Wei Wuxian had his hands behind his head, whistling.

   Mo Xuanyu kept pace beside him as the walked along a trail into Dafan Mountain. They had been chatting back and forth, bickering, Wei Wuxian teasing. He sent Mo Xuanyu a wink. 

  Mo Xuanyu rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Wei Wuxian abruptly stopped, eyes narrowed forward.

   "Somethings wrong." He said, then they both heard voices, the voices of young juniors.

  They glanced at each other and ran forward towards the voices.

 Wei Wuxian thought back to the woman attacking strangely, and the stories he had heard.

   He ran faster.

 

  There was fire everywhere now, all around them. Both men halted at the scene before them. Three young cultivators were fighting the statue as it was attacking them. 

   A young cultivator in gold with a peony flower symbol over his chest, kept charging and slicing at the moving statue but was suddenly tossed aside with his sword flying through the air, right toward Wei Wuixan and Mo Xuanyu.  Wei Wuxian caught it in his hands, studying the sword.

   The sword had once belonged to Jin ZiXuan.

   Then...that meant...

 "Jin Ling?" Wei Wuxian murmured, voice shaking. He rushed in, using tendrils of resentful energy to deflect the Goddess Statues attack.l, standing before Jin Ling to shield him. He noticed one of the statue goddesses arms, it was the resentful Hand from Mo Village. 

    This soul consuming goddess sure had power, from consuming so many souls and with the Hand attached, it was quite fierce. 

    Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi were also fighting it off. Why did these boys always find themselves in trouble?

   "A-Yu, you know enough to create a barrier right? You read all my notes?" Mo Xuanyu come forward with a nod, closing his eyes, chanting quietly to himself. 

    Since Mo Xuanyu started cultivating like the demonic path, being shunned by everyone one else, am he had to turn to was the Yiling Patriarchs notes.

  He erected a large dome like barrier, once the had called the Lan Juniors to stand back, increasing the goddess statue inside.

   Wei Wuxian smiled at with a proud beam, "Great work, A-Yu." He praised. Mo Xuanyu's cheeks flushed, but he gave a nod. 

   Wei Wuxian turned to help Jin Ling up.

   "Hmph. Who asked for your help? Who they tell are you anyway, cultivating the heretic path at that." The boy sneered in disgust. Wei Wuxian sighed. Sizhui came to the rescue.

   "Young Master Jin, read two men helped us the other day. They aren't bad men."

  Jin Ling snorted. "So what? I didn't ask for their help." He snatched his sword back and the ground shook. Wei Wuxian cursed. "Sizhui, let me borrow your sword." The boy blinked but let him. 

   He used it to carve holes to make a  bamboo flute. He hurriedly gave the sword back to the boy.

   He told all three of the boys, especially Jin Ling. "Stay back."  

   He placed the flute to his lips and blew. 

  All of the sudden, music surrounded them, it wasn't terrible at all but immensely sharp and beautiful. The barrier had come down and Wei Wuxian used his flute to call upon whatever corpse, something resentful nearby to his aid.

   He didn't have to wait long.

A loud thundering roar sounded, and he heard the clink of chains against the ground.

  Next to him, Mo Xunayu went stark white, all the color drained from his face as though he knew what it was, or who it was. 

   Wei Wuxians eyes widened in shock.

  It couldn't be...

"Wen Ning?" 

 

                          ♢♢♢♢♢

 

Wei Wuxian stared in shock, before gathering his wits again and giving Wen Ning his commands. He had noticed Mo Xuanyu's funny reaction and he had a feeling he had an inkling as to why - though that conversation would have to wait.

    Jin Ling's face paled at Wen Nings name and the sight of him. He grabbed for his sword in anger and races forward. 

   "Jin Ling, get back here! A-Yu, stop him." Wei Wuxian broke from his concentration while playing his flute to speak to Mo Xuanyu. 

  Mo Xuanyu nodded and rushed forward to grab Jin Ling from behind and dragging him back, he felt for the boy, realizing how painful it must be at the moment but considering the situation, he couldn't be allowed to do what he had been about to, surely.    

   The boy struggled but Mo Xuanyu had surprising strength and for that, he felt lucky. 

   "Let me go, you bastard, you cut-sleeve!" Jin Ling howled in fury, shaking.

   "Sorry, no can do. It's too dangerous right now, just hang back with the Lan juniors, please." Mo Xuanyu spoke to him quietly as the boy continued to struggle. He sighed,  and out of nowhere, Jin Ling who had been placed on the ground by the other young cultivators, had a magical rope bound around his body, stopping his movement. 

