MDZS Fanfic

Red Strings of Connections

ARC 3 Chapter 48

Xu Xuan Town

The strength of the sandstorm that carrying the party of youth cultivators should have been enough to send them to any location of the desert, enough to separate them from each other, but this doesn't occur as O Zhangyao and Lan Wangji uses their sturdy strings to wrap all of them to each other while letting the sandstorm to keep carrying them.

No one knows if this is the right one that they were waiting for, but it's do or die.

They are making sure too not to speak at all, nor even open their mouth, they don't even have free hands to cover their ears, so while they keep close their eyes only their ears freely letting some sand particles to enter. The inside of the clothes is also not safe, either way, they just have to endure this.

They don't know or rather they didn't really think of how long they have been inside the sandstorm or how long they still will be inside, yet during this struggle, the cultivators decided to meditate instead to calm their minds, not wasting their spiritual energy too much.

Either if it's a good move or bad, it doesn't matter anymore actually.

Soon... they found themselves falling, O Zhangyao and Lan Wangji have been long releasing the tight hold of their strings.

They're about to meet the ground of sand, but a black smoke catches them and gently lay them down.

It was resentful spirits called upon by Li Yang.

If Wei Wuxian uses his flute for purification, Li Yang uses his Sheng to calls and control resentful energy and resentful spirits.

With their safe landing, Li Yang stops playing his Sheng and smile.

"You gotten accustomed in controlling resentful spirits."

"I am. Thanks to Ying-gege's Sheng."

The Sheng made by Wei Wuxian who used a mysterious material from mysterious place, that he never once reveal to anyone. He once said though that that instrument is specially made to call and sent Li Yang's thoughts on those he calls. Using it won't hurt him, it also serving as his barrier against from anything that would corrupt him.

A perfect weapon for someone who took up this cultivation path, and only Li Yang has it.

Li Yang hides his sheng inside his qiankun sleeve, while jogging towards Wei Wuxian who is still unconscious in Lan Wangji's arms.

"How's Ying-gege, Zhan-gege?"

"He has fever..."

"Yes he has. But is he okay other than that?"

Lan Wangji begun to dust off the sand that stick to unconscious lad, nodding his head to confirm Li Yang's concern. By that the youngest cultivator sigh in relief, O Zhangyao and Cong Zhuliu felt relief as well by hearing this.

"How long does he have a fever?"

"Since this morning."

"Medicine?"

"Already took one, but it has no effect at all, and it was made by Uncle Juan too."

Lan Wangji didn't say any response at all, and only hold Wei Wuxian's head close to his chest, while continuing dusting him off. On the other hand, the others are taking care of themselves.

The trio cultivators scan their surroundings, searching for any signs of town or oasis, but no luck as it was very same scenery before that sandstorm swallowed them.

"A miss?"

"Seems like it."

"Where you all heading?" Lan Wangji asked, when they return their sight to him, they already found him carrying Wei Wuxian like a bride.

They blink in this amusing sight that they are sure that a certain sister of them would like.

"On a town that is rumor that in middle of desert."

"Xu Xuan Town?"

"You know about it..."

"Now thinking about it. How did Wangji-xiong end up inside that sandstorm?"

"Fairy tale hunting."

The others blink in shock, they didn't expect that the Lan Clan has record of such thing.

"Fairy Tale Hunting" is what they called, at least the Zhuque Sect Head Disciples, of mythical stories that might have reality on it. Lan Wangji simply just uses this term knowing they would understand it quickly, rather than explaining why they are going through a report that is might be a myth.

Anyways, they were glad to have him on board.

"The town is invisible to naked eyes."

"If so then, there's a chance that we already pass it." O Zhangyao sounds distressed by this possible situation.

"It's fine, we're in the right place."

"Eh?"

"The town is invisible to naked eyes only."

"Only" everyone sees how Lan Wangji have play on his words.

If it's only invisible to naked eyes, then...

The three cultivators began walking, searching for something not just with their sights but using other senses, especially with spiritual energy.

They are not that so far from Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, when all three of them bang their heads into something they fail to see. Indeed, it is invisible to naked eyes only.

They raised their hands and place it the invisible wall in front of them, they started walking while their hands are still in it. They were looking for a door or gate to be able to pass by the wall that separating them to the town.

