After the senseless orders, the YunmengJiang Sect's disciples had been scattered all over the place. The two stealthily flipped over the window and the walls. Having left the shop, they sprinted without making any noise. As they entered a forest, Wei WuXian heard something strange coming from behind him. Turning around, he was almost scared to death, "Why is it coming along as well?! Tell it to go away!"

"Jiang Cheng!" exclaimed Wei Wuxian making the man glance at him.

"What?" he asked.

"D-dog." he stuttered.

"Don't you have your husband with you?" he asked.

"It is time for you to get used on having him. Someday, he will be the most loyal person to you that he will promise not to leave your side even for a second." said Jiang Cheng making Wei Wuxian gaped at him.

"But you're my brother." mumbled Wei Wuxian.

"It seems that in future we aren't brothers anymore." whispered Jiang Cheng.

Jin Ling whistled twice, and the dog rolled out its long tongue. Whimpering softly, its pointy ears twitched, and it ran away disheartenedly. Jin Ling sneered in contempt, "Such a loser. Fairy never bites. It just looks scary. It's a spiritual dog trained to only bite evil beings. Did you really think that it's just a regular dog?"

Wei WuXian, "Hold on. What did you call it?"

Jin Ling, "Fairy. Its name."

Wei WuXian, "You named a dog something like this?!"

"What kind of name is that?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"Who would name their per like that?" asked Su She with disgust.

"It's nice name, more better than yours." said Jin Ling.

"How can you say that?" asked Su She in anger.

"I can say that because I can." answered Jin Ling.

Jing Ling replied assuredly, "What's wrong with this name? When it was younger, it was called Little Fairy. Now that it grew up, I can't keep on calling it that."

Wei WuXian refused, "No. No. No. The point isn't whether it's little or not! ... Who in the world taught you such a way of naming?!" Without doubt, it must have been his uncle. In the past, Jiang Cheng also had a few puppies. The names he chose were things like 'Jasmine', 'Princess', 'Love', and so on, which sounded like the names of expensive girls in brothels. Jin Ling continued, "True men don't care for such trifles. Why are you stressing over such details? Okay! Stop. Now that you offended my uncle, you're already half dead. Now, I'm letting you go. We're even."

Everyone laughed while looking at Jiang Cheng who is embarrassed.

"Uncle is not the one who taught me to name it like that." said Jingyi.

"Then who?" asked Wei Wuxian while laughing.

Jin Ling was silent.

"How did you even know that the names that Wanyin used to name his dogs sounded like name of girls in brothel?" asked Lan Xichen.

"Asked Nie Huaisang." said Jiang Cheng.

Nie Mingjue gave his younger brother a glare.

"What a traitor, Jiang-xiong." said Nie Huaisang.

Wei WuXian asked, "Do you know why your uncle wants me?"

Jin Ling answered, "Yeah. He believes that you're Wei WuXian."

"It's not just because he believes but he confirmed it already." mumbled Wei Wuxian.

"Is my brothers' relationship okay in the future?" asked Jiang Yanli.

"Mn." answered Sizhui.

Jiang Yanli sighed in relief.

Wei WuXian thought, 'This time, it's not merely 'suspect' anymore. He's got the right person.' He asked again, "Then, what about you? Don't you suspect it as well?"

Jin Ling, "It's not the first time my uncle did such a thing. He has never let any of them go, even if it was possible that he caught the wrong ones. But, if Zidian couldn't draw out your spirit, I'm just gonna trust that you're not. Besides, he wasn't a cut-sleeve, but you even dared to harass..."

With a disgusted look, he stopped before mentioning who Wei WuXian harassed and made a fanning gesture as if he was shooing away flies. "Anyways, from now on, you have nothing to do with the LanlingJin Sect anymore! If you're gonna go at it again, don't find anyone from my sect! Or else, I won't let you off!"

Wei Wuxian raised his brows.

"Who did he harassed?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Not important." answered Jingyi.

"Maybe that's the reason why Mo Xuanyu became lunatic in the future." said Wei Wuxian.

Having finished speaking, Jin Ling spun around to leave. After walking a few steps, he turned to him again, "What are you doing still standing there? Go. Are you waiting for my uncle to come and get you? Let me tell you- don't think that I'll be grateful just because you saved me. Don't expect me to say anything cringe worthy either."

"Really? You're really is a brat." said Wei Wuxian.

"Just like a-cheng, he also doesn't say something like cringe words." said Jiang Yanli.

