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"风向转变时,有人筑墙,有人造风车"
When the wind blow changes, some build walls, while others build windmills.
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"Fake my death? How am I going to do that?"
Wen Qing shrugged. "That's the thing, how are you going to fake your demise and make it seem real?"
"Maybe we need a distraction first." Wen Meixiao hummed, taking out a notepad. "I can create a big distraction and then run away."
"What distraction?"
"I don't know, maybe burning something down?"
"You really like burning things, don't you?"
"Yeah. Is that a bad thing?"
"In this situation, no."
"Okay, first we plan out a distraction." Wen Meixiao began sketching something on her piece of paper. "Then while everyone is trying to calm down the fire, I run away with my belongings."
"Where will you run too? It'll be too dark to see in the forest, and everywhere else if guarded by guards." Wen Qing took out an old map of Qishan city, pointing to where the guards were placed on night duty.
"You underestimate me. Don't you remember that I spend everyday in the forest? I've memorized it enough to run through it without a torch. And besides, it won't be completely dark- the sun doesn't set here in Qishan."
"Alright...but what are you going to do after that? You can't hide in the woods forever!"
"I'm not planning on staying there! I'm jumping off the cliff!"
Wen Qing nearly fainted. "You what?!"
"I'm jumping off the cliff!"
"There's no way you'll survive that fall! Especially since your cultivation skills are so bad you can't even fly!"
"That's good! Then they'll think I can't survive the fall." Wen Meixiao said, holding two thumbs up.
"They won't think you'll survive the fall- YOU ACTUALLY WON'T SURVIVE THE FALL!"
"Wen Qing, calm down! You're being too loud." The younger shushed.
She sighed. "How can I? I see you like my younger sister. The rocks are very shallow and sharp...and the water current is stronger at night...how can a weak girl like you survive?"
Wen Meixiao stared off into space, trying to think of an idea. "I could fall landing on my bag...and inside would be stuffed with cushions."
"Would that really help?" Wen Qing asked. "And how would you make it seem that you died so they won't continue chasing after you?"
"I'll place glass jars of cow blood in my second bag. Once I jump, the current will surely break the glass and the blood will seep out." She explained. "Everyone will be fooled!" She then rubbed her hands like an evil mastermind.
"I can't deny that's not a good idea..." She muttered finally. "I'll try to distract people, but I can't help too much. I can't be caught." Wen Qing added.
"If there are too many people nearby, you don't have to do it Jiejie. Don't risk your life for me, unlike me, you have Wen Ning to live for."
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The next day, Wen Meixiao woke up early to explore the forest. Although she had been there many times, she still needed to plan where she would jump.
She couldn't sleep that night. It was morning when she was walking through town and heard Wen Ning's voice and she felt as if something pure rang through her for the first time.
"A-Xiao!" Wen Ning smiled. "People from all over the clans are here today!"
Wen Meixiao was puzzled. "Why?"
"Wen Ruohan demanded each clan to send their disciples to be 'trained' after the burning of cloud recesses."
"Oh that." Wen Meixiao scowled.
Wen Ning looked at her with concern on his face. "You look tired. Did you sleep well last night?"
Wen Meixiao signed before putting on her best smile. "I'm just tried that's all. Now let's go greet the clans." In reality, she was extremely fatigued. What Wen Qing told her never left her mind, and she was seriously considering on faking her own death- no, not considering, she really was going to do it.
When she arrived at the opening ceremony, the first thing she saw was Wen Ruohan sitting on his throne again, but just outside this time. And this time she actually did vomit. In a bush.
Wen Ning was extremely concerned.
She noticed Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng and her friend, Nie Huaisang. They were all standing down below on the dirt.
"All of you guys, submit you swords over." Wen Ruohan ordered. Wen Meixiao watched as many people whispered in the crowds, baffled at the sudden request. Some turned in the swords, yet others were still reluctant to.
Spontaneously, Wen Zhuliu flew down from the building Ren Ruohan was on, and attacked the nearest person. The person was knocked back, the core from his heart gone. Scared whispers now echoed from the grounds. Wen Meixiao thought it was unbelievable how they could randomly attack someone.
"Whoever disobeys will end up like him." Wen Ruohan exclaimed, gesturing to the fallen man.
In a domino effect, everyone began giving their swords away. Even Lan Wanji, a self-reliant person, submitted his legendary Bichen.
Wen Meixiao was about to go and leave when Wen Chao grabbed her by the sleeve of her robes. "Hey, we're going to kill the tortoise that's been taunting in our caves." He said with his crusty voice.
"And?" Wen Meixiao tapped her foot impatiently. She wanted to go to the forests then home to talk with Wen Qing.
"My love here, Wang Lingjiao, needs a bodyguard." He gestured to the slut that always followed him around. She had a sly smile on her face and wore purple robes and right away Wen Meixiao knew she was a bitch.
"Oh hell no-"
"Well it's too bad because you're going." He grabbed her sleeves and dragged her into the forest where everybody else had already begun searching. Wen Meixiao had no choice to to follow the lady in purple robes as she knew what happened if she disobeyed Wen Chao.
Wen Chao began explaining what the tortoise was to Wen Meixiao, hence hyping the younger up. Now Wen Meixiao wanted to see this giant tortoise with her own eyes. If only he had told her what this tortoise was earlier, she would've tagged along with no complaints.
"So your telling me, the tortoise is somewhere in those forests over there?" She asked, pointing to the patch of woods that she was planning on going to anyways.
"Yes! Did you not hear me?"
Following the others while they searched around the Qishan Forest, they were searching for a secret hideout that Wen Meixiao never knew there even was. She had been to these forests everyday!
Wen Meixiao spotted Wei Wuxian, someone she did not know whether she would consider a friend or not, she also spotted Nie Huaisang, who seemed already tired from walking.
"Hello guys." She called out, walking up to them.
Wei Wuxian turned around in a relaxed manner. "Oh long time no see! You've grown taller!"
"I have?" She deadpanned. She did not feel taller.
"Did you ever get caught after last year's archery contest?" He whispered curiously to her.
"Nope." She whispered slyly back.
"Stop talking and get searching!" Wen Chao barked like a angry dog, shooing everyone around.
But honestly, she could care less. While everyone was busy searching, she separated herself from them and went to the edge of the forest. There was a huge cliff with a valley of water running below.
The height was immeasurably high.
Wen Meixiao felt her heart beat faster. She never had acrophobia, but she began to question if she would even make the jump.
Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a nasally voice. "Wen Meixiao! Where are you! We found the cave entrance!" Wen Chao hollered.
Wen Meixiao quickly ran over to the ugly voice. "I'm here." She replied before glancing into the dark cave, entranced by the darkness and mysterious of it.
There was another energy there. Another energy similar to that of her bow's.