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Chapter Text

"Get away! Get away from me!" He screamed.

A tear rolled down his cheek until it was blown away by the cold wind. Snow mixed with rain and ash chilled to the bone, tangled his hair and covered his clothes with frost. Though, there was not much left from his robes. The once soft purple silk had shrunk into the dirty rags that hung over his shoulders. Somewhere it was colored in dark brown with dried blood. And it wasn’t only his blood.

His eyes, wet and reddened, looked at the dragon, who had tucked his tail between his legs. His dark pupils narrowed and widened, and his nostrils flared in the wind. Even the spines on his back and tail seemed to be glued to his scales.

"Don’t you dare touch anything! Go away!" His voice was drowned out by the noise of the fire raging behind him and the storm that was slowly dissipating.

"Cheng-Cheng!"

The dragon let out a low growl, as if in apology, and then flapped his wings, knocking his hair down and scattering ash around.

"Shidi! Are you alright?!" Wei Wuxian touched his shoulder.

"And you too! Fuck off! Get away!"

"Hey! I just…"

"I told you to fuck off! It’s all your fault!"

Wei Wuxian didn’t answer. He slowly made one step back, then another… And he finally left. Quietly, with no sound.

The storm was dissipating. Soon the fire died down, and all that remained was the quiet crackling of wood and the sound of drops falling from the leaves.

He cried, placing his hand on his chest.

***

His father always taught him to kill. To kill every dragon. To bring peace to his Sect, to the whole cultivation world.

He taught him to be like that. To be strong, to be brutal, to be merciless. To be the Sect leader. To be the force that no one can subdue.

Jiang Cheng was not like that. He was born different. So he learnt and tried, trained and convinced himself to change.

That’s why every time he noticed how cheerfully his father patted Wei Wuxian’s shoulder or how he set him up as an example to other adepts he withdrew into himself more and more. As a kid, he tried to blame Wei Wuxian for this, tried to be angry with him. And at first he even succeeded, because it's not hard to turn a small child against someone. Wei Wuxian was the one because of whom his beloved puppies were taken away. He was the one who now sits at the same table with them, the one because of whom his parents are now constantly arguing.

However, Wei Wuxian proved impenetrable and despite all his grievances found a way through them. As he grew older, Jiang Cheng simply came to terms with the presence of the lump of chaos.

Once the training began, the time spent together increased even more, and Jiang Cheng received further motivation to work harder. Why?

It seemed that Wei Wuxian was good at everything. He mastered everything he tried.

It pissed Jiang Cheng off. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he trained or how late he stayed at the training field… He couldn’t beat him.

His father never said anything. He watched, he nodded, talked to the elders. Usually, their training was controlled by one of them, therefore the main task for all adepts was to obtain his approval. Wang Shi was an old warrior, who missed one eye and had an arm prothesis. Actually, half of his face had a terrible scar. He said that the reason was his last fight during the Dragon Hunt when Mengyan almost burned him alive.

Adepts spread some rumors saying all Wang Shi’s all body was covered with burns that periodically still bled, because the wounds from the dragons never healed completely. The rumors may have been exaggerated, or they may have been true. The gist was the same – Wang Shi was a stern warrior, and an even stricter teacher.

Jiang Cheng was willing to turn himself inside out just to get his approval.

And Wei Wuxian was the one who got it.

The goal wasn’t to be just the best out of the Yunmeng Sect adepts. The reason why everyone was trying so hard was completely different.

Those who were chosen by Wang Shi could be a part of the Dragon Hunt. Well, they were allowed to watch. They appointed a person in charge so that the young people had the opportunity to gain real experience.

For as long as Jiang Cheng could remember, the cultivation world had been fighting its strongest enemies. Of course, there were ghouls and undead, as well as other evil spirits. But the greatest concentration of dark qi was in dragons. Terrible overgrown lizards, lightning fast and dangerous. Impenetrable scales, sharpest spikes, fangs the size of a grown man's hand were not the most terrible thing. The worst was the special abilities. Dragons were classified into species and each had its own distinctive features. Some used fire, some poison, some chose the simplest way - fangs and claws. Basically, people explained such abilities of creatures by the presence of a huge amount of dark qi that filled their souls.

Even the legend of their appearance long before the foundations of cultivation spoke of a simple surge of energy that occurred because of one of the first adepts, and that its excess was absorbed by the surrounding area. This is how the Nest was formed. No one ever found it.

The Dragon Hunt referred to a few periods of time during the year. During these periods, the dragons left the Nest to look for food. They seemed to value human flesh especially, although it was the cattle and fish catch that suffered most often. The dragons burned entire sects, wiping out huge villages from the earth.

It was during the Dragon Hunts that the best adepts tried to destroy as many of these beasts as possible. They tried to protect their people and lands.

In addition, dragons rarely attacked the undead and spirits, which only cause more work, because the number of dangers only increased.

The young did not participate in the general Hunts until they had undergone special training and passed a test.

There were five main Sects that survived for centuries in such conditions and divided most of the territories between themselves. The Wen Sect, the oldest, slowly tried to pick up all the others, creating tension between people. It was they who ultimately drew up the training program for the adepts and controlled the passage of the test.

At first, until the age of 14, all the adepts trained in their Sects, where the Leaders themselves looked after them. Then about 30 people were selected who showed themselves best in front of the teachers, and they were sent to a 3-month course in the Lan Sect. At this stage, another 15 people were eliminated, who were forced to spend another six months in the Wen Sect, where they had to participate in hunts. This was meant as practicing the ability to work in a team, but in fact everyone knew that the adepts of other Sects were used by the Wens as protectors of their own people.

The last rebellion that was raised against such a system ended in a gigantic tragedy, thousands of deaths and a huge amount of destruction. Dragons and other evil spirits also had a hand in this. The Wen Sect had finally secured power for itself, so for a hundred years now, the others had put up with this attitude.

The Yunmeng Sect was also one of the main ones, so Jiang Cheng, as the son of the Leader, had no simple status in the cultivation world. Although many, when meeting him and Wei Wuxian for the first time, thought that Wei Wuxian was the heir.

This and many other reasons forced Jiang Cheng to stay on the training field for so long.

Kill all dragons. Bring piece. Protect your people.

Kill all dragons. Bring piece. Protect your people.

Save your Sect.

Be better than anyone.

One more exercise, a few more minutes. Maybe hours?

"Ah-Cheng!"

Almost hit the center. Another millimeter and the fire that was blazing near the mannequin would have caught his hair.

"Ah-Cheng!"

His hand with the wooden dagger refused to rise. Sweat ran down his forehead and neck, trickling down somewhere into the collar of his training robes. His hair was stuck to his face, blocking his vision.

"Ah-Cheng!" Someone’s hand touched his shoulder.

His first reaction was to turn around and swing. But after a few seconds of recognizing his sister, Jiang Cheng lowered the dagger down, breathing heavily.

