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Grandmaster Qiren has never been this angry in his life. He was standing before four adults who he forced to kneel and hold up a stick for hours while they explained to him why his son was neglected to the point of emotional breakdown.
Jiang Cheng complained: "Grandmaster Qiren, I'm not from your Clan. You can't do this to me!"
Qiren pointed his finger at him: "You promised to respect and protect your brother right in front of me. I am older and you're in my home. I will punish you as I see fit or you can leave and never come back!"
Jiang Cheng grumbled under his breath, ducking his head in surrender. He cannot be banished from this place. His brother lives here.
Healer Shi shifts her weight from one side to another. Her knees are starting to blister from the cold. She spoke up: "I'm wasting valuable time here. Why am I being punished? I visited him frequently and did my duties!"
Qiren: "You made him feel like he's at fault when he wasn't. If you were truly fulfilling your duties, you would've figured out sooner that the spear was poisoned. NOT FIVE DAYS LATER! You even went a step further and banished his soul-bond and guardian from being near him! We all know that Wei Ying is a tactile person. By depriving him the touch of others you inadvertently made him feel isolated and without control."
Qiren glared at the remaining two: Wen Ning and Wangji. Both had their heads down, offering no resistance to his punishment.
Qiren sighs and starts paces again: "To sum this up.. each one of you thought the others will carry the slack and left my son to fend for himself while he's recovering from an attack, bleeding and alone."
When he received no objections to his claims he steps between Wangji and Cheng: "You both thought the other was keeping Wuxian company and chose to stay away to avoid conflict."
They both timidly nodded. Qiren: "If you were not both leaders of clans, I would have you flogged publicly. Do you even know the amount of damage you have created?"
Wangji looks up with determined eyes: "Uncle, I have to go see him. I will receive whatever punishment you deem necessary afterwards."
Qiren smacks the sticks off of his hands in a fit of rage: "YOU are the worst of them all! You're bonded to him! You have created so much damage, the snake sought another to comfort your partner!"
Wangji pursed his lips, clearly bothered by what Qiren was insinuating.
Qiren kneels to look angrily into Wangji's eyes: "He thinks he's a burden on you. The Divine Oracle and treasure of our clan thinks that asking for help from his own soul-bond and leader is asking for too much. From the amount of fuss you made to have him, you are doing a poor job at keeping him."
Wangji felt a dark void slowly eating away at his heart. Grandmaster Qiren was correct. He has neglected his duties to Wuxian and chose to put work ahead of his needs. He promised that Wuxian will always be in the forefront and he has failed him.
Qiren stood up and moved towards the youngest of the bunch: "The Guardian of The Treasure of Gusu Lan. Last time I checked, the Treasure of Gusu Lan was Wei Ying, not Hweiru. Why did you abandon your duties to guard a girl that's not under your care?"
Wen Ning was shaking: "I.. I thought that's what Master Wei wanted."
Qiren: "Do you think I'm too old to take care of a three year old girl?"
Wen Ning's eyes widened: "NO! That's not what I meant."
Qiren glares at him: "Then, why did you leave his side? Did he ask you to?"
Wen Ning thinks for a second then shakes his head.
Qiren: "You left your important post without even asking what he actually needed?"
Wen Ning lowers his head in shame.
Qiren glares at the stupid bunch before him. If he hears more, he might actually strangle some of them so he makes his way out before he does anything that he might regret: "You will stay here and reflect on your actions."
Wuxian was not doing very well. Zewu Jun has not left his side and made sure that Wuxian knew that he was not alone. His wound was still bleeding, making him sluggish and unable to control his emotions. He was, as he claimed, at his limit and if they did not intervene soon, he will not be able to fight this decline in mood.
Zewu Jun moves his fingers slowly through Wuxian's hair. He knows that the smaller man was not sleeping but was too tired to do anything but lie still in his arms and breathe. Healer Shi confirmed that the spear that stabbed Wuxian had poison that stops the blood from clotting. The Oracle will bleed to death if it's not treated soon. Zewu Jun: "Wei Ying, Healer Shi will find a cure for the poison anytime now. Just hold on for a while."
Wuxian whispers back: "I'm sorry."
