"... Ying! Wei Ying!"

A heart-stopping scream echoed about the Archive chamber as the talismans flamed into ashes and released Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi.

"Wei Ying!" Lan WangJi threw himself toward his husband and his frantic hands tore at the spirit-guarding ropes that refused to give, despite his desperate efforts.

Lan XiChen raced to the Grandmaster and saw the spreading red stain on Lan QiRen. His heart leapt in his chest.

"Healer Zhang!"

Healer Zhang ran into the chamber, straight to his patient, horrified to see the carnage. Cultivators and then apprentices followed him, crowding about the bed, momentarily oblivious to the silent man entrapped on one side of the chamber as another fought to free him.

A few quick directions to apprentices, who raced to collect supplies. Another word to the Cultivators who returned to their posts about the chamber walls, where they would not impede treatment. With unexpected strength Healer Zhang tore open the Grandmaster's robes and bared his torso, running with bright red blood. Swiftly he stanched the bleeding, clean white linens being used and discarded in haste as needed, until at last he gathered handfuls of coagulant herbs and liberally applied them to flesh all but obscured by a multitude of tiny piercing wounds. Gradually the blood slowed, flowing more and more sluggishly, until it stopped running and subsided to an ooze.

At last, the crisis over, Healer Zhang reached for the Grandmaster's wrist and took his pulse. A look of confusion crossed his face, before he took up the other wrist and repeated his reading. A look in the eyes. A reading of the secondary pulses in the ankles. Healer Zhang held himself still and took several deep, grounding breaths. A second check of the pulses and he raised shocked eyes to Lan XiChen before blurting, "he did it! The Meridians... all the pathways... everything is clear! The Qi is already circulating Yang energy to restore balance and there is no resentful energy left around the Core. The Grandmaster..." he broke off and shook his head, his own colour fluctuating between pale and flushed as his trained mind tried to reject what was clearly before him and felt in his own fingertips.

"I don't know how he did it. I don't know what he did." The Healer's words were quiet, seemingly dragged from him without his volition, as he gave voice to what was impossible... and yet undeniable. "Somehow the Grandmaster is cured of his affliction... within the next day or two he should be back within balance and stasis will be lifted with safety. He... he's better."

Lan XiChen gaped at the Healer, before turning to look for Wei WuXian.

Lan WangJi was on his knees where he desperately clawed at the spirit-guarding ropes, which would not give, even when sawn with Bichen's pristine blade. Wei WuXian had known the power of Yin Iron and feared it's seductive and demanding call, having had experience of it before. As a result, he put all he had into making those ropes unbreakable, the better to protect his husband and brother-in-law. These were not the ropes anyone had ever encountered before, and they were fully infused with the energy-recycling magic Wei WuXian had invented for the talisman to hold his husband prisoner. Every effort to break them was being withstood with ease.

"Help, XiongZhang!" begged Lan WangJi, who had never begged in his life. "Help Wei Ying!"

Lan XiChen called to the other Cultivators, and all gathered about the still form, lying beneath the shielding ropes, a moist, dark stain spreading across the floor from beneath his body. The six Cultivators, Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi drew their swords and the combined attack of eight trained Cultivators of the highest level of ability finally broke the spells. The collected spiritual energy and righteous strength of so many first-rate warriors finally caused the spirit-guarding ropes to fall away, splintering and sparking to nothing as their energy was destroyed.

Lan WangJi pulled Wei WuXian's unconscious form into his arms.

"Wei Ying. Wei Ying," he crooned over and over, rocking his husband's limp form.

"Healer Zhang!" called Lan XiChen. "Another patient!"

Healer Zhang handed the bandages in his hand to an apprentice and quickly made his way over to where the others had gathered. Arriving, he slipped in the puddled wet and went down on one knee. It was only on rising he realized the source of the moisture pooling on the chamber floor as the tell-tale red stained his robes. Another set of barked orders and apprentices hastened to collect more items for his use. Quickly Healer Zhang reached for his patient, pulling him flat on his back on the stone floor. Lan WangJi's hands grabbed to hold his husband closer, and Healer Zhang snapped "Let him go! I can't help him in your arms!" Only then did Lan WangJi relinquish his hold, moving to kneel at his husband's head.

"Oh, merciful gods!" muttered Healer Zhang, wrenching at belt, sash and robes. Unlike the light robes Lan QiRen wore, Wei WuXian was fully clad in multiple layers of day robes, a fabric sash and belt. The strong silks and cottons resisted brute force and the narrow ties had to be torn apart, each in turn. At last, the final layer parted and exposed Wei WuXian's body.

A collective gasp escaped the men observing.

The wounds on Grandmaster Lan QiRen were replicated on Wei WuXian. His bony body was awash in a bright red flood, multiple tiny punctures visible when Healer Zhang swiped across his stomach to inspect the injury, only to be obscured by the red tide almost immediately. All the while they had been addressing the Grandmaster's injury, Wei WuXian had been bleeding without stint. Another frantic effort to stem the blood loss was repeated, the only difference being the patient under care. Once more the sopping of endless quantities of red blood, linen after linen saturated and discarded. Eventually this bleeding, too, lessened and the coagulant herbs did their work in turn. Bandages were applied and fastened snugly about the raw flesh.

All the while the Healer worked, Lan WangJi knelt at his husband's head, and held it cradled in his lap. To keep his hands occupied he carded through the long, dark hair, drawing it back, away from the efforts centered above the lower dantian. Over and over and over again, Lan WangJi prayed, oh gods, please... please, don't take Wei Ying... please, don't let him die again... please... Wei Ying...

