Her companion replied, “Looks like it’s true that no matter what you’re good at, it’s all fine as long as you have a good background. She’s clearly just so-so…”
The person in white frowned slightly. Fortunately, the somewhat sour comment was quickly overcome by a louder voice, “The LanlingJin Sect really does deserve its reputation. Even a baby who’s just been born a few days gets such a grand display.”
“Don’t you remember whom the baby’s parents are? Could they really be sloppy over it? It was not only that Young Madam Jin’s husband refuses to be sloppy. If the display was just a tad bit smaller, her mother-in-law, her younger brother—which of the two would’ve allowed it? In the full-month celebration a few days later, it could only be even more extravagant.”
“Speaking of it, have you heard of how it’s said that to this full-month celebration… a certain somebody was invited?”
“Who is it?”
“Wei WuXian!”
A momentary silence suddenly fell upon the Treasure Pavilion.
Someone exclaimed, “Really… I thought that was only rumor. Was he really invited?!”
“Yes! It was confirmed in the past couple of days. Wei WuXian will be going.”
Someone else aired their shock, “Just what did the LanlingJin Sect think it was doing? Have they forgotten about the number of innocent people Wei WuXian killed in Qiongqi Path?”
“Who’d dare go to Jin Ling’s full-month celebration now that such a person is invited? Anyways, I definitely won’t go no matter what.”
After this, quite many of the crowd secretly mocked, You aren’t even qualified enough to be invited, and now you’re worried about going or not?
The person in white raised his brows. After he had chosen, he walked out of the Treasure Pavilion.
A few strides later, he walked into a small alleyway. A black-clothed figure appeared, “Young Master, are you done with the purchase?”
Wei WuXian tossed to him the delicate sandalwood box that he was holding. Wen Ning caught it and opened it to see a tassel pendant that hung a piece of white jade. The jade was translucent. In it, soft light flowed as though it was alive.
He beamed, “It’s so pretty!”
Wei WuXian, “The pretty little thing wasn’t cheap at all. Your sister’s money almost wasn’t enough for buying this after a new outfit. I don’t have a single coin left anyways. I’ll just wait for the scolding when we get back.”
Wen Ning hurried, “No, no. Young Master is buying a present for Maiden Jiang’s child. Sister won’t scold you.”
Wei WuXian, “Mark your words. When she scolds me, remember to help out a bit.”
Wen Ning nodded before adding, “Young Master Jin Ling would definitely like this gift a lot.”
However, Wei WuXian replied, “It’s not like this is the present I’m giving him. It’s only a small accessory. Those things in the Treasure Pavilion—what do they have except for looks?”
Wen Ning paused in surprise, “Then Young Master, what gift did you prepare?”
Wei WuXian, “The will of the Heavens shall not be grasped by mortals.”
Wen Ning, “Oh.”
He really did stop asking. However, after holding it in for a while, Wei WuXian couldn’t take it any longer himself, “Wen Ning, shouldn’t you keep on asking with utmost curiosity and persistence? How could you really stop asking after just an ‘oh’? Don’t you want to know what the present is???”
Wen Ning stared at him blankly. He finally realized, “… I do! Young Master! What gift did you prepare?”
Wei WuXian finally took out small wooden box from inside of his sleeve. He shook it in front of Wen Ning and smiled. Wen Ning took it over and opened it before exclaiming, “What an impressive bell!”
The ‘impressive’ didn’t refer to the intricacy of its craftsmanship, although the purity of its silver and the strikingly vivid nine-petaled lotus carved onto its body could almost be considered the peak of perfection in their craft. What made Wen Ning exclaim, however, was the amount of power held inside of such a small bell.
Wen Ning, “Young Master, is this what you’ve been making for the past month or so, when you were shutting yourself in the Cave on days upon end?”
Wei WuXian, “That’s right. As long as that nephew of mine carries this bell around, not a single creature whose level is just a bit too low can even think about getting close to him. You can’t touch it. It’ll probably leave you affected for some time as well if you do.”
Wen Ning nodded, “I can feel it.”
Wei WuXian took the tassel pendant and hung it to the silver bell. The two, when put together, looked extremely pleasing to the eye. He was quite satisfied with it.
Wen Ning, “But, since you’ll be attending Young Master Jin Ling’s full month celebration, Young Master, you have to hold it back when you see Maiden Jiang’s husband. Don’t clash with him…”
Wei WuXian waved his hand, “You can relax about this. I know what to do and not do. For the sake of Jin ZiXuan having invited me, I won’t badmouth him for the entire year.”
Wen Ning scratched his head, embarrassed, “Last time, when Young Master Jin told people to present you with the invitation at the bottom of Burial Mound, I thought that it had to be a trap. And then it happened to be a misunderstanding. It really was unfair to him. I couldn’t tell before, but in reality, Young Master Jin is a nice person as well…”
At noon, the two passed Qiongqi Path on their way.
After its re-establishment, it had been a long time since Qiongqi Path was renamed. Wei WuXian didn’t know what it was called right now either. It seemed that others couldn’t remember either, and so most of the time it was still called the Qiongqi Path. At first, neither of the two noticed anything different. But when they reached the middle of the valley, Wei WuXian begin to feel that something was not quite right.
There shouldn’t be so few passerbys.
Wei WuXian, “Is anything wrong?”
Wen Ning rolled out his eye whites. A moment later, he let down his pupils again, “No. It’s so quiet.”
Wei WuXian, “It really is a bit too quiet.”
He couldn’t even catch a single sliver of the inhuman noises that he had always been able to hear.
Wei WuXian was instantly alarmed, whispering, “Let’s go!”
Just as he turned around, Wen Ning raised his hand to catch something.
It was a fletched arrow that came right for the middle of Wei WuXian’s chest!
Wei WuXian abruptly looked up. Many people emerged from countless hiding corners on both sides of the valley. There were over three hundred of them. Most wore robes of Sparks Amidst Snow, although some wore other uniforms as well. All of them carried bows on their backs and swords at their waists, clad in armor and full of vigilance. With the mountains and other people as defense, the tips of all swords and arrows were pointed at him. The fletched arrow that was the first to come at Wei WuXian was shot by the one leading the crowd. The man had a large build and darkish skin. His handsome features seemed somewhat familiar.
Wei WuXian, “Who are you?”
The man was originally going to give a few words, having shot the arrow. However, with such a question, he forgot about all that at once, fuming, “You dare to ask who I am? I am Jin ZiXun!”