Wuji: A Promise Kept

75

The following day, after everyone woke and freshened up. They were escorted outside to Baoshan's garden. It was very bit and a nice long mahogany table was set with place settings for everyone. The table was set beside Baoshan's lotus pond. Wuxian sat in the chair closest to the pond and couldn't help but look out at the lotus flowers. They were beautiful, multiple colors like white, pink, purple, yellow, and so on, and they were all fully bloomed.

Of course, with everyone seated and now eating breakfast, Baoshan couldn't help but laugh a little, "You Lans never change," she said, "even when you are outside of your sect you still follow the rules."

Wuxian grinned, "I don't," he said, "though I have been punished enough times, but nowadays I don't get punished anymore."

"Oh, so if you broke a rule back at Cloud Recesses, you would get away with it?" Baoshan asked.

"Not entirely," Wuxian replied, "my punishments are given to me by Lan Zhan...behind closed doors. They aren't the...casual punishments."

"Let's just say, of Uncle Wei was a female, he'd probably have more children running around," Jingyi mumbled.

Baoshan laughed, "and you are Jingyi, correct?" She asked.

"Yes," Jingyi replied, "I get in trouble a lot."

"He was born in Cloud Recesses and still has broken the most rules," Lan Rong told her.

"Hmm, more than what my daughter probably broke?" Baoshan questioned, "did you shave the old man's beard?"

As she said that, Wuxian just so happened to be taking a drink of water. He choked a bit before laughing, "she didn't!?" Wuxian questioned.

"That she did," Baoshan told him "she did a lot of things just to rial up that old man...one of her biggest accomplishments that she spoke so much about was placing a bees nest in Qiren's bedroom."

Wangji didn't know how to make of this information. Wuxian giggled and patted Wangji's hand on the table, "your uncle is still standing today, it is fine," he told him, "plus, remember when we first met, I'd get you all worked up. My favorite memory was that moment in the library—"

"Wei Ying, there are kids here," Wangji interrupted.

"I wasn't going to share too much of the details with them around," Wuxian said. He then looked at Baoshan, "I actually broke rules on my first night in Cloud Recesses all those years ago."

"What did you do?" Baoshan asked.

"My martial brother at the time lost the invitation to enter the guest lectures they were holding. I went back to find it. While I was away, my martial siblings got let in. When I returned, it was past curfew. So I broke the ward, brought alcohol inside, and fought Lan Zhan," Wuxian explained.

"Alcohol is forbidden in Cloud Recesses?" Hua Cheng asked.

"It is, but I can get away with it now. Lan Zhan stashes some away for me," Wuxian answered.

"You really go out of your way for him," Baoshan said to Wangji.

"I mean, you know my story, my life and how I died once already," Wuxian said.

"I do," Baoshan said.

"He tried to protect me and got punished badly for it. He said he doesn't regret it," Wuxian said.

"I know of what he went through," Baoshan said, "both of you. You both have been through a lot. And due to that, you have been given the opportunity now, to be here. The misfortunes you experienced so far, are just trials. It was to help you prepare for what may come. Though, I will make sure you two don't have to worry about death or losing each other again."

"Thank you," Wangji said.

Wuxian glanced at Sizhui who was smiling. Haishi sat beside him. Her seat was heightened so she could properly reach the table and eat. As he watched Haishi, he noticed something interesting about her. He now noticed her eyes were more of a violet than a blue. Wuxian blinked a couple times as he couldn't recall them being like that before.

"Lan Zhan, do you see that too?" Wuxian asked in a whisper. Wangji glanced at Haishi and nodded. Wuxian then looked at Baoshan, "Wai Po?" He pointed to Haishi.

"Her eyes changed since arriving here," Baoshan said, "what are her origins?"

"All we know is that she was born in Cloud Recesses. Her parents passed and she stayed at the orphanage. Is there something more to her?" Wuxian asked.

"Has to be," Baoshan said, "I've seen eyes like that in certain people but I have to take samples of her blood to confirm it."

Wuxian got up and knelt beside Haishi. He then took out a small vial, "Haishi, sweetie, can I take some blood from you?" He asked her, "I promise it won't hurt."

Haishi nodded. Wuxian took her arm and using his finger, he used his spiritual energy to make a cut on her arm. It didn't hurt her at all. It was the safest way to get a blood sample especially from a child. An adult wouldn't really care for such things. This was just to ease the child of panic. After having a small sample that filled the little vial, Wuxian used his spiritual energy to close the cut up, as if it was never there. He then handed it to Baoshan.

"Thank you honey," Wuxian said to Haishi.

"Why do you need it?" She asked.

"We want to know more about you," Wuxian told her and sat back down in his seat. He then looked at Baoshan, "I'm guessing her being her brought out her traits more somehow?"

"When brought to a place with a lot of spiritual energy in the air, your real form comes to be more known, especially when you are so young," Baoshan said, "if I think she has what I believe to have, she will be an amazing woman in the future. It will also require more protection."

"If she likes it here during our stay, maybe we can convince her to stay here and train with you," Wuxian said, "especially since I know you'd help her more in that than we could."

"Of course, but let's just make sure that we know for sure," Baoshan said.

Wuxian nodded, "as for the rest of today, I know we are resting for a few days, but I was wondering if my disciples are okay to train a bit today?"

"Sure," the group said.

"Like what?" Jingyi asked.

"I just want you to work on your drills today. At most you would only train for a few hours today," Wuxian said.

"Okay," Jingyi said.