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It was a clean, sunny day in CaiYi Town as boatmen rowed their boats on the calming river while on the riverbank, fruits, flowers, pastries, etc are being sold by welcoming residents.

"Wow, these hairpins look pretty!" Nie MingJian gushed as she observed the rows of glittering hairpins at a stall. Her eyes sparkling even more when she spotted a bright Jade one.

"I agree, they are very pretty." Lan ChunTao added before turning to the third sworn sister. "A-Yang—hm?"

Standing a bit far from the pair, Wei WuHui stared dazedly toward the two Lan brothers, specifically the eldest as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered at the mere sight of him.

Both Lan ChunTao and Nie MingJian gave each other knowing glances as a sly smirk creeps on the Nie disciple before she rushed over to the unexpected girl and jumped onto her back. "A-Yang~!"

Wei WuHui yelped as she stumbled forward from the sudden weight on her back before glaring back annoyingly. "A-Qiao, don't do that! What would've happened if I fall?"

Nie MingJian grinned. "Then your beloved ZeWu-Jun will come and save you."

"W-What?" Wei WuHui stuttered as her face turns red.

Before Nie MingJian could tease her more, a shout caught their attention.

"Meimei! Meimei!" Wei WuXian called out, running toward the girls with a big grin was on his face. "Come with me to find some wines, I smell some around here!" And grabbed her hand and practically dragged her off before she could utter a word.

Twitch Twitch Twitch

"THEN WHY DRAG ME WITH YOU?!" Wei WuHui shouted before squealing as her brother picked her up in his arms and jumped onto his boat.

Meanwhile, Lan ChunTao and Nie MingJian were left behind as they watched the twins with amused expressions.

"Ahh, Our little Wei has finally grown up." Nie MingJian sighed proudly.

Lan ChunTao giggled before gesturing Nie MingJian to where her brothers are standing. "I'm glad that it's not one-sided either."

Them noticing the eldest's eyes trained on the female Wei with such fondness.

———

"Gege, why did you bring me along with you? I don't even like wine." Wei WuHui whined as her brother rowed the boat gently on the river.

"I want to spend time with my Meimei! It's bad enough that I don't see you every day, I just miss you!" Wei WuXian guffawed.

Wei WuHui's eyes widened before she pouted, narrowing her eyes with a flustered expression. "You're too much, Gege."

"Now where is it?" Wei WuXian asked out loud as he looked around for any signs of his wines. Sniffing the air, he followed the scent and rowed the boat faster with a grin.

"Lad, why are you in such a hurry? Wanna taste my loquats? Freshly picked~." A young woman from the dock called out.

"Thank you for sister's kindness. I'll come back for your loquats later." Wei WuXian replied.

Wei WuHui sighed at her brother's flirtatious nature before letting out a sharp gasp. "Gege, watch ou-!"

But was too late with her warning as their boat crashes into another with a thunk.

Wei WuHui went to stand up, going over to her brother's side to check out who crashes into their boat. Then, she saw a glimpse of yellow and immediately recognised the person.

The twins politely bowed to the person. "Our apologies, Young Master Jin."

Jin ZiXuan sat on his boat, holding a cup that used to be filled with wine, which was now spilled all over on him when Wei WuXian accidentally hit his boat. His pale golden eyes glared toward the twins, mostly at Wei WuXian. "Wei WuXian, you did that on purpose, right? Why must your boat collide with mine in such a wide river?"

"I was that blind. I'll give you some jars of rice wine as compensation." Wei WuXian replied, defending himself as Wei WuHui gripped his right sleeve, holding him back from snapping at Young Master Jin.

"No need." Jin ZiXuan huffed as he cleaned himself from the wine.

"Okay. Since Young Master Jin doesn't mind, then we'll-." Wei WuXian responded and turned around when he and Wei WuHui heard Jin ZiXuan spoke again.

"I'll be fine if your Jiang Sect stays away from me."

Both twins stiffened as their eyes hardened.

