5 Heated Provocations

Wei Lan

With Lin Jing's also in Jin Guangyao's hands, none of them dared to try another attempt to escape, so to not put him at more risk. Already with no other way out of the situation, they simply sat in silence inside the temple for a minute or so as they watch the monks work in the digging of whatever the Chief Cultivator had hidden deep inside the earth.

However, it looked that silence was not really meant for the young brat sat at Lan Xichen's side, because he keep staring at Wei Ying with both anxiousness and curiosity and had already try to said something a few times, but chose to close his mouth after any word could get out of it.

Wei Ying smiled at the kid, obviously amused by the insecurity of his 'nephew', so Wei decided to take the initiative for him this time. It was not like there was anything else to do while becoming hostages and no room to get out of their predicament.

"What it is that you are itching to ask me?" Wei asked and Lin was at the defensive instantly. He certainly resemble his Uncle Jiang Cheng, been a short tempered man.

"Who said I wanted to ask you something?" Lin defy him, although with less confidence that he wish it.

"Then you open and close your mouth, because you want to become a fish?" Wei Ying almost laughed as the kid became red in the face with anger. He definitely took after Jiang Cheng.

"You... you..." Lin try to refute.

"Ah, come on, just ask. There is nothing to be embarrass about a question." Ying offered him.

"What's with your neck?" Jin Ling finally asked when he could not hold his curiosity any longer.

"I was your 'Little Uncle' hostage before you were caught. Jin Ling, just what were you doing out at this hour of the night?" The kid snorted, ignoring the question, because it will be a bit embarrassing to tell him that Lan Sizhui and he had ran away after them when they find out that both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, along with Wei Ning were gone from the Lotus Pier.

"That's not your problem!" Jin yelled.

"Why you..." Wei almost yelled, but in that instant a very strong gust of wind open the door of the temple, turning off all the candles and leaving the place in pure darkness. Wei unconsciously grabbed Lan Zhan's hand at his knee, as the wind came in like in a small storm and Wangji squeeze his back for reassurance. Soon, the ones making guard outside the temple close the door and Jin Guangyao used a fire talisman to rekindle the candles. Then, there was a nock in the door.

"Who is it?" The Chief Cultivator asked right in front of the door. Outside, only the sound of a wind and the occasional thunder could be heard, so Jin doubted there was someone else outside his control.

"Clan Leader, it's me." Ah, it was Minshan, Jin thought and let him in, however he was a little surprise to see him carrying someone else that it turn out to be Huaisang.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jin asked to Minshan in a controlled tone.

"I found him on my way here and I thought it will be useful." Su answer.

"Did you hurt him?" Lin asked as he watched the unconscious man in the floor.

"He fainted from fear." Lan Xichen was once again beyond shock and even more ashamed to have been fooled for so long, to a point he was simply blinded by lies and pretty words. Obviously, if Guangyao dared to threaten his nephew, Jin Ling who was only a youth, he could not expect any better for the Nie Clan Leader. His disappointment apparently, was only to grow bigger as the hours passed and he only hoped he will be able to endure it.

Clan Leader Su then notice the presence of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian in the opposite side of Lan Xichen and the brat. Just by seen the Light Bearing Lord, with his cold front, make Su's blood boil and he even pull his sword a few inches out, but seen that the Clan Leader was fine with their presence, he sheathed back. Still, when Guangyao went away to supervise the digging, he came closer to the pair. He hated both of them with due passion, but specially Lan Wangji, with his arrogant attitude.

"How does it feels when things are turn out this way? Who is the one been cornered now?" Su said mockingly, yet Wei Ying smirked.

"I fail to see how things had turned out any different from before. Back in the Burial Mounds, you were running with your tail between your legs, exposed and afraid of what the Clans will do to you while outnumbered and as for now, your Leader is the one running away here to Yinping City, afraid he will go down the same way Wen Ruohan did, hunted down by the Clans. He even took hostages, just in case his escape fails, isn't that cowardly of you both? Why taking pride while you are still as cornered as before? Don't make me laugh." Wei said, almost spiting the words and the enraged Su unsheathed his sword to strike Wei Wuxian, but Lan Wangji moved faster and held Bichen in front of Wei protectively, his gaze upon Su quite fierce.

There was no mistake in Wangji's killing intent, Lan Xichen knew it at his heart, if Su so dare to try hurt Wei Wuxian, especially now that they seem to have a more romantic relationship, his brother will strike without hesitation. Thus knew he needed to intervene before blood could run free. His brother was strong and skilled, even without his spiritual power, for which he could overpower Clan Leader Su quite easily without the need to unsheathe Bichen.

"Clan Leader Su!" Xichen shouted, alarmed of the heated tempers, yet Wangji and Su stared at each other for a long minute before Wei Ying decided to intervene as well. He had been the one who provoke him, after all and although he loved Lan Zhan more and more for defend him in such a way, so stubbornly and fearless, they were at a disadvantage in that place. Thus, this time it was his turn to calm down Lan Zhan's protective instincts.

