Going to Yunmeng

"You'll surely have fun there" Chun rolls her eyes "Not as fun when you're not around" Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes "Yeah because trouble is fun and he is trouble itself"

"Take care Lady Jie" surprisingly Lan Wangji saw her off, she nods "I will, I'll make sure to send a letter once I arrive there"

When Jie Chun arrived, at the dock Jiang Fengmian stood with a smile and beside him was a young maiden "You must be famished from such a long travel, you're just in time for lunch" the sector leader begins to walk as the two young lady falls a little behind

"I'm Jiang Yanli, I've heard so much about you" she softly giggles 'So this is the shijie Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng always talks about...she does indeed have a pleasant aura around her' she smiled at her "Wei Wuxian must've been bombarding you with letters then"

"It-... Nevermind, come and meet mom" They arrived at the hall where Yu Ziyuan was already seated and 2 servant girl were behind her.

Chun salutes "Madam, I am Jie Chun from Qinghe. I apologize for coming with such short notice" Ziyuan was still assessed her and just waved her off.

After being seated and served, they were enjoying the meal "This soup is incredible" she mumbles "Thank you since I found out that you were arriving today. I decided to make it" the Yunmeng duo was right about her soup then "You didn't have to" Yanli just continues to smile "..That's a pretty hairpin you have on"

Fengmian adds "It looks well made" for a moment Chun lightly caressed it with a small smile "It was a gift from your son" this caught Ziyuan's attention "Jiang Cheng?" Chun nods "It was unplanned since we just passed by the stall when we went out to eat. Although Madam Yu, your hairpin looks more stunning than mine" she was trying to see a reaction from the two which she barely received.

"It was from him" Ziyuan curtly pointed at her husband "Then it must've been picked with much thought to it" Fengmian smiles at her words "Then my son chose yours very well, it suits you" she smiled "What can I say, like father like son" those words were risky but luckily he agrees "Indeed it seems that way, I hope Jiang Cheng took good care of you at Gusu"

"Oh he did, he takes good care of everyone in our friend group. He's well-mannered and talented...although he does have quite a temper" Fengmian just smiled "Im glad that he lives up to our Clan's name" Ziyuan was suppressing a smile after hearing the compliment.

Weeks later and Chun did become livelier, people here were really more outgoing than those at Gusu, their daily training was vigorous but Chun always want to push pass her limit and was still practicing agility with her sword and ribbons as weights were still attached on her "A-Chun!~" Yanli was holding a tray of snacks and drinks

"Yanli-jie, you should be resting" they sat down as Chun gladly accepted the tray.

"I just want to bring you something before I do" Chun grin "Thank you" a shadow towers over them "Chun, finish up your training. It's already late and the noise would wake up everyone"

Ziyuan was indirectly telling her to rest "Yes madam, I'll finish and cultivate near the docks" she stuffed the bread in her mouth and drank the tea before gathering her things.

Yanli left but Ziyuan stayed looking over the girl, the past few weeks her sudden comments and such did bring her and Fengmian closer together which she didn't know if she'll be thankful or annoyed of.

"Madam Yu, it's getting cold please head inside" as she was about to leave, Ziyuan spoke "Why not just call it a day and join me at the gazebo" Chun took a moment to respond but nodded "Let me freshen up, it'll be rude for me to be dirty while I intrude your time for yourself"

Ziyuan sighed "This girl...just come. No need to waste more time"

***

Jie Xue spent day and night with the boys but mostly Huaisang as they would study and paint together. Lan Qiren, even with the absence of Jie Chun's still mentions her when he was lecturing Wei Wuxian in front of all the students, Nie disciples were dumbfounded by this. It was indeed the first time Jie Chun became unruly but Xue didn't comment on anything so they can't just randomly assume things.

"Xue tell me, why didn't you go with Chun to Yunmeng. You could've been free from this place" Wei Wuxian sighed "I wanted to stay here since it's pretty calming and nice" Huaisang couldn't disagree with that since painting with just the sound of nature and pleasent surrounding was great than being chased by his brother.

