Nie Huaisang had a smirk on his face when he saw the couple finally came down for breakfast.
"Good morning, Didi!" He cheered when their attention turned towards him, giving an over exaggerated smile with that mischievous glint in his eye, "Did you like my gifts?"
Both men narrowed their eyes at Nie Huaisang's grin before looking at each other. After a few minutes of silent communication, they both sighed in defeat.
"What did you do this time?" Nie Mingjue groaned, reaching for a cup of tea to drink out of while still glaring at Nie Huaisang.
"Nothing, Da Ge. Nothing~" Nie Huaisang sang with a saccharine sweet voice, fanning himself.
Nie Mingjue narrowed his eyes at the troublemaker suspiciously as he continued eating his protein-loaded meals.
Lan Wangji carefully supported Xiao Zhan by placing one hand under his waist as he took a seat at the table. His movements were stiff and his face was a little paler, as if he had not having slept at all during the night. Xiao Zhan then murmured something to him, too low for anyone else to hear. It sounded suspiciously like 'My back is killing me!" Lan Wangji nodded in acknowledgement, stroking soothing circles onto his beloved's back with an almost guilty looking expression on his face.
Xiao Zhan was about to say something more, probably another complaint, but before he could, Nie Huaisang interrupted them, waving his hands in front of his chest and saying brightly, "How could you not, my gift from yesterday was so nice!"
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes, shooting Nie Huaisang a dirty look and grumbled begrudgingly, "Er Ge, I would appreciate if you don't give us any gifts next time."
"Aiya, what's with the attitude now?" Nie Huaisang tutted, "I'm only doing you two some courtesy~"
Xiao Zhan continued to glare at the prankster while Lan Wangji did not say anything, instead he reached for the pot and pour some hot tea into Xiao Zhan's cup before handing it off to him. Anyone could see that he was treating the man with extra care today.
Nie Mingjue shot the pair of them a questioning glance, before saying in an almost accusing tone, "Lan Wangji, did you do something wrong towards my little brother?"
Xiao Zhan almost choked on the tea he'd been drinking in surprise, coughing and spluttering while Nie Huaisang burst out laughing.
Lan Wangji blinked slowly, then looked away awkwardly before admitting, "Mn."
"No! No! He didn't do anything wrong, Da Ge..." Xiao Zhan denied firmly between cough. Lan Wangji patted his back as he tried to get rid of the lingering cough. He cleared his throat and continued, "... I just couldn't sleep last night."
"Hahahahaha!" Nie Huaisang laughed even harder, clutching at his stomach as he could guess the reason behind it.
Xiao Zhan glared at him again, holding back from cursing Nie Huaisang openly.
Lan Wangji's lips were slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something. But after a few seconds of hesitation, he closed his mouth and focused on all his attention to his lover. Clearly, he was feeling remorseful for whatever happened in bed last night.
Nie Mingjue sighed and put his chopsticks down before asking, "Then why do you look so...miserable?"
Xiao Zhan grimaced, rubbing the side of his neck uncomfortably, "Da Ge, can we not talk about this? Please."
There was no way he could explain the circumstances leading to his current state and it definitely wasn't an appropriate topic of conversation at meal time.
He felt his cheeks heat up when he remembered how the prim and proper man by his side turned into a total sex machine right there and then. He might have provoked the man but in his defense, his body was of a growing teenager which was full with hormones. Not a good combo when he was faced with Lan Wangji's figure which is a godlike specimen of perfection. And when the man became all hot and bothered like that, Xiao Zhan had found it hard not to submit and give into his desires because damn, the guy knew how to make him lose his mind with kisses and touches alone! And the stamina! The fucking stamina! He had gone so hard last night, that Xiao Zhan thought he might die from exhaustion. That beautiful jerk, just kept going for the entire night, not caring that his lover was completely wrecked. And all he could do was weakly moan his name repeatedly like a dying person begging for death while the supposedly prim-and-proper man just watched on with a satisfied smile on his pretty ethereal face. It was completely unfair...
The thought made Xiao Zhan turn even redder as he mentally shook his head. He shouldn't think of such things at the breakfast table. But the soreness that radiated from his lower part of his body was making it really difficult to hold his thoughts away from such recollection (or sit properly).
"Wei Ying, eat." Lan Wangji broke Xiao Zhan out of his thoughts.
"Ah? Oh. Right," Xiao Zhan replied belatedly, snapping back to reality and started eating the steaming bowl of rice congee that Lan Wangji got for him. When did the man even asked the servant to bring this meal? He didn't even notice.
Nie Mingjue eyed the porridge that Xiao Zhan was eating. He started lecturing at him like a school teacher. "Didi, you should eat more meat. It'll make your muscles stronger. You're still growing, aren't you? You can use more muscles on you..." He continued nagging much to Nie Huaisang's amusement.
