Chapter Text
The Cloud Recesses were burned down.
Wen Ruohan's adopted son, Wei Wuxian, of the Qishan Wen Sect broke the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan Sect's leg, uttering just four words—don't be so stubborn.
News of this spread like wildfire, stirring up unrest. In hushed whispers, cultivators everywhere spoke of how Wen Ruohan's wild ambition to annex the cultivation world was clearer than ever. Something big was coming.
Some said that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had never gotten along. Wen Ruohan's eldest son, Wen Xu, had paid a visit to Gusu to crush the Lan family into obedience, so there wasn't anything surprising about Wei Wuxian accompanying him and settling his grudges along the way.
A few commentators let out sighs and lamented that Wei Wuxian was still so young. They never thought such an outstanding and elegant young man would be so ruthless.
Of course, others said, tutting. He was raised among wolves. Could you expect him to be a sheep?
But then again, how exactly did Wen Ruohan end up taking this wolf pup under his wing?
In fact, before becoming part of a pack, the wolf pup was just a homeless puppy.
There were many things that Wei Wuxian couldn't remember, even if he was asked.
The days after he lost his parents—it was probably best if he didn't remember them. After all, the only memory he still had from those days had left a lasting impression on him.
It was the pain of being attacked by snarling dogs and the sheer terror of having no one to help him.
Facing a hazy, hopeless world.
A few vicious dogs were tearing at him, impatiently planning to divide him up among their pack. The tiny child curled in on himself and batted his arms weakly, wanting to break free, but he was only bitten even deeper. His ears were filled with his continuous sobs.
He was too young to understand most things, but he knew that if his parents couldn't save him, no one else would.
The deadly sharp fangs of these dogs were utterly terrifying. If he was scared, others were too.
His desperation only grew as he was tugged back and forth. He didn't know what he'd done exactly, only that he'd let out a fierce cry, a red light had burst from his body, and the feral dogs ripping at him had been sent flying.
Someone's footsteps stopped.
The snow on the ground was so cold that it froze his toes, turning them red and raw. Wei Wuxian clutched at his tattered, dog-torn clothes and shrank into the corner, carefully cleaning his wounds with snow.
It hurt so much that he couldn't help but let a few tears fall from his eyes. Then someone bent down and offered him a warm hand.
Wei Wuxian raised his head. The first thing he saw was a pair of black boots outlined with gold, then some rather imposing red robes, like scorching flames that could melt through ice and snow. Finally, his eyes flickered up to a handsome, youthful face.
The stranger's eyes were bright, with the corners of his mouth quirked up in arrogance. But he wore an expression of rare interest as he looked at Wei Wuxian.
A gold headpiece dangled over the man's forehead, casting a faint glitter on the translucent snow.
Wei Wuxian didn't take the man's hand. He just hugged his knees and looked at him.
The man chuckled, straightened up, clasped his hands behind his back, and condescendingly looked down at Wei Wuxian. He was silent for a moment, then drawled, "Scared of dogs, little puppy?"
"I'm not a puppy." Tumultuous anger rose up in Wei Wuxian's chest, feeling like he had just been insulted. "I'm not like them."
The man heard Wei Wuxian's words, paused, then burst out laughing.
Wei Wuxian watched him laugh under the sun. His laughter was unbridled, freer than an eagle soaring through ninety thousand miles of clouds.
It was like nothing on this earth was worthy of his fear.
Wei Wuxian suddenly felt like this person was from another world.
A world he didn't understand and had never seen.
Wen Ruohan finished laughing, shook his head with a sigh, and glanced sideways at the tiny Wei Wuxian huddled in the corner. After a moment, he bent down and held out a knife.
Wei Wuxian looked at the slender, gold-patterned black sheath before him and froze.
"You're right, kid," Wen Ruohan said mildly. "You want to be a wolf. And wolves aren't afraid of dogs."
He lifted a corner of his mouth and said, "Go on. Kill them."
Wei Wuxian stared blankly at Wen Ruohan.
"Kill them and you'll be free."
"I…" Wei Wuxian looked down and shook his head, his toes curling. Firmly, he said, "I don't want to...I'm scared."
Wen Ruohan let out another chuckle.
Unsheathing the knife, Wen Ruohan placed the handle in Wei Wuxian's hand and picked him up, resting him against his arm. He took Wei Wuxian's tiny hand in his so that they were holding the handle together.
Wen Ruohan wasn't wearing many layers, but his entire body still radiated a steady warmth. There wasn't a single piece of ice or snow to be found on him. It was like he could stand unaffected in the middle of a snowstorm.
Wen Ruohan carried Wei Wuxian over to the dogs that he'd sent flying with his spiritual energy.
Still holding Wei Wuxian, Wen Ruohan crouched down. Frightened, Wei Wuxian wrapped his arms around the man's neck, averting his eyes.
"Look at them," Wen Ruohan commanded.
"The more scared you are, the more you have to look at them."
