Shooting Star [Never Let You Go, Again Book 2]

1: Home

The chirruping of birdsong, the swishing of lotus stems and splashing water snaked their way through the light-hearted atmosphere into the fifty-odd ears, red with exhaustion. Disciples robed in violet slashed their swords left and right as their teacher, senior and sect leader ordered. They had been training since morning incessantly, ruthlessly. The young disciples looked from one to another, exchanging inquiring glances.

"Your saviour is still asleep so get practising!" Jiang Cheng barked.

"Yes, Sect Leader!" They shouted as one and returned to swaying their swords, the polished silver gleaming in the harsh shine of the Sun right above their heads. Just when they felt like they'd faint if this wet on, a precious voice was heard shouting back.

"Hey, A-Cheng, you're killing them!"

"I'm the teacher, not you, so shut up!"

"No, I won't shut up." Wei Wuxian grinned as he marched up to Jiang Cheng, hands crossed behind his back. "Look at them! Faces red, foreheads wet, hands pale with fatigue. A-Cheng, don't be like Madam Yu, be a bit softer will you?" Wei Wuxian poked his brother's chest.

"Hmph! I don't care."

"You don't but I do!" Wei Wuxian turned to the disciples. "All of you get lost. Auntie Yue's made cauldrons of soup and devilled pork, have some. You better be quick before the little ones start digging in!" He waved his hand, "Dismissed."

That was all the youths needed to drop their blades and sprint towards the Hall.

Jiang Cheng turned to his brother, fuming. "I still don't believe it! They just run away upon your word! And just what right do you have to dismiss my disciples?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "I'm your senior."

"Why you!" The two began chasing each other around and landed with a splash in the lake.

"Hey, I didn't come here to play with you! Lan Zhan wasn't in the room when I woke up, where's he?"

"Hmph. I know you don't give a damn about me anymore, so I won't tell you until you give me something to prove that we're still good pals," Jiang Cheng sulked, a whole mood on his own.

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Right." He tore off a lotus leaf and carved a message onto it with a stick nearby. When that was done, he nodded to let the leaf metamorphose into a golden butterfly which fluttered into the distance.

"What was that? I didn't want to see some butter– Wait, wasn't that a Lan message?"

"It sure was! Looks like shixiong isn't a Jiang anymore," a feminine voice chuckled behind them.

"Lin Qiao, of course he isn't! Haven't you seen his new moves?" A second familiar male voice laughed.

"The grace in his sword skill?" Yet another voice asked.

"Lan through and through," Jiang Cheng jumped back onto the deck and stood beside the others, all of them sniggering in laughter. Wei Wuxian shook his head and leapt up, to look from left to right. Jiang Cheng, Jiang Baozhai, Jiang Yunxi and Lin Qiao all stood in a semi-circle, evil Jiang grins illuminating their suntanned faces.

"Yes, yes, I'm a Lan so what? Who said I can't be both Lan and Jiang? My blood's a rogue cultivator's, my ring's a Lan's, my core's demonic, but my heart's still Jiang!" He wagged a finger at Jiang Cheng. "A-Cheng, you wouldn't be teasing me if you knew what the letter was. Or maybe just whom it was addressed to would be enough to make you go..." He intertwined his left and right fingers together, clasping his hands, sighing lightly and batting lashes and heart eyes.

"Yeah right," Jiang Cheng crossed his arms. "Spit it out, I dare you to."

Baozhai, Qiao and Yunxi exchanged grins. "We'll guess. If we're right, shixiong should give us something nice to eat. If not, then we'll give shixiong a treat."