Wei WuXian stared at the brightly-lit Lotus Pier from afar. Hands on his knees, he panted unstoppably. The taste of blood climbed up his chest and his throat, the kind that occured after an extended period of running. Mouth full of the rusty taste, he felt his sight flash black.
He thought to himself, Why hadn’t I caught up to Jiang Cheng? Even after I ate food this was the fastest I could run. He was more tired than me and he’s going through something worse. How could he have run faster than me? Did he really come back to Lotus Pier? But if he didn’t come back here, where would he go? Go to Meishan alone without me?
After a while of rest, he still decided to go to Lotus Pier to confirm first. Walking along the series of walls, a voice sounded within Wei WuXian’s heart, praying with what was close to despair, This time, please don’t let there be anyone talking about Jiang Cheng’s corpse on the training field. Or else, or else I’ll…
Or else?
Or else what could he do?
He could do nothing. He was powerless. Lotus Pier had been destroyed, both Jiang FengMian and Madam Yu were gone, and Jiang Cheng had disappeared as well. He was the only one left, alone, with not even a sword in his hands. He didn’t know anything, he couldn’t do anything!
For the first time, he discovered how little his power was. In front of something as large as the QishanWen Sect, it was the same as a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
Wei WuXian’s eyes felt so warm that he was about to tear up again. He turned around the corner when, suddenly, a shadow dressed in the sun-and-flame robes walked toward him.
With the speed of lighting, Wei WuXian had held the person down.
His left hand locked both of the person’s hands while his right closed around their neck. Lowering his voice, he threatened with the most ruthless tone that he could conjure, “Don’t make any noise! Or else I can break your neck at once!”
Held down firmly by him, the person hurried, “Y-Young Master Wei, it’s m-me!”
It was the voice of a boy. Hearing this, Wei WuXian’s first reaction was, Maybe it’s one of the people I know, wearing the Wen Sect’s robes to spy amongst them?
But the voice was completely unfamiliar. He rejected the thought at once and his grip tightened, “Don’t play any tricks!”
The boy, “I… I don’t play any tricks. Young Master Wei, y-you can look at my face.”
Wei WuXian, Look at his face? Maybe he’s hidden something inside his mouth and he’s prepared to spit it out?
Keeping his guard up, he turned the person’s face around. The boy’s features were delicate. A youthful handsomeness surrounded him. This was the young master of the QishanWen Sect whom they had seen when peeking yesterday.
Wei WuXian was indifferent, I don’t know him.
He turned the boy’s face back around and continued to hold his neck, ordering in a low voice, “Who are you?!”
The boy seemed a bit disappointed, “I… I’m Wen Ning.”
Wei WuXian frowned, “Who is Wen Ning?”
In silence, though, he thought, Who cares who he is? No matter what, he’s someone with a rank. With him in my hands, maybe I could do an exchange!
Wen Ning spoke slowly, “I… A few years ago, during the Discussion Conference at Qishan, I… I… was shooting arrows…”
Hearing how slow he was, impatience rushed up Wei WuXian. He fumed, “You what?! Are you a stutterer?!”
Wen Ning was so scared that flinched within Wei WuXian’s grip, as if wanting to roll into a ball with his hands around his head. He whispered, “Yes… Yeah.”
Wei WuXian, “…”
Seeing how timid, pitiful, yet stammering he was, Wei WuXian seemed as though he had finally remembered something, The Discussion Conference at Qishan two years ago… The Discussion Conference… Shooting arrows… Ah, there really was someone like him!
Wei WuXian sounded him out, “You’re that… Wen… Wen something, the one who’s quite good at archery?”
Wen Ning nodded quickly, beaming, “T-that’s me! Yesterday… I saw you, Young Master Wei, along with Young Master Jiang, so I thought that you might be back again…”
Wei WuXian, “You saw me yesterday?”
Wen Ning, “I-I did.”
Wei WuXian, “You saw me but you didn’t tell anyone?”
Wen Ning, “I won’t! I won’t tell anyone!”
This was the rare sentence where he didn’t stammer. On top of that, his tone was so determined that it seemed like he was taking an oath. Wei WuXian was between shock and doubt. Wen Ning added, “Young Master Wei, you’re here to find Young Master Jiang, aren’t you?”
Wei WuXian, “Is Jiang Cheng inside?!”
Wen Ning answered obediently, “He is…”
Hearing this, Wei WuXian’s mind spun quickly, Since Jiang Cheng is inside, it seems I’ll have to go into Lotus Pier. How? Take Wen Ning hostage? That wouldn’t work. It’s likely that Wen Chao doesn’t like Wen Ning. What if it’s no use with him hostage?! And is he actually lying or not? Isn’t he someone from the Wen Sect? But yesterday he really did see us and didn’t tell on us. If I let him go, would he betray me as soon as he could? How could there be someone so nice amongst the Wen-dogs??? To ensure that I’m on the safe side, I could only…
Killing intent flashed before Wei WuXian.
He had never been someone with bloodlust. But after his sect had been destroyed, wrath and hatred had pooled within him in the past few days. The extremity of the situation didn’t allow him to take any kindness along with him. If his right hand clenched up, he could snap Wen Ning’s neck in half at once!
As he was thinking, Wen Ning spoke, “Young Master Wei, are you here to save Young Master Jiang?”
Wei WuXian’s fingers curled slightly. He spoke in a cold voice, “What do you think?”
For some reason, Wen Ning smiled nervously, “I knew it. I… I can help you get him out of there.”
For a split second, Wei WuXian thought that he had heard wrong. He was shocked, “… You? You’ll help me get him out?!”
Wen Ning, “Yeah. R-right now, I can take him out really quickly. Wen Chao and the others happened to have gone out!”
Wei WuXian clenched him tightly, “You really can?!”
Wen Ning, “I can! I-I’m also a clan disciple of the Wen Sect. There’s also a group of disciples who follow my orders.”
Wei WuXian’s voice was harsh, “Follow your orders? Follow your orders and kill people?”
Wen Ning hurried, “N-N-No! My disciples never kill people at random. The Jiang Sect’s people, I haven’t killed any either. I only hurried here after I heard that something happened to Lotus Pier. It’s true!”
Wei WuXian stared at him, Just what does he want? Is he lying? Is he being insincere? But this lie really is too ridiculous! Does he think that I’m an idiot?!
The scary thing was that a desperate ecstasy really did sprout from somewhere in the bottom of his heart.
He gave himself a harsh scolding in silence—he was stupid, useless, ridiculous, it was bizarre, unimaginable. Yet, he was alone, without a sword or any tools, and on the other side of the wall there were thousands of Wen Sect’s cultivators, perhaps Wen ZhuLie as well.