Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Three Poisons XII 4

Wei Wuxian's heart raced. "Did he see us? Should we escape right now? Or not?"

At that moment, faint sobbing came from within the walls. Amid the sound of footsteps, a man gently said, "Don't cry. Your face is all smeared."

This voice was all too familiar to both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng—it was Wen Chao!

Immediately after, Wang Lingjiao whimpered, "If my face is smeared, will you stop liking me?"

Wen Chao said, "How could I? I like you no matter what, my darling."

Wang Lingjiao emotionally said, "I was so scared, so scared... Today, I really thought... that I was going to be killed by that bitch and never see you again... Young Master Wen... I..."

Wen Chao seemed to hug her and comforted, "Don't say that. It's alright now. Thankfully, Wen Zhuliu was there to protect you."

Wang Lingjiao pouted, "And you still mention him! If Wen Zhuliu hadn't arrived late, I wouldn't have suffered so much. My face still hurts, so much pain..."

It was she who had dismissed Wen Zhuliu to avoid seeing him, yet now she twisted the story to blame him. Wen Chao loved hearing her act all wronged and coquettish, saying, "It doesn't hurt. Come, let me touch it... It’s okay that you dislike him, but don’t push him too far. This man’s cultivation is formidable. My father has mentioned many times that he's a rare talent. I'm counting on him for many more years."

Wang Lingjiao retorted, "Talent... so what? The Wen family has countless talented people; losing one won’t make a difference."

She was hinting for Wen Chao to punish Wen Zhuliu to vent her anger, and Wen Chao chuckled. Though he doted on Wang Lingjiao, he wasn't about to punish his personal guard for a woman. After all, Wen Zhuliu had shielded him from countless assassinations, was tight-lipped, and would never betray his father, which meant he would never betray him. Such a loyal and powerful bodyguard was hard to come by. Seeing that he wasn't taking it seriously, Wang Lingjiao added, "You saw him, just a small soldier under your command, yet so arrogant. Just now, I wanted to slap that bitch Yu, but he wouldn't allow it. The person is dead, just a corpse! By ignoring me, he’s ignoring you."

Jiang Cheng lost his grip and slid down from the wall. Wei Wuxian quickly grabbed the back of his collar.

Tears welled up in both their eyes, rolling down their cheeks and landing on their hands and the ground.

Wei Wuxian recalled how, earlier that morning, Jiang Fengmian had argued with Lady Yu before leaving, their last words to each other far from gentle. He wondered if they had seen each other for the last time. Had Jiang Fengmian had a chance to say anything more to Lady Yu?

Wen Chao brushed it off, saying, "That's just how he is—odd. Talking about 'a scholar would rather die than suffer insult.' He's the one who killed them; what's the point of discussing these things?"

Wang Lingjiao echoed, "Exactly. So fake!"

Wen Chao loved hearing her agree with him and laughed heartily. Wang Lingjiao added maliciously, "That bitch Yu deserved this. Back then, she forced a man to marry her with her family's power, but what good did it do? He still didn't like her. For over ten years, she was an outcast, mocked behind her back. And she was still so arrogant and domineering. This is her retribution."

Wen Chao said, "Is that so? That woman had some beauty. Why didn't Jiang Fengmian like her?"

In his mind, as long as a woman was beautiful, there was no reason for a man not to like her. Only plain women or those who refused to sleep with him deserved to be spurned. Wang Lingjiao said, "It's obvious! The bitch Yu is so overbearing, always whipping and slapping people. She has no manners or upbringing. Jiang Fengmian was dragged down by marrying such a wife. He's had eight lifetimes of bad luck."

Wen Chao said, "Exactly! A woman should be like my Jiaojiao, obedient, gentle, and sweet, always devoted to me."

Wang Lingjiao giggled. Hearing these vile words, Wei Wuxian shook with rage and sorrow. He worried Jiang Cheng would explode, but Jiang Cheng, perhaps too overwhelmed with grief, seemed to have fainted, not moving at all. Wang Lingjiao sighed, "Of course, I can only be loyal to you—who else would I turn to?"

