Lan Ying's POV
Our group traveled through the air on our swords, the air swiftly brushing through us. Before we could arrive at the town, i flew downward, bending down as I scooped a wate the blood on my hands.
"Is your hand okay?" a voice startled me. I looked up, seeing Jiang Cheng on his sword.
I stood up, "It's fine." I responded. We flew upward and joined the others.
I flew closer to Jingyi and asked, "Jingyi, do you have my handkerchief?"
"Yes! I was about to give it to you when we get back at the inn" Jingyi replied as he felt for his inner robe, taking out a pale white handkerchief. He passed it to me.
"Thank you." I wiped my wet hands thoroughly.
Caiyi Town was just a few meters away from us and since we used our sword to travel it was more faster to get there. We couldn't bring the boat with us since it got trampled by the gaint snake when it fell. We will just have to change it.
When we arrived, the town was quiet, not a single soul could be seen.
"Where are the people?" Ouyang Zizhen asked.
We roamed around and all of the door were closed. I knocked on one of the doors, waiting for a person to open it, not long after, the door opened. A person was behind the door, trembling.
"Mister, are you alright?" I worriedly asked. The people started coming out of their house, terrified expression was plastered on their faces.
"W-we heard a loud roar awhile ago! We got scared so we entered our houses..." the mister said.
"What was that roar awhile ago?"
"I thought something happened to the maiden and to the young masters."
"Everyone calm down first." Sizhui said.
"We're all fine, and the roar you just heard was from a beast at the lake but please rest assure, we have already killed it. All of you are safe now." I stated. Their terrified expression was changed into relief.
"Thank you!"
"We really are thankful!"
"We're forever thankful to you Maiden and Young Masters!"
I smiled at the sight. It really makes my heart easy seeing them happy.
"Maiden!" A woman suddenly called as she came running to me from the crowd. As she run towards me, she almost tripped but I was still able to caught her in my arms.
"May I help you?" I asked as I helped her stand up properly.
"The bandits came back and they're trying to destroy the inn! Please help them!" the woman begged.
"I think scaring them wasn't enough." Jiang Cheng said who was just standing beside me. He walked away, going toward the inn.
"Bandits? Were they the one who harassed you?" Wei Wuxian asked. I lowered my head and slowly nodded.
"I bet they'll need a beating. Lan Zhan! Let's go!"
"Mn."
Both of them followed Jiang Cheng. I sighed, hoping they won't kill the bandits. I returned my look to the woman and smiled.
"They'll be fine." I said. I looked back to the juniors and signalled them to follow Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. All of us headed to the inn.
As we were about to enter, a figure of a man came flying coming from the inn, he fell to the ground. What followed was Jiang Cheng with his Zidian, glowing in anger.
"Didn't I warned you already not come back?" Jiang Cheng threateningly asked. A scowl crossed on his face.
"D-don't come closer! I'll kill you!" the guy threatened, pointing a knife to Jiang Cheng while quavering. The guy was no other than the leader of the group who harassed me yesterday. I quickly stepped back a little, feeling scared again.
Jiang Cheng ignored the threat and with a swing of his legs, the knife flew away. The leader was scared once again, having nothing to protect himself. He crawled back while Jiang Cheng was approaching him. The leader stopped from crawling, behind him was already the water path. Having being cornered, Jiang Cheng grabbed the lapel of the leader's cloth as he raised his other hand, landing a heavy punch to the leader's face. The guy lost his consciousness with just a punch.
Jiang Cheng finally let go of him, leaving him unconscious on the ground. Jiang Cheng approached us.
"Shanli, go inside and heal the inn's owner's husband. He was heavily beaten by the bandits from trying to protect his family. And the local officers will arrive any moment." Jiang Cheng said.
I nodded and immediately made my way inside the inn.
What awaited me was a messy room. All of the tables were flipped upside down, the others were completely destroyed. A few mens were lying on the ground, groans coming out of their throat in pain. Two mens were standing in the middle of the room.
Both of them looked at me, "Shanli! We beat them up! What should we do?" Wei Wuxian asked cheerfully.
Even after beating this bandits, he looks even more livelier. I chuckled, "Jiang Cheng said the local officers will be coming, so it would be better to tie them up outside." I said. He nodded and dragged the mens outside with the help of Lan Wangji.
Lan Wangji dragged four people out without any problem while Wei Wuxian dragged two people and it seems like he's already struggling.
