Untamed Hearts

Chapter 13

Jiang Cheng led his disciple on a nighthunt , traveling close to Yiling when they spotted a familiar figure.

"Song Daozhang...?" Jiang Cheng's eyes widened. The last time Song Lan had been heard from was almost three years ago in Yi City. Jiang Cheng hadn't been there at the time but he had heard all about what had happened from Jin Ling. At the time, Jiang Cheng had been too furious with Jin Ling for running off and putting himself in so much danger that he had barely heard the parts about how "Mo Xuanyu" saved their lives.

"Sect leader Jiang." He was speaking but...his mouth hadn't moved. Jiang Cheng's eyes moved to a glowing talisman attached to Song Lan's robes.

"It is a talisman that lets me project what I want to say out loud through telepathic means. I believe it is one of the Yiling Patriarch's inventions?"

"When did he create such a talisman?" Jiang Cheng couldn't help but shift uncomfortably at the thought of such a talisman being used on him.

"I see you worry about personal privacy." Song Lan smiled. "Do not worry. It can only be used on whoever activated it and it can not force someone else to reveal their thoughts. If that were to happen, the cultivation world may be in chaos due to their sect secrets being revealed."

"Can someone alter it?"

"It is only meant to be a tool of communication. It can be altered but not into something you need to worry about."

"Right then." Jiang Cheng finally relaxed. His brother's inventions were often strange and unordinary but it would never cause harm to its users; Wei Wuxian always tested out his talismans multiple times before giving them to other disciples to use. Oftentimes, it'd end up chaotic; Jiang Cheng remembered the mess he would make when making new talismans as a teenager; after being punished several times by Madam Yu, Wei Wuxian moved his invention testing outside of Lotus Pier. Though Wei Wuxian didn't know it, Jiang Cheng had sent a disciple or two to make sure nobody set himself on fire or blew something up.

"What brings you to Yunmeng? I thought you had traveled far beyond the territory of the great sects."

"I came back after Lianfeng-zun's downfall. There were still many small sects and villages that needed help and I...I finally managed to repair A'Qing and Xichen's souls."

"That is good," Jiang Cheng said, despite not fully understanding the situation. "Wei Wuxian is at Cloud Recesses, now married to Hanguang-jun. If you wish to see him again, that is where you'll find him."

"Thank you. I will be on my way now." Jiang Cheng turned to walk the other direction but stopped when Song Lan spoke again.

"If you see him again, tell him that I've finally managed to repair Xingchen's and A'Qing's souls. A year ago." Jiang Cheng sucked in a breath.

"You..." He was lost for words. "Congratulations...how did you accomplish it?"

"I found Xingchen's master a while back. With her help, I was able to do it."

"So you've seen her as well. My brother stayed with her when he was away."

"He...did not stay with Lan Wangji?" Zichen tilted his head.

"Eventually." Jiang Cheng shook his head with a laugh. "My brother is an idiot who was slow to realize the Chief cultivator's feelings for him."

"At least he didn't have to wait long." Zichen's voice was solemn. "I had my regrets but I was never able to make up for them." There was a long silence before Zichen dipped his head again.

"I will be going now."

"Safe travels, Song Daozhang. I hope to see you again soon."

Jiang Cheng continued onwards, getting closer to the Burial Mounds. Since the demonic beasts had been cleared out from there, that place was as quiet as ever. Jiang Cheng had made it his responsibility to check on that area once a month, making sure it was sealed off properly; the civilians and even both major and minor sect cultivators stayed away from that place anyways but it was better to be safe than sorry. There were always rogue demonic cultivators eager to get their hands on energy sources from a place like the Burial Mounds. The attempts to cleanse the place had continued over the past years, but regardless, it only cleansed a small percentage of the burial grounds.