At that moment, another voice interjected, "Young Master Wen! All the rooms have been searched. Over two thousand four hundred magical artifacts have been counted and are being categorized."

Those belonged to Lotus Pier—the Jiang family’s treasures!

Wen Chao laughed heartily, "Good, good! This is a time to celebrate. Let's have a grand feast here tonight. Make the best use of everything!"

Wang Lingjiao cooed, "Congratulations, Young Master, on taking over Lotus Pier."

Wen Chao said, "What Lotus Pier? Change the name. Remove all doors with the nine-petal lotus emblem and replace them with the Wen family of Qishan's sun emblem! Jiaojiao, come and perform your best dance and song for me!"

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng could no longer bear to listen. They climbed down the wall, stumbling away from Lotus Pier. Even after running far, the sounds of revelry from the crowd in the training ground echoed in their ears, and a woman's seductive singing floated above Lotus Pier, like a poisoned blade slicing through their hearts.

After running for miles, Jiang Cheng suddenly stopped.

Wei Wuxian also stopped, and when Jiang Cheng turned to go back, Wei Wuxian grabbed him, saying, "Jiang Cheng, what are you doing! Don't go back!"

Jiang Cheng shook him off and said, "Not going back? Are you even speaking sense? You're telling me not to go back? My parents' bodies are still lying there in Lotus Pier! Do you think I can just leave? If I don't go back, where else can I go?"

Wei Wuxian gripped him tighter and said, "If you go back now, what can you do? They've already killed Uncle Jiang and Lady Yu. If you go back, it's just death waiting for you."

Jiang Cheng shouted, "Then let me die! If you're afraid of dying, then get out of my way!"

Wei Wuxian moved to subdue him and said, "We have to retrieve the bodies, but not right now!"

Jiang Cheng dodged and countered, "If not now, then when? I'm sick of you. Piss off!"

Wei Wuxian shouted, "Uncle Jiang and Lady Yu told me to take care of you, to make sure you're alright!"

"Shut up!" Jiang Cheng pushed him hard, sending him into the bushes, and roared, "Why?!"

Wei Wuxian was shaken, and Jiang Cheng grabbed his collar, shaking him violently. "Why?! Why?! Why! Are you happy now?! Are you satisfied?!"

His eyes bloodshot, Jiang Cheng choked him. "Why did you save Lan Wangji?!"

In his immense grief and anger, Jiang Cheng had lost his sanity and couldn't control his strength. Wei Wuxian pried his wrist and said, "Jiang Cheng..."

Jiang Cheng pressed him to the ground and shouted, "Why did you save Lan Wangji?! Why did you have to play the hero?! I've told you so many times not to stir up trouble! Not to intervene! Do you like being a hero so much?! Do you know what happens to heroes?! Now, are you happy?!"

"Let Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan die! If they die, they die! What does it have to do with us?! What does it have to do with our family?! Why?! Why?!"

"Die, die, all of you die! Just die!!!"

Wei Wuxian, red-faced from being choked, shouted, "Jiang Cheng!!!"

The hand choking him suddenly loosened.

Jiang Cheng stared at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. Tears rolled down his cheeks. A dying wail, a painful sob tore from his throat.

He cried, "...I want my parents, my parents..."

He was begging Wei Wuxian for his father and mother. But no matter who he begged, they were never coming back.

Wei Wuxian was crying too. The two of them sat in the bushes, sobbing uncontrollably as they looked at each other.

Jiang Cheng knew in his heart that even if Wei Wuxian hadn't saved Lan Wangji in the Tortoise of Slaughter cave at Moxi Mountain, the Wen family would have eventually found a reason to come after them. But he couldn't help but think that if it weren't for Wei Wuxian's actions, maybe things wouldn't have happened so quickly, maybe there would have been room for a different outcome.

This tiny shred of hope filled him with unbearable regret and rage, tearing him apart inside.