   "I'm sorry but I couldn't risk you rushing out again, Senior Xuan asked me to stop you." He had to call Wei Wuxian differently, not using his real identity or that would obviously be a huge problem. 

   Jin Ling's chest heaved greatly, his eyes angry and hurt, lips quivering as he squeezed his eyes shut, bowed his head to gather his emotions before looking up and deciding to glower in Mo Xuanyu's direction. 

   Mo Xuanyu grimaced to himself, laughing nervously and turning his attention back on Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning who had all but won, really. He had drenched the the Ghost Hand and was pinning it to the ground and the statue goddess had collapsed and shattered after many attacks, the energy sucked back out of it and souls released and dispersed.

    The young Lan Juniors moved to act, sealing the Hand. They released a relieved breath. Wei Wuxian wasted no time in sending Wen Ning away for the time being. Mo Xuanyu in turn, released Jin Ling who huffed and scowled, marching further away from him. 

   Mo Xuanyu held back a sigh but walked to Wei Wuxian, and in a panicked manner, ran to him when the man collapsed to his knees. His own chest hurt inside, to the point he felt like he might throw up blood, however; Wei Wuxian did.

   It splattered on the ground in huge red puddles and chunks of what looked like...was that flesh? 

   Mo Xuanyu paled, feeling sick. Something was terribly wrong with the man. He knelt and rubbed at Wei Wuxians back as he continued to throw up blood, until the man sagged back against him, unable to hold himself up. 

  "A-Yu?" He rasped, voice hoarse and weak. Mo Xuanyu's chest ached, his heart quivering and he comforted Wei Wuxian. "I'm here." Mo Xuanyu murmured.

  "I'm right here." 

 A twigs snapped under someone's foot and Mo Xuanyu's head snapped up as he protectively shielded Wei Wuxian. 

  Mo Xuanyu sighed with relief at Lan Wangjis presence until he tensed up again as another man stalked up behind him with a dog at his heels.

  He grimaced but stayed where he was to shield Wei Wuxian from the man that had once, no doubt, been like a brother to him.

     The same brother who sought to end him years ago, helping the Yiling Patriarch push himself to his death, destroying the dangerously powerful seal he had created. 

   Mo Xuanyu stayed where he was as the man stalked forward, face full of anger and resentment. 

   The man in his arms was half conscious, and still knew what was going on but was to zapped of his strength to do anything. By no means did Mo Xuanyu think Wei Wuxian was weak, even in such a condition.  Nonetheless, he would shield the man.

    Whatever would happen now, Mo Xuanyu would be strong. 

    He would defend the formerly dead Yiling Patriarch with whatever abilities he possessed. No matter what.

 

                           ♢••♢••♢

 

   Mo Xuanyu held his breath. His stared at the man in purple robes as he came to a halt in front of him.

 

  "So… he's back." Jiang Cheng stared down at them, his face dark with a scowl. 

   Half of  the man's face was hidden in shadow and it was ominous, not knowing what to expect from the volatile man. Jiang Chengs whip, Zidian, sparked with purple electricity, alive with energy.

   Mo Xuanyu glared at him.

"Hmph. Who are you to look at me in such a way?" Jiang Cheng sneered, taking another step closer.

   Mo Xuanyu felt Wei Wuxian shift in his arms. He glanced down, worried, watching as the man tried to drag himself to his feet so that he could stand. 

   Mo Xuanyu stayed behind him, eyes anxious, and hovering in case the man would collapse again. 

   "Jiang Cheng." Wei Wuxian faces the man, the same man he would have followed to the ends of the earth, years ago.

    A man he once considered a brother, and who had once thought the same of him, no doubt.

  Standing before him now, all he saw was loathing and hate.

   Wei Wuxian sighed internally.

He couldn't blame him. 

 

Wei Wuxian felt extremely exhausted, all he wanted was to sleep.

 He tried not to show too much weakness to the man that hated his guts.

 

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji spoke, voice calm as still waters, soft-like. He had come to stand beside him, Lan Wangji was ready to defend him.

  Lan Wangji was also immensely worried about Wei Wuxians state. His condition was not good at all. The man seemed like he would collapse again at any moment, out cold.

  And the blood drying on the grass made it even more worrisome. 

 

Jiang Cheng snorted. "Really, HanGuang-Jun?" He rolled his eyes and Lan Wangji said nothing. 

 

Jiang Cheng eyes Wei Wuxian up and down.

 

"You will be returning to Lotus Pier." His tone brooked no argument. 

 

  Wei Wuxian wasn't even in the mood or condition to say or do anything, he only grimaced and nodded, his energy sagging again. Mo Xuanyu was there to catch him again. 

  Wei Wuxian smiled. 

 

What a good child.