"It’s late, dear. Let yourself rest a bit," her soothing voice made his tense shoulders relax. "We should have something to eat, okay?"

"Eat..? Oh, yeah, yes… Okay," he still tried to catch his breath. "Sounds nice, shijie".

Her dress fluttered in the evening breeze, and her hair was styled and neatly secured with a hairpin that glittered the color of the rising moon.

In her eyes, Jiang Cheng saw his own reflection, tired and wet, mixed with tenderness and sympathy. He hated being pitied, but her worry only caused a warm feeling in his chest.

She slowly turned around and headed towards her chambers, because it was already too late for a common dinner.

"I made some soup. I thought you’d want to eat something like that before leaving".

"Sure, with pleasure," he caught up with her, simultaneously shoving the weapons into special pockets and belts on his uniform. "Is father already home?"

Jiang Yanli glanced at him, tucking a strand of bangs behind her ear.

"Nope, he still hasn't returned from the Nie Sect's visit. Mother is still patrolling the southern territories. The next Dragon Hunt is near," she said.

"So..?"


"She probably won’t be back until the next week. And I will be doing the farewell ceremony tomorrow," Jiang Yanli took his arm. They walked slowly along the path, enjoying the cool evening air. Soon this peace would come to an end, because the lands of the Yunmeng Sect were closest to the Nest.

When the training lists were being formed, Jiang Cheng was sure that he would be at the top. It couldn't be otherwise. Of course, his top spot was still the next place after Wei Wuxian, but he still secretly hoped to be first at least now. It didn't work.

However, he kept waiting to receive at least some approval, just one word from his father. Just one warm look. Getting his mother's praise was also proving to be a difficult task, so he just sighed and nodded to Yanli, who was giving him worried looks.

"It’s alright".

"You know they are proud of you. It's just that the Sect requires a lot of time and effort. Especially before the Hunt. So forgive them for that, okay?"

"Yeah, fine. I know that," no way. He was sure it wasn’t like that. But he also knew it was quite common in the cultivation world. Good family relationships often collapsed under the pressure of the dangers.

"Great, okay. Also, you and Ah-Xian will always have me, alright?" She squeezed his elbow lightly in a reassuring gesture.

"I’m grateful for that, shijie".

"And I always will love you. You’re my little Ah-Cheng, now and forever".

"Thank you," these words really helped for a while. "I love you too".

Jiang Yanli smiled softly, brushing his hair away from his face with a gentle touch of her palm. He twitched a bit. 

Soon her chambers appeared before them, a small house with a beautiful backyard. There, under a spreading tree, stood a table with steaming food on it. The warm light of the lanterns illuminated the place, and on one of the chairs he noticed a familiar figure. Wei Wuxian was sitting, already waving his hand at them.

Jiang Cheng smiled. No matter how cruel he was to himself because of Wei Wuxian, he had long since gotten over the childish accusations. He was his brother and best friend.

"Hey there! Hungry?"

"Pretty much, idiot. I’ve been training since morning. And where have you been all day?" He asked, falling onto a chair. "Wang Shi asked about you".

"Well…" He rolled his eyes, to which Jiang Yanli, who was serving soup in front of them, only chuckled. "At first, I overslept. Than I thought it would be nice to swim for a bit… Later I had an idea so I tried it out…"

Uh-oh. Wei Wuxian’s ideas were never safe.

"Oh god… What now? Where did you start the fire today? Did something explode?"

"Ouch! Don’t you believe I can create something great? Oh, shidi, it hurts!" He dramatically placed his hand over his heart.

"You little idiot! I just don’t want to explain anything to mother, since me and shijie are responsible for the Sect when our parents are not there. So what is it?"

By this time, Jiang Yanli had already placed the soup in front of them. The fresh aroma of warm food made Jiang Cheng distract himself from the conversation, so while Wei Wuxian once again went on about his brilliant ideas, he enjoyed the food. Only now did he realize how hungry he had become during the day.

"Ah-Xian, you should eat a bit".

After this, Wei Wuxian finally paid attention to the table and for a while there was silence over the table, only the wind above their heads and the crickets in the grass could be heard.

"Shijie, as always. The greatest soup ever!"

"Yes, thank you! It’s really tasty," Jiang Cheng placed the empty bowl closer to the middle of the table.

Jiang Yanli just looked at them tenderly, as if they were little children.

"I'm glad you liked it".

"Sure we did! You’re the best shijie!"

She laughed shyly, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

"So, how are you guys feeling about tomorrow?"

Wei Wuxian's eyes sparkled again. The moon rose higher and higher, and the warm conversation only dragged on.

Of course they were ready, because during these three months in the Lan Sect they had to work even harder to get to the Wens. Everyone knew what was going on there, but this was the only way to become a full-fledged cultivator.

"I bet I'll be so good that they'll even send me to take a test before I graduate and I'll kill a dragon first!"

"Huh, you wish," Jiang Cheng scoffed with his arms folded across his chest. "I’ll be the first to kill a dragon".

Wei Wuxian gave him a look. The same look he gave every time he knew he was going to win. He had his reasons for that, that was clear.

Jiang Cheng clenched his fists.

"I promise you’ll see a dragon’s head right on this table just after I finish the training. Got it?" He saw Jiang Yanli’s worried face with the corner of his eye. But Wei Wuxian was still sitting in front of him, just as proud and confident, which was infuriating. Jiang Cheng was being lured with a red rag. And unexpectedly for himself, he blurted out another promise.

"I will be the one to catch Baoyu!"

There was a silence for a short moment. It seemed that even the crickets and toads decided to take a break. Though, it didn’t last long. Jiang Cheng watched as Wei Wuxian's cheeks slowly puffed out in an attempt to hold back his laughter. He quickly glanced at Jiang Yanli, who gently placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled awkwardly, and shook his head in irritation.

Suddenly Wei Wuxian burst into laughter, shaking somewhere under the table, so much so that even the empty dishes rattled.

"You? Are gonna catch Baoyu? Oh god, that’s… That’s really funny," he managed to say. "Who would have thought that you still believe in children's fairytales?"

"Ah-Cheng, you are not serious, right?" Jiang Yanli glanced at him, but she quickly looked away, as if afraid of upsetting him. "You know that Baoyu isn’t real?"

"If no one has seen it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist!"

A new burst of laughter came from under the table. Jiang Yanli looked away guiltily.

"Ah-Xian, stop it. Ah-Cheng, please, listen to me… Baoyu truly isn’t real," she helped Wei Wuxian out from under the table, although he was still clenching his jaw to keep from giggling. "Parents all over the cultivation world use this legend just to make kids behave".

He knew it pretty well. However, Jiang Cheng also used to keeping promises.

"There is a grain of truth in every legend. Otherwise the legend would not have been invented".