At long last all was still in the Archive chamber. Exhausted from effort, Healer Zhang looked up to Lan XiChen.

"I have no idea what was done or how, but the Grandmaster will recover. And so should Master Wei. They must be watched, but they should be fine with rest. In a day or so I will check the Grandmaster's Qi and Core and, if all goes well, lift the stasis. I can take them to the Healing Hall now, there is no need to stay in the Cold Cavern any longer."

At this, Lan WangJi let out one agonized, shuddering breath in relief and bowed over his husband's head until their foreheads touched, before he sat up and looked at the Healer.

"Please, Healer Zhang. Can I take him home? Wei Ying won't want to be in the Healing Hall."

The Healer looked at Lan XiChen, who nodded.

"Yes, HanGuang-Jun. I can send a Healer and apprentices to attend his needs in your home."

"Thank you," whispered Lan WangJi.

Lan XiChen looked to his uncle, lying still upon the bed and back to his brother, kneeling at the head of his husband's unmoving body. He put one warm hand on Lan WangJi's shoulder and squeezed, reassuring.

"Thank you, and WuXian," said Lan XiChen.

Once more the midday meal press of disciples was interrupted by a strange sight. First came a procession of Healer Apprentices, carrying a litter on which lay the Grandmaster. A guard of Cultivators followed closely behind. They made their way to the Healing Hall, and many passersby followed them only to be denied entry.

"The Sect Leader will make an announcement at the midday meal," was all they took from their inquiries.

While otherwise distracted, almost unnoticed, a second litter followed soon after the first. For the second day in a row Wei WuXian was being born back to the Jingshi, rather than moving under his own power. Most of the crowd had dissipated, and only a few saw the second white litter, bearing a man in dark robes, chest barely in motion, as the Second Jade of Lan walking alongside, his robes red from the knees down. Straight to the Jingshi they strode, as they ignored the few onlookers.

"Was that the Yi... Wei WuXian?" whispered one disciple to another. "What happened to him?"

Quiet whispers passed through the gathering as disciples met one another in the Dining Hall.

"Did you see..."

"Do you know..."

The news that the Grandmaster had been brought to the Healing Hall from the Cold Cavern moved swiftly through the Dining Hall, while speculation about the second litter died away quickly. Who cared for news of Master Wei when the Grandmaster had been moved?

Lan XiChen entered the Dining Hall and moved quickly to his place at the head. The quiet conversations died away as his presence was noted. As servants and disciples brought forth trays for the midday meal, he raised one elegant hand to stop them. When he felt he had proper attention, Lan XiChen spoke.

"Today Gusu Lan has received a gift beyond measure. Our Grandmaster, Lan QiRen, has been healed from his Qi deviation and will recover within a few days."

Even the stoic Lans could be forgiven for the uproar that followed the announcement. Qi deviations were fatal. That was an absolute. The Grandmaster had been healed? From a Qi deviation? That was impossible! How? Speculation and excitement rang about the room, and the Sect Leader allowed it to run its course for some time. The stress and tension bled away until only relieved and happy noises filled the room. Once more Lan XiChen raised his hand, a demand for attention.

The room settled as the disciples anxiously awaited more news. What more of this miraculous event remained to be told?

Lan XiChen held his peace as he slowly looked about the Dining Hall and regarded the faces of the disciples, making certain he met the eyes of the elders. He deliberately held those who had been most vocal about denying Lan WangJi his choice of spouse, the loudest in their demands to turns away the YiLing Laozu. The silence grew ominous, and he allowed it to linger as he took his time, and ensured each dissenting face knew it had been recognized, although they knew not the reason. When he spoke, it was to a waiting and absolute silence.

"The Grandmaster was saved by the genius and sacrifice of one man."

A small whisper could be heard from the area where the outside disciples were seated together. Only the words "Healer Zhang" were audible.

"One man risked his life and removed both the resentful energy and its source from the Grandmaster."

More whispers. "I told you; Healer Zhang is so skillful..."

"What you have not been told was discovered only yesterday. Only then were certain facts revealed. In only one day this brilliant mind identified the cause and devised a cure. In a single day, this threat to the Grandmaster was neutralized and his health will shortly be restored."

Relieved noises gently rustled about the Dining Hall.

"At enormous personal risk and with a willing heart, the cause of our rejoicing successfully liberated our Grandmaster from the threat. No reward was asked. Not one request made. How should we thank our benefactor?"

One by one various suggestions were called as Lan XiChen nodded to each disciple or elder in turn. From the youngest outside disciple suggesting a limitless allowance of sugared nuts to one stuffy elder sniffing "Treasure. Treasure, of course," each idea was given its moment to be voiced, until Lan XiChen turned and paced back to the head of the Hall.

"It is agreed, then, Gusu Lan Clan shall offer the freedom of Cloud Recesses to the one who healed our Grandmaster? And reward him well?"

An overwhelming "Yes!" was voiced by the crowd. Lan XiChen allowed a small smile to grace his weary face. He was going to enjoy this moment. Nothing but this could be of satisfaction equal to his uncle's rescue.

"Very well. I submit to your collective voice. I will personally bestow the gratitude of the Gusu Lan Clan and Sect, the freedom of Cloud Recesses, and a treasure bounty upon the YiLing Laozu, Wei WuXian."