"Because he only know how to curse people." said Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Cheng looked at them with betrayed expression.

Wei WuXian put his hands behind his back and walked over, "Young man, there are two cringe worthy phrases in one's life that must be said, no matter what."

Jin Ling asked, "Which two?"

Wei WuXian replied, "'Thank you', and 'I'm sorry'."

"Where did you even learn to say that?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Ever since I was a kid." answered Wei Wuxian.

"I only heard you say that when you're flirting." said Jiang Cheng.

"Did the two of them forgot that they are not in good terms earlier?" asked Zizhen.

"Their bond is much more stronger than their future self, I guess." said Sizhui.

Jin Ling taunted, "What can anybody do to me if I don't say them?"

Wei WuXian, "Someday, you'll say those words in tears."

Jin Ling made a spitting noise, just as Wei WuXian suddenly spoke to him, "I'm sorry."

Jin Ling paused, "What?"

Wei WuXian, "I'm sorry for the words I said to you on Dafan Mountain."

"Oh! That was unexpected." commented Nie Huaisang.

"He is feeling guilty." said a random cultivator.

"That's because his so called brother made him remember it." said another cultivator.

"Why do you seems to hate my mother so much? You don't even know the real picture." said Jingyi.

"You should stop defending him, kid." said Jin Guangshan.

"You don't have the right to say that to me." said Jingyi with a glare.

It wasn't the first time that Jin Ling was told he had 'no mother to teach him', but it was the first time someone apologized to him in such a serious way. With an 'I'm sorry' shoved right into his face, he didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

He wildly waved his arms around, "It's nothing. You weren't the first person to say so, anyways. It's true that I had no mother to teach me. However, I won't be inferior to anyone because of this! In fact, I'm gonna open you eyes and make you see that I am a lot stronger than all of you!"

"That's my son!" exclaimed Jin Zixuan.

"You shouldn't let other people to down you." he added.

"He was raised by me." said Jiang Cheng as if challenging Jin Zixuan.

"He has my blood." said Jin Zixuan.

"Also mine." said Jiang Cheng.

"I know you're strong a-ling." said Jiang Yanli.

Jin ling refused to look at her as the tears started to gather in his eyes.

Wei WuXian smiled. As he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed, "Jiang Cheng? You!"

Jin Ling was already feeling guilty since he stole Zidian and let Wei WuXian go. Hearing the name, he whirled around to look. Using the chance, Wei WuXian hit Jin Ling's neck, forming a blade with his hand. He laid Jin Ling flat on the ground, rolled up the bottom of his trousers, and examined the Curse Mark on his leg. He tried a few methods, but none of them made it fade. After a moment, he sighed, knowing that it'd be difficult.

"Am I that scary?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Looking at yourself, I can say that you are." said Wei Wuxian.

"Jiang-xiong, even if you're just sitting there, one can cower while looking at you." said Nie Huaisang.

"I agree." said Jin Ling and Jingyi.

However, although there were some curse marks that he was unable to remove, he could transfer them to his own body.

"Why are so reckless?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"You won't do that again, a-xian." said Jiang Yanli, warningly.

"As if he is going to listen." said Sizhui while looking at his mother.

Jin Ling slowly woke up after a while. Putting his hand to his neck, some pain could still be felt. He was so angry that he jumped up and unsheathed his sword at once, "How dare you hit me! My uncle hadn't even hit me before!"

Wei WuXian exclaimed, "Really? Doesn't he say that he'll break your legs all the time?"

"He only bark but never bite." said Jingyi.

"I should have known it more better than Jiang Cheng will never hurt his precious nephew." said Wei Wuxian.

Jin Ling fumed, "He's only saying that! You damn cut-sleeve, what on Earth do you want? I..."

Wei WuXian covered his face and shouted toward behind Jin Ling, "Ah! HanGuang-Jun!"

Jin Ling was more scared of Lan WangJi than he was of his uncle. After all, his uncle was from his own clan, but HanGuang-Jun was from someone else's. Frightened, he fled at once, shouting as he ran, "You damn cutsleeve! Disgusting maniac! I'll remember you! This is not over yet!"

Wei Wuxian laughed at loud.

"Why are so scared of hearing Lan Zhan's title?" he asked while laughing.

"Who wouldn't be?" asked Nie Huaisang.

"It's not like he will do something bad to you." said Wei Wuxian.

"You're not sure." said Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang at the same time.

