22 The Breach

Wei Ying

"Everyone is okay, right?" Wei Ying asked in general.

"Yeah, mostly thanks to your help, but one thing is sure... let's not have that hellish training again." Jiang said and they laughed, all agreeing with him wholeheartedly, too tired to do anything else.

Lord Zheng showed up again and applauded vigorously, quite proud of the group. They had compenetrate quite well in the past few days, getting along and helping each other like no others, with the only exception of Su She.

"Very well done kids, using your swords spirits as guides toward your goal, instead of the talismans was genius. Actually, you are the first ones who had thought of that way to get it done, in the many generations that had come here, all rely on their individual energy instead in the collective one."

"Most cultivators see their sword as a path to follow, relaying in their swordsmanship to grow in power. That way is not wrong, but in reality, sword spirits are more than tools to prove strength, they are an extension of yourselves and part of each of you. They cultivate along with you, born from your energy and protect you from all harm. You gave them form and personality and they give you undying loyalty in return."

"I'm glad to see that this generation is capable to see beyond and go further than others. Now, let's do another round." Zheng said quite seriously.

"What?!" Jiang protested.

"No way!" Zixuan shouted as he sat.

"I'm so dead..." Huaisang whisper, almost crying.

"Dear gods..." Song Lan sighed.

"Seriously?" Mianmian asked, tired.

"Oh, come on... we just got out!" Wei Ying added, but as the others looked at Lord Zheng in disbelief, the mischievous white spirit laughed. He only meant as a joke, but the kids were too easy to fool.

"I know, I know, it was quite the hassle, right?" He asked and pretty much all the kids agree.

"Yeah, no kidding..." Su She said.

"But remember that the Burial Mounds don't have room for resting or seconds chances. You most get use to this many numbers of corpses, while facing several circumstances. Now, you have the rest of the day free and also the weekend. You are permitted to go down to town, but first, you have been granted to stay for a night in a special place. Want to go?" Lord Zheng asked.

"I'm not interested. I'm returning to the main island." Su She said and got up to leave the training ground.

"Your loss!" Lord Zheng shouted.

"Let him leave, it's not fun with him around." Jiang said, while most agree.

"Okay then, off you go. Have a bit of fun for tonight, because the island will be off limit to all of you tomorrow. Everything had been set for you to gain back your strength and rest. Enjoy." Lord Zheng said and before they could ask him more, they were teleported somewhere else.

At first, as Lord Zheng talked about a forbidden area, he thought they will be teleported to the Crystal Lake island, but to his surprise, they were taken to another one. There were magical gardens right and left and a stone path that leaded to a beautiful long pagoda tower, painted with rich red, white and teal.

It was erected over a stone base with a long stair that leads to the big first floor and up to the seventh floor with a golden bell at the top. There were many members of the Lan Clan going in and out, so they walked their way to the stairs and were greeted by those who came to serve them food and tea.

The first floor was pretty much transformed into a banquet salon with many low tables united to make a long one with several cushions. There were many dished already served and hot tea for them to choose. The Clan members urge them to sit and eat, to replenish the lost energy and told them that the floors above had the necessary commodities to spend the night. After everyone was sat, the Clan members went away, to leave them on their own, so they could had a proper rest.

"Hum, Lan Wangji, what exactly is this place? Why is it restricted?" Huaisang asked curiously.

"There are some islands with higher concentration of white energy." He simply responded.

"Meaning, this island is use to cultivate by older members of the Clan." Wei Ying felt the need to explain it further, taking a dish.

"Oh... we don't have that much white energy concentration back in the south." Huaisang said.

"No one, except the north have it this strong." Song Lan said.

"We should cultivate it for a few hours, this was probably why we were granted permission in the first place. If the Burial Mounds are just twice as much as what we faced today, we need all the energy we can harness." Xingchen suggested.

"We can do that once the night comes. Let's build a fire outside and have a joined meditation with the sword spirits." Wei said.

"Why in the night?" Zixuan asked and Wei Ying smile.

