Madam Jin patted Jiang Yanli on the shoulder, then rose to her feet and guided her hand in hand to the deck’s edge to point out the riding party of the Jin Clan of Lanling.
Amidst the cacophony of neighing and whinnying, a particular rider suddenly broke formation and galloped one round around the square before he reined his steed to a halt. This rider was quite dashing, garbed in robes as white as snow with a dot of cinnabar between his brows to accentuate his captivatingly good looks. His posture when he drew his bow was fierce and valiant, instantly setting off a wave of frenzied fervor on the observation decks. The rider cast a nonchalant glance in that direction. While he was keeping a straight face with an effort, the corners of his eyes betrayed his pride.
Wei Wuxian clicked his tongue and laughed himself silly on his horse. “Really gotta hand it to him. He’s like a colorful peacock.”
“Restrain yourself,” Jiang Cheng warned. “Jiejie is still watching from the deck.”
“Relax. As long as he doesn’t make shijie cry again, I couldn’t care less. You shouldn’t have brought her here to begin with.”
“The Jin Clan of Lanling’s invitation was too insistent, I couldn’t say no,” Jiang Cheng stated.
“More like Madam Jin’s invitation was too enthusiastic, I think,” Wei Wuxian commented. “She’ll definitely cook up some plan later to shove shijie and that lord princess together.”
As they spoke, Jin Zixuan had already ridden to the archery range. The row of targets was a checkpoint—prior to entering the mountain and formally qualifying for admission to the Siege Hunt, all participants were expected to successfully shoot a target from a specified distance. There were seven circles painted on the target, each corresponding to an entry point to the mountain. The closer the arrow hit to the red bullseye, the more advantageous the entry point.
Jin Zixuan didn’t slow his riding speed one bit as he retrieved an arrow from his quiver. He pulled his bow and shot—bullseye. Cheers erupted from the crowds on the observation decks.
Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng certainly didn’t twitch one bit at the sight of Jin Zixuan winning such favor and basking in the crowd’s adoration. Suddenly, there was a heavy humph from somewhere nearby.
“Anyone here still unwilling to admit defeat? Just try shooting better than Zixuan!” someone hollered.
The person was tall and brightly handsome, with slightly tanned skin and a loud, clear voice. This was Jin Guangshan’s nephew and Jin Zixuan’s cousin of the same generation, Jin Zixun. Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixuan had gotten into an argument during Golden Carp Tower’s flower-viewing banquet. Jin Zixun clearly remembered this and was now purposely provoking him.
Wei Wuxian merely smiled. Jin Zixun looked smug to see him give no other response. When it was the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng’s turn to go to the archery range, Wei Wuxian turned to the Twin Jades of Lan. They were nocking arrows on their bows to test their tools.
“Lan Zhan, gimme a hand?”
Lan Wangji cast him a look but didn’t say a word.
Jiang Cheng answered instead. “What are you doing now?”
“What is it?” Lan Wangji asked.
“Lemme borrow your forehead ribbon?” Wei Wuxian asked.
Lan Wangji immediately turned his eyes away stopped looking at him when he heard this. Lan Xichen, on the other hand, started chuckling.
“Wei-gongzi, you might not know this…”
“No need to explain overmuch, xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji interrupted.
“All right,” Lan Xichen acquiesced.
Jiang Cheng practically wanted to slap Wei Wuxian off his horse. He obviously knew Lan Wangji wasn’t going to lend him his forehead ribbon, but he just had to ask anyway. He was just stirring up trouble for nothing. If they’d been somewhere more appropriate, Jiang Cheng would have slapped him.
“What do you need a forehead ribbon for, to hang yourself? I’ll lend you my belt; you’re welcome in advance.”
As he undid the black band of his wrist guard, Wei Wuxian idly replied, “Keep your belt. I don’t want that thing, even if I can’t have his forehead ribbon.”
“You—”
Before Jiang Cheng could finish, Wei Wuxian swiftly fastened the black band around his eyes.