"Why are they so heavy!" Wei Wuxian complained that made me laugh.
A cry rung through my ears, turning around, the owner of the inn's family was huddling around, the owner and her two kids crying so miserably while calling out for their unconscious father.
I rushed to their side and sat with them on the ground. The owner's husband was full of wounds, bruises, and blood all over his body, I felt for the his pulse.
It's beating, but it's faint.
He was almost beaten up to death. How could they do this to someone just because of money?!
I turned to look at the owner, "Ma'am, no need to worry. You're husband is okay. I'll just have to heal him and he will be completely alright. Trust me." I assured trying to calm them. She wiped her tears and looked at me desperately.
"Please, save him! Please!" she begged, bursting into tears again.
At my side, someone tugged at my robe, "Jiejie, please save our father." the little girl cried. She was the owner's duaghter. I can feel my heart tightened.
I showed her a reassuring smile and said, "I will save your father so don't cry okay?" I said as I wiped her tears and her brother's.
I returned my attention to the guy and I properly laid him on the floor. I raised my hands on top of him, as I began to heal his wounded body. After a few minutes, he was finally completely healed. It even cleansed the blood on his skin but the blood on the cloth still remained.
I let out a long breath before looking back to the owner and her kids. Worried expressions crossed their faces.
"You're husband is fully healed now. Just change his cloth and let him rest for a few hours, he will be awake soon." I advised.
The owner held my hand, "Maiden, Thank you, thank you again. You don't know how deeply thankful I am to you and to the Young Masters. You've done so many things to help us. I don't know how to repay you anymore, A single thanks won't be enough, but really, Maiden. Thank you." The owner said, her tone held sincerity. I smiled and held her hand back.
"There is no need for you to repay, looking how sincere you are is enough. I hope nothing will happen to you and your family like this again."
---
A few hours has already passed after the situation in Caiyi Town was settled. We are now currently on our way back to Cloud Recesses together with Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling and with the other Lan Juniors. Ouyang Zizhen and the other disciples of Ouyang Sect has already returned to their sect's residence.
It was already in the afternoon when we arrived at the Cloud Recesses.
"Don't forget to write your notes and pass them to your Senior Quan. Tell him to meet me at the border between the male and female quarter, I will collect the notes from him." I said to the juniors. All of them nodded and saluted at us seniors before leaving, bringing Jin Ling with them.
"You came back early than usual." a gentle voice said that was coming from behind us. We turned around seeing Brother Xichen.
"Xiongzhang." We greeted.
"Sect Leader Lan." Jiang Cheng greeted, saluting at him. Lan Xichen smiled and saluted back.
Lan Xichen, "Greetings to Sect Leader Jiang."
"I see that your back from your secluded meditation." Jiang Cheng said.
"I have been neglecting my role as the Sect Leader this past few months, it is the time for me to get back and do my responsibilities as the sect leader." Lan Xichen explained, maintaining a calm expression.
Jiang Cheng, "It is good that you're back, I hope you will attend the upcoming Discussion Conference for this year."
Lan Xichen, "I shall attend this year's Discussion Conference."
"Let me guide you to the Yanshi, it seems you're here to report the situation in Biling Lake." Lan Xichen added.
Lan Xichen showed Jiang Cheng the way to the Yanshi together with Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian didn't go with them as he wanted to stroll around Cloud Recesses for a bit. I went to the kitchen first and prepared a tea set, bringing it to the Yanshi.
When I arrived, Jiang Cheng and my two brothers were already sitted around the table. I put down the wooden tray and served them the tea and one for myself. I sat down with them and started discussing the matters that happened in Biling Lake regarding the missing water ghouls and the giant snake that appeared.
We also told him about the ragged old man that Wei Wuxian saw who was seemingly just a ghost. We have come into a conclusion that it was actually a dead giant snake for two hundred years, it just changed the term into sleep and when it said that it woke up, it actually means that it was revived. The only question was who is the person that was able to revive the dead snake?
"It is quite a good news for the water ghouls to be completely annihilated. Many thanks to Sect Leader Jiang's assistance for handling the water ghouls in Biling Lake this past few years." Lan Xichen said as he clasped his hands and bowed his head a little to thank Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng raised his cup and took a sip from the tea, putting it down back after it.
"You're welcome." Jiang Cheng said.
Lan Xichen, "From today onward, we shall handle the matters in Biling Lake on ourself."
