TFOD Chapter 13

That brand completely captured Wei Wuxian’s attention, making him suspect he was seeing things, he didn’t even have time to look at the other person’s face, his breathing also became erratic. Suddenly, his vision went white, as if a snow curtain had fallen, then the snow curtain split open, and a blue sword light with icy cold energy came at his face.

Hanguang-Jun’s personal sword, “Sweep Away the Dust,” was famously known by all. This was terrible, it was actually Lan Wangji!

Escaping and dodging swords was something Wei Wuxian was familiar with, with a roll he dodged it, surprisingly managing to get away. He even had the leisure of flicking a blade of grass off his hair as he dashed out of the cold spring. Like a headless fly, he bumped into some people patrolling on the road and was grabbed and rebuked: “What are you running around for! Running is prohibited in Cloud Recesses!”

Wei Wuxian was overjoyed to see it was Lan Jingyi and the others. He thought he could now be chased off the mountain with sticks, so he rushed forward: “I didn’t see anything! I really didn’t see anything! I definitely wasn’t here to peek at Hanguang-Jun bathing!”

The younger generation was dumbfounded by his sheer audacity. Where wasn’t Hanguang-Jun respected, a noble figure of whom no disrespect could be shown? Even his family’s younger disciples respected him like a celestial being. To lurk near the cold spring, spying on Hanguang-Jun bathing! Just thinking about it was a heinous, unforgivable crime. Lan Sizhui’s voice changed with fright: “What? Hanguang-Jun? Hanguang-Jun is inside?!”

Lan Jingyi grabbed him in a rage: “You shameless pervert! This… this… this is something you think you can peek at?!”

Wei Wuxian followed up, solidifying his guilt: “I didn’t see Hanguang-Jun naked at all!”

Lan Jingyi snapped: “You’re protesting too much! If you didn’t do it, why were you sneaking around here? Look at you, you’re so ashamed that you can’t even show your face!”

Wei Wuxian covered his face with his hands, saying: “Don’t shout so loudly, Cloud Recesses prohibits loud noises.”

As they were making a ruckus, Lan Wangji, wearing a white robe and with his long hair down, came out from behind the layers of orchids. In just a few words’ worth of time, he had already dressed neatly, “Sweep Away the Dust” not yet sheathed. The younger disciples quickly saluted. Lan Jingyi hurried to say: “Hanguang-Jun, this Mo Xuanyu, he is really detestable. You only brought him back out of consideration for his assistance at Mo Village, but he… he…”

Wei Wuxian thought that this time he would definitely be kicked off the mountain, but who knew, Lan Wangji gave him a light glance, paused for a moment, then with a ‘clang’, sheathed “Sweep Away the Dust,” and said: “Disperse.”

These three plain words, but with his reputation, no one dared to say another word, everyone scattered immediately. Lan Wangji then calmly picked up Wei Wuxian by the collar, dragging him all the way to the Jingshi. In his past life, his height was similar to Lan Wangji, only slightly shorter, both of them were rare tall figures, standing together the inch difference looked very small. However, after waking up in a different body in this life, although he could be considered tall among ordinary people, he was still over two inches shorter than Lan Wangji. Being held by him he had no room to struggle. Wei Wuxian stuttered as he tried to shout, Lan Wangji coldly said: “Those who create a disturbance are forbidden to speak.”

Being thrown off the mountain was what he desired, but being forbidden to speak, he couldn’t be more thankful that he was not. Wei Wuxian was completely puzzled: when had the Lan clan become so tolerant of such shameless crimes as spying on a clan member bathing? How could they endure this?!

Lan Wangji dragged him into the Jingshi, straight into the inner room, with a “thump,” threw him onto the couch. Wei Wuxian cried out in pain, unable to get up for a moment. He wanted to whine a bit, to give him goosebumps, but when he looked up, Lan Wangji was holding “Sweep Away the Dust,” looking down at him.

He was used to seeing Second Young Master Lan wearing his headband and long hair, meticulous, and orderly, but he had never seen this appearance with his black hair slightly disheveled and wearing thin clothes. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but look at him a bit longer. After all that dragging and throwing, Lan Wangji’s usually tightly closed collar had also been pulled open a bit, revealing his distinct collarbone, and the deep red brand below it.

Seeing the brand, Wei Wuxian’s attention was drawn to it again.

This brand, before he had become the Yi Ling Patriarch, he also had one on his body.

And the one on Lan Wangji’s body now, whether it was the position or the shape, was exactly the same as the one he had on his body before he died, how could he not be familiar with it, how could he not be surprised?

What was strange was not only this brand, but also the thirty-plus discipline whip marks on Lan Wangji’s back.

Lan Wangji became famous at a young age, with extremely high praises. He was one of the most orthodox famous figures of the cultivation world, and always one of the Gusu Lan Sect’s proudest twin jades. His every word and deed was seen as a standard for exemplary disciples by the elders of all families. What unpardonable mistake had he committed to receive such a severe punishment?

