Wei WuXian, “What… What did Lan Zhan do?”
Lan XiChen, “What WangJi did—if you do not remember, I am afraid he would never tell you in this life, and you would never ask either. Fine, then. Let me be the one to say it.” He continued, “Young Master Wei, in that night, you took the two halves of the Stygian Tiger Seal and pieced them together. After you were satisfied with the killing, you were a spent arrow as well. WangJi was injured on your rampage. He was in no better shape than you, barely supporting himself by leaning on Bichen. In spite of this, as he saw you stumble away, he immediately followed.
“Right then, not many people were still conscious. I, too, was almost unable to move, and I could only watch as WangJi, whose spiritual powers were clearly about to be drained, staggered towards you. He brought you onto Bichen as soon as he grabbed you, and you two left.
“Four hours later, my spiritual powers, having finally been restored, I hurried back to the GusuLan Sect in search for assistance. I was worried that if those from another sect found you first, WangJi would be considered your accomplice. The best scenario was his name being forever tainted, and the worst his life being taken away right then. Thus, along with Uncle, we chose thirty-three seniors who had always thought highly of WangJi and searched for two days on our swords in secrecy. Only then did we find signs of you two within the Yiling region. WangJi hid you in a cave. When we arrived, you sat blankly on a rock within the cave. Holding your hand, WangJi was giving you spiritual energy. He kept on whispering to you. But throughout the whole time, you repeated the same two words at him.
“‘Get lost’!”
Wei WuXian’s throat was dry. His eyes were red as well. He couldn’t say a single thing. Lan XiChen continued, “My uncle suddenly appeared before him and scolded him, asking for him to explain things. As if he knew all along he would be discovered by us, he said that there was nothing to explain, that this was it. Growing up, he had never talked back to Uncle and me even once. But for you, not only did WangJi talk back to him, he even met with his sword the cultivators from the GusuLan Sect. He heavily injured all thirty-three of the seniors we asked to come…”
Wei WuXian dug his hands into his hair, “… I-I didn’t know… I really…”
Apart from repeating how he didn’t know, he wasn’t able to say anything else. Lan XiChen restrained himself for a moment, yet still continued, “Thirty-three whip scars! He was punished in one go, once for each person. You should know how much it hurts when it lands on your body, for how long you have to rest to recover! After he went out of his way to send you back to Burial Mound and returned in such low spirits to receive his punishment, how long he kneeled before the Wall of Rules! I told him when I went to see him, Young Master Wei had already made a grave mistake, there was no use augmenting it. But he said… that he could not say with certainty whether what you did was right or wrong, but no matter what, he was willing to be responsible for all of the consequences alongside you. They say those years were him reflecting on his mistakes, but in reality he was entirely bedridden. Even so, when he knew of your passing away, he still dragged such a body to Burial Mound to take one last look, no matter what…
“With the ways in which he looked and talked to you when he saved you and hid you in that cave, even someone who was blind or deaf could perceive his feelings, which was why my uncle was in such anger. WangJi was a model for the disciples when he was young, and a prominent cultivator when he grew up. In his whole life he had been honest and righteous and immaculate—you were the only mistake he made! And you say… And you say you do not know. Young Master Wei, after you returned in your body, how did you pester him and confess to him? Every night… Every night, you had to… And you say you do not know? If you did not know, why did you do such things?”
Wei WuXian really wanted to go back to all those times and kill himself. It was precisely because he didn’t know that he dared do such things!
He suddenly felt terrified. If Lan WangJi didn’t know that he couldn’t at all recall what happened in the few days after the massacre at Nightless City, if Lan WangJi thought that he knew about his feelings all along, just how horrible were the things he did after he came back?
At first, he did those shameful, theatrical things in order to make Lan WangJi feel disgust and throw him out of the Cloud Recesses so that they wouldn’t meet each other again, going their separate ways. Lan WangJi wouldn’t have failed to see what his real attitude was. But even when this was the case… he still chose to keep him by his side, refusing to give Jiang Cheng the chance to approach and make things difficult for him. He answered all questions, granted all requests, indulged him and forgave him again and again. Even when faced with Wei WuXian’s myriad of almost cruel teasing, he was still able to hold himself from crossing the line.
Then, back at the inn, when he pushed him away so suddenly, was it also because… he thought it was another instance of spur-of-the-moment presumption?
Wei WuXian really couldn’t keep on thinking any longer. He rushed towards the Guanyin Temple’s doors, and cultivators immediately stopped him. Jin GuangYao, “Young Master Wei, I do understand your current excitement…”
Right now, all Wei WuXian wanted to do was to rush back to the inn, rush to Lan WangJi’s side, and tell him his feelings no matter how much he rambled. With one strike, he sent two monks who tried to stop him flying away, roaring, “You understand my ass!”
After the strike, the seven or eight people all threw themselves over. Wei WuXian immediately felt his view darken. On the other side, Jin GuangYao was intent on finishing his words, “… I only wanted to tell you, there’s no need to be in such a hurry. Your HanGuang-Jun—he’s already here.”
An icy blue sword glare shot from the sky, whistling as it forced back the silhouettes who encircled Wei WuXian before returning to someone’s hand. Lan WangJi landed before the Guanyin Temple soundlessly and glanced at him, his expression no different from usual. But with nervousness, Wei WuXian felt all of the things he wanted to say crumple up inside of his stomach. His abdomen cramped. He could only murmur, “… Lan Zhan.”
Right before, Jin Ling was shocked speechless by Lan XiChen’s words. Seeing that Lan WangJi was here, he was ecstatic at first, but his expression immediately twisted as he saw how Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian looked at each other.
Jin GuangYao sighed, “You see? That’s what I said. If you’re here, Young Master Wei, HanGuang-Jun would definitely come as well.”
Lan WangJi turned the wrist of the hand with which he held Bichen. Just as he was about to move, Jin GuangYao smiled, “HanGuang-Jun, it’s best if you take five steps back.”
Wei WuXian suddenly felt a small, sharp sting come from his neck. Lan XiChen lowered his voice, “Be careful. Do not move!”
Lan WangJi’s gaze landed on Wei WuXian’s neck. His face paled slightly.
An almost unnoticeable guqin string, light and golden, was tied around Wei WuXian’s neck.
Chapter 100: Hatred (Part Three)
Translated by K of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
The guqin string was extremely thin. It was covered in special paint as well, making it almost unseeable by the eye. Along with how disoriented Wei WuXian was, unable to pay attention to anything else, he didn’t notice it when it wrapped around the vital region.