#lingzhui

[ourlittlesecrethoney]

JL: I'm so independant, a free soul, i will never settle down, marriage feels like putting a rope on my neck, just Fairy and me running in the woods.

LSZ: _walks in_ Good morning, Jin Ling.

JL: I love you, marry me. _whispers_.

yes, jin ling fell for sizhui on the dafan mountain, don't @ me

he literally said he would kill wen ning for him 😭

[twistedappletree]

[ca-ca13]

Au where LSZ find out more about his past and who his mother is

so LSZ and JL and the rest of the Juniors go on a night hunt and someone come and try to kill LSZ but failed because JL manage to block the attack so they go back to gusu and tell WWX and LWJ and ofc WWX is very pissed off by this and say who did this should die in miserable hell but the next day there is a new student a son of a new clan sect leader LSZ felt uncomfortable with him for some reason so later on the new student make fun of JL for having no mother and father because he heard if you make fun of the sect leader Jin he will act like a angry mistress so JL so reply with a yeah what about it of course LSZ hear about it and said what did Young sect leader Jin say to you for you to say such rude things about his childhood so the new student just looked at LSZ and smile and said nothing cutie I was just curious about the rumor about angry mistress of the Jin clan he lift LSZ chin up and said hey what a cute boy like you doing with this angry mistress anyway immediately JL come in the way and said it none of your business JL hold LSZ waste when he said that LSZ was surprise of JL behavior it was unlike him act like this meanwhile LY and OYZN are just eating and minding their own damn business the new student said leave the cute boy a alone sect leader Jin and JL just say he mine got your own cute boy so the new student just say fine and leave very angry LSZ was processing what just happened and LY and OYZN just say WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE LJ turn red in a embarrassment just realized what he just said and LSZ ask sect leader Jin can you let go of my waste if you please JL turn more red just after just also realize he was holding LSZ waste immediately let go and run LSZ was also a little bit embarrassed and LJ hug LSZ say shiuzi-ge did the nasty young Mistress make you in uncomfortable LSZ know that LJ and JL are a bit too much when it comes to him LSZ just said don't worry about it but a few days later WWX and LWJ and the juniors go on a night hunt by accident they meet LXC and JC and JL it turns out there were also on the night hunt JL and LSZ fondant ancient type of weird symbol on a Stone WWX take a look at it then suddenly they get teleported to a mysterious cave all of them were separated they were shown the love one they used to know that are now dead LSZ we're separated like the rest of the group and saw a woman singing a beautiful song to her baby and saying my baby is the most cuter in the world I am the luckiest mother in the world LSZ find it weird feeling connection to this woman for some reason then suddenly he's sew the same woman except she was laying down on the floor blood surrounding her saying her last words to her baby my little bunny I'm sorry for leaving you this early I will give you a gift before I die a ring and my golden core and my mother fan I was planning to give it to you when you turn 14 or 13 I guess I will give you now but when you turn 18 you will unlock it's but I am a afraid if you can't handle my dark golden core but good bye my little a yuan hug her baby before she turned into nothing but beautiful flowers LSZ was shocked understanding now that woman is his mother after dead suddenly he got teleported to the place where the others were WWX and LWJ was worries LSZ because he was the last to arrive LSZ having tears in his eyes ask WWX if he knows who his mother is

[soursoppi]

all grown up....

[ibijau]

Sins of the fathers pt6 / On AO3

Jin Guangshan took a second to look up from the papers on his desk when the door opened, but smiled warmly when he saw that Jin Ling was there. 

“Come in, my boy,” Jin Guangshan said. ”And close the door behind you, won't you?”

Jin Ling quickly obeyed and walked up to the desk, trying not to gawk at the unfamiliar room. It was rare for his grandfather to use his office, and rarer still for him to allow anyone inside. Jin Guangyao was a frequent visitor, Jin Ling had noticed, but aside from that, the only people ever called to the sect leader's office were disciples who had gotten themselves in trouble. 

“You have asked to see me, zongzhu?” Jin Ling asked with a polite bow. 

“Zongzhu? Since when are you so distant, Rulan?” Jin Guangshan protested, looking so sincerely wounded Jin ling almost believed it.

“I only meant to be respectful, grandfather,” Jin Ling said with another bow. “You always say youngsters should be more respectful of their elders.”

“It is only the two of us, there's no need for that,” Jin Guangshan assured him, his tone too warm to be trusted. “Sit down, my boy, and let's take a moment to talk. It has been a long while since we've had a chat, hasn't it?”

