Chapter 68
Chapter Summary: [He couldn't quite remember what happened next; he only felt that he was acting haphazardly, surrounded by chaos, noise, and turbulence. Thin...]
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He couldn't quite remember what happened next, only that he was attacking haphazardly. The surroundings were chaotic, noisy, and turbulent, with constant sounds of clashing weapons and exploding spiritual energy. He didn't know how much time had passed, but in a hazy state, Wei Wuxian opened his eyes. Lan Wangji was riding Bichen, and he was lying on Lan Wangji's back, half of his snow-white face splattered with blood.
The wound in his abdomen wasn't actually very painful, but it was still a hole in his body. He had initially managed to endure it for a while as if nothing was wrong, but this body probably hadn't suffered any serious injuries before. After the wound started bleeding profusely, he became dizzy, which was beyond his control.
Wei Wuxian called out, "...Lan Zhan."
Lan Wangji's breathing was not as even as usual, but slightly rapid, probably due to the frequent battles and long journeys he had been carrying. But his tone when responding to him was as steady as ever, still just one word: "Mm".
After saying "Mmm," he added, "I'm here."
Upon hearing those two words, Wei Wuxian felt a sensation he had never experienced before. It was a bittersweet feeling, a slight ache in his chest, yet also a warm sensation.
He still remembered how Lan Wangji had traveled a long way to provide support in Jiangling back then, but he didn't appreciate it and they had all sorts of arguments, which made things very unpleasant.
Unexpectedly, when everyone feared and flattered him, Lan Wangji rebuked him to his face. And when everyone despised and hated him, Lan Wangji stood by his side.
Suddenly, Wei Wuxian said, "Ah, I remember now."
Lan Wangji asked, "Remember what?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I remember now, Lan Zhan. It was like this. I... I did carry you on my back."
The heartache in Wei Wuxian's heart resonated in everyone's hearts at this moment. Although he was indeed a little slow to realize his feelings for Lan Wangji at this moment, it did not prevent him from having a unique and indelible affection for Lan Wangji.
Although this person appeared cold on the outside, they offered him warmth when he was most helpless.
Wei Wuxian looked at Tianying, wondering what his feelings were at that time—gratitude? Or resentment?
Unbeknownst to him, this person had already entered his heart.
【Yunmeng has many lakes, and the immortal residence "Lotus Dock" of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, the largest immortal sect stationed in this area, was built by the lake.
Starting from the dock at Lotus Pier, a short boat ride downstream leads to a vast lotus pond called Lotus Lake, stretching for hundreds of miles. Broad, green leaves and graceful pink lotus blossoms huddle together. A lake breeze blows, causing the flowers and leaves to sway and tremble, as if nodding in agreement. Amidst their fresh and delicate beauty, there's a touch of endearing clumsiness.
Upon seeing this, the eyes of everyone in the Jiang family instantly reddened.
This is Lotus Pier, the Lotus Pier that was once so peaceful and tranquil.
The others, seeing the sudden change in the scene, suddenly realized that they had entered Wei Wuxian's memories of Yunmeng.
Unlike other immortal abodes that are detached from worldly affairs, Lotus Pier's gates are tightly closed, and ordinary people are not allowed to set foot within a radius of several miles. The wide dock in front of the gate is often bustling with vendors selling lotus pods, water chestnuts, and various pastries. Children from nearby families can even sneak off to Lotus Pier's training ground, sniffling, to watch sword practice. Even if they are discovered, they won't be scolded, and occasionally they can even play with the Jiang family's children.
Looking at this scene, Qinghengjun said, "Seeing is believing. Yunmeng is indeed a wonderful place with outstanding people and beautiful scenery."
Jiang Fengmian smiled with satisfaction, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart: "Yes, Yunmeng is an excellent place."
When Wei Wuxian was young, he often flew kites by the Lotus Lake.
Jiang Cheng stared intently at his kite, glancing occasionally at Wei Wuxian's. Wei Wuxian's kite had already soared high, but he still showed no intention of drawing his bow. His right hand rested on his brow, and he smiled with his head tilted back, as if he felt it still wasn't far enough.
Seeing the kite was almost out of his target range, Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth, nocked an arrow, drew the string, and the white feather shot out. The kite, painted to resemble a one-eyed monster, was pierced through the eye and fell to the ground. Jiang Cheng's brow relaxed, and he said, "Hit!"
Then he said, "You flew so far, can you still hit it?"
Wei Wuxian said, "Guess?"
He then drew an arrow, focused intently on aiming, drew the bowstring taut, and released it with a sudden thud.
middle!
Jiang Cheng frowned again and snorted. The group of boys put away their bows and ran to retrieve their kites, ranking them. The kite that landed closest was the worst; the last place was always the sixth-ranked junior brother, who was routinely teased, but he was thick-skinned and didn't care. Wei Wuxian's kite landed the furthest, right next to Jiang Cheng's, who was in second place; neither of them bothered to retrieve it. The group of boys rushed into the winding lotus corridor built over the water, playfully leaping and bounding, when suddenly two slender young women appeared.
