Rebound

2 ⚠️

⚠️Sensitive Content in this chapter. Content includes blood and strong language⚠️
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It's been a week since I started hiding in Gusu. Lan Zhan visits me every day and brings me food and medicine. I am appreciative but this isn't going to go well if he gets caught...and he was in trouble as it was. It was later in the day and even in a more secluded area of Cloud Recesses, I could hear a loud commotion going on from the main courtyard. Since Lan Zhan helped me so much, I had to make sure he was okay. I snuck out and found him kneeling before Lan Qiren and his brother Lan Xichen. A disciple was holding a discipline whip and Lan Zhan's back was already bleeding. Why was he being whipped?

I got angry and couldn't hide anymore. I ran in and threw myself between Lan Zhan and the whip, taking the hit for him, "Wei Wuxian!?" I heard the crowd say.

"Wei Ying, what are you doing?" Lan Zhan asked.

"What am I doing? What are you doing? Why are you being beaten?" I asked angrily, "I know what's it's like to be whipped because I grew up with Zidian. A discipline whip is just as bad! Lan Qiren, why?"

"Why? He helped defend you and hurt his own sect members because of it, that is why!" Lan Qiren said, "now why are you here?"

"I've been here for about a week and no one but Lan Zhan knew," I answered.

"Well now that you are here, we can take you into custody," Lan Qiren said.

"And you are going to believe that everything that happened was justified when no one bothered to hear my side of the story? Everyone just assumed I was evil and ill-bred but no one bothered to really understand me. Lan Qiren, I know you hate my mother but even you should know that she had her own morals as did my father. I lived the best of my abilities to follow their beliefs and no one else seemed to care!" I explained.

"Very well, let's go back to the beginning then," Lan Qiren said, "and we will be using a truth serum so you have to tell the truth."

"Fine, but you will regret it," I said, "all of you."

Lan Xichen walked over to me and handed me a small bottled, "thank you," he whispered.

"What for?" I asked.

"He was supposed to take thirty-three hits but he only got five before you came here," Lan Xichen said.

I sighed and took the serum, "now ask your questions!"

"Why did you stop using your sword?" Lan Qiren asked.

I pierced my mouth shut. I knew once Lan Zhan knew the truth that he would feel more guilty. I could tell he was filled with guilt and the truth was only going to make it worse but if I don't say, I will suffer a backlash of this serum.

"I can't use it," I answered.

"Why?" Lan Qiren asked.

"I..." I hesitated.

"The longer you take the more painful it will be," Lan Xichen said.

"I don't have the energy to use it," I answered.

"With a cultivation as strong as yours, you should not lack energy, why can't you use it?" Lan Qiren pushed more.

I looked down at Lan Zhan. He had already defended me and fought for me. He hurt his own people for me. I wanted to keep this secret to myself but I knew that once it gets out, I will be in more danger, "if I answer honestly, will you guarantee my safety?" I asked.

"It is up to you," Lan Qiren said, "tell us the truth or we will not guarantee you anything."

I sighed, "I do not have a golden core."

"What are you talking about?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Before I went missing those three months, I lost my golden core. Without it, I cannot hold a sword for a long period of time," I answered.

Lan Xichen stood beside me and took hold of my wrist. After a moment of silence he spoke, "he speaks the truth, his core is gone."

"How did you lose it?" Lan Qiren asked.

"Golden core transfer," I answered.

"How is that possible?" Lan Xichen asked.

"Wen Qing performed it. The golden core is very fragile so anesthetics couldn't be used. I was awake for two nights and a day while she cut me open and took it out and gave it to someone else," I answered, "the process is only fifty percent guaranteed and it did succeed. Shortly after I gave it up, I was captured by Wen Chao, beaten, and thrown into the burial mounds. I learned to use Demonic Cultivation to survive and to help with the war for the sake of my martial siblings...but I became an enemy later...as you noticed." Lan Zhan stared at me and tears fell from his eyes. I had never seen him cry before, "I don't regret my choices. I only regret not being able to save those I wanted to protect,"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Do you really think it's easy to say that someone who used to love cultivation, could no longer cultivate and talk about it without being judged for being mediocre for the rest of their life?" I asked.

"Why did you give it up?" Lan Qiren asked.

"I owed someone," I answered, "they needed it more than I did," I felt tears falling, "even if they hate me more than anything in the world now."

"Jiang Wanyin?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Is there anything else you wish to ask?" I questioned, "anyone else wish to open old wounds?"

"What happened to Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun?" Lan Xichen asked.

"A second flute took over control and made Wen Ning kill them," I answered, "the Yin Hu Fu is gone and it nearly killed me. I jumped from that cliff hoping it would finish the job but I lived. I was going to disappear and maybe one day return to prove my innocence, but now that I am here, I am guessing my death is inevitable."

"We are against killing," Lan Qiren said, "and you hid away here for the past week...you can continue to do so until you are fully healed and you know what you are going to do next. As you spoke the truth, you are innocent of all crimes against you."

I looked at Lan Zhan, "is he still going to be punished?" I asked.

"He will not," Lan Qiren said, "go to the infirmary and get your back looked at. The four of us will talk again in a few days...where are you hiding?"

"Lan Zhan called it Gentian House," I answered.

Lan Qiren nodded, "very well."