Call On Me

6

Because Sect Leader Jiang was currently unconscious, they ended up staying for an extra day. The others ended up leaving. Hanguang Jun, however, decided he also wanted to stay for a while. I walked to a more secluded area of San Bao. There, Hanguang Jun and Maiden Jiang were waiting for me. Before entering I did remove my mask. My robes were also slightly different, I made sure that they weren't as flashy as my leader robes.

Upon entering, I saw Hanguang Jun and Maiden Jiang sitting at a table but they were a part. They looked close but not close enough to be considered something special. Though it has been a while since I have seen either of them and I saw them when I traveled here. They didn't see me, and I noticed that they were close back then too.

I cleared my throat as they both looked as if they didn't notice me entering the room, "am I interrupting?" I asked.

"A'Xian?" Maiden Jiang asked, "is it really you?"

"Yes," I said, stone-faced, "again, am I interrupting your conversation? You two seem quite close to even notice me walk in."

"Wei Ying, we are just friends," Hanguang Jun said.

"Mnn," I nodded, "if you say so."

"A'Xian, why did you just disappear so suddenly?" Maiden Jiang asked. She was purposefully dodging my prodding.

"You are asking me?" I asked, "I have done so much for you and your family only to be blamed and ridiculed by anyone who is in the sect now. I am blamed for the massacre and the death of your parents. I left because I don't want to be associated with you anymore. I am done being walked all over. I let it happen for your sake when your mother was alive but now she is gone and I feel as if I don't belong in your presence anymore."

She looked so upset but also she seemed to understand what I am telling her, "I never blamed you, A'Xian, and if it was A'Cheng's doing, I am sorry. I understand if you do not want to return but please don't push me away," she said.

"I am not pushing you away," I said, "I am just telling you how things are now. I may have promised to be there for Jiang Cheng when he became leader but things change. I never told you or anyone else that the day we saw your parents dead bodies, he nearly choked me to death. He even called me a servant and to get lost. Now tell me, am I really just a servant to you people?"

"You know I never saw you that way," she said, "A'Xian, you've changed so much in the last year."

"I have," I told her, "and it's to be expected. Not everyone remains the same over time."

"Wei Ying, the needle you used on Jiang Wanyin?" Hanguang Jun asked. I can see the light concern in his eyes. I bet he is worried I took to an unorthodox path.

I smirked, "it's a new self-defense tool. My head healer is highly skilled in her trade and she taught me almost everything show knows. After teaching me how to use her needles, I turned them into a weapon. It's just doused in a simple toxin that paralyzes the attacker for twenty-four hours. It's nothing too serious," I answered, "if you are worried about my methods, don't be. I don't cultivate anymore. Just self-defense."

"Why can't you cultivate anymore?" Maiden Jiang asked.

"Because I took on Core Melting Hand for the sake of your brother. I took the blow so he could keep his cultivation. Not once did I ever receive any proper appreciation for it, then again, he was unconscious when it happened so he doesn't know," I told her. This lie is going to be the story from now on. If the truth ever comes out, it will more than likely make Jiang Cheng even more of a fool. He will lose is mind knowing that he will forever live in my shadow because of the core he now uses.

"Why didn't you say something?" Maiden Jiang asked, "why run away when you could have just talked to us?"

"As I said, no one needed to know," I said, "the people here in San Bao know of my health and I am taken care of here. As for my leader, he told me that you keep asking for aid. I don't know if you will get much more from here. Just medical supplies."

"That is okay, no one is going to push you to help," she said.

"Haven't you all come to persuade me more? How is that not being pushy?" I asked.

"I do have to ask, why won't your leader help?" She asked.

"I have already helped enough," I said, "San Bao is a small clan made up of elders, normal civilians, and healers. The young are the only ones who can cultivate as of now. None of them are over the age of fifteen. You want me to send twelve to fifteen year olds to a war that we have been lucky enough to avoid? These people are my responsibility and I will do what I think is best for them. I know for a fact that if we stay out of this, the wen sect will leave us alone. I mean, if you want help, why don't you ask your fiancé? I heard his father is living it up with his whores while his son fights. He has the resources to aid you and he chooses not to. So why come to me?"

Maiden Jiang looked perturbed and she knew my words were nothing but the truth. I may have been a bit forward with my words but people need to understand that I won't sacrifice my people for this war.

"Xianxian, you have grown up into Leader San Ying, I'm proud of you," she said.

I smiled at her words, "so you pick up on my words. Clever," I said.

"A'Xian, of course I would listen," she said.

"do you understand now why I can't help though? I don't want these young ones to lose their lives when they don't know much about their own cultivation yet. Sending them into this war is just a suicidal mission for them. The medical supplies are the best we can do," I explained.

"What about sending some healers over to help the wounded heal quicker so they can return to the fight?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Lan Zhan, did you not recognize the voice behind the mask of the head healer?" I asked, "these people are from the old Dafan Wen village. If anyone finds out they are Wens, they are dead. Everyone knows if they have the name Wen, they will not survive. Everyone here has changed their name just to survive. They cover their faces with cloth and masks not only for sanitary purposes but also protection. Tell me, should I risk these innocent people's lives by sending them to your war only for them to be recognized by someone and get killed?"

He sighed, "I understand," he said.

"Do you?" I asked, "I know you aren't the leader of your sect but would you do the same if you were in my position? Would your brother do the same? Out of every prominent sect, your sect should be doing what I am doing, but you aren't which tells me that the word righteousness is just a word to your people, not a meaning."

"Wei Ying," he said. It seemed as if I had pushed the right button, "watch yourself."

"Am I wrong?" I asked. He stared at me with his mouth tightly closed. I then asked again, "Am.I.Wrong?"

He sighed, "no," he said.

"What?" I asked. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, "did he do something?"

"I have been questioning my brother's decisions lately. He seems to take the words of his sworn brother Jim Guangyao more than over my words," he told me.

Lan Zhan looked hurt, "where is your brother now?" I asked.

"At our guest room," he answered. I pulled the mask out of my sleeve and put it on and my elegant outer robe that indicated my sect leader status from a Qiankun pouch, "Wei Ying, please just let it go."

"Why?" I asked, "he is your brother first. His duties to his sworn brother should not come before his own blood."

"Please just leave it for now," he said.

I sighed, "fine, but if he causes any more problems for me, or you, I will act."

He seemed surprised that I would do something like that for him. Have I not shown in the past how I would do anything to help him? Perhaps I need to make more actions more clear.