Perseverance (Wangxian)

Chapter 33 - Worst Nightmare

"I waiting outside the tea house, Jiang Cheng and I arranged to meet at within a couple days. I waited several days, and he didn't show. As I went to go into the tea house, I got ambushed by Wen Chao's goons. I tried to leave but I was thrown back my Wen Zhuliu. Of course I had just don't a core transfer and I was now weak. I could tell that Wen Zhuliu may have figured it out that I didn't have a core, but he didn't say anything. Wen Chao questioned why I was down already.

"But no matter how much they threw punches or kicked me down, I still stood back up. Wen Chao tried to get out of me where my siblings were hiding but I wouldn't spill. He said he could just kill me. I told him to go for it. The worst the better, I'd come back as a fierce ghost for him. He told me that everyone born in a sect goes through a soul calming ceremony. I told him, that I wasn't born in a sect, therefore, didn't have one. That was enough to psyche Wang Lingjiao out. It did phase Wen Chao a little bit," Wei Ying continued to explain. The three could only shake there heads, "wow, all three of you. Is that towards me or the Wens?" Wei Ying asked.

"Both," Lan Zhan answered, "why continue to provoke them?"

"I thought I was good and dead anyways. Thought I'd die having a bit of fun," Wei Ying admitted.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said and shook his head at him again.

"It's in the past now anyway," he told him.

"Past or not, you should stop provoking people when you are in near death experiences," Lan Zhan suggested.

"Why would I do that?" Wei Ying asked.

"You know what, I think you two can discuss this matter later," Xichen chimed in, "why don't you continue, Wuxian."

"You two can all me A'Xian or A'Ying, you know. You don't have to say my full name."

"Alright," Xichen agreed and Qiren just nodded.

"You too, you can call me A'Ying, if you want," he told Lan Zhan.

"Maybe," Lan Zhan said, "you may continue."

"Well, I would then be going to Wen Chao tossing me into the mounds," Wei Ying explained, "we were very high up and he just threw me down. I would say that a fall from that high, I'd be dead, even as a cultivator. But as I was falling, resentful energy formed into the shape of a hand and guided me down slower. Once I hit the ground, I don't know how long I was out.

"I have to say, the three months I was there, was like living in a nightmare. The resentful energy was just too much. It was suffocating, and how I managed to find a way to control it, that even shocked me. I didn't want to use it. I had no choice, using it was the only way I could get out. While laying there on the ground, I had so many broken bones and internal injuries. I felt like some of my bones were like sand. The resentful energy just felt like it held me together. I was in constant pain, all the time. Not just because of the golden core transfer, but my body ached everywhere. I knew that my spiritual container where the core was stored, was damaged and it wouldn't ever heal properly.

"The Yin Hu Fu (Stygian Tiger Amulet), I created it to store most of that energy really. I wanted it all to just get out of me. Later I found it could help out with Wen Ruohan and the puppet situation. While I was in the mounds, I crafted Chenqing. With the resentful energy and using the Yin Hu Fu, I managed to a piece of my soul into Chenqing. I felt that it may be of use later.

"Finding food and water there, especially clean water, almost impossible. There was a river there but there was so much resentment in it. To stay alive, I had to drink it. And as for food..." Wuxian paused and felt his stomach churn, "all I could find were corpses..."

"Don't tell me you ate them?" Lan Qiren questioned.

"You just told me earlier not to lie," he answered, "even thinking about it to this day, my stomach churns. It was all there was, I couldn't survive otherwise."

"I know making it out was a big goal, but how did you manage to get out before dying?" Xichen asked.

"It was a bit strange, but the one thing that kept me motivated to move forward was, Lan Zhan. For some reason, I could hear him saying my name, telling me to come back. Just that small amount of talking I heard, had me keep my head up and find my way out. When I was strong enough, I broke the barrier to get out. Of course, my reunion with Lan Zhan wasn't really all that pleasant. We had so much misunderstandings. He asked me to go back to Gusu with him. I refused because I thought I'd just get locked up, punished even. Years later, Xichen told me it was only to protect me."

"I also didn't make things easy on either of you," Lan Qiren stated.

"But Lan Zhan kept trying to persuade me. Tell me it's a wicked path and there will be unforgivable consequences. That I am very well aware of now," he continued, "after the death of Wen Ruohan, things for me just kept going south. Jiang Cheng constantly telling me I was lacking in my duties...I tried with what I could. I once sat down with Xichen as well. Telling me not to be too selfish as my actions can affect others around me."

"About that, I am very sorry," Xichen said, "though when Wangji first brought you back and I heard you tell him of your core, I apologized then, but I apologize again. At the time I knew none of your hardships and I was honestly thinking more about Wangji."

"Xichen-Ge, it's okay," Wei Ying told him, "I've forgiven you a long time ago. Back then so many worse words were thrown at me. I had people claiming I had the sick affair with my shijie, I was called a slutty son of a servant, I've been called a killer, vile, I lack empathy and compassion for others. I have been insulted and threatened so many times I can't even count them all."

"From now on, anyone who bullied you, has to go through me," Wangji told him.

Wei Ying laughed, "aren't you afraid of hurting your reputation?"

"No," Lan Zhan answered, "I dare anyone to try with my family. You are engaged to me, your reputation matters as well."

"I am aware," Wei Ying said, "I'm not good at keeping face you know."

"We know," Lan Qiren butted in, "but so far, you have been fine. I keep telling you to be yourself. It's what makes you unique. And it made my nephew fall for you."

Wei Ying nodded, "I will try."