Many people took out talismans to try if they could ignite them with their spiritual powers. Gradually, the talismans in some of the people hands lit up dimly. Hearing the question, they answered, “Two-tenth is back for me.”

“One-tenth for me…”

“They’re recovering so slowly!”

"How long will it take for their spiritual energy to fully recover?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"It depends on how strong you are." said Zizhen.

"As long as they take a proper rest." he added.

When they set off, they all thought that compared to the siege at Burial Mound thirteen years ago, this one would definitely be more successful, so grand and tragic that it’d be recorded in history. Yet, nobody expected that the number of people who went down the mountain was almost the same as the number who went up. The second ‘siege’ could indeed be recorded in history. However, instead of being its scale or number of deaths, it’d be because it was the most pointless, laughable event of the cultivation world.

"How is it laughable when they just barely survive?" MianMian asked.

"Because they didn't do much in order to survive." said Jin Ling.

"At least they survived." said MianMian.

Some of the people rejoiced that they escaped death, others lamented about the changing of times. The dozens of sect leaders all gathered together. After some discussion, they agreed to first find a safe place to rest until their spiritual powers had recovered up to eight-tenths so that no more incidents happened on their way back.

Wei WuXian knew at once. The closest ‘safe place’ to Yiling was the area of the YunmengJiang Sect. He asked, “So you intend on going to Lotus Pier next?”

Lan QiRen was vigilant, “Why do you ask?”

Wei WuXian, “Nothing. I just wanted to ask if I could go along.”

"If Jiang-xiong permits." said Nie Huaisang.

"He would." said Wei Wuxian.

"How sure are you?" Wen Qing.

"We have no news about what's going on with his lover until now. We all know that I can help a lot." said Wei Wuxian.

"Surely, he would not stop Lan Zhan from participating when it comes to his brother." he added.

"So the Hanguang-jun can join but not the Yiling Patriarch since he is not even connected to the Zewu-jun." said Wen Chao.

"Oh you're still alive?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"And here I thought he's already long gone since he's been silent the whole time after the scene that shows his death." said Jiang Cheng.

"You're still alive yet you still don't know how to watch your tongue." said Sizhui.

"Why would I watch my tongue when it comes to that Wei-dog?" Wen Chao asked.

"Because you might lose it. Besides, you're the dog." said Zizhen.

"Don't insult the dog. Dogs are much more better than him, after all." said Jiang Cheng.

Sect Leader Yao warned, “Wei WuXian! You did a good deed today, but those are two separate things. Please understand that it’s impossible for us to associate with you.”

"I don't want to associate with you either." said Wei Wuxian.

"Who does he think he is for him to decide for those people to think the impossibility of associating with me." he added.

The others agreed with him silently.

Wei WuXian felt speechless, “Don’t worry, nobody’s making you associate with me. Right now, though, we’re on the same side, aren’t we? The figure who planned the siege on you today has the Stygian Tiger Seal in his hands. Can you deal with it?”

The sect leaders looked at one another. In all honesty, what Wei WuXian said wasn’t wrong. If he was willing to join in, it’d be of great assistance. But people had slandered the YiLing Patriarch’s name for so many years. It’d be a bit embarrassing to have him cooperate with them all at once.

"I'm the only one who could deal with it so those people should let me and Lan Zhan go with them." said Wei Wuxian.

"It won't be embarrassing as long we don't mind each other other than solving the situation." he added.

"Only if they would stay still and won't doubt you again." said Nie Huaisang.

On the other hand, Lan WangJi turned to Lan QiRen, “Uncle, have you received any news about Brother?”

After a moment of silence, Lan QiRen answered, “No.”

Wei WuXian, “Maybe ZeWu-Jun is still under Jin GuangYao’s control as of right now. Mr. Lan, the more people there is, the more help there is. Even if you’re worried about me, at least let HanGuang-Jun participate in your next plans. It’s his brother, after all.”

“…” Lan QiRen’s face was full of fatigue. He turned to Lan WangJi, “Come if you want to.”

"It's not really important if Grandmaster Lan let the both of you come with them." said Jin Zixuan.

"It's not like a-cheng won't let them." said Jiang Yanli.

"We aren't sure." said Nie Huaisang.

"We still don't know what he feels about the incident." he added.

