❃ 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 ❃

🔹𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 𝕿𝖜𝖔🔹

A few disciples paddled and used nets to chase after the underwater shadow. Someone shouted from the other side, "There are some here as well!"

Lan Wangji hit Wei Wuxian's hand away and turned around, looking out for the water ghouls. But little did Wei Wuxian know that Lan Wangji was trying to keep himself calm and focused!

On the other side, a mass of black shadows also whooshed past. A number of narrow boats dragged nets and went over, but they didn't catch anything. Wei WuXian spoke, "That's strange. The shape of this shadow doesn't seem like a human. It's also sometimes long and sometimes short, sometimes large and sometimes small... Lan Zhan, on your side!"

Instantly, the Bichen on Lan WangJi's back unsheathed and stabbed into the water. After a moment, it flew out of the river with a sharp resonance, taking with it a crescent of water. Yet, it didn't pierce anything. He held the sword in his hand with a stern expression.

Wei Wuxian couldn't help but admire, "Second Master Lan is really handsome." Wei Wuxian commented.

As Lan Wangji was about to speak, a disciple on the other side also drew out his sword, thrusting it toward a dark shadow which swiftly swam by in the water.

However, after his sword went underwater, it never came out again. He chanted the sword incantation for a few more times, but nothing was retrieved from the water. It was as if his sword had been devoured by the lake, disappearing without a trace. The disciple looked like he was a youth of similar age as Wei WuXian and the others. Without his sword, his face grew paler and paler. An older disciple beside him spoke, "Su She, right now, we still haven't determined what the thing inside the water is. Why did you act on your own and make your sword go underwater?"

Su She seemed like he was somewhat flustered, but his expression was relatively calm, "I saw that Second Young Master also..."

He realized, before he even finished speaking, how unsuitable this sentence was. No matter what, the Bichen sword or Lan WangJi were not comparable with others. Lan WangJi could enter his sword into water when the opponent was unknown and be just fine, but it might not be the case for others.

"Your Second Master Lan is incomparable!" Wei Wuxian said, trying to sugar coat his furious Lan Zhan. "How could you compare yourself with him?"

 An embarrassed shade of red seeped through Su She's pale complexion, as if he had been disgraced. He glimpsed at Lan WangJi, but Lan WangJi didn't look at him, and instead attentively observed the water. In an instant, Bichen was unsheathed again.

This time, the blade of the sword wasn't inserted into water, but instead, the tip of the sword jolted, and whisked up a piece of shadow from within the water. A pile of wet, black mess fell onto the floor of the boat with a plop. Wei WuXian went on his toes to have a look. To his surprise, it was a piece of clothing.

Wei WuXian laughed so hard that he almost toppled into the river, "Lan Zhan, you're so impressive! This is my first time seeing someone remove a water ghoul's clothing when they're catching water ghouls."

Lan Wangji glared at Wei Wuxian.

"Wangji, check if there is something on it." Lan Xichen's voice came through.

Lan WangJi nodded and examined Bichen's tip to see if there was anything strange, seeming to have decided to not converse with Wei Wuxian.

Of course, Wei WuXian also saw it clearly. He just didn't feel satisfied without teasing Lan WangJi a few times and getting a reaction out of him. And he sincerely hoped that Lan Wangji would forget all that happened between them earlier and would come to him as usual.

Wei Wuxian spoke, "So, the thing that was sneaking around was just this piece of clothing? Now that's why the nets couldn't catch it and swords couldn't pierce it. Its shape was always different. However, a piece of clothing couldn't have swallowed up a whole sword. There must be something else inside the water."

At the moment, the boats already floated toward the center of Biling Lake. The color of the lake was an extremely dark shade of green. Suddenly, Lan WangJi slightly lifted his head, "Go back immediately."

Lan XiChen asked, "Why?"

Lan WangJi answered, "The underwater beings led the boats to the center of Biling Lake on purpose."

"Exactly, we were lured here!" Wei Wuxian agreed.

Just as he finished his words, everyone suddenly felt their boats sinking.

Water immediately started to spread into the boats. Wei WuXian suddenly noticed that the color of Biling Lake's water wasn't dark green any more, but almost black. Surrounding the area close to the center, a large whirlpool had formed without anybody realizing. The ten-or-so boats circled around, following the currents of the whirlpool. They sunk as they spun, as if they were going to be sucked inside a gigantic, black mouth!

The clang-s of drawing swords chorused in the air. One after another, everyone mounted their swords and flew upward. Wei WuXian already hovered above holding Lan Wangji's hand and taking him up along with him. Lan Wangji was taken aback. He was about to mount on his sword and fly up. He did not expect Wei Wuxian to carry him up.

"Let go." Lan Wangji said, when they were finally up.

"Let go of what?" Wei Wuxian asked confused.

"Let go of me!" Lan Wangji gritted.

Wei Wuxian smiled and looked around. No one was paying them any attention so he pulled Lan Wangji closer to him and whispered, "Lan Zhan, I am never ever going to let go of you."

Wei Wuxian did not know why he said that nor did he know if he really meant those words. But, saying them to Lan Wangji gave him a heartfelt satisfaction. As if he had wanted say it ever since he had known Lan Wangji!

Lan Wangji stared into him. Wei Wuxian stared back. They were immersed in their own world. It was Lan Wangji who first pulled away his gaze, muttering,

"Do not say things that you don't mean."

"Who said I don't mean?" Wei Wuxian wasn't sure of his words anymore. It just came on its own. "Lan Zhan, do you not believe me?"

Lan Wangji turned around to look at him and Wei Wuxian's breath hitched when he saw Lan Wangji's eyes, teary.

"I believed you when you said that this was out first date." Lan Wangji managed out.

"I..." Wei Wuxian was cut off by a voice behind them.

He cursed himself for being so stupid and hurting Lan Wangji who had been so good and nice to him in the past few days!