Dust & Gold

8⚠️

⚠️Sensitive content in this chapter. Content includes verbal and physical abuse.⚠️
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~*Wei Wuxian's POV*~

I was thinking about what I could give Lan Zhan. I know he gave me this token to make things easier for me getting around Cloud Recesses with more access to places, but I felt I needed to reciprocate. I wanted to do something nice for him, or maybe make something. This token he gave me was carved by him specifically so it's special for who he was to give it to and he gave it to me. He told me we were connected through a bond that was forming between us, and it will only get stronger over time.

I was happy that he was considered mine but at the same time, I didn't feel like I deserved him. He was a prominent figure and I was just a so called servant that left their sect. I had no stability whatsoever. How could I possibly give him anything in return? Anything worthwhile anyway.

I was sitting in the courtyard thinking of something that I could do for Lan Zhan when I felt a presence behind me. I turned to see Jiang Cheng standing there, "what do you want?" I asked.

"I wrote to my parents, A'Niang will be here in a little while to see you. She knows of your leaving the sect," he said with a sly grin on his face, "I cannot wait to see what she does to you this time."

"She cannot do anything to me here, I am no longer part of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect and I am officially a special guest of the Gusu Lan Sect. Any harm comes to me, your family will pay for the price," I warned.

"Oh, I would like to see what they'd do for you," Jiang Cheng said.

"A'Cheng?! Where is that bastard?!" A woman hollered.

"Right here, A'Niang," Jiang Cheng said.

"You son of a servant, who gave you such courage to think you can leave so easily?" Madam Yu asked.

"I did, I secede from your sect and I will no longer put up with your abuse!" I yelled, "if you do not leave, I will call for help!"

Madam Yu smiled, "you can try," she said and then I was knocked to my knees from behind, "Jinzhu and Yinzhu are always with me after all."

I had to think fast so I lifted my arm to my mouth and bit down, biting myself. Hopefully it will be a sign for Lan Zhan to come find me.

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~*Lan Wangji's POV*~

I was sitting with Shufu and Xiongzhang in the Orchid room helping set up for the next lecture. As we were all in the middle of setting up the desks, I felt a sharp pain in my arm. It felt like I was bitten. Shortly after that, I felt a burning stinging sensation on my right palm. My eyes widened, "Wei Ying?!" I said loudly.

Shufu and Xiongzhang turned to me, "Wangji, what is it?" Brother asked.

"Something is wrong with Wei Ying," I said. I suddenly spit up blood after what felt like the wind got knocked out of me, meaning a punch or kick to the stomach.

"Wangji!" Brother said as he held my arm, "lead us to him."

I nodded and used the remaining strength I had to find him. He was just out in the courtyard not far from this room so we went to him. When we arrived, we saw the Madam of Lotus Pier here with Jiang Cheng standing beside her and two young female disciples. The girls were holding Wei Ying down while Madam Yu was yelling at him. She then lashed out a purple electric whip towards him. I had the strength to summon my guqin and perform chord assassination to stop the whip from hitting Wei Ying.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying called, "Jiang Cheng called her here. He told her I left the sect."

"Madam Yu," Shufu said, "you have a lot of nerve not only coming unannounced to our sect but abusing my youngest nephew's fiancé!"

"Fiancé?!" Madam Yu questioned and her face paled.

"Once a someone is engaged to a member of our sect, especially the main bloodline, any harm to them is a crime. Especially to those outside of the sect. You have just caused a serious conflict between our sects. I hope your husband knows that whatever alliance we could have had with you is no longer available and we will take action for you hurting a member of our family," Xiongzhang said.

I pushed the two female disciples away from Wei Ying and helped him stand up, "are you okay?" I asked.

"Ugh...I don't know," he said honestly, "I can't...tell how bad it is...remember."

"Right," I said.

"Wangji, why don't you get him to the infirmary and we will handle these Jiang's," Brother said.

I nodded and helped him to the infirmary, "do you know what she did?" I asked Wei Ying once we were alone.

"She used Zidian, that's all I really know...I bit my arm hoping it'd get your attention," He said.

"I think we should come up with a better plan for the future. I don't want you to keep biting yourself," I said.

"Can you feel it when I do this?" He asked and pinched his arm.

"Not really," I said, "maybe the connection isn't there yet."

"What if I scratch something?" He asked running his finger nails over his arm.

"If you use more force than yes but..."

"Lan Zhan the best way to get to you if it ever happens again is if I do something to my body that you can feel. It will be the only way that you will know if I am in trouble. Plus if I bite myself, I promise to be careful about it," he said, "or maybe I can bump into something and hope it works. I don't want to go through something like this again but we need to think about it. Temporary pain or possibly death?"

"Alright, we can speak to Wen Qing. Maybe she can spare a needle or two," I said.

"I hate needles," Wei Ying said.

"You can't feel it but you don't like needles?"

"Not the pain but the pressure...depending on what they are used for...Madam Yu got very...maniacal and had me stuck with dozens of acupuncture needles at once. I couldn't feel the pain but I was still uncomfortable," He explained.

"I'm sorry," I said, "we will work something out, okay...why were you on your own earlier anyway?"

"Just thinking of some things," he answered.

"Did you want to talk about it?" I asked.

"No, it's something I need to figure out on my own," he said.

"Okay, but if you ever need anything, let me know," I said.

"Well...so you have any unused wood or maybe even jade or other minerals?" He asked.

"Yes, you would have to ask my brother for more specific details on it as he knows more about that stuff than me, but I do know we have it," I replied, "why?"

"Just wondering," he said.