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Lan XiChen breathed in the calming breeze as he and Lan WangJi strolled in the outer courtyard of Koi Tower in Lanling. Endless sea of Sparks Amidst Snow surrounded them.

The young Sect Leader swept his hand over one of the white flowers, its petals in full bloom as the motion was so gentle that not even a single dewdrop fell. "WangJi, is there something on your mind? You've been tense ever since you came back from your trip to Yunmeng."

Lan WangJi's brows furrowed worriedly as he stared at his brother's serene face. "Xiongzhang, you...really love Wei Gu-Niang, don't you?"

Lan XiChen was immediately caught off guard by the question as his face burned up. He coughed timidly. "Of course. A-Yang is my fated one. The one I want to spend my entire life with." Then a big grin grew on the older Lan's face. "I love her so much."

Lan WangJi blinked. He knew ever since they were children and their mother sadly passed away, Lan XiChen would always take care of him and Lan ChunTao. His older brother was the pillar for them since they were young. One of the few who could read his emotions so easily.

"Would you do anything to keep her safe, Xiongzhang?" Lan WangJi inquired.

"Anything. No matter what, I will stay by her side." Lan XiChen replied without a single pause.

Suddenly, a loud voice spoke in front of them. "Is this a road that someone like you can walk on? Who let you roam around!"

"I'm sorry. I..." a soft voice came right after.

Both of the Lan brothers looked up to see that the one who scolded someone was Jin ZiXun with a few servants and cultivators behind him while the one being scolded was a white-robed young man.

When the latter spotted the brothers, his face went pale immediately and he couldn't continue with the things he wanted to say.

As Jin ZiXun kept up with his haughty attitude, Jin GuangYao came to the rescue just in time and went to the white-robed man. "The paths of Koi Tower are rather intricate. Su-Gongzi, it's not your fault that you got lost. You can come with me." He explained.

Jin ZiXun then sneered at Jin GuangYao before he walked around them.

"You know me?" The white-robed man asked hestiantly.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I? Haven't we met each other once? Su-Gongzi, Su MinShan, your Swordsmanship is quite good. I've been thinking ever since the hunt at Phoenix Mountain about what a pity it'd be if such a young talent didn't come to our sect. In the end, though, he did come to our sect. I was over the moon with joy. This way, please?"

Lan XiChen glanced at his brother, who've met his eyes, before they decided to go inside now. Both of them were led to their assigned seats where their younger sister, Lan ChunTao, was already seated. "Xiongzhang, Dada." She greeted, smiling up at them as they sat on each side of her.

"I hope you are well, ChunTao." Lan XiChen smiled back before he looked down at his table. Seeing that there were no liquor cups, instead it was a teacup and a few fresh, dainty dishes laid out on the small tables.

"Oh Xiongzhang, Dada. I was invited by A-Qiao and a couple of the other maidens for a stroll in the garden so I'll be going now." Lan ChunTao informed as she went to get up.

"Alright, have fun." Lan XiChen replied while Lan WangJi nodded as the brothers watched their sister went off.

However, the calmness that surrounded the Lans was quickly interrupted as an all familiar master dressed in the yellow robe of Sparks Amidst Snow approached them with one liquor cup in each hand. "Lan-Zongzhu, HanGuang-Jun, a toast to each of you!" It was Jin ZiXun, of course.

Knowing that the Lans does not liked liquor, Jin GuangYao hurriedly went over. "ZiXun, both ZeWu-Jun and HanGuang-Jun grew up in Cloud Recesses. There are over three thousand rules on their stone wall. Instead of asking them to drink, why not..."

"The Jin Sect and the Lan Sect have always been like families. We're all the same. My two Lan brothers, if you don't drink this, you'd be looking down on me!" Jin ZiXun proclaimed, disregarding Jin GuangYao's words in the process.

Obviously, his followers immediately admired the man.

"What a bold move!"

"That's just how an esteemed cultivator should act!"

Jin GuangYao kept up with his kind smile, though he does let out a sigh under his breath and rubbed his temples.

