Into Your Heart

Chapter 2- Water ghouls

Other events like horse riding, flying on swords and night hunting were held in the following days and the respective winners were Jin Zixuan, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. Others were somewhat disappointed for not being able to secure the first place in any of the events.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were titled joint winners in the competition.  The second jade was cold as usual, Wei Wuxian on the contrary was boasting off to Jiang Cheng. When he went to congratulate his fellow partner, Lan Wangji only nodded a little, congratulating him in return and then turned back to walk away.

"How boring... hmph " , Wei Wuxian pouted, rubbed his nose and went back to his brother to complain how a certain someone was not exhilerated even after securing the first place.

The events were finished successfully. A big banquet was arranged the next day to thank everyone for their participation and honoring the invitation of the clan leader.

The two brothers of the Jiang clan spent the rest of the day with their shijie, gossiping about anything and everything, mostly complaining against each other and how much they missed her and the delicious lotus root and rib soup.

When it was time for everyone to retire to their rooms after the dinner, Wei Wuxian made his way towards the kitchen to fetch a jar of wine. But, he lost his way in the dark and ended up near the backside which was more or less deserted except a single room that the clan leader used for peaceful meditation.

He was about to turn away when he saw a figure of a man in the dim moonlight, walking towards the secluded room. Before opening the door, he turned his head sideways, as if to make sure that no one was following, then carefully knocked and went in quickly to avoid any unnecessary sound. His actions made him suspicious, but Wei Wuxian decided to ask his shijie first about the details of the room instead of trying to find it himself.

Had it been another sect, he wouldn't have thought twice before following, but in Jin Clan, he refrained from causing any trouble knowing that his actions might have an adverse effect on his dear sister.

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"Zewu Jun, you are leaving already. Aren't you going to attend the feast today?"

Wei Wuxian ran into the jades the next morning when he walked out of the guest quarters and heard them talking with the clan leader.

"Young master Wei, uncle has asked us to travel back to Gusu. A lake  in our area is facing threat from water ghouls. Investigation and extermination is immediately required." Lan Xichen replied.

"Brother, we should go." Someone spoke out in a cold tone.

"Young Master Wei, we shall take our leave now. But if you want, you can come along with us. I heard that the young master is interested in adventures."

"Brother!" Lan Wangji spoke, his brother knew that it was more like an exclamation than a assertion.

"Wangji xiong, water ghouls are generally not dangerous. If it is threatening people's lives, then it must be something powerful. I can help you in that." Wei Wuxian was getting excited.

"Then shall we leave?" Lan Xichen asked Wei Wuxian.

"Sure. But my brother can't go. He has to attend the banquet as a member of Jiang clan. I shall inform him and then proceed."

The three of them left the Koi Tower and headed towards the Biling Lake.

It was a long journey and took more than a day to finally reach the lake, only stopping twice during meals and packing up some snacks.

Other disciplines from the Gusu Lan had already arrived and arranged for everything  according to the order of the Old Master Lan. Without wasting another minute, they took the boats and sailed.

"People from the town who sailed in the lake have been going missing. At first, they thought that it might be whirlpools or accidents, but the number have been increasing over the weeks, leading to over thirty missing cases in a month." One of the disciples replied when Zewu Jun inquired about the condition.

"Some low level cultivators tried to look out for the problem few days ago, but they hardly survived themselves. On returning, they were too terrified to speak. What could be made out from their insufficient information was that the ghouls were very strong, something they have never experienced in their lives." A second disciple informed.

As they moved towards the centre, the fog started to grow thicker and darker till nothing was visible anymore. They started speaking with each other to ensure that everyone was going in the same direction.

When they reached a point that in all probability was the middle of the lake, they felt their boats sinking down a little, as if something was under it. Wei Wuxian used a talisman to light up the area, dissipating the dense fog.
The boats stopped, the people in them trying to figure out the situation. But not more than a second later, something suddenly attacked, trying to pull a disciple inside the water.

Bichen unsheathed and attacked the creature that was supposed to fall dead on the boat but managed to crawl out and into the water unharmed. This took everyone by surprise. Wangji's aim can never go wrong.

The same happened to Wei Wuxian when he attacked another ghoul with Suibian.

The two prodigies who had recently tied in the sword fight was completely clueless, until a bunch of those creatures attacked at the same time and dodged every sword that was pointing towards them. Sensing imminent danger, Lan Xichen told them to row back immediately without delay.

Upon reaching the shore, Wei Wuxian was the first to speak,"They were not dodging the swords. The swords touched them but had no effect. Even a aqua demon can be injured with a sharp blade. Seems like something is protecting them."

- "A spell." Lan Wangji replied.

- "A protection spell! That too for water ghouls!"

- "Mnn"

- "We either need something strong that can break through the spell and attack them or a counter spell to destroy the protection barrier so that we can attack with our swords. But, the first thing that we need to know is how the spell is casted. Or else we can't find anything that can counter it. Looks like a new invention of a great mind, or maybe a treacherous one."

"We shall ask uncle."

They set up barriers on the banks of the lakes to prevent anyone from sailing into it and asked the local people to refrain from using this water for a time period incase it turns poisonous.

After everything was taken care off, Lan Xichen asked them to find a good inn for rest before setting off for Cloud recess the next day.