Jiang Yanli gazed almost greedily at Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng in the shadows of the sky. How long had it been since she had seen such carefree and spirited young men?
Jiang Cheng looked at Tianying, seemingly lost in thought, and then turned to look at Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian noticed his gaze and raised an eyebrow: "Why are you looking at me like that? Even if we went to fly kites right now, I would still win!"
Jiang Cheng: ...
We shouldn't have had too high expectations of this guy.
Both were dressed as armed maids, each carrying a short sword. The taller maid, holding a kite and an arrow, blocked their path and coldly asked, "Whose is this?"
Upon seeing the two women, the young men all inwardly cried out in alarm. Wei Wuxian stroked his chin, stepped forward, and said, "They're mine."
Another maid scoffed, "You're quite honest."
They parted to the sides, and a woman in purple with a sword at her side stepped out from behind.
The woman had fair, delicate skin and was quite beautiful. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite, yet they held a sharp edge. The corners of her lips were slightly upturned, exuding a natural sarcasm, just like Jiang Cheng's. She had a slender waist, wore flowing purple robes, and her face and right hand, which rested on the hilt of her sword, were like cold, hard jade. On her right index finger was a ring adorned with amethyst.
When Jiang Cheng saw her, he smiled and called out, "Mother."
The other boys respectfully greeted her, "Madam Yu."
Madam Yu is Jiang Cheng's mother, Yu Ziyuan. She is also Jiang Fengmian's wife, and was once his fellow cultivator. Logically, she should be called Madam Jiang, but for some reason, everyone always calls her Madam Yu. Some speculate that Madam Yu has a strong personality and dislikes taking her husband's surname. The couple has no objection to this.
Madam Yu hailed from the prestigious Yu family of Meishan, being the third child in her family and also known as Third Madam Yu. Within the Xuanmen (Taoist sect), she was nicknamed "Purple Spider," a name that could frighten many. Even in her youth, she possessed a cold and aloof nature, disliking social interaction and finding herself unpopular when she did. After marrying Jiang Fengmian, she frequently spent her days hunting and rarely stayed at the Jiang family's Lotus Pier. Furthermore, her residence at Lotus Pier was separate from Jiang Fengmian's, occupying its own area, inhabited only by herself and a group of family members she had brought from the Yu family. These two young women, Jinzhu and Yinzhu, were her trusted maids, always by her side.
Madam Yu glanced at Jiang Cheng and said, "Playing around like crazy again? Come here and let me see."
Jiang Cheng moved closer to her, and Madam Yu squeezed his arm with her slender fingers, then slapped his shoulder, scolding, "Your cultivation hasn't improved at all. You're almost seventeen, and you're still like an ignorant child, always fooling around with people. Are you like everyone else? Who knows where others will end up, but you're going to be the head of the Jiang family!"
Jiang Cheng staggered from the slap, lowering his head and not daring to defend himself. Wei Wuxian knew, needless to say, that this was another veiled insult. A junior brother nearby secretly stuck his tongue out at him, and Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow at him. Madam Yu said, "Wei Ying, what are you up to now?"
Wei Wuxian stepped forward as usual, and Madam Yu scolded, "It's always like this! If you don't strive for improvement yourself, don't drag Jiang Cheng along to mess around with you and corrupt him."
Wei Wuxian asked in surprise, "Am I not ambitious? Aren't I the most ambitious person in Lotus Pier?"
Young people don't have much patience and always want to argue. Upon hearing this, Madam Yu's brow furrowed with a fierce look, and Jiang Cheng quickly said, "Wei Wuxian, shut up!"
He turned to Madam Yu and said, “It’s not that we want to stay in Lotus Pier and fly kites, but right now no one can go out, right? The Wen family has designated all the night hunting areas as their territory. Even if I wanted to go out night hunting, there’s nowhere for me to start.” Staying at home and not going out to cause trouble or compete with the Wen family for prey, isn’t that what you and Father told us to do?
Madam Yu sneered, "I'm afraid this time you'll have to go out whether you want to or not."
Jiang Cheng was puzzled. Madam Yu ignored them and strode confidently through the corridor. The two maids behind her glared fiercely at Wei Wuxian before following their mistress.
Wei Wuxian watched this scene with a nostalgic smile on his lips, tears glistening in his eyes.
Since their separation by death at Lotus Pier, in the dead of night, he has wished more than once to return to that time, even if it meant being scolded by Madam Yu.
That evening, they learned what it meant to "have to go out whether you want to or not".
It turned out that the Wen family of Qishan had sent a special envoy to deliver a message. The Wen family claimed that other aristocratic families were failing to educate their children properly and wasting their talents, and demanded that each family send at least twenty members to Qishan within three days so that they could be personally instructed by a designated person.
Jiang Cheng exclaimed in astonishment, "The Wen family really said such a thing? How utterly shameless!"
Wei Wuxian said, "They think they're the head of all the clans, like the sun in the sky. This isn't the first time the Wen clan has been shameless. Relying on their size and power, they started forbidding other clans from night hunting last year, stealing so much of their prey and occupying so much territory."
