Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Awakening Part 20 (2)

Wei Wuxian frantically picked lotus seed pods, insatiably gathering so many that the boat was almost overflowing, leaving almost no space for the three of them to sit among the mountain of green pods. Tearing open the green husks, they found tender green lotus seeds nestled within the fluffy brown fibers. One by one, they were picked out and peeled, revealing snow-white, delicate lotus seeds that were sweet and refreshing. The lotus hearts were a fresh, pale green, with no bitterness at all. Wen Ning sat at the bow of the boat, tirelessly peeling the pods. Lan Wangji peeled and ate two himself, then stopped. When Wen Ning offered them the peeled seeds, he shook his head and gestured for Wen Ning to give them to Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian consumed the entire boatload by himself. After drifting downstream for another couple of hours, they finally arrived at the docks of Yunping City.

The shallow waters near the dock were filled with small fishing boats. Women gathered on the stone steps by the water, washing clothes, while some shirtless, sun-tanned boys swam and dove into the river. Suddenly, they noticed a boat slowly approaching. The person at the stern kept his head down, but the two young men in the boat were strikingly handsome. The one sitting at the front, dressed in pure white, had an ethereal aura, while the young man beside him, smiling and carefree, was also remarkably handsome. Such figures were rarely seen, and the onlookers couldn't help but stare in awe. Several boys swimming in the river gathered around like fish, their heads bobbing near the boat's edge. Wei Wuxian inquired, "Excuse me, is this Yunping City?"

A young woman washing clothes by the river blushed and answered, "Yes, this is Yunping City."

Wei Wuxian declared, "We've arrived. Let's go ashore."

The boat docked, and Lan Wangji was the first to rise and step onto the shore, then turned back to assist Wei Wuxian. Both of them made it onto the dock, but Wen Ning was still having trouble disembarking. The boys swimming nearby noticed his pale complexion and the peculiar markings on his neck and cheeks. He kept his head down and remained silent, appearing strange and eerie. Instead of being frightened, the boys found it amusing and began rocking the boat, making it difficult for Wen Ning to maintain his balance. Wei Wuxian turned around and shouted, "Hey! What are you doing? Stop bullying him!"

Wen Ning quickly said, "Young Master, I can't get down."

As he pleaded for help, two more boys splashed water at him, drenching him. Wen Ning could only smile helplessly. If these boys knew that the "person" they were messing with could easily tear them apart with his bare hands, crushing their bones into dust, they wouldn't dare to have such fun. Wei Wuxian tossed the remaining lotus seed pods over and said, "Catch!" The boys immediately scattered, scrambling for the pods. Wen Ning finally managed to jump ashore, patting his wet clothes.

Yunping City was a bustling place, quite prosperous within Yunmeng. The three of them walked into the city, passing through crowded streets lined with shops. Wen Ning, who disliked crowded places, quietly disappeared after a while. Wei Wuxian followed the address he remembered, asking for directions along the way. When they finally reached their destination, both he and Lan Wangji were slightly taken aback by what they saw.

Staring at the grand, incense-filled building before them, Wei Wuxian said, "Is this... a Guanyin Temple?"

Lan Wangji replied, "Yes."

Jin Guangyao didn't seem like the type to be a devout believer. The two exchanged a glance and walked through the continuous stream of worshippers, stepping over the high threshold and entering the temple. The three-sectioned temple was filled with the scent of incense and the sound of wooden fish. It didn't take long to walk through the entire temple. The last section was the main hall dedicated to Guanyin. They stood at the entrance for a while before a monk approached, clasping his hands in greeting. They returned the gesture, and Wei Wuxian exchanged a few pleasantries before casually asking, "Most temples are built in the mountains. It's rare to see one in the city."

The monk smiled and said, "People in the city are busy and stressed. Don't they need a Guanyin Temple to pray for blessings and seek inner peace?"

Wei Wuxian chuckled, "Won't the noise and crowds disturb Guanyin?"

The monk replied, "Guanyin saves all living beings. How could she be disturbed by people?"

Wei Wuxian asked, "Is this temple dedicated solely to Guanyin?"

The monk said, "Yes."

After walking around the temple a few times, they had a good idea of the layout. Upon leaving, Wei Wuxian pulled Lan Wangji into an alley, picked up a stick, and drew a few formations on the ground. He tossed the stick aside and said, "Jin Guangyao has quite the ambition."

Lan Wangji picked up the stick Wei Wuxian had discarded and added a few strokes to the formations, making the outline more distinct. It was clearly a bird's-eye view of the Guanyin Temple. Wei Wuxian took the stick back and said, "There's a large formation inside this temple. Something is being suppressed." He pointed to a spot and said, "This formation is quite complex and secure, but if we break this key point, whatever is being suppressed will be released."

Lan Wangji stood up and said, "We'll break the formation at night when no one is around. Let's find a place to rest first and then make a plan."

Not knowing how powerful the evil spirit suppressed in the temple was, they naturally couldn't act recklessly during the day when the temple was crowded. Wei Wuxian asked, "I wonder how long it will take to deal with whatever is in this temple. Will we have enough time to get to Lanling? Will it delay our journey?"

Lan Wangji said, "Your physical condition is uncertain. Don't push yourself."

The battle at the Burial Mounds had drained too much of Wei Wuxian's energy and stamina. His mind and body had been under prolonged strain, and just a few hours ago, he had been so angered by Jiang Cheng that he nearly passed out. Although he felt fine now, there was no guarantee that something unexpected wouldn't happen if he pushed himself to rush to Lanling. Moreover, Lan Wangji had also been tirelessly active these past two days. Even if Wei Wuxian didn't need rest, Lan Wangji certainly did. Wei Wuxian said, "Alright, let's find a place to rest first."

