Growing Pains from Growing Family (Xicheng)

Chapter 9: Hole in the Wall

Taking a deep breath Lan Huan prepared for what he was about to do. He would not rip the Jiang's robes open. He was going to be careful and take his time. No matter how much Jiang Wanyin's moaning made him want to do otherwise he was going to be gentle. Even if the band around his head was his brother's it could still provide him with the self-control he needed to not pounce.

Slowly untying the robes, he continuously looked back up at Jiang Wanyin's bright red face to make sure he hadn't changed his mind. Refusing to meet the Lan's eyes Jiang Cheng had closed shut as Lan Xichen revealed a scar which spanned across his entire chest. The deep cut had been slashed diagonally was terrifying to look at and had it not been so obviously old Lan Xichen would have feared for the younger cultivator's life.

Trailing his fingers along the injury it was clear that it had been made with a single slice of a sharp object. Not a talon, not a claw. No, this had been made by a blade. Not only that but it had been done whilst the Jiang was awake. If he was asleep or laying down at the time the cut would not be this long.

Sandu Shengshou was known as the most capable swords master of their time. For him to have taken this kind of damage was unthinkable which was demonstrated by the fact that the rest of his chest was spotless. There were no other scars, not even a small one. Jiang Wanyin had only been hit once. He had always taken great pride in being strong, which is why he had worked so hard to hide it all these years. An image he was willing to break to let the Lan see it.

"You're the strongest person I've ever met" he whispered, reassuring the Jiang that his thoughts on him hasn't changed by this discovery. Hearing this Jiang Wanyin's chest lowered as he released the breath he had been holding. His eyes opened, the corners of his eyes revealing how he'd been so anxious he was on the verge of crying.

"Really? Even stronger than your brother?" he asked jokingly, wanting the attention off of his current state of being.

Chuckling Lan Xichen responded "Yes, stronger than sect leader Lan himself and more handsome too. After all these years you've certainly stolen the position of number one, you've aged like fine wine" If he was laying it on too thick Jiang Wanyin wasn't showing it. Instead a smile crept up the Jiang's face as he flirted back.

"Oh, comparing me to a beverage, huh, is Hanguang-jun thirsty?" Jiang Cheng smirked.

"Drinking alcohol is prohibited in Gusu" It wasn't as strictly monitored outside of the Cloud Recesses, but it was still not allowed.

"That's too bad, I suppose I'll need to invite you to Yunmeng to continue this later then." He said as he began to playfully cover himself using his inner robes. His movements were slow and was accompanied with an exaggerated sad facial expression. Jiang Wanyin wanted to be stopped.

Grabbing onto the Jiang's wrists to stop him from hiding further he whispered "I never said I wasn't willing to break the rules for you" before moving his head down to place light kisses along the Jiang's scar. To his surprise, he heard Jiang Wanyin let out a loud moan the moment he placed his lips against the bare skin.

Even as he froze up Jiang Wanyin kept going, reminding Lan Xichen of why they were doing this in the first place. Why the handsome cultivator was letting out the most seductive of noises at the smallest touch. This was still just an act and so Lan Huan needed to continue holding back. Sect leader Jiang had allowed him to go this far, but he shouldn't risk it by going further, losing their current relationship was not worth it. He would need to keep the ever growing flood of desire inside of him from escaping.

But then Jiang Wanyin did something which he could not fight against.

"L-Lan... Huan" he moaned. The dam broke and the man beneath him let out a squeak as Lan Huan, with his entire fist, penetrated the surprisingly soft wall beside them. In an effort to not take his feelings out on the Jiang he had cleanly shoved his entire arm through the wall. For being a fairly upstanding inn, their walls were surprisingly brittle.

"Lan Zhan?" sect leader Jiang exclaimed, unsure of what had caused the Lan's sudden destructiveness. He didn't know... Lan Huan laughed, or perhaps he cried. Jiang Wanyin had accidentally moaned his name instead of Lan Wangji's and he didn't even realize he had done it. When not receiving a response the Jiang focused on what was more important than the reason why, whether the Lan was injured or not. "Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?"

Pushing himself to his elbows Jiang Wanyin helped safely guide his arm back inside the room. It didn't hurt, his hand had gone clean through without any issues. The only things not okay were the wall and Lan Huan's feelings.

"Just sit down and rest, I'll be right back" Getting out from underneath Lan Huan Jiang Wanyin hurriedly got dressed and went out the door where to his surprise there was no one waiting for him. But once Jiang Wanyin had closed the door behind him Lan Xichen did not sit still, instead he walked to all the corners of the room and drew the seals they used whenever there was an important meeting going on in the Cloud Recesses. Meetings which under no circumstances could be overheard. They no longer needed others to hear what was going on. This way they could discuss how their windowless room suddenly had gained a view without the innkeeper finding out about it before they had chosen a course of action.