Loyal, Brave & True

Chapter 19

Zhouan had found the young female cultivator and had engaged in a small talk with her, taking a stroll around the gardens before stopping to watch from the balcony close to the entrance to the hall.

Wangji had soon joined, having an offer similar to Zhouan. The girl was good, trained to be a cultivator and stood rightfully against injustice. She deserved to be with a clan, their clan. A clan that would give her a second chance and wouldn't let her alone like that.

"Thank you for your offer, but I must decline," Mianmian said and gave a bow to both, receiving a respectful bow from the two strong cultivators.

"If you need anything, contact my mother or me immediately," Zhouan said as she stood up, giving her a small smile.

Mianmian smiled, giving a nod before walking away. She had to get away from the tower and perhaps from the city, but she held no regrets for what she did.

Zhouan watched her with pride, wishing more cultivators were like her. Perhaps, it was the personal save by Wuxian that played a role but the courage it took to pull such actions in front of everyone...that was rare. Only a few possessed it and even less passed the limits she couldn't.

Sensing a pair of eyes on her, she turned her head to find the source only to lock with the one pair she had fallen in love with. Xichen marched towards her, and she did the same, meeting his halfway through.

"How are you?" he asked, not failing to see how upset she was in general from the whole discussion.

"I will survive. What rest was discussed?" she asked, looking at him.

He left out a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at Wangji who kept staring from the balcony. "Clan Leader Jiang will set for Burial Mounds and ask Wei Wuxian to account for his actions and give over the Stygian Tiger Amulet."

"Do they really expect him to succeed?" she asked but the look he gave her, made total sense. "Of course. I knew something like that would happen...what now?"

"Now...we return back to Cloud Recess, focus on the matters in hand and pray to the heavens that the following months will be better than the one we are through now."

She looked at Wangji with worry and then her eyes went to her mother and Old Clan Leader Lan who talked at the side of the hall entrance. "I am afraid I will stall my arrival. I suspect Wangji will be in trouble and I do not think my partaking in the discussion was much to Grand Master's Lan liking."

A faint smile appeared at his face, turning his body halfway to have a better view of the said people. At the same time, their fingers barely interlocked with one another. "I will talk with him, but perhaps it is wiser until the storm has passed."

"Will you keep me informed?" she moved her head to look at him, not hiding the worry for Wangji, him and everything that had been going on.

Her reassurance came by the movement of his hands, somehow giving her a warm feeling that eased the worry within. "I promise I will, and I will try to bring you back as soon as possible."

She looked at him, smiling truly after what felt days of not due to the heated debate. Despite all the darkness, the sudden loss of her friend and the upturning of events, there was still something good for her.

Someone, to be more precise. And she couldn't be happier about it.

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A few months passed after the incident at the Carp tower and the escape of Wei Wuxian with the Wen clan members. An unsuccessful attempt by Cheng had allowed some peace for Wuxian and his followers. At the same time, the world outside their barrier moved normally.