Jin Ling nodded as he sat. It had been a while since he'd spent time alone with his grandfather, that much was true. They used to have a good enough relationship, but being forced to marry a stranger had helped Jin Ling see what sort of a man his grandfather was, and now his company was repulsive. Of course if Jin Guangshan had demanded that they spend time together since that falling out, Jin Ling could not have easily refused in spite of his disgust. However his grandfather had shown little interest in him since the wedding. 

Until that morning. 

“Is there anything in particular you want to talk about, grandfather?” Jin Ling asked, as if he couldn't guess why he was there. 

“With so much going on in your life these days, I wouldn't know where to start,” Jin Guangshan replied with a huff, sounding so much like the man he was in Jin Ling's better memories. “Your marital life, perhaps? But maybe that is not the right topic. We've had some disagreement regarding that, haven't we?”

He chuckled, as if Jin Ling’s rage and despair had been some amusing little incident, something they could now all laugh about. Maybe he even sincerely believed that. Or at least, as much as he was capable of any sincerity.

“I understand that grandfather had his reasons for doing the things he did,” Jin Ling flatly said, clenching his fists over his knees, where the desk would hide them. “It was not my place to judge your decision.”

“No, it was not,” his grandfather sharply agreed, before quickly softening again. “But I think my decision was not so unpleasant to you in the end. You get along well with that wife of yours, don't you?” 

“We are making the best of things,” Jin Ling said. 

An understatement, really. 

Wen Yuan’s lessons were going tolerably well. It was a surprise, as Jin Ling had half expected his husband would complain to his mother about his temper after the first lesson, and that would have been the end of that experiment. Instead, Wen Yuan had apparently expressed gratitude to his mother-in-law for organising this, and promised her to work hard to be worthy of the praises he’d received from Jin Ling.

The following lessons had still been tense, but by the middle of the second week they’d found a balance and things were… not bad. Wen Yuan knew to ignore Jin Ling’s outbursts most of the time. And Jin Ling was starting to accept that his husband was genuine when he thanked him or complimented something he did. They weren’t friends or anything, and maybe they’d never be, but at least they could get along, and that was more than Jin Ling had dared to hope since the moment his engagement was revealed to him.

“It must not be easy for you,” Jin Guangshan lamented. “Considering his father’s reputation, and that cold temper he's shown so far… I do hope your wife has not used his knowledge of his father’s methods to make you feel uneasy inside your own home?”

So that was the reason for this meeting, Jin Ling realised. He was grateful for his mother’s warnings, which had given him time to prepare something to say.

“Wen Yuan never mentions his old life,” Jin Ling replied. “He is very dedicated to learning the ways of the Jin sect and making them his, like a good wife should.”

That remark earned him a frustrated glare from his grandfather. Jin Ling knew it was a source of tension in his grandparents’ marriage that his grandmother still preferred to use the cultivation path that she’d learned from her parents, even after a lifetime in Lanling. Everyone knew that. It ought to make it harder for Jin Guangshan to openly complain that Wen Yuan wasn’t using demonic cultivation.

“It is a wife's duty to mould herself to the new family’s expectations,” Jin Guangshan agreed. “But a good husband should also show interest in his wife. If that Wei boy doesn't talk about his family, it might be because you do not inspire enough trust in him yet. If so, it is regrettable. I would have thought you had taken after your father.”

Jin Ling lowered his gaze, his eyes burning with rageful tears he couldn't afford to spill. 

He really wished people would stop only comparing him to his father when they wished to insult his temper. When his father did it, it was usually because he found Jin Ling too quick to anger, or too unsociable. When his grandfather said it, he meant that Jin Ling was weak for not realising rules and morality only applied to lesser people. Jin Zixuan was a well loved man, why couldn't anyone ever see his qualities in his eldest son?

“I'm doing my best, grandfather,” he said between clenched teeth. 

“Then maybe your best needs to be better, boy. Do you understand what I mean?” 

Jin Ling understood too well, but shook his head. 

“Grandfather will have to be more clear. I only want to please you, of course. But I can only do that if I know what you want from me. Does grandfather have certain expectations regarding my marriage to Wen Yuan, maybe? Grandfather should have said so from the start, then, instead of expecting me to guess things.”

As soon as he said that, Jin Ling regretted it. His grandfather tolerated few things, and insolence least of all.

“You know, it is up to me to choose my heir,” Jin Guangshan casually remarked. “Tradition would prefer it be my son, or my eldest grandson, but I could pick someone else. I have other grandsons after all, and a nephew who has a child of his own. If these options appear better for the future of my sect, I will not hesitate to make tough decisions.”

