A ripple broke in the pond.

"YOUNG MISTRESS! GET YOUR FUCKING DOG STRAIGHT!" A young cultivator had screamed. He was wearing white robes that swayed to the wicked wind, and a GusuLan forehead ribbon wrapped around his forehead. Lan Jingyi was about to go insane.

On top of his head was a bright red apple. It was tied to the top of his head, for no apparent reason...

"YOUNG MISTRESS!" Lan Jingyi howled once more. He ran across the Lotus Pier pond, circling the pond of lotuses. Behind him was Fairy, the said "Young Mistress's" dog.

Fairy relentlessly chased after Lan Jingyi, aiming to bite off the latter's pants.

"Lower your voice." Perched on top of a tree, a young cultivator wearing golden robes had pulled out his bow and arrow. Jin Ling set an arrow down on the strings of his bow, then pulled intricately. He aimed at the apple on top of Lan Jingyi's head. "Don't let the others hear you."

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN!?!" Lan Jingyi was going to try tears of sorrow. "SECT LEADER JIANG HAS ALREADY LEFT WITH ALL HIS TROOPS! DIDN'T YOU SEE THE FIREWORKS?!?"

"Shut up." Jin Ling inherited his uncle's eye rolls. "Besides, that firework was from long ago. Uncle might come back soon. Also, I just don't want to hear your voice. It is sickening."

Underneath the tree that Jin Ling perched on top of, another cultivator similar to Lan Jingyi had stood there. Lan Sizhui stood there, looking at Lan Jingyi worriedly. "Don't you think it's too much? Letting Fairy chase Jingyi like that."

Jin Ling took a small peek at Lan Sizhui. "It's fine. Besides, I need a moving target for practice."

He went back to focus on the wailing target.

"YOUNG MISTRESS! I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU CONTINUE TAKING YOUR SWEET TIME, I'M GOING TO DIE... NOT FROM YOU MISSING YOUR ARROW, BUT FROM THE DAMNED DOG BITING MY ASS OFF!" Lan Jingyi's mouth was full of swear words. He clearly hadn't been fazed by the disciplines in the past at Cloud Recesses.

"Don't call Fairy a damned dog." Jin Ling fumed.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON!?!" Lan Jingyi shrieked.

This was the peculiar scenario that Jiang Cheng, his troops of over five-hundred Yunmeng Jiang disciples, few immigrants of Cang Qiong Mountain, and the three couples... had witnessed.

Finally, the three troublemakers noticed the giant audience staring at them, dumbstruck.

Fairy had stopped chasing Lan Jingyi, thanks to Jin Ling's nervous gesture. The dog wagged its tail obediently, unsure of what the sudden silence in the air was for.

A disturbance placated the dark horizon. A whistle flew past the leaves.

Wei Wuxian nudged Jiang Cheng. "So... What kind of punishment do you have in your mind?"

"I apologize for the ruckus we created, Sect Leader Jiang." Lan Sizhui bowed.

Before him was a throne, which Jiang Cheng sat lazily on. The young man raised his sharp chin, showing off the arrogant and yet stern look on his face. He appeared oppressing, especially when taking in consideration of the power that he wields. The ring worn on his finger had gleamed a dangerously purple light, with small sparks disharmoniously popping.

"Huh." Jiang Cheng sneered. "Yunmeng Jiang are taking in... honourable guests tonight. To witness your disgrace at this moment... What a peculiar timing."

"Uncle!" Jin Ling didn't want to back down. "We were merely practicing archery."

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Then what did you need Fairy for?"

Jin Ling shrank back from his uncle's stern glance. For some odd reason, he felt an impeccable guilt stuck at the back of his throat.

"I see." Jiang Cheng sensed the inevitable silence. "Forget it."

He was tired of meaningless arguments. "You are to refrain from meeting with your... companions during this week. Which means, no night hunting together, no hanging out together, no nothing together."

"WHAT!?!" Jin Ling's eyes widened, and he blubbered.

On the sidelines, Lan Jingyi and Sizhui were stunned into silence as well.

"Don't worry." Jiang Cheng soothed. "I'll need you to do something for me. You'll be so busy, you won't even have time to meet them."

Jin Ling fell silent. Then, he stepped forwards. "What do you want me to do?"

The three couples had stayed in some spare rooms. They didn't care about the quality, due to their extra exhaustion from the earlier fight. Before they could question the motives behind allowing them to stay at Yunmeng Jiang, they fell asleep.

By the time they became clearheaded, it was already morning.

Clouds rolled across the cerulean blue sky, lightly covering the sun from extending out its rays. Lotus flowers swayed to the wind. Their petals rustled and tousled, folding and fluttering like the wings of a butterfly.

"So beautiful." Xie Lian gasped.

He watched the lotus flowers that floated on the surface of a pond. The garden was especially glorifying, attended to with absolute affection.

"Does Gege like this type of flower?" Hua Cheng asked by the side.

They were sitting out on the public balcony, admiring the garden from their afar pedestals. Xie Lian leaned on the wooden fence, his gaze gradually falling onto his lover. "I like whatever flower San Lang gives me." He smiles. The scrap picker was as gentle as every other day.

Hua Cheng's breath hitched. Something was stuck in his throat. He looked at his shorter lover, having to bend his neck at a scrutinizing angle.

Then, Hua Cheng took the initiative. He bent lower, his face just inches away from touching his lover's-

"Aww, how romantic." The intimate atmosphere was immediately interrupted. Wei Wuxian stood by their side, a cheerful smile written across his face.

