With Wei Wuxian's soft soothing gentle music, slow gentle rain of white particles falls, blessing everything it touches, and the evil energy of the phoenix has slowly bit by bit dispersed till there's none left. The dark night sky has been replaced by blue gentle color, greeting them all, sign of new tomorrow. Other than the shower of beautiful pure spiritual energy from the sky, the same pure spiritual energy has started to come out from the dead beast.

Soon, everyone witnesses how the familiar black iron came from the beast as Wei Wuxian continues, eyes closed, concentrating his purification music to that iron stone.

The iron stone that emitting black malevolent qi has been soon cleanse by the music. Upon leaving its vessel, the evil Phoenix dissipated into dust and forever begone. Together with this the barrier that surrounding, trapping all people in the village has broken down, freeing the village from five hundred years of entrapment.

Before Wei Wuxian's music would end, Lan Wangji, Myo Qing and Myo Ning watches and couldn't help but feel amazed at such a sight; down the mountain, the villagers and Hua Xie watches the same beautiful scene; and Xingxiu Xuanyu as well that standing in the middle of forest, has smile as his eyes sighted how the snow that covered the mountain and Night Snow Village is now uncovering every corner, changing into greenery, and soil; the whiteness turns into colorful surrounding.

Five hundred years of torment.

Uncountable cultivators' lives.

Nine poor maidens.

Finally, the Night Snow Village has been freed, as the—

MDZS Fanfic

Red Strings of Connections

Chapter 39 The Snow Melted

Upon descendance from the mountain, Wei Wuxian and his comrades were all greeted by silence, and stares from the villagers. From the crowds, Hua Xie emerged and make obeisance towards Wei Wuxian and the others, and smiles at them; "This disciple welcomes Young Master Ying, Second Young Master Lan, Sixth Young Master Ning, and Lady Qing. Thank you for coming back safely."

Behind him are thousands residence of Night Snow Village, one by one claps their hands in front and performs obeisance as well.

Everyone is still puzzled on the events that happened at the mountain. One moment there are series of earthquakes, next moment the forever been sealed mouth of mountain open wide, next moment there's a giant bird flew out, then lastly, the snow has melted.

Now seeing four disciples from their mountain makes them more puzzled. One of them has same face as their village's priestess; one is normally familiar, and two isn't.

Hua Xie even without hearing their thoughts, knows what's inside of their heads, that he took the liberty to introduced them all. But then one villager asked the whereabouts of their priestess, this woman is familiar to Wei Wuxian as she's the first person he talked with about this village, so, Wei Wuxian answered her instead, claiming they have arrived too late and could no longer able to save the maiden. Wei Wuxian explains then to everyone that the situation of their village, that they no longer need to sacrifice anyone to feast their savior, that it wasn't really a savior but rather a monster that only wants to be feed.

But the Village chief who just gotten out from his "seclusion", accused them of killing their village's god, that after this their village will be punish for their crimes, and so on and so forth. Wei Wuxian asked him if he ever take a look around his surrounding, that if ever notices that the snow that covering their village have already melted, and the barrier that trapping them is already broken.

Even after everything was cleared, the village chief insists on his accusations, and keep pointing finger on Wei Wuxian. The foolish villagers are torn into half, they don't know who they should believe. They remember what happen during the calamity, who protects them, who abandoned them to save himself, who made them suffer. Since the barrier is no more a hindrance towards the freedom, the villagers are sides with Wei Wuxian and start glaring at the village chief.

No one knows how things have turn out, but the next thing they learned is the Village Chief is a descendant of the cultivator that created the Evil Phoenix, and he made it his lifetime mission to fulfill his ancestor's will. Shock at this revelation, the forever fooled villagers has started to go against him completely that they tied him on a pole in the center of their village. This is their way to punished those who made a crime.

Wei Wuxian and the others didn't do anything to stop or meddle with their affairs, instead either they just watching, or they have conversation of their own.

"By the way, shixiong, where's Lady Reinshun?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged, "We don't know either. She just disappeared."

Myo Qing, "How did Hua-shidi knew that Sis Rein was here?"

"Young Master Yu was here, and he told me."

Myo Ning, "Bro Yu was here? Where is he now?"

"This Shidi doesn't know. The young master disappeared when this shidi wasn't looking."

The Myo sibling glance at each other in confusion, Lan Wangji stays indifferent, and Wei Wuxian pursed his lips, "Is shidi find something strange on this 'Young Master Yu"?"

"Yes Shixiong! He is little bit weird. His posture, his way of answering, there are not what I knew about Yu-shidi!"

"Our Sis Rein as well."

