Chapter Text
There's a downpour that morning in Gusu.
Unlike Yunmeng and other quite humid southern regions, nearing winter in Gusu, the weather would either be dry and cold. Rarely, heavy rain came instead. The Cloud Recesses from afar was almost blended with the ashen-like clouds and the thick curtains of rain.
In such weather, even people in the Cloud Recesses couldn't prevent themselves from feeling a rainy blue.
Unfortunately, the disciples were not given a day off. The situation inside the Lanshi was as gloomy as the current weather.
Coupled with Lan Qiren's unusually low and sleep-inducing voice, the ambiance turned particularly somber.
"...In Taoist practice, the human body is like a universe on its own. There are Shén (神) residing within the body. In meditation, Cultivators must sense the existence of Shén throughout the internal Organs." The senior gentleman walked down the aisle between seats in the Lanshi, holding a book in his hand.
In his slight pause between his lectures, his eyes swept across the room in a brief second. Once he saw that each of the disciples was pasting a serious look on their face, he nodded in satisfaction. Fortunately, even if these disciples were often hanging around that Wei Ying, they're still the best descendants of the Lan Clan. No matter how strong the wind outside, it wouldn't shake their conviction to be a proper gentleman!
Lan Qiren continued to walk to the front as he talked, "The purpose of meditation is that one becomes aligned with nature and its rhythms. Blending with the wave rather than riding or fighting against the wave. In such a state of consciousness, Cultivators shall shut their perceptions to regulate their 7 Emotions and 6 Desires."
The respected Lan-Xiansheng reached the front of the Lanshi and turned around, facing the disciples sitting in front of him.
He glanced at the disciple who appeared the most lethargic in the class, Lan Mingze. The child's name obviously meant the elegance of tea made from young buds, implying his firm will, kindness, good patience, and ability to endure hardship. However, the reality, he couldn't even endure the hardship of bad weather at all!
"Lan Mingze."
"This disciple is here!" Lan Mingze was mercilessly awakened from his drowsiness, and his heart inevitably beat faster.
Inwardly, he was screaming, " It's really bad! The lecture content today was partly heard and mostly grazed his ears. To make it worse, among the content he heard, he couldn't make out which heads or tails.
"Tell me, which of the 7 Emotions and 6 Desires that I am talking about?"
"...Oh." Lan Mingze was dreading inside, but once he heard Lan Qiren's question, he paused for a moment.
As if recalling something, the boy quickly answered, "The 6 Desires known from Lüshi Chunqiu, arise from humans' sensory organs, referring to the desires of human senses such as ears, eyes, mouth, and nose for auditory, vision, taste and scent. In Taoism, they were confined to the gates of Life and Death, which resulted in human desire for life and desire against death. These desires lead to the 7 Emotions which are, pleasure, anger, grief, fright, affection, hatred, and longing."
Lan Qiren's stare shot into him as if it were about to drill a hole through his head.
Lan Mingze felt a cold sweat trickle down his back.
Fortunately, he remembered what Wei-Gongzi said back then about Fierce Corpse's awakening!
Those 7 Emotions and 6 Desires were called "sentiments". It's the catalyst for dead people to rise as a walking corpse because they had unresolved business with the living, and also the fuel for their power. Wei Wuxian said, that the more reserved people were in their life, the more powerful they would be likely in death, since their previously restrained sentiments were finally unleashed.
"Not bad." The elder gentleman finally huffed lightly and shifted his gaze toward the others.
After making sure everyone's posture had become even straighter in their seats and their eyes turned sharper, Lan Qiren diverted his attention back to the lecture material at hand.
"Cultivators have a physical body. So long as people are alive, they are not exempt from 7 Emotions and 6 Desires. What we must do is not to erase, but to restrain. That is why we have our rules, do not be excessively happy, do not dwell in sorrow, do not be controlled by anger, do not——,"
The sleep-inducing sound was heightened as Lan Qiren started to recite their house rules.
Only this time, nobody dared to slacken.
The bad weather outside continued to saturate, and the dreariness inside the Lanshi also began to pervade across the room.
Unlike the unlucky junior disciples, the Senior Cultivators could arrange their own schedule according to their availability. After all, adults possessed the power to decide their lives however they wanted.
The Juniors couldn't even begin to envy, since the Seniors had gone through the same phase as them. In other words, it's the price of growing up!
