After giving out his punishments to the boys, Xiao Zhan switched back to his bright personality. He smiled as he strode in circle, "Great job! Now, let me give you my sincere feedbacks on both of your fighting skills from an objective standpoint."
His hands moved animatedly as he fixed his eyes on the two flabbergasted boys, who both thought that this particular trainer of theirs was not normal in the head, "I must admit you two had improved a lot more compared to when we first started. It was clear to me that you guys had trained extensively and diligently. It seemed that you two let your emotions get into your head, too hasty to jump in headfirst and you both had lack of control of your sword. Your energy was all over the place."
Xiao Zhan paused momentarily and turned to Lan Wangji, with a sweet smile highlighting the alluring features in his face, "Lan Zhan."
"Mn," There was nothing else but fondness in Lan Wangji's eyes as he met Xiao Zhan's gaze. He was pretty used to his mood swings that he just considered it part of his charms.
Xiao Zhan tilted his head to a side, "Please do me a favor and call the rest of the boys here? I am not going to repeat this lecture the second time."
"Right away." With his gentle reply, Lan Wangji then moved out like the Flash.
Listening to lovey-dovey exchange between the couple who were like a pair of fire and ice ancient dragons just a minute ago, Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes heavenward. He couldn't stand his martial brother's sugary tinted voice whenever he talked to his counterpart. Jin Zixuan slightly cringed as well.
Lan Wangji came back to his side just as fast he disappeared. Within a minute, their trainees made their ways towards the center of the battle arena like a flock of sheep being guided by a shepherd. They all sat down as ordered and kept their ears pinned back in anticipation.
Twirling Chen Qing while he gave his lectures had become a habit, but even if he appeared very casual and laidback, his trainees listened to him attentively, "Listen up boys. Since this is still a training session, every moment is an opportunity to learn. Today's battle is a lesson for every one of you. First thing first, when you let your emotions drive you, you will end up doing something reckless and rash. If this is a real battle, it doesn't matter if your skill is top notch or not, once you start acting rashly your chance of succeeding is zero and your chance of making stupid decisions is a hundred percent."
Xiao Zhan paced around while he continued to speak in loud and firm voice, "Now, if you lose your temper, you will end up going heavy with your usage of spiritual energy at the very start and it won't be long until you tire yourself out. A real fight can drag for days and if you're depleted of energy in just five hours, you will be dead meat. If you use too much spiritual energy during the early fight, you'll get exhausted faster and that can only mean one thing, vulnerability. When this happen, you can potentially lose control of your sword and you will not be able to use it effectively."
"In order to have a proper control of your weapon, you need to have a perfect control on redirecting your spiritual energy. When I said perfect control, I mean a dead right precision while maintaining a stable stream. In other word, no wasted energy. Fortunately, we have someone who had fully mastered this to show us." Zhan halted right in front of his partner, and he spoke a little coquettishly, "Lan Zhan, can you demonstrate a one-percent?"
Lan Wangji nodded and held Bichen up at a shoulder height and with the slightest flick of his wrist, the flow of spiritual energy was diverted to the blade, the sharp edges were coated with a bluish tinged white light that steadily burning brightly without dimming.
Pointing with his flute, Xiao Zhan looked at the boys "That, my beloved trainees, is the example of a perfect control of your energy flow. Just the right amount, no more, no less. Now, this is one percent of his entire spiritual energy amounted to. That's a tiny amount that would get replenish as fast as it burns. This is only possible because of two things, composure and focus. Keeping calm and level-headed allows you to focus on your energy flow and keep a steady hand."
Xiao Zhan smiled a little, knowing how easy it was to get swept away in emotions. He had done it himself many times before. "Maybe I am not the most suitable person to say this since I am emotional mess myself, but at least, I can tell you how hard it is to control your energy flow when you are consumed by your emotions. Your emotions can be your greatest enemy. If you give into your emotion, you will lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotions, because the body always follows the mind. Let's just say I am the example of what losing control can lead to. Hence, the reason why Lan Zhan is the one who do the demonstration. He has flawless control over his spiritual energy."
Xiao Zhan then moved closer to Lan Wangji, he asked smilingly, "Can we see a ten percent? Say a sword glare."
Looking over to him, Lan Wangji gave an unspoken agreement but just when he about to move, Xiao Zhan stopped him. "Hold on for a second. You need a target."