Jiang Cheng, "Then what was that, the day of the punishment?" Xue looks at him with a questioning look "Isn't it unfair that Master Lan says those things but his action spoke otherwise" they all agreed "But I'm surprised you really didn't go with Chun-jie"

"How does that come as a surprise? We all train differently and according to her, Gusu is too tamed" the Yunmeng duo just comically stood by the side "I don't know, you both are always together. I barely see you both separated and for such a long time" Huaisang flicks his fan open "But if so, she usually adjusts to it easily as long as she's with you. Remember how she even snuck in food for us"

Wei Wuxian caught on the rising tension "What? Did Chun still do that even after getting caught?" Huaisang "The only time she was caught was when Lan Wangji got out of seclusion. Her and Xue are known as the Shadow Duo of Qinghe! You should see what they can do!" Huaisang proudly boasted "That's why I think something was up after her and Xue left from punishment"

Before Jiang Cheng could even mutter something, Xue cracks "Then she should've been honest and the selfless act" he immediately turns to walk away but Jiang Cheng grabs him "What do you mean?"

"It's none of your business"

Huaisang clings on Xue "Come one tell us, it's so weird for me to see you and Chun separated and all that" Xue sighs "It wasn't meant to end with her leaving Gusu"

~Flashback~

Xue and Chun parted from the group and went at the back of the mountains "We can rest here, it's quiet and there's no people. It'll be easier to meditate" Xue looks at her in disbelief "Are we just going to ignore the fact that you got hit 200 fucking times?!"

"It's not something to fuss over, see I'm alright. We're built for this" She laughs it off but this time Xue was angry at what Qiren said and how nonchalant her sister is at it.

"Nothing to fuss over?! First the book he threw, Huaisang and I let it slide since it was supposedly an accident; Second, he still had the audacity to report you to Master Nie; Third, he spoke about how you were raised and we both know that topic isn't something to be tossed around out and about. You and I know more than that and you still embraced it as if it was nothing. Lastly, he talks too highly of himself, this place and his disciples, I know that this sector is known to produce amazing cultivators but he should still watch his tongue and actions" Xue was tearing up since he rarely burst out like this and Qiren's words still had a slight ring to him.

Chun held his shoulder "Breath...calm down. I'll report it to Master Nie if that's what makes you feel at ease" he bucks away laughing bitterly "You really don't get it do you?"Chun looks so confused "He talks about how female are this and that but bruises you like this"

"It's only right, I was truly misbehaving and it was the consequence I had to face" Chun reasons with him "Stop with this!" he gestures to her "You always act like everything is okay as if nothing is wrong. Own up to something you don't have to and be all heroic and whatnot! It..It makes me fucking sick" Chun clenched her jaw "And do you not trust me and my abilities-"

"I do! Don't you even think that way" she was about to go near him but he shook his head "Then why? Why did you keep that kind of dealing with Mu Qing from me"

"Is this...what this is about...I didn't think it was worth mentioning. How did you even-"

"How? I went after you the day before you had that fever since you felt warmer than usual and I heard you and Mu Qing talking. I'm not dumb to not know what kind of shady business you two were in....Was that also why sometimes you come home with all those injuries?" Chun paused "Answer me Chun! Damn it!"

"I trust you okay!...It's true that Mu Qing and I deal with shady things but I only deliver them, nothing more nothing less...those injuries.. those were... from the underground fight just a few streets away from our place" Xue wanted to explode on her "...I'm going back to Qinghe, I can't cultivate properly in such a gentle place" this made him falter but Chun had a different motive. She wanted Xue to have time to calm down without adding more fuel to the fire and the best way was to leave him at peace to study at such a place that fits him.

Chun started walking down the steps "So you're going to leave me just like that?"

"I'm not totally leaving you, we'll see each other after your study here. So be good and don't let the three drag you around. Do what we do, assert dominance when needed"

~End of Flashback~

"You were in such a huge arguement with Chun-jie?!" Xue nods "But now I see why she left so I'm not really mad. Just a little disappointed"

Wei Wuxian gulps "Let's just hope she doesn't get on Madam Yu's nerve" this hit Jiang Cheng hard, both her and Wei Wuxian were troublesome and having her be with his mom. Who knows what kind of situation is going on at Yunmeng.

×××

Months have passed, With the lessons becoming shorter and shorter, Xue's time spent with his friends in the mountains became longer and longer.

Lan WangJi finally stopped having classes with them. Xue had proved himself to be smart and well-mannered. He became the rolemodel when Wangji left since he aced every test, he would also avoid trouble. He wanted to prove Qiren wrong so bad that he had to double his time on practicing and studying before having fun time with the others.

In the Cloud Recesses, there was a long wall. Every seven steps, there would be a hollowed out window with intricate designs. All of the designs were different—playing an instrument amid tall mountains, flying in the air on a sword, fighting monsters and beasts, and so on. Lan Qiren explained that the designs of every hollowed out window on this wall was about the life of each ancestor of the GusuLan Clan.

