qiankun sleeve - sleeves modified to allow cultivators to carry large items. qiankun means universe.

Suibian - Wei Wuxian's sword, transliterated as 'whatever'

Chenqing - Wei Wuxian's flute, transliterated as 'express emotions'

'You had a perfect opening there, why didn't you attack?'

Jin Ling was buried in lame Sect Leader work; the GusuLan juniors were buried in lame scriptures taught by none other than the lame Lan Wangji and his lame uncle Lan Qiren.

Wei Wuxian was glad they had found Master Hu all those months ago. Sparring with Master Hu gave him a not-lame thing to do on an otherwise lame day.

'I…' Master Hu looked down at his shoes, 'I was focused on defence.'

'Most juniors are impatient attackers who forget to defend, but you have the opposite problem. You keep missing opportunities to attack. Patient attackers win, but you won't win by being a patient never-attacker.'

'But if my attack fails, then…'

'You won't,' Wei Wuxian replied firmly, 'when you see a good opening, go for it. Believe in yourself.'

They raised their swords to spar again. Master Hu was still fighting with more caution than he needed, but Wei Wuxian could see him watching for an opportunity to attack. Just as Wei Wuxian was considering giving the boy a clearer opening, the force of Master Hu's sword energy sent him staggering back, barely maintaining his footing. His reflexes took over as he blocked subsequent attacks. By the third strike, it was obvious he would lose even if he sent all his remaining spiritual energy into his sword.

Master Hu withdrew his sword, eyes shining with incredulity and excitement.

Wei Wuxian took a moment to catch his breath. 'You're a good swordsman, Master Hu. Don't let the idiots tell you otherwise.'

'Thank you,' Master Hu blushed. He was still staring at the blade of his sword, as though he still couldn't believe he was able to deliver a solid attack – using limited spiritual energy, too.

'But I am still not good enough to impress Sect Leader Jiang.'

Wei Wuxian inwardly sighed. No wonder Master Hu felt so self-conscious about his swordsmanship. Even in his youth before he was consumed by grief, Jiang Cheng never praised anyone even as his eyes shone in equal parts envy and admiration. A junior who sought validation in Jiang Cheng's praise was doomed to a life of misery.

'Of the juniors in your sect, is there anyone Sect Leader Jiang is impressed by?'

Master Hu looked up. For a moment, Wei Wuxian thought Master Hu might name the boys who had been bullying him. Insecurity could distort the way one compared himself to others, as he had seen with Jiang Cheng growing up. But after a few moments, Master Hu's brows were still furrowed as he ran through his mental list of the juniors in his sect.

Wei Wuxian smiled, 'Sect Leader Jiang's never impressed by anyone, is he? Or if he is, he never really praises anyone, does he?'

'I suppose that is true.' Master Hu admitted. After a moment, he asked, 'Senior, how did you know Sect Leader Jiang never praises any of us?'

Wei Wuxian laughed. Before he could reply, they both turned to the sound of people approaching them.

'Loser!'

'Idiot!'

'Freeloader!'

Out of the woods at the edge of the clearing emerged six boys dressed in purple uniforms characteristic of the YunmengJiang Sect. They looked to be about the same age as Master Hu, perhaps a little older, closer to Sizhui's age.

Taking one look at their formation, Wei Wuxian could identify the Boss of the group and his Second in Command at his side. The four boys behind them probably did whatever they were told, scared to be the next target of their 'bosses'.

As the YunmengJiang boys approached, Wei Wuxian slid Suibian into his qiankun sleeve. He didn't think any of the YunmengJiang juniors would recognise the sword, but he thought to play safe given Jiang Cheng did run around asking random disciples to unsheathe it at one point.

'This is where you've been running off to?' Second in Command looked incredulous. 'Is this your brother? Your uncle? Thought you've been freeloading off Lotus Pier all this time because you had no family to stay with.'

'No, he's…'

Watching Master Hu shrink at the sight of his bullies, Wei Wuxian couldn't help himself. 'Who's the freeloader? I bet your mothers weep in regret carrying you freeloaders in their wombs.'

