Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy this next chapter :)

Beta: JeanGirlMY

- Chapter Start -

Wei Ying's complaints turned to chuckles as he and Lan Zhan walked back to the main buildings. He doubted Wen Ning realised what he had inadvertently disclosed. GuangYao did though, Wei Ying was sure of it.

"Jiang Cheng is bolder than I thought," he declared. "I never expected he would dare remove his robes in front of a female."

"Mn."

"Then again," Wei Ying continued, swinging their joined hands lightly, "it's not like Wen Qing hasn't seen his chest before."

He stopped abruptly, both the walking and the hand swinging. He had told Lan Zhan that the past lay in the past yet here he was, bringing it up himself.

"During the core transfer?" Lan Zhan asked, turning to face him.

"Yeah."

Lan Zhan glanced back at the guestrooms and turned back to Wei Ying.

"Wei Ying has a new golden core, thanks to Jiang WanYin. I am deeply grateful to him."

"And I'm grateful to all of you." Wei Ying's smile felt a little wobbly on his lips and he had to blink a few times. The enormous amount of spiritual energy channeled through him this morning must have created new tear ducts because his eyes kept watering. Although he supposed no one could blame him for feeling a bit emotional after what happened.

"Anyway!" He pasted a smile on his face and resumed walking, tugging Lan Zhan along. "I shouldn't have teased him like that. But it's so much fun!"

"Mn."

Seeing Lan Zhan's perplexed expression made Wei Ying want to giggle.

"Wen Qing will kill me if I overdo it though. Did you see how hard she shoved me earlier?"

"Mn."

"Luckily you were there to catch me."

"Will always catch Wei Ying."

- o -

Wen Qing and Jiang Cheng reached the main courtyard just before the Lanling Jin visitors arrived. Jiang Cheng looked better with the redness of his skin starting to fade. He also looked ecstatic.

Wei Ying couldn't help grinning when Wen Qing excused herself and Jiang Cheng grabbed her hand, raising it to his lips before releasing it. It wasn't until she walked past him that Wei Ying spotted two jade hairpins in her hair. He was sure she didn't have those on earlier.

Shijie and the peacock arrived not long after that, accompanied - to no one's pleasure - by the disagreeable Jin ZiXun.

"Why's he here?" Wei Ying muttered, nudging Jiang Cheng's arm with his elbow.

"No idea, but don't make a scene," Jiang Cheng muttered back.

While the others exchanged formal greetings, YanLi rushed forward, her eyes worried.

"A-Cheng, A-Xian!"

Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng stepped forward as well, arms outstretched.

"Shijie!"

"A-Jie."

The three siblings met in a tight three way hug. To Wei Ying's consternation, his eyes started prickling again. He buried his face in Shijie's sweet smelling hair and took deep breaths until he was composed enough to lift his head. The Twin Jades wore pleased expressions, Jin ZiXuan had on a resigned one, while Jin ZiXun looked annoyed.

When the siblings parted, Shijie searched her brothers' faces, a fair hand cupping each of their cheeks.

"I was so scared when I heard about the explosion."

"Ah, it was nothing, Shijie," Wei Ying said with a smile.

"We're still alive," Jiang Cheng added.

They might not see eye to eye on everything, but allaying Jiang YanLi's fears was one thing they always agreed on.

"So the Stygian Tiger Seal is destroyed? You look pale, A-Xian. And you, A-Cheng, you look... flushed."

"We're both fine, A-Jie, don't worry," Jiang Cheng assured her.

"Oh, we also have good news!" Wei Ying announced. Before he could say anymore, the peacock stepped forward.

"It's good to see you again, Sect Leader Jiang, Young Master Wei," he greeted with a bow. "Please know that we are eager to welcome you to Koi Tower anytime to return your kind hospitality. My mother wishes the same."

Jin ZiXun stepped forward.

"Sect Leader Jin is a busy man with many responsibilities and demands on his time," he bit out. "Surely you don't expect him to drop everything to bring his wife here each time something happens?"

Wei Ying's eyebrows rose at that, as did Jiang Cheng's.

"That's not what I meant," ZiXuan quickly said, shooting his cousin an exasperated look. "A-Li has decorated the spare pavilion next to ours for receiving her personal guests. She would be happy to show it to you."

Wei Ying noted the faint shadows under the peacock's eyes. Jin ZiXuan hadn't been sect leader for even a whole month. It wasn't a drastic step up like Jiang Cheng's had been two years ago, but it can't have been easy either. LanLing Jin internal politics were well known.

"You're right," Wei Ying said. "It'll be our turn to visit next."

"But your wedding to HanGuang Jun is coming up so we'll still visit you first," Shijie teased with a smile.

Wei Ying beamed at her.

