Chapter 73: Carelessness—Part Two

That night, an extreme crisis overwhelmed the cultivation world.

In the middle of the night, in the Golden Pavilion of Koi Tower, sat over fifty sect leaders from various sects. Jin GuangShan sat in the front seat. Jin ZiXuan was away, and Jin ZiXun was inexperienced enough, so only Jin GuangYao stood beside him. In the front row sat the sect leaders and renowned cultivators such as Nie MingJue, Jiang Cheng, Lan XiChen, and Lan WangJi. All of their expressions were solemn. The next row sat the less important sect leaders. 

They looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, sometimes whispering things like, “I knew it.” 

“Sooner or later it will be like this.”

“Let’s see how they plan to handle this.”

Jiang Cheng became the center of everyone’s attention. Sitting at the front, his face grim. Along with the others, he listened to Jin GuangYao explain things, his expression respectful and his tone gentle.

“…Four inspectors were injured. The remaining fifty or so Wen Sect members fled. After Wei WuXian led them to the Burial Mound, he summoned hundreds of ferocious corpses to patrol the foot of the mountain. Our men still can’t go any further.”

When he finished, silence filled the Golden Pavilion.

Jiang Cheng only spoke after a while, “What he did was indeed a bit excessive. Sect Leader Jin, I apologize on your behalf. If there’s any way I can help, please let me know. I will definitely compensate you to the best of my ability.”

However, what Jin GuangShan wanted wasn’t an apology or compensation. “Sect Leader Jiang, originally, for your sake, the LanlingJin Sect didn’t intend to say anything. However, some of these inspectors aren’t from the Jin Sect. There are some from other sects as well. This makes…”

Jiang Cheng’s brow furrowed. He rubbed the throbbing vein on his temple and took a deep, silent breath, “…I apologize to all the Sect Leaders. Everyone, I’m afraid you don’t know that the Wen cultivator Wei WuXian wanted to save is named Wen Ning. We owe him and his sister, Wen Qing, a debt of gratitude for what happened during the Sunshot Campaign.”

Nie MingJue, “You owe them a favor? Wasn’t it the QishanWen Sect that caused the destruction of the YunmengJiang Sect?”

For the past few years, Jiang Cheng had been working late into the night every day. That day, just as he had decided to rest early, he had to rush to Koi Tower overnight due to the shocking news. He had been suppressing his anger due to exhaustion from the start. With his naturally competitive nature, he was already anxious enough about having to apologize to others. When he heard Nie MingJue mention the incident at his sect again, hatred welled up within him.

The hatred was directed not only at everyone sitting in this room, but also at Wei WuXian.

Lan XiChen replied a moment later, “I’ve heard of Wen Qing’s name a few times. I don’t recall her being involved in any crimes during the Sunshot Campaign.”

Nie MingJue, “But he never stopped them either.”

Lan XiChen, “Wen Qing is one of Wen RuoHan’s trusted men. How could she possibly stop them?”

Nie MingJue said coldly, “If he only responded with silence and no resistance when the Wen Sect caused chaos, that would be tantamount to indifference. He shouldn’t be so foolish as to expect to be treated with respect when the Wen Sect does evil and be unwilling to bear the consequences and pay the price when the Wen Sect is destroyed.”

Lan XiChen knew that because of what happened to his father, Nie MingJue hated the Wen dogs more than anything, especially because of his intolerant nature towards evil. Lan XiChen said nothing more. 

One of the sect leaders spoke up, “What Sect Leader Nie said is true. After all, Wen Qing is one of Wen RuoHan’s trusted aides. You say she never participated? Well, I don’t believe it. Is there a Wen-dog whose hands aren’t stained with blood? Perhaps we just don’t know yet!”

As soon as the Wen Sect’s past atrocities were mentioned, the crowd erupted into a frenzy, jostling and chattering. Jin GuangShan wanted to speak, but he felt irritated by the sight. 