Behind him, Wei WuXian laughed so hard that he couldn't breathe. After Jin Ling disappeared into the distance, his chest itched in a stuffy way, and finally managed to stop the laughter after a while of coughing. Only then, did he have time to think.

Wei WuXian was taken home by Jiang FengMian when he was nine.

Jiang Fengmian smiled at him.

"I'm always thankful for that, Jiang-shushu." said Wei Wuxian with a smile.

Madam Yu narrowed her eyes at them.

Most memories from back then were already blurred. Yet, Jin Ling's mother, Jiang YanLi, remembered all of them, and even told him quite a few.

She said that, after his father heard of the news that his parents both died in battle, he had always dedicated himself to finding the child that these past friends had left behind. After searching for a while, he finally found the child in Yiling. The first time they met, Wei WuXian was kneeling on the ground, eating the fruit peels that somebody tossed on the ground.

Everyone send Wei Wuxian a look of pity.

"Why is he suddenly remembering that?" asked Wei Wuxian softly.

Yiling's winter and spring were quite cold, yet the child only wore thin layers. His knees were already tattered, and on his feet were two different shoes that didn't fit at all. As he was looking down, searching for fruit peels, Jiang FengMian called him. He still remembered that there was a "Ying" in his name, so he lifted his head. Although his cheeks were both red and chapped from the cold, he still wore a smile.

Jiang YanLi said that he was born with a smiling look. No matter what unfortunate thing happened, he wouldn't cling on to them; no matter what situation he was in, he would be happy. Although it sounded a bit heartless, it really wasn't bad.

"Yeah a kid who is born with a smile." said Jiang Fengmian.

"Where are his parents though." asked MianMian.

"Maybe they left him on his own." said Jin Zixun.

"My parents will never left me alon like that!" exclaimed Wei Wuxian.

"They died." he mumbled.

Everyone was silent once while glaring at Jin Zixun for saying such thing.

"I can be your new father then." suggested Wen Rouhan.

Wei Wuxian gaped at him.

Jiang FengMian fed him a piece of melon, and he let Jiang FengMian carry him back. Back then, Jiang Cheng was also around eight or nine. He kept a few puppies to play with him in Lotus Pier. Finding out that Wei WuXian was extremely scared of dogs, Jiang FengMian suggested for Jiang Cheng to send the dogs away. Jiang Cheng was really unwilling. After throwing a tantrum of breaking things, pouting, and bawling his eyes out, he finally sent the dogs away.

Although, because of this, he held hostility toward Wei WuXian for a long time, after the two grew familiar, they had begun to cause mischief together. Whenever he ran into dogs, Jiang Cheng would always chase them away, then have a good laugh at Wei WuXian, who jumped onto a tree.

"Who would throw a tantrum for such a simple thing?" asked a random cultivator.

"So childish." laughed another random cultivator.

"That's because a-niang only have those dogs as friends. Maybe you don't have a pet that's why you don't understand." said Jingyi.

"Those dogs are one of the best." mumbled Jiang Cheng while reminiscing the momery he have with his dogs back when he has a still a kid.

He had always thought that Jiang Cheng would be on his side, and Lan WangJi on the side opposite to him. He could never have imagined that things would turn out so differently.

Wei WuXian walked toward the rendezvous point that he and Lan WangJi were supposed to meet at. Nobody walked among the sparse lights that flickered in the night. Without having to look around, the white-robed figure stood at the end of the street, standing motionless with his head hung low.

"You made him wait for you." said Nie Huaisang.

"He looks kinda sad." said Lan Xichen.

"That's because he thought that a-niang left him." said Sizhui.

"I won't Lan Zhan. I'm always here." Wei Wuxian said.

Before Wei WuXian made any sound, Lan WangJi looked up and saw him. After some hesitation, he walked over with a darkened expression.

Wei WuXian didn't know why, but he involuntarily took a step backward.

He could almost see scarlet streaks of blood by the corners of Lan WangJi's eyes. He had to admit... Lan WangJi's face really did look quite scary.

"He's always look so scary." said Nie Huaisang.

"Wei-daijiu is only one who doesn't fear him." said Jingyi.

Surprise! There are none!

However, having taken only one step back, his ankle twisted, and he seemed as if he almost collapsed on the ground. With a change in expression, Lan WangJi hurried over and tightly gripped his wrist like what he did last time, back in Dafan Mountain. After Wei WuXian had been steadied, Lan WangJi knelt down on one knee to examine his leg. Wei WuXian was rather shocked, "N-n-no, HanGuang-Jun. You don't have to do this."

"Wangji is just worried, Wuxian." said Lan Xichen.

"Lan Zhan cared about so much." teased Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji's ears was so red making Wei Wuxian giggle seeing it.

Lan WangJi raised his head slightly, the pair of light-colored eyes boring into him, then looked down again and continued to roll up the leg of his trousers. Still under his grip, Wei WuXian could do nothing except to look up at the sky.

His entire leg was covered with the black bruise of the Curse Mark.

After staring at it for a while, Lan WangJi spoke in a bitter voice, "... I only left for a few hours."

Wei WuXian shrugged, "A few hours is a long time. Anything could have happened. There, there. Straighten up."

Lan Wangji gave Wei Wuxian a look but the man just shrugged his shoulders.

"You will not do anything like ever again, Wei Ying." he said.

"Depends on the situation, Lan Zhan." replied Wei Wuxian.

He backhandedly pulled Lan WangJi up, "It's only the average Curse Mark. We can just kill it when it comes to find me. HanGuang-Jun, you'll need to help me. If you don't, I won't be able to handle it. Have you caught the person? Is it him? Where is he now?"

Lan WangJi looked in the direction of a signboard that stood in front of a shop far down the street. Wei WuXian continued, "Let's deal with the stone castle issue first." He then walked toward the shop. He didn't notice before, but his leg felt a bit numb, probably from Zidian. It was a good thing that Jiang Cheng controlled Zidian's force so that he wasn't made into a scorched corpse that had been struck by lightning.

"I almost forgot about that stone castle issue." said Nie Huaisang.

"So that means, Jiang Cheng was still worried about me since he didn't hurt me that much." said Wei Wuxian.

"I don't think so." said Sizhui.

"A-niang is not that heartless, I guess." said Jingyi with a laugh.

Lan WangJi stood behind him. He suddenly called out, "Wei Ying."

Wei WuXian's figure paused. A second later, he pretended as if he didn't hear the name, and answered, "What?"

Lan WangJi, "This was transferred from Jin Ling's body, was it not."

It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Oh he find it out that easy." said MianMian.

"Why are you acting like you're not Wei Wuxian when hearing your own name?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Because a-niang doesn't know that a-die already recognized him." answered Sizhui.

Wei WuXian didn't say anything. Lan WangJi spoke again, "You met Jiang WanYin."

It wasn't hard to figure out due to the mark that Zidian left on top of the Curse Mark. Wei WuXian turned around, "As long as both of us are alive in this world, we'd meet for sure, sooner or later."

"They are living is the same world so of course they will meet one way or another." said Wen Xu.

"But the world is huge." daid Wen Chao.

Wen Xu just shooked his head hearing him.

Lan WangJi, "Do not go..."

Wei WuXian, "If I don't go, how am I supposed to leave? Are you gonna carry me on your back or something?"

"..." Lan WangJi looked at him in silence. Wei WuXian's smile froze on his face, just as a foreboding feeling crossed his mind.

"Is he going to?" asked Nie Huaisang while stopping himself from squealing.

"Watch." said Jiang Cheng.

If it were the Lan Zhan from back then, he would definitely be shocked speechless by these words, and either leave with a cold face or completely ignore him. However, it'd be hard to say how the Lan Zhan now would respond. As he had expected, hearing these words, Lan WangJi walked in front of him, as if he really was going to bend down, kneel, and carry Wei WuXian on his back, despite his honorable status. Shock came upon Wei WuXian once more, "Stop, stop. I wasn't being serious. It's only numb because I got hit by Zidian a few times, not that it broke. It'd look bad for a full-grown man like me to be carried on somebody else's back."

"Pfft." laughed Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang.

"That would be embarrassing." Wei Wuxian commented.

"For someone as shameless as you?" asked Jin Zixuan in disbelief.

Wei Wuxian just glared at him.

Lan WangJi asked, "Would it look bad?"

Wei WuXian replied, "Would it look good?"

After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi responded, "But you have also carried me on your back before."

Wei WuXian, "Did such a thing ever happen? Why don't I remember?"

"When? Where?." asked Wei Wuxian.

"I'll tell you, you're memory is bad especially when it comes to Lan Wangji." said Jiang Cheng making Wei Wuxian pout at him.

"I agree." said Nie Huaisang.

"I want to see that." said Lan Xichen.

Lan WangJi answered in an indifferent tone, "You never remember such things."

