Dust & Gold

7

~*Lan Wangji's POV*~

I was glad to see Wei Ying more relaxed once we got him to his new living quarters. It was more secluded like my place and he was able to try and feel more comfortable here. I would have preferred him at the Jingshi with me but it was too soon for that. We need more time together before we make that decision. We have two different personalities and I wanted to know what he was like without the added pressures of the Jiang's hanging off his shoulders.

Wei Ying also seemed to have been doing better with his classes. Since he didn't have Jiang Wanyin with him every night, Wei Ying seemed more relaxed and comfortable. He let me go with him to his appointments with Wen Qing and we told her about our connection. She gave me some tonics to help ease the pain for me whenever Wei Ying was going through a treatment.

I could still feel the slight discomfort though, as Wen Qing was cleaning the wounds on Wei Ying's back. I got a good look at his injuries too. His back didn't have an inch of untouched skin where it wasn't whipped or bruised. There were even burns. I was actually a bit grateful that Wei Ying couldn't feel that pain. If I had to feel it for him, I will.

"What are the burns from?" I asked.

"Have you heard of the spiritual tool called Zidian?" Wei Ying asked in response.

"I have heard of the tool yes," I replied.

"Zidian's spiritual prowess allows it to separate the soul and physical form of an individual whose body has been seized by a spirit, rendering Zidian a useful tool to discern if someone has been possessed. It's also called Purple Lightning. Madam Yu uses it on me all the time. The burns are from the whip...though she found a new way to torture me. She found a way to use oil to light a regular whip on fire and use it as a way to whip me," he explained.

My heart ached for him. He suffered so much hate and what should have been pain but he didn't feel any of it. The lady of Lotus Pier continued the abuse because he couldn't feel pain. She won't care if it killed Wei Ying, she has long since hated him as it was. What bothered me most of all is that no one else is doing anything about it. She threatened Wei Ying's life if anyone else knew. The Sect Leader knows nothing of this and it angers me. The man had taken Wei Ying into his home for the sake of being Wei Ying's father's friend but at what cost. How can he just stand by and let all this happen? How much of a coward is this man? He even lets his son harass Wei Ying.

"Lan Zhan, I can tell you are upset," Wei Ying told me.

I looked at him, "you feel the bond too?" I asked.

Wei Ying nodded, "I can feel your stress...when it comes to feeling your physical pain, I won't know if you are ever in danger and I am sorry."

"Wei Ying, I promise you I will do what I can to keep myself safe. I need you to do the same," I said.

"I will try," Wei Ying said.

"Out of curiosity, can we try to see if Wei Gongzi can feel your pain? I won't do anything to physically harm you as I have a way to test it out," Wen Qing said.

"I suppose we can try," I said.

"I really don't think it will work, if I can't feel my pain, how can I feel his?" Wei Ying asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe a way to help you is through your bond somehow. It's just something you both need to try," Wen Qing replied.

"Okay," Wei Ying said. When Qing grabbed my arm and using some spiritual energy, she put some pressure onto my arm. The more energy she used the more painful it got. Wei Ying grabbed his arm and hissed. He looked confused, "stop, what is that?!" He asked, "stop hurting him."

Wen Qing let me go and looked at Wei Ying, "you felt his pain. It seems my theory was right. You can feel his pain but not your own," she said.

"How is that possible?" Wei Ying asked, "I was told that it has something to do with the nerves in my body."

"It seems there is one that connects you and Lan Er Gongzi that can get past that condition you have," Wen Qing said and looked at me, "you will have to be more careful. You can feel double the pain because you can feel your own and his pain. He only knows your pain. This might help reverse his condition but it's a long shot. You two need to learn to trust each other."

I nodded. Wen Qing did some last minutes check ups on Wei Ying before letting us leave. As we left for lunch, Wei Ying held his arm as he was taking in the fact he felt pain, "Lan Zhan, if anyone knew this, they'd use you to get to me...especially Madam Yu," he said.

"I know, but Shufu and my brother need to know this information to help protect us. Especially you," I said, "you are more in danger right now than I am. The Madam of Lotus Pier still believes we know nothing but it may only be a matter of time before she finds out."

"She can't just show up unannounced right?" He asked.

"Correct," I said, "and if she broke in, she would be dealt with accordingly."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take. Jiang Cheng would have sent word to them by now that I left the sect," Wei Ying said, "maybe I should still consider my plan on disappearing for a while."

"If you decide to do that, we cannot be apart," I told him, "it will only make us suffer."

"This bond connection thing of yours is stressful," he said, "why is this a thing?"

"It's been this way since the founder of the sect. He had found his fated partner and he was blessed to passing that gift to the rest of his bloodline descendants. It's a way for us to know who we are really meant to love and trust. If someone is bonded with a member of the bloodline, they feel that same connection too. It's always been this way," I explained, "I promise to protect you, Wei Ying. You have my word."

He sighed and nodded, "I will have to trust you on that...do not break it. I lack trust in a lot of people for how much I have been through already."

"I understand," I said.