Chapter 133 One Hundred and Thirty-Three
Chapter Summary: [Wei Wuxian's hand, which was toying with the wine cup, froze.]
He was stunned: "My master... Miss Jiang..."
-------------------------------------
Wei Wuxian's hand, which was playing with the wine cup, froze.
He was stunned: "My master... Miss Jiang and Jin Zixuan?"
Lan Wangji nodded slightly, and Wei Wuxian asked, "When did this happen? When was the ceremony completed?!"
Lan Wangji said, "Three days later."
Wei Wuxian's slightly trembling hand brought the wine cup to his lips, unaware that it was already empty. A sudden emptiness filled his heart, a feeling he couldn't quite place—whether it was anger, shock, displeasure, or helplessness.
Although he had anticipated this before leaving the Jiang family, upon suddenly hearing the news, a thousand thoughts and unspoken words welled up in his chest, wanting to pour out but finding no outlet. Jiang Cheng hadn't even thought of a way to tell him something so significant. If he hadn't bumped into Lan Wangji today, he probably would have found out even later!
But then he thought, what good would it do to tell him? On the surface, Jiang Cheng had already informed the world, and everyone now believed his story: Wei Wuxian had betrayed his clan, and was no longer related to the Yunmeng Jiang Clan. Even if he knew, he couldn't attend the wedding banquet. Jiang Cheng was right not to tell him; if Jiang Cheng had told him, who knows what he might have done in a moment of impulsiveness.
After a long while, Wei Wuxian muttered, "That bastard Jin Zixuan got off easy."
He poured himself another glass of wine and asked, "Lan Zhan, what do you think of this marriage?"
Lan Wangji remained silent. Wei Wuxian said, "Oh, right. Why did I ask you? What do you think? You never think about these things anyway."
He downed the glass of wine in one gulp and said, "I know many people say behind my back that my senior sister isn't good enough for Jin Zixuan, ha. But in my eyes, it's Jin Zixuan who's not good enough for my senior sister. But just like that..."
But Jiang Yanli just happens to like Jin Zixuan.
Wei Wuxian slammed his wine cup down on the table and said, "Lan Zhan! Do you know? My senior sister, she deserves the best person in the world."
He slammed his hand on the table, his brows slightly flushed with arrogance, and said, "We will make this grand ceremony a spectacle that everyone will marvel at and praise for the next hundred years. No one can compare. I want to see my senior sister's ceremony completed in a magnificent display."
Lan Wangji said, "Mm."
Wei Wuxian scoffed, "What are you 'huh'ing about? I can't see it anymore."
Hearing Wei Wuxian address her as "Miss Jiang," Jiang Yanli felt a lump in her throat again.
Jin Zixuan was about the same age as Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng. Unlike the Jiang family's laissez-faire approach to raising him, Jin Zixuan was arrogant from a young age under the Jin family's upbringing, and often clashed with Wei and Jiang.
Logically speaking, Jiang Yanli, being gentle in nature, would not like someone who acts so ostentatiously and is so arrogant. But who knew that, in the interactions between the Jin and Jiang families, she gradually fell in love with this seemingly arrogant but kind-hearted young man.
Knowing about the arranged marriage between the two families, Wei Wuxian scoffed at it, often praising this young man and that young man in front of her, trying to outshine Jin Zixuan. Later, when he learned of her feelings, Wei Wuxian declared that he would give his senior sister a grand and glorious wedding, arranging the most magnificent wedding banquet and presenting her with the best dowry.
Even though in the end, it was still Jin Zixuan who got married.
But who could have known that life is unpredictable? Her younger brother, who most wanted to see her get married and have a good future, could only learn about her wedding through casual conversations with friends. All the dreams he had once cherished were now impossible to fulfill.
She owes this younger brother a great deal.
At this moment, Wen Yuan, having finished his sweet soup, sat on the mat and began playing with the straw butterfly again. The long antennae of the two butterflies got tangled together, and he couldn't untangle them for a long time. Seeing his anxious look, Lan Wangji took the butterfly from his hand, quickly untied the four knotted antennae, and returned it to him.
Seeing this, Wei Wuxian was distracted for a moment, forced a smile, and said, "A-Yuan, don't rub your face against his. There's still sweet soup on your lips, you'll get his clothes dirty."
Lan Wangji took out a plain white handkerchief and expressionlessly wiped the sweet soup from Wen Yuan's lips. Wei Wuxian shushed, "Lan Zhan, you're really something! I didn't realize you were so good at coaxing children. I think if you treat him any better, he won't want to come back with me..."
Watching the heartwarming interaction between Lan Wangji and Wen Yuan in the sky, everyone felt a great relief from the sourness and heaviness in their chests as they empathized with them.
