Hearing Lan Wangji's resolute response, Wei Wuxian finally set his mind at ease.
"Lan Zhan, go back now, and don't do anything foolish anymore. We'll see each other very soon," Wei Wuxian said.
"Alright, I'll wait for you," Lan Wangji replied.
Ghost City — Paradise Manor
"Hua Cheng, Xie Lian, I'm heading back to the mortal realm. You two can come look for me in Gusu anytime," Wei Wuxian said.
"So you've finally figured it out. Wonderful! We'll come visit you in Gusu then, and you'll have to treat me to some drinks!" Hua Cheng said with a smile.
"Deal, as much as you want. All you can drink," Wei Wuxian promised.
At these words, the three of them exchanged a smile.
Mo Family Village
Mo Xuanyu was still enacting the Sacrifice Curse. "With my flesh and blood, my soul and spirit, I summon the return of the Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian! Wei Wuxian, avenge me~~!"
Looking around Mo Xuanyu's room, Wei Wuxian was left speechless. "This is too pathetic. There isn't even a bed. Oh well, I won't be staying long anyway, so this will have to do."
As he stepped out of the room, Wei Wuxian ran into a servant, who started yelling even before Wei Wuxian could speak.
"Madman Mo, why did you come out? Huh, how come you aren't wearing that tattered mask of yours today?" the servant demanded.
"You're saying I wear a mask every single day?" Wei Wuxian asked.
"Right. Hurry up and get back inside, and don't cause any trouble. The mistress has invited immortal masters today to help get rid of evil spirits. If you dare make any trouble, I'll break your legs," the servant threatened.
Wei Wuxian went back into Mo Xuanyu's room, grabbed the mask, put it on his face, and walked out toward the front courtyard's main hall.
Seeing him head toward the front courtyard, the servant lunged forward to attack, but Wei Wuxian froze him in place with a spell.
In the front courtyard's main hall, a crowd had gathered at the entrance to watch. Inside, Madame Mo and her family were talking with a group of Lan Clan disciples wearing their signature uniform.
"Immortal masters, my older sister had a child whose biological father is a cultivator," Madame Mo explained. "A few years ago, he went to look for his family, only to be chased back. He's been completely mad ever since he returned. It must be him who brought these evil spirits upon our household."
"I'm here! I'm here!" Wei Wuxian ran into the hall, mimicking a madman's behavior. Spotting the Lan Clan disciples inside, he smiled slightly to himself. *I didn't expect to run into Lan Clan disciples the moment I came back. I wonder which one of them is A-Yuan.*
Seeing Wei Wuxian barge in, Mo Ziyuan angrily stepped forward to hit him, but Wei Wuxian quietly neutralized it with a spell.
"Madame Mo, we will set up a formation in the west courtyard shortly. We kindly ask everyone not to go over there," Lan Sizhui said.
Everything proceeded smoothly. In the west courtyard, Lan Sizhui and his disciples were setting up the formation. Wei Wuxian secretly picked up a Recruitment Flag to examine it, noticing that while the drawing technique was correct, the person who drew it lacked experience—though it would still do the job of attracting evil spirits within a five-mile radius. Elsewhere, Mo Ziyuan and a servant sneaked off with one of the Recruitment Flags.
Back in Mo Xuanyu's room, Wei Wuxian thought of his very first meeting with Lan Wangji. He drew Chenqing, and the familiar melody slowly drifted out.
"Jingyi, is this a Gusu tune? It sounds like I've heard it somewhere before," Lan Sizhui remarked.
"Really? I've never heard it," Lan Jingyi replied.
Suddenly, shouts rang out from the front courtyard. Lan Sizhui, the other disciples, and Wei Wuxian rushed over. After a brief skirmish, Lan Sizhui and his companions were outmatched. "Jingyi, send the signal!"
A split second later, a blue cloud-pattern emblem bloomed in the sky.
Shortly after, the sound of a qin reached their ears. Lan Wangji, clad in flowing white robes, descended from the sky like an immortal. With a sweep of his String Assassination Technique, the evil spirits were subdued and sucked into a Spirit-Locking Pouch.
"Hanguang-Jun! It's Hanguang-Jun!" Lan Jingyi shouted happily.
"Father, what is this?" Lan Sizhui asked.
Hearing Lan Sizhui call Lan Wangji "Father," Wei Wuxian, who had been gazing at Lan Wangji, abruptly snapped his head around to stare at Lan Sizhui. He murmured softly, "A-Yuan... That's A-Yuan."
"Bichen, A-Yuan, are you injured?" Lan Wangji's cool, clear voice broke through Wei Wuxian's reverie.
"No," Lan Sizhui answered.