The companion said, "Don't be impatient, I was just about to tell you. They all died. When I said they escaped disaster, it was only temporary. A few years later, that mistress Chang Ping also died. This time, it was even more terrifying. She was killed by sword, through lingchi! Do I need to explain what lingchi is? It's when they use knives or swords to cut the person's flesh, bit by bit, three thousand six hundred cuts until all the flesh is gone and only the skeleton remains..."

Wei Wuxian, of course, knew what lingchi was. If someone were to write a book called "A Thousand Ways of Cruel Death," no one would be more qualified than him. He raised his hand and said, "I understand. But, my friend, do you know why the Chang family was exterminated?"

The companion replied, "I heard it was deliberately planned by other cultivators. It must have been! Otherwise, how could a group of living people, and cultivators at that, not escape? They must have been trapped inside by something or someone."

The tavern owner, afraid they might not be enjoying their conversation, brought over two small plates of peanuts and melon seeds. Wei Wuxian nodded in thanks, and while cracking melon seeds, he continued to ask, "Did they find out what or who it was?"

The companion laughed, "Young master, aren't you joking? The affairs of those high and mighty who fly in the sky, how would common folk like us who struggle to make a living know? You're cultivators yourselves, you should know better than me. I've only heard vague rumors that they offended someone they shouldn't have! Anyway, since then, no one's been taking care of the demons and monsters in this part of Liyang."

Wei Wuxian pondered, "Someone they shouldn't have offended?"

"That's right, that's right," the companion said, eating a couple of peanuts. "The grudges and feuds among these sects and clans are very complicated. I reckon the Chang family must have been targeted by other cultivators. Killing for treasure isn't uncommon, right? That's what storytellers always say, and what legends and romances always write. Though I don't know the specifics, it seems to be related to a very famous evil mastermind."

Wei Wuxian smiled as he brought his wine bowl to his lips, eyeing him askance, "Let me guess, you're going to say you don't know who this evil mastermind is, right?"

The companion chuckled, "You're wrong. I do know this one. I think he's called something like Old Monster... Oh, Old Patriarch, the Yiling Patriarch!"

Wei Wuxian choked, burbling a string of bubbles into his wine bowl. "What?"

Him again?!

The companion said confidently, "Yes, that's right! Surname Wei, I think he's called Wei Wuqian. When others mention him, they sound both hateful and fearful!"

"..."

Wei Wuxian pondered deeply and confirmed two points: First, he had never been to Liyang when he was alive; Second, among all the people he had killed, none had been executed by lingchi. He felt absurd and turned his head to look at Lan Wangji, as if seeking an explanation. Lan Wangji had been waiting for this glance for a while and said, "Let's go."

Wei Wuxian immediately understood that Lan Wangji had something to say about this, and it wasn't convenient to discuss it in the tavern in front of others. He stood up and said, "Alright, let's go. The bill... it's paid, right? Young man, keep the wine we bought here. We'll come back to continue drinking after we finish our business." He half-jokingly added, "Don't think we're trying to skip out on the bill."

The companion, who had already eaten most of the peanuts, called out, "How could we? Our shop is honest to all, young and old. Feel free to leave it here. We won't close the shop until you come back. Hey, hey, young masters, are you going to the Chang residence now? Wow, that's impressive! Even I, a local, have never been there! I only dare to peek from afar. Are you planning to go inside? What are you going to do?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "We're also just going to peek from afar, secretly."

This young companion was lively and quickly became familiar. After chatting for a while, he no longer treated Wei Wuxian as an outsider and moved closer to put his arm around Wei Wuxian's shoulder. "You two, is your job tiring? Do you earn a lot? It must be a lot! You look so respectable. Let me ask you something, is it hard to join? I..."

He was chattering away when suddenly he fell silent, looking fearfully to the side and whispered, "Young master, the one next to you... why is he glaring at me?"

Wei Wuxian followed his gaze and just caught Lan Wangji turning his head and walking out of the tavern. He said, "Oh, him? My friend here had a strict upbringing. He hates seeing people being overly familiar in front of him. Is that a bit strange?"

The companion awkwardly withdrew his hand and muttered in a very low voice, "Strange indeed. Looking at his expression, one might think I was being overly familiar with his wife..."

With Lan Wangji's hearing, it was impossible that lowering the voice would make it inaudible. Who knows what he thought of this. Wei Wuxian was trying so hard not to laugh that he felt internal injury. He quickly said to the companion, "I've finished a jar."

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The companion: "What?"

Wei Wuxian pointed at himself: "Standing."

The young companion finally remembered his earlier words "if you can still stand after finishing a jar, I'll take your surname," and hurriedly said, "Oh... Oh! That! ... Impressive! I'm not exaggerating, this is the first time I've seen someone finish a jar and still stand steady with a clear tongue. What's your surname, young master?"

Wei Wuxian said, "I..." Then, remembering the companion's earlier "Wei Wuqian," he twitched his lips and calmly continued, "My surname is Lan."

The companion, also thick-skinned, said loudly without changing his expression, "That's it, from today on, my surname is Lan!"

Under the bright red wine banner, Lan Wangji's back seemed to waver for a moment. Wei Wuxian, with a mischievous grin, walked up to him with his hands behind his back and patted his shoulder, "Thanks for paying the bill, Hanguang-jun. I made him take your surname."

