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Jin Guanshan had never been more impatient. His whore’s son Jin GuanYao had created the plan to let himself get the Yin Tiger Seal and finally stand above all of the sects with no room objections. He had zero trust in the bastard son of his, but his plans had worked, so Jin GuanShan had kept silent. Not anymore.
He could not, for the life of him understand why that bastard was against using the array he had found from the library Wen Ruohan had created by collecting rare books from all the clans. He had stolen from there one of the Lan Clan’s texts which contained a method to spy on targeted individuals or areas which Lans’ didn’t use since they were ‘honorable’ or something. Wouldn’t using this array at one of the discussion conferences prove the guilt of the Yiling Patriarchs’ evil and the army he was building with those Wens? Then he could easily rile up the sect leaders to take action! He could not believe his bastard sons’ low brain capacity. Wen Ruohan must’ve truly been stupid to fall for his schemes.
He had been peeved at the fact that the other sects refused to take action before this. But they surely would now. He was going to show the world the Yiling Patriarchs’ evil at the discussion conference held this day at Lanling!
Jin GuanShan made sure that his bastard son was not allowed to the meeting. That thing was useless now anyway, he would throw him out soon.
“Welcome!” He basked in glory when the sect leaders bowed to him. (He ignored the fact that it was polite courtesy for the host). His thoughts made him smile as he sat down at the head of the conference, thinking that soon after he would be seated at an even higher position.
“Today my fellow sect leaders I have something to show you. I have been warning everyone here about the potential threat of that demon-spawn Yiling Patriarch and found a way to convince my fellow too good hearted sect leaders of his evil”
The noise around him hushed until it grew loud.
Lan Xichen was the first to speak. “Please do explain, sect leader Jin”
“Of course, Of course” Jin GuanShan could no longer hold back his smile. “I’m sure you might recognize what this is,” He said as he waved his hands toward the servants.
They brought a large mirror covered with a gold cloth. It was big enough to be the size of a screening partition. At the wave of his hand the servants removed the cloth. A large array was drawn on the mirror with blood. It had yet to be activated since it missed a single stroke.
He heard some of the senior Lans’ gasp including their sect leader, though it was less noticeable. Jin Guanshan didn’t fight the smug smile that came to his lips.
“This-“
Jin GuanShan spoke again not allowing the young sect leader of the Lans’ speak.
“I’m sure you know what this is and I believe your clan explaning and activating the array would leave the other sects assured. Isn’t that for the best?”
There were indignant gasps from the Lan Sect disciples’ which slightly amused Jin GuanShan. But Lan Xichen did not speak for a few moments. He glanced at his uncle and Jin GuanShan let his focus shift to the alcohol in his hand which tasted much better today.
“Very well” Jin GuanShan watched with amusement as Lan Xichen got up and walked towards the mirror. He listened to the familiar explanation the Lan boy gave.
“This is an array that was created by one of our ancient Lan ancestors in a time of calamity. This array is only taught to elder Lan disciples and the text had been thought to be lost in the fire… I’m sure sect leader Jin will give us an explanation on how he came across this but for now let me explain the arrays purpose” He watched the boy pause to take a breath. “This allows one to spy on a certain individual or an area. We do not use this unless circumstances turn dire for it is not a very honorable method” the Lan boy paused to look at him. But Jin GuanShan felt no shame from his provocations. It was the Lan sect that was too uptight. “The array is perfectly completed except for the stroke to activate it which I will add now” He watched with delight as the Lan boy cut his finger slightly on his sword and completed the array.
The young sect leader came back to take his place. “Sect leader Jin would you like to see the burial mounds or Wei- the Yiling Patriarch?” since the boy completed the array. He would have control over who or what it shows.
“The Burial mounds”
The mirror dimmed then brightened and a birds’ view of the burial mounds came into their vision. The young Lan had his eyes closed, everyone one could see that he was concentrating. The projection needed much spiritual energy after all. Which was why he did not activate the mirror himself.