The oldest and most famous four windows told the life of the founder of the Lan Sect, Lan An. This founder was born in a temple. He grew up listening to the chanting of sutras, and thus became a famous monk at a very young age. At the age of twenty, he used the "Lan" from "qielan" as his last name and resumed the worldly life, becoming a musician. During his path of cultivation, he met the "fated person" he searched for in Gusu, became cultivation partners with her, and founded the Lan Sect. After his partner passed away, he returned to the temple and ended his life there. The four windows were "qielan", "xiyue", "daolu", and "guiji".

During these past few days, the lessons seldomly involved a topic as interesting as this. Although Qiren introduced it with boring timelines, Wei WuXian absorbed the knowledge for once. After class, he laughed, "So, the founder of the Lan Sect was a monk—no wonder! He ventured into the mortal world to meet one person, and, as she went, he went as well, leaving nothing behind on this Earth. But why would a person like him produce such unromantic descendants?" Since nobody expected the Lan Sect, which was famous for being orthodox, to have such a founder, they started to chat among themselves.

As they chatted, the center of the conversation tipped toward the direction of "cultivation partners", and they started to discuss the cultivation partners of their dreams, evaluating the well-known girls in the different sects. At this point, someone asked, "Zixuan-xiong, who do you think is the best girl?" As the four heard this, they looked toward a boy in the front rows of the classroom.

The boy had proud, handsome features, with a vermilion mark on his forehead. His collar, cuffs, and sash belt all had the white peony named Sparks Amidst Snow sewn on. This was the young master sent to study in Gusu by the LanlingJin Sect—Jin ZiXuan.

Another person spoke was someone with an almost same elegant clothing as Zixuan but he was known for being the best of Jin Guangshan's illegitimate child—Jin Yaliang "It's best for you to not ask Zixuan-ge about this. He's already got a fiancé, so his answer would definitely be his fiancé"

Hearing the word 'fiancé', Zixuan's lips seemed to twitch, showing a slight expression of displeasure. The disciple who asked was quite oblivious, continuing with a cheerful face, "Really? Which sect is she from? She must be extremely talented!" Zixuan raised a brow, "Forget it" Wei Wuxian suddenly spoke, "What do you mean by 'forget it'?"

Everyone in the room looked at him with surprise. Usually, Wei Wuxian was always grinning. He had never really been angered, even when he was scolded or punished. Yet, at the moment, there was an obvious streak of hostility on his face. Jiang Cheng didn't criticize Wei Wuxian, either, for making trouble out of nothing, as he usually did. He simply sat beside him with a dark face.

Zixuan spoke in an arrogant tone, "Is the phrase 'forget it' too difficult to understand?" Yaliang smirks "Why don't you go to that woman of yours who sleeps around. What was the name?...Jie Chun" This made the gentle and calm Xue have the same soft smile but his the aura he was exuding was suffocating and dark "Talking about Chun in a way as if you know her. If she was here surely she'll brush it off" Wei Wuxian who smiled sardonically beside him also spoke "The phrase isn't hard to understand. Instead, it's hard to understand how on Earth you are unsatisfied with my shijie"

Everyone whispered to one another. They only understood, after the exchange of words, that they had accidentally stirred up a hornets' nest—Zixuan's fiancé just happened to be Jiang Yanli of the YunmengJiang Sect and the woman insulted was the sister of their Charming Jie Xue and is one of QingheNie's Shadow Duo.

Jiang Yanli was the oldest child of Jiang Fengmian. Her personality was mild, with nothing too notable; her voice was smooth, with nothing too memorable. Her appearance was only above average, and her talents weren't astonishing either. Amid the girls from the other prominent clans, it was only natural that she seemed a bit average.

Jin Zixuan, was the exact opposite. He was the only official son of Jin Guangshan, with outstanding looks and exceptional talents. According to common sense, with Jiang Yanli's conditions, it was true that they weren't well-matched. She wasn't even qualified enough to compete with the other girls and only got into it because of her and Zixuan's mother being childhood friends.

Jie Chun according to Nie disciples, she was known to be peculiar, unpredictable, and nonchalant yet can be absolutely domineering. While people also know Yaliang as someone who is a strong and talented cultivator but was usually all talk and no bite to keep himself from being kicked out.

Zixuan asked in reply, "Why don't you ask me how on Earth can I be satisfied with her?" Jiang Cheng instantly stood up. Pushing him to the side, Wei Wuxian walked in front of him and sneered, "You sure think that you're pretty satisfying, don't you? Where did you get the guts to be all choosy here?"