Xiao Zhan squatted down to add a few scripts to the existing array and once he was done, he kept his hand flat against the grassy soil, funneling his spiritual energy from his core. Just like that, an almost invisible dome took form once again in a matter of seconds. The barrier that surrounded all of them was even thicker this time. The disciples' heads moved in circle as they wondered how their trainer put those layers once more in a blink of an eye.
"That should do it." Xiao Zhan muttered to himself as he stood up again, brushing his palms of the dirt. He then gestured at Lan Wangji, "Lan Zhan, strike it down."
Lan Wangji complied without a word and moved forward to land a few feet away from the translucent waves of force field. His steps were silent, every action calculated, and he had no flaws. Everyone held their breath as Lan Wangji slowly moved the tips of his fingers and he raised his palm that held the hilt of his sword. From the tip of his blade, a bright light blue glow was reflected. It looked like he was holding the moon in his hands, glowing with the purest and most beautiful light. As the blue light grew bigger and brighter. With a single swift motion of his arms; the powerful sword glare went straight ahead and sliced its way across the barrier in elegant arc. A strong gust of wind pushed aside everything in its path. A flash and a bang of the impact followed shortly after, the sound of a sword cutting through the air echoed in the open clearing. Then, there came an ominous silence except for a faint breeze that drifted across the clearing and made Xiao Zhan shiver involuntarily despite the warm summer sunshine. The air became cold and frosty as soon as Bichen cut through it. A second later, large crack appeared in the middle the barrier and branched out to smaller ones. The thick dome was made of Xiao Zhan's energy broke into pieces and fell down like snowflakes. The training ground looked like a winter weather in the middle of summer heat. A light snow started to fall. A gentle breeze passed by, and the snow fell on the surface of the floor.
Everyone was silent as they watched his flawless movements and the way he made it looked easy, although its nowhere near easy to reach that level of immaculate control. The disciples were used to see their trainers defying the norm of human being, but the advance level of Lan Wangji's swordsmanship never failed to amaze them. The display of power and the might of a prodigious young cultivator using his spiritual energy in destructive manner left them in awe, admiration and perhaps a little envy deep down in their hearts. At the same time, chills ran through their spines, and they reminded themselves not to piss the second Young Master Lan off at any given time.
Xiao Zhan couldn't take his gaze away from Lan Wangji and his lips silently moved to form a smile. Lan Wangji kept his sword back into its scabbard in fluid motion and made his return with an unwavering impassive face. In that scenery, Lan Wangji looked like an ice prince from winter solstice, elegant and graceful, yet deadly. He was the epitome of perfection. The white frost flakes fell gently atop of his dark hair, but the cold never seemed to bother him. His light golden eyes shone from the sunlight shining through the transparent ceiling as he paced his steps in a prim and proper manner towards his other half. As they stood together, Xiao Zhan by his side, was a perfect match to compliment the second Jade of Lan. Their contrasting outfits, their expressions, everything about them was flawless. They were complete opposites, but somehow, they both fit perfectly together like two pieces of a puzzle. Yin and Yang. Two opposing forces. Together they brought out each other's best qualities and weaknesses like a perfect harmony.
Xiao Zhan beamed at him with a twinkling pair of eyes, he exclaimed excitedly, "Lan Zhan, you are the coolest person that I know!"
A hint of smile appeared on Lan Wangji's face and as always Xiao Zhan would find creative ways to hog that smile to himself. He randomly pointed to a direction and diverting everyone's attentions to a made-up mirage, "Oh, look. What's that?"
The audiences looked around for a while and everywhere they looked, they found nothing. In the meantime, Xiao Zhan turned back to Lan Wangji and whispered, "Save that smile for me."
Lan Wangji gave him a puzzled look briefly but agreed anyway with a slight nod before putting on his usual stoic and aloof look. As long as the person he loved was happy with his look.
"What were you pointing at?" Someone from the crowd asked, they were still searching for whatever it is.
"Hmmm," Xiao Zhan responded with his eyebrows knitted, and his mouth curved into a tiny frown, still keeping up with his act, "Look closely."
"We can't see anything!" Jin Zixuan exclaimed.
"I don't understand. Can't you just tell us?" Someone was a little impatient.
Lan Xichen however was not fooled by it; he saw through Xiao Zhan's pretense. He simply shook his head as he took notice at the young couple's possessiveness towards each other. Although his brother had yet to confirm on the status of their relationship, he was rooting for whatever it was that transpired between the two younger men. His lips curled into a knowing smile, "Young Master Wei, you're probably just imagining things."
