Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Yin Zhi Part 6

Jiang Cheng said, "Let me borrow your dog."

Jin Ling snapped out of his daze and hesitated for a moment. Under Jiang Cheng's sharp, lightning-like gaze, he finally whistled. The Black-maned Spirit Dog dashed over in three leaps, while Wei Wuxian, rigid as a statue, could only be dragged forward step by step with one hand.

Jiang Cheng found an empty room and threw Wei Wuxian inside. As the door closed behind him, the Black-maned Spirit Dog followed and sat by the door. Wei Wuxian's eyes were fixed on the dog, fearing it might pounce at him at any moment. Reflecting on how easily he had been controlled in such a short time, he realized that Jiang Cheng truly knew how to deal with him.

Jiang Cheng slowly sat down by the table and poured himself a cup of tea.

For a long while, there was silence between them. The tea was still steaming, but Jiang Cheng suddenly slammed the cup to the ground before taking a sip.

Jiang Cheng slightly curled his lips and said, "Do you have anything to say to me?"

Throughout his life, Jiang Cheng had witnessed Wei Wuxian fleeing from dogs countless times. He could never get away with lies when facing someone who knew him so well. This was more difficult than undergoing the trial by Purple Lightning.

Wei Wuxian sighed, "I don't know what to say."

Jiang Cheng softly said, "You really are unrepentant."

They used to bicker and retort at each other all the time, so without thinking, Wei Wuxian replied, "You haven’t improved either."

Jiang Cheng laughed angrily, "Fine, let's see who hasn't made any progress then?"

Sitting by the table, Jiang Cheng shouted, and the Black-maned Spirit Dog immediately stood up!

Just being in the same room with the dog was already making Wei Wuxian break out in a cold sweat, and now the dog, half as tall as a man with exposed fangs and sharp ears, was right in front of him, growling lowly. The fear of being chased as a child, the searing pain of claws and teeth sinking into his flesh, all came rushing back. Many things from his days of wandering were blurry, but the fear rooted deep inside him could never be overcome or diminished.

Suddenly, Jiang Cheng glanced sideways and said, "Who were you calling for?"

Wei Wuxian's soul was scattered, and he couldn't remember if he had called out to anyone. It wasn't until Jiang Cheng dismissed the Black-maned Spirit Dog that Wei Wuxian managed to regain some composure, then he abruptly turned his head away. Jiang Cheng left his seat. A horsewhip was slung at his waist, and he placed his hand on it, leaning down to look at Wei Wuxian's face. After a pause, he straightened up and said, "Come to think of it, I forgot to ask, when did you and Lan Wangji get so close?"

Wei Wuxian immediately understood that he had inadvertently called Lan Wangji's name.

Jiang Cheng smiled grimly, "Last time at Dafan Mountain, the extent he went to protect you really piques one's curiosity."

After a moment, he corrected himself, "No, it's not certain that Lan Wangji was protecting you. After all, the Gusu Lan Family wouldn't forget what you and your loyal dog have done. A person like him, praised and admired for his uprightness, how could he tolerate you? Perhaps he had some connection with the body you're occupying."

His words were venomous and sarcastic, each seemingly a compliment but filled with hidden barbs. Wei Wuxian couldn't bear it anymore and said, "Watch your words."

Jiang Cheng said, "I never watch my words. Did you forget?"

Wei Wuxian mocked, "That's true."

Jiang Cheng snorted, "You have the nerve to ask me to watch my words? Do you remember the last time at Dafan Mountain, did you watch your words with Jin Ling?"

Wei Wuxian's expression stiffened immediately.

Jiang Cheng, having turned the tables, looked pleased and sneered, "‘Born of a mother but not raised by her,’ you cursed him well, really well. Jin Ling being pointed at like this today is all thanks to you. You, a noble person with many things to forget, have forgotten your words, your oaths, but don't forget how his parents died!"

Wei Wuxian lifted his gaze sharply, "I haven't forgotten! I just..."

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find the words to finish.

Jiang Cheng said, "Just what? Can't say it? It's alright. You can go back to Lotus Pier, kneel before the graves of my parents, and say it slowly."

