By the time the door to their room swung open, the children were already fast asleep. It was so late into the night that they didn't stir at all, not even when the door clicked shut. Lin An and Su Biyu shared a bed, while Wan Yu took the other.
At first, Fu Ran wondered where the missing disciple had gone, until he heard snoring coming from the open balcony door.
"We've got quite a bit of time until tomorrow. You should rest up, Shizun." Tian Han gestured toward the bed where Wan Yu slept.
"Do you really think I need sleep? I already rested a few hours earlier."
Despite saying that, the bed did look comfortable. He wasn't exactly sleepy, but exhaustion weighed on him; more mental than physical. If he had to compare it to a tiredness he knew, he'd say it felt like using Calamity Recall for many hours straight.
With a deep sigh, Fu Ran reluctantly admitted, "Maybe you're right."
He didn't shy away when Tian Han pressed a palm to the top of his head. Perhaps even the Tyrant Emperor could tell he wasn't going to get yelled at tonight. Fu Ran was still too busy trying to process that phrase.
"It's such a small thing to want to be happy."
He had never heard words like that before and didn't know what to make of them. After hearing them, every time he looked at Tian Han's face it felt like his heart was being squeezed.
Even now, he was still trying to snap his mind back to work mode. Fu Ran shook his head and, in hopes of dispelling the thoughts, he left a light slap to his cheeks. "I'm going to call An Xian Yun Peak before bed."
"Are you going to update them?" Tian Han was already in the middle of getting comfortable, removing his boots and untying his hair. "About what exactly?"
"I'd rather not mention The Imposter right now, and I especially don't want to tell Zhi Lao or Shesui Lang that Shi Wei Ji has been taken—they'll make too big a fuss. So for now, just an update."
"Do you want me to help you explain?"
Fu Ran shook his head as he moved toward the washroom. "No, I can handle it. Go ahead and lie down."
Tian Han was left standing silently as the washroom door clicked shut.
***
For a moment, Fu Ran just stood there, the noise of the room muffled behind him. He pressed his fingers to his temple, and inhaled slowly.
There was no point in putting this off. He fished around in his sleeve and pulled out a small blue stone inlaid with elegant gold detailing. While it neatly sat in the palm of his left hand, he thumbed over it.
With some spiritual energy came a sleepy voice from the call stone. "An Xian Yun Peak," the words nearly drowned out by a yawn. Even like this, the voice was unmistakably Fu Ran's peppy older martial brother, Shesui Lang.
"It's Peak Master Fu, Shixiong. Please, let's speak quietly. My disciples are sleeping nearby."
A quiet "Ah" sounded through the stone, followed by a chipper giggle. "So, how's the mission, princess? Enjoying being back to work?" As always, The Gaudy Peak Master began the conversation with his usual brand of annoyance.
Fu Ran lowered his arms and propped on the vanity counter. This call wasn't for nagging, it was for work, he reminded himself. "The mission is going fine. There have been a few complications, but I'll handle them. This is just a report."
"Oh?" Shesui Lang teased, "Just a report? Could you be homesick? Want me to call Zhi Lao to come baby you, or maybe you were missing me?"
Fu Ran could picture him perfectly just from tone alone. Likely propping his elbows on his desk—or swaying side to side like female disciples when they gossiped.
Fu Ran rolled his eyes. "Not at all." He paused, formulating his next words. "I have a few concerns, though."
Shesui Lang hummed in acknowledgment.
"I believe someone is parading around with a spirit vessel and waking the dead every night."
Another hum from Shesui Lang, this time more questioning. "Do you know who has it? Or, better question—can you find them?"
"I can find them. That's not the issue. What concerns me is the damage already done. This is an older mission, isn't it?"
Silence stretched for only a moment, before it was replaced by a heavy thud. The call stone rattled against Shesui Lang's wooden desk. By the noises, he likely grabbed a record book and flipped the pages.
Shesui Lang mumbled incoherently to himself, then made a noise of realization. "Ah, here it is." He paused as he read. "—Fuck. Really?! It's been a month?!"
The original letter detailing the mission said something similar, so Fu Ran already had some understanding of the timeline. He held the belief that, if the situation suddenly worsened, it would be good if the mountain sect knew what happened.
"Is this too much for newbies?" Shesui Lang was rightfully distressed.
Fu Ran let out a deep sigh. It most certainly was. The situation had escalated well beyond fresh disciples with the introduction of his 'fake'. Which is precisely why he and Tian Han would be handling the majority of the rest of the mission on their own.
"I understand the dangers," Fu Ran calmly stated.
Meanwhile, the shuffling of papers grew more intense by the second. Heavy footsteps echoed in the background—Shesui Lang was no doubt flying around his office, hunting for more reports.
"Okay, fine, disciples aside. Can you handle this?" Shesui Lang's voice was a touch distant, likely because he had left the call stone on his desk again.
"I believe so."
"The records show there haven't been any evil spirits reported in Bei Zangli for decades. That means there are generations' worth of spirits just waitin' to be corrupted! And don't think that just because they're not Fall Corpses—"
"I know." Fu Ran cut him off. "Any demonic entity in large numbers is just as deadly as a Fall Corpse. I won't make those kinds of mistakes, Shixiong."
Finally Shesui Lang relented with a groan. "I've got some calls to make… Thanks for the report—"
"Wait. Can you do one more thing for me?" Fu Ran interrupted, hesitating for just a moment. "I have someone who wants to become a disciple."
"Seriously? You're picking up strays in the middle of all this?"
"It's complicated." Fu Ran huffed. He wasn't interested in arguing, so he kept it simple. "She seemed serious, so I thought I'd at least ask. Can you start the paperwork? It's a long process."
"Yes, yes." Shesui Lang was probably waving a dismissive hand in response to Fu Ran's insistence. "Do you know how much trouble it is to get Yi Yang to approve a disciple who didn't take the entrance exam?"
After a moment, Shesui Lang gave in. "Fine. I'll send it off. Anything else?"
"Nothing. Thank you, Shixiong." Fu Ran's voice softened.
He could tell Shesui Lang was forcing a smile when he gave a quick, "'Night, princess."
"Night."