Wei Wuxian was taken aback.
Lan Xichen repeated, “The Burial Mounds?”
Jin Guangyao began to explain further. “Since the fight at Golden Carp Tower, anomalies have been sighted in Moling, Lanling, Yunmeng, and more. Graveyards have been destroyed, corpses have vanished without a trace. There are signs that a large number of corpses are moving in the direction of Yiling. They are probably heading for the Burial Mounds.”
“For what purpose?” Lan Xichen wondered.
“I don’t know,” Jin Guangyao said. “People have speculated that Wei Wuxian has initiated some kind of evil array or used the Yin Tiger Tally.”
“He was stabbed by Jin Ling at Golden Carp Tower. Is he in any state to initiate such things?” Lan Xichen pointed out.
“Er-ge, consider the extent of Wei Wuxian’s injuries during the battle with Sect Leader Jiang, when he betrayed the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng,” Jin Guangyao said. “Didn’t he still return to summon and command corpses? Is there anything in the world that could prove difficult for the Yiling Patriarch?”
Wei Wuxian stroked his chin. You think too highly of me…
“So, I suspect there will be a Second Siege of the Burial Mounds soon,” Jin Guangyao continued. “I’ve already asked a few other clans to attend Golden Carp Tower to discuss this matter. Er-ge, are you coming?”
Lan Xichen answered after a while, “Yes. Go and wait for me in the Elegance Room. I will leave with you shortly.”
After Jin Guangyao left, Lan Xichen stepped behind the screen and exchanged a look with Lan Wangji. “I am going to Golden Carp Tower. Both of you go to the Burial Mounds. We will split up.”
Lan Wangji slowly nodded. “Very good.”
“If he is truly false, I will not tolerate it,” Lan Xichen said.
“I know,” Lan Wangji said.
— Part 2 —
THE TWO DESCENDED the Cloud Recesses along a paved trail. On the way, a thick patch of grass beside the white stone path suddenly rustled and parted. A small, snowball-like furry head and a pair of long ears popped out.
The rabbit’s pink nose twitched. When it saw Lan Wangji, its drooping ears suddenly perked up and it sprang toward him with a kick of its legs.
They had come upon a grassy area. Little Apple was settled next to a tree, surrounded by dozens of rotund white rabbits. Most of them had their eyes closed, sound asleep. Only a few were stirring.
Wei Wuxian walked over to the tree and scratched Little Apple’s head. The donkey startled awake, snorting ragged puffs of air through its nostrils. At the sight of Wei Wuxian, it was about to bray loudly when the sleeping bunch of rabbits were all startled awake as well. They shook their long ears and hopped towards Lan Wangji, binking as they did. Fluffball after fluffball swarmed his snow-white boots and circled around him, worked up in a flurry of excitement for reasons unknown.
Wei Wuxian tugged at Little Apple’s reins as he attempted to threaten the donkey into moving. The rabbits stood on their hind legs, clinging to Lan Wangji’s legs and trying to climb him. Lan Wangji stood his ground. As the two of them started walking again, the white rabbits stumbled over themselves to follow after the white boots. No matter how Wei Wuxian tried to shoo them away, they refused to leave.
Lan Wangji bent down to lift one rabbit in his arms. His expression was still one of indifference, but his touch was gentle. His long, slender fingers scratched the rabbit’s chin. The rabbit flicked its long, long ears and tilted its head, its ruby-red eyes narrowing into a contented line from the scratching.
Wei Wuxian tried to give it a scratch too, but it turned its head away from his dastardly hands. “Alas, but it disdains me so! It only loves you. Such devotion.”
Lan Wangji glanced at Wei Wuxian and handed over the rabbit. Wei Wuxian grinned merrily as he took it in his arms. That rabbit twisted and struggled with all its might, and Wei Wuxian tugged its ears.
“Don’t like me? Hate me? Try escaping then, go on. Try as you might, you won’t be able to escape me. So behave yourself and start being friendly.”
Wei Wuxian pinched and teased the rabbit for a while. It was only when they had almost reached the Cloud Recesses’ main gates that he released it, white fur tousled into a mess. Unable to follow any further, the rabbits drooped their ears sadly and sat where they were as they watched their master leave.
Wei Wuxian glanced back. “They can’t bear to part from you. Gosh, Hanguang-jun, I didn’t expect those little things to like you so much. You must have been very gentle and attentive while you were raising them. I couldn’t do that.”
“No?” Lan Wangji asked.
“Nope!” Wei Wuxian smugly confirmed. “All that flies in the sky, walks on the land, and swims in the water turns and flees at the sight of me.”
Lan Wangji shook his head. His opinion was all too clear: it must have been Wei Wuxian who terrorized them first, and that was why they didn’t like him.
After descending the mountain and taking a hidden path as a shortcut, they left the Cloud Recesses. They kept going until they had completely left the area where Lan sect disciples were active.
“Oww, my stomach hurts,” Wei Wuxian suddenly said.
Lan Wangji immediately stopped in his tracks. “Rest and change your dressings.”
“Nah,” Wei Wuxian said. “I can just ride the donkey.”
“Ride, then,” Lan Wangji agreed.
Wei Wuxian pulled a long, wry face. “But getting on the donkey is too big a movement, I’m scared I’ll pull the wound.”
His wounds had long since healed; this was clearly just him being shameless. Lan Wangji stopped and turned around. He cast him a glance, then all of a sudden, reached out to wrap his arm around Wei Wuxian’s waist, avoiding the injured area. He gently lifted him onto Little Apple’s back.