"Oh, Cheng-Cheng, don’t say this out loud. I don’t want other adepts to think that my shidi is crazy," Wei Wuxian huffed. "You’re the Jiang heir. After all".

"Ah-Xian, that’s too much. Don’t say things like that!" The remnants of a smile disappeared from her face, leaving only an incomprehensible mixture of emotions. She knew how much Jiang Cheng disliked being pushed around with his status.

It's hard being the only son of a Sect Leader. It's even harder when you can't live up to it.

"Uhm, sorry, I didn’t mean to…"


"You little shi…" He put his last strength into reaching out to him and giving him a slap on the back of the head. "Fuck it!"

For the first time, he felt so exhausted that he didn't even have the strength to have a proper fight with Wei Wuxian.

"Okay, boys, no swearing. Tomorrow is a tough day. Ah-Cheng, you're just tired. I know you'll actually be a worthy Leader," Jiang Yanli gently patted each of them on the cheek, although Jiang Cheng only frowned in displeasure. He loved his sister. He loved her very much. He loved that idiot Wei Wuxian too. They were his only and strongest support. Even if sometimes it didn't seem that way. But other people's touches only made him want to move away.

"Don't make such a face, I know you don't like it. But let your shijie remember at least once before you leave what good little kids you were".

Jiang Cheng just rolled his eyes but allowed himself to continue to be pulled by the cheek. He glanced at Wei Wuxian, who, unlike him, was more tactile and happily gave in to such entertainment. It seemed that if he had a tail, he would also wag it like a dog.

Soon the tenderness session, fortunately, ended. And everyone seemed to have forgotten about the conversation about Baoyu. Or decided to ignore it.

When Jiang Yanli started to yawn, even though she tried to hide it, Jiang Cheng was finally able to drag Wei Wuxian back to their room.

In the dead of night, it was still relatively light. Lanterns illuminated most of the area. The full moon shone brightly in the sky, its beauty enhanced by billions of stars. The silence was broken by the wind, crickets, toads, and other creatures splashing in the water nearby.

There was not a soul on the Lotus Pier. Although, nothing unusual, considering that the curfew began more than two hours ago. But closer to the borders, echoes of quiet footsteps were heard.

Night patrol, which many clans resorted to, especially closer to the time of the Hunt. Even in small settlements, people were found who controlled the situation at night.

A couple of times, Jiang Cheng also got into this patrol, trying to be noticed by his father, but everything turned out not so interesting. Yes, a couple of times he still saw the dragons in advance, which helped to establish protection in time, but in most cases it was just walking around the entire territory without any special incidents.

All the way to the men's common room, Wei Wuxian talked about how he was looking forward to training and how he would kill his first dragon. This wasn't the first time Jiang Cheng had heard such thoughts, so he only nodded and hummed a couple of times in response, but he did not really need to answer. Wei Wuxian spoke for both of them.

Usually, the dragons that were present in his dreams were the largest and most dangerous ones, which rarely appeared in public. Jiang Cheng had tried to remind him before that the one-on-one dragon trials for the youth usually involved the standard ones that cultivators encountered every Hunt. Beasts like Mengyan, Taifeng, and Ruidu were rare prey even for experienced warriors.

But he never listened to him, Wei Wuxian always said to just wait and see how Yunmeng would blossom and how the Wens themselves would persuade Jiang Cheng to become the head of the entire cultivation world. And Wei Wuxian would be his submissive second hand. Although, as for submissive, everyone doubted it.

But for now, they just quietly slipped into the room, lying down on the beds. Jiang Cheng didn't even have time to take off his shoes before his eyes closed on their own. Wei Wuxian was still muttering something, but he couldn't hear him anymore.

And in his dreams he saw it again.

Baoyu, who soared in the stormy sky, cutting through the clouds and creating lightning. His wings, like two giant sails, covered so much of the sky that it seemed like night had fallen.

***

Jiang Yanli stood on a small platform, and around her stood a couple of people with swords in their hands. From below, 30 pairs of eyes looked at her, listening to every word.

All of the adepts were young and still not fully awake, but ready to go to the ends of the world. Those who made it onto the list were the pride of their parents and the Sect.

"Unfortunately, my mother is currently on patrol as the Dragon Hunt is approaching. So I will be giving the farewell speech. I hope you are not too upset about this," she giggled quietly. A joyful hooting could be heard. Jiang Yanli was beloved by all the disciples since she was humble and kind to everyone who needed it.

She nodded politely at them and continued.

"I know that training is a difficult stage in each of your lives. But remember that you have all come a long way, as becoming one of the best in the Yunmeng Sect is already worth a lot. It is our territory that is closest to the Nest. Therefore, you must be able to protect yourselves and your families. Today, you will leave our lands and go to gain valuable knowledge from others, because without such an exchange, society cannot exist. Yunmeng Jiang is proud of you, and my father remembers and values ​​each of you!"

Her speech ended with inspired applause. Jiang Yanli came down with Jiang Cheng’s help and hugged each of the disciples. That was what made her different from her parents. And why the adepts stopped worrying so much. She was able to show them once again that they were part of something. And that they were believed in.

Soon they mounted their best horses. Under the solemn rhythm of the drums, Jiang Cheng managed to shout only one sentence.

"Don't let us down!"

"Yeah!"

"Yes!"

"Let’s go!"

Laughter and shouts were heard. Wei Wuxian also raised his fist in the air, and the others followed him. Jiang Yanli, smiling and shaking her head, walked up to Jiang Cheng’s horse, gently stroking its neck.

"Have a good trip and don’t get yourself killed. Also, I love you".

"You too, shijie. Be careful. We will write you! I love you," he promised her.

He waited until Wei Wuxian stopped hugging her, and then turned his horse around, leading the others behind him.

These few days on the road were not easy, a couple of times they got caught in the rain, and once they were even attacked by the undead in the middle of the night in the forest. Also, Wei Wuxian swears that he heard the dragon's roar, but no one believed him.

But no matter how hard and exhausting it was, Jiang Cheng still enjoyed this little bit of freedom. The humid air at this time of year felt especially fresh, and the plants, glistening with dew, almost glowed in the morning. He felt like he could breathe deeply, as if he were freed from constant surveillance. As if he no longer had to work hard to be good to his family.

As if he could be just Jiang Cheng here.

He knew that the disciples were watching him now, though most of their attention was focused on the outgoing and boastful Wei Wuxian. But their gazes could not compete with the heavy gaze of his father, burdened with unfulfilled hopes.

On the last day, everyone was tired from the constant road conditions and voted to stay the night at the inn room.

Everyone wanted to have a proper bath, the horses needed enough rest and food, so Jiang Cheng agreed to give some gold for such luxury. Of course, from his own pocket.

