The Untamed (Season 2)

Part 22 (Happy Birthday Lan Ying/Lan Wuxian)

Jiang Cheng's P.O.V

I devoted the last sixteen years of my life to raising A Ling as if he were my own son, his biological parents absent from the picture. Every day felt like a testament to the bond we forged, a bond that I believed would withstand any storm. Yet, here we stood, on the precipice of betrayal, and my heart was heavy with disbelief.

Looking into his eyes, I felt a surge of anger and disappointment. "EXPLAIN...NOW," I demanded, my voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

Tears pooled in A Ling's eyes, and his gaze fell to the ground. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I truly am. I thought... I thought if I let the man perform the typhoon power, it would lead to a peaceful life for Sizhui and me," he explained, his voice cracking under the weight of his confession. I stared back at him, struggling to reconcile the child I had known with the choices he had made.

My anger swelled within me, and I stepped closer, the impulse to unleash Zidian—my powerful weapon—surging to the forefront of my mind. But before I could act on that impulse, Zewu Jun intervened, placing a calming hand on my shoulder.

"Sect Leader Jiang, we will handle this tomorrow," Zewu Jun said softly, attempting to soothe my anger. I shook my head, irritation washing over me, and brushed off his attempt at comfort.

Turning my attention back to A Ling, a tide of fury and heartbreak rose within me. "I raised you... for sixteen years... without your mother and father," I said, my voice rising in intensity. "I gave you everything, treated you like my own, and yet you chose to betray that trust for the sake of your own selfish desires! Just to be with your boyfriend?!" I screamed, the anguish tearing through my words. With that, feeling utterly defeated, I turned away and stormed out, leaving the silence filled with the haunting aftermath of my shattered hopes.

I stormed out of the forest, frustration boiling inside me as Zewu Jun walked swiftly by my side. The rain poured down heavily, drenching everything in its path, but the chill of the water was nothing compared to the storm of emotions brewing within me. Behind us, he stood alone, his figure silhouetted against the gray sky, and I couldn't understand why he seemed intent on bringing chaos to Gusu.

Zewu Jun tried to grab my attention, his voice cutting through the rhythm of the falling rain. "We need to focus on catching the person responsible for the spiritual typhoon," he urged, urgency lacing his tone. "I have a lead on who it might be." But his words fell on deaf ears; my mind was racing, consumed by anger and confusion.

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Wei Wuxian's P.O.V

Once we were safely in our room, I stood by the window, gazing out at the stormy sky as tears streamed silently down my cheeks. The image of A Ling lingered in my mind, and I felt a pang of disbelief at how he could betray us like that. If we didn't uncover the mastermind behind this chaos soon, he might very well spill secrets to someone who would bring demonic cultivation into our peaceful town, tainting it forever.

A heavy sigh escaped me, the weight of anxiety settling in my chest. It was then that I felt the familiar presence of Lan Zhan behind me. He moved closer, wrapping his strong arms around my waist, grounding me in the midst of my turmoil.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, planting a gentle kiss on my neck, his lips lingering just a moment too long, as if trying to pull me back from the edge of despair.

I managed a sad smile, the corners of my mouth struggling to rise despite the sadness pooling in my heart. "I'm okay," I attempted to reassure him.

He shook his head, his dark eyes searching mine with a deep concern that made my heart ache. "No. You are not." His voice was firm but tender, a gentle reminder that he knew me far too well.