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes at the broken dam that came out from Nie Mingjue's mouth as he ate his food quietly, trying his best to ignore the silent energy transfer that Lan Wangji was sending his way through the hand that settled on his lower spine. The sensation was soothing albeit a bit distracting.
"Mingjue, let your brother eat in peace." Sect Leader Nie chimed in as he reached the table. He sat down next to Nie Mingjue and glanced curiously at Xiao Zhan, "How are you feeling, Ying Er?"
"I'm alright, father." Xiao Zhan smiled as he watched as Sect Leader Nie's gaze flickered briefly toward Lan Wangji who politely greeted Sect Leader Nie with his usual reserved demeanor.
"Father, I am doing great too." Nie Huaisang chirped up cheerfully before continuing in playful teasing tone, "Ah, the joy of having younger brother. Even your father forgot about your existence."
Sect Leader Nie sighed heavily, pinching his nose bridge before responding, "Huaisang, I notice that you have been avoiding practice lately."
"Eh??" Nie Huaisang blinked rapidly as he raised his hand to touch his chin in faux innocence, "Oh Father, Didi's wellbeing is more important than that right now! Please don't mind me!"
Sect Leader Nie's eyebrow twitched, obviously not amused with Nie Huaisang's antics.
"Besides, Didi is rarely home. We should pay him extra special attention, right?" Nie Huaisang added, grinned cheekily.
This made Nie Mingjue stood abruptly and grabbed him by the collar, "Okay, that's it. Since you have finished eating, you are coming with me to practice now!"
"No. Da Ge!" Nie Huaisang struggled to get out of his hold. "Why do we always have to do that? Let's just forget about it for today, okay? I'm sure it's boring to watch me practice." His tone was desperate, but no matter how hard he tugged on his collar, he couldn't break free.
Sect Leader Nie frowned as he listened to their bickering, before shaking his head while watching his eldest dragging the younger one out of the hall. After the two disappeared from his sight, he glanced over at the pair of lovers at the table across from him, "Did you two slept well?"
At his question, Xiao Zhan coughed slightly before nodding; his face reddened slightly, while Lan Wangji remained resolutely staring straight ahead of him without a word spoken. Their answers were pretty obvious.
"Hmm." Sect Leader Nie hummed thoughtfully before saying, "In that case, make sure to rest early tonight."
The two men stared silently at Sect Leader Nie, before Lan Wangji said flatly, "We will."
Xiao Zhan quickly changed the topic to avoid further interrogation. "Father, I am going to spar with Lan Zhan after this. Do you mind if I use the training hall?"
"Ying Er, you are my son and the youngest master of this sect. You don't need my permission to use the facility here. You can go anywhere you want. It's your home now." Sect Leader Nie replied calmly while sipping on his cup of tea.
Xiao Zhan's heart clenched slightly at his adopted father's kindness which reminded him of his feeling of homesickness. He forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat and gave Sect Leader Nie a small grateful smile. "Thank you, father."
Sect Leader Nie returned the smile warmly before getting back to eating and occasionally talk about random stuffs like how a father would.
Xiao Zhan took a breath in, steadying his nerves as he listened to the older man's talk and glanced sideways at Lan Wangji who met his eyes easily with his own steady gaze that always somehow managed to calm the turmoil in his heart. He then pulled himself together, pushing the memories of his past life to the back of his mind and told himself that he needed to forget about it now that he couldn't go back. Putting a front, he responded cheerfully to Sect Leader's Nie prompts despite the heavy feelings in his chest.
******
After they finished their meal, they were joined by Wen Ning at the training hall. The younger teen was still shy around everyone except Xiao Zhan, who treated him as if he was an old friend. Lan Wangji did not show any outward signs of discomfort around Wen Ning, but Xiao Zhan knew better; that man's jealousy knows no discrimination and Wen Ning was not an exemption.
Nie Mingjue was supervising the morning training, keeping an eye on Nie Huaisang especially, when they entered.
"You're here to spar?" Nie Mingjue asked as soon as they stepped into view.
"Yep," Xiao Zhan answered as "Would you mind if we use the other corner, Da Ge?" he asked, motioning in the direction of one of the open grounds.
"Of course not. Do what you want." Nie Mingjue said before returning to the ongoing training session.
"Are you sure you are good enough to do this, Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji asked, looking a little worried.
"Of course, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan replied as he stretched his body, loosening up his muscles for their spar. He was still slightly sore but nothing he could not deal with. He added with a grin, "It's been a while since we train together. So, don't hold back."
Lan Wangji stared at his lover for a couple brief second, assessing his general condition before replying, "As you wish."
Xiao Zhan then turned his head towards Wen Ning who looked very much like a deer caught in headlights, both in anticipation and nervousness. With a lighthearted chuckle, Xiao Zhan told him, "Relax. Just watch how we fight."