Suddenly, Wei Wuxian's expression changed. He pulled a talisman from his chest, which was already burning fiercely. After Wei Wuxian took it out, it turned to ashes in no time. Lan Wangji's gaze sharpened, while Wei Wuxian abruptly stood up and said, "Damn it."
This talisman was the core of a warning array he had set up at the Burial Mound. If the situation at the Burial Mound changed after he left, if the array was broken, or if blood stagnation occurred, the talisman would automatically burn to warn him of the trouble. Wei Wuxian quickly pulled Wen Yuan under his arm and said, "Excuse me, Lan Zhan, I'll head back first!"
Something fell out of Wen Yuan's pocket, and he exclaimed, "Butterfly...!" Wei Wuxian had already grabbed him and rushed out of the restaurant. A short while later, a white shadow flashed past them; Lan Wangji had also caught up and was walking alongside them. Wei Wuxian asked, "Lan Zhan? What are you doing following us?"
Lan Wangji placed the butterfly that Wen Yuan had dropped into his palm, and instead of answering directly, asked, "Why not fly on a sword?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I forgot to bring it!"
Seeing this, Wen Qing roughly knew that it was time for Wen Ning to wake up.
Upon hearing Wei Wuxian's final, resolute three words, Wen Qing rolled her eyes again.
He forgot to bring it. It was just carelessly thrown around in the caves of the mass grave. It had no spiritual power and was useless in his hands. Even a fire stick would be more useful than it.
Lan Wangji, without a word, grabbed Wen Yuan by the waist, hoisted him onto Bichen, and lifted him into the air. Wen Yuan was too young and had never ridden a flying sword before; he should have been terrified. However, because Bichen flew so smoothly, he felt no jolt at all. Furthermore, the townspeople, stunned by the sudden flight of the three, looked up and watched, feeling only novelty and excitement, shouting loudly. Wei Wuxian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you!"
Lan Wangji asked, "Where?"
Wei Wuxian pointed the way: "This way!"
The three of them immediately sped off towards the Burial Mound. As the black mountain peak emerged from the clouds, Wei Wuxian's heart tightened even more.
From afar came the howls of ferocious corpses from the black forest, and not just one or two, but a whole horde. Lan Wangji made a hand seal, and Bichen instantly became even faster, yet remained extremely steady.
The moment they landed, a dark figure leaped out of the forest, screaming as it pounced on one of them. Bichen cleaved the man in two with a single sword strike. The man on the ground, pale-faced, saw Wei Wuxian and cried out, "Young Master Wei!"
Wei Wuxian flicked his hand, sending out a talisman, and asked, "Fourth Uncle, what's going on?!"
Uncle Si said, "The Demon-Subduing Cave... the fierce corpses inside the Demon-Subduing Cave have all escaped!"
Wei Wuxian said, "Didn't I set up a restriction? Who moved it?!"
Fourth Uncle said, "No one touched it! It's...it's..."
Just then, a clear shout came from ahead, followed by a woman's voice: "A-Ning!"
In the dark forest, a dozen Wen family cultivators confronted a figure. That figure was none other than Wen Ning, his eyes rolled back in a ferocious grimace. The dense array of talismans that had once covered his body was almost completely gone, and he dragged two fierce corpses, torn to shreds by his bare hands, dripping with black blood, almost reduced to skeletons. Wen Ning was still violently smashing them, seemingly determined to reduce them to ashes. At the forefront, sword in hand, was Wen Qing. Wei Wuxian exclaimed, "Didn't I tell you not to touch the talismans on him?!"
Seeing Wen Yuan's excited expression as he ascended into the sky with the two boys in the celestial realm, Lan Jingyi bit his nails indignantly: "This kid is so young and he's already being taken to the sky by Hanguang-jun! I didn't even get this kind of treatment when I was with Zewu-jun as a child..."
Lan Sizhui: ...
A few breaths later, Lan Jingyi tugged at Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling's sleeves, and together with Ouyang Zizhen and the others, they stared with shining eyes at the figure in the sky who was violently beating someone.
"That must be the Ghost General!"
"The Ghost General was so cool fighting the fierce corpse!"
...
Everyone: ...
Looking at this body covered in fierce corpse patterns, with its eyes rolled back and a menacing appearance, do you think it's cool?
Little did they know, these younger generation members often went out night hunting with the Ghost General and were used to Wen Ning's appearance, which was much stranger than that of ordinary people. On the contrary, they had never seen Wen Ning's violent side before, so they were quite curious about it.
Wen Qing, no longer concerned with Lan Wangji's presence, exclaimed, "No one touched it! No one even entered the Demon-Subduing Cave! He went berserk and tore it off himself. Not only did he rip off his own clothes, but he also destroyed the restrictions on the Blood Pool and the Demon-Subduing Cave. All the fierce corpses in the Blood Pool have crawled out! Wei Wuxian, hurry and save Grandma and the others! They can't hold on any longer!!!"