Even Lan Xichen couldn't help but be more lenient to himself. It was rare for Sect Leader Lan to still wear his homely garbs in such an hour.
He was sitting in front of his working table, with his outer robe only loosely draped on his shoulder. His long hair was let down without being fixed by a headpiece either. His forehead was bare without any ribbon to cover it. His expression was solemn as he was working on the official documents in his hands.
On his left side, the hollowed window was parted a little, showing the scenery of the small garden in Hanshi's yard. The sound of water falling from the beams and hitting the railings around the veranda was especially clear. It blended in a rhythmic tempo with the rain hitting the clusters of bamboo canopies surrounding the area of Hanshi.
Lan Xichen diverted his attention to another side.
The inner part of the residence was quiet. Aside from the sound of Lan Xichen flipping through his letters and scrolls, there's nothing. The quietness and the cold weather perfectly described what this room was literally named as, Hanshi, the "Cold Room".
"...The room is Cold, until the Destined person comes to live here, huh..." Lan Xichen murmured to himself.
Wei Wuxian had gone out with Lan Wangji to check on the reports that some of the Rogue Cultivators allied to their Sect had submitted last week. Lan Xichen was busy with the Sect's affairs, regarding their upcoming big move. So the two of them went out together.
Lan Xichen supported his forehead and sighed.
The destiny that he had forcefully intercepted from others had finally returned to the rightful owner.
To say he was reluctant, how could he not?
But more than feeling upset, his heart was actually filled with relief.
Since young, Lan Wangji had been withdrawn. Aside from studying and night hunting, he'd spend his time in his residence cultivating. He would rarely interact with others.
In the past few months, even though Lan Xichen arranged their schedule for him to spend more time outside with Wei Wuxian, he could see that while his younger brother was happy, there was always melancholy hanging in his brows. It's inevitable. The person was obviously beside him, but it felt like they were miles away.
Seeing him a few days ago, for the first time, going out in a high spirit, as an older brother, there's nothing that Lan Xichen wanted more than witnessing Lan Wangji's expression to be forever brightened in mirth.
Wei Wuxian...
He didn't know what exactly the young man felt about him. Until that day in Kunlun Mountain. When he saw Wei Wuxian looking at him with such clear admiration.
There's only one thing on his mind back then:
'Finally! At last...you are looking at me....as Lan Xichen.'
Not just him as "Zewu-Jun", a respected Senior whom he married to.
A swirl of light-colored liquid whirled inside sparkling white porcelain as the cup was put down gently on the table.
Wang Haoran couldn't help but marvel once again at the exquisiteness of such a cup. Gazing down on the well-polished wooden table under the saucer, it's even more eye-catching. The place he was currently sitting right now, wasn't just a normal teahouse. It's an elegant courtyard completed with its beautifully cultivated garden transformed into a teahouse. Being here wouldn't make you feel like you're dining in a commercial district just like another customer, but more like being a dignified gentleman gathering to discuss refined topics.
In the past, let alone fine dining or famous tea, he would not even have had the chance to wear the garbs that he was currently wearing.
He came from a small Sect close to Gangquan. His Sect was one of the Sects affiliated with QishanWen that surrendered and sought protection from LanlingJin near the end of the war. In the heyday of the Wen Clan, it wasn't Wang Haoran who tasted the same glory. Why of course, since he's not the original Clan's heir.
The second son, third son, and so on sons, enjoying both fame and recognition, only happen to Major Clans. Took, for example, the Lan Clan, Wen Clan, and Nie Clan. Despite being famous as a good-for-nothing, but who didn't know Nie Huaisang from QingheNie? Despite being a Waste in talent and ability, and yet, Wen Chao was equipped with Cultivators as subordinates at his beck and call, after all, the Wen Clan could afford such profligacy.
However, in smaller Clans where resources were limited, there was always a big discrepancy between the treatment of the Clan's heir and the spare heirs. This was a reality in the general public.
The Lan Clan didn't lack noteworthy Cultivation techniques to learn for their descendants, but that didn't mean every Clan would also have abundant secret skills. This resulted in some skills that could only be learned by privileged people, the Clan's legitimate heirs.
As for the reason, wasn't that obvious? From ancient times to the present, bloody fights for inheritance have always been there.