Lan XiChen, seeing one of his sworn brothers' distress, stood up to decline the offer.

However, Jin ZiXun continued with his pestering. "Don't say anything. Lan-Zongzhu, our two sects aren't strangers to each other. Don't deal with me like how you deal with strangers! Just tell me one thing — are you drinking it or not?"

The smile on Jin GuangYao's face began to twitch. "After this, they'll return on their swords. Drinking would probably affect their-."

"It's not like they'd get drunk with just a few cups. Even if I drank eight large bowls, I'd still be able to fly away!" Jin ZiXun proclaimed.

Lan XiChen frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the situation at hand as the cheers from Jin ZiXun's followers filled the room. His eyes narrowed at the cups of liquor as he went to decline the offer again when a petite hand swiped one of the cups away.

"I'll drink it for them so will you finally be satisfied now?" A taunting voice cut in as every eyes went on the person in black robes with white locks flowing behind her back and the all familiar charcoal-black flute hanging on her waist. With a lift of her head, she drank all of the liquor before showing the empty bottom to Jin ZiXun.

"A-Yang." Lan XiChen gasped, relieved to see his beloved here in front of him.

"When did she come?!" Someone in the crowds exclaimed.

Wei WuHui chuckled as she put down the cup before pulling out her signature pipe. "Just a moment ago."

But, just a moment ago, nobody clearly notified the hall of her arrival. It was a bewilderment at the fact that not a single person noticed the dark maiden slipping in the Glamor Hall.

The crowd couldn't help but shiver in fear at the mere power of her abilities.

"I wasn't aware of Wei Gu-Niang's arrival at Koi Tower. The lack of a welcome was my fault. Would you like to be seated? Oh, right — do you have an invitation?" Jin GuangYao asked.

Wei WuHui exhaled a puff nonchalantly. "No thanks. I don't," she then looked toward Jin ZiXun. "Jin-Gongzi, could I please have a word with you?"

Jin ZiXun huffed. "If you have anything to say, come after our banquet is over."

The maiden raised a brow in annoyance as she noticed the man wasn't too eager in wanting to talk to her. "How long do I have to wait?" She asked.

"Probably around six to eight hours. Or maybe ten to twelve. Or until tomorrow." Jin ZiXun stated.

"I'm afraid I can't wait for that long." Wei WuHui frowned.

Jin ZiXun smirked as he replied in his usual arrogant tone. "You'll have to wait even if you can't."

"Wei Gu-Niang, what do you need ZiXun for? Is it a pressing matter?" Jin GuangYao asked.

"Very pressing. It allows for no delay." Wei WuHui stated.

Seemingly ignoring her, Jin ZiXun then turned back to Lan XiChen, holding up the other cup. "Lan-Zongzhu, here, here. You haven't drunk the cup yet!"

Lan XiChen frowned, subtly backing away as again, his beloved moved in front of him to hide him away from the alcohol. Her lips curled up in a cold smile. "Fine. Then I'll talk about it right here. Jin-Gongzi, have you heard of someone by the name of Wen Ning?"

"Wen Ning? I haven't." Jin ZiXun replied.

"Oh you definitely remembered him. Last month, when you were night-hunting in the area of Ganquan, you chased an eight-winged bat king to the gathering place, or the detention camp, of the Wen Sect's remnants and brought a group of the Wen Sect's disciples. The one in the lead was him." Wei WuHui explained.

"I don't remember, which means I don't remember. I'm not so idle as to go out of my way to remember a Wen dog's name." Jin ZiXun sneered.

"Fine. I don't mind explaining it in greater detail. You couldn't catch the bat king and happened to run into a few of the Wen Sect's disciples who were there to investigate the same thing. And so, you threatened them to carry spirit-attraction flags to be your bait. They didn't dare do it. One person stepped out and tried to reason with you. That's the Wen Ning I'm talking about. After some delay, the bat king got away so you went and beat them up before taking them away by force, and the group disappeared. Do I need to say any more details? They still haven't returned yet. Apart from you, I don't know who in the world I could possibly ask." Wei WuHui explained.