As dawn broke, Jiang Cheng was almost dazed.

That night, he had actually drifted off to sleep a few times. Partly because he was so exhausted from crying, he had fallen asleep unconsciously. And partly because he still held onto the hope that this was all a nightmare, eagerly wishing that when he woke up, he would find himself back in his room in Lotus Pier. His father would be sitting in the hall, reading and cleaning his sword. His mother would be scolding Wei Wuxian for his mischievous expressions. His sister would be in the kitchen, racking her brains to decide what to cook for the day. His junior brothers would be running around, ignoring their morning lessons.

Instead of waking up to a splitting headache from the cold wind, still curled up on that desolate hillside.

Wei Wuxian was the first to move.

Using his legs for support, he struggled to his feet and croaked, "Let's go."

Jiang Cheng didn't move. Wei Wuxian reached out and said again, "Let's go."

Jiang Cheng asked, "...Where to?"

His voice dry and hoarse, Wei Wuxian said, "To the Yu clan at Meishan, to find Elder Sister."

Jiang Cheng slapped away his outstretched hand. After a moment, he sat up and slowly stood.

The two of them set out in the direction of Meishan, traveling on foot.

Along the way, both struggled to keep their spirits up, but their steps were heavy, as if they were carrying a thousand-pound weight on their shoulders.

Jiang Cheng kept his head down, holding his right hand, where the Purple Lightning ring on his index finger rested near his heart. He stroked this last remaining memento of his family again and again. He frequently looked back in the direction of Lotus Pier, gazing at what was once his home but had now become a place overrun by evil. Over and over, it was as if he could never tire of looking, as if he still held on to the faintest sliver of hope. Yet, each time, tears would uncontrollably flow from his eyes.

They had fled in haste and hadn’t brought any food with them. From yesterday to today, their energy had been severely depleted, and after half a day of walking, both were beginning to feel dizzy. After leaving the desolate wilderness, they entered a small town. Wei Wuxian looked at Jiang Cheng, who looked utterly exhausted and reluctant to move, and said, “You sit here. I’ll get some food.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t respond or nod. Along the way, he had only spoken a few words to Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian insisted he stay seated, then left. He often stashed some loose change in various corners of his clothes, which came in handy now, preventing him from being penniless. After making a round of purchases, he bought a bunch of food and some dry rations for the journey ahead, all within the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, and quickly returned to where they had parted.

However, Jiang Cheng was gone.

Wei Wuxian, holding a bunch of steamed buns, flatbreads, and fruits, felt a pang of panic but forced himself to stay calm. He searched the nearby streets but still couldn’t find Jiang Cheng. He finally panicked completely and grabbed a nearby cobbler, asking, “Old man, did you see a young man about my age sitting here earlier? Do you know where he went?”

The cobbler replied, “The one who was with you?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Yes!”

The cobbler replied, “I was busy with my work and didn’t pay much attention. But he kept staring at the people on the street in a daze. The last time I looked up, he was gone. He probably left.”

Wei Wuxian murmured to himself, “…Left… left…”

He probably went back to Lotus Pier to retrieve the remains!

In a frenzy, Wei Wuxian started running back in the direction they had come from.

He was carrying a bunch of newly bought food, which weighed him down. After running for a while, he discarded the food along the way. But after running a bit further, he began to feel dizzy and weak from exhaustion. Overcome with panic, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.

As he fell, his face hit the dirt, tasting the dust in his mouth.

A wave of overwhelming helplessness and hatred surged in Wei Wuxian’s chest. He slammed his fist on the ground and shouted, finally managing to stand up. He went back to pick up the food he had thrown on the ground earlier and brushed off the dirt from the buns. He swallowed one whole, chewing fiercely, as if tearing through flesh, and swallowed hard, which made his chest ache. He shoved a few more into his robes and continued running, eating a bun as he went, hoping to intercept Jiang Cheng on the way.