Yaliang got in front as well "Why? Are you picking on Zixuan-ge for having taste, unlike you who'd sleep with a street dog"

Both Xue and Wei Wuxian's blood were boiling "If she's unsatisfied, then tell her to get rid of this engagement! I don't care for your shijie!" Zixuan dared "Doesn't he treat you better than treating his own child or something? Some dogs just belongs to the street sometimes...am I right?" Yaliang had a smug expression and his eyes went from Jiang Cheng -who stiffened after hearing the last sentence- and Xue that stared him dead in the eye.

Their facade dropped in a split second, Wei Wuxian rushed over and sent out a punch while Xue lived up to the name as one of the shadow duo and appeared beside Yaliang who got kicked across the room, slaming on the wall with a loud bang. Although Zixuan and Yaliang were prepared, they didn't expect such quick advances.

Zixuan having suffered one punch, half of his face numbed while Yaliang was out like a light "Don't ever talk about Chun like that" he mutters at the unconcious body but it was more to address the people around it. Zixuan tho, immediately struck back without speaking a word.

This fight startled both of the three prominent sects. On the same day, Nie Mingjue, Jiang Fengmian and Jin Guangshan hastened to Gusu. After the sect leaders went to see the three who were punished to kneel, and received a severe scolding from Lan Qiren, they wiped some sweat from their foreheads and started to engage in small talk.

Fengmian soon brought up the idea of cancelling the engagement and it wasn't Mingjue's business so he stood at a distance, Guangshan was shocked. He felt a bit hesitant, as it was never a good thing to end an engagement with another prominent sect, no matter how one looked at it. After some consideration, Guangshan conjured up the courage and agreed to this matter

"But Mingjue-xiong, I think the boy you took in. What he did to Yaliang was uncalled for" he faced the broad man

Mingjue just stared at the kneeling boy "Unless I hear anything from him, I'm not deciding who to side on" Fengmian smiled "It may involve his sister" this peeked Guangshan's interest "That boy has a sister"

"Yes, she's currently a guest disciple in my sector. She is extraordinary, just like how Jiang Cheng discribed her and she would also talks highly about her brother" Mingjue nods "Those two were are truly something. They strive to be one of the best and made a name for themselves" Fengmian thought for a moment "Ah yes, I've heard about them. No wonder they're excellent, you've shaped them into great disciples" Guangshan smiles "Then how about Yaliang and this girl meets"

Mingjue shook his head "They are not part of the Nie Clan, you'll get nothing out of this. Took them in after seeing their potentials but they can leave whenever they please. There is no association between them and the Nie" Guangshan shook his head "I supposed so but it wouldn't hurt for them to talk over tea"

"Jin-xiong, I don't think her brother will approve of Yaliang as we can see from what just happened" Guangshan finally stopped pestering

At this time, Wei Wuxian and Jie Xue knelt on the stone path that Lan Qiren assigned them to. From a distance, Jiang Cheng approached with a sneer on his face, "Look at how well-behaved you suddenly are, kneeling so properly with Xue"

Wei Wuxian was gloating, "Of course, I kneel all the time. But Jin Zixuan is a spoiled brat, so he's definitely never knelt before. If I don't make him kneel to the point that he cries for his parents, my last name won't be Wei anymore" Xue nods "Hump, they say that Jin Yaliang was strong and talented. Look how he couldn't even kneel since I knocked him out with just one kick" the two highfived each other.

Jiang Cheng lowered his head, pausing for a few moments, and spoke in a soft voice, "Father came"

Wei Wuxian, "Shijie didn't come, did she?" Xue also had a hopeful look as if asking for his sister.

Jiang Cheng, "Why would they come? To see how you lost face for them? If they did come, would they not come to your side and bring medicine?"

The two punished boys sighed, "... It'd be nice if shijie came. It's fortunate that you didn't hit him"

"Chun would probably laugh at that snarky brat"

Jiang Cheng, "I was going to hit both of them. If you didn't push me, the other side of Jin Zixuan's face would also be ruined...but I think Xue did manage Jin Yaliang well" they snickered. Jiang Cheng's heart skipped a beat when his father asked about his well-being even before asking about Wei Wuxian.

"You should go. You don't need to stay here with us" Wei Wuxian shooed him "If you have time, go visit those brats and look at how idiotic they look like"

And so, on that night, Wei Wuxian and Jie Xue packed up, returned to Yunmeng with Jiang Fengmian.

===

A/N:

Added OC

Name: 金雅量 Jīn Yǎliàng