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

The Legendary Chaotic Sects Meeting

Jiang Cheng POV

Okay…so this is becoming more and more of a shitshow…

After the ‘happy news’ of the betrothal…

They also addressed Lan Sizhui’s lineage…

And well, let’s just say there is a lot of yelling and banging and…well… let’s just say that would be the biggest noise the Gusu Lan sect will or have ever experienced in a meeting…

Right now, we are at recess, thanks to Nie Huaisang’s suggestion. I was walking back to my lodgings when I was stopped by none other than Zewujun.

“Sect leader Jiang!”

“Zewujun!” I greeted back, albeit a little reluctantly

Everything has been turned upside down since last we met and… well… I saw that look on his face… the apprehension at me…the worry for Sizhui when I found out as if I would turn into a raging beast and maul the kid alive…

I sighed…Well, I suppose, my reputation still precedes me…

“Might I accompany you for a walk?” he asked

I looked at him for a while and nodded my head…

“How is sect leader Jin doing?”

I sighed…A-ling he’s just… I tried to talk to him after recess but he just waved me off and said that he needed to be alone, so I let him be…

“He is…managing,” I answered after a while…

“I am sorry it has to come to this, the circumstances just are not in our favor I suppose,” Zewujun said.

“I understand, Zewujun! You do not need to elaborate as I also do not think that it is my business to know,” I shook my head.

“I…Very well, sect leader Jiang!” he sighed.

We walked in silence after that. I know he wants to say something else, but I just brushed it off. With the day I had, having to listen to the people screeching at the conference with some of them with the lead of sect leader Yao brazenly trying to put me on the front lines for the what I call in my head the  anti-Lan Sizhui/ Wen Yuan party.

Of Course not forgetting the other side with the Lan sect, including Wei Wuxian and the man beside me here looking at me with resignation and some hopefulness and I suspect some curiosity of what I am going to do.

And lets not forget the other fucking bomb shell they threw with the engagement, what with my nephew looking like he has seen a ghost with how pale his face was…

I just, I needed a fucking breather…

Thankfully he understood I was not in the mood to talk, so we just stayed in silent company until we heard yelling coming from the woods.

As it turns out, it was A-ling and the other 2 recently engaged Lans.

We both looked at each other and slowly tried to make our way back when I heard A-ling’s broken voice…

“Did it not mean anything to you, A-Yuan?”

And I stopped in my tracks.

“A-ling, I am sorry, I…” I could hear rustling which I would assume was Lan Sizhui trying to go to my nephew.

“Don’t Sizhui !! I am…happy for you two…”

“Jin Ling…” I could hear the other Lan called

“What? No princess anymore?” I might not have looked, but I could practically see the bitter smile A-ling has. He is…trying to be strong and hide his feelings… not well might I add….

I know I should be here, but I could bring myself to move.

A-ling…gosh…A-jie what can I do in this situation? I don’t know how to help him…

“I am sorry A-ling!” Lan Jingyi said finally.

“I know!” A-ling whispered out…

“If you would excuse me!” he continued and I heard him walking away.

“Sect leader Jiang, I believe we should go now,” Zewujun said, leading me away from the scene.

I just nodded my head and followed suit.

“Sect leader Jin is an honorable person! He still stood by his friends even when the whole world was turning against them. That is a rare quality!” Zewujun started suddenly.

I sighed. Yeah, I know! During that chaos, my nephew was the first one to state that Wen Yuan was just a child and thus he does not carry the sins of his forefathers.

I shook my head. That boy has the spirit of his mother in him. Her kindness, her integrity! Of course he will defend them!

“Yes, he is!” I said finally.

“You have raised him well, sect leader Jiang!” Zewujun complimented.

I scoffed.

“I don’t think that has anything to do with me. That is all his mother!”

After another moment of silence, he stops walking and turns towards me

“Sect leader Jiang, I would like to apologize for what happened in Lotus Pier. It was not our intention to deceive you but..”

“He is your nephew and you don’t want anything or anyone to hurt him. You want to protect him” I finished.

He just stared at me, unblinking for a second. Then he smiled and nodded his head.

I sighed.

“I understand Zewujun! If I were in your shoes and that was A-ling, I would also do everything in my power to keep him safe!”

“However, as a sect leader I must ask you to not withhold information regarding the Wens again, as it is the right of every sect that was affected by the sun shot campaign to know it!” I continued.

“Of course, sect leader Jiang!” he nodded.

“Now, about the fierce corps and what happened in Yunmeng, there has been a development!  According to Wei Wuxian’s research, we have already determined that the fierce corps that was found is a new breed of them.”

Zewujun nodded.

“But after further investigation, we found out that this new breed is the result of experiments to somehow give consciousness to them. We have found multiple spots in the fierce corps that has residues of talismans, though what kind or how these talismans work still remain a mystery,”

“Also, we have traced it back to…”  I was about to say but was interrupted by yelling from the front gate of Gusu.

We both looked at each other and quickly made our way there.

Well, this is…an interesting development…

There we see the fierce corps surrounded by cultivators with their swords drawn.

But this is no ordinary fierce corps…

Faintly, I heard the man beside me gasping out in disbelief…

“Da-ge!”