As soon as they entered, it turned out that most of the inn was occupied by the adepts of the Jin Sect. The staff just shrugged their shoulders at Wei Wuxian's swearing and Jiang Cheng’s irritation. It was clear that they couldn't do anything about it. However, that didn't stop anyone from getting angry.

It was true that quarreling with the Jin Sect and their heir was not in their plans, so Wei Wuxian had to be reined in.

"The more the merrier," Jiang Cheng muttered through his teeth, paying for the remaining rooms. At least there was enough space for the horses. The bathhouse could always be used, and the warm food was much better than dried meat and bread.

In the evening, having finally washed himself and changed into decent robes that he wouldn't be ashamed to show up in front of the Leader of the Lan Sect, Jiang Cheng was enjoying some soup with Wei Wuxian. He was cursing at Jin Zixuan again, while stuffing his mouth with rice, pieces of which were scattered all over the table. Jiang Cheng frowned.

"God, can you not embarrass yourself? Disgusting," he remarked, finishing his food.

"Who cares! I’m still the best cultivator out there even if I eat like that".

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes as he looked at the people entering the dining hall. He noticed a couple of purple robes heading their way, the yellow robes were obviously the most prevalent. It was noisy, so he wasn't too worried about someone overhearing their conversation.

"Why are there so many of them? Only 30 people can be sent for training!" He heard someone from their group.

Sure, everyone was unhappy with this state of affairs, because extra people took extra rooms.

"What are you saying? How can the heir of the Jin Sect travel so far without an escort?" Wei Wuxian snorted with derision.

"Of course, they also arrived in a carriage. Riding a horse is not a royal thing," another girl supported him. And then nodded towards Jiang Cheng. "Not like our heir!"

However, he never found out what exactly that meant, because the conversation soon turned to a discussion of training and various creatures.

"There's no way Fierce Corpse could have as much dark qi as a dragon. Even after death, a human body can't hold that much energy!"

"We can't know, we can't even find out how much energy is contained in a dragon. And about the same Haipa, a small and obnoxious, but relatively safe dragon, there is no specific information," said a guy, chewing on his chicken leg.

"So, try to get to one of them, I don’t know. Talk to them, ask how they’re feeling," Jiang Cheng noted.

Naturally, their knowledge of dragons was limited. Even physical indicators such as size or wingspan were only relatively accurate. Dragons were so dangerous that none of the cultivators could get close enough to them. But since all beasts can be killed, why not at least examine their corpses? It's simple, they turn to dust immediately after death.

There were attempts to study this dust, but in the end it turned out to be simple ash, and the entire cultivation world agreed that dragons, as fire-breathing creatures, simply burn themselves.

"But it would be possible to somehow tie them up and immobilize them. I even started developing a similar talisman, so that it would be strong and fireproof enough," Wei Wuxian stated.

The next half hour was spent discussing Wei Wuxian's inventions. It was getting later and therefore colder. The adepts in yellow had left much earlier, giving them some space. So soon their group moved closer to the fire, continuing to share plans for the future and trying to show themselves as knowledgeable and capable as possible.

It was getting harder and harder for Jiang Cheng, and his eyelids were sticking together, so he couldn't stand it any longer and said that it was time to sleep. They had to leave early tomorrow to make it to the opening ceremony on time. Everyone quickly agreed with him, because their worries were taking their toll.

It turned out that Jiang Cheng shared a room not only with Wei Wuxian, but also with a couple of other guys, who actually fell asleep quickly, quietly snoring on the floor. They decided to give the only bed in the room to Jiang Cheng, although he really didn't care.

He tried to refuse, but now he was sitting on this very bed, watching the sky outside the window. Wei Wuxian was fidgeting in his place after rightfully stealing his pillow. That and the strong wind tore through the silence around him.

A storm was coming, and it was going to be very loud tonight. Jiang Cheng was glad that they had to travel the rest of the way through the town of Gusu, where most of the territory was protected from the rain.

Soon thunder rumbled, but he did not even shudder. In fact, he loved storms, but not only because at this time the dragons were inactive, which delayed the Hunt. At this time, the activity of other creatures also decreased, since few dared to leave their shelters in such weather.

He liked this freshness, but also wildness at the same time. A certain unpredictability, something misunderstood and unappreciated by people. Just like him.

The sleepiness disappeared as if by magic, as soon as there were no people left around. It seems he was simply tired of society. However now, in solitude and darkness, interrupted only by lightning, Jiang Cheng felt quite comfortable.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a shadow high in the sky. A small black spot against the clouds and moon. 'I saw it wrong', he thought at first.

The shadow flashed again, and then again. Closer and closer. Jiang Cheng even stood up and went to the window, trying to get a better look.

And indeed, against the backdrop of another flash of lightning, he saw this shadow again, but now it seemed to be falling down.

A dragon!

Could it be Baoyu?

Jiang Cheng shook his head. The shadow managed to crash into one of the cliffs, even in such weather conditions he noticed how a piece of stone broke off.

No, it can't be. Baoyu, born from the storm, couldn't have died in it! So this dragon is actually someone else. Someone who is lost in a dark and loud night. Taking a quick glance at the people sleeping behind him and Wei Wuxian, who had finally begun to snore, Jiang Cheng resolutely grabbed his training sword and dagger and slipped out into the corridor.

He could kill a dragon before he even started training. Now his father will definitely be proud of him!

It was absolute hell outside. Jiang Cheng felt like he was about to be lifted off the ground. But surprisingly, he felt much calmer than when they were sitting together in the dining hall. His hair quickly became tangled, and his beautiful clothes turned into wet, dirty rags that clung to his body. Wet drops flowed down his nose, cheeks, hands...

He held a sword in one hand and held the other to his forehead, trying to figure out where to go. Once again, he regretted that he couldn’t fly on a sword. Most of the knowledge of this kind was supposed to be given to them only in the next months. Although having such skills, flying in such weather was prohibited due to the increased danger.

Taking a horse also didn't seem like the best idea, so there was only one way out. To run. And Jiang Cheng ran, hoping to make it back before dawn. He could always get some sleep, but killing a dragon...

The road was slippery, his feet sank into the mud a couple of times, the cold was slowly getting on his nerves, but soon his hard training paid off. He had enough strength and time to run to the cliff where he saw a piece of stone fall down.

However there was nothing unusual there. Just a cliff, no one around. All the animals had hiden from the storm. It was still raging, so Jiang Cheng tried to get a better look. As he approached the very edge, he suddenly heard a rumbling sound. There was definitely someone below. Someone big and loud enough to be heard in the thunder.

He slowly moved forward, holding his sword in his hand. Jiang Cheng felt his heart beating in his chest and the golden core pulsating, still not developed enough for a full reaction.

Leaning slightly, he tried to examine the steep descent down, rocky and wet. There was actually something moving below, trying to rise. It was truly a dragon! One of the big ones, he would say gigantic. His wings spread out over almost the entire area that he could see. The dragon roared, his body shaking every now and then, and smoke was escaping from his mouth.