"Yes, she's so calm and not playful at all."

"Yea, Sis Rein—no matter how serious the things are she's always found something to tease us, which lighten us."

"She calls Wei Ying to his courtesy name many times."

Wei Wuxian narrows his eyes as he thinks about another weird thing of his sister.

'She knew about the issue with Yin Iron, and my mission.'

That night the villagers have prepared a feast to celebrate their freedom, of course they invited Wei Wuxian's group to join them, while they let the village chief to stay tied at the pole without giving even a single scrap of food. Though, when no one is looking Myo Ning gave him food that he could eat without using his hand, a food that Myo Ning put in his mouth.

"Your mission is over now. All you need to do is move forward, leave that "Lifetime mission" behind, and find something you could live for. But please, don't forget to offer prayers to those who died in the hands of your ancestor's pet." After that quiet one-sided conversation, Myo Ning left him to let him think things through.

The next day, Hua Xie asked Wei Wuxian if he could go at the hut where the isolated old man lived. Lan Wangji and the others who heard them, joins in.

On the way, Hua Xie informed them that the isolated old man has already died and "Tiao Reinshun" have already buried him.

Since they have doubt of who is that "Tiao Reinshun" and "Xingxiu Xuanyu" they decided to look for the place where the isolated old man was buried.

Upon arrival, the first thing they noticed are those stacks of scrolls that the three knew wasn't there before but overall, everything is the same.

Wei Wuxian entered and opens one the scroll to see what's in there. His focus has been nailed there, that it made the others to be curious. His eyes narrow, at the same time Lan Wangji stands next to him and read some verse from the scrolls:

"Thousands of years ago, Zhuque one of divine beast god was summoned successfully by a maiden from another, the divine beast god gave three wishes, and the priestess used these three for the prosperity of both her own world and this world.

The one that summoned by the chosen maiden is the Zhuque, the Soaring Phoenix, the god of south. After fulfilling the wishes, and her duty as priestess, the maiden went back home."

"This is..."

This is the scroll recording the events thousand years ago. How the divine beast god Zhuque was summoned in correct way.

Lan Wangji took a different scroll and read: "The thing that was summoned by Cultivator Lang wasn't the Divine Beast, but rather he created a man-eating beast in the form of the divine beast god. Thinking it is the same and he finally considered himself as someone qualify for ascendance, he let the phoenix to soar in the sky to show off to the three realms.

It did get the attention of three realms, but no one appreciate it.

The Martial God in all-white robes.

The Ghost King in red robes, in commands of silver wraith butterflies.

Joins forces and sealed the beast under the mountain."

The two young masters continue reading the scrolls, while Myo Qing lead her brother and her shidi to search for the graveyard of isolated old man.

It took half a day to be able to find the graveyard, but they aren't sure if it was, since the soil is not fresh like it was supposed to; still, they offer a silent prayer for the soul's successful journey in underworld and good life at his reincarnation.

That night when everything is settled at Wei Wuxian's group ends, they left the Night Snow Village, with villagers waving goodbyes and shouting safe trip to them.

They rest at the nearest pub on the next village, while Myo Qing, Myo Ning and Hua Xie enjoying the feast they've order, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji went to a room to talk on several things. This events between the two young master ain't something new, that none pry them for a reason.

The waiter never fails his job, that he soon knocks on their door with all the food and drinks that they've order; and with smile he arranged their table and afterwards left them, closing the door.

What's bothering them are "Tiao Reinshun" and "Xingxiu Xuanyu" that came at the site. They cannot tell of whoever are those people if not really his sect siblings, and if they are really allies, but they help them, and the "Tiao Reinshun" knew about his mission. He didn't get a chance to explore more of this "Tiao Reinshun" so he couldn't tell.

He sighs, and jump scare, "Lan Zhan! That's a spicy radish!"

Hearing him Lan Wangji flinched as the spiciness has already scalding his tongue, his have ears reddened and he chokes.

In panic Wei Wuxian grabs water cup nearby and gave it to Lan Wangji who quickly drank it; Wei Wuxian jerks at sudden realization, that what he gave isn't water by a colorless alcohol.

"Lan Zhan? Are you alright?"

Alcohol is forbidden in Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian has been long curious of this certain rule, that even they are already at the right age, the Lan Clan members are forbids to drink such a beverage; there are several times that Wei Wuxian tries to coax Lan Wangji to drink, but the man stays strong on his clan's rules.

The young master in black robes is staring at the young master in white robes; he waited, waits as what a one cup of alcohol could do to a Lan Clan Cultivator.

But what he got is Lan Wangji placed his head on his hand that on the table, closed his eyes and snore almost quietly.

