"Wei Ying!" 

Unconscious Lan Wangji called out to his husband.

"Hanguang-Jun!" 

The Juniors thought that he woke up but Lan Wangji was having a nightmare, again. It begun few days after he was put to sleep. Lan Xichen only wanted his brother to rest for few days but he didn't wake up. One day the Jingshi was lit with the beams of arrays nobody had seen before. Ever since then, Lan Wangji had been having nightmares. 

The cold sweat formed on his (LWJ) face, he was gasping to breathe. The air around him condensed and it was hard to swallow. 

Lan Wangji was in a state, worst like this. All those years ago when Wei Ying died. Twin Druzy were too young back then so it was their first time seeing him in such a terrible state.

It is said that when Wei Ying died, lan Zhan was on his death bed himself.

Those 3 years, when he pushed his body to move, when he compelled his fingers to form a note, when he enforced his frame to budge, everything failed him.

He was injured mentally and physically. it was his first mistake, his first love and first heartbreak. 

 The juniors had to add analgesics to the Censer and it was all they could do to subdue his pain. It was awful to see Hanguang-Jun in such an agonizing state.

"Shizui, why don't you go prepare another batch of medicine with  Senior Wen?" Lan Jingyi suggested while making him  eat his meal. He practically forced him to see Senior Wen hoping it would take his head off things. After all both his parents were...

                                                                                   . . .

Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng finally reached the Baixue temple. 

The sound of the dry leaves dragging on the ground was the loudest they could hear. The site was dead with silence to call home. Jiang Cheng didn't like too much silence. It reminded him of the  Lotus Pier, feeling lonely in a crowd. 

They had been travelling for long and decided to rest for a while inside the empty Temple. The Temple was the only thing intact. This deduction was made because the Temple stone didn't have any dust on it as if someone had been taking care of it. There was a boulder, too big to be called a Temple Stone. It had strange marking on it, like someone had been measuring heights through it. The temple would have flourished immensely if Xue Yang didn't massacred everyone. Akin to Yueyang Chang Sect, the entire sect was brutally annihilated.

 Chang Sian was an unethical man who dreamt to raise himself among the great sects Even if it meant dirtying his hands. His son Chang Ping however was exactly opposite of him. He wanted to make a sect where people could live their lives in peace and serenity. 

The crimes which father committed were paid by the son.

"Do you think, it's him?" Jiang Cheng pointed at the stone. Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen had  made small conversations during their travel. It's not like they were talking for the first time. Both being sect leaders often talk about sect issues. However they never talked about things other than that. In the past maybe...

"It would save us a lot of trouble if it's him." Lan Xichen replied. 

They didn't travel to Baixue Temple on a hunch. Would they really take Lan Jingyi's words seriously? Lan Xichen would but Jiang Cheng? absolutely not. They had been asking people while travelling, about Daozhang Zichen. While they were asking, they learnt how the people that once used to respect DaoZhan Zichen begun to fear him. Why? he was a fierce corpse now. 

Was it this easy to wash off the righteousness of a cultivator?  

There were few who led them to Baixue temple and when they arrived night was already upon them, both agreed to rest first then continue their investigation the next day. 

"Would you care to try one?" Lan Xichen  took out the small package, covered in banana leaf.

"That bland food of yours? No thank you." Jiang Cheng had eaten that food before back in the days - studying in Gusu Sect. And it was terribly rejected by his pallet. 

"I almost forgot, Sect leader Jiang has similar taste to Wei gongzi." Lan Xichen chuckled a little, remembering how his little brother was eager to learn cooking so he could cook for his husband. 

"Wei Wuxian... he gets a little stubborn, I apologize for the troubles he caused you." 

If jiang Cheng wouldn't take responsibility for his brother then who would? he thought to himself but those thoughts disappeared as quickly as they formed when he remembered that Wei Wuxian belonged to Lan Wangji now. 