Jin Ling clenched his fists. He didn't care about being sect leader, it was a stupid job, full of dealing with stupid people. But that didn't mean he didn't recognise a threat directed at him, at his family, and that pissed him off. 

If it had been anyone else talking to him like that, Jin Ling would have let his anger explode. Or else he'd have laughed in their face, because in what world were Jin Zixun and Jin Chan better options than him to someday lead the sect? They were just stupid bullies and… 

And so was Jin Guangshan. So maybe they were better candidates, from his point of view. They were all pawns to him anyway. Jin Ling knew it too well, after going from favourite grandchild to someone who could be sacrificed to an unpleasant match. Nobody in this family mattered when compared to his grandfather and his ambitions. And still Jin Ling had been lucky, because Wen Yuan was a good person. If he hadn't been, would Jin Guangshan have cared to protect his grandson from a demonic cultivator? Or would he have allowed his new spouse to torment him, as long as he could get his hands on someone who could help him in that war against the Nie he wanted?

Jin Ling smiled.

“Of course, Jin zongzhu should be free to decide the future of his sect,” he said, imitating the placid tone Jin Guangyao used on very unpleasant people. “It makes sense. What does this have to do with our conversation, though?”

“Nothing at all,” Jin Guangshan pleasantly agreed. “It was just a thought that crossed my mind. Well, boy, I fear I'm already running out of time to talk to you. I have other business to attend, so you may go. But do think about what I've said, regarding your wife and gaining his trust. Otherwise he might find someone else to confide in, and we wouldn't want that, would we?”

Again, Jin Ling just smiled, the only safe answer against that man he'd grown to hate. He then bowed politely and left the room as quickly as politeness allowed. Once outside, he slowly walked away, willing himself to look calm under the watchful gaze of his grandfather's disciples, knowing any of them could betray him if he didn't hide how much that meeting upset him. 

More than once, he'd heard his uncle Jiang call the Jin sect a nest of vipers. Jin Ling disagreed. He didn't believe even animals would turn so viciously on their own kind.

It felt like an eternity before Jin Ling finally reached his home, the only place where nobody could spy on him. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Jin Ling let out a frustrated cry, and kicked the wall. 

“Is something wrong?” Wen Yuan asked, running to the door. 

On top of being angry, Jin Ling was immediately overcome with shame. He hadn't thought his husband would be home, since Wen Yuan usually spent mornings with his in-laws. It was one thing for Jin Ling to let his anger explode like that, and quite another to let anyone see it. Jin Ling opened his mouth to apologise, only to realise there was something more urgent to discuss. 

“Wen Yuan, has anyone approached you to befriend you since you’ve arrived in Carp Tower?” Jin Ling asked

The odd question puzzled his husband, but Wen Yuan soon shook his head. 

“No, no one except your siblings. Others find me… unsettling, I think.”

“Good, perfect even!” Jin Ling exclaimed at this confirmation his grandfather hadn't already started other schemes against his husband. “The less friends you make here, the better.”

Wen Yuan threw him a wounded look, but Jin Ling was too distracted to see it.

“Is that an order, husband?” Wen Yuan stiffly asked.

“You know, it just might be,” Jin Ling pondered. “It’s better for everyone that way.”

After all, there was nobody trustworthy in the entire sect. Which wasn’t to say there wasn’t anyone nice. Lanling Jin was a large sect, and not everyone in it was as awful as Jin Chan. In fact, most disciples were probably pleasant to chat with, charming even. But it didn’t matter how nice they were, because this was a sect where bullies were in charge, and they knew how to make nice people do awful things.

“Are you worried that I’ll betray you if I get close to others, husband?” Wen Yuan asked, his tone so icy that at last Jin Ling had to notice it.

“It’s not like that!” Jin Ling exclaimed. “I don’t care if you sleep with someone!” he winced, realising that probably sounded worse. “No, I do care! I just… don’t care who you… what you… I just care…”

He bit his lip to silence himself, expecting his husband to get angrier, but Wen Yuan only looked at him curiously.

“Are you trying to say you’re not ordering this out of jealousy?” he helpfully suggested.

“Yes, that’s what I meant!” Jin Ling agreed, relieved that his husband was getting used to his manners. “If it were just about making friends, you could be friendly with anyone, it’d be fine.”

“I see. Then why is it you don’t want me to have friends?”

“Only within our sect!” Jin Ling protested. “You shouldn’t have friends within our sect. Or within sects that are too closely linked to ours either, I guess,” he added after a moment of reflection. “If you happen to meet Jiang disciples and you hit it off, it’s fine. Or Lans, I guess, even though I can’t imagine why anyone would be friends with them.”

