Chapter Text
Jiang Cheng
"You’re not going," Jiang Cheng said firmly, the words heavy with all the years of responsibility he carried.
Jin Ling barely glanced at him. "I’m not a child anymore. I can handle it."
Jiang Cheng's grip on his sleeve tightened. He knew that tone too well—stubborn, proud. Just like him when he was young. But Jin Ling didn’t know the cost of recklessness, not yet. "This hunt is dangerous. You’re not ready."
"I decide what I’m ready for." Jin Ling stood taller, his voice hardening. "I’m the sect leader now."
The words stung, but Jiang Cheng didn’t show it. Of course Jin Ling was the leader, but that didn’t mean he would stand by and watch him make mistakes.
Then Wei Wuxian spoke, stepping into the space between them. "He’ll be fine. I’ll be there with him."
Jiang Cheng’s stomach twisted at Wei Wuxian’s voice. Even now, even after everything, Wei Wuxian was always there, always casting a shadow over him. The familiar bitterness rose up in his chest, but he swallowed it down. It was always like this—Jin Ling would listen to Wei Wuxian before him.
Jin Ling looked between them both, his impatience clear. "Why can’t you just trust me? Why can’t you be...” He faltered, the words catching in his throat before spilling out unspoken, but their weight hung heavy in the air. Why can’t you be more like him?
More like Wei Wuxian.
Though unspoken, the comparison landed like a blade, cutting deeper than Jiang Cheng had thought possible. His body stiffened, the ache of old wounds ripping open once more. More like Wei Wuxian.
Always second place. Always the one who wasn’t enough.
The words cut deep, sharper than any blade. Jiang Cheng stiffened, the comparison tearing open old wounds that had never healed. Be more like Wei Wuxian. Always second place, always the one who wasn’t enough.
His voice was tight when he spoke. “Fine. Do whatever you want.”
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving behind the argument, leaving behind them. As always.
Lotus Pier
Lotus Pier was quiet, the stillness almost unbearable as Jiang Cheng paced the halls. He had built it back from the ground up, but it was only a shell of what it once was. And so was he.
Jin Ling’s words echoed in his mind, refusing to leave him. Be more like Wei Wuxian. It was always the same. Wei Wuxian had been the one everyone admired, the one who stood out, the one who belonged. And Jiang Cheng? He had always been second.
He couldn’t do this anymore.
The pain in his chest was constant now, gnawing at him in ways he couldn’t ignore. had hurt himself just to feel something , anything other than guilt , pain and lonliness but ,Nothing was enough , not anymore anymore.
Jiang Cheng sat in his room, staring at the Jiang bell that once belonged to Wei Wuxian.
Lotus Pier is strong now, Stronger than it has ever been. My second-in-command will take over, and the sect won’t miss me. Jin Ling has Wei Wuxian. He doesn’t need me. No one does. It will be better this way.
He exhaled, the decision settling like lead in his chest. It was time. Time to leave everything behind. Time to rest.
With steady hands, Jiang Cheng worked to bind his golden core to the bell, each motion deliberate and final.
The bell sat before him, warm and alive, a cruel reminder of everything he had gained but never truly earned, of all he had lost but could never reclaim. His chest ached with a hollow pain, a deep, unrelenting emptiness for which there was no remedy.
But this time, there was comfort in the pain—a strange, bittersweet relief. For the first time, the ache felt almost welcome, like a companion he could finally let go of. There was happiness in the act of surrender, in the freedom of laying everything down. It was something liberating, a peace he hadn’t known in years.
Jin Ling
Jin Ling stood alone in the quiet of his room, the weight of the day's events pressing down on him. The night hunt had been perilous; they were overwhelmed by ghouls, and even Wei Wuxian couldn't keep up. If it hadn't been for the last-minute backup from the Lan Clan, he might not have made it.
He thought about his argument with his jiujiu. Things hadn't gone well. He needed to visit his uncle; it had been so long, and his jiujiu was always there to check on him or accompany him on a hunt. It felt strange not having him around.
As he sat on his bed, his gaze fell upon a familiar object—a letter sealed with the emblem of Yunmeng Jiang. The handwriting was unmistakable. It was from his jiujiu.
Jin Ling,
I’ve never been good with words, and I know I’ve failed to say so much that needed to be said. But there are things I need you to know before I go.
First, I am proud of you. Truly, deeply proud. I’ve never said it enough—maybe I never said it at all—but you need to hear it now. You’ve grown into a strong leader, stronger than I ever could have been at your age.
You were my hope, my anchor, the reason I kept going even when it felt impossible. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the guardian you needed. I’m sorry I wasn’t enough. I wish you had your parents. I wish your mother was still alive. She would have been so proud of you, just as I am.
Zidian is yours now. Take care of it, and more importantly, take care of yourself. Be better than I ever was. You’ll do great things, Jin Ling. I know it in my heart.
No matter what happens, remember this: You’ll always have a home at Lotus Pier. And I will always, always love you, even if I’m not there to tell you.
With love,
Jiang Cheng
Wei Wuixan
After the intense night hunt, Wei Wuxian felt a mix of relief and exhaustion. Lan Wangji's timely intervention had been a saving grace,
As he entered his room, Wei Wuxian noticed a letter sealed with the emblem of the Jiang clan. It was unusual for such correspondence to be addressed to him; typically, it would be directed to the Sect leader. Curiosity piqued, he picked to read the letter
Wei Wuxian,
All my life, I’ve been many things—Sect Leader, brother, son, uncle. But most of all, I have been a disappointment. To my parents. To Yunmeng Jiang. To you. I was the one who couldn’t protect anyone, the one who lost everything.
You were never my servant. You’ve always been my brother. You never owed me anything. When I was captured by the Wens, it wasn’t because I was trying to recover my parents body. I let myself be used as bait, hoping to keep them from coming after you. I believed Lotus Pier would be better with you leading it. I thought we could rebuild everything as long as I had you by my side—my ge, my brother.
But then you left me ge . You left Lotus Pier, and then you died. Sister died. Everyone I loved was gone, and I was the one left behind. I survived for Jin Ling. He became my reason to keep going.
But now, ge, I’m tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of pretending everything is fine. Tired of being the one left to carry it all. You don’t need to worry about Yunmeng Jiang anymore. Jin Ling is stronger than you think. I’ve made sure everything is in order. The sect will survive without me—maybe even thrive.
There’s one last thing I want you to have. The bell enclosed holds the golden core. The core that should have been yours from the beginning. Everything must return to where it truly belongs.
I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me—I know I don’t deserve it. But no matter how much I hated you or resented you, you were always my brother. I will always love my brother. Lotus Pier will always be your home. I pray you find happiness.
Goodbye, Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng