Dust & Gold

33

After a couple days, Lan Zhan and I went back to our place in Yiling. It was closer to the safe house we were to find. We went to town a few times to see if we could find anything that my mother described and we eventually found it. It did look like a brothel from the outside but I could tell that was not what it really was.

We entered and there were different kinds of people. They ranged from young homeless children to elderly men and women. There were even animals here. There was a section closed off for them but I strayed away from it because I heard dogs barking. I held onto Lan Zhan's hand tighter when those dogs seemed to get rather loud.

"Hello," a young woman greeted us. She looked to be around our age, dark hair and green eyes. She had on simple beige robes that indicated she was a staff member here, "what brings you here? Are you looking for someone? You two look like prominent cultivators."

"We are actually looking for someone but we don't know if she is in," I answered.

"I can see if she is here or I can look through our books to see if she is at a different location, we just need a name," the woman said.

"The owner," I said, "we were told she could help us with breaking a curse."

"The owner, she only comes by once a month unless she has more time to spare. She is due to be here soon but I haven't seen her, what curse is it, perhaps I can be of assistance," the woman said.

"It's an ancient curse, and it makes it so the person cannot feel pain," I explained.

"That is indeed something she has more knowledge about," the woman said, "if you leave your names and your location perhaps I can run it by her when I see her. She would take the time to find you."

I looked at Lan Zhan and he nodded. We handed her our address and our names, "Wei?" The young woman asked, "you are a relative?"

"She is my grandmother," I said.

"Wait here," the woman said and left to another room.

Lan Zhan and I sat down at a nearby table and waited. Not long after, a different person approached us. It was another woman, she had silver hair, violet blue eyes, white and black robes and a red ribbon in her hair. She looked to be in her forties. She scanned us both before sitting with us, "You are Wei Ying?" She asked me.

"I am," I said, "my mother's spirit told me how to find this place."

"Your mother is?" She asked.

"Cangse Sanren," I answered.

The woman reached over and held my face in her hands, "you have her eyes. My eyes," the woman said, "you are alive."

"You—?" I questioned.

"Yes, I'm Baoshan," she said, "I have looked for you for a long time but no matter who I asked, they couldn't give me an answer. I thought maybe you were a lost soul."

"I'm alive...but I'm in a state where I could die without knowing," I told her.

"I noticed something off about your spiritual energy, what is it?" She asked.

"I don't know how I got it or who gave it to me, but when I was young, I was cast an ancient curse that made it so I cannot feel pain. Some may say it's not a bad thing but when you were taken into a place where you thought was a new home was only a place to be abused and almost died, then it's bad. My partner here and I are bonded so he can feel the pain I am in. I was told that you were the only one who could possibly help me break it," I explained.

"I can help you, but I do want to know everything you endured under this curse. I know it's painful to talk about but I need to know the extent of it," Baoshan said, "I also need to know how long you think you've had it. I can run tests and then work from there. You and your partner would have to come back to my home with me, but I'm not sure when you'd be able to return."

"I am okay with this," Lan Zhan said, "I just want him safe and healthy and happy. There is a war coming and we can't have Wei Ying under this curse when it happens."

"I agree," Baoshan said, "so will you come with me so I can help you."

"Yes," Lan Zhan and I said together.

"Alright, take this tassel. I want you to get whatever you need before coming to my place. Just infuse some spiritual energy and you will teleport to me. It has to be Wei Ying even though you two are bonded. Blood opens the door to my location. You can enter as long as you hold onto him," Baoshan explained, "it will also give you some time to talk to whoever you need to. I guess you have some people to let know of your situation."

"We have all we need and we can send a butterfly to his brother," I said, "he and I don't live in Cloud Recesses."

"Why? You are married and you wear your sect ribbon and robes," Baoshan pointed out.

"Wei Ying doesn't do well with rules. We still represent Gusu but we live outside of the sect for his sake. I do not mind it either. I have more freedom to be with him. As someone who has a friend with Gusu, you know how our bloodline bonds work, right?" Lan Zhan answered.

Baoshan smiled, "Wei Ying's father did the same for Cangse. She didn't like authority that much. I gave her a lot of freedom as she grew up. I can see how her son would be the same."

"Can you tell me more about them sometime?" I asked.

"Of course, but let's get you back to my place and settled in first," Baoshan said.

With that, she took us to her secluded location. Lan Zhan did let his brother know we will be away for a while but Baoshan sent them a way to contact us if they were in any danger. So now it was just trying to get this curse broken and dealing with the Jiangs and this war that is to come. No problem right?

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Got a new tattoo over my break and it is MDZS inspired. I love it. I wanted to share it with you guys.

The image (designed by me)

Final product