Fair warning: Bring your tissues out, it's going to be a heart wrenching chapter.
"Wangji, proceed immediately to Cloud Recess, I just received an urgent message from Zewujun" Sect Leader Nie Ming Jue informs and thus I use my Bichen to fly all the way to Gusu.
What could it be about? If brother has sent a message, then it must be of grave importance.
It's only when I reach Gusu, the picture in front of me was horrifying. Entire Gusu has been burnt down. The red flames roaringly enveloped each and every part of Cloud Recess!
No!
Jingshi!
I move towards Jingshi and as I watch the embers reach the sky, my heart shatters. My legs give away and I fall on my knees.
Wei.
All my memories of him were in there. His red ribbon, his paintings, his flower. Everything!!!
An inhuman wail erupts within me, which no human should ever sound like. Why did they have to rip your memories away from me too? Wasn't it enough that I have no one, that now, the thing I cherished the most has been taken away from me too? Why??? I roar in despair. Not one human soul to console me.
As I watch the orange red embers, my heart rages on too. What sin have I committed to receive this? Why? All I ever wanted were your Memories.
Irony is that, it's on the same spot I kneel when my mother did not open the door for me and I lost something very precious back then and now... After all these years, when I wished to live in solitudo vot the one that matters the
most, has yet again be taken from me. Why??? I yell but no one could hear.
No. One.
In this wide world, where everyone has someone, I am such a soul, who can seek no console. I who have been termed to be emotionless, who has been termed as a man made up of icy heart, come and ask me, if I have not cried countless tears, for only I know the truth.
I am about to jump into the blazing fire to save some last remnants, when one disciple calls for me "Second Master Lan, you're here, quick Uncle, needs you" he looks at the mess in front of him, though I am unsure the mess is me or Jingshi.
Yet again my duty calls me and so I am on move but not without one last look. They tease me, my memories, my heart and my soul, as they blacken the surroundings, somewhere my heart blackens too
Outside the Gusu Lan, Wen Xu and Uncle face off against each other and at one such moment uncle gets injured from Wen Xu's attack.
Keeping my emotions within me, I arrive just in time to fight off against Wen Xu. I use my zither to distract Wen Xu and the Qishan Wen Sect's disciples by casting a sand strom.
"Uncle" I point out towards the direction of the Cold Springs to hide and everyone follows us. However, not everyone were lucky to hide and few of them get captured by Wen Xu who threatens to kill them if we do not come out of hiding.
"Where is brother?" I enquire and Uncle looks concerned.
"Wangji, I had ordered him to flee with the books of Gusu. Hopefully..." He trails off and one disciple cries out "What if they caught him?". "Quiet" another yells but everyone seems troubled.
Unable to stand the innocent disciples being killed one by one, I decide to go out alone.
"Uncle, I'll go out and distract them, you take the rest and proceed to some safe place, Wei and I had made our promise to Elder Lan Yi, to protect the Yin Iron with clean conciousness" I bow and am about to leave when I hear my name being called out, "Wangji" I turn to see Zu Shi walking upto me "Go, be safe, we'll be well" she smiles with concern in her eyes and I nod.
As I make my way out of the mountains, I hear our out of sect disciple Su Shi informing them as to the secret way of entering the Gusu mountains.
"Su She" I warn and he pales out.
"Look what we have here" Wen Xu mocks "The mighty Lan Wangji" he spits on the ground "capture him" and the Wen Sect obeys. "Do you think, I won't harm the great Wangji? Well if you think so, your sadly mistaken" he points to one of his sect "Break his leg and break his leg well".
The next shot, is a blow on my knee from behind and I fall onto the ground.
Inwardly I am numb. How can you break the spirit of a man who has just lost everything precious to him? How much more could you possibly torture him? Is there anything to end this pain? Would you be able to kill me? If you think I am scared of death, then you're gravely mistaken, maybe then I shall be finally at peace.
With my brother gone, my uncle bleeding, my sect dissipated and Wei...
The thought of Wei makes me more numb. This few remains. Some that were so precious.
Wei, do you remember your Red Ribbon? Satin smooth, red like blood. Tattered but whole, just like my life.
Do you remember the painting? The finesse with which you drew me?
The flower that you gave me? I kept each and every one of them safely, thinking, that one day, when I am all alone, I could cherish them.
But now... They're all ruined.
Another blow to my leg and the numbness increases. Blood spills out of my mouth. But do I care? No I don't. If not for your memories, then nothing matters anymore.
Another blow and the light within me starts to fade.
Is this the end?
Hope not! Is it too much to hope, to see you again?
Maybe.
If this is the end, then it's a painful end.
Reminiscing the moments we spent together, I finally close my eyes.
Ok, this is just gut wrenching! Why? Why? Why? Is Lan Wangji in such pain? When Gusu was hunted down, less was shown what happened to Jingshi, and so I imagine this sconario Too crual? I know!