"Oh, maybe you are right, Zewu-Jun. My mistake then." Xiao Zhan replied with a sheepish smile. "I guess it must have been my imagination. I can never tell sometimes."
"That explains your insanity." Jiang Cheng snorted.
Xiao Zhan turned sharply to face him and squinted his eyes, "Well sometimes, I imagined that you're actually quite smart. But I must be crazy to even imagine that."
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, he muttered under his breath, "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
Xiao Zhan laughed lightly. He then clapped his hands together, addressing his trainees, "Alright, let's continue. Etch this in your brain, when it comes to controlling your energy, you cannot waste it. The amount of energy you expend is limited and so it needs to always be maintained within limits. So, learn your own limit. All in all, if you want to be truly proficient, you have to understand how to utilize your energies well to defeat your opponent."
"What if the opponent is way stronger? For example, you, Young Master Wei?" Someone queried.
Xiao Zhan hummed softly, a glint of mischievousness played in his eyes, he grinned, "Well, in that case, I suggest you to run."
The disciples were baffled when Xiao Zhan said that. They all thought it was a cowardly and unmanly move to run away from a fight. Although, it was not a bad idea to retreat if the enemy was this demon of a trainer.
Xiao Zhan chuckled, "I'm partly kidding. If you know your opponent can overpower you in a matter of seconds, then withdrawing is a wise decision. It's always better to be safe than dead. The best method of avoiding danger is to anticipate it. You must learn when to retreat, when to attack and when to wait."
Xiao Zhan smirked slightly, "However, if you can bid for time, then, there's always a way out. You just need to outsmart your enemy and use the moment when he doesn't expect it to attack. That way, he might let down his guard and let you get the upper hand. This is what we call, a tactical approach."
Everyone listened with their heads tilted up. This sight impressed the elders who were keeping an eye since earlier. Xiao Zhan seemed so young yet so mature at the same time and it made them wonder how he managed to achieve what he achieved.
Xiao Zhan paced in front of the crowd, hands behind his back. His eyes were on the disciples, "To outsmart your opponent, you need to be able to think critically. You must be aware enough to be able to anticipate their movement and react accordingly. Don't forget to take note of any signs of movement either and observe your opponent's reactions so that you can identify their weaknesses in advance. If you are good at this and keep a level-headed, you can even overpower someone who is stronger than you. Now any questions?"
Nie Huaisang suddenly raised his hand, "Wei-xiong, I beg to differ."
Xiao Zhan raised his brows, "Hmm?"
Nie Huaisang pointed at him, "No one here can defeat you. No matter what."
Xiao Zhan chuckled and waved him off, "If you train and practice diligently enough, maybe you can defeat me someday." He proceeded with his remaining lectures, "Remember, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Even me. Thus, for our next training sessions, there will be a change in our methods. We will teach you all on how to fight efficiently and strategically. That means, you will have exercise your brain a little more."
A loud commotion occurred for a brief moment, but the young group of cultivators abruptly shut their mouths when the Elders glared sharply at them.
Xiao Zhan shook his head with a light chuckle, he then waved his hand to mark the end of his lesson, "Alright, that's about it for today. Off you go."
Getting dismissed earlier than usual, the trainees trudged out the training ground with a happy smile on their faces. There was no way they were going to stay on the training ground with the presence of the older men. Not surprisingly to duo, the Elders still lingered around the training ground, looking like they had something to say and probe.
Lan Qiren who was staying quiet all the while, spoke up his mind first, "Wei Wuxian, how did you match the energy needed to materialize the barrier?"
Xiao Zhan flinched slightly with the very first question from the Old Man Lan but quickly regained his composure, he answered, "Lanxian-sheng, Lan Zhan and I sparred daily. Hence, I can guess the amount I need to put in."
Lan Qiren furrowed his brows together and sighed at his vague answer, "And how many percent did you use?"
"To be honest, I can't really put a number to how much. I simply put an approximate as close as I can to match it." Xiao Zhan said as he rubbed the back of his neck, he could feel he was going to probed once again after this.
