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Wei WuHui panted heavily as she slayed another Wen soldier. His blood soaked in her clothes and stained the sword. Bloody marks smudged on her face as her fiery grey eyes glared at the bloodshed ahead of her.

"Wei WuHui."

The latter's eyes widened and she spun around, her eyes brightened in relief. "Lan WangJi!"

The second young Lan master rushed toward her with ashes staining his white robes and face. His once cold facade now contorted into anger and concern.

"Where's Lan Ling? She should be with you." Lan WangJi asked.

"I told her to go find you and the rest of your family." Wei WuHui replied briefly before her eyes widened slightly and without hesitation, she threw her sword at the incoming Wen that was about to ambush Lan WangJi, if it wasn't for the blade that struck him in the throat. Killing him instantly.

Lan WangJi glanced back at the body, his eyes fixated on the sword that was in the Wen soldier's neck before looking back at the maiden with a newfound respect and admiration. He watched as Wei WuHui huffed before walking over to the lifeless corpse and wretched the quiver of arrows and the bow from it before turning to him with a fierce look in her eyes. "Let's go find Dajie,"

Lan WangJi stared at the maiden with subtle sparkling eyes. 'She's absolutely perfect for Xiongzhang'

———

The fiery crimson crackled every bit of her surrounding as her white robes swished past the bloodied bodies of her own people. The scent of burning wood engulfed the air.

Her heart beating against her rib cage as she rushed to find the faces of her family'.

To be in her Xiongzhang's arms.

To have her Dada patting her head.

To hear her shufu's stern but caring voice.

To feel her fuqin's presence near her.

Spotting Wen soldiers in her path, Lan ChunTao clutched her sword, Haoyue, her soft light-hazel eyes narrowed into a firm glare before the shining glint of the arrows flew toward her.

With effortless grace, Lan ChunTao defected all the arrows with her blade, swiping them away from right and left as she inched closer to the incoming enemies.

And when the last of the arrows was hit away, the young Lan lady grasped her sword with both of her hands before flashing forward with a boost of her spiritual energy to one of the enemies, slashing him in his midsection with his blood flying in the air.

She continued to slash, slice, cut through her enemies, their blood staining the floors and walls, some making it on her cheek as Lan ChunTao panted lightly after the last of the Wens dropped dead before her feet began to move, resuming her search for her family.

'May your souls find peace' Sending her prayer for her fallen enemies mentally, Lan ChunTao then let out a soft gasp when the familiar sight of her eldest brother coming into view. "Xiongzhang!"

Lan XiChen's eyes widened as he turned around upon hearing the familiar sound of his little sister's voice. "A-Ling." He breathed out.

Lan ChunTao, disregarding their sect's rules, embraced her brother. Sniffling as she felt herself relaxing at the calming scent of her brother's gentian and sandalwoods.

"You should be with Shufu and the other disciples who's taking cover right now." Lan XiChen stated once the sibling pulled away from each other, her brother reaching a gentle hand and wipe again the bloody marks on her left cheek.

"I was worried." Lan ChunTao replied before noticing the bundle of scrolls that her brother carried in his right arm. "Those are..."

Lan XiChen nodded solemnly. "Shufu told me to take the most important scrolls in our library and escape before the Wens find me." He said as he clutched onto the sources of knowledge that their sect held tightly.

Then, the siblings heard loud shouting coming their way as their breathing hitched and hearts pounding hard. But they soon felt the tension leaving once they saw the familiar sight of Wei WuHui coming into view.

Wei WuHui skilfully fired her arrow at the last Wen solider when she came around the corner before she spotted the two Lans. "Dajie! Lan Huan!" She called out, her eyes brightened with relief as she immediately ran toward them.

"A-Yang!" Lan ChunTao eagerly meet her sworn sister in the middle, embracing her tightly as the sisters felt content at each other's presence.

They soon pulled away before Wei WuHui turns to Lan XiChen, her eyes expressing her concerns openly as she glanced over the sect heir's body, checking for any injury whatsoever,

Lan XiChen smiled lightly, reaching over with his free hand to cup her cheek tenderly. "I'm fine, Wei Yang. There's no need to worry me."

Wei WuHui frowned hesitantly before nodding slowly. "So, what's the plan? Lan WangJi split up from me to join the other disciples at the front gate to buy us more time." she stated.

"I have to find a safe place to hide, our important scrolls cannot be destroyed or taken by the Wens." Lan XiChen explained sternly.

"There's an escape route located near our location, A-Yang and I can be distractions while Xiongzhang take the chance to flee safely." Lan ChunTao suggested.

The eldest Lan's eyes widened, his mouth was about to open to protest but a petite finger shushed him as he looked down, seeing Wei WuHui staring up at him with determination. "You're the Sect Heir, Lan Huan. You have to be safe at all costs, if you are killed or captured, it won't do your sect any good." She explained sternly. "If something bad happens to you, your family and I won't be able to handle it."

Lan XiChen stared at her for a moment before he reached down and grasped her hand tightly as he set a firm gaze on her. "Wei Yang, once this is over...I want to court you."

"...eh?" Wei WuHui blinked owlishly.

"Xiongzhang!" Lan ChunTao gasped in bewilderment while internally celebrating.

"I like you-no, I love you. Ever since I saw you playing on the Magnolia Tree, I fell in love with you." Lan XiChen confessed with no hesitation at all.

"L-L-Lan Huan..." Wei WuHuI could only stutter out his name as her heart races like crazy and her mind beginning to fumble.

Lan XiChen smiled before lifting her hand that was still in his grasp and placed a chaste kiss on the back of Wei WuHui's hand, causing the latter to release a shy squeak. "Please be safe, Wei Yang, A-Ling. Please." And with that, he cast the maidens one last look before leaving in direction of the escape route.

Wei WuHui held her hand, recalling the feeling of Lan XiChen's soft lip touching her skin as her feelings overflow inside of her. 'Lan Huan likes me...he likes me...love me...' before a big smile grew on her face, complimenting the blush that settled on her cheeks.

"That big idiot, at least hear my answer to your confession."

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(Please correct my translation if I'm wrong and the GIFs and pictures used in this chapter does not belong to me, but their rightful owners)