The rest of the people immediately looked at Jiang Cheng. Among the three sect leaders of the highest status, Lan QiRen had taken a stand and it didn’t matter if Nie HuaiSang took a stand or not, so now it was all up to Jiang Cheng. At the side, Jiang Cheng was trying out his spiritual powers and testing them on Zidian. Although it switched between bright and dark, at least the light didn’t go out anymore. Purple light reflected against Jiang Cheng’s face, giving it an air of mystery. Everyone knew that Sect Leader Jiang, the one whom Wei WuXian turned against, hated him the most. They all thought that their negotiation would fall through.

Yet, he only let out a bitter laugh, “So you dare go back to Lotus Pier?”

After the short sentence, he stopped talking. Nobody knew what this meant, unsure if he allowed it or not. But when they set off, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi joined the group, and he didn’t give them a single glance. They took it that he neither allowed it nor didn’t.

"It depends on how you interpret it." Wei Wuxian chuckled.

"But surely, he's not happy about it." he added.

"At least you're back to Lotus Pier, a-xian." Jiang Yanli smiled.

"Yeah, I want to see how it looks with Jiang Cheng as a Sect Leader." said Wei Wuxian.

"As long as the both of you won't suddenly have a fight or what." said Nie Huaisang.

"Or it would be more than a fight." said Jiang Cheng.

"There's nothing to fight about." said Wei Wuxian.

"How could the both of you solve your relationship without a fight since that is where the two of you are good at?" Wen Qing asked.

"Maybe with the help of their husbands." MianMian chuckled.

"It wouldn't be more good with the two of them intervening." said Jiang Cheng.

"Or it's good for Lan Huan to be there since he tends to understand the situation in both people's perspective but Lan Wangji here is very biased when it comes to Wei Wuxian." he added.

"Well, a-die could be bias when it comes to you too, a-niang." said Jingyi.

When the group arrived at the bottom of the mountain, it was already nighttime. As they returned to the town, the lights had already been blown out, and everything was quiet. Everyone was tired, both in body and in spirit. Even their square arrays looked uneven and disorganized. Fortunately, when they conjured up the energy to count the heads, they realized that there wasn’t a big difference at all. Because most people’s spiritual powers hadn’t recovered yet and couldn’t mount their swords, water paths were the quickest way to get to Lotus Pier. The group, consisting of over a thousand people, then set off toward the pier nearest to Yiling.

However, because of their hurried decision, they couldn’t gather so many boats in such a short amount of time. The sect leaders could only rent all of the boats at the pier, no matter the size, no matter the use. Crowded with the disciples from all those sects, the boats traveled along with the water.

"You can see how crammed we are." said Jingyi.

"Just thankful that almost all of us are friends making not so awkward." he added.

"That will help the four of you associate with other heirs and to strengthen the relationship with one another for the future of the cultivation word." said Lan Xichen.

"Right, knowing that almost all of us believed on Wei-jiujiu and Lan-shushu that time." said Jingyi.

Around a dozen disciples were crammed into the same boat. Almost all of these boys grew up in comfortable environments. They’d never had to ride in such old, broken down fishing boats before, the corners of which were piled up with dirty nets and barrels, emitting the rotten odor of fish as its wooden boards creaked. Winds were high at night. The boats rocked back and forth. A few of the boys from the North were quite seasick. After they tried for a while, they truly couldn’t hold it back any longer. They rushed outside the cabin and retched before they collapsed, dizzy-eyed, on the deck.

One of the boys commented, “Heavens, it’s so shaky that it feels like there’s a storm in my stomach. Hey, SiZhui-xiong, you’re throwing up as well? Aren’t you from Gusu? It’s not like you’re from the North. Why are you even more seasick than I am?!”

Lan SiZhui waved his hand, his face the color of ash, “I… I do not know why either. I have been like this when I ride in boats ever since I was four or five… Maybe I was born this way.”

"Maybe because he was born in Yiling." said Nie Huaisang.

"But I'm getting used to it now." said Sizhui.

"Having a-niang to help me get used to it but swimming, I really don't know about that." he added making Wei Wuxian laugh.

"Don't worry, even Jingyi who came from a true blooded Jiang and a best swimmer at that, doesn't know how to swim, too." he said.

As he spoke, he felt the revolting feeling come upon him again. He stood up, holding onto the rail. Just as he was about to throw up some more, he suddenly saw a dark silhouette hanging onto the part of the boat below the rail, half of its body submerged inside the river’s water, staring straight at him.

