「Never Cared To See」

Thirteen years have passed since the Burial Mounds closed itself off from the rest of the world. Rumors of Wei WuXian founding a sect carried themselves across every village, town, and city.

One day, the sect was ready to be seen.

[WANGXIAN THREAD]

NOTES:

QUOTE RETWEET - DO NOT REPLY
Art by Zhang Li Hua
Canon divergence: Lan Wangji stays with Wei Wuxian in the Burial Mounds
Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan are both alive; JZX is sect leader
Wei Yuan's courtesy name is still Sizhui
This is probably going to be long

This is going to have some action, so there will be blood and violence
Alcohol warning for Wei Wuxian's excessive drinking
Mentions and portrayals of PTSD
Some probable light body horror for WWX's necromancy and demonic antics

Enjoy!

"This is simply outrageous!" Sect Leader Yao exclaimed, nearly slamming his hand on the table. "Hidden away in the mountains and haunted forests, yet still making trouble for everyone else." He shook his head in agitation. "That Yiling Patriarch is still a murderous demon."

Sect Leader Ouyang nodded his head in agreement, his mouth formed in a tight line. "I agree completely," he said. "The Burial Mounds have been left alone far too long. Wei Wuxian resides there with a rising sect of demonic cultivators. He could attack at any moment!"

Murmurs of agreement traveled through the Glamour Hall.

"We cannot forgive something like this," Sect Leader Yao continued on. "This is the second time the Yiling Patriarch has killed members of my sect. He must pay for his crimes."

Before Sect Leader Yao could say more, Lan Xichen spoke with a very small and civil smile, "If the rumors of a YilingWei sect rising are true, then it is best to leave the Burial Mounds alone." Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang looked affronted by this suggestion.

"The YilingWei sect has caused no trouble since the Burial Mounds closed thirteen years ago," Lan Xichen reasoned. "We have no details, no information on the sect-"

Sect Leader Yao slammed his hand on the table. "My men were hanging from trees on the edge of the Burial Mounds!"

Jin Zixuan leaned forward in his chair and faced Sect Leader Yao. "What were your men doing in the Burial Mounds?" he asked.

"A group of my disciples, along with those of Sect Leader Yao, traveled to Yiling together for a night hunt," Sect Leader Ouyang replied.

"They had heard of strange activity in the area. Nearby villagers said they suspected evil coming from the Burial Mounds. They spoke of fierce corpses growing in numbers, that more resentful energy was flowing out of the forest," he continued.

"So they went in?"

When Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang said yes, Jiang Yanli resisted shaking her head at their foolishness.

For meetings like this, her presence was not required. However, when it came to matters of her family, Jin Zixuan asked if she wanted to attend. He knew what this meant to her.

Jiang Yanli looked for her brother's reactions to the discourse, and when they made eye contact, she could tell A-Cheng was trying not to roll his eyes.

Despite the pain A-Cheng and A-Xian inflicted on each other, they were still brothers.

Upon hearing the outrageous demonization of A-Xian, Jiang Yanli could not stay quiet.

"The entrances to the Burial Mounds have been blocked by talismans and spells. Its people have not left to disturb the world. Why did your men attempt to trespass?"

Sect Leader Yao looked momentarily surprised that Jiang Yanli was the one to speak out, and he sputtered, "Th-there is resentful energy spilling out of the Burial Mounds! They had to investigate-"

"I was in Yiling a week and a half ago for a night hunt," A-Cheng cut in loudly.

"I heard no reports of suspicious activity coming from the Burial Mounds," A-Cheng said. "My disciples and I were there for four days; we spoke to countless townspeople and villagers, yet no one mentioned anything you described."

"You-!"

Jin Zixuan raised a hand to halt the oncoming argument. He slowly rose from his chair, not looking at anybody except the large open entrance of the Glamour Hall. Everyone followed his gaze and froze at the sight of a bright red bird made of smoke flew in.

It stopped in the center of the hall and let out a loud piercing caw, startling nearly everyone present. People gasped in fear and awe, whispering to each other in panic.