"Young Master Jin, please explain what you mean by that?" Wei WuHui questioned sternly. The twins both gave glares toward Jin ZiXuan.

Jin ZiXuan returned the harsh glare as the tension in the air thickened between them.

Suddenly, Nie HuaiSang appeared in between them on his boat as he flapped his fan. "Relax, you both calm down."

"HuaiSang-Xiong, here's my advice." Jin ZiXuan then turned his attention to Nie HuaiSang. "It's said that one takes on the colour of one's company. Please be careful with your choice of friends. Beware of neglecting studies, otherwise, your brother will spur you with a sabre again. Paddle away-."

As Jin ZiXuan was about to order his disciple to rowed the boat away, something knocked into the boat, causing him to stagger a bit. Jin ZiXuan then turned his glare back onto Wei twins. "Wei WuXian, you-."

The said boy holds up his arms. "Don't look at me. Not me this time." He protested before the same thing happened to Nie HuaiSang's and the twins' boats.

Jin ZiXuan furrowed his brows. "This is weird."

"What's wrong?" Nie HuaiSang's question was answered immediately as a water ghoul suddenly leapt out from the water and was about to grab him, if it wasn't for Wei WuXian swinging his paddle at the ghoul, knocking it back into the river.

"Water Ghouls!" More Water Ghouls began to terrorise the townspeople as they climb onto the docks or the boats. People screamed as they ran away from the monsters, leaving behind their belongings or stalls as they head to safety.

The girl with the Loquats was running when she was grabbed by the ankle and screamed in horror as the ghoul began to drag her into the water. Then suddenly, a red energy the ghoul's neck, releasing the girl and falling back into the water.

Wei WuXian stood in front of the civilian girl with a finely-made blade when he heard a scream for help and turned toward it as a much bigger water ghoul emerged from the water and grabbed onto the boat that Nie HuaiSang still on as it started to capsize the boat.

Nearby, Jin ZiXuan finished one of the ghouls and was about to go over there to help when another appeared in his way.

Then, slashes of crimson energy hit the large ghoul, causing it to let go out of the boat and fell back, dead. Wei WuHui landed on top of the boat with a beautiful blade in hand with the bright red glinting under the sun as Nie HuaiSang popped out from the safety and looked up at her. "Thank you for saving this Young — WuHui-Gu Niang!"

The latter smiled reassuringly and was about to kill off the other ghouls when a combination of light blue and green slashes came from above and killed another few.

Wei WuHui and Nie HuaiSang looked up and their faces brightened immediately.

"JieJie! Lan-Gū Niang!"

"A-Qiao, Dajie!"

Both Nie MingJian and Lan ChunTao landed on the boat as they looked at the pair worriedly. Especially the former as she rushes over to Nie HuaiSang.

"A-Sang, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" She fussed as she looked over the younger Nie for any sign of bleeding.

"I'm fine, Jiejie. Wei WuHui saved me just in time." Nie HuaiSang reassured.

Then, a dozen talismans flew toward the ghouls and stuck onto their foreheads then small golden arrays appeared above their heads, exterminating them.

Some managed to avoid the talismans and escaped below the water as everyone waited until the danger is gone.

"The water ghouls are retreating." Wei WuHui pointed out.

"Biling Lake is not the only place haunted by water ghouls." Lan WangJi stated as his brother turned to observe the wreckage.

"The situation is more serious than I thought." Lan XiChen added.

Wei WuXian held up his sword that has strands of hair stuck onto it. "Those wicked things slipped away so fast!" He cussed.

"HuaiSang, you can't ride on a flying sword. Wait for us here," Lan XiChen advised Nie HuaiSang.

"I'll stay behind with A-Sang, just in case the ghouls come back." Nie MingJian offered as Lan XiChen nodded in agreement before turning to the others.

"Everyone else, come with me to Biling Lake."

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(Please correct my translation if I'm wrong and the GIFs and pictures used in this chapter does not belong to me, but their rightful owners)