The Gentle Cloud's and Purple Lotus's Second Chance

A Twisted Turn of Events

Lan Xichen POV

Yesterday has been an interesting day to say the least. Master Wei and Wangji’s meeting with sect leader Jiang were surprisingly amicable. Everything has been fine until that awkward moment in front of master Wei’s old room. 

After sect leader Jiang left, I could see master Wei cringe. “Will he ever talk to me, like he used to?” he whispered.

“Give it time, master Wei!” I squeezed his shoulder and he looked at me with a wry smile.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,he only invited me here to help with the case. I suppose that’s also another thing we're wrong about him, thinking that his pride would eclipse anything.” he chuckled darkly.

“Well,perhaps in time we will get to see the real sect leader Jiang,” I smiled and looked towards the direction he left and turned to face master Wei’s questioning face.

“Zewu-jun are you…” he was about to say but was interrupted by Yunxi.

‘Sect leader Lan, Master Wei” she greeted.

“I am here to ask if there is anything else you or Hanguang-jun need and that the bath water will be delivered this evening.” she said a bit more coldly than when she greeted me.

“I think it’s fine for now, thank you” master Wei answered smiling.

“Of course,if you would excuse me!” 

After she left, I excused myself as well. I have to say that dinner together with the two prides was also very awkward. Especially when young master Jin glared at me for quite a long while and the fact that he practically ignored all of master Wei’s attempts to communicate.

I sighed. This will be a very long stay indeed. 

Currently, I am preparing for our nighthunt. I have no idea why I volunteered so quickly and judging by the way young master Jin was looking at me the other night, I am pretty sure he does not want me to come.

Well, perhaps this nighthunt will ease the tension between us and maybe this investigation will help to bring the two brothers back together again.

Knock…Knock… 

“Come in,” I answered.

“Zewu-jun, I am here to inform you that we are ready to go,” greeted Sizhui.

“Alright, let’s go then!” I said and walked with him to the front of Lotus Pier.

“Sect leader Jiang, young master Jin” I saluted

“Where is Jingyi?” I asked the crowd.

“He’s fallen sick, I think it’s because he fell into the pond yesterday,” answered Sizhui from beside me.

“He is sleeping right now,” he continued with a look of worry on his face.

“Ah, then do you want to stay with him,Sizhui?” I asked, concerned.

“No, I asked him whether or not he wanted me to stay, but he said no and told me to go,” he answered.

“Ah, very well then!” I said.

“Right, well then, let us go!” sect leader Jiang said,letting Jin Ling lead the way.

“We have reports of water ghouls in the west of Yunmeng,” explained Jin Ling. We are all riding our swords and heading west following his lead.

“Okay then, what’s the plan A-ling?” sect leader Jiang asks nonchalantly.

This surprised me because he easily let young master Jin take the lead even though  he is the sect leader and judging from the fact of how easy young master Jin was to take the lead, this was clearly not the first time.

I looked beside me and watched sect leader Jiang. He was looking at Jin Ling intently and I could see a proud look on his face.

“We will use the spiritual net, Sizhui and I will take the left and you and sect leader Lan take the right,” he said.

“Are you familiar with Yunmeng Jiang’s spiritual net, Zewu-jun?” asked young master Jin suddenly.

“Yes, I believe Sizhui has informed me on how to use it,” I answered cordially. 

From the corner of my eye, I could see Sizhui nod,confirming my statement.

“Okay, then!” young master Jin shrugged.

We fell silent for a while.

“We’re here!” he said, lowering his sword to land on the docks. We all followed suit.

The docks were quiet with no activity whatsoever. I looked around and found no one here. This is very unusual,especially for Yunmeng Jiang considering their main income was from Lotus seeds and roots as well as their fisheries.

“I’m going to send some spiritual energy to the lake,” Jin Ling said,after we got on the boats.

Sect leader Jiang and I are on the boat on the right and he and Sizhui are on the left.

We all nodded.

Just as he targeted the water, we could see a huge mass arising from the water.

I could see sect leader Jiang frowning.

“A-ling, I don’t think that is water ghouls-”

As soon as he said that, a huge tentacle crashed into our boat.  We quickly jumped up and made a quick jump to Sizhui and young master Jin’s boat.

We all looked at each other and quickly unsheathed our sword.

“The net isn’t going to work, we’ll have to split up. A-ling, you and Sizhui attack from the boat while sect leader Lan and I attack from above,” sect leader Jiang quickly instructed.

We all nodded.

Sect leader Jiang quickly got on his sword and turned Zidian into a whip. I did the same and took out Liebing.

The monster clearly tried to sink the other boat but was stopped by sect leader Jiang’s whip. I tried to play a calming tune on Liebing.

Sizhui joined me with his Guqin while young master Jin turned the boat around it trying to find an opening.

“ I think I got an opening, uncle!” shouted young master Jin,quickly unsheathing Suihua again.

Sect leader Jiang quickly made his way to young master Jin, still using Zidian to whip the emerging tentacles back into the water.

“There, the back,” pointed Jin Ling. They both were going towards it when we heard a flute playing.

Suddenly, the monster who was already half asleep because of Gusu Lan’s Tranquility song,became more aggressive and went towards the boat.

Sect leader Jiang and I shared a quick look and dashed towards the 2 young cultivators. We brought them to the docks and made our way to attack the monster.

I put on the song of confusion while sect leader Jiang used Zidian to attack the beast from all sides. Quickly changing his position left and right.

“Find the source!” shouted sect leader Jiang towards Sizhui and young master Jin who were mounting their swords and tried to go towards us.

They looked at each other and nodded towards us and sprinted away.

“Sect leader Lan!” sect leader Jiang called when we're on eye level. 

“I think we need to-” he was about to say when two big tentacles grabbed the both of us and dragged us through the water.