Of course the closest thing that Jin Ling had to a friend his own age was a Lan, Lan Jingyi, but that acquaintance only proved that the Lans were annoying. Lan Jingyi and him argued every time they met, and only sometimes hung out together because nobody else would put up with them.

“Any other sects I’m allowed to be friendly with?” Wen Yuan asked, smiling.

Jin Ling considered it, and shrugged.

“Just about anyone who doesn't lick my grandfather's boots. Well, maybe avoid the Nie, we’re not on good terms with them. But I doubt any Nie disciple would want to talk to you. They’re… they’re not very happy that you’ve entered our sect. For obvious reasons.”

Wen Yuan frowned at first, as if this remark too had hurt him, but his expression quickly shifted into something that was nearly a smile.

“You mean Wei zonghzu,” Wen Yuan said, sounding almost amused by the effort needed to decipher what Jin Ling meant.

“Him, yes. And he’s also why you need to be careful around Jin disciples. I probably shouldn’t tell you…”

Jin Ling bit his lip, but one look at Wen Yuan's handsome, honest face was enough to convince him. Wen Yuan not only deserved to know what was going on, but he also needed to. Anyway, hadn't his grandfather told him there should be trust in a married couple? 

“The thing is, Jin zongzhu is very interested in demonic cultivation,” Jin Ling explained. “He thinks it’d be the best way to protect ourselves from our enemies. And he also thinks that you can use demonic cultivation, but you’re withholding it from us.”

“But I’m not,” Wen Yuan protested, offended. “I’ve never learned!’

“I know,” Jin Ling replied. “I'm pretty sure it would have left marks on you, on your qi. I’d probably have noticed it from the moment we had our first lessons. But my grandfather is… when he’s decided that something is a certain way, nobody can convince him otherwise. And he thinks that you’re refusing to share your knowledge with us.”

“I'm not,” Wen Yuan insisted. “You can tell him that, I really have nothing to share on that topic.”

Strangely enough, it was a relief to hear that. Jin Ling couldn't deny that he'd been worried concerning the possibility of demonic cultivation. It was easy to say he would have noticed it immediately, but in truth considering Wei Wuxian's skill, he may well have come up with ways to hide the effect of his heretical paths on the body and mind. Of course there was the possibility that Wen Yuan was just lying, but Jin Ling didn't think that was the case. His husband hid many things, but so far none of the few words he'd said had ever been lies.

“Whether you know your father's craft or not, I'd encourage you to keep it secret,” Jin Ling advised. “Don't tell anyone, not even me, or my siblings, or even my mother. We've all lied to my grandfather before, but it's easier for everyone if we don't have to.”

Wen Yuan shot him a curious look, and shook his head. 

“I appreciate that, husband. But I am not lying. I really don't know anything at all. Wei zongzhu was always very firm on that, he’d scold me terribly if I showed too much interest in his methods. He knows too well how dangerous it is. He... he didn't want that for me.”

“Don't let anyone know that either,” Jin Ling said after a moment of reflection. “If my grandfather knows you can never fulfil the purpose he has in mind for you, he might try to get rid of you. It's better to keep an air of mystery about this.”

Wen Yuan tilted his head to the side. 

“I thought… Don't you also want to be rid of me?”

The question took Jin Ling by surprise. Not so long ago, he would have agreed that this marriage was the very worst thing that had ever happened to him. He wasn't so sure about that anymore. Wen Yuan was not unpleasant to have around, and their daily lessons were... nice. There was nothing particularly romantic about their marriage, but there was nothing awful either.

“You're not the worst spouse grandfather could have found for me,” Jin Ling replied. “If you were gone, I might just end up with someone worse, if my grandfather thinks it's his interest. He might try to marry me to Nie Huaisang for all I know! Do you know how annoying he can be when he's unhappy? Or… Or to one of Yao zongzhu's kids, and they're all duller than dirt, I've never heard them say something that wasn't boring. Or he'd find me someone ugly, which is just as bad as being boring. Anyway, I'm used to you now. It'd be a bother, having to deal with someone new, especially when they wouldn't be as good as you. And… And I wouldn't enjoy regaining my freedom, if it meant you had to suffer for it! Which you would. Grandfather is… not a kind man.”

Jin Ling blushed, all too aware that he was saying things in the worst possible way, once again. And yet Wen Yuan didn't take offence. If anything, he looked a little pleased by his husband's rambles. Truly, Jin Ling did not understand his husband in the least.

“I am grateful that my husband feels this way,” Wen Yuan said, fighting a smile. “I will try hard to be worthy of the praise.”