Jin GuangYao noticed the change in expression and immediately raised his voice, “Everyone, please calm down. This isn’t the point of our discussion today.” As he spoke, he had the servants bring in cold fruit slices to distract everyone. Finally, the Golden Pavilion managed to calm down. 

Taking this opportunity, Jin GuangShan said, “Sect Leader Jiang, this should be your sect’s business. It’s inappropriate for me to interfere. But now that the situation is like this, I must warn you about Wei Ying.”

Jiang Cheng, “Sect Leader Jin, please.”

Jin GuangShan, “Sect Leader Jiang, Wei Ying is your right-hand man. You value him highly. We all know this. However, on the other hand, it’s hard to say whether he truly respects you or not. After all, I’ve been the sect leader for many years, and I’ve never seen a sect servant so arrogant, so conceited. Did you hear what they’re saying outside? Things like how during the Sunshot Campaign, the YunmengJiang Sect’s victory was all due to Wei WuXian alone—that’s nonsense!”

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng’s face darkened slightly. Jin GuangShan shook his head, “At an important event like the Flower Banquet, he dared to throw a tantrum in front of you, running amok. He even dared to say things like, ‘I don’t care about Sect Leader Jiang WanYin at all!’ Everyone there heard it with their own ears…”

Suddenly, an indifferent voice spoke, “No.”

Jin GuangShan was lost in his thoughts. Hearing this, he paused in surprise, then turned and followed the crowd to see who it was.

Lan WangJi sat up straight, speaking in a very calm tone, “I didn’t hear Wei Ying say this. Nor did I hear him show the slightest bit of disrespect to Sect Leader Jiang.”

Lan WangJi rarely spoke when he was outside. Even when they were debating cultivation techniques at the Discussion Conference, he only answered when others asked or challenged him. With great brevity, he dealt with others’ lengthy arguments flawlessly. Other than that, he almost never spoke. Thus, when Jin GuangShan was interrupted by him, he felt far more shock than annoyance. However, his lie had been exposed in front of so many people. He felt somewhat awkward. 

Fortunately, not long after he felt awkward, Jin GuangYao came to the rescue, exclaiming, “Really? That day, Young Master Wei stormed Koi Tower so violently. He said too many things, each more shocking than the next. He probably said several similar things. I can’t remember either.”

His memory could only match Lan WangJi’s, if not better. As soon as Nie MingJue heard this, he knew he was lying on purpose and frowned slightly. 

Jin GuangShan followed the transition, “Right. Anyway, his attitude is always arrogant.”

One of the sect leaders added, “To be honest, I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time. Although Wei WuXian accomplished some things during the Sunshot Campaign, there are many visiting cultivators who accomplished more than him. I’ve never seen anyone as arrogant as him. Forgive my bluntness, but he’s the son of a servant. How could the son of a servant be so arrogant?”

Since he had mentioned the ‘son of a servant,’ naturally, some would associate him with the ‘son of a prostitute’ standing in the hall. Jin GuangYao clearly noticed the scornful glances. However, his smile remained flawless, not fading at all. The crowd followed suit and voiced their complaints.

Initially, Sect Leader Jin had asked Wei Ying for the Tiger Seal with only good intentions, worried that Wei Ying wouldn’t be able to control it and cause a disaster. However, he used his own yardstick to measure others’ intentions. Did he think everyone was after his treasure? What a joke. When it came to treasures, was there any sect that didn’t have a few?

“I knew something was bound to happen if he continued following that ghostly path—look! His murderous intent is already starting to show. Killing indiscriminately our people just because of a few Wen dogs…”

Suddenly, a cautious voice interjected, “It wasn’t indiscriminate killing, was it?”

Lan WangJi seemed to have entered a state of zen, blocking out all his senses. However, upon hearing this, he stirred and turned around. The speaker was a young woman of considerable stature, standing beside one of the sect leaders. Her odd remark immediately drew the attention of the other cultivators nearby. “What do you mean?”

The woman looked frightened. She became even more cautious, “No… I mean nothing more. There’s no need to be so nervous, everyone. I just don’t think the term ‘indiscriminate killing’ is quite appropriate.”