The bird shifted into black smoke and it grew and moulded into the wavering shadow of a man.

No one dared to break the fearful silence, waiting anxiously to see what would happen. For a moment, Jiang Yanli's heart filled with excitement and hope. It was obvious, too obvious, to come in at a time like this, all these important people gathered one place...

"Chief Cultivator Jin Zixuan," the smoke spoke smoothly, "it is an honor to be in your presence." He- /Wei Wuxian/, everyone knew it - bowed in a perfectly respectable manner.

Then, he turned to Jiang Yanli and she swore she could his hear the smile in his voice when he said, "It is an even greater honor and blessing to be in your presence, shijie."

She knew it was him, /she knew/, but the confirmation was still surprising and made her even more elated. She stood, hands shaking, and she couldn't stop herself from making her way over to him, to Wei Wuxian, to /A-Xian/.

There were a few voices telling her to stay back, including the voice of her husband, but she had no trouble pushing all the protests away when her little brother, her wonderfully kind hearted brother, was standing right before her after thirteen long years.

From the corner of her eye, she saw A-Cheng standing, but he waited to observe Jiang Yanli's interaction and A-Xian's reactions.

Everyone waited with bated breath, leaning forward in nerve-wracking anticipation.

Jiang Yanli reached out with a trembling hand, wanting to touch his face although she knew it would go through the smoke. When she was nearly where his face would be, he began to change again, colors changing and shifting into defined features of a man.

The bottom half of his body still swept the ground like smoke, almost like he was levitating. His face, his hair, his robes- they could all see it, and the room filled with gasps and louder whispers.

It really was Wei Wuxian.

A small sob left Jiang Yanli's mouth. "A-Xian," she whispered softly, "it's you."

With a grin, the one she recognized the best, he said, "Yup, it's me." He turned to look at A-Cheng, who flinched when they made eye contact. "You look good, Jiang Cheng. I like the new hairstyle."

"You're an asshole," A-Cheng snapped, but his usual bite wasn't in his tone. It only made A-Xian's grin even bigger. Under the show of anger he wore for everyone else to see, Jiang Yanli and A-Xian could read his face perfectly; he was happy to see A-Xian.

Jin Zixuan raised his voice loud and clear. "Wei Wuxian," he said with minimal animosity, very much unlike how the most in the room would choose to address him. "Why did you come today?"

After a small pause, he added, "If I may make an assumption, I would guess you're here to discuss your involvement in a recent unfortunate incident that took place in the forest of the Burial Mounds."

A-Xian nodded, his smile challenging. "Indeed, your assumptions are correct."

He looked over to Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang. "Several of your men trespassed on YilingWei territory and attacked four of my disciples, along with a farmer and merchant of our village, as they were heading to town to sell crops and talismans at the market. +

+ Somehow, they were able to break through the talisman barrier, along with destroying the fierce corpses guarding our village. If my cultivation partner had not arrived on time to fight them and save our disciples, members of my community would have been killed.”

There were many shocking elements to A-Xian’s story, but Jiang Yanli’s mind was stuck on “cultivation partner”. A-Xian was /married/?

That detail seemed irrelevant in that moment because Sect Leader Yao shouted, “There is malicious activity taking place in the Burial Mounds!"

"You allow fierce corpses run rampant! You have been hidden for so long. We have no reason to trust your word," Sect Leader Qin said.

"We are closed off for a reason." A-Xian let out a dry laugh. “I control all dead and vengeful creatures in my territory," he began to explain.

"One of the disciples that was present during the attack has been taught how to control these creatures as well and used them to defend himself and the others. My cultivation partner does not use demonic cultivation, but still calms and purifies the resentful energy in the land.+

+ Therefore, there has been nothing out of the ordinary as we control all the land and its flow of energy. It was fine until your men invaded us.”

Sect Leader Yao bristled.

“Your sect practices demonic cultivation!” Sect Leader Su said from the other side of the room.

“You’re making one too many assumptions,” A-Xian shot back.