Soon the view of the mirror zoomed in and followed the sight of an elderly man who walked with a basket of radishes further towards the deepest areas of the burial mounds. Nobody spoke as the man worked in a sort of field in the burial mounds, harvesting some more radishes. Finally, another man came into view. This man was slightly younger, but only since the original man was so old.
“it’s time for lunch” the second man said
Soon the mirrors’ view followed the second man into a larger rather cave where many more people, mostly in rags tainted with dirt, were seated talking amongst themselves.
The people at the conference peered trying to spot the warriors that the Yiling patriarch was accused of harboring. They saw none. Only old men and women were worn and tired. There were many people who started to whisper. Before Jin GuanShan could get angry at the whisperers, the man they originally followed came into view.
“So what are we having today?”
“Why ask? Isn’t it going to be some form of radish?” someone replied for him
“no actually, young master Wei got potatoes”
“whaaat?” the people of the burial mounds laughed as they exclaimed as if the third man who had come into view said some kind ridiculous joke.
The man who said it also laughed with them for a while before he spoke again
“Actually it’s true, Lady Wen allowed him to buy some, even if we haven’t been able to afford them for a while, saying that everyone’s sick of eating radishes everyday anyway”
“Ahh, poor Young master Wei, I hope he wasn’t scolded” they all laughed again
The conference hall was speechless for a while.
Finally, the Yiling Patriarch came into the cave as well. To everyone’s horror at the conference, he sat down with the ragged men and women and drank potato porridge that looked thinner than water exclaiming and singing “potatoes potatoes “in a sing-song manner.
Out of the corner of his eye he notices the Jiang boy’s eye twitch. Jin GuanSHan felt too confused to do anything. The whispers were more obvious now. The view went around the whole of burial mounds but the only people there were the men at the cave.
Soon the Yiling Patriarch was out and about bustling around everywhere, joking and teasing the old men and women who smiled kindly at him. Soon he was among some makeshift field where radishes were being planted. He kept complaining that he wanted potatoes. Jin Guanshan felt too faint to speak.
Then the ghost general came into view. He would’ve felt a bit relieved if not for the laughing child the fierce corpse was gently cradling in his arms. It somehow made the cold corpse with his frozen face look softer. The child was quite adorable and he heard some of the women coo at his adorable sight.
“Xian-gege, Xian-gege!'' The child immediately tried to jump out of the corpse's hands, to which even the frozen corpse looked slightly frightened and let the child gently on the ground only for him to run and hug onto the Yiling Patriarchs' leg. The smile on the Yiling Patriarchs’ face was practically blinding.
“A-Yuan, oh A-Yuan what are you doing here?”
“Play with Xian-gege”
“oh, A-Yuan do you want me to bury you?”
Jin GuanSHan took delight at the gasps that escaped some of the attendees.
The Yiling Patriarch took the child and half- buried him among the radishes. He launched off into a ridiculous story about planting the boy to sprout more friends for him. Before he could finish another person whose white appearance contrasted with everything that was showing among the burial mounds came into view. Lan Wangji appeared.
No wonder the second child Lan was not here! Jin Guanshan thought irritatedly.
“Wei Ying”
The Yiling Patriarchs' head turned.
“Lan Zhan! You’re here!”
“Promised A-Yuan to come for lunch”
“You’re late then, A-Yuan already had lunch”
“oh, my apologies then A-Yuan”
“Rich-gege!” the child exclaimed, clearly not following their conversation.
“Look look, like I was saying A-Yuan, since I planted you like this you’ll grow very tall. Tall and strong! Like Rich-gege over here.”
“really?” the child turned his doe eyes to the Lan.
Second Jade of Lan slightly bent over A-Yuan and made a show of considering the thought.
“Mn” was said with a slight nod.
The child smiled so happily that the people in the conference cooed.
“Lan Zhan is it really okay to be here? I know what the rumors say of me, even if I and even you don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong by protecting these people but I don’t want you to be caught up in this mess”
“You don’t want me here?”
