𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 |𝚖𝚍𝚣𝚜| *hiatus*

四

However, after stroking it for a while, Jiang Cheng compelled himself to restrain his hostility.

Although he was displeased, as the leader of a sect, he needed to take more things into consideration, which meant that he couldn't be as impulsive as Jin Ling. After the fall of the QingheNie Sect, among the Four Great Sects, the LanlingJin Sect and the GusuLan Sect were quite close due to the personal relationship between the two leaders. By leading the YunmengJiang Sect and the NinghuaYue Sect alone, he was already in an isolated situation among the four. HanGuang-Jun, or Lan WangJi, was quite a prestigious cultivator, while his elder brother ZeWu-Jun, or Lan XiChen, was the leader of the GusuLan Sect. The two brothers had always been on good terms with each other. It was best to not openly dispute with Lan WangJi.

Also, Jiang Cheng's sword, "Sandu," had never made actual contact with Lan WangJi's sword, "Bichen," and it was not yet decidable whose hands would the deer die on. Although he owned the powerful ring, "Zidian," a family heirloom of his, Lan WangJi's zither, "Wangji", was also known for its abilities. The thing that Jiang Cheng hated the most was to be disadvantageous during a fight. Without complete confidence in his success, he would not consider fighting with Lan WangJi.

Jiang Cheng slowly took away his left hand, ceasing to stroke his ring. It seemed as if Lan WangJi was determined to take part in this matter, so it wouldn't help if he continued to play the antagonist. Jiang Cheng made the decision to, for the time being, owe him a favour, and turned around to see Jin Ling still covering his mouth angrily, "HanGuang-Jun wants to punish you, so just let him do it for this one time. It's not easy for him, either, to discipline juniors from other clans."

His tone was sarcastic, but it wasn't clear who he was mocking. Lan WangJi never fought to win his way with words, and looked as if he didn't hear anything. Jiang Cheng turned again, his words covered with thorns, "Why are you still standing there? Waiting for the prey to come and throw itself onto your sword? If, today, you don't catch the creature hunting Dafan Mountain, don't come to me ever again!"

"Father. At least be more caring about my dear cousin."

All heads turned towards the young lady that had made her way to the scene. She couldn't bare more of a resemblance to Jiang Cheng yet, she was the spitting image of her mother.

"Zhihao, did I not tell you to stay at the inn?" Jiang Cheng questioned as he faced his daughter. Elegantly and swiftly, Jiang Zhihao stood in front of her father and cousin. She felt a gaze on her and she looked around to find the source. Her eyes met the eye's of the other woman's. Noticing the cultivator's uniform as that of the NinghuaYue Sect, she smiled slightly.

Wei Wuxian was quick to conclude that Jiang Zhihao was nothing like her father and everything like her mother.

Jin Ling threw Wei WuXian a tough look, but was too scared to look at Lan WangJi, the person who had silenced him. He put his sword back into its scabbard, saluted the two seniors, and retreated with the bow in his hand. Lan SiZhui spoke, "Sect Leader Jiang, the GusuLan Sect will return the exact number of spirit-binding nets that had been destroyed."

Jiang Cheng sneered, "No need."

Yue Haiyan watched as the young teen girl, smiled up at her father. She felt the blood from her face rush down. Feeling slightly dizzy, Yue Haiyan pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, not noticing that she had started to sway. By the time she had noticed, she was on the ground with the two Jiang's by her side.

"Xueming? Xuem...."

With that, all that was seen was darkness.

~~~