Thirty-plus discipline whip marks, that was basically beating someone to death. Once the discipline whip mark was on one’s body, it would never disappear in this lifetime, all to make the punished person always remember, and never repeat the offence.

Following his gaze, Lan Wangji slightly lowered his eyes, then casually pulled up his collar, covering his collarbone and concealing the scars. Once again, he was the cold as ice Hanguang-Jun. Just at that moment, a heavy bell sound came from afar.

The Lan family rules were strict, their daily schedule meticulous. They rested at Hai hour and woke up at Mao hour, this bell was for supervision. Lan Wangji concentrated on listening to the bell sound, then said to Wei Wuxian: “You will sleep here.”

Without giving Wei Wuxian the chance to respond, he went into the inner room of the Jingshi, leaving Wei Wuxian alone, sprawled out on the couch, feeling confused.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t suspected that Lan Zhan had guessed who he was. It was just that this suspicion didn’t make sense. Since the sacrifice of the body was a forbidden art, surely only few knew about it. What was passed down was mostly incomplete, unable to function, and over time, even less people believed in it. Mo Xuanyu also didn’t know where he got ahold of the secret manual to summon Wei Wuxian back. Lan Wangji wouldn’t be able to recognize him just from the broken flute playing.

He felt that in his past life, he and Lan Wangji didn’t have any unforgettable relationship. Although they were schoolmates, had adventures, fought side by side, it was all like falling flowers and flowing water, coming and going in a hurry. Lan Wangji was a disciple of the Gusu Lan Sect, which determined that he was both “elegant” and “righteous,” which didn’t agree with Wei Wuxian’s nature. Wei Wuxian felt their relationship wasn’t bad, but he also wouldn’t say it was good. He guessed Lan Wangji’s evaluation of him was the same as everyone else: filled with demonic energy and not enough righteousness, and that one day he would definitely become a great evil. After Wei Wuxian betrayed the Yunmeng Jiang Sect and became the Yi Ling Patriarch, the feud he had with the Gusu Lan Sect was not small, especially those last few months before he died. If Lan Wangji determined he was Wei Wuxian, they should have fought to the death already.

But now, the situation was ridiculous: before, anything Wei Wuxian did would make Lan Wangji unable to endure it, but now no matter what he did, Lan Wangji could tolerate it. Should he consider this a significant improvement, something to celebrate?!

After staring blankly for a long while, Wei Wuxian got off the couch, went very quietly to the inner room.

Lan Wangji was lying on his side on the couch, seemingly in a deep sleep. Wei Wuxian silently crept over.

He was still unwilling to give up, preparing to touch him, to see if he could find that ever elusive jade token. Who knew, just as he reached out, Lan Wangji’s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes.

Wei Wuxian steeled his heart and pounced onto the couch.

He remembered that Lan Wangji hated physical contact with others. Touching him before would get you thrown off. If he could still tolerate it, then that was definitely not Lan Wangji. He would suspect that Lan Wangji had been possessed!

Wei Wuxian’s whole body was above Lan Wangji, his legs apart, kneeling on either side of his waist, his hands supporting on the wooden couch, trapping Lan Wangji in the center of his arms. He lowered his face slowly. The distance between their faces grew closer and closer, so close that Wei Wuxian could barely breathe, and Lan Wangji finally spoke.

He was silent for a while, then said: “Get down.”

Wei Wuxian said brazenly: “I won’t.”

A pair of very pale pupils were close, staring directly at Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji looked at him steadily, then repeated: “…Get down.”

Wei Wuxian said: “I won’t. You let me sleep here, you should have expected this to happen.”

Lan Wangji said: “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“…” For some reason, Wei Wuxian had a feeling that he needed to carefully consider his answer.

Just as he was about to curl his lips into a smile, suddenly his waist went numb, and his legs went limp. Then, with a plop, his whole body fell onto Lan Wangji.

The arc of his lips that was going to form a smile froze. His head was touching Lan Wangji’s right chest, his whole body unable to move. Lan Wangji’s voice came from above.

His voice was low and deep, his chest slightly vibrating with each syllable:

“Then, you can stay like this for the entire night.”

Wei Wuxian never expected this outcome. He moved, wanting to get up, but his waist was still weak and aching, unable to move. He was stuck in an awkward position, pressed tightly against another stiff man’s body, completely dumbfounded.

What had happened to Lan Zhan these past years, how had he become like this?

Was this still the Lan Zhan from before?!

He was the one who had been possessed, right?!!?

His mind was in turmoil, when suddenly, Lan Wangji slightly got up. Wei Wuxian thought he finally couldn’t tolerate it anymore, and his spirit was lifted. Who knew, Lan Wangji just lightly waved his hand.

The lamp went out.

Warning: Memories ahead. This article has a lot of memories. The author loves memories, that’s just how it is!!