Unrestrained Heart

Chapter 6

Although the disciples had supposedly been brought to Qishan for education and cultivation development they hadn't been taught either. If they weren't being used as bait during hunts, they were being drilled on the Wen Sect rules and regulations. Wen Chao also seemed to love giving them menial work as punishments for the smallest infractions. Wei Wuxian was a favorite target of his as was Lan Wangji. That was probably because of what had happened during the symposium.

Surprisingly he also seemed to have a grudge against Jin Zixuan despite the fact that the Jin clan had previously shared the closest relationship with the Wen clan. The only reason seemed to be that Jin Zixuan had been one of the top four winners of the archery contest. It was as if Wen Chao had expected the other clans to concede victory to him and his poor archery skills.

Wei Wuxian continues to hand out his talismans in secret and Wen Chao continues to take solo credit for every beast felled during the hunts. The students keep waiting for Wen Chao to discover their secret but as the days go on one thing becomes apparent. Wen Chao is very dense. No one dares to whisper the word stupid out loud, but everyone is thinking it.

So that morning when they were once again driven from their beds for a hunt everyone's inner robes had secret pockets and pouches that were stuffed heavily with Wei Wuxian's talismans.

Wen Chao wasn't alone this time, there was a young female omega with him. From the way she giggled, flirted, and lavished praise on Wen Chao it wasn't hard to guess her position in the household. She carried a branding iron like most of the Wen servants who didn't have enough spiritual power to wield a sword. The branding irons would leave a painful scar on the victim without ever having to be heated first.

"Who's that?" Wei Wuxian asked in a whisper.

"Wang Lingjiao. She was a servant of Wen Chao's wife but as you can see, she climbed up the ranks to a higher position." Nie Huaisang answers using his fan to cover their conversation.

"Didn't take him long to get over me," Wei Wuxian laughs. This laugh carries and Wang Lingjiao glances back. Her eyes narrow when she sees Wei Wuxian. It's not hard to guess that she knows that her master once offered Wei Wuxian the position she now holds. With as many people who witnessed what happened, the story has probably been spread far and wide.

"So what are we looking for today?" Wei Wuxian asks the others.

There are rumors of a creature that dwells in a cave near the mountains. The cave is reported to be almost impossible to find.

"Enough talking, everyone search for the cave." Wang Lingjiao shouts back to them, but she is still glaring at Wei Wuxian and brandishing the branding iron as if she would like nothing better than to use it on him. Wei Wuxian thinks he needs to watch himself around this woman.

Just as she looks like she might come back to where they are, someone yells out, "Found it."

Wang Lingjiao immediately turns away from them and goes over to see. The opening of the cave is steep, but there are vines from the nearby trees that they can use to climb down. After the visiting students yell back that it's safe, Wen Chao and his disciples mount their swords, and fly down. Wang Lingjiao clinging to Wen Chao. They explore the entire cave but find no sign of the beast. They reach a dead end at a vast underground lake with several large bare rock islands jutting out of it.

"Maybe we should hang someone up for bait and drain them of their blood." Wang Lingjiao says, looking a little too triumphant and she points to Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji growls and moves in front of him protectively.

At first Wen Chao seems like he might protest this choice, but then shrugs and says, "If that's what my Jiaojiao wants. Take him." Wei Wuxian thinks that he would rather be strung up for bait than hear the couple's cutesy talk but Jiang Cheng and surprisingly Jin Zixuan joins Lan Wangji shielding Wei Wuxian. Soon other disciples, the ones that Wei Wuxian has saved with his talismans, also place themselves between the Wen disciples and Wei Wuxian