"In that case, why don't Lan Zhan and I have our honeymoon at Koi Tower?" He suggested.

Shijie hid a laugh and glanced at her husband who looked horrified at the prospect of having a newly married couple so near their rooms.

Giving Wei Ying a sharp nudge, Jiang Cheng cleared his throat.

"I'm sure the pavilion is beautiful, A-Jie," he said.

"Thank you. ZiXuan had a lotus pond added and even planted the lotuses himself."

"Oh? I'm impressed," Wei Ying's eyebrows went up. "You actually got those lily white hands of yours dirty?"

ZiXuan gave a tight nod, but his cousin scowled at once.

"Know a lot about dirt, don't you?" He sneered at Wei Ying.

"I sure do," Wei Ying replied cheerfully. "In fact, there's a lot of it back at the Burial Mounds. Let me know when you want the full tour."

ZiXun glared at him, but his glower shifted to alarm when he looked past them. Wei Ying glanced over his shoulder to see Master Lan approaching them with XiChen-xiong and GuangYao.

After exchanging another set of greetings, Master Lan turned to ZiXun.

"I admit I didn't expect you to return so soon. Since I have the rest of the afternoon free, we shall go over the next five hundred rules."

Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng snickered as Jin ZiXun's posture went rigid with embarrassment.

"That isn't necessary, Senior Lan. Sect Leader Jin and I can't stay long," he said and glanced at ZiXuan who ignored him. Then he turned to GuangYao, eyes narrowing at the elaborate silver hair clasp.

"GuangYao, you appear to be fully recovered."

GuangYao gave a polite bow.

"Thanks to ZeWu Jun and Healer Wen," he said.

"Oh, that's right. All the Wen do-"

Zidian crackled as Jiang Cheng stepped forward and glowered at him.

"Have a care how you speak about my fiancee's family," he said tightly.

"Who is also my extended family," Wei Ying declared, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Then he frowned. "Wait. Fiancee?"

Jin ZiXun's lips twisted like he had eaten something sour. He glanced at ZiXuan who shook his head in warning, huffed in annoyance and turned to Master Lan instead.

"In that case, allow me to congratulate you, Senior Lan, for opening your home to the notorious Yiling Patriarch and the son of a prostitute."

"Jin ZiXun!"

"That is enough!"

Shijie, the peacock and XiChen-xiong's angry voices sounded at the same time. XiChen-xiong even stepped forward, his face as cold as Wei Ying had ever seen. On the other hand, GuangYao took a step back, his face turning blank.

"The Yiling Patriarch, hmm?" Master Lan stroked his goatee, looking thoughtful. "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

As Jiang Cheng snorted in surprise, Wei Ying grinned at the Twin Jades, recalling how Chen-yishi had teased Master Lan with that before.

"And the son of a prostitute? Does that have a nice ring too?" ZiXun sneered.

"ZiXun, I'm warning you." ZiXuan glared at him.

Master Lan's face then took on a coldness worthy of Lan Zhan's best.

"Jin ZiXun, it seems your memory is failing you. Your uncle Jin GuangShan was slow to show his face during the Sunshot Campaign. It was WuXian who turned the tide for us against Wen RuoHan's undead army. It was GuangYao who spied for us at great peril to himself, and the one who ended Wen RuoHan's life."

Wei Ying glanced at GuangYao who looked stunned and then at Jin ZiXun who looked flabbergasted.

"For two heroes to join Gusu Lan," Master Lan stroked his goatee again and nodded, "I am not displeased."

Wei Ying didn't know if it was the words he used or the satisfied tone in Master Lan's voice, but he started tearing up again. He struggled to control himself as Master Lan narrowed his eyes at ZiXun.

"Since you can't even recall that much, we shall go through the Wall of Discipline from the top. What say you, XiChen? WangJi?"

"You're right, uncle," XiChen-xiong replied at once, looking pink faced and dewy eyed.

"Mn. Uncle is right," Lan Zhan added.

"Most definitely, Uncle QiRen!" Wei Ying chirped before snapping his mouth shut.

Oops, had he said that aloud?

"Uncle?!" ZiXun squawked, looking outraged.

Apparently he had. Wei Ying didn't dare look at Master Lan now.

"Indeed, I will gain two more nephews by the end of the week," Master Lan said in a crisp tone. "If you are interested to apply, Jin ZiXun, I will have to disappoint you. I have no more unattached nephews and only accept worthy and courageous candidates."

Oh.

No.

That was an incredibly wonderful burn, but extremely ill timed. Wei Ying's eyes watered again. Blinking rapidly, he looked around at the others.

The Twin Jades were beaming, even Lan Zhan, as they stood tall and proud.

