*Lotus Cove*
*Jiang Cheng's room*

Jiang Cheng sits next to the bed, which is now occupied by Lan XiChen, with a distressed look lingering on his face.

Meng Yao exclaims, "Er ge!" and enters Jiang Cheng's room unannounced, before rushing over to XiChen's side.

"He can't hear you." Jiang Cheng informs.

"You don't know that!" Meng Yao bites out, uncharacteristically. He takes a deep breath and holds XiChen's hand, "Er ge, it's me, your A Yao... please open your eyes."

Jiang Cheng's blood boils at the sight of Meng Yao holding Zewu Jun's hand. "Clan leader, I know that you are close, but this is not the time to worry about one man... We must make haste... " Jiang Cheng starts to speak in an irritated tone but Meng Yao lifts his hand, gesturing him to stop.

Meng Yao turns to face Jiang Cheng, his usual composed self missing. He looks and sounds, clearly agitated, "Clan leader Cheng, I am sorry, but could you show a little consideration? Er ge, has only ever tried to help you. You may hate him, but he is important to me... I mean, he is one of the best cultivators of our generation, he is an invaluable asset... "

"But Jin Ling is our nephew. And he has been kidnapped. Jin Ling is our responsibility, Meng Yao!" Jiang Cheng says, loosing his cool.

Meng Yao tries to control his anger, "Clan leader, no harm will come to Jin Ling."

"You don't know that! I have already lost everyone I care about... I can't... " Jiang Cheng stands up, his voice rises as well.

Once again Meng Yao cuts his words, and bites out, "Trust me, I know that nothing will happen to Jin Ling!" He pauses, "Now tell me what happened to Zewu Jun!"

Jiang Cheng sighs loudly and shakes his head, "I was feeling anxious, so Zewu Jun left me here and went towards the kitchen... I tried to stop him, but he insisted....He came back with herbal tea..." The clan leader looks away, embarrassment colors his face, "I didn't accept it... He requested me, saying that it's a peace offering... He asked me to forgive Wangji... He said that he made the tea himself..." Jiang Cheng trail off.

"And?" Meng Yao urges him to continue.

"I still didn't drink it. I told him that I suspect that he has poiseoned the drink." Jiang Cheng says in a small voice.

He sighs again and continues, "I think, Zewu Jun took offense to my words.. He drank it. Then he once again tried to make peace with me.. " Jiang Cheng scoffs, "I don't know why he even bothers to try... I will never forgive him. "

Anger and frustration cross Meng Yao's face and he takes a deep breath, "Then what happened?"

"When he realized that his words were falling on deaf ears, he got up to leave. That's when his knees gave way. Luckily, I caught him, and made lie down here."

"Where is the tea pot?"

"The servants took it away. I called for the servant who took it, he said that it already washed."

"Damn it." Meng Yao curses, breaking character once again.

"I have sent for the physician." Jiang Cheng supplies and adds, "Clan leader... we have to make haste...we have to stick to our plan. I promise, my physician will take good care of Clan leader Lan."

Even before the words are out of his mouth, a middle aged man knocks on the door, and after receiving permission, he enters Jiang Cheng's chamber.

"Senior physician Tao, please take a look at Clan leader Lan." Jiang Cheng orders, and supplies the answers to all the questions put forth by the doctor.

After the preliminary examination the doctor informs, "I need to check his body too... I want, everyone who is not blood related to leave."

Meng Yao resists, but gives in when the doctor puts his foot down.

"Er ge, I will be right outside." Meng Yao murmurs softly giving XiChen's hand a light squeeze before leaving with Jiang Cheng.

Once everyone leaves, the physician closes the door.

"Clan leader, are you feeling alright?" Jiang Cheng asks, fringing mock concern.

"Clan leader Jiang, how could this have happened now? Who could have tried to harm such a pure man!?" Meng Yao says, ignoring Jiang Cheng's words. The evil man, looks and sounds dejected.

*Burial Mounds*

Su She arrives at Burial mounds and enters the barrier without any trouble. He is immune to the barrier's magic.
The place is crawling with undead corpses walking aimlessly in front of the opening of the hall.
None of the undead corpses enters the main hall of the chamber, which once served as the dining hall of the Wen surviours.
As Su She walks forward, the undead corpses give him a disinterested look, and continue to ignore him. He smirks, and enters the hall.