Wei Wuxian himself could sleep anywhere—luxurious rooms if he had money, or under a tree if he didn't. But with Lan Wangji by his side, he couldn't imagine Lan Wangji lying under a tree or crammed into a dirty, small room. So, after walking for a while, they finally chose a decent and grand inn on the other side of Yunping City. The innkeeper enthusiastically rushed out, practically dragging them inside. The inn was tidy and clean, with the first floor nearly full of customers, a testament to the capable management. Most of the staff were women, ranging from young, lively girls sweeping the floor to robust, middle-aged cooks. When the two young men walked in, all eyes turned to them. A young girl pouring water for a customer was so distracted by Lan Wangji that she didn't notice the teapot spout was misaligned. The innkeeper scolded them to be careful and personally led Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji upstairs to see the rooms. As they walked, she asked, "How many rooms would you like, young masters?"

At first, Wei Wuxian's heart skipped a beat, and he glanced at Lan Wangji out of the corner of his eye.

If this had been two months ago, the question wouldn't have needed to be asked. During the initial period after his return, Wei Wuxian had done everything he could to disgust Lan Wangji in order to escape quickly. Lan Wangji had seen through this, so he simply started booking only one room, knowing that no matter how many rooms were booked, Wei Wuxian would end up in his bed anyway.

Not only that, but Wei Wuxian, taking advantage of the fact that no one knew who he was, had done all sorts of shameless things. On the first night after leaving the Cloud Recesses, he had eagerly climbed into Lan Wangji's bed before Lan Wangji even entered the room. When Lan Wangji opened the door and saw him rolling around on the bed, he stood expressionless for a moment before going to the other room he had booked. Wei Wuxian, of course, didn't let him off so easily and followed, insisting on sharing the bed. After climbing into bed, he even threw a pillow out the window, forcing Lan Wangji to share a pillow with him. He then questioned why Lan Wangji was sleeping fully clothed and tried to undress him. In the middle of the night, he suddenly stuck his cold feet into Lan Wangji's blanket, grabbed his hand, and pressed it to his chest, saying, "Listen to my heartbeat, Hanguang Jun!" while gazing at him with innocent, affectionate eyes... In the end, Lan Wangji gently tapped him, causing his entire body to stiffen, and he finally quieted down.

Looking back, Wei Wuxian was shocked by his own shamelessness.

After glancing at Lan Wangji for the third time and seeing that he still hadn't spoken, Wei Wuxian began to overthink: "In the past, Lan Zhan always booked one room. Why isn't he saying anything today? If he asks for two rooms this time, it means he's really bothered. But if he still asks for one, it doesn't necessarily mean he's not bothered. Maybe he's just trying to appear unbothered so that I won't be bothered either..."

As he continued to overthink, the innkeeper decisively answered her own question, firmly saying, "One room, right? One room is enough! My rooms are comfortable for two people. The bed isn't cramped."

After waiting for a moment and seeing that Lan Wangji did not object, Wei Wuxian's heart and feet finally stopped floating and settled down for the time being.

The innkeeper pushed open a door and led them inside. The room was indeed spacious. She asked, "Ah, would you two like to have a meal? Our cook is very skilled. Should I have it prepared and brought up to you?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "Yes, but not now. Later, please. Bring it around 7 PM."

The innkeeper agreed readily and left. As soon as she stepped out, Wei Wuxian was about to close the door when he suddenly chased after her, calling out, "Innkeeper!"

The innkeeper turned and asked, "What can I do for you, sir?"

Wei Wuxian, as if having made up his mind, whispered, "When you bring the meal tonight, could you also bring some wine... the stronger, the better—really strong, if you have it."

The innkeeper laughed, "Of course!"

After giving his instructions, he returned to the room nonchalantly, closed the door, and sat down at the table. Lan Wangji reached over and took his pulse. Although Wei Wuxian knew this was just a routine health check, as those pale, slender fingers gently pressed and kneaded up his wrist, his other hand under the table slightly curled its fingers.

After spending nearly half an hour examining him, Lan Wangji said, "You're fine."

Wei Wuxian stretched lazily and smiled, "Thank you." Noticing Lan Wangji's serious expression and furrowed brows, he asked, "Hanguang Jun, are you concerned about Lord Ze Wu? I believe Jin Guangyao still respects Lord Ze Wu, and with Lord Ze Wu's superior cultivation skills and already cautious, he might not be ensnared by Jin Guangyao's schemes. Let's quickly dismantle the array at the Guanyin Temple and try to continue our journey tomorrow."

Lan Wangji said, "This situation is peculiar."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What is?"

Lan Wangji replied, "My brother has maintained a good relationship with Jin Guangyao for years. Jin Guangyao is not prone to impulsiveness or violence; he never acts without careful consideration."

Wei Wuxian nodded, "Yes, that aligns with my impression of him as well. Jin Guangyao isn't particularly kind, but he strives to avoid offending others whenever possible."

Lan Wangji continued, "The incident at the Burial Mounds was reckless and hurried, contrary to his usual methods."

Wei Wuxian thought for a moment and said, "Had the plan at the Burial Mounds succeeded, it would have been acceptable, but exposure would have compelled the righteous clans to turn against him. The stakes were indeed high."

Lan Wangji concluded, "Perhaps there are deeper layers to this that require investigation."