But by the time he ran back to Lotus Pier, the night sky was filled with bright stars and a lonely moon. He hadn’t seen Jiang Cheng on the way.

Wei Wuxian stood far away, gazing at the brightly lit Lotus Pier, his hands on his knees as he panted heavily. A metallic taste filled his mouth, and darkness clouded his vision from the exertion of running.

He thought, “Why didn’t I catch up with Jiang Cheng? Even after eating, I could only run this fast. He’s more exhausted than I am and has suffered a greater blow. How could he have run faster than me? Did he really come back to Lotus Pier? If not here, where else could he go? Would he go to Meishan alone without me?”

After catching his breath, he decided to check Lotus Pier to be sure. As he crept along a section of the wall, a voice in Wei Wuxian’s heart was almost desperately praying, “Please, don’t let anyone be talking about Jiang Cheng’s body on the training grounds again. Otherwise, what could I do?”

There was nothing he could do. He was powerless. Lotus Pier was already destroyed, Jiang Fengmian and Lady Yu were gone, and Jiang Cheng was missing. He was utterly alone, without a sword, knowing nothing and able to do nothing!

For the first time, he realized just how small his power was. In the face of this behemoth Wen family of Qishan, he was no more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Wei Wuxian’s eyes burned hot, and tears almost fell again. He turned a corner, and suddenly, a figure clad in fiery robes appeared before him.

In a flash, Wei Wuxian grabbed the person.

His left hand firmly locked the person’s hands together, and his right hand grabbed the person’s throat. In the lowest, most vicious tone he could muster, he threatened, “Don’t make a sound! If you do, I’ll snap your neck in an instant!”

The person, completely restrained, quickly said, “It’s me, it’s me! Wei gongzi, it’s me!”

It was the voice of a young man. Upon hearing it, Wei Wuxian’s first thought was, “Could this be someone I know, undercover and wearing the robes of the Wen family?”

"This voice is completely unfamiliar to me." The thought was immediately dismissed by him, and he tightened his grip, saying, "Don't try any tricks!"

The young man said, "I... I won't try any tricks. Wei gongzi, you can look at my face."

Wei Wuxian thought, "Look at his face? Could he be hiding something in his mouth to spit out?"

With full vigilance, he twisted the young man's face around. The young man had delicate features and a youthful elegance about him. It was indeed the young master of the Wen family of Qishan that they had glimpsed inside yesterday.

Wei Wuxian thought coldly, "I don't recognize him."

He turned the young man's face back and continued to hold his neck, hissing in a low voice, "Who are you!"

The young man seemed a little disappointed and said, "I... I am Wen Ning."

Wei Wuxian frowned and thought, "Who is Wen Ning?" But out loud, he said, "Whoever you are, if you have rank, holding you hostage might help us exchange for someone!"

Wen Ning stammered, "I... a few years ago, at the Wen family's Qishan Hundred Families Summit, I... I... shot an arrow..."

His stuttering filled Wei Wuxian with anxiety. Anger surged within him, and he barked, "What about you?! Are you stuttering?!"

Wen Ning shrank in fear, seemingly wanting to crouch down and hide, and whispered, "Y-yes."

Wei Wuxian was at a loss for words.

Seeing Wen Ning's timid and stuttering demeanor, Wei Wuxian suddenly remembered something. "The Qishan Hundred Families Summit from two years ago... the archery... Ah, there was such a person!"

Wei Wuxian asked tentatively, "You are the one... Wen... Wen something, the one who shot arrows well?"

Wen Ning nodded vigorously and said happily, "Yes! It's me!"

Wei Wuxian said, "You saw me yesterday?"

Wen Ning said, "Y-yes, I saw you."

Wei Wuxian said, "You saw me but didn't tell anyone?"

Wen Ning said, "I wouldn't! I won't tell anyone!"

This time, he didn't stutter, and his tone was resolute, as if making a vow. Wei Wuxian was filled with doubt. Wen Ning added, "Wei gongzi, are you looking for Jiang gongzi?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Is Jiang Cheng inside?!"

