INTERTWINED (WangXian)

15. Push and Pull

Wei ying's eyes were busy capturing his Lan zhan who seemed to be busy listening to Lan qiren's lecture. They were informed that they will be taken to their first night hunt by tomorrow. During the class, Lan zhan looked at Wei ying a few times but there was a bit of hesitation which Wei ying did not fail to notice. Unlike everyday, Lan zhan headed out of the class before everyone, Wei ying and Lan yi followed him but Lan zhan looked like he was determined to avoid them. Wei ying stopped at one point and looked at the disappearing figure. The figure stopped, giving a tiny hope to Wei ying, but the hope died down when Lan zhan resumed after turning back and giving him a last look.

That look was different from how it was the previous day when their eyes met near the door.

'Not again'

Wei ying's heart was helpless.

'Haven't you got used to this by now, Wei ying?' he questioned himself.

'What went wrong?'

With these thoughts Wei ying walked away not knowing that his siblings were walking behind him calling his name.

Yanli and Jiang cheng felt as helpless as Wei ying. They cannot talk to Lan zhan as Wei ying has not confessed his feelings though people could clearly see the love Wei ying showed through his actions. They did not know how to comfort Wei ying and Yanli's soup could not heal Wei ying's broken heart.

At the Night hunt

The disciples were taken by Xichen and qiren to a forest. The forest seemed normal and they were informed that they would be fighting only the living corpses since it was their first time in cloud recesses. Looking at the few disciples who were hiding behind the others, Qiren decided to pair up each disciple making them two. Unfortunately Wei ying ended up with Lan yi and Lan zhan with mianmian.

Wei ying was smiling like a kid as he liked games, especially with monsters. Deep down he had a fear about exposing his dark energy but he was glad that the living corpses were a piece of cake for him and that should not be a concern. Eventually he forgot about the threat which accompanied him.

Since the forest space was vast, people started moving further and qiren and Xichen could not keep an eye on everyone. And they had high hopes on their disciples so they did not bother.

Wei ying felt it again. The dark energy. The dark energy which got attracted to him in the village, when he followed Lan zhan with huaisang. He decided to trace it and Lan yi was searching for Lan zhan. She followed Wei ying but her thoughts were around Lan zhan. They destroyed a few living corpses in their path.

Wei ying found himself in the midst of a small array which he did not understand. He was not taught about arrays as they were prohibited. As he was busy looking keenly into it, he heard a loud scream. And it was Lan yi's. He saw Lan yi screaming looking in his direction. He knew it was not about the living corpses as earlier he saw Lan yi dealing with them smoothly. He pulled out his chen qing taking quick steps towards Lan yi. As he was about to reach her, a lightning force invaded his body from behind, throwing him away in the air. The force was so strong that he could not retaliate,but thanks to his hybrid core, he did not end up getting qi deviation. He collided with a tree branch and made a landing on the ground. He kept his chen qing back to its place and the sight he saw after getting up, made his heart crumble into pieces.

It was his Lan zhan. His Lan zhan stood there, holding his guqin against him. Now he knew the owner of the lightning power who threw him away. But that was not the thing that pained him, it was that his Lan zhan stood there protecting Lan yi from him.

'But why?' 'Am I a threat?'

Others heard the scream and gathered to the spot.

"I-I ss-aw something there" Lan yi stuttered pointing to the spot where Wei ying stood before. They failed to notice the shocked Wei ying who was few meters away from them.

Xichen and Qiren observed the spot and they felt the presence of dark energy but nothing more could be found. Lan zhan helped Lan yi to calm down and took her from there after informing his uncle.

Everyone returned to cloud recesses and Wei ying could not sleep. He was sure that he did not use his dark energy, he was sure that there was nothing other than him when Lan yi screamed. More than anything his heart was troubled thinking why his Lan zhan hurt him.

The previous day after class

Lan yi was restless thinking why she had to use Wei ying's name to talk to Lan zhan. She did not wanted to reveal the truth that Wei ying loves Lan zhan. But Lan zhan would not believe if she tells him about the dark energy incident. Comparing both the things, the dark energy incident would be advantageous to her. So she decided to tell Lan zhan about it in the garden.

Lan zhan's pov

Lan yi told me something that shocked me. She said Wei ying is practising dark arts. But I did not wanted to believe in what she said. She told me that she already brought uncle to the place once and now she had no one to trust her. A fear creeped into my mind. What if she tells others. What will happen to my Wei ying. A single gossip about Wei ying and dark energy, he will be banned from entering my sect. So listening to her patiently was the temporary solution I had. But I must find out the truth.

I arrived at the place she told me. I know the nooks and corners of cloud recesses and it's surroundings. Even the hideout which wei ying has, which his friends believes no one else knows. She told me that he comes here everyday at night. And coincidentally I had never seen Wei ying in that duration while waiting in night watch tower. Whatever the case is I must protect him.

I watched the space for him for hours, but I did not know how he managed to escape my eyes until he reached the tree. Yes, and that is Wei ying. He is capable of doing anything. And that must be the reason I did not get to know his daily visit here, until Lan yi told me. He sat, relaxing his body comfortably in the tree branch, his robes waving in air, his hair dancing with the wind as his face glowed in the moonlight. His lips blessing his flute by touching it and a seductive smile played in his lips as he blew it. 'Alluring'

My heart stiffened, yes I stopped breathing.

How I wish he could bless my lips. How much I envy his flute. How hard it is to control myself from going to him.

I can never take my eyes off him. Something hindered my eyes from seeing him, the dark energy which emitted in the form of smoke.

'Now I remember the reason why I came here'

Yes I am shocked. I do not even wish to imagine Wei ying leaving cloud recesses. I do not want anyone to harm him. I do not know how to approach him to clear this. I have not even told him how I feel about him. As I battled with my mind, he left the place swiftly like air.