Wei WuXian, "Everyone says that I have a bad memory. Alright, fine. Anyways, I'm not letting you carry me on your back."

Lan WangJi, "Are you sure?"

Wei WuXian replied in a resolute manner, "I'm sure."

"I have a feeling that it will not end like that." said Nie Huaisang.

"I'm expecting that Lan-er-gongzi will do something." said MianMian.

"Something unexpected." Lan Xichen added.

The two stayed silent for a while. Suddenly, one of Lan WangJi's arms wrapped around his back and, as Lan WangJi bent down slightly, another went toward the back of his knees.

Wei WuXian was both shorter and lighter than him. Therefore, he was picked up easily, his body was embraced in a pair of firm arms. Wei WuXian didn't expect his answer to lead to this at all. Both in his past and current lives, it was the first time that he had been treated like this by anyone. He was horrified, "Lan Zhan!!!"

All the female cultivators and disciples except Madam Yu and Madam Jin squealed.

"They look so romantic." said a female disciple dreamily.

"I'm really going to paint this." said Nie Huaisang.

Wei Wuxian's face was red because of embarrassment.

"Shameless!" exclaimed Lan Qiren.

"You should get used to it. Both of your nephew akready found their fated one." said Qingheng-jun with a little smile.

Carrying him, Lan WangJi both walked and replied to him steadily, "You said that you didn't want to be carried on my back."

Wei WuXian, "I didn't say that I wanted to be carried like this either."

"Just appreciate it, Wei-qianbe." said Zizhen.

"That's so sweet coming from one of the twin jades." said MianMian.

Fortunately, it was already late into the night. There weren't any people walking on the streets, so it wasn't that embarrassing. Wei WuXian wasn't someone with a thin face either. Having been carried for a few steps, he quickly relaxed. He grinned as he played with the front of Lan WangJi's clothes, pretending to tug at it, "So you want to see whose face is thicker?"

The cold scent of sandalwood enveloped him. Without paying him attention, Lan WangJi looked straight forward and made no reaction, maintaining the righteous, serious expression. Seeing that nothing could affect him, Wei WuXian thought to himself as he continued to play with Lan WangJi's clothes, It seems that Lan Zhan's heart for revenge is actually quite strong. He's going to make me pay for however many times I've teased him in the past and take the fun away. This is such an improvement. Not only has his level of cultivation improved, his face also improved.

"Your thoughts are unacceptable sometimes." Nie Huaisang commented.

"Why am I thinking like that?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"Why don't you asked yourself?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"He have to be like that because he fell in love with the most shameless man." said Jin Zixuan.

Wei Wuxian gave the three his most coldest glare.

Wei WuXian asked, "Lan Zhan, you've known that it was me ever since we were at Dafan Mountain, right?"

Lan WangJi, "Yes."

Wei WuXian wondered, "How could you tell?"

Lan WangJi looked down at him, "You want to know?"

Wei WuXian declared, "Yes."

Lan WangJi, "You told me yourself."

"How?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"Guess." said Jingyi and Zizhen.

"I don't have any idea." said Wei Wuxian, honestly.

"Then you'll it later on." said Sizhui.

"Why don't you just tell me?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"How is it going to be exciting then?" asked Jin Ling.

"Fine, suit yourselves." muttered Wei Wuxian.

Wei WuXian, "Myself? Because of Jin Ling? Because I summoned Wen Ning? None of these, right?"

It seemed as if something had sent ripples through Lan WangJi's eyes. Yet, the slight waves faded immediately, and his eyes were a still pool of water again.

He spoke in a serious tone, "Think."

Wei WuXian replied, "I only asked you because I can't think of the reason."

"Just tell me, Lan Zhan." whined Wei Wuxian.

"How can he tell you when he also doesn't know?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Whatever." he mumbled.

This time, no matter how he asked, Lan WangJi refused to answer. With Wei WuXian in his arms, he stepped into an inn. Aside from the front desk clerk who choked on some water, none of the bystanders acted strangely. As they arrived at the door of the room, Wei WuXian spoke, "Okay. We're here. It's time for you to let me down. You don't have a third hand to open the door..."

Before he finished his words, Lan WangJi did something that was extremely impolite. It was possibly the first time in his whole life that he had ever done such a rude act.

Carrying Wei WuXian, he kicked the door open.

"Wangji?!" shouted Lan Qiren.

"That's cool." said Jingyi.

"Proof that being in love changes the person." said Nie Huaisang.