“Oh, Lan Zhan you know that’s not true, it’s nice that you come once in a while but-“
“it’s fine”
“Whatever you say-“
“WEI WUXIAN!” a womans’ voice screeched through the mirror
“Ah! Save me Lan Zhan!” the Yiling Patriarch proceeded to hide behind the Lan. A woman in Wen red clothing appeared seething in anger.
“HOW MANY TIME HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO BURY A-YUAN?!”
“I’m sorry” Yiling Patraich sobbed behind the Lan who’s stoic face slightly shifted to show the slightest amount of amusement.
“WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH WATER HERE! GOD! You’re so washing his clothes! I can’t take this anymore!”
The Yiling Patriarch continued to tremble dramatically behind the unmoving Lan.
The woman picked up A-Yuan, gave one last glare at The Yiling Patriarch and left with a huff, the ghost general at her trail.
“Oh Lan Zhan how come I’m the demon? It clearly isn’t fair! Rumors are too biased!” he dramatically expressed his woes. Laughing every once in a while. Suddenly the man doubled over and coughed a ridiculous amount of blood into his hand.
“Wei Ying!” The second Jade of Lan was immediately by his side and tried to pass spiritual energy to the man. The Yiling Patriarch tried to refuse and push the Jade away but was caught up in another coughing fit.
“Wei Ying!” the second Jade looked horrified, but not at the amount of blood he coughed up.
“Wei Ying what happened-“
“Lan Zhan” The Yiling Patriarchs’ coughing fit ended but he looked more pained at whatever the second Jade figured out than whatever physical pain he was suffering in.
“Wei Ying tell me”
The Yiling Patriarch sighed at the second Jades determination. He quickly took a look around and looked right in the second Jade’s eye. The second Jade spoke up again.
“Wei Ying what happened to your golden core?”
The conference hall went utterly silent.
The Yiling Patriarch looked pained but spoke once more
“Can I have your word?”
The Jade nodded “Of course”
“I gave it away”
Nobody spoke. Not even the second jade of Lan.
“I gave it away to Jiang Cheng. He needed it more, he was to be the sect leader! Lan Zhan swear to me, he must never know”
“I swear. But Wei Ying is that why-”
“Yes. Wen Chao threw me into the burial mounds. I didn’t even have a core but, I had people I had to protect Lan Zhan! I couldn’t just die! So I harnessed the only thing here, the thing that was trying to kill me, to do my bidding”
“Wei Ying…”
“And I did it Lan Zhan. I protected everyone I wanted to. I got revenge as well. But these people here have nothing to do with that”
“I know Wei Ying but”
“but what Lan Zhan”
“You’ll die Wei Ying! You’ll die….”
“I know, that’s fine, one less evil for the world to worry about.” He smiled again, one that was very self-depreciating.
“Come back to Gusu with me”
“Lan Zhan!! I just told you- I have to protect them! I owe Wen Ning and Wen Qing my life! And these people have done nothing wrong but be born in the wrong clan!”
“I….” the second Jade of Lan went quiet for a bit. His head held down. Then he spoke again, more determined this time.
“If I can find a way to give them the safety they deserve, will you stop your demonic cultivation? In the least not cultivate it any further”
“that…… “ The Yiling Patriarch considered for a bit before he frowned “No” he said determinedly. “You’re not a part of this”
“Wei Ying please”
The Yiling Patriarch took the second Jade by his hand and practically shoved him out of the burial mounds.
“You’re always welcome here Lan Zhan. Just not today. Clear your head before you come back next time”
“Wei Ying!”
The Yiling Patriarch ignored the pleas and left. Perhaps it was only those of them who were watching through the mirror heard the Yiling Patriarchs’ parting words to the Jade; mumbled underneath his breath,
“I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt because of me”
Jin GuanShan decided He’d had enough. He walked over and smashed the mirror.
The two sibling Jiangs were crying their eyes out along with a couple of sobbing senior disciples, huddling each other.
Sect leader Nie smashed the cup in his hand against the table breaking it to splinters.
And all of their glowers fixed themselves on him.