Wei Wuxian calmed his mind and thought quickly, searching for a way to escape. Though he longed to return to Lotus Pier, it wasn’t the current state of Lotus Pier that he desired.

Suddenly, urgent footsteps approached, and the door was pounded on. Jin Ling shouted from outside with urgency, "Uncle!"

Jiang Cheng raised his voice, "I told you to stay put, why did you come over!"

Jin Ling said, "Uncle, I have something very important to tell you."

Jiang Cheng said, "If it's something important, why didn't you say it earlier instead of waiting until now?"

Jin Ling replied angrily, "It's because you wouldn't stop scolding me! Are you going to listen or not? If not, I'm not saying another word!"

With a look of frustration, Jiang Cheng flung the door open and said, "Speak quickly and then get out!"

As the door opened, Jin Ling stepped in. He had changed into a new white uniform and said, "I think I encountered something tricky today. I believe I saw Wen Ning!"

Jiang Cheng's brow twitched, and he placed his hand on his sword, his expression turning solemn and fierce. "When? Where?"

Jin Ling said, "This afternoon. There's a ruined house about a few dozen miles south of here. I went because I heard something unusual was happening, but inside, there was a corpse."

Jin Ling spoke with great certainty, but every word was a lie to Wei Wuxian's ears. He knew exactly where Jin Ling had been that afternoon. And Wen Ning, once hidden, wouldn't be so easily found by a younger generation member unless he chose to reveal himself.

Jiang Cheng said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier!"

Jin Ling replied, "I wasn't sure. The corpse moved very quickly. As soon as I entered, it ran away. I only saw a blurry figure, but I heard the clinking of the chains on him, just like at Dafan Mountain. If you hadn't scolded me so much earlier, I would have told you right away. If he escapes now and you can't catch him, don't blame me for your bad temper."

Still trying to peer inside, Jin Ling was cut off as Jiang Cheng slammed the door in his face and shouted through it, "We'll settle this later, now get lost!"

Jin Ling responded with a casual "Oh," and his footsteps faded away. Seeing Jiang Cheng turn around, Wei Wuxian quickly made a complex expression that mixed shock, being found out, and the dilemma of Wen Ning's discovery. Jin Ling was quite clever, knowing that Jiang Cheng hated Wen Ning the most. He lied smoothly, hitting the right mark. Jiang Cheng, who had always suspected that the Yiling Patriarch and the Ghost General often caused trouble together, already believed Jin Ling's story by sixty percent. With Wei Wuxian's cooperative expression, he believed another twenty percent. Moreover, the mere mention of Wen Ning's name filled him with rage, leaving no room for doubt. His chest swelled with murderous intent, and he raised his whip, slashing it against the ground near Wei Wuxian, seething with hatred. "You really take this obedient good dog with you everywhere!"

Wei Wuxian said, "He's already dead. I've died once too. What more do you want?"

Jiang Cheng pointed the whip at him and said, "What do I want? Even if he dies a thousand or ten thousand times, it won't ease my hatred! He wasn't destroyed back then, good! Today, I'll do it myself. I'll burn him to ashes and scatter them in front of you!"

He slammed the door and stormed off, heading to the hall to instruct Jin Ling. "Keep an eye on that person inside. Don't believe anything he says, and don't listen! If he tries to whistle or play a flute, block his mouth. If you can't, cut off his hands or tongue!"

Wei Wuxian knew Jiang Cheng's words were meant to threaten him, to prevent him from causing trouble. Not bringing him along was also a precaution against manipulating Wen Ning. Jin Ling said nonchalantly, "Don't worry. I can handle watching someone. Uncle, why are you locking up that dead pervert? What did he do?" Jiang Cheng replied, "That's not for you to ask. Just make sure he doesn't disappear, or I'll break your legs!" After asking a few more questions about the exact location, he took half of his men and set off to chase the non-existent Wen Ning.

After waiting a little longer, Jin Ling's arrogant voice came from outside. "You, go there. You, stand by the side. You all, guard the main entrance. I'll go in and meet him."