The juniors chuckled suddenly.

"How could you guys be like that when it's looking terrifying?" Nie Huaisang asked in disbelief while covering half of his face with his fan.

"You're still not used to it?" Jin Zixuan asked.

"Will never." said Nie Huaisang.

"Is that...Wen Ning?" Wei Wuxian asked making everyone look at the screen intently.

"Yes, I guess." said Jiang Cheng.

Lan SiZhui was so scared that he immediately gulped back the things he was about to throw up. Just as he pressed down onto the hilt of his sword, he looked carefully and exclaimed, “The Ghost…”

Inside of the cabin, as Jin Ling heard this, he immediately rushed out with his sword, “A ghost? Where? I’ll kill it for you!”

Jingyi gave his cousins a meaningful look.

"Look–"

"Shut it, Lan Jingyi." Jin Ling glared at him.

"Make me then." Jingyi smirked.

"Why?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Because–"

"Not you too, jiujiu." said Jin Ling.

Jiang Cheng raised a brow at him.

"Like mother, like son." Jin Ling mumbled making Zizhen snicker when he heard it.

Lan SiZhui, “Not a ghost—the Ghost General!”

All of the boys hurried to the deck and looked in the direction that Lan SiZhui pointed at. As expected, the silhouette clinging to the side of the boat, looking up from below, was none other than the Ghost General, Wen Ning.

Right after they left Burial Mound, Wen Ning had disappeared. Yet, who knew that he was clinging to the fishing boat so quietly. They didn’t know how long he’d been there, either.

"What is he doing there?" Nie Huaisang.

"He could just simply join me and Lan Zhan, not clinging on that boat." said Wei Wuxian.

"Maybe he was just curious about the juniors, that's why." said Jiang Cheng.

"And who would stay with the two of you on the same boat? Who knows what you two are doing there." he added.

Wei Wuxian blushed at that.

Although back on Burial Mound, Wen Ning was fighting alongside them. There were many people then, and lots of seniors as well. In the middle of the night, especially on water, Wen Ning’s strange, sudden appearance still gave the boys a good shock. They stared at him for a few moments.

OuYang ZiZhen was the first one to shrink back, taking a seat on the deck, “Why did the Ghost General come to find us alone?”

"You're scaring them, Wen Ning." Wei Wuxian chuckled.

"Not really, we were just shock to find out he was there the whole time." said Zizhen.

Someone mumbled, “So that’s why I felt this boat was going so slowly. A person is hanging on the bottom. It’s so heavy.”

“Why… Why is he clinging there?”

“Definitely not to harm us. Or else, he wouldn’t have protected us back in the day.”

“But there’s no danger right now anymore. Why did he come find us again…”

“Pfft!”

“JingYi, what are you laughing about?”

"How could you still laugh?" Nie Huaisang asked in disbelief.

Jiang Cheng shakes his head.

"I regret knowing that my son was named after my brother. It made him act like him." he said.

"Well, isn't it good?" Wei Wuxian grinned.

"No, it is not." said Jiang Cheng.

"Why don't you act like your father?" he asked asked Jingyi.

"I don't know either. I just grew up being like that or sometimes being like you." said Jingyi.

"A great combination of the Twin Prides." Nie Huaisang chuckled.

Lan JingYi, “Look at him. He is clinging onto the boat without moving at all, almost like a big, oblivious sea turtle!”

"And that big oblivious sea turtle could easily snap you into two if you won't get serious now." said Jiang Cheng.

"He wouldn't dare. I got your protection." Jingyi grinned.

Now that he said it, some people felt that he indeed did look like one. But before they began to laugh, OuYang ZiZhen exclaimed, “He’s coming up!”

Just as he said, Wen Ning’s body emerged from the water. Hands grabbing onto a hemp rope hanging off the deck, he began to crawl slowly up. The boys scattered themselves at once. A few of the more timid ones ran in circles on the deck as they panicked, chirping, “He’s coming up, he’s coming up! The Ghost General is coming up!”

"There's nothing to be scared of." said Sizhui.

"I like how these juniors panicked seeing my nephrw going up to them but not when fighting alongside him." said Wen Rouhan.

"That's a clear different situation." said Zizhen.

Lan JingYi, “What is there to be scared of? It is not like you have not seen him before!”

“What do we do? Should we call someone over?!”

