Rebound

1

I thought I knew what was right versus wrong. I thought I was doing the right thing by saving the Wens from the labor camp that Jin Guangshan had created. The Wens I saved were not cultivators but only elders and young men and women who were trying to live. They were advanced in medicine and it's a shame that it was all wasted away because all I wanted to do was save them. They are now all dead. When Ning and Wen Qing burned alive, the others hung. As for A'Yuan, I went to get him at the mounds when I returned from Nightless City, but he was gone.

I destroyed the Yin Hu Fu. I was potentially dying. The resentment that held me together was leaving my body. After I jumped from that cliff, I somehow miraculously survived, and I made it back to the mounds. I was in a lot of pain but I had to keep moving. I was wanted dead but if I could fight this pain and keep living, I will, and maybe one day I can recover and come back stronger and get the justice the Wens truly deserved. I didn't care for my justice but I cared for the Wens. They died but I didn't want it to be in vain.

I still had Chenqing with me, and I had Suibian even though I couldn't use it. If I can survive, I will do what I can to get my revenge...as for Lan Zhan, why he tried to save me, I am not sure. He hated me, so why try to save me?...then again, the pain on his face when I let go of his hand was hard to ignore. Did he really care about me?

I shook my head and went to gather my scripts and talismans I have been creating for a while now. I didn't want to leave anything behind for someone else to use. If they wanted my Yin Hu Fu, then they could find use for my writings and theories. After getting all I needed, I actually ventured further into the burial mounds. No one has ever been this far into the mounds, let alone on the other side of them. I was determined to be that person.

I didn't make it very far when I heard footsteps from behind me. I quickly hid in a patch of dead grass but I was easily hidden. I then peered out to see who was here...Lan Zhan?

Why is he here?

Is he still that determined to find me and take me back to Gusu to punish me for being myself?

"Wei Ying, are you here?" He called out. He had tears falling down his face and his arm was bleeding from being cut earlier, "Wei Ying! I want to help you! I know you are innocent! If you are here, I know about the ambush! I spoke to Wen Ning before he died. He told me he heard a second flute!"

My blood ran cold...second flute? I wasn't hearing things? I heard it again tonight. Someone set me up but why?

"Wei Ying, A'Yuan is alive! I have him in the infirmary. He has a fever but the healers said he'd recover!" Lan Zhan called out, "Wei Ying please!" He sobbed, "I am sorry I wasn't for you. I wish I could have been. I was just so confused about myself and where I belong, but I now know that I belong to you, Wei Ying. My heart is yours Wei Ying!...I have loved you for so long but—"

He loved me? Excuse me? I found myself blushing and my heart warmed in my chest just from that confession. He's loved me this entire time. I sighed and stood up, "But what?" I asked.

Lan Zhan turned and looked at me, "I was afraid of being rejected," he told me.

"Lan Zhan, I could never reject you...but I am not good. You have to know that no matter what, everyone will want me dead. I have to disappear. Maybe one day I will come back but I have to leave," I told him, "keep A'Yuan safe for me. I will return to you one day."

"What if A'Yuan and I come with you?" He asked.

"I can't ask you to leave your sect behind. You also said A'Yuan was sick," I said.

"Come back with me and I will hide you away until he recovers. When he does, you and I will disappear until you are ready to return. I can't live without you, Wei Ying," he said.

"Let me ask you one thing, do you wish to punish me if I go back with you?" I asked.

"No, never!" He said and stepped closer to me.

"How would you hide me?"

"There is a place my...mother used to live at Cloud Recesses. No one but me ever visits the place. It's very secluded and no one will know you are there. If you are injured, I can bring whatever you need," Lan Zhan said.

"What will happen if your brother or uncle finds out?" I asked.

"We will deal with it if it ever happens," he said, "I will not lose you again."

I sighed, "very well, I will hide for now but if it becomes a problem, I will disappear," I told him.

He let out a sigh of relief, "thank you, let's go," he said and hopped on his sword. He then looked at me, "aren't you going to fly on your sword?"

I sighed, "I can't."

"Are you too low on energy right now?" He asked.

"Lan Zhan, I will always be low on energy. There is something that I have been keeping a secret for a long time. I don't want to share it just yet but just know that there is a reason I don't use my sword anymore," I told him.

"Let me carry you for now then and we can talk about it when you are ready," he said.

"Thank you," I said. I then hopped on Bichen with him and he flew me to Cloud Recesses. He flew me right to a secluded house that was further from the main area of the sect, "this is very secluded."

"It's the Gentian House," he told him, "my mother lived here. I am the only one who visits here."

"Your brother?" I asked.

"I will try to keep him away," he said.

"Thank you," I said and went inside. It was actually very clean and tidy. I sat down on the bed and I felt my entire body ache and I let out a soft grunt.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I did just survive a fall," I told him, "and a backlash of destroying the Yin Hu Fu...I'm surprised that it didn't kill me."

"You were hoping it would, weren't you?" He asked.

"Lan Zhan, I lost everything, my home, my family, my shijie...Wen Ning and Wen Qing...I literally have nothing left to live for. The only drive I have left is to get justice for Wen Ning and Wen Qing and maybe then I can go peacefully," I told him.

"Please don't leave me," he begged, "I care about you."

"Why?" I asked, "I always thought you hated me with the amount of times you pushed me away. Now all of a sudden you say you love and care about me?"

"I never hated you," he said, "I've always been someone who preferred being alone and when you came along, you changed everything. You made me feel not so alone anymore. I enjoy your company...even though you tend to tease me a bit too much."

I smiled, "I don't intend on stopping either," I warned.

He sighed, "very well," he said, "you rest. I will go get you some medical supplies and something to eat. I am going to check on A'Yuan as well and I will let you know how he is doing."

"You promise me, when he recovers I can leave?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied, "and it will be A'Yuan and I going with you."

I just nodded and watched him leave. I will have to see if I can last long here. I needed to get far away from here and live my life for a while. I just want this all to end but I know it will be a long time before that happens.