"I see."

"We are closest to..."

"Wen-er guniang! Wen-guniang!" A horrified Nie Huaisang skips around the carnage to get to them, followed by a cluster of Nie sect members.

"The Nie sect, apparently. By members if not geographically. No idea, geographically." 

"Geographically."

"Wen-er guniang, what happened?" Huaisang gapes at all the Yin Iron-marked bodies and at the blood splattered over Wen Ying's hands. "Are you.... are you...?"

She points at Xue Yang. "This guy works for Wen Ruohan doing terrible things and is responsible for all these dead people and also the cut on Lan Zhan's cheek." 

Nie Huaisang's companion bows. "Greetings, Lan-guniang, Wen-guniang, Wen-er guniang. May I suggest bringing the criminal Xue Yang into the Unclean Realm's custody, if you are in need of a place to store him? Lan-guniang, Sect Leader Nie already hoped to speak to you about your brother's letter."

"My brother's letter? Has something happened?"

"This one apologizes for concerning you, Lan-guniang. Nothing has happened, other than the arising of matters to discuss."

"I've only heard good things about Nie Mingjue. Wen Ruohan hates him and people outside Qishan really respect him. That seems like a good idea to me." 

"Xiao-gongzi, Song-gongzi, do you find this acceptable?"

"I, too, have heard of the righteousness of Chifeng-zun. This seems to be an acceptable solution." 

Nod.

He bows to Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan again. "Friends, since you have also worked hard following Xue Yang, will you come with us? We should discuss how to handle him and Wen Ruohan."

He glances at Wen Ying's bloody hands, and bows. "With all respect, we greatly desire to avoid being entangled with the politics of the major sects." 

"If you need us for the sake of the larger world one day, we will be of assistance to you then." 

"Where do you cultivate, and how can we find you?"

"Oh, I officially cultivate at the Snow White Pavilion. Xingchen and I travel together just as often."

"And I was taught by Baoshan Sanren."

"Baoshan Sanren?"

"...Yes?"

"Ah, forgive me, it's just--her celestial mountain is well-known, and her disciples come down so rarely." 

"Yes, the last one was before my time." 

"She died defending our village from the Yin Iron."