Without thinking, Jin Ling nodded.

He couldn't say it, because it would sound wrong and mean again if he tried to express it, but at that moment he actually felt very happy with the husband fate had chosen for him, that odd boy who had just enough patience to unravel the mess of words that often spilled out of his mouth.

[bored-knight]

Here's my first piece for one of my current obsessions at the moment - Zhuiling (or Lingzhui)

So here's big witch Lan Sizhui with small fairy prince Jin Ling 💛💙

[mintartem]

Forehead ribbon

[jae-duhb]

Been a long while since I thought about MDZS, and after reading a couple Royalty AU's, I began wondering about one in which the central characters are the Juniors. An omega WWX is enjoying retirement as Empress Dowager Zhehuang alongside his alpha, the Emperor Emeritus, previously the Hanguang Emperor. First Prince SZ was named Crown Prince despite being an omega and ascended as the dynasty's reigning empress. Before his coronation, he was already married to the only alpha son of the noble Jin clan, Prince Consort JL, and after him, OYZZ entered the household. LJY is Jiang Jingyi, heir to alpha JC and omega LXC. (I know: a ~real~ switcheroo.) As for a plot, there really isn't one; I can only imagine that a child of JZXun or any other uppity noble attempts to stir up trouble within the royal family.

[veraverorum]

Unironically, I think I should return writing lingzhui fics based on slogans from trashy t-shirts from aliexpress

[gaianaa]

I hate to remember the plot of a good fic, but not the title.

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE LINGZHUI/ZHUILING FIC ON AO3 WHEREIN JIN LING REJECTED SIZHUI'S CONFESSION AND BURNT HIS FOREHEAD RIBBON? AND THEN WHEN SIZHUI COME BACK TO CLOUD RECESSES, HEARTBROKEN, HE GOT QI DEVIATION AND DYING?

I need to reread that.😭

[ourlittlesecrethoney]

LJY: okaaaay, but are you sure you don't love Sizhui, you just bought a comb because it had a butterfly and thought he might like it.

JL: ofc i don't love sizhui, i just miss him when he's not around, feel my heart speed up when he looks at me, acknowledge his beauty and try to be better for him, but that's just what friends do for each other

WWX: you know, i used to have a friendship like that

JL: SEE?

WWX: and now we're married

JL:

[twistedappletree]

Arranged marriage zhuiling AU where instead of being arranged to marry each other, Jiang Cheng keeps trying to set Jin Ling up with random girls from other clans after Jin Ling mentions he’s interested in marrying ‘someone’ because he doesn’t know Jin Ling meant Lan Sizhui, so Jin Ling keeps doing the most ridiculously annoying and unappealing things to scare off every girl who comes to Koi Tower and Jiang Cheng is ripping his hair out because you little brat, you said you wanted to get married???

Eventually, both of them are so exhausted from the miscommunication that Jiang Cheng investigates and finally finds out what’s wrong, then tells Jin Ling he has one more potential spouse for him to meet. Jin Ling is a pouting lackluster mess over it until his entire world stops when the doors to Koi Tower open and Lan Sizhui walks through.

[ca-ca13]

POV Jin ling and lan shizhui just got married

Jin ling who come back from his work as a sect leader: wife

Lan shizhui: yes a-ling

Jin ling grabbing lan shizhui by his waist and putting him on his shoulders and going to there bedroom:

Lan shizhui shocked: a-ling!

Jin ling who sitting on the bed with lan shizhui on his lap: hmmm

Lan shizhui: hard day at work

Jin ling who is putting his head on lan shizhui neck: *nods*

Lan shizhui patting Jin ling head: hmm I understand

Jin ling: wife

Lan shizhui: yeah

Jin ling: sorry I just like to say it hehe

[soursoppi]

my personal Jin Ling headcanon: he takes after his Jiujiu- good at long term planning, terrible with romancing lol

[ibijau]

Sins of the Fathers pt5 / On AO3

At noon Jin Ling went to his parents’ house where his husband had spent the morning. They all had lunch together, after which Wen Yuan and him would head back home to start training. Following Jin Guangyao's advice, Jin Ling planned on testing his husband's knowledge of internal cultivation and to work on that as a first order of business. If Wen Yuan proved to have been taught already, they could move on to martial arts. Jin Ling hoped that could be delayed, though. If they had to go to the training grounds, Jin Chan might see them and try to cause problems, which he hadn’t decided yet how to handle.

