Once upon a lifetime

Waterborne Abyss - Part one

Revised 08/07/22

"Wangji, Young Master Wei, if what you are telling me is true, then we must take action right away," Lan Xichen stated. "I also wonder why we haven't been informed about this much sooner, considering we are the closest Sect available.."

"Yeah, it's a mystery to us too," Wei Wuxian sheepishly replied. "Thank you for taking the time to listen, Zewu-Jun."

"It was my pleasure."

"Mn," Lan Wangji hummed, clutching Bichen from where it hung at his side. "Xiongzhang, there is one other thing that we failed to inform you of..."

"And that is?" Lan Xichen queried.

"We think that there is a Waterborne Abyss."

Lan Xichen gasped in horror at Lan Wangji's words, "Wangji, such a claim shouldn't be said carelessly. A Waterborne Abyss is very dangerous, and could possibly end the lives of thousands."

"Yes," Wei Wuxian replied. "But Zewu-Jun, we actually investigated the site after speaking with a few citizens.. the water had turned a murky black, and it flowed in the opposite direction to the wind."

Lan Xichen's smile faded as he continued, "Well, this isn't much of a surprise, really..."

"Why so?"

"I had recently caught word of a Waterborne Abyss appearing in Qishan, and was told that the Wen Clan were taking care of it."

Lan Wangji's expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes. "This could only mean..."

"...That the Wens didn't deal with it, but rather moved it to Gusu." Wei Wuxian finished. "Could it be that they were the ones to prevent the Lan Sect from hearing about it?

"There's no way..." Lan Xichen whispered. "And if the Wen Clan really did wreak all of this havoc, who knows what else they're planning...? We must inform Shufu of this immediately!"

"But isn't he in Qinghe at the moment?" Wei Wuxian asked. "By the time we reach him, it could be too late.."

"You have a good point there, Young Master Wei.." Lan Xichen nodded before making his way to the door. "This will be a very dangerous fight, and so we must bring only the best disciples with us."

"Young Master Wei, Wangji, bring only those whom you trust are the strongest. I will put my faith in your decision."

"Yes!"

* * *

The murky waters of Biling Lake were shrouded with a thin shawl of mist, further increasing the eerie atmosphere that hung within the air; no one dared to move, not allowing a single word to escape as they surveyed the area.

Lan Xichen noticed the tide getting harsher and harsher by the second, and so he exclaimed with cautious eyes, "Everyone, be careful. I sense something ominous approaching us..."

Wei Wuxian nodded with an equally serious expression, to which Jiang Wanyin pulled a look to. He felt the presence of resentful energy linger at the very tip of his fingertips, the familiar feeling a mass of compressing weight on his shoulders. He narrowed his eyes, resisting the tempting urge to feel it, to touch it and hold it in his palms, to let it wrap around his wrists, his body.

Wei Wuxian turned to face his companion, Lan Wangji, but startled after noticing that the latter had already been looking at him. They both shared a moment of understanding; their gold and silver irises connecting for a brief moment before Wei Wuxian called "Lan Zhan, look at me!" He then used his oar to produce an enormous wave that overturned the other boat. Lan Wangji didn't appear angry in the slightest as he leaped into the air and boarded Wei Wuxian's boat with ease.

"Thank you, Wei Ying." He said in a small mumble.

Wei Wuxian simply smiled, however, he couldn't help but notice the way Jiang Wanyin's entire body was leaning back in an exaggerated manner, staring at him like he's crazy. Wei Wuxian shrugged and then mouthed, "What?"

A junior Lan disciple exclaimed, "What's that?!"

Wei Wuxian's gaze snapped back to the boat, where two water ghouls had been desperately latching onto it. However, the moment they were spotted, they smoothly slid back into the water, their slimy bodies leaving a trail across the wood. "Oh, them? They're water ghouls. Though, shouldn't you already know that? I mean, you're a Lan, after all."

"Don't mind Xiao San, he's new to the sect," Another senior replied.

"Ew," 'Xiao San' commented. "They're ugly."

Wei Wuxian could no longer hold in a snort at the Lan's comment, although immediately straightened up his posture when Lan Xichen asked suspiciously, "Young Master Wei, how did you know it was under Wangji's boat?"

He subconsciously stroked the back of his neck and replied slowly, "Well, Zewu-Jun, the movement just looked strange."

"What's strange?"

"Well..." Wei Wuxian sheepishly continued, "Just now, his boat had one person on it, but it sank deeper than a boat that carried two people.." Although he was once accustomed to boasting his accomplishments to everyone with impenetrable thick skin, following both his rise and downfall as the Yiling Patriarch, praise and advice-seekers came rare to him.

He told them a half-truth, at least. After all, how could he say that he sensed it without exposing himself as a (former) demonic cultivator?

And then suddenly, three water ghouls leaped out of the waters and threw themselves onto a boat that held two terrified Lan disciples. They shrieked in fear, the trembling of their arms overcoming the will to fight, but before the water ghouls could strike in an attack, Lan Wangji unsheathed Bichen and used his qi to send it through the slimy bodies in one fell swoop.

"Thank you, Second Young Master Lan!" The disciples commended.

Lan Wangji simply nodded before noticing that Wei Wuxian's sword, too, had been sent into the distance towards the very same boat and was finishing off the creatures.

Lan Wangji lowered his eyelashes subtly, "Thank you."

Wei Wuxian pursed his lips, "You're saying 'thank you' so many times today... how weird."

"What's the name of your sword?" Lan Wangji asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Wei Wuxian replied with a shrug, "Suibian."

Lan Wangji stayed silent, as if he was still waiting for an answer.

Wei Ying clicked his tongue, once again replying slowly. "Sui-bian."

Lan Wangji's blank stare was surely a sight to see, and had Wei Wuxian practically rolling around in hysterics. You see, when Wei Wuxian was of age and finally received his spiritual sword, Jiang Fengmian asked him what he wished to name it. Wei Wuxian had compiled many cool names that he liked, although thought them unfit to be the name of his one and only spiritual sword. So he told Jiang Fengmian to name it whatever. Who would have guessed that when he received his sword, the characters 'Suibian' would be engraved onto it?!

He told Lan Wangji this, who merely nodded in understanding before turning away. 'Eh? Shouldn't Lan Zhan be telling me it's unethical and improper? Why does he seem so.. So unaffected?!'

'Come to think of it, Lan Zhan has been very weird recently... who would know why? It's not like anyone other than his brother can read him...'

'How weird...'