Jiang Cheng, “You…”
Before he could finish speaking, Wei WuXian had quickly tied the ribbon over his eyes to cover his sight. He positioned his arrow, drew his bow, and released—it hit!
The series of actions was both smooth and fast. The others didn’t even realize what he wanted to do. They couldn’t even see his movements clearly before the center of the target had been pierced through. After a moment of silence, overwhelming cheers rang throughout the watching towers, with even greater intensity than those for Jin ZiXuan.
The corners of Wei WuXian’s lips curved slightly. Spinning the bow within his hands, he tossed it back. On the other hand, as Jin ZiXun saw how his popularity now surpassed Jin ZiXuan’s, he snorted loudly. It seemed that he was displeased on both the outside and the inside. He spoke again, “This is only the opening archery event, and you’re onto such ostentatious things. You have your eyes covered right now, but can you keep them covered throughout the entire hunt? Later, on Phoenix Mountain, we can show our real abilities and see who’s really the better one!”
Wei WuXian, “Sure.”
Jin ZiXun waved his hand, “Let’s go!”
All of his cultivators rushed forward, as though they wanted to be the first ones inside to have the first chance and quickly take all of the high level prey. As Jin GuangShan saw that his riding formation was rather well-trained, he was quite proud. Seeing that Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng were still on their horses, he smiled, “Sect Leader Jiang, Young Master Wei, what, you aren’t entering the mountain yet? Watch out that ZiXun might steal all of the prey.”
Wei WuXian, “No need for the hurry. He won’t be able to.”
Everyone around them paused in surprise. As Jin GuangShan pondered over what ‘he won’t be able to’ meant, he saw Wei WuXian dismount his horse and tell Jiang Cheng, “You can go first.”
Jiang Cheng, “Take it easy. Back down when it’s good enough.”
Wei WuXian waved his hand. Drawing his reins, Jiang Cheng led the YunmengJiang Sect’s people away.
Wei WuXian, with his eyes covered, walked with leisure in the direction of Phoenix Mountain’s path of entry. It was as if he wasn’t here to hunt, but rather strolling around his own sect’s garden.
The crowd grew confused. Could it be that he really wasn’t going to take off the ribbon over his eyes until the hunt ended? How could he participate in the hunt like this?
They looked at one another. In the end, they felt that it was none of their business and would simply be a good show to watch. Each of them set off.
As Wei WuXian walked for sometime, he finally found a spot deep into Phoenix Mountain that was comfortable for resting.
It was a branch that was extremely thick, growing out of a tree trunk that was even thicker, blocking his path. Wei WuXian slapped the dry, wrinkled bark a couple of times. He felt that it was quite sturdy and easily hopped up.
The noise of the watching towers had long since been blocked from the mountain’s forests. Wei WuXian leaned against the tree. Under the black fabric, he closed his eyes. The sunlight poured onto his face through in between the leaves.
He held up Chenqing and blew into it, fingers shifting. The clear sound of the flute rushed into the sky as though it was a bird, lingering as it echoed through the mountain.
As he played his flute, Wei WuXian dangled one of his legs down and swayed it softly. The tip of his boots brushed against the grass under the tree. He didn’t mind that it was dampened by the dew on the blades of the grass.
After the song finished, Wei WuXian crossed his arms and leaned against the tree in a more comfortable position. The flute was between his arms, while the flower was still at his chest, emitting a crisp, quiet fragrance.
He didn’t know how long he had been sitting for. He had almost fallen asleep when he woke up with a start.
Somebody was approaching.
But the person had no killing intent. Thus, he remained slanted over the tree, too lazy to get up. He didn’t even have the energy to take off the ribbon over his eyes. He only tilted his head.
A few moments later, having received no answer, Wei WuXian couldn’t help from speaking up voluntarily, “You’re here for the hunt?”
The person didn’t answer.
Wei WuXian, “You won’t be able to get anything good from around me.”
The person was still silent, but walked a few steps closer.
Now, Wei WuXian’s spirits were lifting. Most cultivators were somewhat afraid when they saw him. They didn’t really dare approach him even when many people were around, much less being in the same place as him alone and even approaching. If not for how there was no killing intent on the person, Wei WuXian would definitely think that they had hidden intent. He straightened up his body a little and tilted his head, looking in their direction. Curling his lips, he smiled. Just as he was about to say something, he was suddenly pushed forcefully.
Wei WuXian’s back smashed against the tree. Just as his right hand was about to pull off the ribbon, his wrist was twisted back. The force was quite strong; he couldn’t even struggle out of it, but there was still no killing intent. Wei WuXian’s left sleeve shifted. As he was about to shake out the talismans, the person noticed his intent and caught him like before. They pressed both of his hands onto the tree, movements stiff. Wei WuXian raised his leg and was about to kick when he felt a warmth on his lips. He immediately froze.
The touch felt both strange and unfamiliar, moist and warm. In the beginning, Wei WuXian couldn’t even understand what was going on. His mind went entirely blank. When he finally realized, he was shocked.
This person, holding his wrists back, was pressing him onto the tree and kissing him.
He suddenly struggled, wanting to fight out of it and pull away the ribbon, but he failed. He wanted to move again, but he somehow stopped himself.
The person kissing him seemed to be shaking softly.
Wei WuXian couldn’t struggle anymore.
He thought to himself, It seems that even if the maiden is quite strong, her personality is both fearful and easily embarrassed? She’s already so nervous. Or else, she wouldn’t have chosen to sneak up to him at such a time. She probably mustered up all of the courage she could find inside of her. Besides, it seemed that her cultivation wasn’t low, meaning that her self-esteem was even higher. If he pulled off the ribbon and accidentally saw her, how ashamed would the maiden feel?
The two sets of thin lips turned from side to side, careful yet inseparable. Wei WuXian hadn’t even decided what to do when the soft lips suddenly became aggressive. Wei WuXian’s teeth weren’t clenched, allowing the other to intrude inside. He was suddenly powerless. He felt that it was a bit difficult to breathe, wanting to turn his head away, but the other person squeezed his face and turned it back. Between the swirls of the lips and the tongues, he felt dizzy as well, until the other finally bit down on his lower lip. After a moment of lingering, the lips finally left reluctantly, and he finally managed to recover.
From the kiss, Wei WuXian’s entire body felt limp. Energy came into his arms only after he leaned against the tree for some more time.
Raising his hand, he ripped the ribbon away only to be stung by the glare of the sudden sunlight. He finally managed to open his eyes, but nothing was around him. Bushes, trees, grasses, vines—no second person.