The group of cultivators accompanied by the prisoners set off. All faces were turned toward the man in black who walked in front of Lan Xichen.

"You want me to help you carry it?" he asked.

"Thank you, but I'd rather do it myself. He hates it when others touch him. Even you.

"Do I know him?" Wei Wuxian looked at him.

"In a way, yes, you do.

"You speak in riddles.

"When things calm down, I'll tell you everything. But for now, my concern is still too great.

Wei Wuxian glanced behind him at the group of prisoners. They had been on the road for an hour.

"I know we're only an hour away from our destination, but you have people who look like they need to rest a little among your survivors.

Xichen looked at the procession behind him. Wei Wuxian was right. Some of the former prisoners looked exhausted.

"You know, I doubt our opponents will follow us! The vengeful spirits I summoned left no one alive. That's the price you pay for playing with Yin Iron.

"Yin Iron? Is that the artifact that Wen Ruohan moved heaven and earth for and slaughtered thousands of people?"

"Yes, did you not know?"

"You know since the destruction of YunShen Buzhi, I don't really have any authority. In our resistance against the Wen, it's mostly the Nie Clan and the Jin Clan that are running things!"

Wei Wuxian hesitated.

"You said earlier that Lianhua Wu was destroyed? What happened to Jiang Cheng?".

Lan Xichen frowned.

"Are you having memory problems, Wei Gongzi?"

"Let's say that! So Jiang Cheng?"

"Well after his parents died, he was taken prisoner by Wen Chao and Wen Zhu Liu. The core smelter destroyed his gold core. That's when you joined the Wen clan. You destroyed the lotus pier in front of your brother. He preferred to commit suicide.

Wei Wuxian stopped and turned to Xichen.

"Suicide? He could have tried to fight!"

"Without a gold core?"

"I did it myself!" Xichen looked at him in amazement.

Wei Wuxian turned around and resumed his walk.

"Forget what I just said, this is another world, another life ....

Xichen watched him go ahead. MingJue joined him. Xichen addressed him.

"Da-Ge, some of us need a rest. We should stop for about fifteen minutes.

"I agree with you, Second Brother. They won't make it to the camp."

Then indicating Wei Wuxian with his head.

"I saw you talking with him, did you get any information?

"He doesn't seem to remember things. I really feel like I'm back with the one he used to be when he was in YunShen Buzhi and he and Wangji were friends."

"Were they really friends? They didn't seem to be," MingJue asked.

"They were, Wangji had never paid attention to anyone before him. He never had any friends.

"I understand. Let's stop. MingJue raised his arm.

"Halt, take a fifteen-minute break and we'll be on our way,

The whole group stopped. Wei Wuxian laid the body he was clutching gently on the ground. He readjusted the cloak so that no one could see the abuse he had suffered. Xichen and MingJue approached.

"How is he?" asked Xichen.

Wei Wuxian pulled out one of the stranger's arms and placed his fingers on the wrist to feel his spiritual energy flow. MingJue handed him a gourd. He took it and tore off a piece of his robe and soaked it with water. Then he gently wiped the cloth over his arm, making the traces of blood disappear. A skin as white as the snow of the Gusu peaks appeared. When the whole forearm was cleaned, they could see wounds of various sizes. The less serious ones had begun to heal. Wei Wuxian placed the arm back under the shelter of the great cloak.

"Do you think he'll make it?" asked MingJue, who had just realized the severity of the stranger's injuries.

"He'll hold, he knows I'm here. He's not the type to give up a fight!

"Why won't you show us his face?" asked Xichen.

"For now, I am forced to trust you. I don't care about my life and safety, but his .... nothing is more precious to me than his life!"

Wei Wuxian did not take his eyes off the stranger. He had torn off another piece of cloth and was carefully cleaning the second arm of the wounded man. What struck Xichen was the whiteness and thinness of the arm and the gash that ran across his wrist. The scar looked old but must have been deep. Although he had pulled the cloak down over the wounded man's body, Xichen and MingJue could see the many wounds he had sustained. The robe he must have once worn was shredded, and only a few pieces remained caught in the coagulated wounds. This man had been tortured to death! What had he done or what information did he have that Xue Yang would torture him so much. For sure, such sadism could only come from this monster!

Xichen also wondered, how it was possible that Wei Wuxian was still alive? He remembered very well seeing his body reduced to ashes! And what was this strange power he possessed? He had spoken of vengeful spirits, was he controlling the departed spirits? The man in front of them was, without a doubt, extremely dangerous. Xichen was beginning to wonder if he had been right to tell him to follow them. He also wondered how the cultivators who remained in the camp would react!

MingJue had stepped aside and walked around the former prisoners. Seeing that they had regained some strength, they were ready to leave. He gave the order to leave. Wei Wuxian lifted the stranger in his arms and resumed his walk at Xichen's side. They walked in silence the rest of the way.

Eventually they came to the edge of a bamboo forest at the foot of a mountain. They entered the forest. Still following Xichen, Wei Wuxian was getting tired. Physically and mentally. His worry could be read on his face. He kept glancing at the one he was carrying.

They finally arrived at the entrance of the camp. His soul mate was finally going to be able to be properly cared for. He didn't care about the reaction of the people there, the most important thing was that Lan Zhan was taken care of, and Xichen had promised him that.

All the eyes of those present were fixed on him as the group came to a halt. He didn't care about the whispers or the angry faces. He went to find Xichen.

"Lan Xichen, can you send for your doctor?

"I have just sent for him, lay him down with the others..."

"Lan Gongzi, he is very modest, can we find a more private place?"

"I will guide you to my tent"

"Brother! Don't isolate yourself with him! I still don't trust him!" said MingJue.

Wei Wuxian looked at MingJue and then at Xichen.

"Lan Gongzi, lift the hood he's wearing over his face and you'll understand; but I'm warning you, I couldn't wash him completely, so you might have trouble recognizing him!"

Lan Xichen's hand rose and slid the hood back. His face showed great emotion! His fingers brushed the cheeks of the man he recognized. A name came from his lips that everyone around them could hear.

"Wangji!".

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)