A Means to an End (WangXian)

Lost in the Darkness

Wei Wuxian sat at the corner of a tea shop. His face was pale and slightly sunken in. Lan Wangji noted how he looked like he had a fever as his eyes narrowed in and out of focus.

"Where are we?" Nie Huaisang asked.

"Somewhere in Yiling. This must be picking up right after the core transfer," Lan Xichen answered. He still felt queasy after everything he had learned so far.

"Wen cultivators," Lan Wangji drew the attention of the other two. They glanced around the tea shop and noticed all the suspicious men in disguises.

"Why doesn't Wei-xiong notice them?" 

"Too injured and unfocused," Lan Wangji responded and stared intensely at Wei Wuxian who sat on the ground and held himself tightly. "No energy," he added quietly to himself.

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh before standing up on shaky legs. He used a tall wooden stick to help keep himself up. He entered the tea shop when the observers noticed how, even when injured, Wei Wuxian was able to quickly decipher the situation he walked into.

With Wei Wuxian already weak and exhausted from the core transfer, it did not take the Wens long to subdue him.

Lan Wangji could feel his nails digging into his palms while watching Wen Chao brutally torture Wei Wuxian, beating him until he was black and blue. Blood begins to pool on the ground. He had to remind himself that this was a memory, and therefore, there was nothing he could do.

At least not this time.

Wei Wuxian held his ground, despite the brutal beating he received. Lan Xichen commended him for not giving up the location of his brother, who has yet to return.

"Go ahead and torture me all you want. The more resentful I am in death, the more powerful I will be when I come back for revenge," he remarked.

Wen Chao scoffed. "You're a cultivator, you can't come back as a vengeful spirit."

Wei Wuxian smiled darkly. "I was taken in by the Jiang's. Do you honestly think I went through the cleansing ritual like everyone else?"

The Wens in the room became uneasy, but Wen Chao tried to play it off as nothing. He ordered his men to hop on their swords, dragging Wei Wuxian with them.

The three observers followed.

"You and Wei-gongzi have both mentioned the burial mounds," Lan Xichen said.

"Yes, Wei-xiong comes here in the future to protect innocent people after the war. Though, I never knew how he learned how to get in and out of the burial mounds. Is that where we're headed?"

"Yes, it's just up ahead."

The Wens and the three observers reached the cliff-side leading into the burial mounds.

"Do you know where we are, Wei Wuxian?" Wen Chao asked. "This would be the burial mounds. I'm sure you've heard of it, it's quite infamous."

"He's not going to-" Nie Huaisang covered his mouth in shock.

"No one ever makes it out of here alive," he mocked. "If you're so keen on coming back as a spirit, I'd like to see you try and escape this place!" he declared and quickly pushed Wei Wuxian off the cliff. 

"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji reached out for him, though he could not grasp him.

Wei Wuxian screamed as he fell. The mocking laugh of Wen Chao following behind.

The three observers quickly went after him and followed him down.

But, it was odd. The height that Wei Wuxian fell from should have killed him. With no golden core and already severely injured, he should not have survived the fall.