All That You Are (Wangxian)

Chapter 11

~*Test/dream*~

"Sizhui," Lan Zhan said as they were close to the cabin where Wei Ying and Wen Ning were, "let me tell Wei Ying about what happened, okay. I won't right away because I need him to recover first. To keep him from being suspicious, land a little away from the cabin."

"Okay, A-Die," Sizhui agreed, "you made the decision after all, and it should be you to speak about. I promise to help out with what I can in the mean time."

"Thank you," Lan Zhan said to the junior, "I want you to know this though, I am proud of you and how much you learned and grew. You are the best son a father could ask for."

"A-Die," Sizhui said blushing, "your making me blush. Thank you but stop it."

Lan Zhan laughed a little at his flustered son. They landed about a mile from the cabin to make it seem like they were fine. Luckily, it had only been a week of traveling so they had a few more weeks left until the poison would cause further harm.

"Wen Ning! Baba?" Sizhui called out.

"Shh!" Wen Ning hushed, "he is asleep."

Wen Ning was on the bed holding Wei Ying and had a few blankets covering them, "how is he?"  Lan Zhan asked.

"He is started to feel the poison's effects. His body feels normal from the outside at the moment, but he has been shivering nonstop for a whole day now," Wen Ning explained.

"This flower needs to be ground into a paste, add a cup o water and simmer for three days. After three days, have him consume it and it will take twenty-four hours for it to remove the poison," Lan Zhan explained.

"A-Die, want me to grind it for you?" Sizhui asked.

Lan Zhan nodded and gave Sizhui a mortar and pestle and he started to crush and grind the flower down. Lan Zhan started the fire for the medicine to cook over after it was set. After making the paste, He added the water and put the medicine in a pot so it can simmer or the three days it needs. Wen Ning said he will attend to it as he does not need sleep.

After three days, Wei Ying took the antidote. Wen Ning warned that it was hot and it may not taste the best. And of course, he was correct, it tasted bitter and ashes. It was like he consumed hot liquid ashes from a fire pit.

"Now what?" Wei Ying asked.

"It will take a whole twenty-four hours for the poison to be removed, but I am sure the side effects of that will not be pleasant," Lan Zhan told him and then looked at Sizhui.

"Wen Ning, want to go scope the area with me?" Sizhui asked, "I think the two need a moment alone."

Wen Ning nodded and left with Sizhui. Lan Zhan didn't know how Wei Ying was going to take the information he was to give, but he would do it again if he had to.

"Wei Ying, I have something to tell you, but all I ask is that you try not to get angry and understand why I did what I did," Lan Zhan said to him.

"Okay," Wei Ying said concerned.

"When we got to the ice caves, there was a mythical dragon there who was guarding the flowers," he explained, "he told me there was a price to pay to take one to save a life."

"What was the price?" Wei Ying asked.

"The price was, a cultivator's most valuable ang prized possession," he answered and looked into his lover's eyes. Lan Zhan wasn't sure if he understood that, "do you know what that is, Wei Ying?"

Wei Ying didn't even have to think. He closed his eyes and let his tears fall, "you had to give your golden core," he said now crying, "I understand why you did it, but Lan Zhan, what are you going to do now? You are the chief cultivator. And how are we to get home."

"We will find a way home," Lan Zhan said, "the position as chief cultivator can be handed to someone else. It just means I can live a normal life with my family. You don't have a core, and now I do not have one. We can just live how we want."

Wei Ying nodded and hugged him, "I love you Lan Zhan, I don't know how I can make it up to you."

"Just live a happy and peaceful life with me, no swords, no clans, no politics," Lan Zhan told him, "just live as a family."

Wei Ying kissed Lan Zhan. He knows how much of a sacrifice it is to give up your core. He knows the price, and he knows what the downfall could be. He wanted to make sure to live their lives as they truly wanted now they were just mortals. Lan Zhan laid with his lover on the bed and snuggled close to him. He held him the whole night. Lan Zhan slept well even knowing he made that choice. He was happy he did.

~*End of Test/ Dream*~

It was morning and Lan Zhan sat up fast as he felt that familiar thrumming in his dantian.

"My golden core? But I gave it away?" Lan Zhan asked himself out loud.

"That is because the test was a success," Baoshan said as she enter the room and Wei Ying sat up looking around the room.

"What test?" Wei Ying asked.

"You two just completed a bonding test," Baoshan explained, "it is to test your love and devotion to each other, and to test your compatibility."

"And we tested fine," Lan Zhan said, "how do I have my core though?"

"The test is made to be a dream like state. So the two boys you called, they are home safe and sound. You gave your core up in the test but you have it here with you in reality," Baoshan said, "I admire your courage, Wangji, giving up something so valuable to a cultivator in order to save your partner's life."

"To me, my love for Wei Ying is more important that my cultivation," Lan Zhan told her.

"Lan Zhan, you are too sweet," Wei Ying said putting his hand to his chest, "I don't know if my heart can handle it."

Lan Zhan smiled at him, "it might want to try, because there is more sweetness to come," he teased.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying blushed and laid down hiding under the blanket.

Baoshan laughed, "you two have been out for five days. It was actually enough time for Wei Ying's body to fully intake the spiritual energy. So Wei Ying can go back to his normal body," she told him.

"How and when?" He asked.

"We can today if you are ready, and it will only take about twenty minutes. I will have to put you under anesthesia though," she explained.

"That is fine," Wei Ying said and looked at Lan Zhan, "I get my body back. It is similar to this one but much more good looking."

"Wei Ying is Wei Ying to me, no matter the body," Lan Zhan said, "but I fell in love with you when you were in your original body. It would be nice to see you like you again and hold you as you....I don't know if that made sense at all."

"I understand," Wei Ying said, "while I do that, why don't you meditate or something to keep yourself busy."

"I will have to block the connection between you both for a moment," Baoshan said.

"What connection?" Lan Zhan asked

"Since the Bonding test was a success, you two are bonded. So you can sense when either one is hurting or in trouble. When the bond is stronger, you two may be able to communicate telepathically," Baoshan said.

"Oh, that is handy," Wei Ying said, "since Lan Zhan is always worrying, he will always know if I am okay or not."

"That is correct," she said, "the only way the bond will break is through death. But your compatibility came to be perfect soulmates, so that means if one dies, the other will soon follow."

"Well, let's just hope that won't happen," Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan agreed. Lan Zhan and Wei Ying and a hearty and healthy breakfast before they went on with their plans for the day. Lan Zhan will train and meditate while Wei Ying's soul is transferred back to his normal body.