Gritting his teeth, Wei Wuxian turned his head. He saw the dogs whimpering quietly, their stomachs rising and falling as their legs twitched. They looked nothing like when they were attacking Wei Wuxian just now.
Wei Wuxian furrowed his brows slightly.
"It looks like they're really hurt," Wei Wuxian said hesitantly.
Wen Ruohan arched an eyebrow, then nodded. "It looks like it."
"Then…" Wei Wuxian slowly turned to face Wen Ruohan. In a small voice, he said, "Then I shouldn't kill them."
Wen Ruohan smiled again, holding Wei Wuxian's hand in his. "The knife is in your hands. It's up to you."
Wei Wuxian thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I won't kill them."
"Then pet them," suggested Wen Ruohan.
Wei Wuxian shook his head again.
"They're hurt and they can't move anymore. And you were the one who hurt them," Wen Ruohan said.
Thinking it over, Wei Wuxian pursed his lips and hesitantly stretched out his free hand. He slowly moved it towards the black fur covering one dog's shallowly heaving abdomen.
Its furry stomach looked soft and fragile. For a moment, the dog didn't seem so terrifying anymore.
His voice barely audible, Wei Wuxian whispered, "I'm sor—"
Just then.
The dog, which had just been on the verge of death, suddenly mustered up the last of its strength. With a ferocious bark, it lunged at Wei Wuxian.
Its gaping maw was so close that Wei Wuxian could feel its hot, bloody breath on his hand. Startled, Wei Wuxian let out a yelp, and Wen Ruohan's expression didn't change at all as cold light flashed in his hand.
A spurt of warm blood splashed onto Wei Wuxian's face.
Wei Wuxian sucked in a breath of cold air, his eyes wide and his small chest heaving violently. He looked at the hand that Wen Ruohan had been holding. The knife was buried deep in the dog's neck.
Its severed arteries were still spraying out blood, while the dog's body had fallen onto the snow, motionless.
"You see?" Wen Ruohan fished out a handkerchief from his robes and started wiping away the blood on Wei Wuxian's cold-reddened face, as casually as wiping off sweat. "Those that want you to die will never give up, even at death's door."
"If it's not them, it's you."
Wen Ruohan took Wei Wuxian home.
Nightless City was like a slumbering dragon, exhaling an undercurrent of hot air, nestled in rolling plains and staring down the mountains to the south. The Sunflame Palace was several floors high, the eaves stretched out like the wings of a mighty eagle, lurking silently in the night. The flame-patterned flags and red banners hanging from the roof beams were vibrant in color, fluttering in the wind.
Wei Wuxian looked at the torches that illuminated their way, vaguely remembering a place. That place seemed to have the same air of grandeur, with a brightly-lit main hall, but compared to here, it lacked an undeniable majesty.
Step by step, they climbed up the dark blue stairs to the palace. Wei Wuxian was still too young—he couldn't keep up with Wen Ruohan or see what was at the top of the stairs.
Wen Ruohan walked unhurriedly in front of Wei Wuxian. He didn't reach a hand out to pull him along, but he still paused every few steps to wait for him, looking back at a huffing and puffing Wei Wuxian as he climbed his way up, the corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smile.
The night was silent, dragging their shadows—one tall and one short—across the stairs, folding them into segments.
Finally, Wei Wuxian made it past the very last step on all fours. The glittering candlelight in the Sunflame Palace dazzled his vision, making him raise a hand to his face in an attempt to block some of it out. When his eyes adjusted to the light around him, he lowered his hand and saw Wen Ruohan standing in front of the palace, smiling at him with his hands clasped behind his back. Next to him stood a young man who was about a head shorter than Wen Ruohan but still carried himself with dignity.
The cold, proud expressions on their faces were identical, making them look like brothers.
Wei Wuxian brushed some dust off his sleeves and walked up to them a bit helplessly only to hear that young man snicker and say to Wen Ruohan, "Father, where'd this little beggar come from?"
"Xu-er, don't be rude."
Having scolded Wen Xu for his teasing remark, Wen Ruohan continued, "This child has the makings of an excellent cultivator. He must have gotten it from his parents, but I don't know who or where they are. So I'm taking him in as your adopted brother."
Eyes wide, Wen Xu looked at the expression on Wen Ruohan's face and slowly closed his mouth, swallowing whatever he was about to say.
Wen Ruohan had always been a man of his word. As the candlelight in the Sunflame Palace danced on his face, leaving no room for discussion, Wen Xu knew that it was useless to argue. Slowly lowering his head, he glanced over at Wei Wuxian and raised an eyebrow. "What's your name?"
Wei Wuxian picked up on his probing tone at once. "Wei Ying," he answered resolutely.
Wen Xu eyed Wei Wuxian, who was looking down but showed no signs of giving in. The corner of his mouth quirked up for a moment and he leaned forward, hands tucked behind him. "You're...not scared of me?"