Then he nocked an arrow, pulled his bow, and let go—
Bullseye!
The flurry of action happened in a flash. He moved as smoothly as rolling clouds and flowing currents. The others didn’t even have time to register what he was planning, and they didn’t even see what he’d done before the red center of the target had already been shot through.
There was a brief silence before cheers crashed over the field like tidal waves. The applause was even more ardent than it had been for Jin Zixuan.
Wei Wuxian smirked and twirled the bow in his hand a few times before tossing it behind him. When Jin Zixun saw he had thoroughly upstaged the Jin Clan of Lanling, he gave a heavy snort. His pride and his feelings had clearly both been wounded.
“It’s only the first arrow to open the event,” he said. “You’re just pulling flashy stunts. If you’re so good, why don’t you keep that blindfold on for the entire hunt? We’ll see what you’re really made of on Mount Baifeng —we’ll determine the winner then!”
“…Uh, okay?” Wei Wuxian replied.
Jin Zixun waved and ordered, “Depart!”
The cultivators under his command quickly spurred their horses and charged forth, each wanting to be the first to enter, to quickly snatch up all the highest-level prey. Watching his clan’s well-trained riding party depart, Jin Guangshan seemed rather pleased. When he noticed Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng still sitting there on their horses, he laughed.
“Sect Leader Jiang, Wei-gongzi, why aren’t you going into the mountain? Careful, Zixun might take all the prey.”
“There’s no rush,” Wei Wuxian assured him. “He won’t.”
The others were all taken aback. Jin Guangshan was still pondering what that meant when he saw Wei Wuxian dismount his horse and turn to Jiang Cheng.
“You go first.”
“Take it easy,” Jiang Cheng replied. “Don’t get too carried away.”
Wei Wuxian waved him off, and Jiang Cheng pulled his reins and led the Jiang Clan group into the hunting grounds.
Wei Wuxian, still blindfolded, strolled unhurriedly toward the mountain path with his hands clasped behind his back. It was like he wasn’t here to participate in a Siege Hunt but was instead strolling in his own garden back home.
All the other participants were confused. Was he really not going to remove that blindfold for the entire Night Hunt? How could he hunt like that? They all exchanged dismayed looks. But at the end of the day, it didn’t concern them, and they were happy to watch the spectacle, so they departed as well.
Wei Wuxian walked by himself for a long while before he finally found a place deep in the forests of Mount Baifeng that was perfect for a break. His stroll had been blocked by an incredibly thick and sturdy branch that sprouted from an even thicker and sturdier tree stump. He slapped the wizened bark a couple times, and in doing so, determined it to be sturdy enough for him to deftly hop on up.
The forest blocked out the clamor from the observation decks. Wei Wuxian reclined against the tree, and his eyes drooped shut beneath the black cloth blindfold. Sunlight seeped through the leaves overhead and spilled over his face.
He raised Chenqing to his lips and breathed into its mouthpiece as his fingers skimmed along the flute’s body. The clear and melodious sound soared toward the horizon like a bird in flight, and its echoes resounded through the forest, distant and continuous.
As Wei Wuxian played his flute, he dangled one leg, letting it sway idly beneath him. The tip of his boot brushed the wild grass beneath the tree, and he paid no mind when it became damp with the morning dew that had gathered on the fresh green grass.
Having finished his tune, he settled back on the tree, crossing his arms and shifting into a more comfortable position. His flute was tucked between his arms, and the flower diffused a faint, cool fragrance from where it was still pinned by his heart.
When he was almost at the point of dozing off, he suddenly jolted awake. He didn’t know how long he had rested there.
And someone was approaching.
But he sensed no killing intent, so he continued to lounge against the tree, too lazy to get up. He was too lazy to even remove the black blindfold and only tilted his head toward the sound.
He waited a good while, but the other party still did not speak. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but be the first to do so.
“You’re here to participate in the Siege Hunt?”
No answer.
“You won’t find any prey near me.”
There was still no response, but the person walked a few steps closer.