Jiang Cheng, "Suit yourself Sect Leader Lan."
And thus, our discussion has ended. Other matters will be discussed in this upcoming Discussion Conference that will be held in Lotus Pier by Jiang Cheng.
Brother Xichen went out to meet with Uncle Qiren while Lan Wangji went to find Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng was left with me.
"The sun is setting, I need to go back now and hear the report from the Chief Manager. I won't wait for Jin Ling, tell him to go straight to Koi Tower if he doesn't have anything to do." Jiang Cheng said.
As I expected he won't stay here any longer.
"I will. Take care on your way back." I responded as he mounted his sword and left Cloud Recesses.
I let out a sigh as I stared at the sky, slowly getting envelop by the darkness. I turned around, making my way to the juniors dormitory. I was thinking that maybe Sizhui and Jingyi might be in their room together with Jin Ling and when I arrived, I was right.
"Can you stop staring at my paper?"
"Why? What's wrong with me staring at your paper?"
"It's uncomfortable! So stop staring."
"What's so uncomfortable about it?!"
"Calm down you two."
"What's going on here?" I interrupted, entering their already opened door. Their attention was once turned to me.
"Nothing jiejie, we were just doing our notes." Sizhui replied.
"Very well, continue what you're doing." they focused back to their notes and continued writing while Jin Ling still kept on staring at Jingyi's paper. I stayed for a while at their room and tried to observe them.
"You have a mistake here." Jin Ling exposed, pointing to where Jingyi had a mistake. Jingyi immediately hid his paper at his chest, glaring at Jin Ling.
"I told you to stop looking it." Jingyi hissed.
"Can't you be more glad? I'm trying to help you!" Jin Ling retorted back.
I chuckled at the both of them with their never ending bickering. Even though they bicker all the time, they still see each other as friends. And I'm glad that their more closer with each other than before.
I walked closer to Jingyi, "Let me see your note." Jingyi gulped, handing me his note slowly, looking at me nervously.
I looked through his note, checking any mistakes on it. There was indeed a mistake, a few of them at least.
I chuckled and asked, "Would you like me to mark them?"
"Please do." Jingyi cried.
I chuckled, as I borrowed his brush, encircling his mistakes before giving it back to him.
"Your notes tends to be verbose and is prone to errors but it's fine, you're still learning. Just review and rewrite them." I advised, giving him a smile.
"Understood!" Jingyi exclaimed as he grabbed another paper. He reviewed his previous paper and wrote down some words at the other. I suddenly remembered something.
I shifted my look to Jin Ling who was now lying down on his chest on Jingyi's bed, his face buried on the pillow. Since when did he get there?
I thought that Jin Ling lying on Jingyi's bed was a funny scene so I started laughing.
"A-Ling, what are you doing there?" I asked, trying to hold back my laugh.
"They're taking too long writing their notes and that idiot still has to rewrite all of his notes. I'm getting bored." Jin Ling replied, flipping over his body.
"Hey! Since when did you get on my bed? And who are you calling an idiot ha?!" Jingyi shot up, raising his voice. Jin Ling who was peacefully lying down on the bed got irritated and he sat up.
"Can't you just let me lay down? Hurry up with your notes so that we can go night hunt now." Jin Ling grumbled, laying down back to the bed again. I chuckled.
"Now now, lower your voice Jingyi if you don't want any punishment. Just focus on your notes so that you can finish it early." I said.
"I will be going now to the other quarter, be careful on your night hunt. A-Ling go back to Koi Tower after your night hunt, don't roam around on your own understand?" I added. I waited for a respond but he didn't spoke. I looked at Jin Ling who's eyelids were close. Soft snores could be heard. I chuckled.
Such a cute sight.
"Young Master Jin fell asleep." Sizhui said, a smile plastered on his face.
"Why on my bed?" Jingyi complained. He groaned and focused back to his notes that made Sizhui chuckle. I walked toward the bed, covering Jin Ling's body with the blanket.
"He must be tired, let him sleep here for awhile. If you're still able to go night hunt then make sure he can go back to Koi Tower safely. A-Yuan, I'll leave him to you." I said to Sizhui. He nodded.
"I'll be going now, finish yout notes and don't forget to give them to Quan-ge." I reminded to them.
"Yes!" Sizhui and Jingyi replied, giving their salute to me. I smiled and finally left their room as I made my way to the female's quarter.