"Lan Zhan... it's okay... he is not really going to strike me." Wei whisper to him, putting his hand over his extended arm, but still, Wangji didn't want to give in to anyone who will dare to put a sword in front of Wei Ying and even less a traitorous man like Su. It had been bad enough to see Wei get hurt by the string right in front of his eyes, unable to do anything but watch as drops of his blood were spilled, to allow someone who didn't even deserved to be named to try hurt him too. Hell will freeze over before that happen a second time.

"I will not let anyone else hurt you." Wangji said with cold calm, as the sound of the heavy rain and thunders resonate inside the temple. Jin Ling was actually at loss of what to do about the scene been played in front of him. He didn't wanted for Wei Wuxian to be hurt again, mostly because he felt guilty for stabbing him in an moment of rage when there was a possibility Wei Wuxian may not be as guilty about his father death as he was make believe. Yet, Lan Wangji was like a walking shield that will block anything that came in the Yiling Patriarch's path, so he should leave his safety to him, because he could not think in someone else who will do it better than the Light Bearing Lord, which was always at his side.

"Sect Leader Su, the Chief Cultivator had Lan Xichen in high esteem even now, that I believe you don't want to tarnish it, by doing something to Lan Zhan. We all know the Twin Jades of the Lan Clan are quite close. Am I right?" Wei asked and Su grabbed his sword with even more strength, yet he knew better than to anger the Clan Leader, who had support him so unconditionally for so many years. So, reluctantly, Su put down his sword and after he sheathed back where it belong, Lan Zhan put down Bishen, although ready to strike at any moment. Wei smiled, quite pleased with his now lover, which gave Su more fuel to his fury.

"Who would had though that the Yiling Patriarch will fear death this much? Aren't you ashamed of hiding behind this arrogant man when you should be the one striking fear to both the living and the dead?" Wei laughed.

"Ah, Clan leader Su. How is Lan Zhan arrogant? Please enlighten me." Wei asked casually.

"Isn't he so full of himself just because he was so talented since childhood? Acting as he is so much bigger than others, just like most members of the Four Families." Wei smirked.

"I agree most Clan members, especially those of high status are indeed arrogant, but that obviously excluded the Guso Lan Clan. You should know, as a former member, that one of the rules clearly said that arrogance is forbidden and that Lan Zhan is highly known for been a role model to all students. How could he be consider arrogant?" Wei asked again, ignoring Lan Zhan's gaze on him. If he were to look at him now, he will see that penetrating gaze he had at times, that clearly said 'I love you' without the need of the words and he will get lost in it without hope of coming back.

"How do you know about the Guso Lan Clan rules?" Jin Ling asked curiously, taking the conversation to less dangerous waters.

"Oh I should know, I write them for a whole month as punish for braking one or two rules." Wei said so casually that Lan Wangji showed the faint of a smile no one notice expect his brother. It was obvious to Xichen that his brother was in fact amused with Wei Wuxian mischievousness, which was probably the reason the Yiling Patriarch had stolen his heart so fully in such a short amount of time when they were younger.

"Just how many times where you punished?" Ling asked and Wei smiled.

"Too many for you to follow my steps when the time comes." Wei responded.

"As if I will want to follow your steps. So shameless." Jin Ling said, looking at his side in a mock indignation, yet Su had enough of the chit chat.

"Be quiet! You are as arrogant as him!" Su yelled pointing at Wangji and Wei smiled even wider.

"Contrary to Lan Zhan, who had been unfortunately mistaken for arrogant when he was only cold to anyone since childhood, I am indeed, quite something. So, it's just your luck that you didn't study in the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, otherwise you would had been angered to death by me in the very first week."

"Shut up!" Su yelled, ready to try to strike Wei Wuxian with his sword a second time, but at that moment, they all heard a noise coming from the outside. Been the sound of a fight, Su hastily went to the door to see what was going on outside the Temple, but just before he was going to open the door, it was stroked by a purple lighting, which hit him straight in his chest, sending him backward and falling on the ground with great force.

Outside, illuminated by the light of the lightings from the rain storm, stood Jiang Cheng in the flesh, wilding Zidian in its full glory. Seen the new comer, Wei remember of the reason they departed so suddenly from the Lotus Pier and all the hurtful things Jiang had said to both Lan Zhan and him. He wondered just how he found the temple. Was he following Jin Ling? Or was it them? Was his grudge against him deep enough to make every encounter between them an emotional living hell?

"Wei Ying..." Lan Zhan's voice took Wei out of his inner turmoil, at the same time he felt the Light Bearing Lord hand rest over one of his knees in support for what Wangji knew was a hard encounter in the worse circumstances, but as Wei focus back in the outside, his gaze met with that of Jiang Cheng and he found a different kind of man looking back at him, with a raging storm reflecting in his eyes as well as his body. Jiang looked tired, but so was him and that was something that didn't go unnoticed by Jin Guangyao, who smiled, already seen the huge fissure that separate the once sworn brothers.

Oh, he was going to have so much fun breaking their bond even further.

AN: Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy this one too. Until next time. 👍😄😙💖💖💖