Yunmeng was abundant in lakes. The YunmengJiang Sect’s “Lotus Pier”, the residence of the greatest sect here, was built near a lake as well.

"And now, where were we?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"No more dating?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"Much better." said Jiang Cheng.

Starting from the end of Lotus Pier, after just a while of paddling, one would see a large lotus lake, more than a hundred miles in length. The wide, verdant leaves and the smooth, pink blossoms brushed shoulders against one another. As a breeze blew over, the petals and the leaves swayed as if they nodded their heads. Amid the purity and grace, one could also feel a naive sense of clumsiness.

Lotus Pier wasn’t as other-worldly as the other sects’ residences, shutting their doors and refusing to let commoners come within a boundary miles away. The docks right in front of Lotus Pier’s entrance often bustled with vendors selling seed pods, water chestnuts and all kinds of pastries. Runnynosed children from households nearby could also sneak into Lotus Pier’s fields to watch the cultivators practice their swords. They wouldn’t be scolded even if they got caught, either. They could sometimes even play around with the Jiang Sect’s disciples.

"Look at how free the place is." said a random cultivator.

"This is why Wei-daijiu said that a-niang used to play with kids." said Jingyi.

"Yeah, it's was fun training with kids and sometimes teach them." said Wei Wuxian.

"That's why we can the Jiang Sect as a free sect. Freedom is very important to them." said a random cultivator.

"That's the reason why no rules can bound the twin prides?" asked MianMian.

"How can you bind them to some rules when they grew up freely?" asked Qingheng-jun.

"That's why they can do whatever they want." he added.

When Wei WuXian was young, he often shot kites at the bank of Lotus Lake.

"My most favorite game." said Wei Wuxian.

"That's because you're always on top." said Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng stared fixedly at his own kite, glancing at Wei WuXian’s once in a while. Wei WuXian’s kite had already flown high up in the sky, but he still had no intention of drawing his bow. With his right hand at his brows, he grinned as he looked up, as though he still felt that it wasn’t far enough.

Seeing that the kite had almost drifted out of the area where he was certain he’d succeed in shooting it down, Jiang Cheng clenched his teeth. He positioned his arrow and drew the bow. The white-feathered arrow shot out. The kite painted like a one-eyed monster was pierced right through the eye and fell downward. Jiang Cheng’s brows lifted, “It hit!”

"I can't even do that." said a younger disciple.

"That seemed fun." said Nie Huaisang.

"You can join us next time, Nie-xiong." said Wei Wuxian.

"But, I'm just gonna watch." said Nie Huaisang.

"Boring." said Jiang Cheng.

Right after, he asked, “Yours has flown so far already. You sure you can hit it?”

Wei WuXian, “Wanna guess?”

He finally pulled out an arrow and aimed. As the bow was drawn to the utmost, he swiftly let go.

A hit!

"Damn what?" a random cultivator asked in disbelief.

"No wonder he's a skilled one." said another cultivator.

"I bet that Jiang Wanyin is jealous." said Jin Zixun with mockery.

"I'm being quiet here." said Jiang Cheng.

"And a-niang is more better than you." said Jingyi.

Jiang Cheng’s brows scrunched up again. A humph came through his nose. All of the boys put away their bows and went to pick up their kites so that they could rank the distances. The closest kite would receive the lowest ranking. Every time, the last one was the shidi who was the sixth eldest. As usual, they’d spend some time laughing at him. His face was quite thick, though, so he didn’t care at all. Wei WuXian’s was the farthest. The closest one to him, the one ranked second, was Jiang Cheng’s kite. Both Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng felt too lazy to go fetch the kites. The boys rushed into the winding hallway built over the water’s surface. They were playing around, jumping up and down, as two young, slender women appeared before them.

Both of them were dressed as armed maids, carrying with them short swords. The taller maid, holding a kite and an arrow, blocked their path. She asked coldly, “Whose are these?”

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng looked at one another.

"Them." said a Jiang disciple.

"Who are they?" asked Nie Huaisang curiously.

"A-niang's trusted maids." said Jiang Cheng.

All of the boys silently cursed their luck as they saw the two women. Wei WuXian touched his chin and stepped forward, “They’re mine.”

The other maid snorted, “You’re an honest one, aren’t you?”