When Wen Ning flipped over the rail, dripping with water as he landed heavily on the deck, the entire boat seemed to shake with his landing. The boys were as nervous as possible, almost all squishing to the other side of the deck. Their hearts raced, but they were too embarrassed to face him with their swords.

"Calling someone would make things worse." said Jin Zixuan.

"And it seems clear that Wen Ning wouldn't harm them." he added.

"Right, they shouldn't fear him for that." said Wei Wuxian.

Wen Ning stared at Lan SiZhui’s face as he walked toward him. Lan SiZhui noticed that he was here for him. He steadied himself as Wen Ning asked, “Wh-What is your name?”

Lan SiZhui hesitated for a second before he stood up straight and answered, “I am a disciple of the GusuLan Sect. My name is Lan Yuan.”

Wen Ning, “Lan Yuan?” Lan SiZhui nodded. Wen Ning, “Do… Do you know who g-gave you this name?”

"Why so curious?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Does he suspect that he knows Sizhui?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Or maybe he thought of him as Wen Yuan." he added.

"But Wen Ning clearly knows that Wen Yuan and Lan Yuan are two different people." said Nie Huaisang.

"Maybe he just want to know." said MianMian.

"That at least either of the two survived." she added.

Dead people had no expressions, but Lan SiZhui was under the illusion that he thought he saw Wen Ning’s eyes light up.

He also thought that Wen Ning was feeling very excited, so excited that he stammered as he spoke. He himself began to feel excited as well, as though they were about to reveal a secret hidden for years.

"Indeed." Jingyi agrees.

"I wonder how Wen-qianbe got suspicious of Sizhui." he said.

"Maybe because of the grandma back in Burial Mounds." said Nie Huaisang.

Lan SiZhui answered carefully, “My name was of course given by my parents.”

Wen Ning, “Then, are your parents still in good health?”

Lan SiZhui, “My parents passed away when I was at a very young age.”

"Didn't you say that you knew Wei Wuxian was your mother?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"I used to answer like that when I was asked about it." said Sizhui.

"I can't reveal that Wei Wuxian is my mother and Lan Wangji is my father. I didn't even told a-die about it." he added.

"Why?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"I'm afraid he will be judged even though I know how much he loves you." said Sizhui.

"Who else knew about it, then?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"I guess Jiang-jiujiu have suspicions but I'm not really sure." said Sizhui.

"He's always suspicious." said Jin Ling.

"No, maybe because he knew who the real Wen Yuan is and bofu told him about me who got adopted by a-die." said Sizhui.

"How do you know that Wei Wuxian is your mother, then?" Jiang Cheng.

"I remember some fragment of my life in Burial Mound but it wasn't clear. I always heard his name in my memory until later on I found out he's my mother but the memories are still not enough to prove that's why I grew up thinking he's my mom." said Sizhui.

"That's complicated." said Nie Huaisang.

"As long as my family is complete now." Sizhui smiled as he gave Wei Wuxian a hug.

One of the boys on the side tugged at his sleeve, “SiZhui, don’t say so much. Be careful.”

Wen Ning paused in surprise, “SiZhui? SiZhui is your courtesy name?”

Lan SiZhui, “That is right.”

Wen Ning, “Who gave it to you?”

Lan SiZhui, “HanGuang-Jun did.”

"That's good." said Wei Wuxian.

"Lan Zhan get to give our son a courtesy name as I wished." he said.

"And it's a reminder of how he longed for you." said Nie Huaisang.

"Oh Lan Zhan. I really love you." Wei Wuxian said kissing the man's cheek.

Wen Ning looked down, saying the word ‘SiZhui’ a couple of times in silence. Seeing that he seemed as if he realized something, Lan SiZhui spoke, “Gen-…” He was about to call him General, but he felt that something was weird about it. He changed his wording, “Mr. Wen? Is there anything about my name?”

“Oh,” Wen Ning looked up, gazing at his face, not answering the question, “Y-You really l-look like a distant relative of mine…”

These words really sounded like the things low-level cultivators and foreign disciples said when they wanted to become familiar with the inner disciples. The boys grew more and more confused as to what was going on.

Lan SiZhui didn’t know what to respond with, either, “R-Really?”

Wen Ning, “Really!”

"Do they really look a little bit the same?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Yes." Jingyi answered.

"But not much. They have the same temperament though." he added.

"That's because I was always with a-yuan