Special Chapters

SC4 - Test of Huiyi

At exactly five in the morning, the bell tower vibrated throughout the Cloud Recesses. Many have woken especially those guest from small to big sect of cultivators who were there to attend the Discussion Conference.

While excessive noise is still prohibited in GusuLan Sect, other guest disciples started to create noises from their quarters. Some of sect leader started to give their orders and instructions. Lan YuYan, Lan Xian's courtesy name, obediently followed her older brother's request not to mess around. She acted very courteous and polite to Wei Wuxian's surprise and delight.

As soon as Lan Sizhui entered with his junior disciples following behind, the noise stopped and every sect leaders stood from their seats forming their hand into circles and bowed. The Lan sect leader also returned the salute. "I'd like to thank everyone for their presence. This must be the most awaited event for every disciples in our sect. It is now the time again to showcase our talent. This year's discussion is now different from the previous one. Through the notifications we sent a three months ago, we decided to not only show our disciple's talents through our swords and arrows. A disciple who love arts can now showcase their talent and this will be judged by three art experts we invited for this competition."

Nie Huasiang was the most excited in the said competition. Only few people have known that his interest was far away from being a sect leader. As someone who have great interest in arts, he's able to groom some of his disciples and prepared them for this event.

"I surely had prepared my disciple for this day." One of the sect leader proudly anounced.

"Die, do we have someone prepared for arts competition?" Jin Ling stood beside his father. Previously, he got himself busy with overseeing their sect's disciple's training so he wasn't aware of other matter related to conference discussion. Since his father took over as the leader of LanlingJin sect, Jin Ling came back as the young master and freed himself from sect leader duties.

Jin Zixuan landed his gaze to his disciples. "We have few disciples who have interest in arts but some of them aren't good. So I held a small competition and made the elders choose our representative based on the results. We might not win the arts though."

Jin Ling sighed. "That's fine. So long as we win over swords and archery. However, the Lans aren't easy to defeat. There's also the Wen sect that we need to mind of. Uncle Ning have been training them hard recently."

"Aren't you belittling yourself, son? You trained our disciples excessively in the past few months."

Jin Ling smiled proudly. "Of course, I won't allow our sect to be in a shameful state."

Jin Zixuan shook his head. If his son's husband were to hear him speaking arrogantly, Jin Ling's lips would dye in red and sting in pain. He had notice it everytime his son curse or misbehaving. This is how Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli both witnessed whenever they watched over their son before their ressurection. Thus, the hot-tempered mistress slowly lessened.

Jin Zixuan went back to his senses when every sect leaders raised their cup for a toss. He took his cup filled with tea and raised it facing his son-in-law who is now acting as the Lan sect leader. He smiled knowingly before the tea went down from his throat.

Since this wasn't the first time they had the conference discussion in Cloud Recesses, they all expected that not a drop of wine will be served to them but no one dared to complain. If it's the previous sect leader or the previous time where Lan Sizhui hadn't died yet and became a deity's disciple, they probably mttered they complaints long before. Now, they all just silently pour themselves another cup of tea.

In one of tables, Wei Wuxian who seated beside Lan Wangji was laughing silently while watching the sect leaders' faces. He felt their frustration as he was forced to drink the same tea to cooperate with his son.

When the ceremony ended, each of every sect's disciples proceeded to their respective places where the other competition was held. Jingyi was wearing his white Wen robes with blue and red embroidery. The Lan ribbon still tied to his forehead. It looked awkward from other's point of view but the Wen robes were designed and embroidered by Liu Hei to which the Lan's cloud symbol was still intact but still shows that Lan Jingyi is now a young master of Wen sect.

In the said competition, it was obvious that Jingyi was supporting his Wen sect's disciples. After all, he is part of the sect ever since he married Wen Yang. He's checking their disciples when his attention was caught by a small young lady who suddenly ran around. Wen Yang picked up his daughter and carried her to his arms.

"Baba, I'm already old to be carried." Jingyi was happy though that her daughter is not a pampered mistress.  She behaved kindly towards their disciples and help in anyway she can. However, it seems like she inherited Wen Yang's mischief because Wen Jiaying love to tease HanguangJun's second son, Lan Weiji. "Baba, put me down. Its embarrasing to be carried like this when I'm already too old."

"Huh! Who says you're old. A-Ying, you're just an eight year old kid. Other kids  who's age like yours still wants to be pampered by their fathers. Why are you so different?" Wen yang complained.

"It would be better if you carry A-Niang rather than me."

"Who are you calling A-Niang?" Jingyi can't help but to pinch her daughter's cheeks. "A-Yang, put her down and let her go back to his grandfather. A-Ying, stop running around and behave, will you?"

"But Jie-gege isn't there yet. He's wasting his time in Library Pavilion together with Li-jiejie. There's no fun if those two wasn't around."

"I just saw them joining their fathers. Go and help your grandfather in taking care of your brother."

Jiaying's eyes glow as soon as she heard that the twins were out of the Library Pavilion. She immediately left her fathers. Wen Yang felt hurt and pouted at Jingyi, disregarding their disciples who just looked away. So used to this kind of interaction.

"Yi-gege, why is your daughter like that?"

Jingyi nudged him. "Behave. The competition is about to begin." His husband continued to act pitifully, he sighed and whispered, "If we lose, you won't get your reward."

Suddenly, Wen Yang cleared his throat and act all serious. "Our Sect must win, okay?!"

"...."

The disciples suddenly got confused with the sudden outburst. Before they left their sect, Wen Ning told them to enjoy the conpetition, reminding them that it didn't matter if they win or lose. Their sect leader agreed to it. Now, he suddenly wanted to win? They all look accusingly towards Jingyi.

Jingyi flushed red but he acted tough. "What are you looking at? If we lose shamelessly, you all will not gonna have meat for a year."

The disciples went pale. The bitter taste of the food serve to them still lingers through their mouth. The last time they tasted it was because they slouch on their training and Wen Ning, as a sort-hearted man he is, saw the unwillingness to them and decided to dismiss them early. Jingyi saw this act and punished them.

"Since you don't have enough energy to train. I'm going to fill you up with more essential vitamins." Tray of vegetables and soup with herbal plats were served to them from breakfast to dinner. They were flabbergasted and couldn't even lift their spoon to eat. "Whoever finish their bowl will have this sweet apples and pears."

In Lan's perspectives, this kind of punishment was nothing compared to them writing while doing the handstand. But with someone who always have flavorful food on their table, this is considered torture to their beloved tounge. After a month of eating tasteless food, nobody dared to misbehave again.

Now that Jingyi threatened them about the no meat for a year, they all stood straight and gotten serious. If a month was already a torture, what more if it will take a year? Anyway, aside from Lan disciples, no one wants their food taste as bland as it is.