Lan Xichen's PoV

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Wei Wuxian's mournful melody spread throughout the mountain. I knew that it would reach every monster that Wen Ruohan had created, Wuxian had told me. It would reduce their strength and hinder their movements. I just wondered how much it would affect them and whether Wuxian could hold out despite the numbers. I was also worried about Wangji. I didn't say anything because it wasn't really my business, but I knew that his wounds were not completely healed, although he had told us otherwise. I watched them.

Wuxian was standing straight and looking formidable, wrapped in an aura as black as the darkness. Next to him, surrounded by a bright light, Wangji stood with a sharp gaze like that of a great bird of prey. Both of them were terrifying and around them the void was made. Their level of culture was beyond anything we could imagine. At that moment, every person on the esplanade could feel the extraordinary energy that both of them gave off.

We charged against the enemy composed of guards and monsters. The clash of swords and armor colliding with each other produced a deafening din. My head was spinning. Near me Meng Yao, who had just joined me, drew his sword. The look he gave me disconcerted me. I had never seen him look like that. He also looked formidable! His eyes softened as they rested on me.

"I'll be right back. I'll go get Jin Guangshan. Meet me in the great throne room. Have you remembered the way to get there?"

I nodded my head and said yes.

"Stay close to Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian and Wangji and above all...take care of yourself.

"The one who has to be careful is you! You have many enemies here. They all know that it was you who betrayed them!"

"Don't worry, the one who will get me is not born yet"

He took a quick look around us, pretended to stumble and placed a quick kiss on the corner of my lips. He turned and rushed into the battle, cutting his way through with his sword. Wen Ning came up beside me.

"Stay behind me Master Lan, I'll take care of getting you into the palace. Master Wei and Han GuangJun are already almost there and they are waiting for us."

I followed him. His presence alone made the crowd of fighters move aside without him having to fight. Everyone could see the black veins on his skin. They covered his entire lower face. I knew that the more he used his power, the more the veins stood out against his pale face. He cleared a path for me to the palace gates where Wangji and Wuxian were waiting for us. Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling and SiZhui soon joined us, followed by Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. All together, we pushed the big door. I knew that a second wave of fighters would follow, but strangely enough I was not afraid. I had confidence in my fellow soldiers.

I was not mistaken! Wen Chao was waiting behind us with his men and five monsters with weapons.

"Wei Wuxian, it seems that you have more demonic tendencies than your counterpart! Join us! You could dominate all these idiots..."

"Hey, shut up! You only owe your power to your father and your authority to the control you had over my double. Look at you, since his death it is Xue Yang who reigns in your place as his son! You are nothing more than a vulgar watchdog to whom we throw a bone to make him keep quiet! And then, you can say what you want, but in spite of everything my double still managed to fool you! He organized his death under your nose without you noticing! "

I saw Wen Chao turn pale as Wuxian spoke. My brother's husband knew how to hit where it hurt! And the fact that he had been replaced by his father's bastard in his rightful place must have been a wound of honor that flayed him!

Anger flared in his eyes and with a furious gesture he signaled his men to charge. Jiang Cheng stepped forward, his Zidian crackling with impatience and anger. The long, purple wick struck the charging guards with full force and number. They were all thrown several meters away, some of them crashing against the walls and others against the pillars.

"A-Xian, go ahead, we'll take care of this trash. Wen Ning, Jin Ling SiZhui with me! Let's deal with this coward who dared to attack the virtue of innocent and defenseless young women!".

I could feel a cold anger in Jiang Cheng. I hadn't had much of a chance to talk with him, but I understood that both brothers, like Wuxian, had loved Jiang Yanli. The head of the Jiang clan was taking the affront and infamy that had been inflicted on the one who could have been his sister personally!

We walked away. The last thing I saw before we walked down the long corridor to the throne room was Wen Ning tearing apart one of the monsters with his bare hands, Jin Ling and SiZhui fighting back to back against two others, and Jiang Cheng advancing, Zidian in one hand and his sword in the other, toward a frightened Wen Chao, hiding behind the last two monsters left.

I addressed Wangji.

"Do you think they will be all right?

"Don't worry, each of them is formidable! And SiZhui can use the "murder rope" to get rid of his opponents..."

At that moment, I heard the chords of a Qin at my back. I saw a gloomy smile appear on Wangji's lips.

"Let's go, they will come to us soon.

We walked along a sinister and dark corridor. The sounds of fighting reached us through the thick walls of the fortress palace. When we arrived at the door of the throne room, Xue Yang was waiting for us with a devilish smile on his lips. He was accompanied by five of his monsters. His eyes fell on Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. He hiccupped nervously and grimaced with disgust when he saw them together. Curious, the two wandering cultivators seemed to make him uncomfortable. His murderous eyes then landed on Wangji and Wuxian and a disgusted sneer painted itself on his face.

"You're tougher than I thought. I thought you were rotting in your lowly ass!"

"You underestimated the people of our world, thinking we were identical to those of yours!" retorted Wangji.

"I see you're more talkative than when I was 'playing' with your 'pretty' body!" Xue Yang retorted cynically.

Wuxian made a movement forward to throw himself on him with hateful eyes and pale face of anger, but Wangji stopped him by interposing himself in front of him. He looked his husband straight in the eyes.

"He provokes you. Wei Ying. He didn't touch me that way! I am still only yours and no one else's!"

Wuxian's anger seemed to drop a notch but did not disappear. Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan took the opportunity to intervene and came to stand between us and the demented Wen Ruohan's right-hand man.

"Here! The blind Good Samaritan and the dog that guides him! You've finished digging I see!"

"Xue Yang!!!" shouted Song Lan drunk with rage under the monstrous insinuation .

Xiao Xingchen's hand gently rested on his arm. This simple gesture made Xue Yang's face look even more disgusted.

"We have come to ask for reparation for your crimes, especially for the murder of the entire Song Lan clan," Xiao Xingchen announced calmly.

Taking advantage of the fact that they were monopolizing the attention of the demented man in front of us, I crept up to Wangji and Wuxian and whispered in their ears.

"When the hostilities begin, take the opportunity to break into the throne room, I will stay with Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan to assist them. I'm sure the others will arrive quickly to support us. I will join you then!

I came to stand beside the two wandering cultivators and drew my sword. I hoped that the three of us would be able to destroy at least some of the monsters facing us. I felt the presence of Wangji and Wuxian beside me.

"We'll help you eliminate two or three of them and then we'll give you the slip," said Wuxian.

Wangji conjured up his Qin. No one but me knew what it meant.

The madman laughed.

"You think that playing a little music will soften my heart," said the monster with a human face ironically.

The corners of Wangji's lips turned up imperceptibly while his eyes became two dark slits. I think he intended to take revenge and that his strike would hurt his opponent very much. His hand flew over the strings and the chords shattered the three monsters in front of him and slashed the bodies of the other two. Xue Yang who was behind them was partially spared. He was left with a gash across his face and screamed in pain and rage.

Taking advantage of his momentary blindness, Wangji and Wuxian ran to the door, pushed it open and disappeared into the darkness of the doorway.

We were left alone with two seriously wounded monsters and a third who was only human in name. Behind us, footsteps were heard, Wen Ning came to join us, his hands covered with blood. He was followed by Meng Yao and Jin GuangShan.

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