Jiang Cheng was only a few meters away from killing the beast.

The thought may have flashed through his head that it wasn't worth it. That it was too dangerous. But his legs had already moved on by themselves, as if they wouldn't listen. One step, then another, and another. Closer and closer. The smell of rain mixed with the metallic smell of blood. Obviously, the dragon shouldn’t have flown out during a storm. And it could only fall if it was wounded. So it was not surprising that Jiang Cheng could barely distinguish dark spots of blood on the stones.

Kill the dragon. Kill. Kill the beast. Kill.

Kill it. Kill it. Kill it.

Suddenly, his world turned upside down. He felt his foot slip as it landed awkwardly on the wet moss. Trying to grab onto something, he only tore off his nails and the skin of his palm. His other arm was torn all the way to the elbow, but he still fell at high speed.

Jiang Cheng didn't remember whether he screamed or not. He only remembered that he was sure that this was it. The end.


He’s going to die.

A minute later, in complete darkness, he could still hear the storm, surprisingly. He could feel his heart beating, the golden core still warm inside. This was surely a good sign. With some trepidation, his eyes finally opened.

Well, he was clearly alive.

It seemed that there were no particular injuries other than scratches and bruises. They were certainly burning with pain, and it was unpleasant to breathe. It's possible that a couple of cracks did get to his ribs.

Everything was spinning a little, he felt slightly nauseous. Jiang Cheng tried to write it off as the consequences of panic and raised himself up on his elbows.

Only then did he realize that he wasn't lying on the ground. There was something soft, cold, and slimy underneath him. He ran his hand over it, as if afraid to turn around. Membranes, small scales and some liquid, which was most likely blood mixed with water and dirt.

Something underneath him quietly rumbled in pain with its last strength. Jiang Cheng slowly looked down. He was lying on the dragon's wing, spread out all over the ground. Also, the dragon itself was behind him and clearly did not try to attack. It was breathing with difficulty. Jiang Cheng’s gaze fell again on the stones in front of him, and he noticed fresh scratches on them. This dragon really couldn’t fly, but it kept climbing the wall in an attempt to... Save him.

The wild beast he was about to kill saved his life.

Unexpectedly for himself, Jiang Cheng jumped up. It felt like it just belatedly dawned on his brain that he needed to run. He needed to escape and return to the inn.

He continued to feel sick and his skin burned from his wounds, but he still clung to the stones. His fingers slipped again and again and he was unable to climb higher than a couple of meters.

When once again the stone under his foot could not bear his weight, Jiang Cheng suddenly felt a sharp push upward. He felt a couple of scratches on his back, and then he was being thrown over a wing like a sack of potatoes. It felt slippery under his fingers, but quite pleasant.

No one had ever been in close proximity to a dragon for so long and survived.

Jiang Cheng swallowed. From the beast he could hear only snorting and a heavy roar, full of despair. It sounded somewhat like the tired exhalation of a cultivator who was dying on a bed and was just waiting for his torment to end. Which was not surprising, because under the light of the moon and the whistling rain and wind, more and more blood mixed with the dirt.

The dragon was able to lift him to the edge of the cliff and, pushing Jiang Cheng onto the rocks, the wing dropped down again.

The thunder did not subside, and neither did the storm. There was still only one thought beating in his head. Run. To warmth, to safety. Though, for some reason Jiang Cheng stopped for a couple of seconds, glancing down briefly.

Under the shimmer of the night sky, an eye looked at him, blue and shining, as if from tears. The dark stripe of the pupil stared straight at him, but the gaze did not last long. With an exhalation, the dragon’s eyes closed and his head fell back onto the stones with a dull thud.

Jiang Cheng looked around and ran back. He had never been so fast before. His legs carried him on their own, barely slipping on the dirt of the road. His head was empty, not a single thought except panic. The wounds and scratches burned, drops fell into his eyes. His hands were empty, which meant the training sword was left somewhere. But the dagger was still flapping on his belt, scratching his thigh.

When the inn appeared from behind the trees, he was able to breathe easier. Safety and comfort were nearby. Finally. Jiang Cheng opened the front door with difficulty, like an undead. His boots left traces of mud and his clothes were dripping with water. He threw off his outer robes and fell down near the fireplace.

"Excuse me, it's late and you should…" The young man bowed in front of him, but didn't even have time to finish speaking. Jiang Cheng only glared at him from under his bangs stuck to his forehead and threw him a gold coin that was lying around in his pocket.

When he was finally left alone, all he could do was stretch out his legs and stare at the flames.

"The dragon will always kill a person and even death will not stop it".

Why didn't you kill?

Chapter Text

He was found early in the morning, sleeping near the extinguished fire. Jiang Cheng woke up because someone was shaking his shoulders.

"Hey! Do you know how scared I was?!" Wei Wuxian’s worried face appeared in front of him.

His eyes were sticking together, but all the sleepiness disappeared as soon as he felt all his wounds burning at once.

"Oh…" Jiang Cheng rose up, leaning on his elbow, and put his palm to his forehead. "What time is it?"

"Why did you sleep here?!" Wei Wuxian helped him sit normally. "And what happened to your clothes?"

This comment made Jiang Cheng examine his robes. Or something that was his robes once. Purple color became brown and black. Dirt, mixed with blood, was everywhere, covering most of the luxurious silk. Not all blood was his, though.

It’s said that dragon’s blood has special properties. Since a lot of beasts are capable of producing fire, poison, boiling water, sand or other stuff people can think of, their blood must be a fluid dark qi.

Jiang Cheng flinched. Every decent cultivator now could tell he had dealt with dragons before. Not something he wanted.

Thanks God Wei Wuxian didn’t notice. Or ignored it.

"You stink, shidi! What the fuck happened?"

"Nothing much. I wasn’t able to sleep so I decided to go outside".

He gave him a suspicious glance.

"Really? It was raining cats and dogs all night," his eyebrow rose so high that Jiang Cheng thought it was going to come off and fly somewhere. "And I can feel how your robes are soaked with resentful energy".

The room was slowly being filled with people who came down to have a breakfast in the dining hall. Most of them had yellow clothes but he saw two or three guys from his group. Wei Wuxian snapped at two girls who were laughing at Jiang Cheng’s look and trying to cover it with their sleeves.

"So? Will you tell me the truth?"

"But it was it. I just couldn’t sleep and went to have some fresh air. I stood on the threshold when I noticed something in the bushes. It turned out to be a couple of undead from a nearby cemetery. That's why I got a little wet," he shrugged. Wei Wuxian looked rather skeptical as he watched Jiang Cheng walk towards their room. He could feel his distrust.

"Do you really expect me to believe this?"

"Well, it’s not like you gonna hear something else".

"Ugh," Wei Wuxian scoffed. "I’m your shixiong. You can tell me everything".

