do something about it. It was a torture he could not handle, no matter how strong his mental fortitude was. He just wanted it to stop at once and gave in to his survival instinct, which told him to play a tune with the flute.
"Wei Ying!"
A powerful wave pushed Lan Wangji backward, forcing him to lose his grip on Wei Ying, who stood still at the center of the explosive energy. His breathing hitched for a moment when he heard the nightmarish melody coming from the flute. It was an eerie, high-pitched, and fast-tempo tune that made the hair on his nape stand up. His heart throbbed with anguish as he saw Wei Ying's expression darken as he lost all his senses, and his silver eyes turned bright crimson. Ink-black tendrils made of smog came from all directions and surrounded the owner of the flute like a shield, and began to seep into him through the pores of his skin and his musical instrument. Red lightning came out of his body, randomly striking the ground, and the hard soil shattered into smithereens.
At this point, Lan Wangji could not get close to Weiying, and his voice could not reach him. He sat on the ground with his guqin and played the "Song of Clarity." After a while, seeing that that particular song had no effect on Wei Ying, he tried a different musical composition and imbued his spiritual energy in each note, hoping they would reach Wei Ying.
Xiao Zhan's consciousness gradually returned as he heard and felt a mellow melody that he could recognize in a heartbeat. The flashes of lightning stopped.
"Wei Ying, stop. Please." Lan Wangji pleaded as his fingers loyally played the song.
Xiao Zhan turned in his direction and immediately halted the shrill whistles and lowered the flute. Listening to the soothing music, he took a few deep breaths to recollect himself and regained full control of his emotions. He noticed that he still needed to disperse the vast accumulation of wretchedness that lingered. He raised his free hand in front of his chest, gathered the dark energies, and compressed them into a ball small enough to fit in his palm. He wrapped his fingers around the dense sphere and squeezed them hard and tight. His red eyes flashed brightly as he destroyed the thing in his hand, sending a shockwave that shook the entire mountain. Feeling mentally and physically drained, Xiao Zhan slumped onto his backside. Lan Wangji quickly put away his instrument and rushed to his side. As the Second Jade cradled him, Xiao Zhan rested his heavy head on the firm chest and sighed.
"Lan Zhan, I'm exhausted," he muttered before drifting off to sleep.
"Rest."