The disciples obeyed without question. Soon, the door opened, and Jin Ling poked his head in, his eyes darting around. Wei Wuxian sat up, raised a finger to his lips, and quietly walked over to Purple Lightning, whispering a phrase.

Purple Lightning, recognizing its master—Jiang Cheng must have set it to recognize Jin Ling—retracted its current, turning into a silver ring with a purple crystal, which landed in Jin Ling's pale palm.

Jin Ling whispered, "Let's go."

The disciples of the Yunmeng Jiang family were sent in all directions by Jin Ling, leaving them scattered. The two of them sneaked out through the window and over the wall. After leaving the inn, they sprinted silently. Running into a forest, Wei Wuxian heard a strange noise behind him and turned, heart pounding in fear. "Why is it following us?! Make it go away!"

Jin Ling gave two short whistles, and the black-maned spirit dog, tongue hanging out, let out a low whimper. Its pointed ears twitched, then it hung its head and left dejectedly. Jin Ling said contemptuously, "What a wimp. Xianzi never bites; she just looks intimidating. This is a well-trained spirit dog that only attacks evil entities. You think it's just any old dog?"

Wei Wuxian exclaimed, "You named a dog that?!"

Jin Ling defended himself, "What's wrong with the name? When she was younger, I called her Xiao Xianzi. I can't keep calling her that now that she's grown up."

Wei Wuxian refused, "No, no, no, the problem isn't whether it's 'little' or not!—Whose naming style did you learn from?!" It had to be his uncle. Back then, Jiang Cheng had also raised a few puppies, naming them things like "Jasmine," "Belle," and "Sweetie." Jin Ling said, "A man shouldn't fuss over small details! Anyway, stop fixating on this! I'm letting you go, so we're square."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Do you know why your uncle wants to catch me?"

Jin Ling replied, "Of course. He suspects you're Wei Wuxian."

Wei Wuxian thought, "This time, it's not just suspicion—he's caught the right person." He then asked, "And you? Don't you suspect?"

Jin Ling said, "My uncle isn't doing this for the first time. He'd rather catch the wrong person than let anyone slip through. But since Purple Lightning couldn't extract your soul, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're not him. Besides, the person surnamed Wei wasn't a lover of men, yet here you are, daring to cling to me..."

He didn’t finish the sentence, looking utterly disgusted, and waved his hand as if shooing away a plague god. "Anyway, you're no longer related to the Jin family of Lanling! If you're going to cause trouble, don't involve anyone from my family! Otherwise, I won't let you off!"

After saying that, Jin Ling turned and left. After a few steps, he turned back and said, "Why are you still standing there? Not leaving? Waiting for my uncle to come and catch you? Let me tell you, don't think that just because I'm grateful for you saving me, I'll say some mushy words to you."

Wei Wuxian strolled over with his hands behind his back. "Young man, there are two mushy phrases that one has to say in a lifetime."

Jin Ling asked, "What are they?"

Wei Wuxian said, "'Thank you,' and 'I'm sorry.'"

Jin Ling sneered, "I won't say them. Who can make me?"

Wei Wuxian said, "There will come a day when you'll say them through tears."

Jin Ling had been called "raised without a mother" many times, but no one had ever apologized to him so solemnly before. Having a blunt "I'm sorry" thrown at him left him feeling strangely uncomfortable.

He waved his hands frantically, snorted, and said, "It's nothing. You're not the first person to say that. I may not have been raised by a mother, but that doesn't mean I'm inferior to anyone! On the contrary, I'll make sure everyone opens their eyes and sees that I'm much better than all of you!"

Wei Wuxian smiled slightly and was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed. "Jiang Cheng? You!"

Jin Ling, who already felt guilty for stealing Purple Lightning and letting the person escape, was startled at the mention of his uncle's name. Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to chop him on the neck with his hand. He gently laid Jin Ling on the ground, pulled up his pants, and examined the vicious curse mark on his leg. After trying several methods to no avail, he sighed, realizing how difficult this was.

However, while some vicious curse marks couldn't be dispelled, they could be transferred onto himself.