It felt unbearably awkward to be alone together in the middle of the day. They never spent time like that in each other’s company, so Jin Ling felt his husband was still pretty much a stranger. Making things worse, Wen Yuan was as silent as ever, waiting in the middle of the room, staring at Jin Ling with cold eyes. 

Jin Ling wondered if it had been a mistake to accept his mother’s request. It probably was. But between his unresponsive husband and being around Jin Chan and his idiot friends… 

“My mother told me you already have some training?” Jin Ling asked, trying to sound imposing and confident, like his cool uncle Jiang Cheng. “Tell me more about that.”

Wen Yuan nodded, not the least bit impressed by his husband’s tone.

“When I was young, Wei zongzhu taught me a few notions. It was a long time ago. I was younger than Jin Bai when the lessons had to stop.”

“Do you know why he stopped teaching you?”

“Yes,” Wen Yuan said.

Jin Ling waited for his husband to elaborate. No further explanation came. Wen Yuan just placidly looked at him, radiating indifference.

“I’m not asking because I’m nosy,” Jin Ling announced, which was mostly true. “We’re not friends, we don’t have to know everything about each other! But I need to know if your lessons stopped because you were bad at cultivation, or if there was some other reason.”

“Oh,” Wen Yuan said, blushing a little. He quickly shook his head. “No, it was another reason. Wei-ge… I mean, Wei zongzhu said I showed promise when he was teaching me. But circumstances forced us to give up.”

It wasn’t the answer Jin Ling had expected. Considering Wei Wuxian’s reputation as a cultivation genius, and his animosity toward all other sects, it would have made sense for him to train any child of his that had any skill. He would have needed some disciples now that he’d left the Jiang sect, and also some people to fight for him in case the other sects decided to attack him. The undead were a useful weapon, but they could only do so much.

After being told by his mother that Wen Yuan had only minimal training, Jin Ling had assumed that his husband lacked natural predisposition for cultivation. It was the reason most cultivators gave up on their own child. His own mother had been like that, interested in cultivation to a degree but with a body too frail for it. So either Wen Yuan was lying (but why would he, when Jin Ling was sure to soon find out the truth?), or Wei Wuxian had lied to him to spare his feelings (but would an evil genius ready to sell his son care about that?) or… or there was something fishy going on.

“Well, alright, let’s see that then,” Jin Ling said, once more trying to sound imposing like Jiang Cheng. “Let’s test your breathing first. If you’ve really learned anything at all, it should be that.” He paused and hesitated, something Jiang Cheng would never have done. “I, uh, I’m going to have to touch your chest to check that. Don’t go getting ideas, it’s just to see if you’re doing it right!”

To his surprise, Wen Yuan blushed again. Which was stupid, because Jin Ling had just said there was nothing personal to it. But of course seeing Wen Yuan blush made it weird, and suddenly Jin Ling too was blushing

“Sit down,” Jin Ling ordered. “And, uh, get in position to meditate and all.”

Wen Yuan obeyed, sitting down in the middle of the room. Strangely, the position he adopted was the same one Jiang disciples usually took to practise their breath and improve their inner cultivation. It seemed Wei Wuxian, however creative he’d been for other things, still used the basics he’d learned in the Jiang sect. Jin Ling wondered if Jiang Cheng would be happy or angry about that. It was the sort of thing that was often reproached to new sects (Jin Ling had heard so much criticism of the Moling Su sect) but in that particular case, maybe Jiang Cheng wouldn’t mind that much.

After giving his husband a moment to get started, Jin Ling knelt down next to him and placed one hand over his ribcage. The first thing he noticed was Wen Yuan’s heartbeat increasing the instant he was touched, but Jin Ling ignored it, refusing to make this whole thing any weirder than it already was. Instead, he focused on Wen Yuan’s breathing, its slow and steady rhythm, the way it helped energy gather inside his body, making it pool in the right places.

Wen Yuan hadn’t lied, and neither had Wei Wuxian. He really had a lot of potential. Well trained, Wen Yuan would have formed a golden core years ago. It was baffling that he didn’t have one. With such good bases, even just handing him a cultivation manual and checking on him every few weeks would have been enough, as long as he practised dutifully. So why had Wei Wuxian given up on him?

Jin Ling didn’t bother asking. Wen Yuan wouldn’t have answered. Still, it was hard not to be curious. Nothing about this made any sense. Even Jin Guangshan, not particularly known for caring about junior disciples unless they were rich, would not have given up on someone who showed such promises.

Jin Ling removed his hand from his husband’s chest. Wen Yuan looked at him, his expression a little less cold than usual.

“You’re doing alright,” Jin Ling said. “More than alright, really. How long can you last doing that?”