Another spat, “How could it be inappropriate? Wei WuXian has been killing indiscriminately since the Sunshot Campaign. Can you even deny that?”

The woman struggled to protest, “The Sunshot Campaign is a battlefield. On a battlefield, does that mean everyone kills indiscriminately? Let’s consider this as it is. I don’t think it’s accurate to say that he killed indiscriminately. After all, there was a reason. If the inspectors really tortured the prisoners and killed Wen Ning, that wouldn’t be called indiscriminate killing anymore, but rather revenge…”

One of them raged, “You’re almost ridiculous! Don’t tell me you think he was right to kill our people! Don’t tell me you’re going to praise it as an act of justice!”

Another mocked, “We still don’t know if the inspectors actually did those things. After all, no one saw it with their own eyes.”

That’s right. All the surviving inspectors said that they clearly did not torture the prisoners. Wen Ning died because he himself accidentally fell off the cliff. They even took his body and buried him, but they instead received such revenge. How disappointing!

The woman said, “The other inspectors are afraid they will be responsible for the torture and murder of prisoners. Of course, they will insist that he fell on his own…”

Suddenly, someone sneered, “You guys can stop arguing. We don’t want to hear comments from people with other motives.”

The woman’s face turned red. She raised her voice, “Explain everything. Are you saying I have other motives?”

The man replied, “I don’t need to say anything. You know it deep down, and we know it too. You fell in love with her in the Xuanwu Cave just because she teased you? You still defend her, calling white black no matter how irrational it is. Ha, a woman will always be a woman.”

The incident of Wei WuXian saving a damsel in distress in Xuanwu Cave had been a hot topic. Therefore, many people immediately recognized this young woman as “MianMian.”

Suddenly, someone muttered, “So that’s the reason. Explains how he was so desperate that he dared to defend Wei WuXian…”

MianMian grumbled, “Irrational? Calling white black? I was just being sensible. What does that have to do with the fact that I’m a woman? You can’t be rational with me, so you attack me with other things?”

Someone mocked, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look how naive you are. Even your heart has gone astray—how can you possibly consider things as they really are?”

“Don’t waste your time on him. How could someone like him be from our sect? And he even made it into the Golden Pavilion. I’d be embarrassed just standing next to him.”

Many of the people who opposed her were from the same sect as her. MianMian was so angry that her eyes turned red. Fighting back tears, she shouted a few moments later, “Okay! Louder your voices! Okay! You guys are the rational ones!”

He gritted his teeth and forcefully removed the crested robe he was wearing, slamming it onto the table with a loud bang. Even the sect leaders in the front row, who hadn’t been paying attention, turned to see what was happening. Those beside him were indeed shocked. Did his actions mean he was ‘leaving the sect’?

Without saying anything, MianMian turned and left. A moment later, someone laughed, “If you’re going to take it off, don’t wear it again, if you can bear it!”

“Who does he think he is… going as he pleases? Who cares? What does he want to prove?”

Soon, some people began to agree, “Women will always be women. They just gave up after you said a few harsh words. They’ll definitely come back on their own, a few days later.”

“No doubt about it. After all, she finally managed to go from being a servant’s daughter to a student, haha…”

Ignoring the clamorous voices behind him, Lan WangJi stood up and left. After Lan XiChen realized what had happened moments ago, and heard how the conversation was deteriorating, he spoke up, “Everyone, he’s gone. Let’s get this over with.”

After ZeWu-Jun spoke, people naturally had to give him some face. In the Golden Pavilion, one after another, they began to denounce Wei WuXian and the Wen-dogs again. They all spoke with burning hatred, letting their blind, undeniable resentment dance in the air. Taking advantage of the atmosphere, Jin GuangShan turned to Jiang Cheng, “He’s been planning to go to Burial Mound for a long time, hasn’t he? After all, with his skills, it wouldn’t be too difficult to establish his own sect. So, he took this opportunity to leave the Jiang Sect, intending to do whatever he wanted in the clear skies outside. You rebuilt the YunmengJiang Sect with so much hard work. He did have some controversial traits from the start, and he still didn’t hold back, causing so much trouble for you. He doesn’t care about you at all.”