Wei Wuxian's jaw dropped, it's really an anti-climactic.

He stood and pulled Lan Wangji, carries him to the bed, he goes so far as to removing his shoes, and cover him with blanket. He was about to touch the forehead ribbon, but Wei Wuxian's hand halted upon remembering the clan rule about it.

Instead, Wei Wuxian just gentle brush Lan Wangji's hair.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan. You always been there for me." He softly whisper, as he brushes Lan Wangji's cheek. "I—" he swallowed, as he remembered the time at the cavern. "—always love you." He retracted his hand away from the sleeping young master, but he gotten shocked for unknown number of time, by Lan Wangji who abruptly open his eyes and grabs Wei Wuxian's hand. He forced a smile before speaking; "Lan Zhan! Sorry, have I woke you up?"

Lan Wangji didn't answer as he keep staring at Wei Wuxian who were confused of his sudden awaken. The young master in white robes then sits, not even letting go of Wei Wuxian's hand nor even taking off his sight away.

This silence makes Wei Wuxian nervous; he was afraid that Lan Wangji might have heard him, and now thinking of what should do to rejects his love. Wei Wuxian is afraid that he'll lose Lan Wangji because of his foolish heart.

"Lan Zhan?"

Wei Wuxian's heart skip a beat when Lan Wangji brushes his cheek with his free hand. His touch is so gentle and full of kindness. A smile forms on Wei Wuxian's face, he tries to cover his fear with mischievousness; he leaned towards Lan Wangji and with his free hand he touches Lan Wangji's cheek.

"What it is Lan Zhan? Am I that pretty."

"Mn." simple, the usual sound Lan Wangji would make to response to any question, yet this made Wei Wuxian blushes.

"Are you by any chance drunk Lan Zhan?"

"Mn."

'Aiyo! So honest."

"What did Lan Zhan have during breakfast?"

"Wanton noodles."

Lan Wangji turns out could answer correctly.

But isn't that mean that he really did drunk and... he really did think Wei Wuxian is pretty?

Wei Wuxian always thought that those response are just Lan Wangji's way to joke, so despite that it has effect on him, he never takes it seriously. But now the man is drunk, and is super honest, too honest to a fault.

Wei Wuxian backs off, he might cross the line unwillingly if he won't stop right in this instant. Although that's the case for Wei Wuxian, it is not for Lan Wangji who pulls Wei Wuxian's hand and holds the back of his head and Wei Wuxian eyes widen, he didn't expect this turn of events, he never think that a day will come that Lan Wangji will kiss him on the lips!

And it's not over there yet!

Lan Wangji put his weight on Wei Wuxian completely, that he able to push the black robe young master down the bed, still kissing him, while Lan Wangji's hand that holding Wei Wuxian's has intertwined their hands and the other going down the place that shouldn't go to.

Wei Wuxian didn't try to struggle, didn't think of resisting, and just let Lan Wangji to continue devouring him.

The next morning, Wei Wuxian shockingly woke up first, he stares at sleeping Lan Wangji, both have no clothes on, instead those could be found at the floor, scattered and mix together.

Wei Wuxian recognized all of it. Completely aware that he and Lan Wangji has no piece of clothing, and all are on the floor. Wei Wuxian knitted his eyebrows, thinking that he wronged Lan Wangji, greatly.

Clearly, Lan Wangji is drunk to the point of mindlessness, clearly not in his self, despite knowing that Wei Wuxian take advantage of him and entangled with him.

His hand went to his lower back, massage it and felt a series of drop of sticky liquid on his skin, his lower back sore because of intense work they have done, and his hands trembles nonstop, while he bit his bottom.

He doesn't know if Lan Wangji could ever forgive him once he remembers.

Tears stream down on his face, red eyes and suppress voice. With trembling hands, Wei Wuxian reach for the nearest garment, but he halted and purse his lips, realizing that it was Lan Wangji's white robe. He sighs before folded it neatly and place it next to him, his hands grip on the blanket as he is suppressing his cries, and then sigh out quietly instead. One by one Wei Wuxian reaches for the garments; if it was his, he would wear it, if its Lan Wangji's he would cry quietly then place it next to him.

After dressing, Wei Wuxian decided to dress Lan Wangji as well, the guy is drunk, Wei Wuxian is sure that he won't wake up anytime soon. One hour before Lan Clan's rule of morning. Wei Wuxian gently and carefully dress Lan Wangji, then position him to how he always sees him sleep, and then cover Lan Wangji with the blanket.

What Wei Wuxian hoping right now is Lan Wangji won't smell their entanglement and not to remember anything that happened.