Even the Lan Clan, with thousands of rules to regulate their behavior, wasn't spared from dissidents. The obvious proof was that Sect Leader Lan Yi had to create such a phenomenal assassination technique to clear the dissidents from her Clan in the past.
In other Clans where there weren't rules to regulate everyone's conduct, while having not too many Cultivation Techniques to share, if every son learned the same technique, then the probability of regicide would be higher.
Even so, Wang Haoran didn't get his current status from any trick or conspiracy.
If he had to say it, then it's because even Fate knew who the person most suited to lead his Clan to a better future!
Funnily enough, his eldest brother and his second brother, all died in the Sunshot Campaign. After all, during the war, how could any affiliated Clan under QishanWen not be required to send their Cultivators to the battlefield? How could QishanWen let only their own Clan support the war while letting their affiliates sit on the mountain enjoying the scenery below?
Of course, as affiliated Clans, they too, had to join the war under the Wen Clan's banner, against the Sunshot Campaign's party.
This was why they chose LanlingJin to surrender after, because if they didn't get backing from one Major Clan, even if they surrendered, it's impossible for the Sunshot Campaign party to just accept them. They couldn't possibly say, "Oh yeah, so you're supporting the Wen Clan before, and seeing that they're hopeless, you're turning tails, it's okay, fellow Daoist, let's hug each other and make peace." —— or would they?
They weren't qualified to join GusuLan since the Lan Clan had such a ridiculously high stipulation, even in filtering their non-clan disciples.
Joining QingheNie was impossible. Nie Mingjue hated traitorous people the most. He would have hacked them to death before the deal even began.
As for YunmengJiang, while many rogue Cultivators ended up joining them, for Cultivation Clans, especially those with still living older Sect Leaders, it's impossible to surrender to the Jiang Clan. After being ruled under the mighty Wen Ruohan, who had both prestige and reputation, you said, they had to surrender to a Sect led by inexperienced brats? Some Sect Leaders would cherish their dignity more than anything.
Besides, wasn't there LanlingJin? A perfect choice for their Sects to surrender. A Major Clan. The biggest winner with the least loss of all Major Sects. A wealthy Clan with rich resources. A living Sect Leader with proper seniority. And most importantly, they wouldn't care about their past conduct.
That's not the point.
The point was that after losing his 2 eldest sons in a row, his old Father finally designated him as the Sect Heir.
After being appointed as an Heir, Wang Haoran finally enjoyed the treatment that his eldest brother once bathed in since he was born. The Cultivation Techniques that he was not qualified to learn before. The Sect's treasures that he wasn't allowed to use before. The Sect's resources that he wasn't able to expend before. The respect. The admiration. The status. The acknowledgment.
In the past, only his eldest brother was qualified to attend banquets along with his Father. But now, Wang Haoran could come to the infamous Jinlintai every now and then in their frequently arranged banquets. He could finally let other Sects appreciate his talent, making connections and allies. Look, even the War Hero, Lianfang-Zun, recognized him and remembered his name the last time he attended their banquet.
Wang Haoran took his teacup and sipped the fragrant liquid inside.
"A Gem will retain its luster despite being buried in the mud, huh..." He sighed.
Even if Wang Haoran was overshadowed by his two elder brothers before, however, since he was born to achieve Great Things, once he had the chance, people would immediately acknowledge his ability!
That being said,
"Even Lianfang-Zun acknowledges my abilities, but how dare those ignorant mortals actually complain about me!"
Wang Haoran stopped himself just right before slamming the precious teacup to the table.
"...or maybe, is it because they're so ignorant that they don't understand the current affairs?"
During the war, every Clan was preoccupied with the war. A war was the biggest sinkhole for resources, be it material or human resources. It stole the time and attention of everyone. Therefore, how could they have the time to manage a Nighthunting case in their Sect's area?
Perhaps in Yunmeng, the situation was slightly better. After all, the evil entities there would be counted lucky if they could evade being noticed by Wei Wuxian. Gusu too, even Hanguang-Jun and Zewu-Jun could spare the time to run back and forth from Gusu to other regions to extend help. Naturally, they still had some human resources to spare to take care of the Nighthunting case in their area.
But what about other Sects? Especially those Sects originally under QishanWen and were obviously not being helped by Zewu-Jun and Hanguang-Jun during the war.
The answer was, today's dissatisfied murmurs from the town folks.
