*Somewhere between conscious and subconscious mind:- The in-between realm*

"Zewu Jun! please wake up! Zewu Jun!" A desperate Jiang Cheng shakes the older Jade's shoulder, trying to wake him up.

As soon as the clan leaders' cores had merged and they had fallen asleep, Jiang Cheng had opened his eyes and found Zewu Jun lying next to him, unmoving. He had looked around the empty white space and wondered where they were and how much time had passed.

Jiang Cheng had guessed that probably their cores had merged successfully, for they were definitely not in the physical realm. What bothered him, however, was that he could neither see nor hear Zewu Jun's thoughts. It was like the older Jade had still not accepted him.

Jiang Cheng knew how important it was to let their energies flow unrestrained if they were to form a connection with their brothers. He yells Zewu Jun's name over and over again.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity to Jiang Cheng, the older man stirs and opens her eyes; Jiang Cheng leaves a shaky breath and helps XiChen sit up.

"Zewu Jun, we need to hurry."

"Jiang Cheng, where are we?" The latter enquires.

"I am not sure. I think..." Jiang Cheng's face colors, "I think you have not accepted my core completely."

Zewu Jun gulps, "I am sorry, I Ah!" He winces. He grips the front of his chest and closes his eyes.

"Zewu Jun!" Jiang Cheng exclaims, holding the older Jade in his arms and feels a stabbing pain in his heart.

He closes his eyes.

When they open their eyes, they find themselves in the library pavilion.

"Why the fuck am I here!?" Jiang Cheng blurts out; Zewu Jun clears his throat, and Jiang Cheng realizes that he fucked up. He feels like swearing again, but he knows that it will only make matters worse, so he bows, "My apologies, Zewu Jun, but why are we at the library pavilion!?" He wonders aloud.

But before Zewu Jun can answer, the scene dissolves, and they are back at the sunshot campaign.

Jiang Cheng panics and looks for his sword; he feels the latter's hand on his shoulder, "They are just memories. You can't change them. And they can't hurt you."

The scene shifts again, and they find themselves in Jiang Cheng's room. It's the evening Zewu Jun had pretended to be sick to trick Meng Yao.

Both clan leaders wonder why they had ended up here, but none voices his thoughts. They watch the scene unfold:

"Zewu Jun, I will see you in the morning." Jiang Cheng says, turning away from the older Jade.

"Clan leader, wait." Zewu Jun calls, making the younger man turn.

"What is it, Zewu Jun?" Jiang Cheng enquires, walking towards him. The older man picks up the Lan headband from under his pillow and hands it to the Jiang clan leader, "Lying is against our clan's rule. As long as I am lying, I don't deserve to have this with me." Zewu Jun sighs, "Meng Yao is my sworn brother; he has never once harmed me, or our clan, and yet I am lying to him."

"Zewu Jun... " Jiang Cheng starts, but Zewu Jun shakes his head, "I know what you are going to say. The fact is that I don't feel comfortable wearing this at the moment. Could you keep it with you till Meng Yao is found guilty?"

"Zewu Jun, how can I? It's sacred."

"Jiang Cheng, I feel like I have already tainted it. I don't want to- Jiang Cheng, I trust you to take care of it. My brother and yours are- they are close. Wangji even trusted you with our clan's most private communication technique. And the fact that you were able to carry it out successfully means that you are someone I can trust. I understand if it makes you uncomfortable-" He is interrupted by Jiang Cheng, who accepts the headband and nods, "I will carry it with me till you are ready to take it back."

As Jiang Cheng leaves Zewu Jun alone in his chamber, in the dream, Jiang Cheng turns to Zewu Jun, "Zewu Jun, I never returned the headband to you. I can't remember... "

The scene shifts again.

This time, the clan leaders find themselves once again in Cloud recesses; It's burning.

"It's from when the Wen's had attacked... " Zewu Jun whispers. His eyes land on a familiar figure that had appeared out of the shadows. The man looks around before disappearing.

"What was that?" Jiang Cheng asks, and older Jade shakes his head. "I was distracting the Wens so that Uncle could take the younger disciples to the cold cave. It's the safest place for our clan members." Zewu Jun explains and adds, "But I was ambushed and lost consciousness..."

Before Zewu Jun can explain further, the scene shifts again; the cultivators find themselves in a forest.

"Where is this place?" Zewu Jun contemplates; just then, his eyes land on a familiar figure: Meng Yao. He is heavily injured, with cuts marking his front and back. He sways and takes off his mask and pulls someone out of the carriage he had been maneuvering just a few moments ago.

"Zewu Jun, that's you!" Jiang Cheng points at the unconscious man in Meng Yao arms.

"I will save you, Er ge." Meng Yao mutters, breathing heavily, as he transfers his spiritual energy to the older Jade. "You need to live, even if I have to die!" He says, redoubling his efforts.

Neither clan leaders say anything about the scene they had just witnessed.

The scene shifts; Lan XiChen and Jiang Cheng find themselves in Lotus cove.

Jiang Cheng's eyes widen. It's the time when he had just seen Lan Wangji and Wei WuXian in the throws of passion and left feeling confused.