Wen Ning answered honestly, "Yes, he was brought back yesterday."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuxian's mind raced. "Jiang Cheng is inside; I have to enter Lotus Pier. Using Wen Ning as a hostage? That won't work. Wen Chao probably dislikes this Wen Ning, so using him as a hostage would be useless! Is he really not lying? Isn't he part of the Wen family? But he didn't betray us yesterday. If I let him go, will he sell me out? Could there be someone with a good heart among the Wen dogs? To ensure everything goes smoothly..."

A murderous intent flashed through Wei Wuxian's mind.

He wasn't naturally a killer, but after the catastrophe that befell his family and days filled with hatred, the dire situation left him no room for kindness. With just a little more pressure from his right hand, he could snap Wen Ning's neck!

As his thoughts were in turmoil, Wen Ning said, "Wei gongzi, are you here to rescue Jiang gongzi?"

Wei Wuxian's fingers curled slightly, and he said coldly, "Of course."

To his surprise, Wen Ning nervously smiled and said, "I can help you rescue him."

For a moment, Wei Wuxian suspected he had heard wrong. He said in shock, "...You? You'll help me rescue him?"

Wen Ning said, "Yes. Right now, I can bring him out. Just so happens that Wen Chao and the others have gone out!"

Wei Wuxian grabbed him tightly. "Are you really able to?!"

Wen Ning said, "Yes! I'm also a young noble of the Wen family, and I have a group of disciples who follow my orders."

Wei Wuxian said sternly, "Orders? Do they follow your orders to kill people?"

Wen Ning hurriedly said, "No, no, no! My disciples don't kill without reason! I've never killed anyone from the Jiang family! I came after hearing about what happened at Lotus Pier. I swear, it's true!"

Wei Wuxian glared at him, wondering, 'What is he planning? Is he lying? Playing me for a fool? But this lie is too ridiculous! Does he think I'm an idiot?!'

Yet, to his own horror, a sense of desperate hope surged within him.

He cursed himself inwardly—stupid, useless, ridiculous, unbelievable, and delusional. But he was alone, without a sword or magical treasures, while inside the walls were hundreds of Wen family cultivators, and perhaps even Wen Zhuliu.

He wasn't afraid of dying, but he feared that if he died, he wouldn't be able to save Jiang Cheng, thus failing the trust that Jiang Fengmian and Lady Yu had placed in him. In this situation, the only hope he could rely on was this Wen family member, someone he had met only three times!

Wei Wuxian licked his dry lips and said hoarsely, "Then... can you... can you help me... help me retrieve the bodies of the Jiang family head and Lady Jiang..."

Unconsciously, he also began to stutter. Halfway through, he realized he was still holding Wen Ning in a threatening manner and quickly let him go, but he kept a backup plan ready. If Wen Ning tried to run or scream, Wei Wuxian would immediately crush his skull. However, Wen Ning simply turned around and said seriously, "I... I will do my best."

Wei Wuxian waited in a daze. As he paced in place, he thought, "What's wrong with me? Am I crazy? Why would Wen Ning help me? Why should I trust him? What if he's lying to me and Jiang Cheng isn't inside? Actually, it would be better if Jiang Cheng weren't inside!"

Before a stick of incense had finished burning, Wen Ning actually came out silently, carrying someone on his back.

The person was covered in blood, with a pale face and tightly closed eyes, motionless on Wen Ning's back. It was Jiang Cheng.

Wei Wuxian whispered urgently, "Jiang Cheng?! Jiang Cheng?!"

He reached out and felt for a pulse, relieved to find that Jiang Cheng was still breathing. Wen Ning extended a hand toward Wei Wuxian and placed something in his palm, saying, "Jiang gongzi's Purple Lightning. I brought it with me."

Wei Wuxian didn't know what to say and, thinking of how he had considered killing Wen Ning just moments earlier, stammered, "...Thank you!"

Wen Ning said, "You're welcome... Master Jiang and Lady Yu's bodies have already been moved and will be handed over later. This... this place isn't safe; we should leave..."