"Because what's left of the day is for exploring." Ying said mischievously and Wen Qing sighed, he never changed.

"That's actually a good plan. I will go for it." Jiang Cheng said.

"Guys... won't that put us in troubles?" Huaisang asked.

"As if they will put a bunch of troublemakers in an island with Clan secrets." Wei joked.

"There is nothing here, aside from the energy." Lan Zhan confirmed.

"See?" Wei added, looking at his Lan Zhan tempted to kiss him.

"Is there something going on between the two of you?" Jiang asked curiously, as he tasted the warm soup.

"Yeah, we are lovers." Wei said, making Jiang choke with his soup and most of the others laughed, taking it as a joke, although Wei Ying had been quite honest. Wangji said nothing, but his ears were on fire.

"So shameless..." Zixuan whisper and Yanli smiled to him.

"Don't said that..." She whisper back.

"You better not said you are Wangji's lover in front one of the Jade's fan. He is second in the girl's list here in the north." Jiang said and Wei smiled.

"Well, he is taken now. So, are we in for exploring then?" Wei asked, changing the topic, as Wangji, sat by his side, try to calm his beating heart.

"Yeah, I said so before, I'm in." Jiang agree and thus, after they finish eating the feast, they went out to the gardens and beyond, exploring and having fun. At first, they went as a group, but after a while, they went on their own way, basically in pairs, agreeing to meet at night to do a joined meditation with their spirits, who were also free to explore.

Jiang Cheng, asked Wen Qing for a walk in the gardens, Zixuan walked with Yanli to another part, Song Lan and Xiao decided to meditate under a tree, enjoying the nice breeze and Huaisang to have a nap at the opposite side of their tree, while Mainmian took Wen Ning away to try to teach him how to sense spiritual energy better. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan went further in, with Wangji guiding Wei to another smaller tower, almost at the border of the island.

They climbed the many stairs to the third floor that was open and had a free view of the islands, several of them. Wei looked around, seen many of them floating above the white clouds, some connected with beautiful bridges, while others with teleporting circles. It was a magnificent sight all around and breathtaking, as he could see birds and flowers that he would never see anywhere else.

As Ying looked away, charmed by the beautiful sight, Wangji couldn't help himself, but to hug Wei from his back, gently passing his arms around his waist while burying his face in Wei's neck. Wei Ying smiled and raised his hand to caress his handsome lover's face. Then Wangji kisses his neck and turned him, so he could have another taste at those appealing lips, he was in need of.

They were now, indeed lovers and he was definitely taken, as Wei Ying had so freely confess in front of the others. If they didn't believe his words, that was unimportant, the fact was that Wei Ying had claim him as his and he was overjoyed with it. He didn't knew much about love, his life had been a bit mess up with his parents unfortunate story.

Their marriage was made in secret as his Uncle and other elders did not agree to it, because his mother was only a country woman that knew nothing about cultivation aside form that was what protected the Gusu lands. So his mother was mostly insolated, when their marriage was known and she was pregnant, not really accepted, while his father did his best to visit her as often and he could. After Xichen was born, things begin to be harder for his mother, as she wasn't even free to take care of her son fulltime, as he was to follow the path of cultivation since very young and when he was born, his father barely visit her, been pressured by the elders to ready himself to take over the Clan.

His mother only had a short time to spend with her sons, as their education was to come first, which only make the whole thing too much to bear. At the end, her mother 'scape' from her solitary island and as soon as his father found out, he went looking downtown for her. Unfortunately, by then, his mother had run outside the wards and was mortally wounded by a fierce corpse that also killed his father, while he try to desperately save her.

After their death, their education became harsh and harder, for which he had opted to follow the rules and burry all feelings inside. His mother feelings were ignored, so were his father, so what was the point in even having them in the first place, but after seen Wei Ying coming to their island, so majestically over a black eagle, which only spoke volumes of his free spirit, his heart was capture by a pair of dark brown eyes, smart and mischievous, that melted the ice covering his beating heart.