Zewu Jun places his warm hand at the nape of Wuxian's neck: "Why are you apologizing?"
Wuxian opens his eyes to look sadly at his brother: "You.. You have better things to do."
Zewu Jun smiles: "I do not. You are my priority. I need you to be alright more than anything else."
Wuxian smiles back weekly: "Can.. um.. Can you go check on my daughter? I feel like I have failed her. She deserves better."
Zewu Jun: "Don't worry about Hweiru. She's well taken care of. All you have to worry about is getting better."
Wuxian sighs: "What's the point? I feel so helpless. Like a puppet in someone else's game."
Zewu Jun pulls the smaller man closer into his arms and whispers: "You are in control. When we fix this bleeding problem, you will show all the clan leaders how powerful you are. They will kneel before you and heed your words as should be."
Wuxian: "I don't want this power. They can have it."
Zewu Jun: "You were chosen. No one else deserves this power but you."
Wuxian sighs: "I'm tired. Just.. let me sleep."
Zewu Jun purses his lips over the clear dismissal. He's having a hard time reaching the depressed man in his arms. He was about to start a lighter conversation to elevate his brother's mood when his hair starts to glow..
'Wuxian has lost the ability to care at this moment. He looks around the room he's in and sighs. At least in his vision his brain is not foggy and his body doesn't feel weak. He watches his soul-bond having an intense conversation with the Slayer and another man. Wangji: "You have no right to make any demands. We invited you here to join the treaty between clans, not to stand judgment before you." The Slayer was standing next an older man in green robes. From the man's choice of weapon, Wuxian can safely assume that he's Shenhua Clan's Leader. The older man says: "This is a matter between us and the Divine Oracle. You have clearly failed to keep him safe. We have the cure and the means to help him fulfill his duties. You may join us as his soul-bond but we will not allow you to block our request based on your unity. He is not your property." Wuxian moves closer to his seething soul-bond. He knows that he should be looking around for more clues over the purpose of this vision but he couldn't help staring. Wangji's face.. Wangji's lips.. Wangji's hands.. Wangji's everything.. Wuxian misses him. Wangji says in a low threatening voice: "It is his wish to stay by my side. I do not own him." The Slayer stares blankly at Wangji: "Word is, your soul-bond is not satisfied with your union. You make him feel like he is a nuisance. We would be honored to take care of him on your behalf. Unlike you, we know how to cherish our treasures." Wangji unsheathes Bishen and aims it at the Slayer. The lack of emotions in both men was clearly getting to his soul-bond. The older man raises his hands: "We do not wish to fight. For the sake of the Oracle, we will abide by your treaty and join peacefully. But heed my warning, in three day's time. If you are unable to prove to us that the Divine Oracle is well and cared for, we will take him.. with or without your approval." The older man and the Slayer both left after delivering their ultimatum.'
Wuxian felt his body slowly regain its sense of reality. For the first time since he got his gift, he feels apathetic towards his bleak future.
Zewu Jun asks gently: "What did you see?"
Wuxian sighs: "Shenhua Clan."
Zewu Jun: "What about them?"
Wuxian: "They will threaten Lan Zhan before they set my Treasure Room on fire and kidnap me."
Wuxian moves to sit up with shaky hands. He feels the world fade in and out of focus for a few seconds until Zewu Jun steadies him: "What are you doing?"
Wuxian weakly pushed his hands away and tried to stand up. His knees buckled before he even had a chance to fully stand. Zewu Jun holds him in place before he crashes into the ground: "Tell me what you need. I will get it for you."
Wuxian looks seriously at him: "I need to find Yuxio."
Zewu Jun turns to nod to one of the men guarding the door and he scrambles to find the Phoenix Warrior. Zewu Jun: "Do you need something from her?"
Wuxian nods, closes his eyes and zones out for a few minutes until he feels someone caressing his cheek. He opens his eyes to see Yuxio smiling at him: "You asked for me, Grandmaster Wei?"
Wuxian looks around making sure that Zewu Jun was not listening to their conversation. He grabs her hand: "Help me."
Yuxio nods: "Name it."
Wuxian: "I need to leave Cloud Recesses."
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