Jiang Cheng pretended to be firm in his stance, “That might not be the case. Wei WuXian has been like this since he was little. Even my father couldn’t do anything about it.”

Jin GuangYao, “Even FengMian-xiong can’t do anything, huh?” He chuckled a few times, “FengMian-xiong does like her more.”

Hearing the words ‘like it’, the muscles beside the corners of Jiang Cheng’s mouth twitched. 

Jin GuangShan continued, “Sect Leader Jiang, you’re nothing like your father. It’s only been a few years since the YunmengJiang Sect was re-established, just when you should have demonstrated your strength. And he doesn’t even know how to avoid suspicion. What would the new disciples of the Jiang Sect think if they saw him? Don’t tell me you’re going to let them see him as a role model and look down on you?”

He spoke sentence after sentence, striking the iron while it was still hot. Jiang Cheng said slowly, “Sect Leader Jin, that’s enough. I’ll go to the Burial Mound and take care of this.”

Jin GuangShan was satisfied, and said in a sincere tone, “That’s the spirit. Sect Leader Jiang, there are some things, some people you shouldn’t tolerate.”

After the meeting ended, all the sect leaders felt they had received a wonderful topic of conversation. They walked briskly, discussing at the top of their lungs, their burning hatred still burning. 

Beneath a sea of ​​sparks amidst the snow, the Noble Trio gathered. Lan XiChen said, “Brother, you’ve worked hard.”

Jin GuangYao grinned, “That wasn’t hard work. It was Sect Leader Jiang’s desk that had to work hard. He smashed several pieces of the table to pieces. It looked like he was really angry.”

Nie MingJue walked over, “All that smart talk—what hard work.”

Hearing this, Lan XiChen smiled but said nothing. Jin GuangYao knew that Nie MingJue would teach him a lesson whenever he had the chance. Desperately, he tried to change the subject, “Huh, Brother, where’s WangJi? I saw him leave earlier.”

Lan XiChen pointed ahead. Jin GuangYao and Nie MingJue turned their heads. Amidst the sea of ​​Snow Sparks, Lan WangJi and the woman who had left his sect at the Golden Pavilion stood face to face. The woman’s eyes were still glistening with tears, while Lan WangJi’s expression was solemn. The two appeared to be in a conversation.

A moment later, Lan WangJi bowed slightly, paying his respects to him.

The respect felt authoritative amidst the respect. The woman returned it with an even more serious greeting. Wearing a gauze coat without a crest, she walked down the Koi Tower.

Nie MingJue, “That woman has more courage than the mob in her sect.”

Jin GuangYao smiled cheerfully, “That’s right.”

Two days later, bringing about thirty disciples, Jiang Cheng set off for Yiling.

Beneath the Burial Mound, in front of the collapsed wall, hundreds of ferocious corpses were literally roaming around. Jiang Cheng advanced. They did nothing. However, if the disciples behind Jiang Cheng approached, they would roar softly as a warning. Jiang Cheng told his disciples to wait at the bottom of the mountain. He climbed alone, walking through the dark forest. After walking for quite some time, human voices finally came from ahead.

Several round stumps lay beside the mountain path, one large like a table, and several smaller ones like chairs. A woman in red sat beside Wei WuXian on two of them. An honest-looking and simple-looking man was groping in the soil of a nearby field.

Wei WuXian wiggled his legs, “What about potatoes?”

The woman’s tone was firm, “Radishes. Radishes are easy to grow. They don’t die often. Potatoes are hard to care for.”

Wei WuXian, “That carrot is disgusting.”

Jiang Cheng snorted. Wei WuXian and Wen Qing finally turned around. They weren’t surprised to see him. Wei WuXian stood up. As he walked closer, he didn’t say anything and continued walking up the mountain, his hands behind his back. Jiang Cheng didn’t ask either, he just followed him from behind.