At Wen Xu's question, the corner of Wen Ruohan's mouth quirked up too, but he didn't say anything, waiting for Wei Wuxian to respond.
Wei Wuxian looked up at the father-son duo to see Wen Xu smirking at him arrogantly, with more than a hint of malice. The fire that illuminated the Sunflame Palace flickered in his piercing eyes, highlighting his striking resemblance to Wen Ruohan. He had already deduced that Wen Ruohan wasn't someone who liked to play by conventional rules. It seemed like the bolder the move, the more it pleased him. Wen Ruohan's son was probably the same. Trying to cater to him would be useless, so he truthfully replied, "I am."
Wen Xu let out a loud laugh. "It doesn't look like you are," he quipped.
Seeing Wen Xu's teasing expression, Wei Wuxian paused for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.
His smile was radiant, brighter than the sun, seeming a bit out of place in the quiet night.
Wen Xu hadn't expected him to smile. He froze, only to hear Wei Wuxian say to him, "I'd rather be scared of you than the dogs."
Hearing this, Wen Ruohan burst into laughter.
Wen Xu straightened himself up and muttered, "Father, this wolf pup you brought back can really bite."
Per Wen Ruohan's orders, Wen Xu took Wei Wuxian to an empty room.
Wei Wuxian sat on the bed, watching Wen Xu arrange for servants to light a candle in the small room. He ran his hands over the soft bedding. It was still hard to believe it was real.
The servants finished preparing the room, bowed to Wen Xu, who was sitting there drinking tea, and departed.
It was getting late. Wen Xu uncrossed his legs and stood up. Just as he was leaving, he suddenly thought of something. Reaching into the pocket over his chest, he fished out a small silk bag and tossed it over to Wei Wuxian, who was still on the bed.
Wei Wuxian caught it with both hands. When he opened the bag, he found several pieces of osmanthus-flavored rock candy.
Wen Xu yawned and lazily said, "There's no food for you at this hour. If you're hungry, you can have some candy."
Startled, Wei Wuxian watched Wen Xu stroll out of the room. He pushed himself off the bed with one arm and chased after him.
Running to the entrance, he grabbed the door frame and saw Wen Xu walking out of the courtyard, hands clasped behind his back. He couldn't stop himself from tentatively calling out, "Thank you...da-ge."
Wen Xu's footsteps stopped.
The figure in red was tall and slender, unlike Wen Ruohan's sturdy frame. The cold moonlight softened some of his steady strength. At the moment, his neck seemed a little stiff.
Wen Xu looked back. It was like he'd never heard the words "thank you" in his life before. Suspicion clouding his face, he eyed Wei Wuxian like he was some kind of strange spectacle. After a second, his suspicion transformed into a sort of blank confusion, at a loss for what to do. He finally gave an unnatural nod as an answer.
"Don't freeze to death," Wen Xu said at last.
He turned and left the courtyard.
It had been years since Wen Ruohan brought that little beggar back home.
In the time that followed, Wei Wuxian grew into a graceful, handsome youth, not a shadow of his former self to be seen.
Wen Ruohan took pride in Wei Wuxian, and everyone knew it. All the members of the Wen Sect called him Third Young Master with respect.
But aside from Wei Wuxian's natural talent, Wen Ruohan did have other reasons for favoring him.
Wen Ruohan's second son, Wen Chao, had been spoiled and pampered his entire life, doted upon by servant girls. To put it mildly...nevermind, to hell with that. He was just a simpering good-for-nothing.
Wen Ruohan's wife had died giving birth to Wen Chao, and as a result, Wen Ruohan didn't really want to see much of his son.
He didn't want to see him, but he also couldn't treat his own flesh and blood poorly, so he just gave him whatever he wanted. He was too busy to humor any sweet talk. It was easier this way—it meant he didn't have to be an eyesore in front of him all the time.
But clearly having a son and also practically not having a son naturally made Wen Ruohan unhappy.
Thus, Wei Wuxian's presence served to alleviate some of that unhappiness.
However, no child doesn't seek their father's approval. As such, people assumed that Wei Wuxian and Wen Chao didn't have a good relationship.
But Wei Wuxian was someone exceptional—he could turn just about any situation around.
Wei Wuxian knew how to have fun. He could always coax a smile out of Wen Chao with the exciting new things he would bring back from exploring the mountains. Furthermore, since Wen Ruohan would often train Wei Wuxian personally, Wei Wuxian would go out of his way to include Wen Chao. Wen Chao wasn't very talented and his fighting skills were mediocre, but at least this gave him more opportunities to interact with Wen Ruohan.
So Wen Chao didn't really have any problems with Wei Wuxian's existence.
For Wei Wuxian, it didn't matter if it was Wen Ruohan's assertive ruthlessness, Wen Xu's cold arrogance, or Wen Chao's utter incompetence. His efforts were aimed at one thing only—family.
People can't choose their families.
They can only choose whether or not to love them.
But the lone wolf dies while the pack survives.