Was it love at first sight, he didn't knew, but what was clear to him was that it felt right, like it was meant to be, as the old woman had told him. Thus now, he could understand his mother sadness, her disappointment despite the love she had for his father and the love she had for both of her sons. If his Clan did not approve of him loving Wei Ying, then Gusu was no longer a place he could call it home.

His father should had stand and face the elders, tell them he was not going to back down and that his wife was not to be treated as a prisoner and above all fight for that he loved. Xichen, passing through hard times himself when kid, also understood this, for which he had approved of their relationship as long as it make him happy. It was a blessing to have him as brother and as a Clan leader, so he could freely love who he wanted and still had a family.

"Lan Zhan..." Wei whisper, still surrendering himself to the handsome Lan.

"Mmm?" Wangji murmur.

"You are not mad with me for what I said, right?" Wei asked, just to be sure.

"You didn't lie. Why get mad?" Wei smiled, as he separate from him to look at his Jade.

"Are you tired? Should we head back?" Wei Ying asked and Wangji smirked.

"We still have some time before nightfall..." He responded, still having Wei Ying securely held in his arms.

"Then, want some more?" Ying asked.

"No need to ask." Wangji told him as he gently kiss him again, while slowly guiding him toward a corner, away from the sight of those who could come that way. By nightfall, they all gather in a double circle, with the master in the inner ring, surrounding a camping fire and the swords spirits sat behind.

The spirits put their hands on their Masters backs and they begin their meditation, as a thin layer of white mist cover most part of the land. They keep up their concentration on harnessing the overflowing energy for a few hours, until the sound of a bell, breakup their deep concentration.

"What's that?" Wen Ning asked as he looked up, to the top of the tower, to the ringing bell and Wangji stood up in haste, extending his hand to help Wei to rise as well.

"It's the spiritual bell. A tainted energy had crossed the wards or it had been breached at some point." Wangji explained.

"Then we go down to the town. Can you tell us from where, Fuxue?" Wei asked to Song Lan's spirit.

"West from here, I think it's a breach in the barrier, several corpses are coming in." He said, as he blindfolded himself.

"Then let's go. We use the spirits link to find all corpses before they reach the towns. Lan Zhan, can you use a teleporting symbol from here to that part of the Clan land?" Wei asked and Wangji assented.

"Yes, gather around me." He said and the others moved close to him, with Wei Ying taking in his left hand on his. Wangji draw a teleporting symbol, with the west direction with his right hand, using the external energy surrounding the island to make the teleportation, in order not to exhaust himself and soon after, there were gone, to a hill in the west, close to the barrier border.

"Where too?" Wei asked and both, Fuxue and Shuanghua (Xiao spirit) pointed at the same direction.

"They are close, but scattered." Fuxue said.

"Now we hunt. Let's go!" Wei shouted and started to run. As they enter a forest, they scattered to hunt the many corpses, while the barrier shinned white, like the moon, probably with Yang himself, re-sealing it, to prevent more corpses from coming in. Fuxue and Shuanghua guided them toward their hunts, as Xuanyu guided Wei Ying to the nearest ones.

He had no problems taking care of them, despite the numbers, as they had already done so many fierce ones in their morning training, but as both he and Xuanyu focus on the corpses, none realize they were been followed by something else, very much alive. As he took down another corpse and turned to look for others, Wei Ying was hit by a dark talisman from his back that sent red coiling lighting things all over Wei and his sword, taking both of them out into a world of darkness.

Xue Yang smiled wickedly, as he look down to Wei Wuxian, unconscious on the ground.

"Nice to meet you kid, I will have so much fun with you." He said to himself as he bended to take his new toy. He was a bit impatient, but that was alright, because having the odd talented kid, was going to accelerate their plan, which was all that matter.

AN: Ups... Cliffhanger! 😲 Thanks for reading my darlings, things are getting more interesting now. Hope you like it and I hope someone rescue Wei Ying before Xue Yang can take him away to the dark side. 😂😂