Backlash Part 1

Chapter 127: Changing a Nightmare

The massacre of Lotus Pier was a nightmare that had haunted Wei Wuxian for every second of his life that followed. When he found himself in the past. It was one of the first things that came to his mind. To save the people. To save the disciples. To save the family that had taken him from the streets. Wei Wuxian's heart ached whenever he thought about it. Wei Wuxian had experienced plenty of painful things before. Many times before he had been ridiculed, insulted, punished, and blamed. However, this was the night that everything changed. This was the night it all became so much worse.

This was the night that carved every accusation into his heart where it festered and spread like an infection. This was the night that shattered his fragile ideas about belonging somewhere, his hopes that he might be part of a family. It took Wei Wuxian many years to die, but this was the night that first spawned that desire into a clear thought. It was the first night that he felt he truly wanted to die.

Wei Wuxian tried to shake off the memories. He hadn't expected it to be so distracting to stand amidst these events again. Although maybe that had just been a stupid assumption. If standing in a crowd could make him partially relive the siege of the burial mounds, or his last battle in Nightless City, then surely fighting in the battle that massacred Lotus Pier would make him relive the massacre of Lotus Pier. It wasn't even that the events felt a little similar. The words and events were almost identical. Add a couple people who weren't there before and the event outcome would hopefully change, but it was still the same event.

Following Wen Zhuliu, Wei Wuxian was in sight just in time to watch him obliterate the cores of the senior disciples who had raised the barrier. The barrier immediately began to fizzle out, just like last time. Certainly everyone expected the barrier to immediately fall. It was a powerful barrier, but it had been designed to require active engagement from at least six disciples to keep it up.

There was a swift glow of red spiritual energy that then faded into purple. The bottom edge of the barrier took on a slightly reddened hue as the spiritual energy began to glow brighter and the barrier was back up before it had even properly fallen. The purple barrier emblazoned with the Lotus flower motif of the YunmengJiang sect was now tinted red at the edges. Several surprised gasps echoed around Wei Wuxian

"How is the barrier standing? Fengmian?" Yu Ziyuan demanded an answer. Jiang Fengmian only shook his head.

"It has never behaved this way before." Jiang Fengmian stated levelly. It was hard to tell if he was concerned about this or curious. Yu Ziyuan frowned suspiciously.

"Someone must have done something to it." Yu Ziyuan stated, her tone suspicious. Wei Wuxian didn't say anything, but Yu Ziyuan shot an angry accusatory look at him. Maybe it was a habit for her to give Wei Wuxian such looks.

Upon seeing the barrier still up, Wen Zhuliu gathered spiritual energy in his hand. He struck the centre of the barrier's array, seemingly trying to destroy it. The ground shook under the force of the blow, but the barrier didn't break. He pulled his hand back preparing to strike again. Suddenly Wen Zhuliu jumped back as a sword swung towards his arm.

'Not this time. The barrier will fall eventually, but I will be damned if I let you break it like you did last time.' Wei Wuxian cursed internally. Outside the barrier were thousands of QishanWen sect cultivators. All waiting to storm Lotus Pier the second the barrier fell.

There was a crackling sound that made Wei Wuxian move aside instinctually. Zidian world past him to strike Wen Zhuliu who was tossed across the courtyard, rolling to regain his footing. Yu Ziyuan stalked towards Wen Zhuliu in a menacing fashion.

"A-Cheng. A-Xian. Gather the disciples." Jiang Fengmian said in a quiet commanding tone. Jiang Fengmian moved forward to stand beside Yu Ziyuan both of them facing off towards Wen Zhuliu. Wei Wuxian hesitated. If Wen Zhuliu landed a single hit on their dantian, it was over. He didn't like being sent away while the two of them fought such a dangerous opponent. "That was an order." Jiang Fengmian said more firmly. Begrudgingly Wei Wuxian nodded.

Wei Wuxian ran with Jiang Wanyin to gather the disciples. The sooner they did, the sooner he could return to this fight. Wei Wuxian noticed Jiang Wanyin glancing at Lan Wangji with a scowl. Wei Wuxian hadn't actually realized Lan Wangji was following them. His eyes briefly met Lan Wangji's and something inside of Wei Wuxian relaxed. Somehow everything felt a little better if Lan Wangji was there.

