Black Greed

TWENTY

"Second sister..." Jiang WanYin sought after Wei MeiLan who's attending to Jin Ling. After that confrontation with other cultivators she didn't went out of Lotus Pier and focused on taking care of Jin Ling.

"What are you gonna do next, A'Cheng?" Wei MeiLan replied. "Whatever you decide, I will only support you. My twin is gone, so as jiejie. If you move forward and let the Yunmeng Jiang Clan prosper, I will aid you,"

Jiang WanYin stared at Wei MeiLan. "You're not angry at me," He stated.

"Getting angry and blaming you or anyone won't do any good for me or you," Wei MeiLan answered. "Sure, I ranted much that day, would you prefer me attempting to massacre everyone there to appease my sorrow and anger? Human lives aren't a livestock that if you're hungry, you can choose which one to slay and eat. Staying for a month in Cloud Recesses had taught me much than I expected. I prefer them to become wary of me, than aimlessly doing impulsive things. So I will choose to take care of A'Ling than be bothered by those idiots,"

The child is currently tucked to his bed, sleeping. She's glad that the child is not disobedient nor crying too much. He resembles his father a lot than his mom, which made Wei MeiLan needs to be careful of or she might do something to scare the child. He's still too young to understand such things.

Jiang WanYin didn't spoke after that. His second sister's levelheadedness sometimes makes him wonder if she's around their age still or a woman wise beyond her age. Her unpredictable actions makes him think twice if the Wei bloodline has weird quality that no one knows. She might be smiling at you, but who knows what's inside her head.

"A'Cheng," She called out to him. "As the current Clan Leader of Jiang, you have responsibility to do night hunts. Now that the Zidian was handed over to you by Aunt, it's time for you to do and continue her work. And I will hand over all information you will need at every hunt that you do. Are you ready?"

"Second sister, should I really do this?" Jiang WanYin is hesitating to accept the challenge.

"Your restored golden core should be put up to use. And it will bring a good reputation for you. You also need to know the limits of your core. A'Xia will assist you at every hunt," Wei MeiLan explained.

"You're not going to assist me?"

"You need to master Zidian, my student needs to taste firsthand the night hunt. You have experience whilst she doesn't. I've had hunted once, if I do more, some will puke blood in anger and jealously. Starting tomorrow, I will hand over the information I obtained for night hunts. You and A'Xia must go and finish it. I want reports in my apothecary room the next day,"

"Wha—?" Jiang WanYin swallowed his saliva to stop himself. His mother might have high expectations from him but never threw him to situations like that, but Wei MeiLan won't care about expectations and instead threw him off guard with those tasks.

He hoped she won't punish him if he got the reports wrong.

******

Days turned weeks as it turned to months. All Wei MeiLan did was train Lan YuXia as she took care of Jin Ling. All night hunt information was totally crippled by her; most information that every clan has usually comes to the gossip of ordinary people, but now, no one dares to give them a rumors.

Mouths were sealed or they don't have idea at all. It's like, they are enchanted to not to say anything to any cultivators that will attempt to do a night hunt. All methods to make them speak doesn't work, frustrating them more.

The only clan that doesn't experience such hardship were Gusu Lan and YunMeng Jiang Clan.

They understand as to the circumstance of the Jiang Clan, but they wonder as to how the Lans are able to get information to night hunts.

Until the elders of respective clans decided to have a small gathering and talked about the recent state of their clans. One elder from a small cultivation clan spoke about that matter.

"It's difficult to do a proper night hunt nowadays," He lamented while pouring a drink to his cup. "Common folks aren't saying anything even just as a mere gossip. We always get casualties upon return from a hunt. Now, we are afraid to send the young ones in fear that they might obtain fatal injuries,"

Majority nodded in agreement, except Lan QiRen. He wasn't worried if his students returned wounded, for it will teach them lessons too. He sips the tea calmly, not bothered entirely.

"Master Lan, I heard that your students can do night hunts without problem. Do you know some informants?" One asked in curiosity.

"My nephew takes the information and decides who should be sent to that place right away. After all, no one is speaking about it," He said honestly.

"As to where he got them, I don't know. That person is efficient in collecting the news that they give two to three cases every two weeks, no matter if it's a small or huge case. Lan XiChen handles all information to disseminate and assess it. He will go down the mountain every fourteen days to get it, and I don't pry of who he meets. That informant has already proven themselves a lot of time when it comes to these matters. So I suggest that you seek out my nephew for suggestions,"

When they approached Lan XiChen, the young man hesitated at first to introduce the person whom he gets the info, but reluctantly gave in to give them respect. He gave a warning that the person might not like with what they want, but they brushed it and even gave an of remarks.

"That person is too arrogant and stinky in  giving us info. Can't they be a little considerate?"

Unfortunately for them, the  informant heard them and spoke. "So what if I'm too arrogant and too stinky if I won't give any to you? Are you even worthy?"

They looked towards the voice that spoke behind them, all were shocked and felt fear at the same time at the owner of the voice, making Lan XiChen sigh.

It was Wei MeiLan.