Fuming, Boss drew his sword and pointed it at Wei Wuxian. 'Don't you know who we are? We are the best disciples the Great YunmengJiang Sect has to offer. If you don't kneel and apologise here and now, I'll cut you to pieces!'

With both Suibian and Chenqing hidden in the qiankun sleeve of a black robe with no embellishments representing any cultivation sect, the juniors assumed he was an ordinary man who understood too little of the cultivation world to see through their ridiculous claims.

Wei Wuxian snorted. 'You lot? The best the YunmengJiang Sect has to offer? If that's the case, the YunmengJiang Sect does not deserve its name as one of the Great Sects, if a sect at all!'

'If you're so keen on leaving the cultivation world, then fuck off with this idiot now and don't bother coming back!' Second in Command pointed his finger at Master Hu. The other four boys laughed in agreement.

Boss, on the other hand, took a step towards Wei Wuxian. 'I'm warning you, kneel and kowtow to me now or I will cut you to pieces!'

Wei Wuxian laughed. 'Should I be scared? Just because a dog can point its sword at me, doesn't mean it knows how to use it!'

Boss charged towards Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian's fingers curled around a talisman hidden in his sleeve. He didn't want to hurt Jiang Cheng's disciples, but he wasn't going to kneel and apologise to a kid while other kids taunted Master Hu. If that hot-headed moron insisted on a fight, then a few drops of blood would have to be spilled.

Just as Boss got close enough Wei Wuxian prepared to throw the first talisman, a purple-robed body appeared between them and the clang of metal against metal rang through the air.

'You!' Boss staggered back, having clearly not anticipated Master Hu would come between them.

'Leave him alone!' Master Hu's voice shook a little. It was probably the first time he'd ever stood up to his bully.

Having regained his footing, Boss laughed. 'Why should I? You think you freeloader can stop me?'

Boss shoved Master Hu aside, as Wei Wuxian expected he had many times in the past. Except this time Master Hu shoved him back, stepping in front of Wei Wuxian with his sword drawn.

'The freeloader needs to be taught a lesson.' Boss sneered as he lunged at Master Hu.

Knowing Master Hu was insecure about how he looked sparring against his peers on the training grounds, Wei Wuxian had specifically coached him to exploit the likely weaknesses of disciples taught by Jiang Cheng. He watched as Master Hu quickly grasped his opponent's pattern and defended against predicted attacks. He missed a few opportunities for a counterattack, but he was still undeniably gaining the upper hand. In one move, he had in one hand a fistful of Boss' collar and in his other hand his sword held against Boss' neck. Boss' sword was lying on the grass.

The boys were frozen. At first, they were laughingly watching the show, confident Boss would teach Master Hu the lesson he'd promised. Then, as they became less optimistic of Boss' victory, they couldn't humiliate him by jumping in to help. Now, they were wide-eyed in fear as their friend was threatened by the boy they came to torment.

'Are you going to leave us alone?' Master Hu demanded.

'Yes,' Boss croaked. The boys nodded frantically from across the clearing.

Boss darted across the clearing towards his friends the moment Master Hu released him. Halfway across, he turned back, looking at the sword he'd dropped at Master Hu's feet but unable to propel himself to run back to pick it up. Wei Wuxian picked up the sword and threw it. The sword landed at Boss' feet, who wordlessly picked it up and left the clearing with his friends.

The boys had gone and the adrenaline had drained out of his system. Master Hu turned to Wei Wuxian, wide-eyed as though he couldn't comprehend what he'd done.

'I'm impressed!' Wei Wuxian slapped Master Hu's shoulder. 'You must have been watching very carefully, you pulled off that move perfectly!' He'd shown Jin Ling that move once, when they were brainstorming what one could do when engaging multiple fighters. He didn't think Master Hu had been watching keenly enough to remember let alone replicate it.

Master Hu was still staring into space. 'Thank- thank you, Senior.'

'Do you want to have dinner in town? My treat,' Wei Wuxian offered. He knew Master Hu wouldn't want to go back to Lotus Pier to see those boys at the dinner table.

'I…' Master Hu replied in a small voice, 'I would like that. Thank you, Senior.'

'Stop thanking me! You're the one who saved me from those idiots, remember? Now tell me your favourite place in town.'