Jin ZiXun regarded Jin GuangYao with much aversion. He thought that his background was lowly and was ashamed to be of one clan as him. He interrupted, “The Jin Sect and the Lan Sect have always been like one family. We’re all the same. My two Lan brothers, if you don’t drink this, you’d be looking down on me!”
On the side, a few of his followers all praised, “What a bold move!”
“That’s just how an esteemed cultivator should act!”
Jin GuangYao continued to smile, though he sighed under his breath, rubbing his temples. Lan XiChen stood up, wanting to decline the offer politely. Jin ZiXun continued to pester, turning to Lan XiChen, “Don’t say anything. Sect Leader Lan, 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 corners of Jin GuangYao’s smile were starting to twitch. He glanced at Lan XiChen, eyes full of apology. He tried to speak gently, “After this, they’ll return on their swords. Drinking would probably affect their…”
Jin ZiXun thought nothing of this, “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!”
A wave of cheers came from all around them. Lan WangJi was still sitting, staring coldly at the cup of liquor that Jin ZiXun forced into his sight. He looked as if he was about to speak when a hand suddenly took over the cup of liquor.
Lan WangJi paused in surprise, his knitted eyebrows unravelling at once. He looked up.
What first reflected against his pupils were black robes. A flute hung at the waist, tassels in the color of blood dangling off one end. The person who came stood with hands against his back. With a lift of his head, he drank all of the liquor and showed the empty bottom to Jin ZiXun, “I drank it for him. You satisfied yet?”
Laughter clung to both his eyes and his words. Handsome features accentuated his slender physique.
Lan XiChen, “Young Master Wei.”
Someone exclaimed in a hushed tone, “When did he come?!”
Wei WuXian put down the cup. With one hand, he fixed his lapel, “Just a moment ago.”
Just a moment ago? But, just a moment ago, clearly nobody notified the room, much less greeted him. Although surprising, it was true that not a single person noticed when he managed to slip into Glamor Hall. The crowd couldn’t help but shiver in disgust at the mere power of his abilities.
Jin GuangYao was quick to react, his enthusiasm still warm, “I wasn’t aware of Young Master Wei’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?”
Wei WuXian didn’t make small talk either, getting straight to the point, “No thanks. I don’t.” He nodded slightly at Jin ZiXun, “Young Master Jin, could I please have a word with you?”
Jin ZiXun, “If you have anything to say, come after our banquet is over.”
In reality, he didn’t want to talk to Wei WuXian at all. Wei WuXian could see this as well, “How long do I have to wait?”
Jin ZiXun, “Probably around six to eight hours. Or maybe ten to twelve. Or until tomorrow.”
Wei WuXian, “I’m afraid I can’t wait for that long.”
Jin ZiXun’s voice was arrogant, “You’ll have to wait even if you can’t.”
Jin GuangYao, “Young Master Wei, what do you need ZiXun for? Is it a pressing matter?”
Wei WuXian, “Pressing indeed. It allows for no delay.”
Jin ZiXun turned to Lan XiChen, holding up the other cup, “Sect Leader Lan, here, here. You haven’t drunk this cup yet!”
Seeing him stall purposely, a dark cloud flashed before his face. He narrowed his eyes, the corners of his lips curling up, “Fine. Then I’ll talk about it right here. Young Master Jin, have you heard of someone by the name of Wen Ning?”
Jin ZiXun, “Wen Ning? I haven’t.”
Wei WuXian, “You definitely remember 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.”
After the Sunshot Campaign, the QishanWen Sect was destroyed. The territory that it was expanding was shared among the other sects. The Ganquan area was appointed to the LanlingJin Sect. As for the remnants of the Wen Sect, they were herded into a small corner of Qishan, not even a thousandth the territory it onced owned. They were crammed into the place and struggled to live.
Jin ZiXun, “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.”
Wei WuXian, “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. You beat up the Wen cultivators, took 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.”
Jin ZiXun, “Wei WuXian, what do you mean? You came for him? You aren’t standing up for a Wen-dog, are you?”
Wei WuXian wore a broad grin, “Since when is it your business whether I’d like to stand up for him or cut his head off? Just give him to me!”
At the last sentence, the grin on his face vanished. His tone turned cold as well. It was clear that he had lost his patience. Many of the people within Glamor Hal shivered in fear. Jin ZiXun felt his scalp tingle as well. Yet, his anger soon soared. He shouted, “Wei WuXian, you are too bold! Did the LanlingJin 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?”
Wei WuXian smiled, “You’re comparing yourself to the Heavens? Excuse my language, but your face is a little too thick, isn’t it?”
Although in his heart, Jin ZiXun had already begun to think of the LanlingJin Sect as the new Heavens, he too knew that his words were too rash. His cheeks flushed slightly. Just as he was about to rebut, sitting on the foremost seat, Jin GuangShan spoke up.
His voice seemed kind, “It’s not anything too important anyways. You youngsters, why lose your tempers over such a thing? However, Young Master Wei, let me be fair here. Barging in when the LanlingJin Sect is holding a private banquet is indeed inappropriate.”
To say that Jin GuangShan didn’t mind what happened at Phoenix Mountain would be impossible. This was also why he only smiled when Jin ZiXun bickered with Wei WuXian but didn’t stop them, and only spoke up when Jin ZiXun was at the disadvantage.
Wei WuXian nodded, “Sect Leader Jin, it was never my intention to disturb your private banquet. My apologies. However, the whereabouts of the people whom Young Master Jin took are still unclear. Just a moment of delay, and it might be too late. One of the group had once saved 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.”