“Sect Leader Wei,” Jin Zixuan said, and Jiang Yanli couldn’t help the smile on her face; her husband acknowledged her brother’s position of leadership. “It seems there have been some misunderstandings. +

+ Your land was attacked and you had to defend yourself, but it also not untrue that your sect, your village, and its people have been separated from society for over a decade. It is difficult to trust someone who has a complicated history with the cultivation world, +

+ especially involving matters of demonic cultivation.”

From the other side of Jin Zixuan came Jin Guangyao, approaching the main floor with a courteous smile and calm demeanor.

He bowed to A-Xian and said, “Sect Leader Wei, it is unfortunate that this conflict occurred and many people on both sides, one side experiencing fatalities, and your sovereignty has been breached.” He took graceful strides around the hall, addressing everyone present.

“It seems as though you now wish to make your sect known to the world.”

A-Xian’s smile was bitter. “There was a severe lack of /choice/ in the matter.”

“To settle this problem, our sects should meet to gain trust with each other,” he said smoothly.

He glanced over to Jin Zixuan, who nodded after a brief pause. Turning back to A-Xian, he continued, “There is a way to bring everyone together.” When he smiled, that’s when Jiang Yanli felt a bit defensive for her brother. “You have come at the best time, Sect Leader Wei. +

+ "In two weeks time, we will have a great hunt on Phoenix Mountain to celebrate the grand expansion of the hunting grounds. There will also be an archery competition, sword duels, and feasts. The event will take place over the course of five days. +

+ "We, the Jin clan, on behalf of our honorable Chief Cultivator, would like to formally invite you, your cultivation partner, and your best disciples to the event. Your presence would be a great privilege to us all."

There was the thick underlying and ever-threatening tension that no one dared to break. Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang kept their blessed silence, waiting just like everyone else to hear A-Xian’s answer.

There was nothing more that Jiang Yanli wanted to do in this moment than to hold A-Xian’s hand and gently squeeze in reassurance that she would support him no matter what his decision would be.

She would support his presence, defend him against the negative words of others, accept his ideals and values and justice, and hold him close and show him all the love she was unable to give for over thirteen years.

However, if he decided to stay in the Burial Mounds and reject the invitation, then Jiang Yanli would push through her heartbreak to give him that freedom as well. She so desperately wanted to see him again, but that wasn’t up to her.

After the wait that stretched on for what felt like a thousand years, A-Xian said, “Our sect gladly accepts your gracious invitation.” Jiang Yanli detected sincerity and sarcasm in his tone. Despite how much trouble his attitude landed him in, she missed it very dearly.

“I will inform my cultivation partner and our disciples of this at once.” Obviously not wanting to stay for more than needed, A-Xian brought his hands clasped in front of him and bowed to Jin Zixuan. “Until next week, Chief Cultivator.”

Jin Zixuan nodded in acknowledgement, giving a slight bow in return. “An honor, Sect Leader Wei.”

“An honor to you as well.”

A-Xian looked at Jiang Yanli and A-Cheng, giving them both warm smiles, eyes bright with genuine love and happiness.

Jiang Yanli’s heart ached.

“See you both next week.” To A-Cheng, he said, “Let’s spar when we see each other, alright?”

“I’m gonna kick your ass, Wei Wuxian,” A-Cheng responded immediately and there was excitement in his eyes he’d never admit to feeling.

A-Xian laughed, “I hope so!”

His eyes softened, as did he smile, when he spoke to Jiang Yanli again. “Give us a good spot for the seating arrangements, will you? I’d like to be close to you and Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Yanli couldn’t suppress the small laugh. “Anything for you, A-Xian.”

A-Xian's smile glowed.

Not finding it necessary to say anything else, the smoke shifted into a bird again and flew out with forceful winds.

The one to break the lingering silence was A-Ling, who had been surprisingly quiet the entire dinner; he stood from his seat and knocked over his teacup as he shouted, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?”

Jin Zixuan scolded him for his inappropriate and loud words, but Jiang Yanli was too busy relishing in the happiness bursting through her chest.

She and A-Cheng would see their brother soon.