For once the caravan ride didn't put Wei Zian to sleep. He had subtly prodded mother with some sensitive topics when she tried to scold him, and he was pretty sure this wasn't some kind of elaborate illusion, unless the illusionist was aware of some very closely kept family secrets. And he seemed far too lucid for this to be some kind of induced hallucination. As far as he could tell at the moment, he really did travel back in time. He had spent most of the caravan ride writing down everything of importance he could think of in one of his notebooks. He didn't really think the memories were going to fade any time soon, but it helped him organize his thoughts and notice details he might have otherwise missed. He noted that he forgot to retrieve his cultivation manuals from under Qin Ling's bed in all the confusion, but decided it didn't matter. If the training sessions were anything like they were the last time around, he wouldn't need them for the duration of the first month.
It was that last technique the jiangshi lord performed on him and Zhao Hong, Wei Zian was sure of it. The trouble was, Wei Zian had no idea what the technique was. Even the words were unfamiliar. Standard incantations used Ancient Spirit Scripture language as their base, and Wei Zian knew enough of it to get a general feel of a technique just by listening to what the caster's chanting, but the jiangshi lord used a different language for his incantation. Fortunately, Wei Zian had a really good memory and remembered most of the chant, so he wrote it down in his trusty notebook in phonetic form. He was pretty sure he wouldn't find the technique itself anywhere within his access level, as the technique was probably highly restricted and kept out of reach of third-tier disciples like him, but he would see about identifying the language and finding a proper reference in the sect's Scripture Hall.
The other clue to this whole thing was Zhao Hong himself. The young master was capable of fighting a jiangshi lord , a freaking jiangshi lord! , for several minutes before succumbing to it. Even though the jiangshi lord had been toying with him, it was still pretty impressive. Wei Zian would put Zhao Hong on par with a Core Formation cultivator, and probably more. What the hell was that guy doing with ordinary sect disciples then? Something was definitely strange about Zhao Hong, though Wei Zian had no intention of confronting the young master directly until he found out more about what's going on. For all he knew, it could be one of those 'you know about us, so now we have to kill you' sort of things. He would have to tread carefully around the Zhao Clan heir.
Wei Zian slammed the notebook shut and ran his hand through his hair. No matter how he looked at it, this whole situation seemed utterly crazy. Did he really have memories from the future, or was he simply going insane? Both possibilities were terrifying. He was in no way qualified to tackle something like this on his own, but he didn't know how to get other people to help him without being carted off either to a madhouse or an interrogation chamber.
He resolved to think about it later. As in, tomorrow later. This whole thing was simply too weird, and he needed to sleep on it before he decided anything.
"Excuse me, is this seat free?"
Wei Zian glanced at the speaker, recognizing him after a second of recollection. The nameless blue-robed youth that joined him in his compartment when they took a stop at Kunshan City. Of course, the last time he didn't bother to ask for permission before taking a seat. What changed? Ah, it didn't matter , what did matter is that last time he was soon followed by four other disciples. Very loud, very obnoxious disciples. No way he'd be spending the rest of the caravan ride listening to their chatter... again.
"Yes," he nodded. "In fact, I was just leaving. We're stopping at Kunshan City, right? Pleasant journey to you, fellow cultivator."
And then he quickly grabbed his qiankun bag and went to search for another compartment, abandoning the youth to his fate.
Maybe these future memories are good for something, after all.
⋆⋆⋆
Bam!
"Mud-Bug!"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Mud-Bug, open this thrice-damned door! I know you're in there!"
Wei Zian rolled over in his bed and groaned. What was Tian Wen doing here this early? No wait... He snatched the formation timepiece from his dresser and brought it in front of his face... she wasn't early, he just slept past noon. Huh. He distinctly remembered going straight to the sect from the caravan station and falling asleep minutes after reaching his room, yet he still overslept like this. Apparently dying and then awakening in the past is tiresome business.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" shouted Wei Zian. "Stop banging on my door, already!"
Naturally, she just kept banging on it with more enthusiasm. Wei Zian rushed to make himself presentable and stomped towards the door. Wrenching the door open, he gave Tian Wen a withering look...
...which she promptly ignored.
"Finally!" she said. "What in the Heavens took you so long!?"
"I was sleeping," Wei Zian growled.
"Really?"
"Yes," Wei Zian ground out.
"But-"
"I was tired," Wei Zian snapped. "Very tired. And what are you waiting for? Get inside."