"I already did," Jiang Cheng simply said. "It’s time to go. Tell everyone to eat faster. I will go change…"

Wei Wuxian didn’t have to answer. As Jiang Cheng climbed the stairs, he heard him addressing several guys and urging them to hurry.

"Hao, don’t laugh, chew your rice!"

"But…"

He no longer heard the rest of the conversation when he went up to their room. It remained the same since he left last night. All the others' things had already been collected in small bags, which were tied with a rope. Jiang Cheng just untied his and took out the last of the two sets of formal robes. The darker purple silk didn't match well with the white colors of the Lan Sect, but it was still better than the rags he was wearing.

The fabric that was stuck to his skin was difficult to remove from the wounds on his back. The rest had already managed to heal slightly, thanks to the golden core. However, the wounds from the dragons never completely healed.

The dragon clearly didn't want to harm him at night. With his claws he only helped him get out.

The more Jiang Cheng thought about it, the less sense it had.

In one of the nightstands he found an extra white blanket, which he successfully tore into strips. He wrapped them around his torso, tying everything tightly. His whole body ached from fatigue and the uncomfortable sleeping position, but still, something worse was going on in his mind.

Jiang Cheng’s confusion was dispelled by Wei Wuxian's shout.

"Hey! We’re ready to go!"

"Fine, I’m coming," he answered, looking at the room the last time. "Is our invitation with you?"

"I think so," he heard.

"Okay, let’s get to our horses!" Jiang Cheng closed the door. All of their group was gathered near the entrance, holding the bridles in their hands. There were many people crowded in the courtyard of the inn, as the Jin Sect was also about to leave for training.

There was very little road left, along the streets of the city of Gusu. Many simply observed the life of the locals, and Wei Wuxian even managed to flirt with the girls at the market who were selling fruits. Jiang Cheng looked at every flag with images of dragons, and on most of them, these very dragons were killed and destroyed in various ways.

"Here! Look here! Dragon talismans to keep your home safe even during the Hunts!"
Wei Wuxian grimaced and spat over his shoulder.

"Liars!" He screamed so the seller would hear him. "Nothing can guarantee you safety during the Dragon Hunts! Bastards!"


"Dear sir, what are you saying! This talisman has specially intertwined hieroglyphs that scare these terrible beasts," the seller awkwardly smiled at him, bowing. One of the women poked him in the ribs.

"It’s a cultivator, you idiot!" Then she nodded Wei Wuxian and finished the argument. "We’re sorry! We didn’t mean anything bad!"

Wei Wuxian just snorted and turned away, glaring at the other sellers in annoyance. Jiang Cheng only shook his head.

While everyone was looking at the counters, the road passed unnoticed. Soon a mountain with steps leading up appeared in front of them, so the horses had to be left in the stable below. The stable belonged to the Lan Sect personally and there was no need to pay for a place there, everything for the disciples was paid for by the Sect.

The climb up seemed endless to Jiang Cheng, and most of the time he was worried about blood appearing on his back. They walked silently, but it was noticeable how hard it was, especially with Wei Wuxian complaining. And he complained about everything: about exhaustion, about the weather, about not having time to buy the famous wine here.

"Shut up, you moron!"

"Shidi, but it’s awful! They should have come up with something so that we all wouldn't have to suffer like this!"

"Are you a cultivator or not? Or you don’t have enough strength to even get to the training?"

"Blah-blah-blah…"

After this, he finally fell silent, to which the others breathed a sigh of relief. An hour later, a stone arch appeared from around the corner. It was decorated with only a couple of lanterns, illuminating their way.

The Lan Sect has always been famous for being minimalists. And of course the whole world knew about their wall of rules and perfect behavior. Their disciples have never been involved in any scandals, and no one has ever heard any interesting story involving them.

Wei Wuxian called them boring. This was one of the few things Jiang Cheng agreed with.

At the arch they were met by a man in white, the color that belonged to the Lan Sect along with blue. Jiang Cheng nodded to his group, allowing them to sit on the nearby rocks, and he walked towards him.

"Hello there," he bowed. "My name is Jiang Cheng. I’m the only son of Jiang Fengmian, the Jiang Sect Leader. Me and my people came here to study".

The man in white bowed in response.

"Marvelous. Your invitation, please".

He rummaged through the bag and pulled out a small envelope with his Sect's seal on it. The seal consisted of adhesive wax, decorated with a small golden lotus. The paper itself was slightly yellowish, but quite thick. The man carefully printed it out, quickly skimmed through the text in the letter and smiled with satisfaction.

"Everything is fine, you can go inside. You will be met".

"Sure, thank you".

He walked proudly inside, and the others followed behind him, including Wei Wuxian, who was yawning and waving at everyone.

"Tsk," Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

As the man said, they were indeed met. Near the first buildings, another guy was waiting for them, a little younger, but still in the same clothes. But that wasn't what caught Jiang Cheng’s attention. Standing a little further away was Lan Xichen himself, the Leader of the Lan Sect. And he was clearly a little emotional.

"Hey! Zewu-jun!" Wei Wuxian shouted.

Oh no.

Oh no, no, no, no.

Why is he meddling in other people's business again?

Jiang Cheng was about to start apologizing when Wei Wuxian continued.

"Last night my shidi fought some undead near the inn," he said, when Lan Xichen turns towards him.

"Oh, we’re really sorry," was a response. Lan Xichen came closer, smiling politely. "There is a cemetery nearby, so sometimes situations like this happen. We offer our deepest apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you during your stay with us".

Something was off. That smile, those nervous finger movements. Something was very wrong. Jiang Cheng felt it.

"Never mind," he replied, watching him carefully. After bowing and standing for only a couple of seconds, Lan Xichen still apologized once more and walked away, to which Wei Wuxian only shrugged.

Trying to get the Sect Leader's strange behavior out of his head and trying to attribute it to his own stress, Jiang Cheng just poked him in the ribs with displeasure and said everything he thought about such behavior.

"What’s inappropriate here? I just told them about the existing problem with the undead. People live there, it's dangerous!"

"You idiot!"

Maybe Lan Xichen had always acted like this. He was rumored to be graceful, calm, and powerful, and even if he was really nervous, no one would talk about it. Jiang Cheng sighed. It was too much to think about now.

The guy still led them to their rooms, although after the situation with Wei Wuxian, he didn’t seem so hospitable. The girls were taken to a completely different place, because the training was separate. The boys' rooms were the most ordinary, three people in one. A bed and a nightstand for each and a window. Jiang Cheng’s room, which he shared with Wei Wuxian and Liu Zihao, was on the first floor and the window overlooked the central area.

A wonderful waterfall, with lots of greenery growing around it, and paths paved with beautiful stone. Now many people were walking around the area, helping all the new arrivals settle in. Other colors were flashing among the white clothes every now and then.