Li Yang halted after a few steps from where he begun; his left hand has gone through while losing sight of it.

"Yao-xiong, Liu-xiong, Zhan-gege, I think I've found the entrance!" he calls, quickly the older teen went to him and saw how his left hand is invisible but not the arm.

"Great find Yang-er!" Cong Zhuliu patted Li Yang's head, praising him.

Without further ado, one by one, starting by O Zhangyao followed Lan Wangji with Wei Wuxian in his arms, then Li Yang and finally Cong Zhuliu enters the invisible gate.

What greeted the teens is a very peaceful and your typical town, to be honest it shocks them, they thought that this village is full of burdening evil energy, lost motivation, people who were tired of living, but it turns out to be normal one, with people walking around, some are busy at their stalls, busy at buying and selling, delivering things from one to another.

There are some kids that running around, chasing each other, playing games, and shouting who they at their role playing,

"Rekka Shinnen!"

O Zhangyao, Cong Zhuliu and Li Yang turns their heads to that strange chant came from one of the kids, they totally recognize that term, it was so familiar to them that their eyes widen upon hearing it.

"What it is?" Lan Wangji asked, amidst of their confusion and shock, Li Yang immediately turns to Lan Clan member and tries to think of words to explain their reaction.

"You see Zhan-gege, "Rekka Shinnen" is Uncle Shun's infamous chant to summoned sacred flame. He is the only one who knew how it is work."

"Do you think the person that reported the mysterious medicinal herb is actually Uncle Shun?"

"He is used to be a rogue cultivator. He might end up here during his younger days."

"Let's ask around later, first let's find an inn."

The three Zhuque Sect disciples agrees to Lan Wangji upon their sight and worries landed to their feverish, unconscious brother of them.

Another shocking outcome bewildered the cultivators, who wouldn't be? Despite being hard to find, with such conditions that has to be met before one could reach this town, it was complete with everything that is necessary for a traveler that will stay in town.

Apothecary, inn, restaurants, clothing stores and many more others.

It is like it is the main business of this town.

How's that possible? They don't have the answer at all.

During this search, the cultivators found a manor with placate, with embedded the words "Xu Xuan Manor", making it obvious that it is the house of the town's lord.

O Zhangyao thinks of many potential ways to enter and investigate the manor, when Lan Wangji takes their attentions by calling them with simple "hey", the three siblings turn, and followed his gaze.

By just raising their heads, O Zhangyao and Cong Zhuliu could see what Lan Wangji is trying to make them see, while the smallest out of them needed to take a few steps back to see.

A flag that dancing in tune of cool wind, looking at it carefully they can make out of what is embroidered, a snake-like dragon or maybe a dragon-like snake... since the flag is swaying even with their keen eyes, they couldn't see if it has feet to determine if it's snake or dragon.

O Zhangyao, "Isn't a snake?"

Cong Zhuliu, "But why the head looks like to a dragon?"

"If Ying-gege is just awake, he could tell what it is."

It wasn't they are not familiar with the difference between a snake and a dragon, but...

"It's a dragon." Lan Wangji almost inaudible said to them.

"You sure Zhan-gege?"

"It's in the record; Xu Xuan's town symbol is a snake-like dragon."

"ohh..." is the only thing that come out from O Zhangyao and Li Yang.

"Let's share information later, Wangji-xiong."

"Mn."

With so many questions that frying their heads, the cultivators enter and rented two rooms, one for two person and the other for three.

Yes, O Zhangyao decided to let Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian to be together alone. Why not though? They are cultivation partners and soon they will marry. Beside it has already been a normal thing to them that on every stay in an inn with Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian must be with him.

Tradition created by their sister, Tiao Reinshun.

And since it was normal and quite a tradition, and being the very center of it, Lan Wangji says no words about it.

After resting for a while, the three Zhuque Sect disciples came in Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's room.

"How's Ying-er, Wangji-xiong?"

Lan Wangji didn't answer, instead he shook his head and has sullen expression.

They could only sigh in worry, there's nothing they could do. If the medicine made by their Uncle Juan isn't working, much more the medicine made by some random apothecary? It wasn't like they have trust issue or just having a high standard, no it wasn't like that. They are just simply confident with the medicine made in House of Zhen.