Soon, a group of men appeared at the edge of the path, busying themselves in front of a wooden rack. They were all likely cultivators of the Wen Sect. However, having shed their robes of sun and fire, they were dressed in coarse cloth, with hammers and saws in hand, wood and straw on their shoulders, climbing up and down, working both inside and outside; they were no different from ordinary farmers and hunters. When they saw Jiang Cheng, they could tell from his clothes and sword that he was the leader of a prominent sect. As if still feeling fearful, they all stopped what they were doing, staring hesitantly, not even daring to breathe. 

Wei WuXian waved his hand, “Go ahead.”

As soon as he spoke, everyone returned to work with a sense of relief. Jiang Cheng asked, “What are they doing?”

Wei WuXian, “Can’t you see? Building a house.”

Jiang Cheng, “Building a house? Then what was that about people digging the ground when we came here? Don’t tell me you’re really going to start farming.”

Wei WuXian, “Didn’t you hear everything? We’re farming.”

Jiang Cheng, “You farm on a pile of corpses? Are the crops growing here edible?”

Wei WuXian, “Trust me. If people are truly hungry, they will eat anything they can eat.”

Jiang Cheng, “Do you really intend to stay here long-term? Can anyone live in such a godforsaken place?”

Wei WuXian, “I lived here for three months.”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Cheng asked, “You’re not going back to Lotus Pier?”

Wei WuXian replied casually, “Yunmeng is very close to Yiling. I’ll sneak back whenever I want.”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “You wish.”

Just as he was about to speak again, he felt something heavy on his leg. He looked down. Somewhere along the line, a child, about one or two years old, had crept up and hugged his leg. Lifting its chubby chin, it stared at him with its round, dark eyes.

He was a kind and loving child. Unfortunately, Jiang Cheng had no affection for him at all. He turned to Wei WuXian, “Where did that child come from? Keep him away from me.”

Wei WuXian bent down and picked up the child, letting him sit in his arms, “What do you mean chase him away? Can’t you speak properly? A-Yuan, why are you hugging everyone’s legs? Go away! Don’t bite your nails after playing in the mud. Do you know what mud is made of? Take your hands away! Don’t touch my face either. Where’s Grandma?”

An old woman with thin, white hair staggered over, holding a wooden staff in her hand. Seeing Jiang Cheng, she realized that he was also an important figure. She looked a little afraid, her hunched body hunching even more. 

Wei WuXian placed the child named A-Yuan at his feet, “Go play on the side.”

Limping, the old woman took her grandson’s hand and left. The little boy stumbled as he walked, looking back. 

Jiang Cheng sneered, “The sect leaders thought you gathered the remnants of the army and crowned yourself the king of the hill. So, all that was left were the old, the weak, the women, and the children.”

Wei WuXian grinned, mocking himself as well. Jiang Cheng continued, “Where’s Wen Ning?”

Wei WuXian, “Why are you asking about him?”

Jiang Cheng replied coldly, “A lot of people have been asking about him lately, but who can I ask? I guess I can only ask you.”

Wei WuXian pointed ahead. The two of them walked side by side. A gust of cold air hit them as they saw the large cave entrance. After they entered, they walked straight for a while before Jiang Cheng dropped something on his foot. He looked down and found half a compass. 

Wei WuXian immediately stopped him, “Don’t kick me. I haven’t finished reading this one yet. It’s useful.”

Just as he was about to pick it up, Jiang Cheng stepped on something else. It was a crumpled flag. Wei WuXian stopped him again, “Don’t break it! This one is useful too. It’s almost finished.”

Jiang Cheng, “You were the one who littered. It’s no one’s fault if they damage it.”

Wei WuXian, “I live alone here, so what if I throw away the trash?”

They walked deeper into the cave. Along the path were talismans, stuck to the walls, thrown to the ground, crumpled into balls, or torn to shreds. It felt like someone had lost their mind and gone berserk. Furthermore, the deeper they went, the messier it got. 

