Crimson Blossoms

Chapter 2.4: Where Fallen Heroes Sow Seeds of Wrath

The sound of Jīn Guāngshàn's heavy, angry footsteps echoed through the empty stone corridor as he stormed away from the dungeon. His face was still flushed red with fury, his jaw clenched tightly, but there was a smirk on his lips now—cold and vengeful. He had reached a decision, and the thought of it seemed to calm the storm that raged inside him.

Behind him, Jīn Guāngyáo followed in silence, his gaze lowered, hands clasped neatly in front of him as if in quiet contemplation. The senior disciples, still tense and uncertain, trailed behind both of them, unwilling to break the silence that lingered in the air.

But Jīn Guāngyáo's mind was not as calm as his outward demeanor suggested. His thoughts churned with quiet calculation, every word, every movement, carefully observed and processed. He could still hear Wèi Wúxiàn's mocking laughter echoing in the back of his mind, and he had seen the way it had broken his father's composure. Wèi Wúxiàn's defiance had been infuriating, yes—but now, it was also dangerous. The situation had escalated, and Jīn Guāngyáo knew that something drastic would have to be done.

But what was Jīn Guāngshàn planning?

After a few more moments of silence, Jīn Guāngyáo spoke softly, his voice smooth and deferential, as always. "Father... what are you planning to do with Wèi Wúxiàn?"

He phrased the question carefully, keeping his tone light, curious but without pressing too hard. He didn't need to provoke more of his father's anger right now—he just needed to know how this was going to play out.

Jīn Guāngshàn didn't respond immediately. His pace slowed for a moment, and the smirk on his lips widened into something darker, more malicious. The anger still burned in his eyes, but now there was a twisted sense of satisfaction that gleamed in his expression.

Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and dripping with disdain. "Throw him down to hell," Jīn Guāngshàn sneered, his eyes narrowing as he walked, "so that he can rot there forever."

His words were filled with venom, and the image of Wèi Wúxiàn suffering endlessly seemed to soothe some of the fury that had been consuming him. He didn't turn to look at Jīn Guāngyáo as he spoke—his mind was already fixated on his plan, on the cruel fate he was preparing for Wèi Wúxiàn.

Jīn Guāngyáo's eyes widened slightly in response, though he quickly masked his surprise behind a thoughtful expression. Throw him down to hell... The phrase was metaphorical, but Jīn Guāngyáo understood his father's true meaning instantly.

The Burial Mounds.

He could see it now, the twisted plan forming in his father's mind. Wèi Wúxiàn had once crawled out of that cursed place, surviving against impossible odds. But this time, Jīn Guāngshàn planned to send him back there—crippled, broken, and with no hope of survival. A slow, painful death in the Burial Mounds, where his body would rot among the corpses, seemed fitting to his father.

'Cruel, but effective', Jīn Guāngyáo mused internally. His father's wrath would be satisfied, and Wèi Wúxiàn would be disposed of in a way that wouldn't risk further political complications. It was a solution that balanced revenge and pragmatism—two things Jīn Guāngshàn valued above all else.

Outwardly, Jīn Guāngyáo nodded slowly, his expression composed as he processed the plan. "I see, Father," he murmured, his voice still soft and deferential. He kept his thoughts to himself, as always, masking any hint of concern or intrigue behind his obedient facade.

But behind those calm eyes, Jīn Guāngyáo's mind was turning.

If Wèi Wúxiàn truly dies there, it will be the end of it. No one would question it—the world already believed him dead. This would tie up the last loose end neatly. But there was something else lingering at the edge of Jīn Guāngyáo's mind, a faint sense of calculation that he couldn't quite ignore.