"If they are maids then why are they acting like that to their young masters?" asked Qingheng-jun.

"They are not just any maids, Qingheng-jun." said Madam Yu.

"Still." said Qingheng-jun.

They parted and revealed between them a purple-clothed woman, also carrying a sword.

The woman had creamy skin and was rather beautiful, though her delicate features displayed some fierceness. The corners of her lips lay between a frown and a smile—she was a natural at sneering, just like Jiang Cheng. Her flowing purple robes wrapped around her thin waist. Both her face and her right hand, which rested on the hilt of her sword, were as cold as jade stone. A ring embellished with amethyst was worn on the index finger of her right hand.

"Well, you can finally see where Jiang Wanyin took his personality. No wonder his father didn't like him." said Jin Zixun.

"Can you shut up?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Why would I? Besides, why would Sect Leader Jiang like his son who is the exact replica of his wife that he didn't like?" asked Jin Zixun in full mockery.

Jiang Cheng was now glaring at him.

"Shut up or I will make you." he said in a cold voice.

Jin Zixun shuddered when he heard that.

Jiang Cheng smiled as he saw her, “Mom!”

Meanwhile, the rest of the boys greeted her with respect, “Madam Yu.”

Madam Yu was Jiang Cheng’s mother, Yu ZiYuan. Of course, she was Jiang FengMian’s wife, and used to cultivate with him as well. Naturally, she should be called Madam Jiang. But, for some reason, everyone had always called her Madam Yu. Some people guessed that it was because she didn’t want to take on her husband’s surname due to her assertive personality. On this matter, neither the husband nor the wife in question had never argued either.

Madam Yu came from the prominent MeishanYu Sect. She was ranked third in her clan, so was also called Third Lady Yu. In the cultivation world, she went by the name “Violet Spider”. Just bringing up the name could scare quite a few away. Ever since she was young, she’d had a cold personality and never came off as likeable when conversing with others. Even after she married Jiang FengMian, she had always been out on nighthunts, not overly fond of staying at the Jiang Sect’s Lotus Pier. On top of that, where she lived at Lotus Pier was different from where Jiang FengMian did. She had her own area, where only she and a few of the family members she’d brought from the Yu Sect lived. The two young women, JinZhu and YinZhu, were both her trusted maids. They never left her side.

"She will never called Madam Jiang. The title isn't for her in the first place." said Wen Chao.

"What do you mean?" asked a young disciple.

"Why not asked Sect Leader Jiang." said Jin Zixun.

"You two really teamed up for awful things, huh." said Wei Wuxian.

"Only a brainless pigs will do that." he added.

Madam Yu gave Jiang Cheng a sideways glance, “Fiddling about again? Come, let me see you.”

Jiang Cheng went to her side. Madam Yu squeezed his arm with her slender fingers, then slapped his shoulder loudly, scolding, “There’s isn’t any improvement in your cultivation at all. You’re seventeen already, yet you’re still like an ignorant child, fooling around with others all the time. Are you the same as others? Who knows which sewers other people will be splashing in, but you’re going to be the leader of the Jiang Sect!”

"What does she mean by no improvement?" asked Nie Huaisang.

"Jiang-xiong is ranked five out of all the cultivators of our generation." he added.

"No wonder her son grew up with a lot of insecurities." said Wen Rouhan.

Jiang Cheng stumbled from the slap, head lowered, not daring to protest. Wei WuXian understood—it went without saying that she was scolding him again, whether obvious or not. On the side, one of his shidi secretly stuck out his tongue toward him. Wei WuXian raised a brow at the shidi. Madam Yu, “Wei Ying, what trouble are you stirring up this time?”

Wei WuXian stood forward, accustomed to it. Madam Yu scolded, “You’re like this again! If you yourself don’t seek progress, then don’t drag Jiang Cheng along to fool around with you. You’re going to be a bad influence to him.”

Wei WuXian looked startled, “I don’t seek progress? Why, am I not the one with the most progress in the entire Lotus Pier?”

"That's not the right words to say that time, Wei-xiong." said Nie Huaisang.

"But, I'm telling the truth." said Wei Wuxian.

Nie Huaisang just gave him a look.

"You just said that you're better than every disciples there." said Jin Zixuan.

"And that's true." said Wei Wuxian.

