different reality

7 | waterborne abyss

“That’s strange. The shape of this shadow doesn’t seem like a human. It’s also sometimes long and sometimes short, sometimes large and sometimes small… Second Young Master Lan, beside your boat!”

Instantly, the Bichen on Lan WangJi’s back unsheathed and stabbed into the water. After a moment, it flew out of the river with a sharp resonance, taking with it a crescent of water. Yet, it didn’t pierce anything.

He held the sword in his hand with a stern expression. As he was about to speak, a disciple on the other side also drew out his sword, thrusting it toward a dark shadow which swiftly swam by in the water.

However, after his sword went underwater, it never came out again. He chanted the sword incantation for a few more times, but nothing was retrieved from the water. Without his sword, his face grew paler and paler. An older disciple beside him spoke, “Su She, we still haven’t determined what the thing inside the water could be. Why did you act on your own?”

The disciple now known as Su She seemed like he was somewhat flustered, but his expression was relatively calm, “I saw that Second Young Master also…”

Before he even finished speaking, he realized how unrealistic this sentence was. No matter what, Lan WangJi or his sword could not be compared with others. A deep shade of red seeped through his pale complexion, as if he had been disgraced. He glimpsed at Lan WangJi, but Lan Wangji didn’t spare him a look at all, instead, he attentively observed the water. In an instant, Bichen was unsheathed again.

This time, the blade of the sword wasn’t inserted into water, but instead, the tip of the sword jolted, and whisked up a piece of shadow from within the water. A pile of wet, black mess fell onto the floor of the boat with a plop. Wei Wuxian went on his toes to have a look. To his surprise, it was a piece of clothing.

It took everything in Wei Wuxian to not burst out laughing, instead, he unintentionally let out a snicker.

"Go back immediately", Lan WangJi ordered. The realisation came sinking in. Water immediately started to spread into the boats. Wei Wuxian suddenly noticed that the color of Biling Lake’s water wasn’t dark green any more, but almost black. Surrounding the area close to the center, a large whirlpool had formed without anybody realizing. The ten-or-so boats circled around, following the currents of the whirlpool. They sunk as they spun, as if they were going to be sucked inside a gigantic, black mouth!

The resounding sound of drawing swords chorused in the air. One after another, everyone mounted their swords and flew upward. Wei Wuxian already hovered above. He looked downward, only to see that Su She, was still inside the water, the board of his boat already engulfed in Biling Lake. Although his face was full of panic, he didn’t call for help, frightened rigid. Without hesitation, Wei Wuxian bent down and stretched his arm out, grabbing Su She’s wrist and pulling him up.

But since Wei Wuxian's sword was  more proficient in speed and not strength, he was constantly swaying up and down trying to keep his balance, but it all went to vain as Su She kept moving around.

He stumbled off his sword but before he would let the water submerged himself, he threw Su She to Jiang cheng, who immediately yelled his name.

While falling down, he saw Lan Wangji trying to grasp a hold on him.

He thought it was strange but couldn't think of it much when he landed in the waters.

When he was in the waters, he opened his eyes to see resentment and those weird seaweed-looking things, but something caught his eyes.

It was a piece of metal, it looked like it's just one part and the rest was scattered around the cultivation world.

He grabbed it just in time as a firm hold on his collar pulled him out of the water.

It was lan wangji.

'Lan Zhan? Why would he save me?'

When they were all back on the ground, wei wuxian bowed down to lan wangji in a gesture of saying thank you.

"Mn" he simply said. But only his brother, lan xichen could tell in his eyes that he felt worried.

"A'Xian!" A feminine voice was heard in a distance.

"Shijie" He replied back. She smiled when she saw he was alright but he never smiled back.

"A'Xian, are you hurt anywhere?" She asked with a worried expression. "No, shijie. I'm fine."

She heaved a sigh of relief when she heard that.

"Where did the waterborne abyss come from anyways, most of the people in Caiyi Town are good with water so a waterborne abyss cannot possibly come from here." Jiang Cheng stated.

"Jiang gongzi is right, and I think I know where it came from." Lan Xichen pointed at the sun.

'Qishan wen' they all thought.

"I suggest that young master wei gets a check up from young lady wen." Lan Xichen said and everyone nodded.

"Come on, I'll take you there." Jiang cheng offered while placing wei wuxian arm around his shoulders. "Alright"

***

"How is he, lady wen?" jiang cheng asked wen qing, the best doctor in the cultivation world.

"Overall, everything's fine but he needs to take a lot of rest. If he overuses his spiritual power, it might lead him into a deep sleep for a few days" wen qing advised.

"I'll make sure he gets enough rests." jiang cheng said.

"You may get going now."

Jiang cheng and wei wuxian was about to exit the room but as he left, jiang cheng took a look and admired wen qing's beauty. It lasted for about five seconds before he closed the doors.

***

Jin zixuan was strolling around cloud recesses when he saw wei wuxian sitting on a bench alone.

"Uh, may I sit here?" Jin zixuan asked a bit nervous.

"Sure" he didn't pay much attention to him and just enjoyed the lovely breeze nature was giving.

That was until Jin zixuan spoke, "Have you heard about the archery contest?"

"No, I haven't. Do enlighten me." all his attention was on him now. "There is going to be an archery contest which is being held at the Qishan wen sect. Are you going?"

"I'll have to wait for Madam yu to tell me whether I'm going or not." Wei wuxian told him.

"Alright, I hope you get better after you know.. the fall." Jin zixuan expressed. "Thank you, young master jin."

"Do call me zixuan."

"It's improper."

"I insist."

"Then do call me wuxian as well."

"Alright"

***

Wei wuxian, jiang cheng and jinag yanli were at the ship ready to head back to lotus pier and saying their goodbyes, "farewell, wei-xiong!" nie huaisang waved enthusiastically.

"Farewell, nie-xiong." He waved a bit, not too enthusiastic.

After they all said their farewells, they started going towards yunmeng.

At yunmeng, yu ziyuan informed them about the archery competition. "All three of you go, and make the jiang sect proud!"

"Yes mother/madam yu."

"A'Ying, I told you not to call me that. We're family, call me mom."

"..."

"He'll get used to it, mother. soon.." Jiang cheng hoped.

"Alright, go train with your aim. I want you all to win."

"Let's gooo!" Jiang yanli and Jiang cheng ran to the field followed by wei wuxian who walked with a slight smile on his face.

"They grow up so fast" yu ziyuan said while looking at their faint silhouette.
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A/N,

hope you enjoyed this chapter after a long while of not updating.

Stay safe and good night/day.