"Tch. Isn't it just asking them to build new facilities for our Sect? Did they expect us Cultivators to soil our hands with mud and start the construction? It isn't like they will go unpaid. How long has their life been sheltered by our Sect from Evil haunting, yet now they actually dare to refuse!"
The townsfolk weren't actually refusing the orders. After all, how could mortals go against the esteemed lord Cultivators? They're just trying to bargain, hoping the Wang Clan would solve the hauntings in their area first so that they could help build their Sect's facilities with peace of mind.
But in Wang Haoran's mind, what's the difference between refusing and bargaining? Once they dared to bargain, that meant they had no respect for their Wang Clan! To be more precise, to him, the new Sect Heir who was appointed to take care of this affair.
Before Wang Haoran dwelled more in agitation, someone had come to greet him.
"Wang-Gongzi. I have kept you waiting, my apologies."
Hearing this, Wang Haoran immediately stood up and welcomed the newcomer. "Not at all. Thank you for coming here, Liu-Qianbei!"
The other person, a Cultivator with a stout build and pea-sized eyes, sat across the table and smiled modestly. Judging from his middle-aged appearance, his Cultivation should be low, thus unable to maintain his youthful appearance, or he was late to start cultivating in the first place.
Deep inside his heart, Wang Haoran looked down on him. Someone like him got the position and status just because his Sect was originally a subsidiary of the LanlingJin Sect. The Liu Clan could be said to be a Big family. Not a Major Sect, but their Clan was rather prominent.
However, Wang Haoran felt as someone who, even Fate had decreed to achieve the Great Things, he should be magnanimous and allow himself to associate with such people temporarily.
So he smiled warmly and entertained the Senior Cultivator properly.
"Well then, I got the main point about what you're intending to talk to me about. But let me hear you reiterating it once again."
Wang Haoran quickly adjusted his posture and started explaining seriously, "It's like this, Liu-Qianbei, you know that lately, every Sect will be busy building various new facilities."
"Uh-huh," the other person nodded his head.
After the war ended, as the winning party, every Sect was busy digesting the spoils of war. Dividing territories, sorting out the treasures and properties they gained, originally accumulated by the gargantuan Sect, QishanWen, for more than half a millennium.
Even he himself was currently appointed to be the Supervisor in Qiongqi Path's reconstruction.
Qiongqi Path was an ancient path that ran through a valley. According to legend, the path was where the founder of the Qishan Wen Sect, Wen Mao, rose to fame in just one battle. Hundreds of years ago, he fought a divine beast, Qiongqi, for an entirety of eighty-one days, taking its life in the end. Hundreds of years later, this valley had turned from a rift of danger to a scenery of praise and tourism.
After the Sunshot Campaign, the sects divided up the area that the QishanWen Sect used to hold, and the Qiongqi Path was taken by the LanlingJin Sect. Originally, all of the tall walls of the valley were carved with the life stories of the founder Wen Mao. Now that the LanlingJin Sect had taken over, of course, it couldn't let the Qishan Wen Sect's glorious past continue to exist. It was in the middle of a reconstruction, meaning that all of the reliefs on both sides would be chiseled down and new ones would be carved. Naturally, in the end, it'd be given a new name that'd emphasize the LanlingJin Sect's gallantry.
Putting aside his own responsibility, the Senior Cultivator from the Liu Clan knew where it was going. "So does your Clan need some Wen Dogs to finish your construction?"
This Wang Clan wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last to come and ask to borrow some prisoners of war to do the work in their Sects.
"But I'm sorry to disappoint you, the construction on the Qiongqi path has not yet finished. Some other Sects have come before you; we're also short of manpower."
"Short of manpower?" Wang Haoran reacted in surprise.
Later, he heard Liu-Qianbei complaining, "Those Wen Dogs are so fragile they could die even from a few beatings. Some of them even dared to run away secretly. Of course, if we caught those who tried to escape, no mercy would be given. We have to tell them they're not going to have it easy now that the Wen Clan is no more. A lot of things happened, but that's why, we're also short of laborers."
"So that's the case..."
Inwardly, Wang Haoran cursed this stout pig even more.
Saying they're short on manpower, but in fact, he just looked down on his Wang Clan, right? Those who came first must be Clans with more prestige than his own.