Jiang Fengmian sat at the head of the table and said, "Be careful what you say. Let's eat."
There were only five people in the large hall, each with a small square table in front of them, on which were several dishes of food. Wei Wuxian lowered his head and moved his chopsticks, when suddenly someone tugged at his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Jiang Yanli handing him a small dish containing several peeled lotus seeds, plump, white, and fresh.
Wei Wuxian whispered, "Thank you, Senior Sister."
Jiang Yanli smiled slightly, her usually serene face instantly gaining a touch of vibrancy. Yu Ziyuan said coldly, "Why bother with meals? We don't even know if there will be any food for them when we arrive in Qishan in a few days. We might as well go hungry for a few meals now and get used to it!"
The Qishan Wen clan could not refuse this request. Countless precedents proved that any family that dared to disobey their orders would be branded with strange charges such as "rebellion against the immortal sects" and "harm to all families," and on this basis, they would be openly and justifiably annihilated.
Jiang Fengmian said calmly, "Why are you so anxious? No matter what happens in the future, you still have to eat today's meal."
Madam Yu, after enduring it all, slammed her hand on the table and exclaimed, “Me, anxious? I’m the one who should be anxious! How can you remain so calm and collected? Didn’t you hear what the people sent by the Wen family said? A mere maid or servant dares to be so arrogant in front of me! Among the twenty young men they’re sending, there must be at least one direct descendant of the Wen family. What does ‘direct descendant of the Wen family’ mean? At least one of A-Cheng or A-Li must be among them! What are they sending them for? To educate them? How other families educate their own children is none of their business, the Wen family’s business! This is sending people over for them to manipulate, to use as hostages!”
Jiang Cheng said, "Mother, don't be angry, I'll go."
Madam Yu scolded, "Of course you should go! Do you expect your sister to go? Look at her, happily peeling lotus seeds right now. Ali, stop peeling! Who are you going to feed them to? You are the master, not someone else's servant!"
Upon hearing the word "servant," Wei Wuxian didn't seem to mind. He devoured all the lotus seeds on the plate in one go, savoring the cool, sweet taste in his mouth. Jiang Fengmian, however, slightly raised his head and said, "Third Sister."
Madam Yu said, "Did I say something wrong? A servant? Don't like hearing that word? Jiang Fengmian, I'm asking you, this time, are you planning to send him?"
Jiang Fengmian said, "It's up to him. If he wants to go, he can go."
Wei Wuxian raised his hand and said, "I want to go."
Madam Yu sneered, "How wonderful. They can go if they want, and they certainly can choose not to go if they don't want to. Why must A-Cheng go? Raising someone else's son like this, Sect Leader Jiang, you are truly a great person!"
She harbored resentment and only wanted to vent her anger, without any rhyme or reason. Everyone else quietly let her vent her anger. Jiang Fengmian said, "Third Sister, you're tired. Go back and rest." Jiang Cheng sat there, looked up at her, and said, "Mother." Madam Yu stood up and sneered, "What do you want from me? Just like your father, to tell me to shut up? You're stupid. I told you long ago that you'll never be as good as the one sitting next to you. Your cultivation is inferior to his night hunting, and you can't even shoot a kite as well! There's nothing I can do, it's your mother who's inferior to other mothers. You can't compare. Your mother is indignant for you, and I've told you so many times not to fool around with him, and you still speak up for him. How could I have given birth to a son like you!"
She walked out on her own, leaving Jiang Cheng sitting in his seat, his face alternating between pale and flushed. Jiang Yanli quietly placed a plate of peeled lotus seeds on his table.
The originally harmonious atmosphere was turned stiff by this meal.
Madam Yu had a fiery temper, so it was normal for her to be so angry about the Wen family's actions. However, when she suddenly turned her attention to Wei Wuxian and said such harsh things, it made the people present frown.
Wei Wuxian felt Lan Wangji tighten his grip on him, as if suppressing his anger. Just as he was thinking of how to comfort Lan Wangji, a slender hand reached out from the other side and gently patted the back of his hand. Wei Wuxian looked up and saw Jiang Yanli looking at him with concern.
Wei Wuxian shook his head and gave a bright smile. Actually, hearing this voice now felt quite familiar to him.
Jiang Fengmian read this passage, feeling a mix of emotions.
At the moment of his death, he and Yu Ziyuan understood each other's feelings. However, he realized that he had made a mistake over the past ten years. He should not have run away from the misunderstanding between Yu Ziyuan and Cangse. If he had explained it earlier, perhaps their relationship would not have become so strained, and Yu Ziyuan would not have hated Wei Wuxian so much.
These children have really suffered.
While everyone on this side had their own little thoughts, Lan Jingyi leaned over to Lan Sizhui and said, "I suddenly realized that the current Sect Leader Jiang actually has a pretty good temper."
Lan Sizhui: ...
You underestimate Sect Master Jiang. He has received the true teachings and may have even evolved.
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