Once upon a lifetime

Caution - Part three

Out of all the things Wei Wuxian expected Lan Wangji to say, that was certainly something he hadn't expected.

"He was looking right at you?" he repeated, furrowing his eyebrows. Wen Zhuliu, as Wei Wuxian knew him from their previous life, was incredibly loyal to the Wen Clan, enough to lose his life protecting Wen Chao. He had always wondered why Wen Zhuliu had shown such respect to Madam Yu, so just why had he let them stay hiding while knowing they were of the enemy?

"Lan Zhan, do you think... Wen Zhuliu also remembers?" Wei Wuxian didn't need to elaborate for Lan Wangji to instantly understand what he was referring to. The thought that someone else remembered the previous world was frankly terrifying, and the thought had crossed Wei Wuxian's mind far too many times to count.

"No," said Lan Wangji. "His eyes... they weren't resentful. Just neutral, as though..."

Lan Wangji seemed to struggle to find the words, but he didn't even need to finish before he was being interrupted by a loud, resounding crash of cracking stone.

"Not good!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, unsheathing Suibian in an instant. Lan Wangji was already clutching onto Bichen and they both dashed across the temple, making it to the other end just in time as the Fairy Maiden Statue dropped her large foot in the empty space they had resided, making a large crater in the floor.

"My talisman... was so easily destroyed by Wen Chao!" Wei Wuxian practically sobbed, not at all fazed by the large figure looming over the cave.

Lan Wangji exhaled softly in exasperation. "Not easily. Wei Ying had only placed half of them. Besides, your talismans are unparalleled."

"Thank you, Lan Zhan–" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, ducking under the Fairy Statue's curled fist.

"–But should you really be saying compliments when we are mid-battle?!" And he leapt towards the statue, thrusting suibian right into the side of its torso.

The statue's hand swept towards him instantaneously, but Wei Wuxian was faster: He placed his feet on the stone for leverage and propelled himself off, twisting Suibian deeply into the stone before wrenching it outwards as he was sent flying across the temple. The sword had been infused with pure qi, yet all it had managed to do was destroy a small fraction, and Wei Wuxian was visibly displeased by this new development.

"Hey! I spent ages specialising the condensation of qi! Why is it so ineffective?!"

Lan Wangji spared him a glance before waving his sleeve, and with a burst of light his guqin faded into existence before him. His long, pale fingers found the strings at once and they plucked a ferocious rhythm – fierce and domineering, with cold, specific commands that demanded obedience.

Wei Wuxian's hands dashed to his sash, but they came out empty and he found himself flailing to escape when the Fairy Maiden statue tried to strike him once more.

'Ah, I forgot! I haven't made Chenqing yet... Should I have made a flute beforehand, for situations like this?'

"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji exclaimed, and Wei Wuxian nodded. He increased his speed and dashed under the Fairy Maiden statue's arms, skidded just past her legs and managed to swipe the pile of talismans off the floor before he could get crushed under her feet.

When talismans are placed, of course, the targeted spell will take effect instantly once they are activated. However, Wei Wuxian's were incomplete, and were barely holding back the statue. When Wen Chao tried to destroy them, he scattered the qi inside, rendering them inactivated. Therefore, they weren't destroyed because of the state of incompleteness.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian called, and at once, Lan Wangji strummed the guqin fiercely, sending the statue stumbling backwards. That moment of disorientation was all Wei Wuxian needed, and he struck the air with his palm, the talismans flying to the statue and attacking it from all sides.