'Hmph. Just wait. In the future, when I reach the summit, people like you must be the first batch that I will eliminate from contaminating the current Cultivation World.'
Despite thinking this way, Wang Haoran still had a flattering smile on his face and said, "I understand, Liu-Qianbei, it must have been tough for you to manage those Wen Dogs. But today, actually, I'm not here to exactly borrow the Wen Dogs from under your command."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Wang Haoran leaned closer and grinned. "Aren't there more Wen Dogs left behind aside from those being Prisoners of war?"
A flash of light fleeted past his eyes as he realized what this Wang-Gongzi implied. "...I see. Your Wang Clan is close to Gangquan, so that's what you mean..."
After the war ended, the Wen Cultivators were taken directly as laborers for the winning Sect's construction. While the other remnants of the Clan were herded into a corner in Gangquan. The reason they weren't directly taken as prisoners of war, was that those remnants were either the people who didn't participate in the war and never killed any of their own people, or they were just old folks, women, and other family members. To put it in a way, they're just Cracked dates and Crooked melons.
As righteous Cultivators, but of course, they had to first maintain their faces by letting those remnants struggle to live on their own right after the war. Even they, would be ashamed if it were known publicly they're condemning those Crooked Melons and Cracked Dates. This was how the Cultivation Clans worked out. If you know something is wrong, you have to be subtle about it. And when you know you were right, you couldn't be so straightforward about it.
However, Cultivator Liu still pretended to hesitate, "...But, if I'm not mistaken, the remaining people there are under Wen Qing's family branch, right?"
Wen Qing was someone from the Wen Clan who never had someone die under her hands. As a Medical Cultivator known as Qihuang Wen Qing, who also excelled in Liberal Arts, favored by Wen Ruohan, even before the war escalated, Wen Qing was famous as someone whose way of doing things was actually "normal" compared to other subordinates. Sometimes she could even put in good words to Wen Ruohan on behalf of others. In the past, many people wished Wen Qing to take care of the affairs because of this quality of hers.
Cultivator Liu thought this was rather difficult to manage. They couldn't just directly arrest them out of the blue. The Liu Clan wasn't a Major Clan who could do whatever they wanted after all.
Responding to his hesitation, Wang Haoran became even more agitated instead, "So what if they're Wen Qing's family branch? Everyone with the surname Wen is a sin! Which of those Wen Dogs doesn't deserve their punishment? They lived comfortably under the glory of QishanWen back then, now that they've become homeless Dogs, are they still expecting to live comfortably as well? Liu-Qianbei, don't tell me you're still afraid of her empty reputation?"
When saying this, Wang Haoran completely didn't think that his Wang Clan used to enjoy the same glory as the Wen Clan in the past. He didn't lie, though. The one enjoying the glory was his eldest brother.
Besides, Wang Haoran hated women like Wen Qing the most.
'Just a mere woman. Who does she think she is?'
A woman was supposed to regard men as their Heaven. Didn't they learn it in their education in the 3 Obediences and 4 Virtues, the women's etiquette and propriety lesson? Their job was to dress themselves as pretty as possible, please their husbands, give birth to fat baby boys for the family, and just be obedient at home without flaunting around in front of others.
In the past, among the few chances Wang Haoran was able to attend Nightless City along with his 2 elder brothers, he once saw Wen Qing sitting among Wen Ruohan's entourage with her head held high and a proud expression on her face.
Wang Haoran felt her existence was a great dishonor in a banquet attended mostly by men. She was misleading other women to dare to be arrogant, and thinking they could have some place in society just because they knew some knowledge here and there.
In the past, he could only bury his dissatisfaction in his heart. Just like how he kept silent despite feeling that he was more talented than his 2 older brothers, but was unable to be named heir just because he was the 3rd son.
Now that the Wen Clan was no more, how could he let women like Wen Qing get the easy way out? Wang Haoran especially wanted her to know, without the backing of a Major Sect, women like her could do nothing at all.
Hearing the taunting from Wang Haoran, naturally, Cultivator Liu felt his dignity was being questioned.
"Me? Afraid of Wen Qing?" He snorted. "I was just thinking that Wen Qing herself has been sent to various places by other Sects since she knows a thing or two about medicine. Besides, I was also recalling about her family's crimes in the war. Now that I finally remember what crime they have committed, of course, we can come and drag them out to finally do their labor right."
