Rebound

8

"After everything that happened, I didn't feel comfortable staying there. I love him and I love that little boy, but they'd only be in danger with me," I said, "I kept everything to myself and I never expected anyone to care so much about a person's cultivation methods. Especially mine. I never wanted power or money. I just wanted to save those people and I lost every single one of them, including my shijie who took a a sword for me."

Baoshan sighed, "it seems these righteous men are getting more egotistical than ever," she said, "do you want this boy and Lan with you? They can be here with you."

"I don't know if they'd come now that I've left," I said.

"I don't normally leave but I will go with you to speak with him," Baoshan said.

"Really?" I asked.

"He will the key to helping you cultivate again," Baoshan said.

"Again?" I asked, "I thought—"

"Once the core was gone it was gone?" She interrupted, "that's only partially true. If you lost it by it bursting or being crushed, it will not come back, but if you transferred yours as you say, you can cultivate again. I have methods of helping you. You just need more support. Now let's go get this Lan of yours."

Baoshan grabbed my arm and teleported me straight to the main courtyard of Cloud Recesses. As I landed, a few seconds later I felt a small body clinging to my leg, "Xian—Gege!"

"A'Yuan," I said and picked him up, "A'Yuan, this is Baoshan, Baoshan this is the little boy I told you about."

"He's definitely cute," Baoshan said, "he will make for a great cultivator one day."

I smiled and looked at A'Yuan, "where is Rich-Gege?"

"Library," A'Yuan answered, "I am just returning from a potty break."

"Oh," I said and set him down, "take me to him please?"

A'Yuan nodded and walked us to the library. Zewu Jun and Lan Qiren were there with another person introducing her to Lan Zhan, "What's going on here?" I asked.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan asked, "you came back so suddenly."

"I brought someone with me," I said, "who is she?"

"She is to marry Wangji," Xichen said, "to forget about you once and for all."

"Excuse me?" I asked and looked at Lan Zhan, "is this what you want? If so, tell me and I will disappear again and you will never see me again. I came back for you and A'Yuan. It was Baoshan who convinced me to come back."

"I already said no to them five times," Lan Zhan said and walked over to me, "I told them that you'd come back. You needed time and I respect that."

"Lan Qiren, you really want my grandson out of your life that easily?" Baoshan asked.

"Baoshan?" He asked, "you really are here?"

"I am here to ask your nephew if he and the little boy would like to return home with A'Ying and me," Baoshan said.

"Xiongzhang, if you need an heir, make one yourself, you are single, I am not," Lan Zhan said as he removed his robes and forehead ribbon, "you can't make me do anything for you, not after you chose your sword brothers over me. You had Jin Guangyao pick her out, if she's so good, you have her!"

"If you leave, hand over your guqin and sword," Lan Qiren said.

"No, I keep those. Once a sword has chosen their owner, it belongs to them, as well as their spiritual weapons. You don't own me and I don't follow the rules here anymore. You wanted me whipped for following him and protecting me. Whipped for trying to help him and the Wens when they were innocent. I am done with this sect and I am taking A'Yuan with me. He doesn't need to be controlled by you people," Lan Zhan said.

He was very angry. I have never seen him go off like this. I sighed and took his hand, "do you need anything else?" I asked.

"No," Lan Zhan said.

"I'm sorry I left like that," I said.

"I forgive you," he said, "can I really go with you?"

"You can," Baoshan said.

Lan Zhan lifted A'Yuan up, "I am ready to go then."

"Wangji, please don't," Zewu Jun said.

"Why?" Lan Zhan asked, "Why should I listen to you?"

"I am your blood, your brother," Zewu Jun said.

Lan Zhan scoffed, "oh, am I?" He asked, "you were the one feeding Jin Guangyao information about Wei Ying before the ambush. He almost died because of you and so did I. Now you went to Jin Guangyao again to try and get me a wife? Which means you told him Wei Ying was alive, didn't you? If you did, you betrayed him and me."

"I did, and everyone will come to know come tomorrow," Zewu Jun said.

I smiled, "once I get my strength back, I will make you regret it. I don't care if you are Lan Zhan's brother or not. Anyone who betrayed him and me, will pay the price for it."

"You can't get strength back, you will always be mediocre and a demonic cultivator," Zewu Jun said.

"Did you know my father was a demonic cultivator? That the Wei bloodline was full of them?" I asked, "my family can use it and it doesn't corrupt the body and mind for us. We are the true demonic cultivators. Anyone outside of the bloodline will
Only fail. And I will have a core again. Trust me, you will regret crossing me."

"If that's true about your father, then he died for a reason," Zewu Jun said.

"And your parents are dead too, not that I want to bring up past history. Talk ill of my parents and you will find that yours aren't any different. At least my parents didn't want to leave me behind," I said and looked at Lan Zhan, "sorry."

He shook his head, "you are fine," he said and held my hand, "I trust you."

"Lan Qiren, I'd get a handle on your eldest nephew," Baoshan said, "he is crossing a line here. I know you didn't like my daughter but even you know it's inappropriate to speak ill of her now, even her husband. Would your mother be okay with how things are now?"

"She wouldn't," Lan Zhan said, "I met her...Lan Yi's spirit."

"A'Ying told me about that," Baoshan said, "I say we head out. Bickering with them isn't going to do anything."

I nodded and then teleported out of Cloud Recesses with Lan Zhan, A'Yuan, and Baoshan. Lan Zhan had some catching up to do but I'm sure he will be able to keep up.