Times Have Changed [MDZS]

Chapter 7: Clarity Bell

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Chapter Seven

The fairy whose appearance was a sight to behold, whose presence could unsurprisingly attract the attention of the people inside the tavern she had graced a visit, was ironically covertly staring at someone who had no interest in her. The fair maiden lifted the porcelain cup to her dainty lips, sipping an alcohol that wasn't strong enough for her taste, but her pair of crystal orbs had never once averted from its original subject of interest and were still reflecting the purple clad man hidden under a cape in the inconspicuous corner of the tavern.

There were no tears in her eyes, no fault on her beautiful smiling face, and not even a little trembling in her pale slender hand caressing a ball of black fur resting on her lap. However, one should look closely to see that this was only a façade. Deep within those crescent sultry eyes was sorrow, guilt even.

Wei Wuxian shouldn't have come here. He shouldn't have let himself be distracted, letting his feet to walk on their own. He was supposed to go back to the Burial Mounds to start forging the Stygian Tiger Amulet; but his feet brought him here, in the very tavern where Jiang Cheng was enduring his meaningless wait because he, Wei Wuxian, would never come back to his side again.

It pained him. It was painful to once again see the man whose death of the family he had brought upon, and whose face would only remind him of the thousand years' sorrow of his other lifetime. But all he could do was to look at him from a far. He couldn't talk to him, couldn't apologize, couldn't say that his waiting is pointless, and couldn't confess that this fair maiden is him, Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian had decided to walk in the shadows. The reason was not only for his self-preservation but mainly because others should not associate themselves with the evil like him. The world would only know that a female demonic cultivator had decided to support the campaign against the oppression of Wen Rouhan and not the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect, Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian could only hide behind his new appearance until the dust settled. He...he had to endure being afar from his family. Actually, he wasn't even sure if he still had the heart to face them even after the dust settled down. He didn't know if he still had the right after everything that happened in his past life.

The beautiful maiden stood up with a sound of silver being placed on the table, turning her back to the purple clad figure who missed the chance to see the drop of tear finally falling from the familiar pair of silver orbs. Nevertheless, there's a big possibility that he wouldn't recognize the identity of this beauty had he seen her, not just because she's a woman but because of the creature she was holding in her arms.

It wasn't the first time that Wei Wuxian had left Jiang Cheng's side; but every time was for a greater good-or so he thought. No matter what, this time, Wei Wuxian would make sure that leaving Jiang Cheng's side, and once again walking on a single-plank bridge would be worth it.

"Thank you for coming beautiful maiden!" the waiter bid him goodbye with a smile, but Wei Wuxian had no time to notice it as his attention was already caught by the approaching white clad figures wearing the official cultivation robes of Gusu Lan.

What are the Gusu Lan disciples doing here? Wei Wuxian thought, bowing his head and giving way to the said people.

It could be that their intention was to see Jiang Cheng. Strange. The Gusu Lan had no reason to care for the orphan of Yunmeng Jiang Sect, especially when the three survivors still had bounties on their heads. They shouldn't draw the ire of Wen Rouhan when their sect wasn't in any better situation.

But in his past life, Wei Wuxian indeed heard hearsays saying that Gusu Lan Sect had sent disciples to search for him and the Jiang siblings. Who would have thought that hearsays weren't just hearsays but the truth? Just how righteous and benevolent the Lan people could be?