Jiang Cheng felt like he was suffocating, “How dare you mess with Lotus Pier, then you can just watch me burn all of this!”

After they entered the main area of ​​the cave, a figure lay sprawled on the ground. His entire body was covered in talismans from head to toe. Only the whites of his eyes were visible. It was Wen Ning. 

Jiang Cheng glanced at him, “You live here? Where do you sleep?”

Wei WuXian threw the things he had just picked up into a corner. He replied, pointing to a pile of crumpled blankets in another corner, “With those blankets, I can sleep anywhere.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t want to talk about such things with him anymore. He lowered his head condescendingly, observing Wen Ning as he lay motionless. “What happened to him?”

Wei WuXian, “He’s a bit too fierce. I was worried he’d do something bad, so I sealed him so he couldn’t move for a while.”

Jiang Cheng, “Wasn’t he a shy stutterer when he was alive? How can he be so fierce after he died?”

His tone couldn’t be called friendly at all. Wei WuXian glanced at him, “Wen Ning was indeed a rather shy person. But that’s precisely why he hid all his feelings. Hatred, anger, fear, anxiety, pain—they were all bottled up for too long, which is why they exploded after he died. You can’t even imagine how powerful they were. Just like the kinder a person is, the more terrifying they become after losing their temper. The more he was like this, the more vicious he became after death.”

Jiang Cheng, “Didn’t you always say the more vicious the better? The stronger the vengeful energy, the greater the hatred, and the stronger the power.”

Wei WuXian, “Right. But I don’t want Wen Ning to become a corpse like this.”

Jiang Cheng, “Then what do you want to make it into?”

Wei WuXian, “I want to awaken his consciousness.”

Jiang Cheng sneered, “Dreaming again, huh? Awakening his consciousness? What’s the difference between a ferocious corpse like this and a human? I think, if you really succeeded, no one would need to be a human and no one would need to cultivate. They could just come to you and ask to be turned into a ferocious corpse.”

Wei WuXian laughed, “That’s right. I also realize that it’s too difficult. But I’ve already boasted about it in front of his younger brother several times. Now they all believe I can do it. I have to succeed, otherwise, what will happen to my face…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Cheng drew his Sandu and slashed at Wen Ning’s neck. He looked like he wanted to behead him immediately. Wei WuXian reacted faster than most. He swung his arm to change the direction of the sword, shouting, “What are you doing?!”

His words echoed through the Demon-Slaying Cave, trembling incessantly. Jiang Cheng refused to sheathe his sword. His voice was hoarse, “What did I do? I want to ask what you did. Wei WuXian, you’ve been a little too confident these days, haven’t you?!”

Long before Jiang Cheng ascended the Burial Mound, Wei WuXian knew that Jiang Cheng definitely hadn’t come to have a quiet, relaxed chat with him. Throughout their journey, a tight thread had been entwined, connecting their hearts. After chatting as if nothing had happened and holding back for so long as if both of them were at ease, the thread finally snapped.

Wei WuXian, “If it weren’t for the fact that I had no other choice because Wen Qing and the others forced me, do you think I would be this arrogant?”

Jiang Cheng, “You had no choice because they forced you? Well, now I have no choice because you forced me! A few days ago at Koi Tower, many sects surrounded me, forcing me to explain this, so I could only come!”

Wei WuXian, “Explanation? We’re already even. The inspectors beat Wen Ning to death; Wen Ning became a corpse and killed them. A tooth for a tooth, a life for a life—it’s all over.”

Jiang Cheng, “It’s all over? How is that possible?! Don’t you know how many eyes are watching you right now? How many are watching your Seal? If this opportunity were in their hands, you wouldn’t be right even if you were right!”

Wei WuXian, “You already said it. I wouldn’t be right even if I was. What else can I do but imprison myself here?”

Jiang Cheng, “What else is there? Of course there is.”

With Sandu, he pointed at Wen Ning who was lying on the ground, “The only way to fix things is to end it before they have a chance to do it!”

Wei WuXian, “End what?”

