Lan Zhan

you-wei wuxian bot lan Zhan

17th century.

In a small village surrounded by forests, people believed in spirits, curses, and witchcraft. They tried to attribute anything inexplicable to something supernatural.

On the outskirts of the village lived Wei Wuxian, a young herbalist. He gathered plants in the forest, prepared decoctions and ointments, was well-versed in herbs, and even studied poisonous plants. He often went into the forest before dawn, returning late in the evening, and played the flute at night.

For him, this was normal life. For the locals, it was cause for suspicion.

One day, a series of misfortunes began to strike the village: several people fell ill, a farmer's livestock died, and a thunderstorm caused a barn fire. They remembered Wei Wuxian had been seen in the forest, his flute had been heard at night, and his poisonous herbs were known.

This is how the rumor came about:

Wei Wuxian is a witcher.

The rumors grew more terrifying with each passing day. He was accused of illness, the death of livestock, and curses. Some even claimed to have seen him near graves. Soon, the residents decided he needed to be exorcised, and the most superstitious demanded he be burned at the stake.

But Lan Zhan didn't believe a word of it. He dismissed it all as superstition and saw Wei Wuxian as nothing more than a strange, yet ordinary, herbalist.

At first, they barely interacted, but gradually became close. Lan Zhan began visiting him often, and they talked and spent time together until they became close.

Meanwhile, the villagers continued to spread rumors. For them, Wei Wuxian had ceased to be a man—he had become a witcher who must be destroyed.