Hua Cheng froze. His movements were endearingly rigid.

He slowly turned around to look over at Wei Wuxian. Dissatisfaction was visible on the Ghost King's face. A dark atmosphere surrounded the two black and red-clothed cultivators, whom stared each other down. For a moment there, Wei Wuxian felt a foreboding aura. It was like icicles pierced at his skin. Did he ruin something? Otherwise, why was he being glared at so hard?

"Wei-xiong!" Upon seeing the familiar figure, Xie Lian had no idea about the conflict sprouting between his husband and the said man.

Xie Lian smiled happily. "It seems like you're here too."

Hearing the happiness behind that voice, Hua Cheng hurriedly withdrew his glare. He mustn't let his Gege see this domineering side of his!

Wei Wuxian felt the chills retracting. He had understood. He should never interrupt the Ghost King when he wants to be intimidate with his lover.

"Y-yes." Nevertheless, Wei Wuxian answered the fellow scrap picker. "How is it in Lotus Pier? My Senior Brother is the boss around here. If there is anything you're dissatisfied with, just tell me and I'll send a message to him."

"Oh no," Xie Lian was modest. "How could I possibly bother Wei-xiong?"

Wei Wuxian smiled wider. "Trust me. You wouldn't want to meet Jiang Cheng in person. That man... he has the temper of a cat who got their tail stepped on."

Xie Lian blinked innocently. His next few words stumped Wei Wuxian. "Are you sure you should be badmouthing your Senior Brother?"

The latter fell silent. He then spoke up, "I can badmouth whoever I want. It's not like they'll know, right?"

Xie Lian, "..." Look behind you.

Naturally, he was too speechless to actually say those words aloud. Therefore, Wei Wuxian had no idea that there was an angry purple-clothed young man standing behind him, wearing a face full of black lines and a scowling expression.

"Good for you, Wei Wuxian." Jiang Cheng angrily retorted.

The familiar voice had snapped Wei Wuxian out from his earlier demeanour. Jumping up from fright, Wei Wuxian turned around to face the irritated Senior Brother.

"Oh... hey there, Jiang Cheng." Wei Wuxian suppressed his urge to stammer.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

Thankfully, Jiang Cheng was curious about the two other companions, so he didn't bother to deal with Wei Wuxian. The Sect Leader of Yunmeng Jiang had eyed Xie Lian and Hua Cheng, his eyes examining the two with a formidable pressure.

Xie Lian couldn't understand why the purple-clothed man appeared so angry. He reminded him of a familiar cat-like companion who wanted to be "f-friends" back then.

"Are you Sect Leader Jiang?" Xie Lian retracted his thoughts. He smiled politely, then clasped his hands as one. "I must thank you for saving my companions and I earlier at Cang Qiong Mountain. Your troops and your admirable strength helped us overcome Bo Fan, the longsword demon, even if he got away in the end."

The taller man of the two lowered his head. Jiang Cheng looked at the petite man (170 cm isn't that small, is it?) He removed his glance, returning to Wei Wuxian. "Tell me their names."

Wei Wuxian choked. "Can't you just ask them yourself?"

Jiang Cheng turned back to look at Xie Lian.

"Name."

Xie Lian was surprised at the word spat out. He responded thriftily, "My given name is Lian, and family's name is Xie."

Jiang Cheng nodded. He turned over to the 190 cm tall Ghost King. The former had look downwards at Xie Lian, but then later looked upwards for Hua Cheng. "You?"

The Ghost King sneered. "Hua Cheng."

"Huh." Jiang Cheng's eyebrows raised. He took off his gaze.

Turning around to Wei Wuxian, the Sect Leader sneered. "Bring the other two companions over."

Wei Wuxian, "..." Am I your fucking servant?

Nevertheless, he still obeyed, leaving to find Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Meanwhile, on the balcony, Jiang Cheng had a stare-down with Hua Cheng. In between the two taller men, Xie Lian was confused as to why they were staring each other down. The sound of the pond's water flowing had trickled in the background, leaving behind a harmonious imagery.

Running his legs off, Wei Wuxian huffed angrily. "Hmph. Why did I agree to the terms yesterday. It is clearly unfair."

He arrived uneventfully at Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu's room.

Without thinking, he pushed open the wooden door... only to find the peculiar scenario of a fussy dog-like man hunched on top of his Shizun. The pair of disciple and Master were sprawled across the bed, with Shen Qingqiu's outer robe peeled off to reveal jade-like skin. Luo Binghe (sitting over his Shizun's thighs), had leaned over to have a taste of his lover.

Before he could have a bite, he was rudely interrupted.

Wei Wuxian stood outside in the doorway. A dumbfounded expression etched over his face. Gradually, he stepped away from the intimacy looming before him. His instincts activated, and he blurted out, "Gosh you two. Go get a room."

Shen Qingqiu pushed his lover off of himself.

Luo Binghe collapsed on the floor with a loud thud, landing headfirst.

Uncaring, Wei Wuxian asked, "Did I interrupt something?" Again?

"No." Shen Qingqiu answered readily. He slipped his outer robes back on, composing and ridding himself of his earlier flustered state. "What is the matter?"

Wei Wuxian, "..." Don't pretend like I didn't see everything.

Wei Wuxian, the best wingman and yet worst cock blocker: Am I interrupting something here?

Hua Cheng & Luo Binghe: I want to fucking cook you for dinner

Xie Lian: I'll help cook. I just need a stove and some pans

Lan Wangji: Can I first taste test?

Shen Qingqiu: Am I the only one sane here?