.
Hweiru watched her grandfather talk for hours. The old man has so much wisdom to share with her but all she wanted to do at this moment was sit with her Mama and watch him work. Since Wuxian resumed his duties, the little girl had less time with him and it was bothering her.. a lot.
A small earthquake shakes the table Hweiru was leaning on and she sits up in alarm. Qiren stops talking and looks at the wide eyes of his little student as he tries to figure out what the hell just happened. Hweiru blinks in confusion: "Grandmaster Qiren, did you feel that?"
Before Qiren could answer the little girl, a wave of released energy swipes through them and he instinctively grabs his sword and covers the little girl. Hweiru smiles over her grandfather's protective instinct, even though he taught her how to protect herself from this type of attack.
A disciple enters the room and bows: "Grandmaster Qiren, the energy came from the Treasure Room!"
Qiren took off running and she followed.
They arrived to see Wuxian exiting the smoke filled Treasure Room, coughing and leaning on his knees to catch his breath.
Wangji was patting his back while staring at the damage done to his mate's Room.
Qiren screams: "What just happened?"
Wuxian tried to answer but was caught in another coughing fit so Wangji answered for him: "Wei Ying thought that the Underground Room had sufficient warding to block the outlash of his experiment. As you can see, he was mistaken."
Qiren frowns at the coughing man as Hweiru runs to a nearby room to fetch her father water: "What on God's green earth were you trying to make?"
Wangji responds once again as Wuxian drinks the cup Hweiru brought: "He made the talisman that will free the souls trapped in the Shoucang Zhe."
Qiren's eyebrow traveled north with his surprise: "He did?"
Wuxian answers with a hoarse voice: "Yeah. I think I did."
He takes out the talisman he made to show it to Qiren. The old man examines it, clearly perplexed with his son's talents: "How did you do it?"
Wuxian smiles at Zewu Jun when he finally joins them and says: "I had help.."
Zewu Jun smiles back as he takes the talisman from Qiren to examine it. Sure enough, it had parts of the scripts he shared with Wuxian when he made his deal. His brother-in-bond had a hidden agenda. Zewu Jun felt more proud than played.
Wangji stares at the smoke still coming out of the Treasure Room: "The Underground Room is damaged."
Qiren pats Wuxian's back: "We can rebuild it."
Zewu Jun hands the talisman back: "When can we try this?"
Wuxian looks critically at it: "I can't do it."
Wangji frowns: "Why not?"
Wuxian looks sadly at him: "I don't have enough energy to see the spell through. We need someone with a strong golden core and high level of concentration."
Zewu Jun steps up: "I can.."
A voice interrupts him: "I will do it!"
Mianmian steps up to them, eyes filled with determination: "If anyone is going to gamble with my family's fate, then it has to be me."
Wuxian: "It will require a lot of energy.."
Mianmian smiles at him: "I've been meditating while idly waiting for you to finish this. I can do it."
Qiren nods: "I will fetch the spirit pouch and meet you in the Underworld Room. This needs to end soon before the faceless man shows up."
Wuxian shakes his head once again: "We can't do that inside Cloud Recesses. It's heavily warded now and the spirits will be trapped inside."
Zewu Jun: "We can free them near the back mountain, just outside our wards."
Qiren nods: "So be it."
He takes off to get the Shoucang Zhe.
Hweiru pulls her father's robes to get his attention: "Mama, are the bunnies ok?"
Wuxian pats her head: "Only the Underground Room was damaged. Everything else is fine."
Hweiru: "May I go check on them?"
Wangji picks her up and nods to Wuxian as he takes the girl to watch over the rabbits.
Mianmian and Zewu Jun decided to go to the back mountain first to prepare the area.
Yuxio shows up a few minutes later, out of breath: "What.. happened?"
Wuxian glares at her: "You're late."
Yuxio throws her hands in the air: "I was in the training grounds! I barely sensed the energy and ran all the way."
Wuxian: "I broke one of my rooms, completed the talisman for Mianmian and we plan to set the spirits free in an hour. You should join us just in case."
Yuxio stares at him: "How did you do it?"
Wuxian flicks her forehead: "Unlike you, I have a brain that's good for something."
She rubs her head: "I'm smart!"
Wuxian sighs when he hears Jinhai scoff from the shadows.
Yuxio turns to glare at him: "If you have something to say, then say it!"
Jinhai shows his face and steps behind Wuxian, crossing his arms and showing off his large chest as he tries to intimidate the smaller woman.
She does the same, which didn't have the effect she wanted when Wuxian covers his mouth so smother a laugh, and huffs: "You're all brawn and no brain!"
Jinhai sighs and ignores her before looking at Wuxian: "You alright?"
Wuxian was taken aback by his concern: "Um.. yeah."
Jinhai stares at the smoky doors of the Treasure Room: "The rabbits?"
Wuxian felt his heart warm over his concern: "They're fine."
Yuxio groans, ready to rip the man's head off.
The moment she decides to launch at him, a pale hand appears out of nowhere to stop her.
Wen Ning shakes his head and she huffs: "Why are you letting that weirdo near Master Wei? Aren't you scared for him?"
Wen Ning turns to stare at the two who seem to be having a light conversation: "I sense no malice coming from him."
Jinhai notices her escalating aggression, bows to Wuxian and takes his leave.
Yuxio huffs angrily and stomps her foot. Wuxian asks her to go help Mianmian and Zewu Jun.
When she leaves, Wuxian stares at Wen Ning and smiles: "I haven't seen you in a while."
Wen Ning steps close and embraces the smaller man: "I'm always around."
Wuxian leans into him: "I know. I can feel you near me."
Wuxian's stomach growls and they both laughed.
Wen Ning breaks the embrace before he says: "I brought you spicy meat from the town near Gusu City. I can reheat it for you after we free the spirits."
Wuxian beams at him: "You always know how to make me feel better. That's why you're my favorite."
On the other side of Cloud Recesses, Jingyi was having a bad day.
Wuxian has tasked his younger disciples with a challenge: find a frog Da Ziran that's been set free this morning. She could be anywhere in Cloud Recesses.
Normally, Jingyi is the best at finding things. This time around, Wuxian figured out his trick and covered Zewu Jun's talismans before setting Da Ziran out. Jingyi was as blind as the other students and he hated it.
Wuxian promised the person who finds Da Ziran first the privilege of helping him figure out how to control his visions. It sounded like more like a punishment than a reward but since Hweiru was too young to help with that, Jingyi wanted to take advantage of this offer to inch his way to the top. More time with Wuxian means more points for Jingyi and Jingyi doesn't like to lose.
"Ribbit.."
Jingyi freezes mid step and listens carefully.
"Ribbit.. Ribbit.."
For some reason, Jingyi found himself crouching and looking around like a cat burglar until he saw it shining from a distance: a golden frog.
He couldn't believe his luck!
Five hours into his search and it was a few paces away from him.
All he has to do now is catch it.
Jingyi tip-toed his way near the frog, whispering encouragement to himself and hoping that this doesn't turn into a chase. Wuxian is having his extra meal soon and he wants to have some of his meat dishes.
When his grabby hands were a few inches away from Da Ziran, the frog suddenly looked up and glowed, turning into a hawk and flying away.
Jinygi yells at her in frustration: "THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT!"
He angrily takes off after her, jumping over walls and fences, almost running over a few disciples on the way. He will catch that bird even if it's the last thing he ever does.
.