Rebound

22 ⚠️

⚠️Sensitive Content in this chapter. Content includes blood, signs of depression and other mental health related topics.⚠️
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Lan Zhan is a lot stronger than I am. That was his advantage. He was also used to the cold, that was another advantage to this. The water on this final challenge was as cold as the Cloud Recesses water of the cold spring. It poured down the tall tower and it stung my fingers as I tried to climb up. Lan Zhan was already half way up. The other traps were barely a problem for him either. I sighed knowing that I was not winning this.

"A'Ying, the challenge is still going, why did you stop?" Baoshan asked me from below.

I was actually tired and cold. My core was working extra hard. It was still getting accustomed to being with me again. Baoshan told me it shouldn't take this long but I have been without it for a good few years and I was very heavily injured when I got it back. My body has been working hard to keep up with everything.

I shook my head, "I am fine," I yelled back at her and I continued to climb up the tower.

Though they were training arrows, one shot me just right where it pierced me right through my left hand. I growled as I felt it stone me. Angrily, I pulled it out and threw it away. Due to the pain, it caused me to lose my grip and I fell. I did land on my feet but I fell to my knees the moment I felt my feet hit the ground.

"A'Ying, are you alright?" Baoshan asked me.

"Fantastic!" I growled, clutching my injured hand to my chest. I felt angry, and frustrated. I was still weak like before. The resentment inside me was causing me to lose my sanity.

"Wei Ying," I heard Lan Zhan say, "can you hear me?"

A loud ringing sound rang in my ears. I clutched my head in pain and curled into a ball on the ground. I heard Baoshan say something to Lan Zhan, "carefully pick him up and bring him back to your room. He needs to be in a calm environment at the moment."

It felt as if I blacked out then, because the next thing I knew, I was waking up and feeling calm again. I noticed that I was in my bed. Lan Zhan was sitting close by but he was playing his guqin. I saw that my hand had been cleaned and bandaged too. I sighed and slowly sat up.

Lan Zhan stopped playing and moved to sit by me, "how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Fine," I answered.

"What happened to you yesterday?" He asked.

Yesterday? I slept for a day?

"I wasn't strong enough to do the challenge, that is what happened," I answered, "I do not have Lan strength and I don't do well in the cold."

"Your core should have helped you," Lan Zhan said.

I got a bit angry and snapped, "well it didn't!"

Lan Zhan stared at me wide eyes. It wasn't because of what I said but how I said it. He sighed and took my hand in his, "Wei Ying, you are not alone anymore. When you are struggling, you said you tell me. Did we not promise this?"

"Perhaps, but some things are hard to change," I said, "I couldn't find it in me to ask for help. It was a challenge against each other. Like I want someone I am competing against to help me."

"It may have been a competition, but that doesn't stop us from being partners. I am still married to you, and I will always be there to support you. You got hurt yesterday because you couldn't handle it. If you couldn't handle it, you should have stopped," he said, "I love you, Wei Ying, and I do not like seeing you hurt or struggling like this."

"Might want to get used to it," I said, "perhaps the way I am and how weak I am, it became easy for others to try and kill me," I felt my eyes starting to burn and tears flood my vision, "maybe I was always weak and I never realized that until now."

Lan Zhan moved to sit closer to me and pulled me to his lap. His comfort was actually very nice. Being in his arms I felt like I could be weak and vulnerable and it would be okay. Outside his arms, I felt like I was ashamed of that otherwise.

"Your cultivation is struggling because you don't trust it," Lan Zhan said, "you should know that confidence is a key to cultivation. You perceive yourself as being weak when I know you are the strongest person in the world. You have already overcome death, and you have a chance to fight and live again."

I tightened my arms around him, "I stopped believing in myself a long time ago, Lan Zhan. I stopped believing in myself when I started living in the Burial Mounds with the innocent Wens. Especially when I felt I lost control in Wen Ning and let him kill Jin Zixuan."

"If you don't believe in yourself, just know that I believe in you. Let me be the one to help you gain your self-confidence back," he said.

I nodded, "I will try."

"That is all I need to hear," Lan Zhan said. I felt him place a kiss on my forehead a few times.

I slowly sat up, "my lips are down here," I said, pouting.

He smiled softly at me, "I did not have easy access to them."

"Now you do," I told him.

He let out a little laugh. His hands gently held onto my face, his thumb, lightly caressing my cheek. He leaned down and kissed me. I may not believe in myself that much anymore, but know that Lan Zhan believes in me, makes me feel a bit better. Perhaps I will get my confidence back one day.

I pulled away for a moment, "I lost the bet," I said.

"Hmm, well you are still recovering from yesterday. You should rest for another day or two before I do what I want to you," he said.

"So you will have me wait in anticipation for what is to come?" I asked.

"Yes," he said and kissed me again.

I knew what he was planning was going to be interesting. I can already tell that I might even lose my ability to walk for a few days after it happens.