"Wei WuHui, what do you mean? You came for him? Are you standing up for a Wen dog right now?" Jin ZiXun scoffed.

This made the maiden chuckle. "Since when is it your business whether I'd like to stand up for him or cut his head off? Just hand him over to me!"

At the last sentence, clearly Wei WuHui had lost her patience with Jin ZiXun as her eyes were on the border of glowing red.

Many people in the Glamour Hall shuddered in fear.

"Wei WuHui, you are too bold! Did the Lanling Jin Sect invite you today? And you dare run wild here. Do you really think that you're invincible, that nobody has the courage to confront you? Do you want to overturn the Heavens?" Jin ZiXun proclaimed angrily.

"Oh, you're comparing yourself to the Heavens? Excuse my language, but your face is a little too thick, isn't it?" Wei WuHui smirked.

This made Jin ZiXun's cheeks flushed with rage and humiliation.

Then, a new voice spoke up. "It's not anything too important anyways. You youngsters, why lose your tempers over such a thing? However, Wei Gu-Niang, let me be fair here. Barging in when the Lanling Jin Sect is holding a private banquet is indeed inappropriate."

Jin GuangShan did not take to heart when the incident at Phoenix Mountain happened as he simply smiled when Jin ZiXun bickered with Wei WuHui, didn't raise a hand to stop them, and only spoke up when Jin ZiXun was at the disadvantage.

Wei WuHui cleared her throat, turning her body to face the Sect Leader as she saluted to him. "Jin-Zongzhu, it was never my intention to disturb your private banquet. My apologies. However, the whereabouts of the people whom Jin-Gongzi took are still unclear. Just a moment of delay, and it might be too late. One of the group had once saved and helped me before. I will definitely not sit back and watch. Please do not feel pressured. I will make amends for this at a later date."

"Whatever it is, it must be able to wait a little longer. Come, come, sit down first and let's talk about it with no rush." Jin GuangShan offered.

With that said, Jin GuangYao had already arranged a new seat for the maiden.

"Thank you, Jin-Zongzhu. However, I won't stay for long. The issue can't be delayed. Please let this be sorted out as soon as possible." Wei WuHui stated sternly.

"There's no need for hurry. If we break things down, there are indeed a few things between that haven't been accounted for yet, things that can't be delayed. Now that you're here, how about we use this time to sort thoee things out as well?" Jin GuangShan inquired.

Hearing this, Wei WuHui raised a brow. "Oh, account for what?"

"Wei Gu-Niang, we've brought this up a couple of times with you before. You haven't forgotten, have you? During the Sunshot Campaign, you had once used a certain object." Jin GuangShan began.

Realisation appeared across the maiden's face. "Oh. Now that you've mentioned it, you did do that. The Stygian Tiger Amulet, you mean?"

"It is said that the Stygian Tiger Amulet was casted from the iron of a sword that you acquired in the cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter after your Gege told you what he saw in there. Back then, you used it on the battlefield once. Its powers were horrifying, it causes even a few of our own cultivators to be affected by its residual force-."

"Please get to the point." Wei WuHui smiled coldly as she interrupted the Sect Leader's words.

Jin GuangShan cleared his throat. "This is the point. In the battle, apart from the Wen Sect, our sides undertook great losses as well. In my opinion, such weapon is quite difficult to be controlled. For it to be in the hands of just a single person might be..."

Before he could finish the whole thing, he was again interrupted by the maiden as Wei WuHui suddenly laughed.

After a few moment of laughing, Wei WuHui then turned to Jin GuangShan with a close-eyed smile. "Jin-Zongzhu, let me ask you something else. Do you think that because the Qishan Wen Sect is gone...the Lanling Jin Sect has all the rights to replace it?"

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(Please correct my translation if I'm wrong and the GIFs and pictures used in this chapter does not belong to me, but their rightful owners)