Recesses of the Heart

23

((Italics - inter thoughts/ telekinetic thought spoken between Wuxian and Wangji))

~*Wei Wuxian's POV*~

I have mixed feelings about being back at the indoctrination. I may be immortal but I still have my worries. I have not even mentioned to anyone, especially to Lan Zhan, that even though it seems crazy, that I have a small fear of Wen Chao. My hatred for him is greater, but since he tortured me and tossed me into the mounds, that is the one time I had that sense of foreboding. I do not know if Lan Zhan had picked that up or not, I have yet to tell him everything about my past, especially of the things that he was not part of. I feared that might scare him off, even though that fear is irrational.

Lan Zhan has been very adamant about being with me. I know I am stubborn, but I have this gut feeling that he is worse than me and I cannot outmaneuver that. That man happens to be my weakness and my strength. My weakness because one touch from him and I turn into a wanton puddle, and my strength being that one look at him and I feel like I could do anything.

At the moment though, I was a bit shaky. We were all standing together in front of a large staircase leading up to a palace. This is just a small section of the Wen Sect's palaces. This must be where a lot of their own teachings probably took place.

As I stood there, everyone else was talking amongst themselves as Wen Chao was not out yet. I felt eyes on me and I knew who it was. I looked at Lan Zhan and smiled at him.

"Something is wrong?" He asked me, "I can feel you are anxious about something."

I sighed, "do not judge me okay."

"Have I ever?" He asked.

I glanced at him, "there has been a point where I had this small fear of Wen Chao. It seems crazy given how much of a coward he is...but he threw me off a sword from very high up into the burial mounds. He had his men torture me for a long time before that. I had just gone through...a procedure and I was nowhere near healed. My body was never the same after that day."

"Your golden core?" He asked, "you never told me everything about that?"

"I want to...but it isn't something that is easy to talk about...or even hear. I do not think this is the best place to talk about it either," I told him.

"We will find a time to talk about it...just know I am here. Even if you are afraid, you do not need to with me here. It will be okay," He assured, "and it is not irrational or unreasonable. The man traumatized you. As much of a coward as he is, he is still very cunning. No judgement from me, ever."

"Thank you," I told him.

"Always," He said out loud to me.

I blushed and looked away from him. Jiang Cheng scoffed, "what are you so flushed for?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said, "plus it is a lot warmer here than Yunmeng."

He nodded, "be careful while being here. Who knows what these Wen's will do."

"No worries, I will behave," I assured him...aside from one thing I will do later today. I smiled knowing that I will still get to have a little bit of fun.

Some Wen disciples had us fall in line as Wen Chao made his way out, "look at all you unruly dogs," he said, "you have been quite disobedient in my father's eyes. He thought it was best that I help teach you lot some things."

The crowd was silent.

"The first thing I want from you, is for you to hand over your weapons," Wen Chao said, "you will get them back at the end of the indoctrination but just so we do not have any fighting, weapons will be taken."

Some were uneasy about this. I placed duplication charms on Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan, and Zewu Jun's swords and place our real ones in our qiankun sleeves. My sword was the same. So the swords we gave up, were not the real thing but merely a copy. No one would know the difference unless you saw the real ones as they had spiritual essence radiating off them. The charm only gave off a small bit to trick the enemy but it can never compare to the real thing if it was side by side. That was the loophole to this charm.

Of course, we had to read off the rules again like last time. And like last time, I was my mischievous self and began reciting the Gusu Lan precepts by "accident".

"Xiao Wuji, I never would have expected you to have a mischievous side," Wen Chao said angrily, "you dare speak the Lan Clan precepts here?"

"My apologies Second Master Wen, I just have so many precepts to remember that they all get mixed together," I saw and bowed my head in apology to "appease" him.

Wen Chao scoffed, "like I do not know you spouting those out on purpose," he scowled, "guards, take Second Master Lan, Young Master Jin, and Young Master Xiao to the fields...to carry the dung."

I turned back to glance at Lan Zhan. He had a small smile on his face and shook his head in amusement. I glanced at Zewu Jun and he did the same thing. I could only laugh, "oops," I said to them both.

"Use this opportunity to find Wen Qing," Zewu Jun whispered.

Lan Zhan and I nodded and she would be popping up in the fields. She was one of the observers to watch over those being punished today. It was just a lucky coincidence.

I sighed as we were escorted to the fields and had to start working. Of course, I made sure to not go to the dungeons this time as Lan Zhan and I could talk telepathically this time. I was getting a bit worried though, as I had not spotted Wen Qing yet since being at the indoctrination. Was she here at all?