It was true that he could not pinpoint a number to it. A small fraction? Less than a hundredth? One or two thousandth? In his massive but constantly fluctuating pool of spiritual energy that were mixed and clashed with the ones from demonic cultivation, it was hard to say for a certain. It seemed impossible to calculate since he could harness and manipulate resentful energy as his own. It was only when he saw the amount of energy, he required that he knew exactly how much power to apply but he could not quantify it. He exchanged look with Lan Wangji but he knew the latter could not help him with this, as his partner did attempt to estimate his cultivation base before this but in the end, he could only put it as 'inconclusive.'
Lan Qiren was left in utter bewilderment, he looked at him as he was completely mad, "How could one blindly guess and yet still knew how much energy to use?"
"Uncle, maybe I can help with this." Lan Xichen interjected, he too was deeply curious about the young cultivator actual prowess, "Young Master Wei, I might be able to assess more accurately if you put up the barrier again, can you do that?"
"Of course, Zewu-Jun." Xiao Zhan replied leisurely and repeated what he did right away. His fingers flew over the arrays, and he poured forth the same amount of energy as the previous and within seconds the exact copy of half sphere of protective layer appeared. When he stood up again, he then remembered a very important point and gave an early warning this time, "But you must not touch it with your hands, Zewu-Jun. This one is stronger than the very first one. So, the electrification is roughly fifty percent more."
Lan Xichen observed every detail of Xiao Zhan's movements with utmost carefulness while he reactivated the array and he had to hold his astonishment from being shown on his face. He then simply nodded to acknowledge the warning and inspected the defensive formation closely. It was indeed five times more output than the one he saw for the duel. He took out his sword and touched the electrified surface with the tip of it. His body slightly trembled as the great influx of energy travelled down the length of his arm. He concentrated with all his focus on the flow of energy of the protective formation that was conducted by the metallic weapon in his hand.
As he withdrew his sword back, he put into conclusion; he needed a little more than ten percent to be able to break the structure with only his sword glare. His brother had grown even stronger than him now. On the flip side, what amazed him more was, the young man cladded in black robe had been constantly using his spiritual energy and there was yet any sign of him being drained of it. Not to mention how easily he turned on and off the magical formations with the simplest and most efficient maneuvers. He had re-activated the huge array three times now and he had yet to count the smaller ones and the frightening spectacle that he was showing during his threatening countdown. How big was of a pool of Young Master Wei cultivation base? The answer he could came up with right now was, probably more than he could count.
Lan Xichen was unwilling to give up, he had to come up with some sort of way to feed his curiosity, he inquired while looking towards Xiao Zhan, "Young Master Wei, how many times do you think you can put up the same structure in one day?"
Xiao Zhan rubbed his chin while he took a moment to think, he replied, "It's hard to say."
Lan Xichen frowned slightly, "Why?"
"Because I just came up with this today, Zewu-Jun," He gestured to the wall, which was filled with a solid, smooth wall of translucent energy. "I expended plentiful of my energy so far. That being said, I can't give you accurate answer."
"Alright." Lan Xichen acknowledged his logic. He then suggested, "Let's try another plan of action then. Can you build another one at ten times the current strength?"
Xiao Zhan contemplated briefly for several minutes and weighed the pros and cons of showing more of his capability in his head. He already displayed a lot today and since everyone already seen that much, what was one more time. Maybe he might be able to gain more of the Lan Elders' trusts and approvals too. After all, the two of them needed their supports and helps in his cause later on. It would boost his standing as well and they would surely take him even more seriously. They might even see that his intentions were good, and he was not evil despite his demonic cultivation nature when it came to light one day. Plus, it might not a bad idea to prove his worth early since he was currently dating their most precious disciple in secret, although the young couple was far from subtle with their affections. He deduced, there was no harm to do it and he might as well impress them while he was at it. Finally, he gave a firm nod and said, "Sure thing, Zewu-Jun."
Lan Wangji frowned at his answer, he locked his disapproving gaze on him and attested, "Wei Ying, I don't think it is a good idea. You are going to exhaust yourself."
Xiao Zhan shook his head adamantly, "Lan Zhan, I'm fine. I am not tired yet."
Lan Wangji sighed in exasperation and looked at him intently, "Still you shouldn't exert yourself."
Xiao Zhan knew that Lan Wangji was worried, but he already made up his mind, he smiled, "I won't. You worry too much."
