Chapter Eighteen

As a year passed from the competition at the Nightless City, the only time Wei Yue got to leave the Lotus Pier was to do night-hunts with her brother and Jiang Cheng. She tried her hardest to help Jiang Cheng increase his cultivation, the words Madam Yu would hiss to her every time she and the young girl were in the same room.

"You are a distraction! Both of you are not helping him, you are simply dragging him down with you!"

Wei Yue was devastated when the Wen Clan announced that there would be no night-hunts for the Sects, she was only angered even more when the Sects bent to the will of Wen Ruohan. Once this was accepted and night-hunts were practically extinct, the only contact to anyone Wei Yingyue had outside of the Pier was the constant letters sent between her, Lan Wangji, and Lan Xichen. After the incident with Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's headband a year ago, it took Lan Wangji a long time to even be able to think about Lotus Pier. Lotus Pier; the place that his closest friend resided, the place where the person lived that had done one of the most terrible things to Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian was not a family member, was not a lover of Lan Zhan, but he had touched Lan Wangji's headband.

After an endless number of letters from Wei Yue apologizing for her brother annoying Lan Wangji, for her brother touching his headband, for touching the headband herself, he had finally replied to her. He didn't care she touched it, she was someone he trusted with his life. She was like a sister to him, and one day when she married Lan Xichen, she would be his sister-in-law. So, after coming to terms with what had happened, a steady stream of letters between Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen had begun to arrive in the YunmengJiang Sect and a steady stream of letters from Wei Yingyue had arrived in the GusuLan Sect.

That is why it bothered Wei Yingyue when the letters stopped coming, even after reaching the twentieth letter, nothing came in response from either of the brothers. It left a dark feeling running through the female as she looked at the pile of letters from her fiance and best friend that she kept in two seperate boxes, her chin on her fist as a bad feeling welled in the bottom of her stomach when the letters stopped for an entire two months. A knock came to Wei Yue's door, soon opening to reveal Jiang Yanli after being invited inside.

"Still nothing?" Jiang Yanli asked as she walked into the room, looking at the boxes that sat on the younger girl's desk.

"There has been no response since the fourth of last month, Jiejie. Those letters reached here on the fourth, but they were sent on the second. It takes two days for our letters to go back and forth, I am telling you that something happened at the Cloud Recesses." Wei Yue whispered, shaking her head as she looked down at the hairpin given to her by Lan Xichen.

"Wei Yingyue, look at me." Jiang Yanli ordered, making the younger girl look her in the eye. "Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen are strong, amazing cultivators. Even if something happens, they will be fine." Jiang Yanli whispered as she ran her fingers through Wei Yue's loose, black hair.

"I hope so, Jiejie." Wei Yingyue whispered as she closed her eyes, leaning into Jiang Yanli's comforting touch. They stayed that way for a few minutes before a knock came to the door, no voice followed but the door slid open and Wei Wuxian slipped inside as he stretched.

"Yingying, dinner is-" He stopped when he opened his eyes, smiling when he saw his Senior Sister but he froze when he saw the grim look on Wei Yue's face. His face became serious and he looked around before zeroing in on his sister, walking to her as she stood up. "Wei Yingyue, what happened?" He asked as he looked into her eyes.

"It's nothing, Wei Ying. I'll be okay, I just haven't heard from Lan Xichen and Lan Zhan in a long time." She whispered, smiling lightly before Jiang Yanli wrapped the top half of Wei Yue's hair into a bun, snatching the pin from Lan Xichen before placing it through the black locks.

"I'm sure they're just busy." Jiang Yanli murmured, rubbing Wei Yue's arm before looking at Wei Ying, who was still watching his little sister closely. "Ah-Xian, what is it you needed?" She asked, smiling as he blinked and turned to her.

"Dinner is ready and we will be eating together in the meeting room." He looked at Wei Yue, nodding at the silent question in her eyes. "Us, Jiang Cheng, Uncle Fengmian, and Madam Yu." He listed off everyone attending, a shiver running down the Twin's spines as Jiang Cheng exploded into the doorway.

"Come on! Dinner is ready!" He had been in the training grounds all day, working with his mother on furthering his skills, so he was extremely hungry at the moment.

The group made their way to where Madam Yu and Sect Leader Jiang waited, sitting in silence as the children walked inside. Wei Yue timidly made her way to the table that was on the same side as Madam Yu's, bowing to both of the adults before lowering herself in her seat as Madam Yu narrowed her eyes at the girl. Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and Wei Ying were sitting across from Wei Yue. Wei Ying gave his sister a sympathetic smile as the food was placed in front of all of them, his eyes moving between the Madam's glare and Wei Yue's stiff posture as Uncle Fengmian began to explain what news he had received from an envoy of the Wen Clan.

"Due to other sects taught badly and wasted talent, the Wen Sect demanded all of the sects to each dispatch at least twenty disciples to Qishan within three days, so that they could let experts teach them." Wei Yue repeated quietly under her breath, shaking her head as she thought about possible "experts" that would be teaching them.

