WangXian Untamed

Chapter 36 - Yin Iron

The powder was metal. The metal was Yin Iron.

These two thoughts chased each other through Wei WuXian's mind in an endless loop, as he fought to force down his surprise and breathe through the shock. Metal. Yin Iron. Metal. Yin Iron.

Yin Iron.

How was this possible? Yin Iron was so vanishingly rare, so little remained in existence, after destroying the Yin shards in Wen hands, and his own destruction of his Yin Iron Amulet. Where had it come from? Who could reduce it to powder? Why hadn't he noticed the feel of Yin Iron being nearby? Was his system so occupied by pain it had hidden the tell-tale tang from him?

Wei WuXian's mind spun dizzily, filled with questions that spiralled endlessly. He barely noticed when the now-familiar midday routine of pain ramped up until it took control of his body once more, leaving him heaving and helpless on the floor of his workroom as he spewed into a basin. Time slipped by unnoticed as he struggled to manage, finally laying flat on his back, spent on the floor of his workroom. Gradually the pain began to recede, the nausea to lighten. Over time his thoughts took on cohesion again. He lay weakly where he sprawled, looking up at the ceiling.

How could the metal be Yin Iron? Why had the pain in his nerves and bones responded so strongly to the touch of the Yin Iron powder? Wei WuXian touched his Core and sent the energy drifting lightly through his Meridians, his Qi following familiar pathways. The singing and humming of the Dual Cultivation were no longer noticeable, but the pain that constantly buzzed along his nerves these days was stronger, more insistent, as if it resonated to the resentful energy that so recently flooded through him. He concentrated and drove down the resentful energy remaining, and flushed it from his system, forcing it to dissipate and filter away. The pain took on a lighter note as he cleansed his tissues of the dark energy. He wished he had ChenQing in hand. It would have been quicker. He was too weak to go seek her, however, and to weary to demand her presence to him, so he lay there on the floor and used his hard-won skill to force the resentful energy from his flesh and release it.

Wei WuXian dragged himself back upright. Haltingly he cleaned up his workroom, placing the dish with the powder from pellet 6 carefully in the centre of his desk. He needed to share this discovery with Lan Zhan and Lan XiChen, yet he was afraid to do so. What does this mean? Who could possibly be capable of manipulating Yin Iron? His mind overflowed with questions. As far as he knew, only he and the ancients had ever successfully forged Yin Iron, and his own discovery was born of soul-deep desperation, elemental survival instinct, and took three months on the very knife edge of death to manage. Who else could bear the experience? Survive it, even? Why? Why would anyone create this horrific tool? And why unleash it on Lan QiRen? What if it wasn't just for Lan QiRen? Where else could this evil material have been deployed? How many other people might be lost to inexplicable Qi deviations? That weren't legitimate Qi deviations at all?

Wei WuXian held his head in his hands, elbows on his desk, as he struggled to rein in his thoughts. Questions. More questions. Nothing but questions...he shook his head. Enough. He had to get word to the Twin Jades. Taking to his feet, Wei WuXian realized he was weaker than he'd thought. His knees shook as he made his unsteady way to the door of the Jingshi. He would never get to the Hanshi or the Lanshi, to either of the brothers. He sat at the edge of the landing entry to the Jingshi and waited until he saw a disciple pass nearby.

At last, a flicker of white robes at the far end of the courtyard.

"Hello," he called, waving his arm for attention. "You there, can I borrow you a minute?"

In a moment the disciple came nearer, and Wei WuXian recognized the young man, who bowed and said, "May I be of service, Master Wei?"

"Thank you... JingYi, is it?" asked Wei WuXian.