Lan Wangji closed his eyes and exhaled in resignation. Xiao Zhan was truly stubborn, and he would never get anywhere trying to convince him otherwise. He would just have to trust his partner like he had promised, let it go and let him do whatever he wanted. In a way, even though the man may be reckless and impulsive, Lan Wangji believed in his skills. With this thought in mind, Lan Wangji finally agreed that it is not possible to argue with his lover when his determination seemed to be set on something. He glanced at his beloved and saw his eyes staring deep into his, he gave in and said softly, "Promise me that you will rest after this."
Xiao Zhan assured him with a pat on his back, his eyes twinkled like the stars on night sky, "This is the last one, I promise."
A smile tugged on Lan Xichen's face while Lan Qiren and the other Elders made some strange expressions on the pair's interaction. The older generation knew Lan Wangji was not the friendliest person or did not care about such trivial things of others since he was young. They heard hearsays about the two being close but what they saw at the present, was a bond beyond close friends. They could only speculate in their heads since it was against their clan's rules to not listen to rumors or judge too quickly.
Xiao Zhan cancelled his existing formation like turning off a light switch. Without wasting any time, he kneeled down and pressed his palm flat onto the inscribed circle of enchantment symbols. As soon as he began reciting the words of spell, energy started gushing from between his fingers and a reddish light that emanated from his hands. The size of it rapidly increased until it engulfed both the circle and the surrounding area. With every passing second, the energy field grew bigger and bigger. The violent vibration of the spell formations produced loud buzzing.
The Twin Jades of Lan, the rest of the elders witnessed this with a gape stare mouth. The humongous earth-shattering energy flowed through several layers under the soil with such power, that every inch of the ground seemed to quake beneath everyone's feet and throwing some debris and pebbles in the air. It was like the entire mountain was shaking. All they could do was direct their widened eyes at Xiao Zhan whose face was completely unfazed. Their heads were reeling as they tried to comprehend and process what was happening before them. They had never seen such a huge amount of spiritual energy in one place before. This kind of frightening power output was enough to destroy anything or kill anyone. With this kind of spectacle, it was obvious to them, the current level of cultivation of this young man was beyond exceptional and the size of reserve in his golden core must be enormous.
In the end, the noise ceased abruptly, and they arrays stopped glowing and vibrating. Xiao Zhan was breathing heavily when he lifted his arm a couple minute later, he definitely pushed himself a little for this. He probably needs a good ten to twelve hours of sleep after this to replenish his energy. He felt exhausted but somehow satisfied. Lan Wangji noticed this immediately. With concern written clearly all over his features, he gently pulled him up and held him close.
The current form of the dome shaped shield had extended by a lot of meters further than it already was. Now it had reached almost four meters in height. Red lightning striking and dancing ferociously inside and outside the circular protective structure. A brilliant crimson glow covered the whole interior of it and reflected on each and everyone's face and their pristine white uniforms.
Lan Xichen tilted his head slowly at Xiao Zhan's direction, he said in a clear note of wonderment in his vocal, "This is tenfold?"
"As you requested, Zewu-Jun." Xiao Zhan replied with an affirmative nod.
"This is incredible." Lan Xichen remarked. The rest of the Elders were already busily assessing the structure. They noticed that the danger level of the electric and they were smart enough to know to keep their distance.
Lan Xichen moved his way around the protective structure. There were five layers in total and each one of them was a finger width thick. The sheer magnitude of power displayed in this huge array was immensely powerful and it probably took a substantial amount of spiritual energy to put it up. He concluded; it was an anomaly to have this much of power in such a young body. The Gods probably tripped as they stubbed their little toes on edge of the table legs while creating this one person. Consequently, they spilled too much of sugar, spices and everything nice into this one individual. He addressed his younger sibling, "What do you think of it, Wangji?"
Lan Wangji was quick in answering, "It is extremely impressive. I don't know how Wei Ying accomplished it, but I think that it might be because he is the one who created it."
Lan Wangji had expected the man to have built one as big as this but still, it felt unbelievable to see the sturdy looking structure. That barrier was not only capable of defensive mechanism, but the high voltage of electricity made of thunder strikes could hurt someone very badly should they tried to touch it or worse. It worried him when he remembered that he once dreamed of that red lightning and saw how lethal it was if it was to be used at full capacity for offensive purposes. Despite that, as much as it terrified him, he could not help but to be awed as he was staring at his partner's creation.