Jin ZiXuan was shaking his head while giving his cousin a dry 'You asked for that' look while Shijie trembled by his side, hiding her laughter behind her sleeve.

Jiang Cheng gave a loud snort and elbowed Wei Ying hard in the side.

GuangYao looked radiant.

And Jin ZiXun's face turned redder than Jiang Cheng's best as he sputtered in outrage.

ZiXuan cleared his throat.

"How fortunate as I still require my cousin's assistance, Master Lan. I will bring him to the Wall of Discipline where you may have an hour with him before we depart. Please wait for me here, A-Li."

"Very well, Sect Leader Jin." QiRen inclined his head graciously, but as soon as the two cousins were out of sight, he exhaled and looked rather unhappy.

"How many rules have I broken?" He muttered. "That was a shameful lack of self-discipline."

Wei Ying barely heard a word, still struggling to control himself. Perhaps he was just tired or overwhelmed with the excitement of growing a new golden core again, but his tears were flowing and his chest was heaving.

He...

He just...

He just wanted...

- o -

QiRen's mouth fell open when a sobbing Wei WuXian took two stumbling steps towards him and threw his arms around his neck.

"What - Wei WuXian, what are you doing?!"

Nothing happened except for the two arms tightening around him.

"Stop this nonsense at once!"

That didn't work either.

QiRen shot a panicked look at his two nephews standing there and looking - just looking - at him. GuangYao looked stunned, Sect Leader Jiang looked appalled and Young Madam Jin had the most joyful smile on her face.

"What do I do?" QiRen whispered.

"Hug him back, uncle," XiChen advised.

"Mn," WangJi agreed.

Hesitantly, QiRen brought his arms up and placed his hands on WuXian's back.

"Too skinny," he muttered. "You need more nutritious food, not those ridiculous ulcer causing hot peppers. Especially now that you have to care for a new-"

He snapped his mouth shut, mortified that he was babbling of all things, and tightened his hold on the boy, half afraid he would actually hurt him. He didn't see Young Madam Jin mouthing 'Care for a new what?' to her husband or Sect Leader Jiang facepalming himself.

When WuXian just clung to him even tighter, QiRen suddenly remembered he was wearing one of his formal silk robes.

"Enough." He gripped WuXian's shoulders and pulled him away before releasing him.

WuXian stared at him with a mess of tears and snot on his face. With a watery smile, he lifted one arm, presumably to wipe his face on his sleeve. Before the horror QiRen felt could dawn on his face, a snowy cloth appeared between them.

"Wei Ying."

As QiRen took a judicious step back, WuXian grabbed the cloth, mopped his face clean and blew his nose which probably felt very satisfactory to him but sounded completely awful to the others. Then he gave a radiant smile, eyelashes spiky and the tip of his nose red.

"Uncle QiRen," he said just because he could.

"Hmph! Don't wear out my name," QiRen felt obliged to say.

WuXian, incorrigible rascal that he was, only laughed.

"Oh, I intend to, Uncle QiRen!" Turning to to GuangYao who was still wide eyed, he beckoned him over. "Join me, GuangYao?"

GuangYao hurriedly shook his head and took a step back.

"Young Master Wei, I shouldn't."

Undeterred, WuXian took a step towards him, grabbed his arm and urged him forward.

"You should hug him too," he said in a loud whisper.

"That's enough mischief from you, Wei WuXian," QiRen scolded and sighed when GuangYao stumbled to a stop before him, thanks to a discreet push in the back by XiChen.

Without a word, GuangYao tipped his head forward until his forehead rested against QiRen's chest. With a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, QiRen rested his hands on GuangYao's back, but the boy didn't move, forehead still stuck to QiRen's chest.

Beaming, Wei Yin turned and handed the soiled cloth to WangJi.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan."

"No need for thank you or sorry between us." WangJi folded up the cloth and tucked it back inside his sleeve.

"Love Lan Zhan."

"Love Wei Ying."

"Oh, for the love of..." Sect Leader Jiang sounded like he had had enough.

After a moment, GuangYao carefully retreated, head still down.

"Very well. It's time I-" QiRen broke off and wobbled as something small slammed into his leg and latched on. He looked down in surprise.

"Xian-gege hugged Rich Uncle. Pretty-gege hugged Rich Uncle. A-Yuan can also hug Rich Uncle!"

As warm laughter broke out, A-Yuan beamed up at QiRen.

"Aiya, A-Yuan!" Still sniffling a bit, WuXian beckoned a hand. "Don't disturb Rich Uncle. Come here."

A-Yuan shook his head.

"Busy hugging Rich Uncle."

"Hmmph!" QiRen reached down and lifted A-Yuan, settling him on his hip.

"A-Yuan, is it? The correct term to address me is 'Grand uncle'."

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it and take care :)