Having come to the conclusion that Wei WuXian was only in a temporary state of unconsciousness due to extreme fatigue and anger, Lan WangJi finally tore his gaze away. He saw that Wen Ning held something in his hands and passed it to Jiang Cheng. Zidian, in Jiang Cheng’s right hand, glowed so bright that it was almost white, its light surging alongside the killing intent within him. He laughed from the rage, “What do you want?”
The object was Wei WuXian’s sword, Suibian. On the way, Wei WuXian tossed it everywhere due to it being too much of a hassle. In the end, he left it in Wen Ning’s care. Wen Ning held it as he spoke, “Pull it out.”
His tone was firm, and his eyes determined. He had nothing of his previously blank look left.
Jiang Cheng, “I warn you. If you don’t want to be turned to ashes once more, then immediately move your feet off of Lotus Pier’s soil. Leave!”
Wen Ning was almost thrusting the sword hilt into his chest. His voice soared, “Do it. Pull it out!”
Annoyance swelled in Jiang Cheng. His heart pounded without a reason. For whatever reason, he really did do as Wen Ning said. He held Suibian’s hilt with his left hand and pulled on it hard.
A white, glaring blade was removed from its plain hilt!
Jiang Cheng stared down at the glimmering sword in his hand. He only realized after a few moments.
The sword was Suibian, Wei WuXian’s sword. After the siege at Burial Mound, it was collected as a battle trophy by the LanlingJin Sect’s people. It’d long since sealed itself. Of those who saw it later, not a single one was able to pull it out.
But why could he do it? Did the sword lift its seal?
Wen Ning, “It’s not that the sword lifted its seal! Even now, it’s still sealed. If you put it back into its sheath and ask someone else to unsheath it, nobody would be able to pull it out.”
The chaotic confusion within Jiang Cheng could be seen shown on his face, “Then why could I pull it out?”
Wen Ning, “Because the sword took you as Young Master Wei.”
Carrying the unconscious Wei WuXian on his back, Lan WangJi stood up.
Jiang Cheng shouted, “What do you mean the sword took me as Wei WuXian? How?! Why would it be me?!”
Wen Ning’s voice was even harsher, “Because the golden core that is revolving inside you right now is his!”
Chapter 89: Loyalty—Part Eleven
Translated by K of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Only after pausing blankly for a long while did Jiang Cheng finally shout, “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
Wen Ning seemed to be composed, “It’s not nonsense.”
Jiang Cheng, “Shut up! My core was… My core was…”
Wen Ning, “Was mended by BaoShan SanRen.”
Jiang Cheng, “How do you know? He even told you about this?”
Wen Ning, “He didn’t. Young Master Wei never mentioned it to anyone. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Jiang Cheng’s eyes were bloodshot as he laughed, “Liar! You were there? How could you have been there?! I was the only one who went up the mountain; you couldn’t have followed me!”
Wen Ning, “I didn’t follow you. I’d been on the mountain ever since the beginning.”
Veins lined Jiang Cheng’s forehead, “… Liar!”
Wen Ning, “Just listen and see if I’m lying! You had a piece of black cloth over your eyes when you went up the mountain. You were holding a long branch in your hand. You passed a stone forest when you were about to reach the top and you only managed to go around it after almost an entire hour.”
The muscles on Jiang Cheng’s face twitched slightly. Wen Ning continued, “And then you heard bell chimes. The chimes sent a flock of birds flying away. You held the branch tight in your hand, like holding a sword. When the bell chimes stopped, a sword was pressed against the center of your chest. You heard a woman’s voice, ordering you to stop going forward.”
Jiang Cheng’s entire body started to tremble as Wen Ning raised his voice, “You immediately stopped in your tracks, looking extremely nervous, almost a bit excited. The woman’s voice was very low. She asked you whom you were and how you found this place. You answered…”
Jiang Cheng roared, “Shut up!”
Wen Ning roared as well, “… You answered, you were Wei Ying, son of CangSe SanRen*! You talked about the destruction of your sect, the pandemonium at Lotus Pier, and that your golden core was dissolved by Wen ZhuLiu, the Core-Melting Hand. The woman asked you questions about your parents over and over again, and when you answered the last question, you suddenly caught the scent of something fragrant before you lost consciousness…”
*pronunciation change due to audio drama pronouncing it cang instead of zang.
Jiang Cheng seemed almost as if he was about to cover his ears with his hands, “Why do you know? How do you know?!”
Wen Ning, “Haven’t I told you already? I was right there, but not only that, Young Master Wei was there as well. Apart from us, there was also my sister, Wen Qing. In other words, on the entire mountain, we three were the only ones waiting for you.”
“Sect Leader Jiang, did you really think that it was the secluded residence of some… some BaoShan SanRen? Young Master Wei himself didn’t know where on Earth to find such a place either. His mother CangSe SanRen never revealed anything about where her teacher was to that young of a child! The mountain was nothing more than one of Yiling’s barren peaks!”
Shouting his voice hoarse, Jiang Cheng repeated the same things again and again, as if to use the malicious expression to conceal his sudden lack of words, “Nonsense! That’s fucking enough! Then why was my core mended?!”
Wen Ning, “Your core was never mended in the first place. It’d long since been completely melted by Wen ZhuLiu! The reason you thought it was mended was that my sister Wen Qing, the best medic of the QishanWen Sect, cut out Young Master Wei’s golden core and replaced yours with it!”
Jiang Cheng’s face was completely blank for a moment, “Replaced mine with it?”
Wen Ning, “That’s right! Why do you think he never used Suibian again and never carried it with him when he went out? Was it really because of some youthful arrogance? Could he have really enjoyed it when others said that he was impolite and lacked discipline, whether behind his back or not? It was because even if he carried it, there’d be no use! It was only because… if he carried his sword to those banquets and night-hunts, there’d definitely be people asking to duel him for whatever reasons. And he, without his golden core, was deprived of spiritual energy. If he used his sword, he wouldn’t be able to last long at all…”
Jiang Cheng stood blankly. His eyes glowed green. His lips quivered. He even forgot to use Zidian. Suddenly, he threw Suibian down and struck hard against Wen Ning’s chest with his hand, shouting, “Liar!”
Wen Ning staggered a few steps back from the force. He picked up Suibian, put it back inside its sheath, and shoved it into Jiang Cheng’s arms again, “Take it!”
Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but to take the sword. He didn’t move. Instead, at a loss as to what to do, he looked across at where Wei WuXian was. It was fine when he didn’t look, but now that he looked, Wei WuXian’s feeble appearance—pale-faced, blood still at the corners of his lips—hit his heart as though it were a hammer. Lan WangJi’s eyes chilled the air around his body, making it feel like a cave of ice.