When Jiang Cheng turned away from the window, several pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly.

"The opening ceremony is in an hour, so you can unpack and gather your courage. Come here 10 minutes before the event," within a minute everyone had gone to their rooms and there was no sign of them here.

Wei Wuxian quickly threw his bag into his nightstand and lay down on his bed, yawning tiredly.

"You could at least fold everything neatly," Jiang Cheng himself took out his dagger, his favorite belt, and one set of training clothes from his bag. They were supposed to be given a uniform here, so he was going to practice in this one on his own. It was dark and inconspicuous.

"Who cares, I’d rather rest a bit," he yawned again. And then suddenly he jumped up sharply and glanced at Liu Zihao.

Unexpectedly for himself, Jiang Cheng heard a joyful whisper in his ear.

"Listen, how about a little night out? We can go out into the city, drink some wine! They say the local Emperor's Smile is a dream of any connoisseur!"

Jiang Cheng saw out of the corner of his eye how Liu Zihao calmly continued to put his belongings in his nightstand. Then he hissed at Wei Wuxian.

"Are you completely out of your mind? Running away to the city on your first night! Have you even read a single rule on the wall?"

"Boring," he waved his hand demonstratively over his open mouth. "Where is your spirit of adventure?"

"You idiot, go to sleep tonight! God forbid you get into some kind of trouble! You'll go straight back to Yunmeng".

"Oh, come on. When have I ever been caught?" His foxy smile was a little annoying, but he was right about one thing. Wei Wuxian had never been caught before.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. While Wei Wuxian was chatting with Liu Zihao, who only nodded silently in response, he managed to carefully pack the greeting gift. Little by little, the other guys began to gather in their room, joining in the conversation and discussion of one of the dragon species. Jiang Cheng only listened to their reasoning, but his thoughts kept returning to that night's event. The dragon that saved his life stirred his consciousness. For some reason, now he also felt ashamed, as if he had let it down. He knew that he should forget, but something inside resisted this. He felt that he had to see it again. Jiang Cheng knew that such a large dragon would be found quickly in the Sect's territory, especially not far from the city. Therefore, there was little time left for another meeting.

Shortly before the ceremony, a man in white knocked on their door.

"I will escort you to the central hall. Please, follow me," he said.

Everyone looked at the Cloud Recesses territory with awe and a premonition of imminent adventures during training. Everything around looked harmoniously in the midst of greenery. Wooden materials, protected by special talismans from fires, did not stand out against the background of the mountains. The central hall was not far away, only a 10-minute walk from the rooms. Inside, everything was decorated with light stone and the same wood.

"Woah…"

Some future students had already taken their seats, and Lan Xichen, still just as nervous in Jiang Cheng’s opinion, was discussing something with his uncle in one of the corners. Lan Qiren, one of the most respected cultivators in the world, had a fit figure, a beard and a mustache. Among ordinary people, he was known as a man who had defeated more than a hundred dragons without receiving a single scar. The same white colors in his clothes, mixed with blue, but already clearly showed his high status. All his gestures radiated confidence and power.

There was another young man next to them.

"Look at this one next to Zewu-jun. Face like stone, phew," Wei Wuxian whispered to Jiang Cheng’s ear.

"Shut up, it’s Lan Wangji," he hissed back. "Did you even read anything when we were told to prepare for training?"

"That’s him?! Really?"

"Oh God, help me…"

Wei Wuxian simply waved his hand at him and followed to the seats that were specially allocated for the Jiang Sect. As one of the five main Sects, their seats were closer to the Lan representatives.

"How everything here is so pretentious and so simple at the same time," someone noted and others agreed, nodding their heads.

Once the entire hall was filled with people, one of Lan's adepts solemnly struck the gong. 'Right in time,' Jiang Cheng thought.

"Dear guests and future students, we are pleased to welcome you in Cloud Recesses!" Lan Xichen stood up and smiled softly at them. His robes fluttered behind him, as all the windows were open and a light fresh breeze blew through the room. "You are the best of the best in your Sects and we are truly blessed to see such young and capable minds come to us for annual training and exchange of experiences among cultivators".

In Yunmeng, everyone would have been shouting and hooting with delight, but here everyone sat silently, which made it somehow uncomfortable.

"I will now introduce the heirs and first disciples of each of the Sects to honor their presence here," Lan Xichen continued. "So, the Qinghe Nie Sect! Nie Huaisang and Nie Guangyao".

The Nie Sect was famous for its physical strength, but a skinny guy rose from his seat, and along with him, Guangyao, who was unknown to anyone before. Except, it seems, the Jin Sect. After all, Jiang Cheng noticed an unusual display of some kind of disgust there.

"The Lanling Jin Sect! Jin Zixuan and Yang Qiu".

Jin Zixuan's arrogance made Jiang Cheng wince, noticing the same emotions on Wei Wuxian's face. Their first disciple was also obviously proud and skilled, but he too was drowning in the shadow of their heir.

"The Yunmeng Jiang Sect! Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian".

He stood up at his full height, looking straight at Lan Xichen, and got a polite nod in response. Wei Wuxian also showed himself humbly and sat back.

"The Qishan Wen! Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu".

Everyone remained seated. It seems like the Wen Sect has decided that they are too great to undergo general training this time. Jiang Cheng noticed Lan Qiren's displeased glance at the crowd. Some of the adepts were even glad that they wouldn't have to study with the Wens, while others shuddered, because such impudence could mean anything.

Lan Xichen cleared his throat. The presentation of the other sects took about another half hour, although the mood of the people was slightly tense.

Then Lan Qiren read out all the millions of rules, tediously and slowly, mentioning how important it was to follow them. Wei Wuxian almost fell asleep on his shoulder a couple of times, for which he received a couple of kicks. But this too eventually ended.

Jiang Cheng’s back was hurting more and more, with each passing minute he felt more and more clearly how something sticky was dripping down. He could only hope that the thick layer of fabric under his clothes would be enough to prevent the blood from seeping through the purple silk.

Wounds from dragons never heal.

Jiang Cheng turned it over in his head. Was he really going to have to suffer like this for the rest of his life? It was certainly much better than just dying alone in a stormy mountainous area.

In time, Lan Xichen announced the presentation of welcoming gifts. It had long been a tradition that their training and upkeep in the Lan Sect was paid for with a single gift at the beginning.

The Nie Sect presented one of the newest weapons that might be useful for the next Hunt. A sword with a curved blade that should easily cut through dragon scales.

The Jin Sect decided to show off their wealth once again. It was not for nothing, as they said, that they wore yellow clothes. Gold here, gold there. Gold everywhere. And in their gift they had a giant ingot, including some jewelry.

Jiang Cheng chuckled. Their gift would definitely be the best one here. And now, as he approached and knelt down in front of Lan Xichen, he noticed Wei Wuxian watching him with delight. He knew what was rolled up in the chest. However, for security reasons, he was not even allowed to see it.