"Not at all! if anything I'm grateful that Wei Gongzi accepted my brother." Lan Xichen was smiling. It was clearly visible to Jiang Cheng that Lan Xichen was genuinely happy about the two. Jiang Cheng was worried that Lan Qiren would kick him out,  he was relieved to find that Wei Wuxian was in a place where he was truly loved.

"H-how did it happen?" Jiang Cheng was quite curious honestly. When they were kids, they would fight over who would marry A-Jie. Not in a million years he imagined that Wei Wuxian would become a cut sleeve. 

"How did they become cultivation partners?" Lan Xichen confirmed.

Jiang cheng nodded simply. Lan Xichen was a bit embarrassed admitting it ,

"It was me, who broke the news to Wei gongzi..."

Lan Xichen didn't regret it, after all Lan Wangji did have his chance to confess. though that confession was quite painful.

In his own defense, Lan Xichen spoke,

"I did not think that Wei gongzi would be thick skull, after all he's quite the genius."

 Jiang cheng spoke in his (WWX) defense, 

"Wei Wuxian is not dense. He... he doesn't have any self worth."

Jiang Cheng dropped his shoulders and sighed. Lan Xichen could see how hard it was for jiang Cheng to confess. Was it his fault? These past few days had been quite the study for Lan Xichen. He learnt a lot about him, So it was definitely not Sect Leader Jiang's fault.

"Yunmeng Jiang sect is ambitious..." 

Jiang cheng didn't need to say more, as those words clearly reflected ones morale. 

Attempt the impossible!

And they call Cloud Recesses stern.
Sect leader Jiang had always been strong to the world but only then Lan Xichen realized  the years of crushing pressure behind it.  Why didn't he (LXC) see that before? Why didn't anyone see that ?
Lan Xichen was aware of the things other Sect leaders had said about him (JC).

' he call himself a sect leader, hahaha sect leader of dead '
' Rebuilt lotus Pier? It will fall again before that if a little kid becomes the leader '
' he's the youngest of them all, you know how young ones are spoiled '
' Meishan Yu sect shouldn't have let him be the leader '

Now Lan Xichen was worried about his little brother, did he feel  that way  as well? Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji had always been compared. People described Lan Xichen as a Gentle Soul while Lan Wangji a Distant Snow. If Lan Xichen had to endure being compared to his own family wouldn't he develop bitter feelings? 

Instantly, Lan Xichen felt extremely guilty. Lan Xichen became a sect leader when he was in his early 20s but he had his uncle, his brother and his people by his side. While Sect leader Jiang had no one. Even brother Huaisang had A-Yao and him (LXC). 

Everything was still, both of them didn't make much sound later. They finished their meals and prepared to sleep. At the tick of 9, Lan Xichen's eyes felt heavy, he was clearly drowsy. Jiang Cheng took a peek at his jade face,

"Sleep. I will keep watch." 

Lan Xichen immediately opened his almost closed eyed,

"I couldn't possibly let Sect leader Jiang-" 

"Don't waste my energy just sleep." 

They both had been staying  in different inns so there was no need to keep watch. Now that they were in the open, there was an absolute need to protect themselves, after all they both were sect leaders. 

Lan Xichen knew he couldn't win in an argument against Sect leader Jiang, so,decided to silently obey. He told himself to wake up after 4 hours so Sect Leader Jiang could sleep as well. 

                                                                                       . . .

The glow of Inferno mirrored Lan Xichen's face. The light dripped through his Lashes and gleamed the eyes. His creamy white lips were sleek While his cilium was like feathers of a raven.

His face was so tender that it looked like an angel was sleeping. Lan Xichen landed his head on his (jc ) shoulder which startled Jiang Cheng a little but he left the man in peace. 

if it hadn't been for Wei Wuxian robing his personal space, Jiang cheng would have thrown away Lan Xichen in an instant.

His breath was synchronized with his heartbeat like a chime!

Shiek!

Before Jiang Cheng could admire his sleeping face he heard a sword being unsheathed.

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(Sorry for grammatical  errors and thank you for reading.)

Continuation of this group in chapter 21.