I turned to them. Jiang Cheng was wearing his usual purple outfit as well as Zidian. SiZhui, on the other hand, had put on a gray dress over his white one. He was not wearing his headband. Probably so as not to attract attention, since the Lan clan had disappeared.

"Wei Wuxian!" my brother said curtly.

"Jiang Cheng!" I replied in the same tone, hands behind my back.

I was happy to see them. I felt less lonely, even though I wondered how they got there! And why Jiang Cheng had brought SiZhui along!

My eyes fell on my son. I could see the relief but also the worry in his eyes! I couldn't leave him in this state of uncertainty about Lan Zhan.

I gave him a smile.

This one gave the start of a crazy embrace. SiZhui rushed to me and hugged me. I put my arms around him and hugged him.

"A-Xian, you can boast that you scared us! Did you find Han Guangjun?

I pushed SiZhui aside and nodded.

"Die, where is Father?".

"He is safe here." I put my hand on my child's cheek. The worry had not left his eyes. I hesitated.

"SiZhui, he is resting for now...".

"Uncle Xichen, did you say you saw Xue Yang? Is it true? I thought Song Lan killed him!" he said worriedly.

I understood his torment. I had felt the same during those eight days of uncertainty before I found him.

"A lot of things are different in this world. Lan Zhan and I are supposed to be dead, and as you can see, some of the people who are supposed to be dead are alive! I gave a small nod to indicate the stage where Nie MingJue, Jin GuangShan and Jin ZiXuan were standing. My gaze fell on Lan Xichen. I put my hand on my son's shoulder.

"SiZhui, have you forgotten something?

"Forgive me Die! I am failing in all my duties.

SiZhui stepped away from me and turned to the three clan leaders sitting on the platform in front of us. He put his hands together, conjured up Bai Hua Yong and bowed to them.

"Please excuse my behavior. The relief of knowing my parents were safe made me forget my duties for a moment. My name is Lan SiZhui, son of Han GuangJun and Yiling Laozu. Heir and future leader of the Lan clan. " 

He stood up and gave Lan Xichen a warm smile.

"I am glad to see you in good health in this world, Uncle Xichen.

Lan Xichen stood up and greeted SiZhui with a smile.

"Your father told me that he had a son, but I didn't know you were old enough to go into battle.

"Die always tend to think I am 4 years old!"

I looked at the other two clan leaders. MingJue had frowned when Xichen said I had told him about my son! At first sight, he had not reported this fact to his elder!

Jin GuangShan looked like he was on the verge of choking! I don't know what Jiang Cheng had told him, but it was not the whole truth!

I suddenly realized that SiZhui had probably taken his Qin with him. He would be able to speed up Lan Zhan's recovery!

"SiZhui, do you have your Qin?" my son turned to me with a question in his eyes.

"Of course Die, I never go anywhere without it!" I felt a great relief. I turned to Xichen and MingJue.

"Clan leaders, I must get SiZhui to Lan Wangji as soon as possible! I will ask you to excuse us."

I turned around without waiting for an answer. I had always done what I wanted to do, I didn't see why I should change. I grabbed my son by the arm and pulled him towards the door. Before crossing it, I shouted to the crowd...

"If you have any questions, ask Jiang Cheng! Then I disappeared, pulling SiZhui through the empty corridors of the Impure Domain!

I knew I had just played a dirty trick on Jiang Cheng, but he was used to me!!!

It didn't take us long to get to our room. I went in first, but just as I was about to let SiZhui through the door, I stopped him.

"SiZhui, you have to understand that he was very badly injured... he has been unconscious since I found him.

SiZhui pushed me and rushed to the bed. He stopped short when he saw Lan Zhan. My soul mate always had a very pale but satiny, translucent complexion. This had always given him a celestial look, and it was partly to this divine appearance that he owed his title of Han GuangJun.

But at this moment, his complexion was dull and waxy. In some places one could still see some wounds that were not completely healed. But the little that could be seen through the indentation of his tunic and the edge of his sleeves showed the seriousness of the wounds that had been inflicted on him.

"What happened to him? I went over and sat on the edge of the bed next to my love. I gently took his hand in mine.

"Xue Yang ... he tortured him. I think he wanted to get the location of the piece of Iron Yin that was entrusted to the Lan clan from him. Since the Lan Wangji of this world was dead, he came to look for Lan Zhan" I turned to our son.

"SiZhui, play "Regeneration" for him.

Our son conjured up his Qin and sat down at the table in the alcove. The soft music rose in the room. I hoped with all my heart that the melody would speed up his recovery. I knew he could hear us. I was sure he knew that SiZhui and I were near him. He had once told me that healing music was strengthened when the one playing it was connected by heart to the one for whom it was intended. Our son's love for him and my love for him were powerful enough to guide his steps into the light and back to us.

I held his hand in mine. I pressed it regularly, hoping that he would respond, hoping that a quiver on his face would indicate his return to us.

The days of anguish I had experienced when I didn't know where he was made me understand what torments he must have gone through while waiting for my return. I had always known that he had suffered and fallen into despair. He would always bear the marks on his wrists.

Today I knew, because I had felt it. The fear of never seeing him again, the anxiety that he was dead, the pain of separation, the ignorance of knowing where the other was, the despair of not having been able to prevent the torture he had suffered. All these feelings that I had been holding back for several days, this pain and this sorrow, I finally allowed myself! He was there with me in safety. I was so tired! Since I had found him, I had not slept much. I was startled by every sound, by every breath that was different from the previous one. I remained on the lookout in this world whose rules I did not know. To survive, I had adopted the personality of the Yiling Patriarch. If I seemed tough and uncompromising, maybe they would fear me enough to leave us alone. I was not afraid of them! My power was greater than theirs! My only concern was that I was alone! I had to be on the lookout for traps that could be set for me.

But now, Jiang Cheng and SiZhui were here, I could rest. I felt my eyes close. I lay down next to my love. I didn't want to risk hurting him more by collapsing on top of him. I nestled my face in the crook of his shoulder. Our fingers were entwined. I fell asleep smiling, I felt a slight pressure in my hand.

In my half-sleep, I heard SiZhui get up and approach us. He spread the flaps of my dress and sighed.

"Die, you're being unreasonable, you should have nursed your wound!"

He took off the cloth I had put on as a bandage and cleaned the gaping wound on my side. After having coated it with an ointment. He returned to the work table and started playing again.

I fell asleep completely, peacefully.

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