Young people were never too patient. They wouldn’t feel satisfied unless they talked back. Hearing this, an air of hostility appeared over Madam Yu’s forehead. Jiang Cheng hastened, “Wei WuXian, shut up!”

He turned to Madam Yu, “It’s not that we want to shoot kites in Lotus Pier but, right now, isn’t it that none of us are allowed to leave? The Wen Sect assigned all of the night-hunt areas to itself. Even if I wanted to nighthunt, there isn’t anywhere for me to go. To stay at home and not go outside to provoke or fight for prey with the Wen Sect—isn’t this what you yourself made clear to Father?”

"We can't leave the Lotus Pier?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"We survived?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"It's not like you're imprisoned." said Jin Zixuan.

"We are." said the twin prides.

Madam Yu smirked bitterly, “I’m afraid that this time, even if you don’t want to leave, you’ll have to anyway.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t understand. Madam Yu didn’t pay them any more attention and walked through the hallway, holding her chin high. The two maids behind her shot Wei WuXian fierce glares, and followed their mistress away.

"I don't like these maids." said Nie Huaisang.

"They can cut your throat quite easily." said Jiang Cheng.

"That's why I said that women are scary." he added.

When evening came, they finally understood what had been meant by ‘even if you don’t want to leave, you’ll have to anyway.’

It turned out that the QishanWen Sect had ordered for envoys to pass out messages. For the reason that other sects taught badly and wasted talent, the Wen Sect demanded all of the sects to each dispatch at least twenty disciples to Qishan within three days, so that they could let experts teach them.

"Really?" asked Lan Qiren as he gave Wen Rouhan a look.

"First, why not let the Wen Sect teach their disciples in a right way?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Will do." said Wen Rouhan.

"Fuqin?" asked Wen Xu.

"For the better." said Wen Rouhan.

Jiang Cheng was shocked, “The Wen Sect’s people really said this? They know no shame, do they?”

Wei WuXian, “Well, they think they’re the sun shining above all sects. It’s not the first time that the Wen Sect is so shameless. Taking advantage of their large sect and strong influence, it had been prohibiting the other sects from night-hunting ever since last year. Just how much prey, how much land has it stolen?”

"Rouhan." said Qingheng-jun.

"Why?" he asked.

"What do you mean why?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"That's not good. You're looking for enemies." said Qingheng-jun.

Jiang FengMian was sitting at the foremost seat, “Watch your words and eat.”

There were only five people within the large hall. In front of everyone was a small, square table, on top of which were a few dishes of food. Head lowered, Wei WuXian only had a few mouthfuls as somebody tugged at the corner of his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Jiang YanLi pass over a small dish. Inside the dish was a dozen peeled lotus seeds, soft and white, fresh and succulent.

Wei WuXian’s voice was soft, “Shijie, thank you.”

"Maiden Jiang is the only I like in this family." said a random cultivator.

"She's so calm and pretty." said a female cultivator.

"Can someone gave me a sibling like this?" asked a random cultivator.

"I also want to have one." said another cultivator.

Jiang YanLi smiled. Those somewhat mild features immediately lit up with color. Yu ZiYuan spoke coldly, “Eat? A few days after this, when they’re at Qishan, we won’t even know if they give them any food. Why not go a few meals hungry starting from now? Let them get used to it!”

"She have a point though." said Madam Jin.

"She can just say it in a calm way." said Qingheng-jun.

"Can you even imagine Yu Ziyuan speaking at such tone?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"That's impossible." he added.

This demand of the QishanWen Sect was one that they couldn’t turn down. Countless precedents could prove that if any sect dared defy their orders, it would be accused of strange things such as being ‘rebellious’ or ‘destructive.’ And, with these as reasons, they would wipe it out fair and square.

"Wen Rouhan." said Lan Qiren.

"I didn't do anything." said Wen Rouhan.

Some are glaring at the Wens.

Jiang FengMian replied in a lukewarm voice, “Why fret over it? No matter what comes in the future, today’s meal should still be eaten.”

Madam Yu was out of patience. She slammed the table, “I’m fretting? Of course I’m fretting! How can you still be so indifferent? Did you not hear what the person from the Wen Sect said? A mere maidservant dares to hold up her head before me! The twenty disciples that are sent must include a disciple from the clan. What does that mean? It means that between A-Cheng and A-Li, one of them must be included! Sent there to do what? To be taught? How each sect teaches their own disciples—since when is it the Wen Sect’s turn to meddle?! This is sending people for them to play with, for them to hold against us!”

