Black Lotus

4

However, Jiang Cheng compelled himself to restrain his hostility.

Although he was displeased, as sect leader, he needed to think things through more. The two clans were on good terms. It was best not to quarrel in public. Also, he wasn't sure if he could go against Lan Wangji with certainty.

He addressed Jin Ling with impatience and slight sarcasm, "HanGuang-Jun wants to punish you, so just endure it this one time. It's not easy for him, either, to discipline juniors from other clans." Although mocking, it wasnt clear who he was mocking. Lan Wangji looked as if he didnt hear anything. "What are you still standing here for? Waiting for the prey to throw itself at your sword? If today you dont catch the creature, dont come back to me!"

Jin Ling threw a tough look at Wei Wuxian and a slightly disgusted one at Wei Lin, but was too scared to look at Lan Wangji. He put his sword back into its scabbard, saluted his two seniors, and retreated with bow in hand. Lan SiZhui spoke up, "Sect Leader Jiang, the GusuLan Sect will return the exact number of nets destroyed."

Jiang Cheng sneered, "No need." and turned to leave. Wei Lin couldnt resist throwing another jest at the sect leader, "Bye bye, Sect Leader Chen-chen~!", which Jiang Cheng ignored, huffed and stormed off.

Lan SiZhui smiled towards Wei Wuxian, "Young Master Mo, we meet again."

As We Wuxian went to speak, Lan Wangji ordered first, "Do your tasks."

The juniors finally remembered their original reason for coming to Dafan Mountain. They gathered their thoughts and respectfully waited for further instructions. After a moment, Lan Wangji spoke again, "Do what you can. Don't force anything."

The voice was deep and alluring. If one was too near, the tip of their heart would tremble. Wei Lin faked a swoon in a joking manner. ("If only my brother hadn't stolen your heart~") The juniors replied mannerly, afraid to linger too long and walked into the forest. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji were completely different, even down to the advice they give to juniors.

As Wei Wuxian compared the two, he saw Lan Wangji give him an almost unnoticeable nod. He was surprised. Lan Wangji had always been so prim and proper and had never approved of his methods. And yet, he still gave a nod of acknowledgment, probably thanking him for helping the juniors from the Lan Sect.

Without thinking, Wei Wuxian immediately returned a salute. When he looked up again, Lan Wangji had disappeared, leaving the two Wei twins alone. Wei Wuxian stared at his twin, thinking that Wei Lin probably didnt recognize him with the mask on. Maybe he should keep it that way-

His thoughts were interrupted by the other Wei throwing himself at Wei Wuxian, who caught him in his arms.

"Xian!"

Wei Wuxian froze then let out a shuddering breath, squeezing his younger twin tightly. "H-how-" "I kept both talismans silly. Besides, i'd know that face under any circumstance. ", Wei Ziyou spoke, his voice wavering as hugged his brother as tight as he could, tears threatening to spill over.

The brothers held eachother tight, almost afraid to let go. When they did let go of eachother, Wei Wuxian wiped his twins tears off his face. "It's ok, Zizi, dont cry! Xianxians here now!" Wei Ziyou giggled a bit and nodded. "I missed you so much, Xianxian."

"I missed you too, Zi."

After finding the donkey, the twins went on their way. "By the way, why did Jiang Cheng keep calling you a whore?", Wei Wuxian asked.

Red bloomed on Wei Lin's ears and cheeks. "For awhile, i didnt know where to go after...", his eyes glazed over for a moment before he shook his head and continued, "Anyways, the owner of a brothel found me passed out and took me in. I was on the verge of death but she managed to bring me back. In return, i started working for her. I was in a bad place mentally. I didn't really care what happened to me."

Wei Wuxian felt a little guilty for putting his twin through that and put an arm around his shoulder as he walked. "Well your brothers here now, so no need to do that anymore!"

After walking for awhile, the gurgling sounds of a stream came into Wei Wuxian's ears. He didnt hear this before.

He finally realized that they walked down the wrong path and onto another one that forked off.

He leaned down and wiped the powder from his face, revealing a handsome, graceful youth underneath. Although they were twins, they werent identical. While Wei Lin was more feminine, Wei Ying had more masculine yet soft features.

It was a young and unfamiliar face, not the Yiling Patriarch who had overturned the world and killed thousands-Wei Wuxian.

After a few more looks at his face, Wei Wuxian wiped his face dry and sat beside the stream. Wei Ziyou joined him, petting the donkey.

It wasnt as if he couldnt withstand the words of attack. After all, back when he made the decision, he fully understood the situations that he had to face. Ever since then, he reminded himself of the YunmengJiang Sect's motto- attempt the impossible.

However, although he thought that his heart was like stone, in the end, he was still human, not some emotionless grass or plant.

The donkey seemed as to sense his sour mood and for once, wasnt being loud out of impatience. A moment of silence passed and it turned to leave. Wei Wuxian didnt seem to respond. It turned around to look, throwing its hooves onto the ground and Wei Lin stood, yet Wei Wuxian still paid no mind. The donkey had to come back sulkily, biting and tugging on the corner of Wei Wuxian's collar.

Wei Ziyou laughed, "I think the donkey wants you to get up."

He could choose to go or he could choose not to. Seeing as how the donkey wouldnt let go, Wei Wuxian decided to follow him. The donkey took them to a few trees and circled around an area of grass. In the grass, there lay a qiankun bag, with a ragged golden net hanging above it. It probably fell off as an unlucky cultivator struggled their way out. Wei Wuxian picked up the bag and opened it. There were quite a few items in it, such as gourds of medicinal liquor, talismans, miniature demon-reflecting mirrors, and so on.

He fished around for some time and happened to pull out a talisman. Immediately, a ball of fire appeared in his hand.

The burning item was a gloom-burning talisman, which, like its name, used dark energy as fuel. It would burn automatically if it made contact with dark energy. It lit up as soon as it was taken out, meaning there was a spirit not far away from Wei Wuxian.

Using the talisman to direct him, he set off a few steps, Wei Ziyou following with the donkey, and saw a white figure under a tree.

The talisman had finished burning, and the ashes fell from his fingertips. An old man was sitting with his back to him, speaking in faint murmurs.

The twins slowly approached. The murmurs became clear. "It hurts, it hurts."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Where does it hurt?"

"Head, my head!"

"Let me have a look at it."

They walked a few steps to the side of the man and saw a bloodied, large hole on his forehead. This was a ghost, probably killed with a weapon smashed onto his head. He was dressed in a burial robe made with fine material and craftsmanship, meaning that he had been coffined and buried properly. This wasnt the soul that a living human had lost.

However, ghosts like this shouldnt have appeared on Dafan Mountain.

Wei Wuxian did not an explanation to this implausible scenario. Feeling quite worried, he and his brother hurried toward the direction of where Jin Ling came up the mountain.

Around the area of the ancient tombs, there were a lot of cultivators who wandered around, in hope of a hare crashing into the tree trunk. Somebody dared to hold a spirit-attraction flag, but only a bunch of dark spirit who wept despairingly. Wei Wuxian asked where Jin Ling had gone to.

"They left for Goddess Temple."

"Goddess Temple?"

The cultivators pointed to a path, "Over there. It's a divine temple in a cave on the mountain."

Wei Wuxian inquired again, "Which deity is the temple built for?"

"I think its a natural stone statue of a goddess."

They thanked them and ran off.