Without needing further prompting, Wei Wuxian took Jiang Cheng into his arms. As he did, he noticed a bloody whip mark across Jiang Cheng's chest.

Wei Wuxian said, "The Discipline Whip?!"

Wen Ning nodded. "Yes. Wen Chao got hold of the Jiang family's Discipline Whip... There are probably other injuries on Young Master Jiang's body."

After feeling around for a bit, Wei Wuxian found that Jiang Cheng had at least three broken ribs, with who knew how many other injuries unseen. Wen Ning added, "Once Wen Chao finds out, he'll hunt you down all over Yunmeng... Young Master Wei, if you trust me, I can take you both to a safe place to hide first."

With Jiang Cheng seriously injured and in urgent need of medical attention and rest, they could no longer afford to be constantly on the run, hungry and exhausted. Their situation was dire, with no way out. Relying on Wen Ning was the only option Wei Wuxian could think of!

Just a day ago, he would never have imagined that he and Jiang Cheng would need the help of a Wen family member to escape, something he might have once refused to consider. But at this moment, all Wei Wuxian could say was, "Thank you very much!"

Wen Ning waved his hands. "No... it's nothing. Young Master Wei, this way, I... I have a boat..."

Wei Wuxian carried Jiang Cheng and found the boat Wen Ning had hidden earlier, placing Jiang Cheng in the cabin. Wen Ning quickly cleaned and bandaged Jiang Cheng's wounds. Watching his skilled movements, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but remember the scene from the Qishan Hundred Families Summit years ago.

That summit was the year he, Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, and Jin Zixuan took the top four places in the archery competition.

Before the competition had even started, Wei Wuxian had wandered alone through the streets of the City of Unyielding Night. As he meandered through a small garden, he suddenly heard the twang of a bowstring up ahead.

Wei Wuxian pushed through the trees and leaves to see a young man in white robes standing there, drawing his bow and releasing an arrow toward a target.

The young man's profile was handsome, his posture standard and beautiful. The target was already densely packed with feathered arrows around the red center. This arrow, too, hit the bullseye.

It was a perfect shot.

"Great shot!"

The young man hit the target with his arrow and pulled another feathered arrow from the quiver on his back, about to nock it. But unexpectedly, a strange voice startled him from the side, causing the arrow to slip from his hand and fall to the ground. Wei Wuxian stepped out from behind the flower bed, grinning, and said, "Which young noble from the Wen family are you? Well done, that was a superb shot! I've never seen anyone from your family shoot this well before..."

Before he could finish, the young man had already dropped his bow and run off without a trace.

Wei Wuxian stood there speechless, rubbing his chin and thinking, "Am I really that handsome? Handsome enough to scare someone away?"

He didn’t take it to heart and considered it just a curiosity before returning to the square. The competition was about to begin, and there was a lot of noise coming from the Wen family's side. Wei Wuxian asked Jiang Cheng, "Why do they make such a fuss over their debate meeting? There's always some drama. What's going on today?"

Jiang Cheng said, "What else could it be? There are limited spots, and they're arguing over who should participate." He sneered lightly, "Everyone in the Wen family shoots terribly. Does it even matter who participates?"

Wen Chao shouted, "We need one more! One more! We're one short! The last one!"

Among the crowd, the white-clad young man from earlier stood, looking left and right, gathering the courage to raise his hand. But he held it too low and didn’t dare shout his name like others, so he was jostled around until someone finally noticed him and said in surprise, "Qiong Lin? You want to participate?"

The young man called "Qiong Lin" nodded. Someone else laughed, "We've never seen you handle a bow before! Don’t waste a spot!"

Qiong Lin seemed like he wanted to defend himself, but the person interrupted, "Alright, alright, don't just try this for fun. This is going to count towards the results. If you embarrass yourself, don't blame me."

Wei Wuxian thought, "If anyone from your Wen family could save face, it’d be him."