As always, the sparring between the pair was intense and fast paced. They both danced around each other in the same rhythm as if there was no other person besides them. Their bodies moved fluidly, like water flowing under different pressure points and dancing along to the tune. The blades sliding smoothly against each other, creating sparks wherever they touched with the sharpness of steel. The sound of metallic clashes echoed throughout the space. Each stroke was swift and precise; neither one holding anything back. Neither one letting the other win. Sparks of red and blue flashed every so often and brightened the entire area like thunder strikes.
Wen Ning observed their spar intently, as did Nie Mingjue and the rest, who had stopped to watch as well.
"So quick." Wen Ning murmured in awe, his eyes followed the movements of the couple as they kept striking, blocking, ducking, moving together in the air in synchronicity as they fought. He knew they were good but this was the first time he had seen something this magnificent.
Nie Mingjue's voice sounded beside him, startling the timid teen, "Have you ever seen anyone fight like them before?"
Wen Ning looked up at him and hesitated for a moment before replying, "...No."
"That's surprising." Nie Mingjue looked at him and commented, "Aren't Wen clan disciples supposed to be experts in close combat or something?"
Wen Ning shook his head, stuttering as he answered, "I... I didn't get to attend training a lot."
Nie Mingjue raised his eyebrows. "I thought you are Wen Ruohan's nephew Didn't he pay special care for his family?"
Wen Ning lowered his head in embarrassment as he mumbled, "Distant relatives. Uncle... only favors my sister. He never liked me... because I'm weak."
Nie Mingjue nodded silently before giving him another once over, "So, you practice your cultivation yourself?"
"M...mostly." Wen Ning nervously responded in a soft voice, as he lowered his head even more. "Sometimes... with my sister."
Nie Mingjue's gaze softened as he studied the young Wen disciple before him. Or former disciple, technically. In all honesty, he didn't fully trust the Wen defectors just yet. If it is not for his brother's vouch and the sake of his father, he wouldn't even bother to go all the way to save and house the refugees. But seeing the nervous state the young boy in front of him was in made him think otherwise.
He sighed as he kept an eye on the Yin and Yang pair moved through the ground, their swords whizzed past each other. He asked bluntly, "Do you want to join us train then?"
Wen Ning looked up to him, his eyes widened in surprise as he stammered, "B...But I am not a disciple... of this clan."
"So what? It doesn't matter to us." Nie Mingjue replied coolly, ignoring the shocked expression that the boy sported. "Besides, my brother seems to trust you and if he approves of you, there must be a reason."
"Oh..." Wen Ning gasped, happy to hear that his idol approved of him.
"So, come along and train with us." Nie Mingjue suggested.
Wen Ning hesitated again, before asking tentatively, "Really? Will it... be okay?"
A smirk graced Nie Mingjue's lips as he spoke encouragingly, "Of course."
Wen Ning nodded slowly as if contemplating what he should do, then finally spoke with determination, "Okay."
Their attention was drawn back into the sparring match when a massive eruption of energy suddenly exploded within in the middle of the clearing, knocking everyone to the ground. Everyone scrambled to their feet again and rushed to see what happened.
"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji's voice was heard first. The rest soon came in view of the scene.
Xiao Zhan could feel the weight of a sword dropping to the ground next to him. He staggered unsteadily on his feet as black dots started dancing in his field of view. As his whole world faded to darkness, a pair of arms encircled his waist tightly. He faintly heard Lan Wangji's distressed voice calling out for him. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Lan Wangji immediately rushed forward and caught him before his body could hit the ground. He held onto Xiao Zhan, kneeling down with him in his arms. As Xiao Zhan laid limply against his chest, his breathing became ragged and his body began to tremble violently, blood trickling down from his mouth down to his chin.
"Lan... Zhan..." Xiao Zhan managed before falling silent. The last thing Lan Wangji saw before the man he cradled closed his eyelids were a pair of burning red irises. He tightened his grip on Xiao Zhan as shivers ran down his spine. There was something about those crimson pools that made Lan Wangji's heart constrict in fear and dread. This was not a good sign.
Nie Mingjue rushed towards the couple, "What happened? What-"
"Don't come any closer!" Lan Wangji's sharp warnings caused Nie Mingjue to stop in his tracks, his golden orbs glimmering dangerously. He added, forgetting all politeness and manners, "Get everyone out of here."
Nie Mingjue frowned at his curt response, he clenched his jaws as he responded loudly, "What?!"
Lan Wangji's gaze focused on his lover, his usual placid decorum was gone and replaced by a fierce protective mode as he growled at the eldest Nie heir. "Everyone out! Now!"