Lan Xichen grinned broadly in response. It was obvious that his brother was deeply impressed and proud of his confidant. After all, there was no denying that the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang's knowledge was far superior to what he knew. It wouldn't surprise him if this Young Master Wei told him that he came up with all these in less than three days. He examined the formation carefully, he observed how it was constructed and he could see that it was indeed complicated. It almost seemed like Young Master Wei had spent countless hours trying to finish it off although, the reality was he drew all those writings of enchantments in just half an hour.
The First Jade of Lan was genuinely curious on how this Young Master Wei's brain worked It was a bit difficult for him to wrap his head around, he asked, "Young Master Wei, how did you come up with the idea for those arrays? The way you constructed them is so different from what we know of these arrays."
Xiao Zhan answered, "Hmm, there are things that have always fascinated me, and I've been experimenting with different types of arrays this past two weeks. I got sudden inspirations while looking through old manuscripts in the library. So, I made some modifications and added in some new elements to upgrade them, ran some trials to find the weak spots in each component and then strengthen the designs. All of my improvements are based on existing knowledge of the arrays."
"That does sound like something you might do." Lan Xichen hummed softly as he listened, trying to absorb everything Young Master Wei had said to him. "How long has it been since you started working on this particular one?"
The rest of the Elders also listened closely to Xiao Zhan's answer. When Xiao Zhan realized that everyone was paying attention to his words, he was starting to feel uncomfortable. When he decided to impress them, he was not expecting these kinds of questions. Now, it felt like he was flaunting the extent of his capabilities too much and he started to feel embarrassed for acting pompous. He bit his lip, unsure if he should be honest or not. He caught Lan Wangji's gaze on him, and he could tell from light golden orbs, his partner's uprightness would expose him there and then. After taking a deep breath, he decided to go for honesty. "While I was cooking lunch?"
Young Master Wei was able to build such a complex array in half an hour and that alone was an achievement. But his answer was beyond fathomable. He asked again, his tone rose slightly, "While you were cooking lunch? As in today?"
Xiao Zhan nodded reluctantly, "Well... Zewu-Jun, you know when you are cooking and then suddenly an idea or two would pop...."
Xiao Zhan trailed off sheepishly. He cleared his throat before continuing, determined to finish the sentence, "...and then your mind would wander away and thinking of the most plausible ways to make the ideas come to life and you ended up with various version of it."
Everyone's mouth fell open at the revelation. It sounded so simple, but Xiao Zhan's creation was not simple at all. How could he have possibly come up with something so amazing not just in a short time, he theorized and conceptualized multiple new array systems on the fly? Is he even human at all?
Lan Xichen stared at Xiao Zhan incredulously. Was it possible that he had some innate talent in this field as well? That seemed like a reasonable theory. His eyes then shifted to Lan Wangji who stood next to Xiao Zhan. "Wangji, what's your opinion? Do you think Young Master Wei has some innate skill to create arrays?"
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan paled. His gut was telling him that he was going to say something ridiculous again. He turned to face his partner, he pleaded in a hushed whisper, "Lan Zhan, please keep it to yes and no."
Lan Wangji blinked in confusion. Did Xiao Zhan want him to confirm it or deny it? He looked at sternly, "Wei Ying, it's not a 'yes or no' question."
Xiao Zhan pouted with a puppy look on his face, "Then, answer it plainly."
Lan Wangji, "You are asking me to lie."
Xiao Zhan, "I am not asking you to lie."
Lan Wangji, "You are not plain."
Xiao Zhan, "Just keep it simple then."
Lan Wangji said flatly, "Nothing about you is simple."
Xiao Zhan was rendered speechless. He knew by then, there was no way he could stop the shameless bragging from Lan Wangji, the God of Righteousness himself. A person whom he held dear in his heart. If there was only two of them there, he would probably have shut his mouth with his. But alas, there were audiences who was watching them. As usual, they both engaged in a staring contest for a while.
Lan Xichen laughed inwardly; he found this bickering to be rather amusing. The two looked so adorable together. It warmed his heart. Although, he was a little concerned for them, they both seemed oblivious as how the Elders reacted to their conversation. He cleared his throat to bring back their attention back to the topic.
Noticing the signal, Lan Wangji promptly looked at his brother's direction, then simply stated his answer with absolute conviction to his question, "Wei Ying is more talented than that, Brother."
Xiao Zhan held his breath, his eyes unblinking as he prayed that Lan Wangji cut off the conversation cleanly there and then.