The disdain in that person's tone was so casual that Wei Wuxian felt a little offended. He raised his voice, "Who says he's never held a bow? He has, and he's very good at it!"

Everyone looked at him in surprise, then at the young man. Qiong Lin's face, which had been somewhat pale, turned red from the attention. His dark eyes locked onto Wei Wuxian with gratitude. Wei Wuxian walked over with his hands behind his back and said, "You were doing great back in the garden, right?"

Wen Chao turned around, suspicious, "Really? You're good at archery? How come I've never heard of it?"

Qiong Lin said softly, "I... I've only been practicing recently..."

His voice was low and intermittent, as if it could be cut off at any moment, which indeed it often was. Wen Chao interrupted impatiently, "Alright, there's a target over there. Shoot quickly. If you hit it, you’re in. If not, step aside."

The crowd instantly cleared a space around Qiong Lin. His hand tightened on the bow as he looked left and right helplessly. Seeing how unconfident he was, Wei Wuxian patted his shoulder and said, "Relax. Just shoot like you did before."

Qiong Lin took a deep breath and drew his bow.

Unfortunately, as soon as he drew the bow, Wei Wuxian shook his head inwardly, thinking, "This is going to go wrong."

This young man, Qiong Lin, had probably never shot in front of others before. His fingers and arms were shaking, and his arrow flew off, missing the target completely. The Wen family members watching from the sides laughed mockingly, saying, "Where's the good archery?"

"I could shoot better with my eyes closed."

"Alright, stop wasting time. Quickly pick someone to participate!"

Qiong Lin’s face flushed with embarrassment, and without waiting for anyone to push him away, he fled in shame. Wei Wuxian chased after him, saying, "Hey, don't run! Uh... Brother Qiong Lin, right? Why are you running?"

At Wei Wuxian’s call, Qiong Lin halted, turning around with his head hung low and muttered, "I’m... sorry."

Wei Wuxian said, "Why are you apologizing to me?"

Qiong Lin replied guiltily, "I... I let you down after you recommended me..."

Wei Wuxian said, "What do I have to be let down about? You're just not used to shooting in front of others, right? You were nervous just now?"

Qiong Lin nodded, and Wei Wuxian said, "Have some confidence. Honestly, you’re better than most of your family. Among all the young nobles I've seen, there are no more than three people who are better than you at archery."

Jiang Cheng walked over and said, "What are you doing? Three what?"

Wei Wuxian pointed at him and said, "For example, this guy right here. You shoot better than him."

Jiang Cheng exploded in rage, "Are you asking for death?!"

Wei Wuxian absorbed his palm strike without flinching and replied, "Really. No need to get so worked up. Practice more in public, and you'll get used to it. Next time, you'll definitely impress everyone."

This Wen Qionglin was likely a distant relative of the Wen family, a young noble, stuck in a neither-here-nor-there position. Shy and lacking confidence, he hesitated at every turn, even stuttering when he spoke. After intense practice and mustering the courage to compete, he choked under pressure. Without proper guidance, this kid might withdraw even further and never have the guts to perform again. Wei Wuxian offered some encouragement and pointed out a few key tips, fixing the small issues in his archery from the garden earlier. Wen Qionglin listened intently, nodding continuously. Jiang Cheng grumbled, "What's with all the chatter? The competition's starting. Get moving!"

Wei Wuxian spoke seriously to Wen Qionglin, "I'm going to compete now. Later, you can watch how I shoot..."

Jiang Cheng dragged him away impatiently, muttering, "What's there to watch? Do you think you're some kind of model?"

Wei Wuxian thought about it and said in surprise, "Yeah. I am, aren't I?"

"Wei Wuxian! I've never seen someone so shameless!"

...

Remembering this, Wei Wuxian looked from Wen Ning to Jiang Cheng, who lay bloody and unconscious, his five fingers involuntarily clenching into a fist.

First, they took a boat down the river, then switched to a carriage provided by Wen Ning. The next day, they arrived at Yiling.