Jiang Cheng, “Burn this corpse right now and return all the remains of the Wen Sect to them. That’s the only way to make the people die!” As he spoke, he raised his sword again, preparing to attack. 

However, Wei WuXian clenched his fists, “Are you kidding me?! If we bring Wen Qing and the others back, they will only face a dead end!”

Jiang Cheng, “I doubt you’ll bring them all back. Why do you care what kind of end they meet? If so, it’s a dead end—what does it have to do with you?!”

Wei WuXian finally lost his patience, “Jiang Cheng! What the hell are you thinking?! Take it back—don’t make me beat you up! Don’t forget. Who helped us burn Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu’s bodies? Who returned the ashes that are now at Lotus Pier? And who sheltered us when we were chased by Wen Chao?!”

Jiang Cheng, “I’m the one who wants to beat you up! Yes, they did help us, but why don’t you understand that now the remnants of the Wen Sect are the target of criticism! Whoever they are, with the surname Wen, they have committed the most heinous crimes! And those who protect the Wens risk being condemned by everyone! Everyone hates the Wen dogs so much that the worse they die, the better. Whoever protects them is going against the entire world. No one will stand up for them, and no one will stand up for you either!”

Wei WuXian, “I don’t need anyone to speak for me.”

Jiang Cheng exploded, “Why are you so stubborn? If you can’t do it, then get out of my way—I’ll do it!”

Wei WuXian gripped him tighter, his fingers as tight as iron, “Jiang WanYin!”

Jiang Cheng, “Wei WuXian! Don’t you understand? When you stand on their side, you are a freakish genius, an extraordinary hero, a force of rebellion, a flower blooming alone. But the moment your voice differs from theirs, you have lost your mind, you have abandoned morality, you have embarked on a crooked path. You think you can be immune to all those curses while remaining outside the world and doing whatever you please? There has never been a precedent like that before!”

Wei WuXian shouted, “If there is no precedent, then I am the precedent!”

Swords drawn, the two stared at each other for a moment. Neither of them was willing to take a step back. A moment later, Jiang Cheng said, “Wei WuXian, have you still not realized the situation? Do you really need me to say it out loud? If you insist on protecting them, then I won’t be able to protect you.”

Wei WuXian, “No need to protect me. Just let go.”

Jiang Cheng’s face changed.

Wei WuXian, “Just let it go. Tell the world that I defected. From now on, whatever Wei WuXian does, it will have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect.”

Jiang Cheng, “…All for the Wen Sect…? Wei WuXian, do you have a savior complex? Will you die if you don’t stand up for someone and cause trouble?”

Wei WuXian fell silent. A moment later, he replied, “So, that’s why we should cut ties right now, in case anything I do affects the YunmengJiang Sect in the future.”

Or, he really can’t give any guarantees about what he will do in the future.

“…” Jiang Cheng muttered, “My mother said you would only bring trouble to our sect. It was true.” He laughed coldly, talking to himself, “‘Attempting the impossible’? Alright. You understand the motto of the YunmengJiang Sect. Better than I do. Better than all of us.”

He sheathed Sandu. The sword returned to its scabbard with a clang. Jiang Cheng’s tone was indifferent, “Then let’s arrange a duel.”

Three days later, the leader of the YunmengJiang Sect, Jiang Cheng, arranged a duel with Wei WuXian. 

They engaged in a fierce fight in Yiling. Negotiations failed. Both sides resorted to violence. 

Under Wei WuXian’s command, the undead Wen Ning attacked Jiang Cheng once, breaking one of his arms. Jiang Cheng stabbed Wei WuXian once. Both sides suffered losses. Each vomited blood and walked away cursing. They finally had a disagreement.

After the battle, Jiang Cheng told the outside world that Wei WuXian had defected from the sect and was an enemy of the entire cultivation world. The YunmengJiang Sect had expelled him. From then on, there were no more ties between them—a clear line had been drawn. From then on, no matter what he did, they would have no more contact with the YunmengJiang Sect!