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After the Yiling Patriarch’s death, everyone had something to say about him. Most of these things were not complimentary. Whenever Lan Zhan went out for a nighthunt, he heard the people’s conversations: How the Yiling Patriarch was a demon in the form of a man. How he’d bewitched the Jins and lead Jin Zixun to his death. How all his talismans were made of blood.
Of all the rumors, only the last one Lan Zhan knew to be true. But it was always Wei Ying’s blood, not the blood of his victims are everyone portrayed it.
Even the Lans, for all their rules about not sharing rumors would not stop talking about it. Lan Zhan felt the anger bubble in his chest as his fellow sect members shared cruel rumors about Wei Wuxian. Even his uncle considered the dead man an evil influence- for all the actions that Wei Wuxian had taken, Lan Zhan could not consider any of them evil.
Jiang Cheng tried to discourage all his disciples not to talk about Wei Wuxian, former head disciple of the Jiang Clan. He usually used Zidan to illustrate his point. It only took a year or two, but soon everyone learned not to talk about the Yiling Patriarch in front of him. They still talked about him where they though Jiang Cheng couldn’t hear them and everytime, it caused Jiang Cheng’s heart to ache. They did not talk about his brother’s laughter or his kindness, instead they talked about how cruel he was to leave the Jiang Clan and cleave himself unto the Wens. How he should’ve just demonically cultivated at Lotus Pier, where he would’ve had his pick of fine disciples!
Jiang Cheng had met the Wens- they were not a group of 300 strong cultivators ready to storm back into the cultivator world and erect Wei Wuxian as some sort of king of cultivators. They’d been scared, weak, and starving. Barely 50 total, not a single one with a sword. He couldn't say as much, of course, no one would believe him. It would be his word against all of Koi Tower and the Jiang clan couldn't take that kind of attention right now, not when it's rebuilding was still in his infancy. Jiang Cheng knew he could only grit his teeth so long before he struck out against those who badmouth Wei Wuxian though.
Most of the Jin clan gave the Young Madam Jin a wide berth, with the exception of her doting husband. Her temper was legendary, causing whispers throughout Koi Tower about how there was no mistaking that she was the daughter of the Violet Spider. No one else could have such a brutal temper.
It all started when one of the young Jin disciples commented about how the Yiling’s favorite food was baby’s blood and that is was good that he was dead, else Jin Ling might be in danger. Yanli continued to coo over her son, passing him off to his father. Many people knew that Yanli’s cultivation wasn’t strong, especially when compared to her brother, Jiang Cheng. What people failed to consider was that her cultivation might not seem strong simply because it was compared to Jiang Cheng, who ranked fourth in their entire generation.
“What did you say about my brother?” Jin Yanli asked sweetly, smiling at the Jin disciple who had dared slander her brother’s name.
“I haven’t said anything about Jiang Cheng,” the man responded, confused as to why Young Madam Jin was talking to him at all.
“Not that brother,” Yanli dismissed with a wave of her hand, “my other brother, Wei Wuxian.” At this point, Jin Zixuan knew quite well what was going to happen and left, cuddling Jin Ling close.
The Jin disciple laughed, thinking that the Young Madame Jin was quite petite and must not seriously consider the Yiling Patriarch who had killed her cousin-in-law, Jin Zixun, to be her brother. “The Yiling Patriarch drinks the blood of babes! I bet that’s why he was coming here to see Jin Ling.” Yanli slapped him.
If it’d been a normal slap, the man probably would’ve been surprised but recovered from it enough to demand what had gotten into the Young Madam Jin. However, Yanli had augmented the slap with her spiritual powers and the man had not braced himself in anyway, so when the lap met his cheek, his entire jaw shattered and he staggered, falling to the ground with blood flowing from his mouth. Yanli met the shocked eyes of the other Jin disciples evenly.
“I am the Mistress of Koi Tower,” she informed them coldly, “and Wei Wuxian is my brother. He did not curse Jin Zixun, as shown by the fact he died from the Hundred Holes Curse. If any one of you should badmouth my brother, then let it be known you badmouth the brother-in-law of Jin Zixuan as well. And he is not as forgiving as me.” Upon hearing their master’s name, all the disciples began looking around for him- only he was allowed to control his wife (well, him and the Madam Jin, but Madam Jin was far too fond of Yanli to do anything but dote on her). He had long left though, and had plausible deniability for any complaint that might be brought against him about his wife’s behavior.
“Are we clear?” Yanli asked. The disciples nodded in terror. “Excellent. You may take your fellow to the infirmary. Next time he might not be so lucky.” The disciples fled and Yanli sighed, curling her hand into a fist. Why did Wei Wuxian have to die and leave them to pick up the pieces?