“All day,” Wen Yuan replied, some pride piercing through. “I can also keep it up when I sleep sometimes, but it’s harder and I'm equally likely to fail.”

“No surprise there. It’s hard to learn to breathe right in your sleep, unless you have a teacher who’s willing to watch you and wake you up every time you go back to normal. Xiao-shushu said he’s never gotten the hang of it. It’s mostly fine, though. It’s not as good as if you could maintain the right breathing all the time, but you can still cultivate like that. Can you control the energy inside you at all?”

It was the expected next step. There was hardly any sense in gathering energy and then not doing anything with it. Even Jin Bai had already learned how to do that. And yet, Wen Yuan shook his head, looking embarrassed.

“Only a little,” he confessed. “Wei zongzhu… didn’t have a lot of time to teach me, even when he still had time at all, and I was often busy as well.”

“You’re a sect’s disciple, what could be more important than your training?” Jin Ling exclaimed. “It's a real waste, with natural skills like yours! If your father was just some rogue cultivator it would be one thing to prioritise other things, but someone like Wei Wuxian should know better. To leave you to your own devices like that…”

“You don’t know him,” Wen Yuan cut him off. “So don’t talk about him.”

He didn’t raise his voice, he didn’t even frown. But coming from a boy that normally couldn’t even be bothered to speak to Jin Ling at all, well, he might as well have been shouting.

“I know enough about him,” Jin Ling snapped back. “I know he sold you to us and couldn’t be bothered to see you get married. I know that he couldn’t bother to properly teach his own son. He’s really just as bad as everyone says, in the end.”

“You don’t know him,” Wen Yuan softly repeated, looking down at the floor. “Wei-ge is a good man. The things he’s done, the good he’s done… but you wouldn’t understand.”

Jin Ling clenched his fists. Of course he didn’t understand, when his husband refused to tell him anything about anything! Was he supposed to read Wen Yuan’s mind to learn in what ways Wei Wuxian was entirely unlike everything everyone knew about him?

To Jin Ling, it was clear that Wei Wuxian was a cold and uncaring person. Everything he'd done in the past had proven it, everything Wen Yuan had said now confirmed it. That Wen Yuan still wanted to defend his father was to his credit, it made him a filial son… but it also made him a bit of an idiot. If Jin Ling could accept the truth about his grandfather, then he expected everyone should look at their own family with the same clarity.

The only reason Jin Ling kept from saying these things out loud was that he didn’t want to disappoint his mother. It was clearly important to her that these lessons go well. Jin Ling couldn’t let her down.

“Nevermind your father, none of this is about him,” Jin Ling said. “It’s about you. So you’ve got some basics when it comes to internal cultivation, that’s already more than I expected. What about fighting? Has anyone taught you that? Hand-to-hand styles? Or some swordsmanship maybe?”

“I’ve never used a sword,” Wen Yuan replied, looking embarrassed again. As he should be, even the smallest and poorest of sects found enough money to get their disciples a blade. “But I can defend myself, and I’m alright with a bow.”

In spite of himself, Jin Ling felt a spark of interest at the mention of archery. A bow was not the most common weapon for a cultivator, but it was one he’d always liked. It was in his blood. His father was after all a renowned archer, as was his uncle Jiang Cheng. But come to think of it, Wei Wuxian too used to be a reputed archer in his youth, so perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that his son had inherited his skill.

“Has your father taught you?” Jin Ling asked.

“No,” Wen Yuan said. Then, to Jin Ling’s shock, his husband actually elaborated on his answer, on his own. “It was my cousin Wen Ning who taught me archery, and most of what I know about hand-to-hand combat as well. He’s the one who really took care of me after…”

Realising he’d said more than intended, Wen Yuan trailed off with a frown.

“After what?” Jin Ling asked.

Wen Yuan looked away, his frown deepening.

“It’s not important. Do you want to test me for this, too?”

Although disappointed that his husband had stopped talking just as the conversation was becoming interesting, Jin Ling considered their options. On one hand, he definitely needed to assess Wen Yuan’s level. His mother had given him the impression that his husband was a complete beginner and he’d planned some lessons accordingly, but Jiang Yanli seemed to have underestimated her son-in-law. 

On the other hand, trying to test someone who had trained with a fierce corpse was a little scary. It was possible that Wen Yuan wouldn’t know how to control his strength, nor how to avoid seriously harming a living opponent. 

Ultimately though, Jin Ling had to test him, and he had to do it without showing any fear. He was the teacher in this situation, and what could he hope to teach if his student knew he was scared?