A sinister smile plays on his lips when he sees the heirs of all major clans lying unconscious on the floor of the abandoned hall.

Su She calls a guard over, and enquires about the situation. Once he is satisfied that everything is as it should be, he takes out his zither and plays an eerie tune, before putting it way.

He wears a mask that covered his entire face and walks towards Lan Yuan. He shakes the young boy's shoulder and when that doesn't help, he takes a cup of wine the guards are consuming, and throws it on his face.

"Wake up." Su She yells, kicking the boy who was just regaining consciousness.

"Ah!" Yuan winces, holding his stomach where he was kicked.

Su She laughs, "Not so perfect now, are you, Lan?" He says, crouching down next to the boy.

When Yuan remains silent, Su She kicks him again, "You still think so highly of yourself, don't you, Lan. Tied, beaten and reeking of the alcohol...you still think you are superior than the rest, don't you, Lan."

"Isssss!" Yuan winces again and finally speaks confidently, "I am no greater or lesser than my peers....There is no place for pride and ego, in Cloud reassess."

"Don't tell me the rules of that God damn place! I know them well."

"Then why do you say that I think myself to be superior?" The young boy asks, with nothing but compassion in his voice. "Please let them go."

"In your dreams, boy!" Su She retorts.

"If you have a beef with Lan clan, please keep me with you. I am the senior most disciple... "

"Shut up." Su She roars, "I know who you are. And if you think, that your Hanguang Jun will come for you, you are mistaken."

Yuan blinks, and looks at Su She questioningly.

"Ohhh, you don't know yet, do you." The older says, with an evil glint in his eyes. He crouches down next to the boy and whispers in his ears, "Your Hanguang Jun is a cut-sleeve, and now that his lover is dead, I suspect, he has lost his mind..." He moves alway, and catches the young boy's pained expression.

"What?" Yuan asks, with tears in his eyes.

"The Yiling patriarch is dead and Hanguang Jun has gone missing. He is no doubt thinking of ways to end his life." Su She declares.

"No...No... you are lying!" Yuan mutters, shaking his head.. refusing to believe the words he had just heard.

"No." Yuan says loudly, and tears make their way down his cheeks unrestrained, "He can't leave me so soon."

*Lotus Cove*
*Outside Jiang Cheng's room *

"Clan leader, you are the chief cultivator. You can't change your plans based on one man." Jiang Cheng tries to reason with Meng Yao.

"Clan leader Jiang, I told you already, we need to have Zewu Jun by our side when we execute our plan. Also, if we run into the Yiling patriarch on our way, Zewu Jun is the only one who Hanguang Jun will listen to, then we will have a chance... " Meng Yao suddenly stops and smiles.

'Why is he smiling?' Jiang Cheng wonders a second before he feels a cold sensation at the back of his head. 'It's some kind of energy....A way of communication.' Jiang Cheng realizes.

"Clan leader!" Jiang Cheng interrupts Meng Yao's musings.

Meng Yao schools his features and speaks in a calm tone, "Clan leader, I am the chief cultivator, and unless you want to go against me, I suggest you do as I say." He pauses before continuing, "Please go and inform the other clan leaders of the change in our plans."

"Why don't you tell them?" Jiang Cheng asks in a sarcastic tone, "It's your decision. They are worried parents. I doubt that they will listen to me."

Meng Yao shakes his head, and gives up trying to argue with the stubborn Clan leader, "Fine. I will go and inform them... But please remember that the one lying unconscious inside is very important to me. If the doctor tells you anything, I want to know everything."

"Ok." Jiang Cheng says, crossing his arms over his chest.

Meng Yao leaves to inform the clan leaders about the change in their plans. Jiang Cheng calls for a guard and stations him outside his room.

"If the physician calls, inform me. I am going to the grainary. I don't have time to waste on one guest, when I have so many to attend to." Jiang Cheng instructs, and walks away.

{Note :- That's it for this update.
I was planning to put one or two specials before ending this story.
But I will not so, if no one is interested.

I updated Mine yesterday. Putting this info here since wattpad is glitching and sometimes the updates will not open. In which case, please go to the book (in your library or reading list) and open it from there.

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Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}