Jiang Cheng deserves a break

Chapter 1: All I Ask Is For A Break

Narrator's Pov:

Jiang Wanyin--or Jiang Cheng--was having a fairly nice day. Well, as nice of a day as someone with the temper of an active volcano could ever have.

His mood, though, was better than usual. And although he still snapped at some of his disciples, and yelled at a few of them, he didn't feel like the weight of his responsibilities and the crap of his parents' and his generation were on his shoulders crushing his spine.

That would all change, unfortunately, when one of his disciples--one of the lanky and jumpy ones--runs into his throne room. Unannounced. The disciple is panting and when he catches his breath, he stumbles over his words to try to explain his reason for barging in.

The Jiang Sect Leader snapped at the quivering disciple, "Stop shaking! Speak properly! Use your words!"

On most (bad) days, Jiang Cheng understood why his mother was so furious all the time.

The thought of him turning into the Violet Spider (or a neglectful parental figure to Jin Ling) still frightened him, and he had to remind himself that though he was his parents' son, he was still him.

He was Jiang Wanyin--Sandu Shengshou, Wielder of Zidian, a war hero and a damn good sect leader, one of the greatest to have ever governed Yunmeng, Jiang! (A/n: and anyone who says otherwise is an idiot)

But Jiang Cheng was also very much like his mother, especially with his temper.

Jiang Cheng has to fight off the painful urge to roll his eyes as the disciple squeaks and stutters out, "Sect L-leader Jiang, t-there's a...there is a g-ghost haunting Lotus Pier."

Jiang Cheng's fists curl over the arms of his lotus throne and his right eyebrow twitches the slightest with his annoyance. He cusses through his teeth and the disciple flinches, even if the words weren't directed at the young boy.

Jiang Cheng: "How much damage has it caused? Has it harmed anyone? Does it emit much resentful energy?" The disciple shakes his head.

Jiang Cheng raised his chin, "Then send some disciples to go after it. I'm occupied with political matters at the moment." He says.

You know, like a liar.

Jiang Cheng, in reality, wasn't busy. Remember how I said he was having a good day? Well, he was.

His meeting had ended earlier than expected, with zero tables thrown across the room and no teacups cracked. One merchant man, who had arrived at the meeting to discuss the details of his new trading route, had nearly caused a kerfuffle but all it took was a glare from Jiang Cheng and the merchant had shut right up.

The disciples, too, were doing exceptionally well in their training that day. Almost no slip ups and perfect forms. A praise almost slipped out of Jiang Cheng's mouth that time.

Good thing that didn't happen. He didn't want his disciples to think that their sect leader had gotten possessed.

Even Jin Ling, his brat-of-a-nephew, hadn't run into any trouble the past week. His tutors had reported back to Jiang Cheng that 'Young Sect Leader Jin has been doing very well in his studies and has been very focused'. Said tutors had said this like they were delivering news that a cow had given birth to a horse.

Jiang Cheng just charted this as a sign that his nephew was finally maturing. (Though he does have suspicions that-- with Jin Ling's frequent run-ins with those Lan kids--*Wangji-Junior might have something to do with Jin Ling's behaviour.)

The point is, all was swell. Keyword being was.

Jiang disciple: "T-that's the problem, Sect Leader Jiang. Earlier this week, a few disciples had-had been sent out to deal with the ghost. But they encountered some difficulties..."