"The Wen Sect's people really said this? They know no shame, do they?" Jiang Cheng sounded shocked, though Wei Yue did not raise her head as she lifted some food to her mouth.

"Well, they think they're the sun shining above all sects. It's not the first time that the Wen Sect is so shameless. Taking advantage of their large sect and strong influence, it had been prohibiting the other sects from night-hunting ever since last year. Just how much prey, how much land has it stolen?" Wei Ying stated after the shocked Jiang Cheng, his own displeasure evident in his voice as he began to eat after Uncle Fengmian ordered it.

"Eat? A few days after this, when they're at Qishan, we won't even know if they give them any food. Why not go a few meals hungry starting from now? Let them get used to it!" Wei Yue watched the woman out of the corner of her eye, chewing her food silently as she listened.

"Why fret over it? No matter what comes in the future, today's meal should still be eaten." His voice was monotone, the sound of it flashing the image of Lan Wangji into Wei Yue's head. She frowned and set aside her chopsticks, placing her hands on her lap as she tried to focus on anything but the Twin Jades of Gusu.

After a few days the disciples of the YunmengJiang Sect arrived in the Nightless City, standing below a platform that held a table covered with snacks and drinks. The Twins and Jiang Cheng stayed together, though Wei Yue had a terrible feeling about being in the Nightless City.

"As expected, people came from Gusu as well." Hearing these words from Wei Wuxian, Wei Yingyue's head snapped up and she followed his gaze. She noted how pale he was, his expression still cold as he stood alone, the only thing keeping him company was Bichen.

"Don't cause trouble!" Jiang Cheng ordered as he grabbed the twins, holding them back when they stepped forwards. Wei Yue looked towards Jiang Cheng, who shook his head once, before she turned and continued to watch Lan Zhan when a loud voice called out to everyone.

A person shouted commands from in front of them, ordering all of the disciples to gather into formation before a tall platform. A few of the Wen Sect's disciples came and chided, "Silence, all of you! Don't talk!" As Wei Yingyue stood beside her brother while Wen Chao walked out onto the platform, she wrapped her fingers around the Clarity Bell that was hanging on her belt.

"From now on, one by one, hand over your swords!" Wen Chao called down to the disciples lined up, a smug look on his face as he looked down on them when everyone began to make a commotion.

"Swords should always accompany those who cultivate. Why do you want us to hand over our swords?" A voice called out, to this comment Wen Chao responded with an impatient tone.

"Who was the one that spoke? From which sect? Stand forward on your own!" When no one replied and the crowd went silent, he continued to speak. "It's exactly because there are still disciples like you, who know nothing of conduct, of compliance, of humility, that I'm here to indoctrinate you so that your cores don't rot away. You're already so ignorantly audacious. If your customs aren't straightened up now, in the future, there'd naturally be those who attempt to challenge the authority and climb above the Wen Sect's head!" When he finished speaking, a cold chill went down Wei Yue's back as she grabbed her brother's arm as the Wen Clan servants made their way down to take the weapons.

"What are you holding me down for?" Wei Yue looked over to see that Jiang Cheng was holding Wei Ying's other arm.

"Don't do unnecessary things." Jiang Cheng muttered to the oldest between the three of them, though his eyes moved down to Wei Yue as he knew she reacted poorly to being disrespected, her family behind disrespected, and strangers touching the swords left to her by her mother.

"You're thinking too much. Even if this one is so greasy that it's gross, no matter how much I want to beat him up, I won't pick such a time and cause our sect trouble. Don't worry." Wei Wuxian told Jiang Cheng, though he looked down at his sister and moved his arm out of her grasp, taking her hand instead to give it a comforting squeeze.

"You want to stuff him into a bag and beat him up again? I'm afraid that wouldn't work. You see that guy beside Wen Chao?" Jiang Cheng nodded towards the arrogant Wen with his chin, directing the twins to look upwards.

"Yes. His cultivation is high, but his youth isn't maintained well enough. Looks like he was a late bloomer." Wei Ying muttered, his eyes landing on the man.

"His name is Wen ZhuLiu, also known as the 'Core-melting Hand'." Wei Yue whispered, Jiang Cheng nodded slowly as she continued talking. "He's a servant kept by Wen Chao's side, specially to protect him. Don't provoke him." She finished as she looked up at her brother.

"The 'Core-melting Hand'?" He asked, looking between the two on either side of him.

"That's right. His pair of palms is quite scary. And he's an aid to the tyrant. Before, he helped Wen..." As Jiang Cheng talked, Wei Yue looked over at the GusuLan disciples as a servant went to collect their swords, her eyes widened slightly when she saw Lan Wangji willingly hand over his sword.

"That isn't right." She whispered to herself when she felt someone grab her sheath, the object holding Yin and Yang resting in her right palm.

"Hand it over!" The servant ordered, causing her gaze to shoot forwards, landing on the man trying to jerk it from her grasp.

"Yingying, let it go." Wei Wuxian shook her hand that was encased in his own, looking at her with pleading eyes. She pursed her lips as she lifted her arm, allowing the dual swords that had been given to her by her mother to be ripped from her grasp and thrown on a tray with Suibian and Sandu.