Chapter 30 - Xian-ge

The secret escapade never reached Lan Wangji's ears and everyone else turned a blind eye towards it.

Wang Yukhei has returned to following behind Lan Wei Qi wherever she went. Zhou Zhiequong and the princes figured that the past few days he was acting strange was actually him sulking and acting gloomy, though it never showed on his face.

"How is the sword?" Wang Yukhei asked.

"It's perfect," Lan Wei Qi said as she swung the sword around.

Despite its appearance, the sword was made of a heavy metal and is twice heavier than a normal sword. Even Lan Wangji would not dare to swing that sword aroud.

Lan Wei Qi watched as Wang Yukhei with his black guandao on his hand. "I thought they said you used a sword. Now that I noticed it, despite letting me use it, you never actually used your sword yourself. I'd rather call it a decoration piece to complete your appearance."

"This sword... I've never used it since then," he said as he rested his hands on the hilt.

"Then...?"

"When you were captured." He cleared. "I taught you how to use a sword before you formed a style of your own. That time... I held my sword in my hand, but in the end it did nothing."

"It's not your fault," Lan Wei Qi's voice softened. "I have powers too and I held my sword in hand yet I was captured..."

They fell silent.

"But you are like that too, Your Holiness."

"Like... what?"

"I know you have fully recovered your powers, but not once have you tried to use it. You practice your sword but not your powers," Wang Yukhei said as he lit a small fire on his finger.

"That is... I don't know what to do with it... It's too strong. Too destructive. I'm afraid what it could do," Lan Wei Qi said as she lowered her sword.

"You were also like that once," Wang Yukhei said as he sat on one of the rocks. "When you were young, you were afraid of your powers. You disliked it; even hated it, but you took the courage to ask me for help."

"Right now... I can't do it..."

"Then I will be your power."

A servant entered the courtyard.

"Young miss, Master Wang, his highness the fourth prince has arrived at the palace."

---

"Look at you. Are you really Wu Xian? You look more like a twig."

"You know, I would prefer to call him a corpse."

"Now, now, settle down."

[ "Xiao Qi! Shixiong!" ]

Wang Yukhei heaved a sigh and crosses his arms when he saw this friend of his who had one of his feet on the grave not so long ago.

[ "Wh- What's with that look?" ] Long Wu Xian smiled. [ "Shixiong, I'm back now, right? ]

"Your soft voice won't help you," Wang Yukhei coldly denied his call for peace. "What an idiot. If Doctor Zhou did not leave with Commander Lan, you would have been buried 6 ft. underneath the ground by now."

[ "Yes, yes, I apologize." ] Long Wu Xian said with a crying face. [ "Spare me, please!" ]

"Tsk."

[ S- Scary! ] Long Wu Xian thought as he saw the look on Wang Yukhei's face. Good thing he was able to pacify him.

"And the messenger said that you bled and fell into a coma, but... Where. Is. Your. Leg?"

Long Wu Xian felt as if he had been doused by cold water. He wanted to keep it a secret from his shixiong and wore a prosthetic, but Wang Yukhei immediately noticed the irregularity of his legs. Hethwen started rattling the truth. [ "A- Actually, I almost lost two legs-" ]

"And Doctor Zhou managed to save one and that's a good thing?" Wang Yukhei's eyes gleamed. "I never thought you'd have the messengers to lie about the situation to us."

[ "That is... I told Brother Emperor the truth..." ]

At this point, Wang Yukhei was fighting the urge to squeeze every detail out from his mouth...

Until he couldn't keep it in anymore and blew up.

"So what exactly happened? You were not really in a coma, weren't you? What? Yout got beaten? You got kidnapped? And you didn't tell us immediately?! We could have sent General Lan earlier! Or I would have come! What were you thinking?! Aren't I your shixiong?! What's the point if I can't even protect anyone! You or Her Holiness, I did nothing-!"

"Yukhei," Lan Wei Qi softly called him as she pulled the hem of his sleeves back. Her eyes were slightly damp with tears, but she didn't let them fall. Wang Yukhei let himself be pulled to the corner and let himself be pacified.

Long Wu Xian had his eyes lowered and his fists were clenched with frustration. They called themselves the pillar of Lan Wei Qi's strength, but now they were crumbling down like a castle built on sand.

The truth was that Long Wu Xian did fall into a coma, but it was only for a few days. During the time he was unconscious, spies from the Red Spiderlily were able to kidnap him and when he woke up, he was already being used as a bargaining chip against the Holy Knights and the Third Battalion. Commander Bai Feng had to take a few steps back for Long Wu Xian was one of his precious apprentices. Once the Red Spiderlily received word that Lan Wangji was on his way for reinforcements, they grew impatient and chopped one of his legs and sent it in a box to the army's camp. His other leg that he also almost lost was chopped off the time the reinforcements arrived and Zhou Ren was able to reattach it with the help of Long Wu Xian amplifying his power, but it still consumed a lot of his powers.

"Doctor Zhou said that there is still sensations on your leg. We will find a master craftsman to forge you a leg - one that cannot be chopped off," Emperor Xingchen said as he patted Long Wu Xian's head. He also had a grim expression on his face, but he tried hard to hold it in. He also thought he was at fault. He knew everything but was not able to do anything to save his brother.

"I know someone," Wang Yukhei said and turned his back to leave, not looking back at anyone else.

"X- Xian-ge, please rest well! We will get you a new leg!" Lan Wei Qi quickly blurted out before chasing after Wang Yukhei.

No one spoke until a soft laugh was heard.

"Haha..."

"Wu Xian...?"

They were confused why he laughed.

"Did you hear that?" Long Wu Xian's eyes sparkled. "Xiao Qi called me "Xian-ge" just now. She doesn't remember anything before but now she subconsciously does things she usually did before."

[ Long Wu Xian: Xian-ge... It's been a long while since I've heard it. Such a long time since we lost both Xiao Qi and Xin'er. ]

The three older brothers shared looks as if prodding one another to speak. They did not know how to start explaining about the soul switch between Lan Wei Qi and Qiqi.