Jin Ling woke up after a while, rubbing his still-aching neck, and angrily drew his sword. "How dare you hit me! My uncle has never laid a hand on me!"

Wei Wuxian said in surprise, "Really? Doesn't he always say he'll break your legs?"

Jin Ling said angrily, "He only says it! You damned lover of men, what do you want from me, I..."

Wei Wuxian shouted behind him, "Ah! Hanguang Jun!"

Jin Ling, who feared Hanguang Jun even more than his uncle—since his uncle was family, but Hanguang Jun was someone else's family—was frightened and ran off, shouting as he ran, "You damned lover of men! You insane fool! I'll remember this! This isn't over!"

Wei Wuxian laughed so hard behind him that he could barely breathe. Once Jin Ling was out of sight, a dull itch in his chest made him cough for a while before the laughter finally stopped. Only then did he have time to think about some things.

Wei Wuxian was brought back by Jiang Fengmian when he was nine years old.

Some of those memories had become hazy, but Jiang Yanli, Jin Ling's mother, remembered them well and had told him many stories.

She said that after her father learned of the deaths of Wei Wuxian's parents in battle, he had been searching for the child of these old friends. After a long search, he finally found the child in the Yiling area. The first time he saw him, the child was kneeling on the ground, picking up discarded fruit peels to eat.

The winters and springs in Yiling were very cold, and the child was only wearing thin clothes. The knees of his pants were worn out, and he was wearing two different, ill-fitting shoes. He was busy rummaging through the peels when Jiang Fengmian called him. The child still remembered that there was a "Ying" character in his name and looked up. His frozen, red, and cracked cheeks revealed a smiling face.

Jiang Yanli said that he had a naturally cheerful expression. He never let any sadness weigh him down and could always find happiness no matter the situation. It might sound a bit heartless, but it was a good thing.

Jiang Fengmian fed him a piece of melon and then took him back. At that time, Jiang Cheng was only eight or nine years old and had been keeping a few puppies at Lotus Pier to play with. Jiang Fengmian discovered that Wei Wuxian was afraid of dogs, so he gently asked Jiang Cheng to send the puppies away. Jiang Cheng was very reluctant and threw a tantrum, but in the end, he still sent the dogs away.

Although he harbored some resentment towards Wei Wuxian for this, once they became familiar, they started causing trouble together. After that, whenever they encountered dogs, Jiang Cheng would chase them off for him and then laugh at Wei Wuxian as he scrambled up a tree.

Wei Wuxian had always thought that Jiang Cheng would be on his side, while Lan Wangji would be against him. But in the end, reality proved to be the exact opposite.

Wei Wuxian slowly made his way to the meeting point he had agreed upon with Lan Wangji. The streetlights were dim, and there was no one around. He didn’t need to look around; the white-clad figure was already standing at the far end of the street, head slightly bowed, motionless.

Before Wei Wuxian could greet him, Lan Wangji looked up and saw him. After a moment of silence, he steadily walked towards him.

Wei Wuxian instinctively took a step back, unsure why.

He thought he saw bloodshot veins in Lan Wangji’s eyes. There was no denying that Lan Wangji’s expression was genuinely unsettling.

---

Author’s Note:

Thanks to JJ, and to all the readers who have supported me. This story will go VIP tomorrow!

Before it goes VIP, I feel it’s important to promote the story and rally some support!

The public chapters end here, and the main events are all saved for later! For example:

"Uncovering the Mysterious and Rebellious Life of the Yiling Patriarch, Bringing You a Different Side of Wei Wuxian"

"Wen Ning: I Am Already Dead"

"The Shocking Rivalry Between the Yunmeng Noble Clan’s Biological Son and Adopted Son – Why Did Childhood Friends Become Sworn Enemies!"

"The Shocking Inside Story of the Castle That Eats People in Qinghe"

"What does the murderer of the dismemberment case intend? Whose left hand is it, and what does it mean? A wake-up call for the cultivation world’s security!"

Of course, if none of the above interests you, that’s fine. But we also have our main feature, "The Cold and Aloof Second Young Master’s Secret Love." If none of this interests you, then thank you! Goodbye! I need to get back to cranking out more chapters!