Lan Xichen touched his shoulder reassuringly, allowing him to rise and open the chest. There was a soft, light purple bundle inside. In Lan Xichen’s hands, the bundle began to pulse sharply, which surprised even Jiang Cheng. The cloth was returned back to the chest, and in the hands of the Lan Sect Leader was a precious stone the size of a bowl. The sharp edges, which glowed pleasantly blue, illuminated his face.

"Is this..?"

"Yeah, it’s Yun’s egg," Jiang Cheng smiled at him with satisfaction.

Lan Xichen looked up at him, his gaze full of admiration and some fear. And it was obvious, because dragon eggs were an absolute rarity. Most of the magic casters died without ever seeing even one egg. Jiang Cheng felt like he was growing wings on his back as the other Sect heirs looked at him with indignant eyes. Except for Nie Huaisang, who seemed uninterested in most of the events in the hall. When he was about to return to his seat, Lan Xichen stopped him and bowed, although he had previously simply accepted the gifts with gratitude.

"This is a very precious gift, our entire Sect will be indebted to Yunmeng".

"No need, Zewu-jun. Teach us and prepare us to become real cultivators".

"Of course".

How pleasant it was to hear Jin Zixuan's teeth grinding even from where he was.

After the ceremony was over, they were taken to dinner. Wei Wuxian, like the others, did not shut up about the egg the whole way. Although this time Jiang Cheng happily kept up the conversation, describing all his feelings from being in close proximity to it.

The closer to night, the thicker the fog descended on the Cloud Recesses. There was an unusual calmness that any worries left the heart. The only thing that stirred the soul was the quiet ringing of the bell that announced the beginning of dinner.

They were seated at long communal tables where rice and vegetables were already steaming. After the first bite, Wei Wuxian almost spat the food back into his bowl.

"Disgusting!"

Well, it wasn't that bad. It was just that there were absolutely no spices, not even salt, anywhere. There was also no meat, which people in Yunmeng were so used to.

"I’m a man, not a goat!"

"Shut the fuck up and eat!"
Wei Wuxian puffed out his cheeks in resentment and stuffed more cabbage into his mouth. They finished eating quickly, hunger took its toll. When everyone was about to leave, Lan Xichen, using a spell to increase his voice, reminded everyone that curfew was in half an hour and wished them good studies.

"Who goes to bed at nine o'clock at night?" Wei Wuxian muttered. "Stupid rules!"


However, from his gaze, Jiang Cheng already knew that he would definitely go out to the city as soon as the curfew sounded. Though, this time, it was to his advantage.

Liu Zihao fell asleep first, turning his face to the wall. Jiang Cheng also turned away and closed his eyes, listening to all the rustling sounds. The leaves rustled pleasantly outside, and the soft light was muffled by the fog. Even the crickets seemed to be quieter than in Yunmeng. The enhanced hearing could detect the footsteps of the guards in the courtyard.

And Wei Wuxian didn't keep him waiting either. After only an hour, maybe an hour and a half, something rustled in his direction. He felt his gaze on his back, but he did not go closer to make sure that everyone was asleep. Soon, a quick shadow slipped out of the open window. 'Idiot,' decided Jiang Cheng and, after waiting a couple of minutes, also came out to the street. Fortunately, his personal training uniform was dark, which made it easier for him to remain unnoticed. He managed to get past the guards with difficulty and a lot of luck. At first it seemed much easier.

Jumping over one of the roofs, he found himself outside the territory. He had no plans to chase Wei Wuxian, although he was planning to use this as an excuse if he gets caught. His interests were limited only to visiting the dragon once more.

It was far. Very far. But it was quite possible to make it overnight if nothing got in his way. Physical training would have allowed him to do this, but Jiang Cheng could not foresee this now, with his injured back. Something in his head still made him go there. As if it was pulling him.

Running down the steps turned out to be easier than going up, and soon Jiang Cheng was already at the bottom, rushing towards the cliff. Running along the bushes, like a shadow, he only now remembered the absence of any weapon except the dagger. Although, he had nothing left, after all, he lost the sword there. Luckily, Wei Wuxian didn't notice, because the training weapon did not play a special role.

The cliff appeared before him after some time, which Jiang Cheng spent in motion, not giving himself a break. His back was burning more and more and he was afraid to even imagine what would happen to it during training.

Without the storm, it was much safer here, allowing Jiang Cheng to safely descend on his own. However, there was nothing there except dried blood. Paw prints and some other furrows led deep into the gorge. Apparently, the dragon also didn't have the strength to fold its wings and they had to be dragged along the ground.

"What the…"
Hearing a quiet roar further on, he decided to follow the prints slowly and carefully. Although, Jiang Cheng couldn't see anything. Just a bunch of some leaves and branches. Suddenly they began to move.

From these bushes first one eye appeared, and then another. A wide muzzle with protruding fangs stuck out to meet him.

"Holly shit!"

His first reaction was to back away, but the muzzle came closer and closer, and then suddenly stopped and opened its mouth. Letting out a loud roar right in his face, the dragon hid again in an instant.

"Well, I guess you're not particularly happy to see me," Jiang Cheng exhaled. "I just wanted to say thank you. You saved me that night".

A minute later he added uncertainly. "A life for a life. So I will always be grateful".

He was about to leave when he heard an unusual loud sound. It sounded more like a rumbling stomach. The dragon was hungry. Jiang Cheng just decided not to test how delicious he himself was and hurried away. Putting his hand in his pocket, he felt an old mantou that had most likely been lying there since his training at home.

It was clearly not the freshest, so Jiang Cheng risked going back again. First, he extended his hand with the mantou towards the leaves, waiting for some kind of reaction. In response, only snorting was heard.

"Okay, I'll put it here… You can have it, if you want to".

In fact, Jiang Cheng himself couldn't understand the motivation for his actions. The instinct of self-preservation and common sense told him to turn back. Now he was risking not only his life in trying to help the dragon, but also his status and his family. A pair of eyes appeared again among the leaves, looking at him with distrust. After a couple of minutes, the dragon finally crawled out and sniffed the food. Convinced of its safety, the mantou was swallowed in one gulp.

The dragon's pupils widened and its muzzle came closer to Jiang Cheng again.

"Hey..!"
Suddenly his cheek was covered with something sticky and warm.

The dragon licked him! Disgusting!

Wait. The dragons licked him?

Before he even realized it, the beast hid in its bushes again.

"Okay, I get it... Well... Goodbye… And thanks again".

He smiled awkwardly at him, but still climbed up, trying to return to the Cloud Recesses in time.

There were so many thoughts swarming inside him that it was impossible to catch any one of them. His head felt like a beehive, buzzing and overflowing.

The dragon didn't kill him twice.

He fed the dragon.

He didn't kill the dragon again!