The moment he spoke those words, the earth quaked underneath their feet, causing everyone to fall over. People scattered instinctively from the trembling area as dust and debris flew all over the place. Suddenly the room turned dark with ominous looking wispy tendrils seeped from the cracks and crevices on the ground. All hell broke loose inside the training hall.
Lan Wangji called out to the unconscious man in his arms, hugging him closer to his chest, "Wei Ying... can you hear me?"
His face was full of concern as he tried to find a reaction. His voice was shaky with fear as he clutched tightly onto Xiao Zhan, desperately hoping that he would come to. He pleaded, "Please come back to me."
"Move out! Move now!" Nie Mingjue yelled as he led the other disciples out of the building. He glanced at the center of the catastrophe; the dark swirling mass of resentment was getting thicker by the second. In the middle of the chaos, he could see Lan Wangji's figure embracing his youngest brother tightly, trying everything in his power to rouse him but he appeared to have little effect.
Soon, the two of them was fully surrounded by the tendrils of black darkness which crawled towards them like creeping snakes, forming a thick sphere that looked like a barrier. It was as though someone had wrapped the two of them in a cocoon of darkness and prevented anyone else from entering.
"What's going on?" Nie Mingjue mumbled in concern as he stepped forward, wanting to see how far it went. But as soon as he took a few steps, his expression turned hard, and he backed off instantly. The concentrated resentful energy that formed the wisps changed into long sharp spikes the moment he tried to get past the boundary, forcing him to retreat.
Wen Ning was standing a short distance away. After witnessing what had transpired before him, he ran off to get his sister.
When Wen Qing arrived with Sect Leader Nie, they could only gasped in horror as they sensed the resentful energy that coursing through the air like a swirling vortex.
Lan Wangji, however, did not pay any heed to those growing darkness around him as his sole focus was his precious lover in his arms. He gently wiped away the blood that stained his lover's face. "Please wake up ... I'm begging you.." he said in a desperate tone.
He knew the situation was dire. Xiao Zhan somehow lost his control of his powers. The resentful energy was overwhelming his body and causing all of its effects to manifest in the form of these powerful wicked wispy vines. Although, they didn't seem to have any intention to harm him the slightest. In fact, they seemed to be protecting the two of them. So, as long as they weren't touching Xiao Zhan, he wasn't going anywhere. He continued to whisper his pleas in hopes of awakening the man from the nightmare he has fallen into and trapping his consciousness within.
Out of desperation, he used his spiritual energy to reach into Xiao Zhan's core, trying to try and calm the turbulent energies in there. An endless ocean of blue light burst forth from his body as a soothing melody escaped his lips. It was so bright and pure that the darkness receded, retreating backwards in slow manner.
After what felt like hours, Lan Wangji finally heard a soft whimper escape Xiao Zhan's throat and his whole body tensed; a look of pain etched on his features.
Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan was trapped inside the rampaging of the opposing energies within his body. He felt as though a raging river was rushing through his veins, sending his heartbeat accelerating. He tried to open his eyes as he struggled in vain to escape, but he couldn't do so. The screaming, crying and howling in his ears was deafening. He was fighting to keep his sanity until he felt a familiar cool sensation entering his body and stopping the raging dark energy from spreading further, and slowly he could hear something else other than the high pitched voices that resonated in his ears. Their love song reverberated throughout his core as he heard Lan Wangji's melodic voice singing the tune, calling for him, and caressing him tenderly. Still, every time he drew a breath as he felt like his lungs were being torn apart. His chest was burning hot and excruciatingly sore.
"Breathe, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji urged, feeling Xiao Zhan's hand clench on to his robes tightly. "Breath in."
Listening to the deep timbre of Lan Wangji's voice encouraged him to take a deep breath, he exhaled heavily, forcing himself to relax to push out the negative energy within him and taking back the control of his core. After what felt like eternity of intense suffering that left Xiao Zhan breathless with exhaustion, it stopped completely. He was drained to zilch but no longer plagued by the agony that his core had been undergoing.
"It's alright." Lan Wangji murmured softly, caressing Xiao Zhan's cheek tenderly as he leaned down and kissed the man's forehead. "Just rest, Wei Ying. I'll protect you."
With that promise, a warm feeling settled in Xiao Zhan as his breathing slowed down to a steady pace. A peaceful expression crossed his handsome features once more.
"Second Young Master Lan, let's bring him to the clinic." Wen Qing suggested as she approached them. She glanced at Xiao Zhan who was now fast asleep in Lan Wangji's arms before adding, "It's best if he is examined."
Lan Wangji nodded, his gaze never leaving the still sleeping figure in his arms and carefully carried him out from the training area, ignoring the stares of those who had witnessed the whole thing.
"You're dismissed, everyone." Sect Leader Nie ordered firmly. "Make your way back to your lodgings for now."
No one dared to object their Sect Leader's orders so they quickly dispersed.