Jiang Wanyin began shouting commands to gather. Wei Wuxian watched, his heart aching. All of these people died before. He had seen their bloody corpses stacked in piles. The fear and anxiety was so clear on the faces of the junior disciples. Meanwhile the senior disciples tried to hide it behind expressions of determination. Wei Wuxian began pulling aside the younger junior disciples. They were so young, and terrified, and Wei Wuxian could not bear to see them die in front of him again.

Before he even really thought about it, Wei Wuxian was already explaining to the young disciples where they should go. He didn't say evacuation. It hadn't been discussed yet, and Jiang Wanyin probably wouldn't take the mention of evacuating very well. Still Wei Wuxian could tell the young disciples to go where the civilians would be gathered. Near the evacuation route.

"Wei Wuxian, what are you talking about?! A-Die told us to gather all of the disciples!" Jiang Wanyin shouted, storming towards Wei Wuxian and the young disciples. Wei Wuxian frowned as he looked at Jiang Wanyin.

"Jiang Cheng. You want to throw them on the front lines to die?" Wei Wuxian's voice was surprisingly firm.

"They are disciples of the YunmengJiang sect! They should fight to defend their sect!" Jiang Wanyin shouted as he scowled. Wei Wuxian shook his head.

"They are the future of the YunmengJiang sect. It is better for them to survive today, so they can carry the Yunmengjiang sect into the future." Wei Wuxian replied. His town was calm, but inside he felt angry and hurt. Asking young inexperienced disciples to fight in a war. Wasn't that like throwing them onto the QishanWen sect's swords?

"Wei Wuxian, if you are too much of a coward to fight to protect Lotus Pier then fine. You're halfway out the door already, maybe GusuLan sect will be happy to accept a coward. Do you intend to dishonour the YunmengJiang sect by teaching our disciples to be cowards like you?!" Jiang Wanyin shouted.

It had been a long time since Wei Wuxian heard someone insult him without it hurting him. He vaguely recalled it happening in the past. Hearing insults that washed over him like water, without cutting his heart. Yet it felt like an eternity since it was reality. Yet, as Jiang Wanyin called him a coward, Wei Wuxian found himself smiling. Who wasn't afraid of something? Who wasn't afraid of losing people, losing their home, losing their cultivation, losing a war, losing their ability to keep their sanity? For some reason, being called a coward just didn't feel all that insulting right now.

"Jiang Cheng, anyone who says they aren't afraid of this battle is lying. No matter what we do today people will die. Some of us will die. The point is to try and protect as many of our people as possible. Unless you want to see the young kids who haven't even started training dead at the end of today? Who better to keep them safe?" Wei Wuxian asked as he pointed towards the young disciples.

Wei Wuxian saw the moment the young disciples processed the last two sentences. Some of them had definitely been preparing to insist that they were brave and honourable. Insist that they could fight on the front lines too, but to be asked to protect others who could not protect themselves. That was honourable too. Jiang Wanyin's scowl deepened. He was about to open his mouth when a familiar voice drew everyone's attention.

"A-Cheng. A-Xian." Jiang Yanli called as she approached. The disciples immediately relaxed, some of the tension that had been building from the argument between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin dissipating.

"Shijie!" Wei Wuxian called brightly.

"A-Jie, What are you doing here?" Jiang Wanyin inquired worriedly. Jiang Yanli smiled.

"I gathered everyone who cannot fight. I was hoping to find a few disciples who could defend them." Jiang Yanli said, her voice soft. Wei Wuxian was now wondering how much of their conversation Jiang Yanli had heard, because this was awfully convenient for his argument. Wei Wuxian was not a naturally lucky person, so he was quite certain any happy coincidences were someone's direct intervention. The intervention of someone way too kind and considerate, like Jiang Yanli.

Wei Wuxian did his very best not to smirk triumphantly when a few awkward words were exchanged that resulted in the young junior disciples following Jiang Yanli toward the evacuation route. Wei Wuxian felt like he could breathe a little easier. Maybe, he wouldn't have to see the corpses of such young children today.