Wang Haoran laughed flatteringly. "Hahaha. It's me who is ignorant. Of course, Liu-Qianbei knows what's best."
He put away his laughter and finally asked, "So, when can we go to procure our new laborers? Liu-Qianbei, I promise you, after the construction in our Sect has been completed, we will invite you to be the honorary guest at the finishing banquet."
Invited as an honorary guest, in other words, there would be gifts reserved for him. Frankly said, a bribe.
Cultivator Liu hummed for a while before nodding. "I will have to report this to my superior first."
Looking at the anxious Wang Haoran, he felt like rolling his eyes. He knew this young Sect Heir was originally a Third Son, someone who should never have had a chance to make a splash in their Sect. His education was inevitably lacking compared to the real Sect Heirs. Even if he was currently being taught, however, there's a huge difference between people who were being freshly taught and had been trained since their childhood.
Even so, he still had to maintain a kind look on his face and politely pacify the brat, "Don't worry, it won't take a long time. It's just a customary report. It'll take around 2 or 3 days at most."
"That's it." Wang Haoran breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll be waiting for the news then, Liu-Qianbei, thank you once again for bothering to come here."
"Hahaha. Not at all. I see that you have a lot of potential in you. Keep up the good work, young man!"
——You have a lot of potential...just potential. But whether you really are the real deal, well...
"That's not the case at all. I still have a lot to learn from my Father, even from Seniors like you, Liu-Qianbei..."
——It's because you're so ignorant that you only see my potential today. A Waste who relies on their Clan's status, like you, it's impossible to have a great eye like Lianfang-Zun, who can acknowledge my ability at first glance.
The two people smiled and said pleasing words to each other as their deal for that day was finalized.
In this world, just because one Villain goes down, there's no lack of small Villains waiting to come to the stage.
Some people aren't even Villainous by nature.
They never think they are Villains. Instead, they regarded themselves as the righteous Heroes. What they did isn't wrong. It's others who are wrong.
They just have... a different way of thinking.
The Wen Clan wasn't just the only Clan who wished to be the ruler of their Cultivation World.
When they have the chance, LanlingJin would do the same.
Wen Chao wasn't the only one who was vicious enough to casually use his Clan's prestige to oppress others.
When the Jin Clan is on the rise, Jin Zixun would do exactly the same as his past actions.
Likewise, the person malicious enough to disturb the Wen Dogs huddled in Gangquan, wasn't just Jin Zixun.
Almost everyone would.
After all, during this time, the surname Wen was a sin.
Even if something happens to the Clan remnants, even if they all die in the end,
But,
Who will be crazy enough to stand up for them and bear the condemnation from the hundreds of Clans?
It was still raining in Gusu.
Lan Xichen had yet finished writing the missive on his hand, when he heard the front door of the Hanshi being opened.
His eyes immediately lit up.
Someone who came in directly to the Hanshi without knocking, who else could it be? Only the other owner of this residence!
"Wei-Gongzi, you are....back..."
His elated words stopped halfway as he looked up and saw the person walking to his side.
It was Wei Wuxian.
Wearing a pitch-black robe and similarly hanging a pitch-black Dizi with a crimson tassel on his waist.
In the Lanshi,
Lan Qiren finished his long explanation about their Clan's rules and finally began to explain another topic.
"To Cultivators, restraining is not enough. Only when they are finally able to conquer their 7 Emotions and 6 Desires, will it be the same as having their enlightenment."
Lan Mingze was worried that the Lan-Xiansheng would go back to explaining their rules, so he quickly raised his hand and asked, "Xiansheng, what does it mean to conquer their 7 Emotions and 6 Desires?"
Lan Qiren glanced at him and answered, "It is when they know how to differentiate between emotions and desires properly."
He recited slowly, "Do not just feel grief, one must have self-reflection."
"Do not just hold anger, one must remember gratitude in their heart."
"Desiring only appropriate things, do not envy others."
"Knowing where exactly their sorrow comes from, and how to find their peace."
"...Separating to whom their hatred must be directed at, and to whom their gratitude must be repaid to."
In the Hanshi,
Lan Xichen looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar Wei Wuxian in a daze.
"Wei-Gongzi...?"
"Sect Leader Lan."
That person clad in black from head to toe had greeted him.
"I apologize. I might have done something that you will deem as trouble."