He grabs hold of Zewu Jun's wrist turns him away from the sight, "Please don't." He begs, and the older Jade doesn't question him; he closes his eyes.

"No... " He hears Jiang Cheng whisper, and then, the latter is stepping in his space and covering his ears. Startled, the older Jade opens his eyes; the dark pools of Jiang Cheng's vulnerable, uncertain eyes greet him.

"Jiang Cheng... " Lan XiChen whispers; Jiang Cheng shakes his head, "I can't let you hear it; see it."

"Lan Er gege, Ah!" The Jiang clan leader's voice drifts over to him, and his brows crease. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he tries to turn, but Jiang Cheng can't allow that, won't allow that.

"I am sorry, Zewu Jun." He apologizes, and the next moment, the older Jade feels warm breaths on his face; soft smooth skin makes contact with his lips. He gasps. Heat and something else starts at the tips his lips and flows into the rest of his body.

XiChen closes his eyes, 'What is this feeling!?' He wonders and feels arms snake around his neck. Meanwhile, the heat turns moist, making his heart race.

'What is this feeling?' The older Jade wonders again. For, the feeling is entirely new, not repulsive, just unfamiliar and alien. And yet, the older man can't bring himself to lean away. His usually calm breathing breaks the rhythm it had set for itself and because shallow. It's not uncomfortable; it's just heady. 'More' a tiny voice speaks to him, and he wonders about its source. The warmth engulfs his entire being; he feels safe and calm and is just about to open his eyes, when all of a sudden, the contact is gone.

"Zewu Jun," He hears Jiang Cheng's nervous, hesitant voice and opens his eyes. Jiang Cheng's lips are quivering like a man about to be hanged.

"Jiang Cheng, " The older Jade starts but stops when the scene shifts.

They are at a place Jiang Cheng had never seen; it's cold and wet. The hesitation from moments ago leaves him when he reminds their mission. He looks to his right and finds XiChen staring ahead.

"Cold spring!" XiChen exclaims and takes a step forward; Jiang Cheng follows, and both cultivators slip; they get pulled into the spring.

In a moment of panic, XiChen grabs on to Jiang Cheng's collar and pulls him towards himself. Surprised, yet only too willing, Jiang Cheng gives in, and the men embrace.

The men close their eyes and fall. Or rather, their energies are pushed and guided into the cold cave: the most sacred of Lan Clan's space.

When the two clan leaders open their eyes, they see Wei Ying in Lan Zhan's arms, with the Yiling patriarch's clothes drenched in blood. Blood that has seeped into Lan Zhan's pearl white robes.

"Wei Ying! Please say something! Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan whispers as Wei Ying collapses. "No! Wei Ying. Stay Wei Ying!" The light bearer yells, cupping his husband's face.

Both Jiang Cheng and Zewu Jun see the scene unfold in front of them and approach their brothers.

"Wangji?" Zewu Jun calls, making the light bearer look at his brother.

"Do something, brother!" Lan Zhan begs, looking between his brother and Jiang Cheng.

"Wei WuXian! Hold on, please." He urges, putting a hand on his unconscious senior brother's shoulder.

"Jiang Cheng, let's start!" Zewu Jun states, and a look of understanding passes between them.

Immediately, the clan leaders put their forefingers between their foreheads, pulling energy and direct it to Lan Zhan, "Lan Zhan, accept it!" Zewu Jun commands.

Lan Zhan nods, and repeats the actions performed by Zewu Jun and directs his energy to Wei Ying, and closes his eyes.

*******

Nine pairs of eyes watch as the cord joining Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's wrist buzzes with energy: thinner purple, red and blue ones wrap around each other, and the once multicolored string turns solid black.

"Bao, what is happening?" One of the elder wonders, "Are you sure that they were able to form a link with Hanguang Jun?"

"A moment ago, I was sure, but right now," The physician shakes his head, "I have never seen or read about the cores mingling and turning black."

"Ah!" One of the elder member's hand moves to his chest, making the physician turn to him, "What is it?"

"The pull, it's too strong!" He informs.

"Did it hurt?"

"No, I just wasn't prepared. For a while now, we have been reaching out, but there was no pull. Now, I can feel it. I think it's working."

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, other members gasp as well.

"Lai is right." Another elder speaks, and the others nod.

A moment later, the physician feels it too. "It's working." He nods, "Let us give all that we can." He instructs, and all the members close their eyes and start directing their energies towards the cord with renewed vigor.

Meanwhile, the old physician can't help but feel apprehensive, for what he had hidden from his friends and peers was that a core energy turning black meant that demonic powers were at play.

"I hope that when you are back, you are still the man I saw at the caves, Yiling patriarch: untamed, but pure." The physician prays and concentrates on directing his energy towards the black cord.

{Note :- Hope this update has made some things clear. It will be touched upon again in the future updates.

The next few days are very busy, so the next update will be on Tuesday (hopefully)

Those who are reading 'Mine', please let me how you are finding the story so far. I feel like due to the pace the story, coupled with slower updates, people are losing interest in it. ☹️

Please Vote on this update if you have enjoyed it.

Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}