Lan Xichen raised an eyebrow, "In what way?"
Lan Wangji, "He had memorized all of the spells and arrays in the books available in the Pavilion library."
Lan Xichen remembered his brother mentioned about Xiao Zhan's photographic memory, so he wasn't as surprised as the Elders, "Is that so?"
Lan Wangji continued, "Yes. Due to that, he can deconstruct any existing arrays and rebuild it into a better version. For instance, our clan's barrier."
Lan Xichen was startled, "What does that mean?"
Lan Wangji, "He already analyzed the weaknesses in our clan's protective barrier and found solutions to upgrade it and he can make it stronger."
Xiao Zhan sighed heavily and shook his head in surrender. He could hear loud gasps from coming from the older men and he got himself ready to brace for impact with the upcoming disaster. His plan to impress was pretty much backfiring on him now. He could already anticipate what comes next. More questions.
"What do you mean with weaknesses in our barrier? What weaknesses?" Lan Qiren queried curiously. Never once in the Elders' life that they even considered that their clan's barrier might be lacking in strength. The protective barrier that surrounds Cloud Recesses, despite its harmless looking physical appearance, was actually a defensive mechanism and it was especially designed to keep outsiders away from their home, their sect. It was designed to stop people from being able to enter without permission and to prevent anyone from leaving. This was undoubtedly the most powerful array that was ever set into place in Cloud Recess.
The elders were absolutely perplexed with the bold claim, and at the minute, they wanted nothing more than to prove the fifteen-year-old that their clan's barrier was not weak.
Lan Qiren narrowed his eyes at Xiao Zhan. "Very well, I suppose we can test your theories and prove that claims."
Lan Wangji stepped in and pulled Xiao Zhan even closer to his side until there was no gap left in between them. His voice was steady and commanding, the look in his eyes was determined and fierce, "Uncle, Wei Ying needs rest. Please allow him to. The discussion on this can wait.".
Lan Qiren's lips twitched slightly at seeing his nephew behaving so affectionately towards the other young man. His frown deepened. He wanted to say something, but his nephew already beat him to it.
Lan Wangji glanced pointedly at the wall of reddish dome, "Uncle, I believe Wei Ying had proven himself. No one here can even touch its surface and that itself is evidence. So, please let it go for today, Uncle."
The elders looked up at the fierce zaps of red electric current that covered every inch of the surface and through the multi layered protective shield of arrays. The sheer destructive power caused the elders to swallow hard.
It seemed almost impossible to believe, but as the elder thought about what Wei Wuxian had shown so far, it all became apparent. A young man that was younger than them by decades had come up with such complex arrays and with such astonishing precision. There was also his ability to control spiritual energy, which had shocked them greatly. Perhaps the boy was not an ordinary person but a god or demon or perhaps a creature from a different world. Something far beyond what they could comprehend.
"Alright then." Lan Qiren conceded. His eyebrows bumped up together in a scowl as he looked at Xiao Zhan, "Wei Wuxian, let's have a formal discussion another day."
"Yes, Lanxian-sheng." Xiao Zhan answered unenthusiastically. Without waiting for further instruction, he turned off the barrier in anticipation for the elders to leave. His hand instinctively went on his temple in a massaging motion. He was getting a headache. Probably to the constant use of spiritual power or from the thought of having a formal discussion with the Elders of the Lan clan.
"Wei Ying, are you alright?" Lan Wangji asked.
Xiao Zhan looked up to him, his lips played a lackluster smile, "I'm fine, Lan Zhan. Just a headache."
Lan Wangji was not convinced with that half-hearted smile. His tone was soft as he stared at him. "Are you sure?"
Xiao Zhan nodded. "Yes, it's nothing."
Lan Wangji still frowned but decided to let the subject drop. Lan Xichen caught their expressions, and he only needed a glance to read his brother's mood. He knew exactly what to do and it did not take him long before he managed to persuade the Elders to leave the training ground with just a few words.
Lan Xichen talked to Xiao Zhan before making his move, "Young Master Wei, you did exceptional today. So don't worry about the formalities, I will help you in ways that I possibly can. So go ahead and rest."
Xiao Zhan smiled softly as he gave him another bow, "Thank you for your kind help, Zewu-Jun."
With that he turned and began to walk to the direction of the main hall. Before leaving, he stopped at his brother side, he placed his hand on his shoulder and smiled fondly at him, "Wangji, you too."
