The White Phoenix

Chapter 10 - Agony

Wei Wuxian was sitting there in the lecture just listening to old man Lan Qiren speak about the rules of the sect as he suspected as much. Wei Wuxian didn't know what the point of knowing these rules were, especially for the guests who are not staying here. Why spend so much effort on one lecture to talk about three thousand rules?

Wei Wuxian was bored out of his mind. Lan Qiren noticed Wei Wuxian wasn't paying attention, but he wasn't the only one. Lan Xichen was there beside him observing the lectures and making sure everyone was following rules.

"Wei Wuxian," Lan Qiren called out, "stand up please."

Wei Wuxian sighed and did as he was told, "yes Grandmaster."

"Seeing as you are finding my teachings a bit dull, let me ask you, what was the profession of the founder of Qinghe Nie Sect?" He began to pester Wei Wuxian with questions.

"A Butcher," Wuxian answered.

"The heraldry of the Lanling Jin Sect is a type of flower. What kind of flower and its rightful name?"

"A white peony known as Sparks Amidst Snow," Wuxian answered again.

"Who was the first in the cultivator world to focus on his clan instead of his sect?"

"The founder of Qishan Wen Sect, Wen Mao," Wuxian answered.

Qiren furrowed his brow, "Are Yao, Demons, Ghosts, and Monsters the same?"

"No, they are not. Yao are formed from non-human beings; demons are formed from living humans; ghosts are formed from dead humans; and monsters are formed from dead non human beings."

"Yao and Monsters are often hard to differentiate, tell me how to tell them apart," he continued to prod Wuxian.

"Easy," Wuxian said and pointed at a tree outside the window behind Qiren, "For example, if that tree behind you is tainted by the energy of your principle and it would cultivate into a conscious being, then cause trouble, it would be a Yao. If I took an axe and chopped it half to have half left, a dead trunk and this would cultivate into a being, then it would be a monster."

"As head disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, it would seem reasonably for you to answer such questions. No need to feel proud of yourself. Let me ask you, there is an executioner with a wife and children but he has executed more than one hundred people. Now he suddenly dies in public and his body is left alone for seven days with the repressed energy of resentment he started to hunt and kill. What should be done?"

Wei Wuxian didn't answer he knew what to say but he didn't want to keep being berated by the old man.

"Don't go looking in your books! You should all know this," Lan Qiren turned to Lan Wangji," Wangji, tell him what should be done."

Lan Wangji raised from within his seat and cupped both hands into a bow, "First, liberate; Second, suppress; Third, obliterate. The initial approach is to utilize the gratitude of his relatives and grant his dying wish, setting free what he could not let go of. If this fails, suppress it. If the crimes committed were extreme and its energy of resentment does not dissipate, exterminate it completely. The cultivation world should precisely keep to this order of measure. No errors should be allowed."

"Answered with no mistakes," Lan Qiren stated proud of his nephew.

"Grandmaster Lan?" Wei Wuxian said raising his hand.

"Speak."

"Since 'Liberation' is supposed to come first but it's often impossible. 'Grant his dying wish'...But what if his dying wish is murder for revenge?" Wei Wuxian asked

"Hence suppression assists liberation. If necessary, obliteration follows." Lan Wangji calmly replied.

"I have a second question," Wei Wuxian raised his hand.

"Go ahead," Lan Qiren told him.

"Out of everyone in the room, why did you choose me to quiz? There are several other students who weren't paying attention. Why target me specifically?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Who knows what you have scheming in that brain of yours," Lan Qiren answered, "you answered them correctly anyway. Why are you questioning me for my choices?"

Wei Wuxian smiled and stepped out from behind his desk, "last time I checked, you were nearby when I threatened your precious sect," Wei Wuxian told him.

"Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Cheng said loudly, "are you trying to lose face for my sect?"

"Your sect?" Wei Wuxian asked as he lit his hand on fire, "should I burn Lotus Pier too? Like I've ever been treated fairly there."

"A'Xian, since when can you cultivate fire?" Yanli asked him.

"ShiJie, for you, I will not touch your home. I have just gained this power and I'm already starting to learn how it works. And so far, I'm tempted to use it on those who have wronged me all my life. I've been beaten and scolded so much growing up, I'm sure Lan Qiren can understand where my resentment would come from," Wei Wuxian said stepping closer to him.

Because Lan Wangji learned before that the heat and fire has no effect to him, he grabbed Wei Wuxian's lit hand and quenched the fire on his hand. Wei Wuxian looked at him and lit his other hand. Soon enough Lan Wangji went flying across the room. Lan Xichen caught him before he crashed to the floor.

"Wangji!" Lan Xichen asked, "are you alright?"

"He's so lost in the pain he has gathered growing up that it's taking control over him," Lan Wangji told him, "we need to stop him before he does something dangerous."

"Wei Wuxian!" Annchi and Yīnuò came running in and stood on either side of him.

"What do you two want?" Wei Wuxian asked, "are you going to stop me?"

"It's our job to stop you from doing something dangerous," Annchi told him.

"No need," Wei Wuxian said and took out a blank talisman. He inscribed a charm to it and with a toss to the floor and a gust of green smoke, he was gone.

"Yīnuò, go to your father and tell him of Wei Wuxian's news. I'll go search for him. We have to find him before he does something he would later regret," Annchi ordered.

Yīnuò's wings sprawled out, "on my way," she said and was gone.

"As for everyone here, I'm sorry that he is lost to his anger. The people, such as Madam Yu Ziyuan, and a few others, abused and berated him for so long. It's finally taking over him. I suggest you do something about Yu Ziyuan before Wei Wuxian makes a decision and acts out. She will die if he decides to do so," Annchi and and disappeared to find Wei Wuxian.

"Jiang Gongzi, you and your sister head to Lotus Pier immediately to inform your parents and set up some sort of defenses. As for everyone else, head back to your rooms. Wangji, Xichen, we will go have a meeting with the elders, now!" Lan Qiren stated.

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen nodded. Lan Wangji was hurting on the inside. He wanted to go look for Wei Wuxian but he knows the two are not close enough for Lan Wangji to get through to him. Wei Wuxian appeared just outside the entrance to the Burial Mounds. As soon as he stepped inside the mounds, he was greeted with resentment. Wei Wuxian didn't try to fight it off but instead, he digested it. He let his body consume it. His body was now filled with resentful energy and fire. He has become more dangerous than anyone could imagine.

Wei Wuxian was alone, angry, and depressed. All of those emotions were sitting inside of him at once. Wei Wuxian roamed around the mounds and found the Demon-Subdue-Cave. There, he set up a place for him to sleep and rest. Once he was comfortable, Wei Wuxian sat in lotus position and started to meditate. As he meditated, Wei Wuxian could feel the fire inside of him mold together with the resentful energy. The warmth of the fire and the pain of the resentment was definitely noticeable. The pain felt nice, it reminded Wei Wuxian that he can still feel something. As for the fire, he just let it take control of him.