"It's probably entirely different, which medicine isn't the answer for."

"What? Like Qi Deviation?"

"Spiritual Core Disturbance."

O Zhangyao, Cong Zhuliu and Li Yang thinks that it could be really possible, that someone really strong is disturbing their brother's health, resulting for his uncurable fever.

"But if it's the case, then we better find whoever that person and make him/her stop annoying our brother."

"Then I'll inform our sect."

"That's impossible Yang-er."

"Eh?"

"This town is protected by a barrier, that's why it has conditions to be meet before anyone could land here; and there's the report from House of Zhang that saying, one cannot leave anymore. That reporter has great luck to be able to leave this place. After we entered, I've tried to go out to see if it's really impregnable from the inside, and there's no doubt we cannot leave this place easily."

"So... Liu-xiong, do you think with brute force we can leave this town?"

"Maybe."

They went quiet as they think of various things, like about their brother's possible condition, the town itself, the location of the mythical herbs and the symbol on the flag. There are many questions that must find the answer, but what they are most worried about is their brother's. They are afraid that this illness might be really attacking their brother's spiritual core.

But...

O Zhangyao cut the silence, "We go nowhere by just sitting here and just thinking things."

Cong Zhuliu and Li Yang agreed.

"Then let's investigate this town first."

The three siblings all turn to Lan Wangji who is busy brushing Wei Wuxian's hair.

"Zhan-gege, could we bother you to look after Ying-gege, please?"

Lan Wangji didn't answer right away, of course, he came here for his own mission, but then here they are bothering him, being a hindrance on his duty as cultivator.

They understand if he say n—

"Mn."

It is simple words—it's not even a word, it just Lan Wangji making sound as usual, but it came from Lan Wangji still, and they always trust his words.

On the other hand, Lan Wangji, despite his fix demeanor, is confused. He can't comprehend why are they asking him to look after Wei Wuxian, when he has all the intention to take care of him, after all he cannot let anyone else do it.

After the three left, Wei Wuxian have finally gained consciousness, he let his sight scan his new unfamiliar surroundings until he found the most familiar face to him. Curiosity and confusion fill his mind, questions like; why his cultivation partner is with him, wringing water from a towel, spreads the towel out, and then turns to him. Lan Wangji stiffens, eyes focus on him, then frown in what Wei Wuxian could make out as worried, and with quiet gentle voice, "You've.... finally awake Wei Ying..." Wei Wuxian felt the hesitation and confusion on Lan Wangji's voice.

"I AM LAN ZHAN!!!" Wei Wuxian's voice came out excited and full of energy, he even sits up abruptly, he could no longer felt heaviness on his body or head, like he suddenly all energetic and never felt that weakening state of him; but he shut up immediately after those words—rather his voice came out from his mouth.

He was confused questioning himself internally of the changes of his voice.

It sounded so childish, high pitch.

Yeah, Wei Wuxian could be childish sometimes but never once his fully develop vocal cord.

His sight landed on the blanket that covering his legs, and when his hands enter his view, the confusion gotten stronger. He examined it first, he even pinches his skins, but he wasn't dreaming, both his hands, fingers and the length of his arms are all short! Terrified, he shoved away the blanket that covering him and there, just like he thought his legs have also shorten. Overall, Wei Wuxian has turned into his nine-year-old body!

'WHAT'S GOING ON?!'

A/N::

House of Zhang is O Dokun's House, it is filled with reports from every century. It is also known as Merchants' House, through travels while selling products, they gather information from all over the world. The disciples are taught how to gather information.

Well known disciples: O Zhangyao (Meng Yao/ Jin Guangyao) and Hua Xie (From Evil Phoenix ARC)

~~~O0o0O~~~

House of Zhen is Myo Juan's House, in simple terms, Zhuque Sect's clinic, creators of medicine, they are doctors. Their cultivation path is medicine.

Well known disciple: Myo Qing

The House of Zhen is the one that requested wwx and his siblings to search for the mythical medical herb.

Their information was from House of Zhang.

I hope this help you to be not confused by the terms...

I gotten confused... actually. That's why I put this here.