Backlash Part 1

Chapter 110: Voice of Reason

Luo Qingyang leaned against the rough bark of the tree behind her with immense relief. She reflexively rubbed the spot on her arm where Wen Chao had grabbed her. Not because it hurt, but because she felt like she needed to wipe it clean. She wanted to remove the memory of that creep grabbing her. Wang Lingjiao had been shooting Luo Qingyang dirty looks over her shoulder as she pressed her breasts against Wen Chao's body.

"What is she talking about? Wei-gongzi located the cave with that talisman he sent off." Luo Qingyang heard one disciple whisper to the other. As Luo Qingyang looked up she saw Wei Wuxian looking in her direction with a concerned look on his face. Luo Qingyang reflexively frowned and decisively turned her head away from him.

It was childish, Luo Qingyang was well aware. It was childish and disrespectful, and Luo Qingyang felt a tiny bit bad for it. Wei Wuxian had looked clearly worried. That meant most likely he had seen what Wen Chao was trying to do. Luo Qingyang was angry. Pointlessly angry, because there wasn't anything she could do about the situation and Wei Wuxian did not deserve any of her anger. It wasn't like she was mad at Wei Wuxian. She was mad about being put in that situation and not being able to put a sword at the perpetrators throat. She was angry about not being able to fight back, and she was angry about being seen in that situation.

'He only grabbed your arm Mianmian.' Luo Qingyang tried to calm herself down.

'Yes, Qingyang... He grabbed my arm, without my permission, and I want to clobber him over the head for it.' Luo Qingyang retorted to herself.

'Mianmian, getting yourself and people you care about killed is worse than having your arm touched.' She coached herself silently.

'Maybe, but I don't have to like it.' Luo Qingyang huffed in frustration. She missed having someone else be the voice of reason. Luo Qingyang was not a 'calm things down' type of person. She didn't like having to be the one to calm herself down and remind herself of the consequences. It wasn't fun. In the end she might succeed in not doing something reckless, but she wouldn't feel good about it.

'Like how you don't feel good about shooting Wei Wuxian an unfriendly glare even though he was just being considerate?' Luo Qingyang resisted the urge to groan at herself.

"I miss Yanli. I don't like being the voice of reason in my own head. She's better at it." Luo Qingyang grumbled quietly. She didn't have very long to think about it as a few QishanWen sect disciples were now ushering her and any other stragglers towards the cave.

By the time Luo Qingyang arrived at the entrance to the cave, disciples were already descending down into the cave via ropes. The opening looked like a large gaping mouth, the immediate drop off reminding Luo Qingyang of a throat. It added to the feeling of being swallowed as she descended down with the aid of the ropes.

"Wen Chao, now that you have brought us here. Shouldn't you tell us what this monster is that we are hunting?" Jin Zixuan questioned in a commanding tone.

Luo Qingyang resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It wasn't that she didn't understand where Jin Zixuan was coming from. She was also annoyed and would normally have long since demanded more information. Except this was not a normal situation. They were clearly just here to serve as meat shields and be in a position for Wen Chao to bully them. This entire indoctrination was little more than a display of authority by way of constantly bullying them while reinforcing the idea that none of them could do anything about it.

"You've taken away our swords and have not given us any information." Jin Zixuan continued, his voice clearly held displeasure. Luo Qingyang wanted to bury her face in her hands.

'Why is he still talking? What does he think this will accomplish?' She groaned internally.

"Inform you?" Wen Chao scoffed. "How long have you been here, and you still haven't grasped the basics of what we have been teaching you?" Wen Chao gestured first to Jin Zixuan and then to the rest of the disciples.

"You are all nothing. I don't need your opinions or advice. I am the one who gives the orders. Your only job is to follow them. Only I can repress the beast we are hunting. You only need to be silent and do as I say." Wen Chao had stepped closer to Jin Zixuan.

Luo Qingyang couldn't say she blamed Jin Zixuan for the way his fists tightened at his side in frustration, like he was aching to draw his sword on Wen Chao. She also was irritated with Wen Chao, and very much would love to see someone hold a sword to his throat. At this point she didn't care who did it. Even if it was someone who annoyed her, she would be nice to them for an entire year if she could just see Wen Chao peeing his pants with a blade at his throat.

Given the situation though, Luo Qingyang's sympathy for Jin Zixuan only went so far. Mostly she just felt like he had walked himself into a more frustrating situation than what he had started with. It was not a charitable assessment, but Luo Qingyang didn't like Jin Zixuan. Mostly because he was very... toxically male. If you took a bunch of the stereotypical male things that annoyed Luo Qingyang and put them all in a bottle, you'd get someone like Jin Zixuan. His ability to communicate with others only went far enough to let him talk at people, as opposed to with them. He always seemed to need to show off. He needed to show he was the strongest, the smartest, the whatever-est, and Luo Qingyang was almost certain he was allergic to apologizing.

Do not get Luo Qingyang started on what he had done to Jiang Yanli. The rest of his personality deficiencies could have been overlooked. Except for the number of times Luo Qingyang had discovered Jiang Yanli in tears because of him. Jiang Yanli was easily one of the sweetest people Luo Qingyang had ever met. The girl was almost painfully kind and had a seemingly limitless supply of patience. Her biggest problem seemed to be her fear of standing up to people, or maybe just standing up for herself.

Jiang Yanli had always been shy and quiet in class, which was why Luo Qingyang went out of her way to try and include her in things. Luo Qingyang didn't like to see people left out. For some reason Jin Zixuan seemed to think it was alright to insult this sweet girl. He complained about her low cultivation and plain appearance. He made it clear to the entire student body that he didn't like her and would not have chosen to marry her. This beautiful girl who always had a kind smile for anyone, and he thought it was acceptable to degrade her in front of their entire class?

Luo Qingyang had threatened more than one disciple she caught repeating his words in their gossip. Jiang Yanli probably would have told her not to do that, but Luo Qingyang felt she was doing the world a service when she told those disciples that if they couldn't find something more useful to do with their tongues than gossip she would gladly remove them. True, Luo Qingyang didn't plan to cut out anyone's tongue, but said disciples didn't need to know that.

Overall Luo Qingyang was glad the engagement had been broken. Even though it made Jiang Yanli sad for a while. More important was that Luo Qingyang did not want to see someone so kind married to such a thoughtless idiot. Jiang Yanli deserved better, and Luo Qingyang was tentatively hopeful that Jiang Yanli may have been starting to realize that too. Luo Qingyang got the privilege of seeing a side of Jiang Yanli that Jiang Yanli was not ready to show to very many people.

Luo Qingyang got to see Jiang Yanli cautiously try to learn to be confident and firm. She got to see the sweetest and kindest girl ever executing sword forms like a fierce warrior. It was hot, though sadly Jiang Yanli had not mentioned any interest in girls. As such Luo Qingyang had more or less accepted that she wouldn't get the chance to see if their friendship could be something more. If Jiang Yanli was into boys, then Luo Qingyang would respect that and do her best to try and make sure that whoever that boy was in the future they would treat Jiang Yanli with the kindness and respect she deserved. So in short, not the way Jin Zixuan had treated Jiang Yanli.