Lan Wangji lowered his head, "Mn."
The sky had turned dark and with only the two of them left in the training ground, Lan Wangji curled his hands around Xiao Zhan by the waist without a second thought, "You can lean on me if you are tired."
"Lan Zhan, I don't know if I should kiss you or kick you right now. Why did you say all that?" Xiao Zhan glowered as his back leaned against the sturdy body of the second Jade of Lan. He gave him an angry slap squarely on his chest, "Are you crazy?!"
"I am. For you." Lan Wangji declared and pressed his soft lips onto Xiao Zhan's for just a brief moment.
Xiao Zhan stared in disbelief. "You! You are trying to kiss your way out of this, aren't you?"
Lan Wangji smiled softly, "Mn."
"Oh, my goodness! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Did you know that I was about to die of holding my breath while you talked nonsense?" Xiao Zhan landed another hit but a little gentler this time.
"I'm sorry," Lan Wangji apologized sincerely as he took Xiao Zhan's hand and pressed it to his lips that were set into a warm smile, "But what I said was not nonsense, it was all true."
Xiao Zhan's annoyance was melting away, he grumbled, "This is unfair. You are using your smile against me right now."
"You wanted me to smile." Lan Wangji reminded him while kissing his fingers attentively.
Xiao Zhan took a deep breath as he stared into Lan Wangji's eyes. It was his total loss. He groaned, "You are shameless!"
"Mn." Lan Wangji pulled him closer before leaning in and planting another soft kiss on his lips. Xiao Zhan could only let himself be captured by the feeling of warmth that spread throughout his entire body. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment.
"You're a bad influence on me." Xiao Zhan shook his head laughing softly when they pulled away.
"We are the same then." Lan Wangji replied. His voice sounded calm but the was no mistaking that smile on his face either.
"How can someone be so prim and proper, and yet so good at kissing?" Xiao Zhan teased.
"Practice." Lan Wangji simply replied as he leaned forward and pressed their lips together once more. When he pulled away, his eyes never leaving Xiao Zhan's eyes. The neckline of the black robes fell down slightly exposing the collarbones beneath. His pale skin was flawless, his long hair fell softly against his shoulders framing his face. Lan Wangji gazed at him intensely, completely mesmerized. Lan Wangji leaned, and his lips travelled the neckline of Xiao Zhan's robe and lightly traced the smooth skin below his jawline. Xiao Zhan let out a sigh and his eyelids drooped.
"This is the last time I allow you to be so daring." Xiao Zhan muttered in between the kisses. He couldn't resist any longer; he tilted to give him better access to his neck. He felt Lan Wangji's lips curve upwards in a faint smile as he began to nip softly along the column of Xiao Zhan's throat. He heard Xiao Zhan's sharp intake of breath, and a shiver ran down his spine; he continued to move upwards. He murmured softly against his ear. "And this is the last time I allow you to be reckless too."
"Are you going to reprimand me?" Xiao Zhan asked. His voice sounded weak even to his own ears. His eyes fluttered shut as he relaxed.
"I already am." Lan Wangji whispered against his skin. He moved up until he reached Xiao Zhan's lips and kissed them tenderly. Xiao Zhan returned the kiss gently, allowing Lan Wangji to take charge of the kiss. Lan Wangji smiled against his mouth when he felt the tension slowly seeping from Xiao Zhan's body. He slowly broke the kiss, keeping his hands firmly on both sides of his partner, preventing him from escaping.
"Lan Zhan, we're going to get caught!" Xiao Zhan warned trying his best to sound stern while his eyes still remained closed.
"Good. Then you have no choice but to stay with me," Lan Wangji responded as he continued to trail hot soft kisses along Xiao Zhan's neck. Xiao Zhan sighed and allowed his body to melt into his lover's embrace.
The pair was truly lost in own world. They did not even notice Lan Xichen who made a U-turn to informed them on the next discussion time and date, he ended up witnessing the two of them in their intimate moment. He realized the relationship between them was even deeper than he had expected. The scene was getting a little too much for him to bear in silent even if he looked away. He coughed lightly.
Both of them immediately snapped out of their trance and turned to face him, embarrassment written plainly across their faces. Both looked extremely flustered and at loss of words.
Lan Xichen chuckled, "I guess you two have a very different definition of resting."