Chapter 5
Wei Ying raised his voice so Suzhui and Jingyi could hear him and said, "You guys go ahead, we'll follow you." Then, he turned his attention to Lan Zhan, who was gazing at him with immense love. "Lan Zhan, before we go, I want to see our Bunnies ," he said.
"Mn."
Wei Ying couldn't resist the sight of the adorable Bunnies and ended up running towards them with excitement.
"Running is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses," Lan Zhan said with a sly smile.
"I don't care about rules, I'm destined to break them," he added, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
The bunnies saw Lan Zhan and hopped towards him.
Wei Ying spotted a white bunny scratching its ears and bent down to pick it up, but the bunny wriggled free and ran to Lan Zhan instead.
Wei Ying pouted, "This isn't fair!" Lan Zhan chuckled and handed Wei Ying the bunny he was holding.
"Wei Ying should stop pouting before I kiss him," he teased.
Wei Ying's face flushed with a sweet blush, and Lan Zhan smiled. They spent a delightful time with the bunnies before Wei Ying turned to stroke Lil' Apple's head, who was grazing with the bunnies. "I miss you, Lil' Apple," Wei Ying cooed. Lil' Apple kicked his back leg and continued eating the grass, oblivious to Wei Ying's affection.
As they left the Cloud Recesses with the children, Wei Ying spotted a black figure with pale skin sitting at a restaurant, lost in thought.
"Wei Ning!"
Wei Ying exclaimed, tapping him on the shoulder. Wei Ning froze, his eyes widening in surprise. He bowed and addressed Wei Ying as "Master Wei," his eyes fixed on Lan Zhan standing beside him, he bow again, Hunguang Jun.
Lan Zhan nodded with a straight face.
Wei Ying chuckled and teased Wei Ning, "Stop bowing to me, we're soul bond, remember?" Sizhui joined in, teasing Uncle Ning about still being in Gusu. Jingyi also hugged him.
Wei Ning glanced at Lan Zhan and tried to smile.
Wei Ying noticed and asked, "Wei Ning, are you going somewhere or joining us? We're heading to find Grandmother's place.
Wei Ying leaned in and whispered in Wei Ning's ear, "Don't mind Lan Zhan, he's no longer angry with you." He winked at Wei Ning, who still looked stiff and unsure. Wei Ning's gaze darted everywhere except in Lan Zhan's direction, his eyes avoiding the other man's piercing stare.
When Wei Ying turned back to Lan Zhan, he smiled mischievously and sent him a flying kiss.
Lan Zhan glared at him, but Wei Ying noticed his ears turn a subtle shade of pink. Wei Ying beamed with delight and hugged Lan Zhan, "Oh, you fuddy-duddy, you're so cute!" He stood on tiptoes and kissed Lan Zhan's cheeks and eyes, then whispered in his ear, "You know I love these golden eyes of yours, they're so adorable." Lan Zhan's face flushed with embarrassment, his cheeks and ears turning a deep red. Wei Ying's mischief had clearly gotten the better of him. With a chuckle, they all continued their journey, walking together in high spirits.
After eight days of walking, they finally arrived at Wei Ying's Grandmother's mountain. Exhausted and hungry, they sat under a sprawling peach tree, stretching their muscles and yawning. Wei Ying stood up, walked forward, and inspected the area. He raised his hand, attempting to tap the air, but his hand passed through the invisible ward or barrier. Lan Zhan, is right behind him, watched with interest. They exchanged a knowing glance, and Wei Ying chuckled, tapping his nose. "Ahh, Lan Zhan, as I expected, the mountain is warded. I can pass through, but I'm not sure about the rest of you."
Just then, a woman in her mid-40s appeared, dressed in black robes with her hair tied in a ponytail with a red ribbon.
Her black hair shone in the sunlight, and her pale skin seemed almost radiant. Her pleasant features belied a fierce gaze that made Lan Zhan instinctively step forward, hand on the hilt of Bichen, ready to attack.
The woman circled around them, her eyes fixed on Lan Zhan, her expression unyielding. Her hands remained clasped behind her back until she stood before Lan Zhan, glared at him, and glanced at Wei Ying peeking from behind.
She scratched her head and tapped her nose, mimicking Wei Ying's earlier gesture, before taking a step back. Her demeanor softened.
"Who are you people to disturb my rest?"
Wei Ying tapped Lan Zhan's shoulder and stepped forward, bowing before the woman. "My name is Wei Wuxian, birth name Wei Ying, son of Wei Changze and Changse Sanren. Sorry for the intrusion, I'm looking for my Grandmother Boashan Sanren." He bowed again before standing up. She gazed at him, then gestured for him to approach.
Lan Zhan grasped Wei Ying's hand, his eyes filled with concern. Wei Ying reassured him, "It's okay, Lan Zhan." Lan Zhan reluctantly released his hand, his face showing his reluctance to let go.
Wei Ying drew closer to the woman, who examined him from head to toe before placing a hand on his chest, above his heart. Lan Zhan's eyes widened in alarm, and Bichen hummed, ready to unsheathe. Wei Ying smiled and shook his head, calming Lan Zhan. The woman glanced at Lan Zhan, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Who is he?" she whispered to Wei Ying.
Wei Ying blushed and laughed. "He's Lan Wangji, birth name Lan Zhan, title name Hanguang Jun." She raised an eyebrow, unsatisfied with the answer. "And why is he so protective of you?" Wei Ying whispered, "He's my fiancé." Lan Zhan's eyes locked onto Wei Ying's, and the woman's gaze followed.
She withdrew her hand and summoned a dagger, cutting her palm and grasping Wei Ying's hand to do the same. As their blood mingled, everything happened swiftly. Lan Zhan, on high alert, unleashed Bichen, but the woman stopped the sword with a raised hand. The sword vibrated in mid-air before returning to its sheath.
The group gasped in astonishment. The woman chuckled, parted their hands, and wiped away the blood and cuts. Her eyes fixed on Wei Ying, she asked, "The soul is yours, but why not the body?" Before Wei Ying could respond, she introduced herself, "I'm Boashan Sanren, and finally, we meet again, Grandson."
The group stared in surprise, and Lan Zhan stepped forward, bowing. "It's an honor meeting you, Immortal."
The children and Wei Ning followed suit, bowing in respect. Boashan Sanren smiled, turned to wipe her hand, and vanished the ward.
Behind the barrier lay a breathtaking landscape of peach trees. She walked through them, her back to the group, and welcomed them to Cerael Mountain. They sighed in relief and followed her, awestruck by the scenery.