"So this include the Jin Sect." said Madam Jin.

"I would've also fret for this." she added.

"Does Jiang Fengmian doesn't know how to calm his wife?" asked Jin Guangshan.

"Do you?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"Every madam has power against their husband after all." he added.

Jiang Cheng, “Mom, don’t be so angry. I’ll just go.”

Madam Yu scolded, “Of course you’ll go! Or else would your sister go? Look at her, still happily peeling lotus seeds. A-Li, stop peeling them. Who are you peeling them for? You’re the mistress, not somebody’s servant!”

"What's wrong with that? Maiden Jiang was just doing that for hus brother." said MianMian.

"Ask her." said Wen Rouhan.

Hearing the word ‘servant’, Wei WuXian didn’t mind much. He had finished all of the lotus seeds in the dish all at once, chewing as the soft, refreshing sweetness filled his mouth. Jiang FengMian, on the other hand, raised his head slightly, “My lady.”

Madam Yu, “What, something I said? Servant? You don’t want to hear the word? Jiang FengMian, let me ask you—this time, do you intend to let him go?”

"Do they know how to show respect when in front of the food? They shouldn't be talking like that." said Lan Qiren.

"People are different, Qiren." said Wen Rouhan.

Jiang FengMian, “It’s up to himself. He can go if he wants to.”

Wei WuXian raised his hand, “I want to go.”

Madam Yu laughed harshly, “How wonderful. He can go if he wants to. If he doesn’t want to, it’s definitely possible for him to stay. Why is it that A-Cheng has to go no matter what? Raising someone else’s child with such passion, Sect Leader Jiang, you really are a very nice person!”

"Just where is she coming from?" asked MianMian.

"Don't just blame her, why not question Jiang Fengmian's action too." said Wen Rouhan.

"Where in the first place, it's his fault." he added.

"Your silent can't help you, Fengmian." said Qingheng-jun.

Jiang Fengmian just smiled at him.

There was resentment within her heart. She simply wanted to let out the rage, even if it made no sense. All the rest were quiet as they endured her temper. Jiang FengMian, “My lady, you’re tired. Why don’t you go back and rest?”

Jiang Cheng sat still as he looked up at her, “Mom.”

Madam Yu stood up and mocked, “What do you want me to do? Like your father, you want me to hold my tongue? You really are an idiot. I’ve told you long ago that you’ll never in your whole life be able to surpass the one sitting beside you. Not over cultivation, not over night-hunting, even over shooting kites, you can’t surpass him! It can’t be helped. Who could change the fact that your mom is worse than another’s? Worse it is, then. Your mom feels injustice for you, tells you countless times not to fool around with him, yet you’re still defending him. Just how did I give birth to a son like you?!”

"Comparison is never an answer to a problem. No wonder the two brothers became enemies in the future." said Wen Rouhan.

"Ziyuan, don't ever do that again. You're not helping your son instead you making him down." said Madam Jin.

"You're putting more insecurities on him." she added.

"Seems like you two need a council on how to take good care of children." said Wen Rouhan referring to the Jiang couple.

She walked out, alone, leaving Jiang Cheng sitting there, his complexion switching between purple and pale. Jiang YanLi quietly put a dish of already-peeled lotus seeds on his table.

"I pity your son. He's the one who is affected by all of it." said Wen Rouhan.

"How can he succeed when you two keep taking him down?" asked Lan Qiren.

"If you won't change your ways then better let the two of them to be with my nephews where they are for sure safe and taken care of." he added.

Having sat for a while, Jiang FengMian spoke up, “Tonight, I’ll count eighteen more people. You’ll depart together next day.”

Jiang Cheng nodded, hesitant on whether or not he should say anything else. He never knew how to converse with his father, while Wei WuXian was proficient. Finishing his soup, he replied, “Uncle Jiang, don’t you have anything to give us?”

"Isn't it bad when your own son doesn't know how to talk to you?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"Do you even gave him an attention a father should give to his son?" he added.

"If you don't like Yu Ziyuan then you should go against your family about it than making a life that will end up miserable." he added.

"You don't know the full story, Wen