“Let’s get up,” Jin Ling ordered. “You’re going to try to strike me.”

“What if I hurt you?” Wen Yuan asked, unfolding his legs and getting up while his husband did the same. “I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Have you hurt people before?”

“Yes, once or twice,” Wen Yuan calmly said. “Sometimes, people would try to enter the Burial Mounds in Yiling. Uncle Wen usually took care of them alone, but in recent years I’ve helped him when necessary.”

Jin Ling shivered. “Have you… killed anyone?” he asked, dreading the answer.

Wen Yuan hurriedly shook his head, looking horrified.

“Oh, good then,” Jin Ling awkwardly said, more relieved than he could admit. “If you couldn’t kill some low level robbers, then I don’t think you’ll really be able to hurt me.” He took a fighting stance, bracing himself. “Go on, show me what you can do. Hit me as hard as you can.”

Visibly reluctant, Wen Yuan got in position to strike. Before he’d even moved, Jin Ling noted that his posture wasn’t very good, his legs weren’t as solid on the ground as they should have been. It would have been easy to knock him over. He kept that thought to himself, and waited for his husband to hit. 

When he finally did so, Wen Yuan’s attack turned out so weak that Jin Ling easily took the blow without flinching. It would have hurt a common person, sure, but that was all the good that could be said about it. It had lacked power, proving that Wen Yuan had never learned to use his energy to strengthen his blows, something any child would learn in a sect. It also lacked speed. A common person with some knowledge of martial arts could have avoided it. A cultivator, even a low level one, definitely would have dodged, and found Wen Yuan open for a counter-attack. 

Overall, Wen Yuan had attacked the way a fierce corpse would, but he lacked the raw power of one.

“Are you alright?” Wen Yuan asked. “Did I hurt you?”

“Was that the best you can do, or did you hold back because you were worried about hurting me?”

Wen Yuan looked embarrassed by the question, which was already an answer in itself.

“I held back a little. If something happens to you because of me… I don’t want to risk the wrath of the Jin sect.”

That was a fair concern to have, so Jin Ling couldn’t scold him. At the same time, it was insulting that Wen Yuan thought him weak.

“Don’t worry about hurting me, you’re not capable of it,” Jin Ling assured him. “If you’ve hurt anyone before, it was just luck on your part. We’re going to have to start over from scratch, you’re really bad at this. Your family and your sect have failed you, if this is all they’ve bothered teaching you.”

It might not have been the nicest thing to say, Jin Ling realised after he’d already said it. But he was starting to get angry on Wen Yuan’s behalf. Bad training could be worse than no training at all. It was going to be so hard to undo all the bad habits he’d probably picked up over the years, something Jin Guangyao had told his nephew he’d also struggled with after using fake cultivation manuals when he was young. Right then, Wen Yuan was offended at the insult against his family, but Jin Ling didn’t doubt that in a few months, Wen Yuan would be furious that they had failed to properly guide him.

For now, Wen Yuan took a deep breath. There was a spot of red on his cheeks, this time likely from anger rather than embarrassment, but aside from that he still looked perfectly calm. It made Jin Ling feel like he wasn’t even worth getting angry at, which in turn made him angry.

“What is next in the lesson?” Wen Yuan quietly said, like a dutiful student talking to his teacher. “More testing?”

“No, I know everything I need to know,” Jin Ling scoffed. “You’re much better than I expected, but also much worse. I have to change my plans for you, nothing I prepared will work for someone like you. You can go if you like, or stay here and hide in your room until dinner. I have to go to the library to figure out how to deal with you.”

His face still red, Wen Yuan bowed deeply and, Jin Ling thought, with a touch of disdainful irony.

“Thank you for your patience with this unworthy student,” Wen Yuan said, and definitely that had to be ironic. “I am grateful for my husband’s help.”

Jin Ling scoffed, refusing to answer that veiled insult. His patience indeed! Next, Wen Yuan would thank him for his gentleness. Maybe it was better when Wen Yuan didn’t speak to him at all, if all he could do was mock him when he spoke.

But Jin Ling didn’t have time to deal with that. Without another word, another look at his husband, he left the house and strode toward the sect’s library, hoping something in there could help him deal with a student who was at once too good and too awful to be taught the usual way.

[redrosetoberead]

Summary:

Since he had gotten mated and married, he found that a little extra time cuddling his still sleeping husband was just as beneficial. Jin Ling, who was more than used to this after two years of Sizhui doing the same thing nearly every morning, just grumbled a little when Sizhui pulled him closer.

(or, A/B/O Lingzhui + domestic after-aftercare in the early morning)