The Wedding Curse - Book 2 (Complete) Extras coming Sept 2021

More Than Friends

Just a little breather from all the action dear readers. Don't worry, the next update will include Wei Ying and/or Lan Zhan. I honestly don't know what's going to happen next with those two as my last chapter was a complete surprise to me! I need time to figure out the next step so please bear with me. I hope you enjoy this one though. Thanks for reading, voting, and commenting! I love all the responses and messages I get from you!

Lan Xichen threw the unconscious Jiang Clan leader over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and started running towards the junior still lying motionless on the dock.  He heard the injured man grunt and never thought he would be so happy to hear Jiang Cheng in pain.  A pained Wanyin was an alive Wanyin.  Before Xichen could reach Jin Ling, however, Lan Zhan jogged past him and scooped the young man up in his arms. 

"Wangji." Xichen said sadly.

"Let's go." Wangji replied, his voice devoid of emotion. 

The two Lan cultivators carried the wounded men to Lotus Pier in silence unable to fully process or accept what they had witnessed.  Jin Ling was awake but still groggy by the time they reached the first building and demanded to be let down which Lan Zhan quickly agreed to.  Rulan started shaking when he saw all the blood soaking through his uncle's robes onto Zewu-jun's white Lan ones.

"Rulan!  Get the healers here now!" Lan Huan ordered when he saw all the color drain from Jin Ling's face.  The young man looked at him with wild eyes and quickly ran off to fetch the medics.  Lan Xichen inwardly cursed himself for scaring the boy but his concern for the man he was carrying increased with every faint heartbeat he could barely hear.

"Brother, here." Lan Zhan said as he led Xichen into the Jiang Clan leader's quarters, lighting all the lamps in the room with one talisman.  He helped Huan lower Wanyin to the bed carefully so as not to worsen his already severe injuries.  They looked at each other in disbelief and shock at what the Yiling Laozu had almost accomplished.  How did it come to this?  His own brother?

Lan Zhan immediately headed for the door.

"Wangji, you can't go alone." Xichen said desperately, his hand grabbing Wangji's arm and pulling him back. 

Lan Zhan stopped, the tension in his body tighter than a guqin string.  Every breath felt like it would be his last.  "I'm not.  I need air." he answered, his voice wavering as he shrugged out of Xichen's hold.  Lan Huan watched helplessly as his little brother disappeared into the night, praying that Wangji would not do anything reckless.

Lan Xichen turned and walked over to Jiang Cheng who continued to lay unmoving on the bed.  His breathing was becoming more erratic and shallow, his face ashen and haggard.

'Where are the damn healers?' he thought in frustration.

He gently placed two fingers on the soft inside of Wanyin's wrist searching for a sign of hope he feared was gone.  He released the breath he did not know he was holding when he sensed Wanyin's Qi still flowing through his meridians.  It was extremely weak but at least it was still there.  He stared at the handsome man lying in front of him, his heart picking up its pace until it felt like he had just run miles.  What was happening to him?  Had he somehow been injured by the Yiling Laozu's demonic energy and was unaware of it until now?

The sound of hurried footsteps reached Xichen's ears and he quickly backed away from Jiang Cheng to make space for the medics who flooded into the room, frantic to attend to their clan leader.

"Zewu-jun, how is he?" Jin Ling asked the Lan Clan leader, his voice trembling.  He glanced at his uncle and a single tear fell from his bloodshot eyes.