After leaving the city, the two walked in the direction the companion had pointed. As the number of people decreased and trees increased, Wei Wuxian asked, "Why didn't you let me continue asking earlier?"

Lan Wangji replied, "I suddenly remembered that I had heard about the Chang family of Liyang before. So there was no need to ask further."

Wei Wuxian said, "Before you tell me, let me ask you to confirm something indirectly. That... the extermination of the Chang family wasn't done by me, right?"

Not to mention that he had been dead for ten years already, with his soul resting peacefully. He certainly wouldn't have forgotten if he had gone and wiped out an entire family!

Lan Wangji said, "It wasn't."

Wei Wuxian said, "Oh." It seemed like he had returned to a time in his previous life when everyone was calling for his head, when he was worse off than a sewer rat, when any bad thing could be attributed to him, when blame could be cast on him at will. Even if the neighbor's grandson lost three pounds from not eating, it could be blamed on being frightened by stories of the Yiling Patriarch's ghost general killing people.

However, Lan Wangji added, "Although you didn't kill them, it is related to you."

Wei Wuxian asked, "How is it related?"

Lan Wangji said, "There are two connections. First, there is a person involved in this matter who had a deep connection with your mother."

Wei Wuxian stopped in his tracks.

He didn't know what to feel, or what expression to make. He hesitantly asked, "... My mother?"

Wei Wuxian was the son of Wei Changze, a servant of the Jiang clan of Yunmeng, and Cangse Sanren, a wandering cultivator. Both Jiang Fengmian and his wife were well acquainted with his parents, but Jiang Fengmian rarely reminisced about his old friends to Wei Wuxian. Jiang Fengmian's wife, Yu Ziyuan, never spoke kindly to him; if she didn't whip him a few times or make him kneel in the ancestral hall to keep him away from Jiang Cheng, it was considered good. Most of what he knew about his parents came from others, and he didn't know much more than anyone else.

Lan Wangji also stopped, turned to face him, and said, "Have you heard of a person named Xiao Xingchen?"

Wei Wuxian thought carefully and said, "No, I haven't."

Lan Wangji said, "It's right that you haven't. This person became famous after leaving the mountain, exactly twelve years ago. Now, no one mentions him anymore."

Twelve years ago was just a year after the great siege at the Burial Mounds of Yiling, just missing it. Wei Wuxian asked, "Which mountain, and under whose tutelage?"

Lan Wangji replied, "The mountain is unknown. He was from the Taoist sect. Xiao Xingchen was a disciple of Baoshan Sanren."

Wei Wuxian finally understood why this person was said to have a deep connection with his mother. He said, "So, this Xiao Xingchen would be considered my martial uncle."

Cangse Sanren was also a disciple of Baoshan Sanren.

This Baoshan Sanren was a reclusive Taoist said to be from the same era as cultivators like Wen Mao and Lan An. The prominent figures of that generation have long since perished, but Baoshan Sanren was rumored to still be alive. If true, she must be several hundred years old, showing her extraordinary cultivation. Back then, led by Wen Mao, clan-based cultivation powers sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain, weakening the sect-based system. Blood relations became the bond for cultivation forces. Any cultivator with a bit of fame would establish their own sect and lineage. However, this master chose to retreat into the mountains, taking the Taoist name Baoshan. Which mountain she embraced, no one knew. Then again, it's precisely because no one knew that it's called seclusion. If one could easily find someone in seclusion, it wouldn't be called seclusion at all.

This predecessor lived in seclusion on an unknown immortal mountain, occasionally secretly bringing orphaned children up the mountain to accept as disciples. But all disciples had to swear: to devote their lives solely to cultivation, never to descend the mountain, never to enter the mortal world. Otherwise, regardless of the reason, they could never return. They had to be self-reliant, struggle through the mortal world, and have no more connection with their master.

People all said that Baoshan Sanren was indeed an enlightened master, and this rule she set showed great foresight. Because in hundreds of years, she only had three disciples who left the mountain: Yan Ling Daoren, Cangse Sanren, and Xiao Xingchen. All three disciples did not meet good ends.

Wei Wuxian had known the fates of the first two disciples since childhood, so there was no need to hear more. Thus, Lan Wangji briefly told him about the deeds of his martial uncle.

Xiao Xingchen was only seventeen when he left the mountain. Although Lan Wangji had never met him, he had heard of his elegance from others.

At that time, it had been only a few years since the Sunshot Campaign ended, and the great siege at the Burial Mounds of Yiling had just passed. Various great clans were running rampant, recruiting talents for their own use everywhere. Xiao Xingchen left the mountain with the intention of saving the world. He was of excellent quality and came from a great master. In his first night hunt, with just a horsetail whisk and a long sword, he ventured into the mountains alone and took first place - becoming famous overnight.

Seeing this young Taoist of clear appearance and profound cultivation, the various clans were greatly impressed and sent out invitations one after another. However, Xiao Xingchen politely declined them all, stating clearly that he did not wish to be affiliated with any clan. Instead, he and a close friend wanted to establish a new sect that did not emphasize blood ties.

This person had a temperament like cattails and reeds, but a heart like bedrock - soft on the outside but firm inside. He was also self-disciplined. At that time, whenever someone had any thorny or difficult issues, the first person they thought of seeking help from was him, and he never refused. Thus, his reputation was excellent.

The extermination of the Chang family in Liyang happened at that time.