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'Stupid...I'm so stupid...' Wei WuHui glared into the night sky as she blew out a puff of smoke after inhaling from her smoking pipe.

'I thought I am strong enough to withstand the temptation but...guess I was wrong' she then glanced down at Chénqíng, her black bamboo dízi.

"A-Yáng." Her eyes widened and she turned down below the tree branch, finding Lan XiChen staring back at her with his unforgettable soft-honey brown eyes. Eyes that makes her feel...peaceful.

"Lan XiChen, what are you doing here at this time?" Wei WuHui asked, raising a brow at the young master.

"Wei-Gongzi said he didn't see you in your tent and you missed out dinner." Lan XiChen said with his usual smile as he walked toward the tall tree where she was resting against above, and went to sat against the trunk. "I...we were worried."

Wei WuHui remained silent before huffing as she took another puff. "Wasn't feeling that hungry. Tell Gege I will sleep out here for the night."

"I'm sure Wei-Gongzi wouldn't like that." Lan XiChen retorted softly.

The pair sat in silence afterward, basking in the sound of the cicadas with the full moon looming above them.

Then, a soft melody began to play.

Wei WuHui looked down and found Lan XiChen playing his Xiao with a serene expression on his face and eyes closed.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

'It sounds beautiful...this song' Wei WuHui couldn't help but think as her ears continued to be blessed by Lan XiChen's playing.

Eventually, the song slowly came to an end as Lan XiChen gave one final note before putting down his flute.

"The song...did you compose it?" Wei WuHui asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Yes, I did. What do you think of it?" Lan XiChen asked eagerly.

Wei WuHui smiled warmly. "It was beautiful."

Lan XiChen felt his heart fluttering at the praise as a great big grin grew on his face. "Thank you, A-Yáng."

Wei WuHui looked down at the beautiful man below her before remembering how harsh she treated him the moment she returned. Guilt filled her heart as she clenched her hands tightly. "Lan Huan...I'm sorry."

"Hm? For what?" Lan XiChen asked in confusion.

"The first thing I did was yell at you and pushed you away. I didn't mean to do that so...I'm sorry." Wei WuHui explained solemnly.

Lan XiChen stared up at the women that he had fell in love with, the very woman who could make his heart skipped a beat for. His fated one. "A-Yáng, it's okay. We were in an aftermath of a battle and there were still tension in the air. You didn't need to apologise."

Wei WuHui blinked at how easy the young master accepted her apology before chuckling. "You're too easy to forgive, I swear." Before deciding it was time to jump down to joined him on the ground.

"And that's a bad thing?" Lan XiChen chuckled.

Wei WuHui shrugged teasingly. "Depends."

Which caused both of them to laughed together for a short moment.

"Thank you...for coming here." Wei WuHui smiled before gesturing the male to come closer.

Curious, Lan XiChen complied to her request as he stood up to walked closer to the maiden.

A pair of petite hands reached up to cupped his cheeks before pulling him down gently as a soft pair of lip planted a kiss on his cheek.

Lan XiChen froze up the moment the soft contact hits his skin as the maiden leaned back with a mischievous grin as she gave him a wink. "Have a good night, A-Huan."

Before turning around to go back to the main areas while leaving behind a flustered Lan who touched his cheek that was kissed.

...left wanting for more.

———

The next time the pair met eyes with each other were on the bloody battlefield.

The final battle between the Wens and the Rebellion.

Wei WuHui's brows furrowed in concentration as she played Chenqing, commanding her undead soldiers as they aid the rebels.

The dead becoming undead along the way.

Meanwhile, protecting her sides, were Lan XiChen who remained closed to the maiden. Fighting off the enemies who tried to attacked her.

Also nearby, Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian were fighting as duo. Their black and white robes mixing with each other as they took turns to fight the Wens. The familiar crimson sword, WuJi, in Wei WuXian's left hand while his signature Suibian was in the other.

On the other side, his sister Lan ChunTao and Nie MingJian fought alongside Jiang Cheng and Jin ZiXuan as they handled their own portion of enemies.

"Lan Huan, go to Nie-Zongzhu! You need to back him up!" Wei WuHui exclaimed when pausing her playing. Turning to the Sect Leader Lan.

"But A-Yáng-." Lan XiChen tried to protest but the maiden shook her head firmly. Her grey eyes, now blazing red from using resentful energy, staring at him with sternness.

"You need to be there with him. He need help defeating Wen RuoHan." Wei WuHui reasoned before giving the young sect leader, a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

Lan XiChen still feel hesitant, eventually backed down as he nodded, giving the maiden one last look before making his way to join Nie MingJue.

Wei WuHui watched after Lan XiChen with concern for a few more moment before making her way back to playing when she suddenly felt chills running down her spine.

She slowly turned around and meeting her eyes were another pair of crimson red.

The familiar sight of Wen RiLuo, the last remaining children of Wen RuoHan's, stood in amidst the battlefield. Her eyes piercing through Wei WuHui's soul with sadistic glee.

"Finally. I have you in my grasp." Wen RiLuo's sickly sweet voice echoed in Wei WuHui's ears as the latter shuddered.

"I really thought you did died from my foolish Didi's hand but how surprised I was when it turned out to be false." Wen RiLuo continued to talk casually like there wasn't fallen bodies and bloods splatting around her. Her eyes trained onto the other maiden.

Wei WuHui slowly backed away, glancing around. 'Shit. I have no weapons beside my flute and the Amulet. Everyone else are too far for me to help' "You really chose the wrong moment for me to be defenceless. If you're wishing for a fight, then I'm afraid you'll end up, disappointed." She proclaimed.

That made Wen RiLuo burst out of crazed laughter as she covered half of her face. "Disappointed? I would never! Just seeing you in my sight is enough for me to feel...whole!" She declared, her piercing eyes staring from her hand, almost like they were glowing.

"With you within my grasp, I would be able to steal you away and make you my pet! Doesn't that sound wonderful? I don't care if Fuqin or my own disciples perish, all I care is making you...mine!" And with that final declaration, Wen RiLuo charged forward.

Wei WuHui barely dodged out of the way as a sharp blade skimmed past her cheek, making the littlest cut on her skin. She soon noticed that the sharp blade was really a small ring around Wen RiLuo's finger that had a blade equipped.

"You see, my dear pet, I'm completely different from a regular cultivator. I never wanted to fight with a boring sword, I like to entertain and be entertained," Wen RiLuo spoke again as her back was kept toward Wei WuHui. "You know, there are many ways to kill someone beside a stab or slash from a sword. But my most favourite out of all is the most unpredictable one."

Suddenly, her vision began to went blurry and all her limbs wobbled like a fawn. "W-Wha?" Was what she managed to get out of her mouth before she collapsed on her knees. "I-I can't see..."

"Poison is truly wonderful, isn't it? You can give to your enemy directly or indirectly. And it could go onto your choice of tool in any way!" She can hear Wen RiLuo's excited voice came closer. "Poison can do many things to your enemy. It can give them a slow death, place them in excruciating pain for limitless time, disable them of their senses or body. Just like what I just did to you."

Wei WuHui can feel her eyes widened as she tried to move desperately, trying to regain her limbs back.

"This type of poison in my ring can blind the victim temporarily, ridding of them their sight as well as paralysing their body." Wen RiLuo stared down at the struggling maiden with gleeful expression as she approached her.

'Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!' Utter dread is all she was feeling as she remained motionless. Like a puppet on strings.

'What am I suppose to do now?!'

TRANSLATION NOTE:

— 陈情 Chénqíng: to explain a situation or opinion in full detail

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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)