As they were talking, a hissing sound came from above. The group looked up and saw several ferocious corpses climbing up the treetops, coiled like snakes, baring their fangs and dripping an unknown, viscous fluid from between their teeth. Wen Ning also looked up and saw them. He threw away the mangled limbs he was holding and leaped up, landing on the treetop!
The tree was at least five zhang tall, and to leap to such a height with such explosive power was astonishing. After climbing the tree, Wen Ning tore the several fierce corpses apart with two palm strikes, sending limbs flying and scattering blood in the air. Not satisfied, he landed on the other side. Wei Wuxian drew his Chenqing flute and called out, "Lan…!" He had intended to ask Lan Wangji to go save the others while he dealt with Wen Ning, but when he turned around, Lan Wangji was gone. He was frantic with worry when he heard a deafening sound of a zither, startling crows into flight from the dark forest. It turned out that Lan Wangji had already gone before he could even ask. Wei Wuxian felt a sense of relief and brought the Chenqing flute to his lips with a long cry. Wen Ning's landing motion faltered slightly. Wei Wuxian seized the opportunity and asked, "Wen Ning! Do you recognize me?"
The zither music played three times and then fell silent, indicating that Lan Wangji had immobilized all the out-of-control fierce corpses within those three notes.
They had just thought Wen Ning was handsome, but now, looking at the remaining fierce corpses in the blood pool, the younger generation began to show disgust: "Ugh, these fierce corpses are disgusting!"
Everyone: ...Fine, so you're still treating people differently.
Seeing that Lan Wangji had immobilized the fierce corpse with just three plucks of his zither, the younger generation began playing Lan Er Gongzi's zither again.
"Hanguang-jun is so amazing!"
"At that time, Hanguang-jun was only just coming of age, yet his cultivation level was already so high!"
"When will I be able to cultivate to this level?!"
...
Everyone: What's wrong with you juniors?
Wen Ning lowered his body slightly, a low hiss emanating from his throat, looking like a wary, restless wild beast poised to pounce. Wei Wuxian was about to play again when he suddenly realized that Wen Yuan was still tightly clinging to his leg, barely daring to breathe. He had completely forgotten about him!
He quickly picked up Wen Yuan and tossed him towards Wen Qing, saying, "Take him far away!"
Lan Sizhui: ...I really saw all sorts of things when I was a kid.
Just then, Wen Ning suddenly pounced on him.
As if a boulder had crushed him, Wei Wuxian was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into a tree. A burning sensation rose in his throat, and he cursed. Lan Wangji, who had just returned, witnessed this scene, his expression changing drastically as he rushed to Wei Wuxian's side. Wen Qing, who had just pushed Wen Yuan into someone else's arms and intended to check Wei Wuxian's injuries, was startled when Lan Wangji intervened. Lan Wangji practically held Wei Wuxian in his arms, directly channeling his spiritual energy into his hand. Wen Qing hurriedly said, "Let him go! No need! Let me handle this! It's me, Wen Qing!"
Qishan Wenqing was a first-rate physician, so Lan Wangji stopped channeling spiritual energy into her and allowed her to examine Wei Wuxian's condition, though he still wouldn't let go of her hand. Wei Wuxian, however, pushed him away abruptly, saying, "Don't let him go!"
After injuring him, Wen Ning walked down the mountain with his arms hanging limply. That was where the other Wen family cultivators were hiding from the fierce corpses. Wen Qing shouted down, "Run! Run! He's heading your way!"
Wei Wuxian broke free from Lan Wangji and chased after him, but Lan Wangji caught up and asked, "Where's your sword?"
Wei Wuxian unleashed twelve talismans, saying, "I don't know where they were thrown away!"
During the battle, the words exchanged between the group were fleeting.
But in Lan Wangji's eyes, it seemed to have slowed down considerably.
At that time, he was eager to stabilize Wen Ning's condition. Seeing that Wei Wuxian was not seriously injured and that there was a divine doctor like Wen Qing by his side, he did not think much about it.
Looking back now, I realize how slow I was to realize it.
The spiritual energy he had channeled into Wei Wuxian's body had vanished without a trace, and given Wei Wuxian's panicked reaction, he should have realized something was amiss. Not to mention, both times he had inquired about Suibian's whereabouts, only to receive the answer that he had disappeared without a trace.
He was said to care about Wei Wuxian's situation, but now it seems that his concern was far from enough.
Wei Wuxian was able to keep the matter of his golden core from the oblivious Jiang Cheng, but he revealed so many flaws in front of him, yet Jiang Cheng was completely unaware and instead blamed him for cultivating the demonic path.
That was really wrong of me!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
