Well this is just a win-win then. Wei Ying can be kissed at multiple spots in return.

Ideal outcome!!!

They mostly sneak their way across the countryside, until they reach the front and the Nie cultivators go back to operating under Chifeng-zun and the rest of them operate with the Nie forces, but sort of adjacent since their abilities are definitely better-known to Lan-guniang than to Sect Leader Nie. 

It turns out Wei Ying's vicious imagination and clever talent with talismans have much more devastating results on a battlefield where she doesn't care about "collateral damage" to the "structural integrity" of any of their surroundings. 

This is... slightly alarming to witness, but very impressive. Wei Ying is doing a very good job, and should be told so. They're doing much better in this fight than they would be without her. 

They drive back one attack, demolish one Wen campsite. It's looking pretty good for them under the circumstances.

Don't worry Lan Zhan none of these alarming talismans are that one that dipped its toes in demonic cultivation. 

They make progress. They drive the Wens back. 

Wei Ying captures a messenger, and stands stock-still and pale as she reads their carried message. 

What is it?

"It's Lotus Pier." 

Oh, no.

"Your family?"

"It doesn't say who lived and who died. They came to demand Lotus Pier send its cultivators to fight on the Wen side and Sect Leader Jiang refused and Lotus Pier fell and some people escaped but it doesn't say who." 

She grips the scroll with white and trembling hands. 

"We have to go back to Nightless City. We have to get the Jiang disciples out before it's too late. Probably everyone else too I guess, but--" 

"I'll tell Sect Leader Nie that we're leaving."

"Thanks." 

They leave that night. Two people with one sword can still travel faster than an entire army. Not as fast as a single messenger, but he's tied up safely back at camp. 

When they reach the outskirts of Nightless City, Wei Ying reaches into her sleeve and pulls out the message. 

"You take this and convince A-Cheng they need to get the hell out. I'll do the guard uniform trick again and break into the palace to try to retrieve everyone's swords. We're not going to be able to get everyone away fast enough with only one." 

Wei Ying going into the palace by herself sounds like a terrible idea. "You should go to your brother."

"You're the one who got hurt there, you shouldn't have to be there again."

"I know the palace layout better than you."

"Fuck. You're right. Okay, but you have to promise to be really really careful, if you get recaptured I there are zero lines I won't cross to get you out." 

She kisses her, hard. "I will be careful."

She kisses her like a drowning woman draws in air, then says, "Go," and bolts for the disciple houses. 

It's dark enough that with her shadowy clothing it isn't too hard to ensure that the guards on the Jiang house don't see her before their blood is scenting the night air as they lie on the ground with slashed throats. She throws the door open without knocking. 

"A-Cheng!" she hisses, pitching her voice to carry inside the house. 

"Shijie? What are you doing here?" 

Grimly, she hands him the message. 

He reads it, growing more and more disturbed as he goes. 

"Those bastards--" he hisses. 

"I know, but this can't be good for the hostages, so we need to get everyone out, right now." 

Deep breath. Nod. "How long do we have?" 

"I don't know. Probably not that long but any." 

Jiang Cheng orders the rest of the disciples to pack. The message gets passed around, to sporadic cries of dismay. 

And Wei Ying hugs her brother, and slips off to the Nie sect house. She kills the guards and then knocks very gently on the door. 

A Nie disciple tentatively pokes their head out, then sees the dead guards and looks Extremely Alarmed.

"W- Wei-guniang?"