Interesting stories
Wei Ying sat at the table, trying to hide his discomfort with a radiant smile. He accepted the bottle of wine and drank directly from it, ignoring the cup.
"If you want to talk to us I suggest you give Lan Zhan some tea instead of alcohol.", he chuckled.
Nie Huaisang smiled briefly and stood to bring a kettle with tea. He poured a cup of tea and served it to Lan Wangji with a small bow.
"I am truly happy we've met.", the Qinghe Sect Leader smiled awkwardly.
"It's quite far for the Unclean Realm.", Wei Ying murmured.
"That's true brother Wei, but I've heard a story which I've found worth my attention. You know, how much I like interesting stories", he cast a shy smile.
Wei Wuxian tried hard to remain calm. He was truly tired and the Empathy put far more stress on him, he wished to admit.
"Brother Nie, I had a long day, please don't play your games with me. Tell me what you think we need to know."
"Brother Wei, you're following your spiritual weapon, aren't you? I suspect you won't find your captors with it.", Nie Huaisang said timidly.
"They would be stupid as I doubt there is possibility for them to use it.", Wei Ying replied. He realized he was trembling a bit, "What do you know about them?"
Lan Zhan sat closer to Wei Wuxian. Their knees were nearly touching but this time it was too little to calm down the Yiling Patriarch.
"So you want to hear my little story about an unhappy man.", the Nie sect leader sighed feigning surprise "who believed that one sect or rather one man should rule the cultivation world. He was fascinated by Wen Ruohan and the man's madness hurt him much, though he had never served Wens as they were not related to him by blood or marriage…", another timid sip of wine, cultivator's fingers were nervously stroking the cup.
"When Jin Guangshan became the Chief Cultivator his dreams seemed to come true. He was a loyal member of the Jinling Sect however not a significant one. He had no ambition to rule. He had his place in the world who seemed to be eventually the right one. Jin Guangshan's death was a threat to his peace of mind, fortunately the sect leader's illegitimate son was chosen to take his title, so it was still acceptable… The world seemed to be still a good place to live. It did not require too much attention… However, everything ended. The end was brought by Gusulan and Yunmeng sects. According to him, the only crime Jin GuangYao committed was getting caught and killed. His other wrongdoings may have tarnished his reputation a bit, but should never be the reason to end his reign"., another theatral sigh and a sad smile full of false sympathy.
"The main character of our story - Jin Kang could not accept a Lan as the Chief Cultivator. Neither could he accept a Jinling sect led by a child influenced strongly by the Yunmeng sect. However he knew he was too weak to act against Jin Rulan supported by GusuLan and Yunmeng or against the Chief Cultivator officially backed by all main sects and many minor ones.", Nie Huaisang paused for a moment and seemed to concentrate on the pattern of his fan.
"Well, now I have to mention a few facts I've come across though they may not be a part of this story.", he continued, like he was reciting a well learnt lesson in Gusu Lan class.
"Never had the Jinling sect performed demonic cultivation. One can discuss if their impressive studies on curses were a part of unorthodox ways. Never had their research been based exactly on resentful energy… However… Some descriptions of dangerous or immoral methods, rituals were easily found in Jinling if one knew what they were searching for. Usually those information were somehow incomplete but one needed to be a master to realize that. Some of them were simply disguised in legends... I am not sure if it was the idea of Jin Guangshan, while he was still able to think clearly or rather the one of Jin GuangYao. It could easily mislead an investigation as it was acting as a proficient smokescreen.", there was a kind of strange appreciation in his words.
"Still I don't know when or how Jin Kang came in contact with those kinds of methods. However his first idea was to bring Jin GuangYao back.", the cultivator paused for a moment to add hastily "Don't be so astonished - Wei Wuxian was brought back by a mentally-ill untalented boy so why a prominent and skilled cultivator could not obtain the same.", Nie Huaisang sipped some wine with a lopsided smile..
He seemed pleased that the attention was focused on his story. He was speaking with his eyes watching meticulously his fan, only from time to time he glanced at Wei Wuxian who was trying hard to guess what Nie Huaisang was expecting from him.
"We did everything to grant eternal peace to Meng Yao's soul…", the Nie sect leader continued, pleased that his listeners nodded their agreement. They all had been there.
"Jin Kang partially succeeded. He summoned something which did not occupy the sacrificed body but united with him in his efforts to make things right. I say united, as he's not simply possessed. I am not sure what exactly he has summoned. It may be a part of Meng Yao's soul as he was unable to reach the whole of it. Meng Yao tended to take many names and run away from his past… He was a cultivator. It may be possible that the way he erased his past had some ritual significance…", this time Nie Huaisang waited for reaction.
"The effectiveness of renouncing one's old names and ways is an object of cultivators' futile disputes", Lan Zhan agreed.
"However I suspect it's rather a part of Jin Guangshan's soul. He had been much more involved in resentful energy studies that his son ever was. His fascination for Stygian Seal was not a coincidence."
"There is a way to give back a cultivator's soul the possibility to return as an angry ghost", Wei Ying said before his friend's words hit home. He felt suddenly sick. The idea of being raped by the former Jinling sect leader was somehow much more disgusting than being abused by random criminals. He struggled to remain sitting and not to lose control over his stomach. He could feel cold sweat forming on his face. His own breathing sounded for him too fast and too loud.
He was dimly aware that Lan Zhan took his hand.
"Maybe we'll finish this talk tomorrow?", someone offered and Wei Ying could not identify the voice anymore.
"No!", he declared desperately. He did not want to experience it again.
He emptied another bottle in desperate hope that the wine would soothe nausea and the panic he felt building in him.
"As you wish, brother Wei", Nie Huaisang replied.
He knows! He knows!
I don't need his pity! I don't need his sympathy! Please continue! Give me something to focus on! I don't need a panic attack now!
I'm so cold…
He quickly swallowed a metallic taste in his mouth.
The last thing I need is to start to bleed… It will definitely catch their attention!
At this moment even the warmth of Lan Zhan's hand was difficult to accept. But he twinkled their fingers together instead of withdrawing his hand. Despite his initial resistance it seemed to help a bit.
"Back to Jin Kang", Nie Huaisang must have read Wei Ying's unspoken plea, "I don't know how he selected his men but yet, but I guess he has been searching for those who are not pleased with changes in the cultivation world. He has a net of followers, though among those who captured Wei Wuxian everyone was related to Jin family. As much as he hates the Chief Cultivator, he appreciates his spiritual power and skills and does not plan to face him. That is why he decided to murder the Yling Patriarch. Many prominent cultivators still fear Wei Wuxian and will feel much safer if he dies.", this time his gaze met steadily Wei Ying's.
The Yiling Patriarch felt a bit relieved. People wanting him dead were something he was used to. And it sounded even nice… in comparison.
"So Lan Zhan would lose allies if he wanted to avenge my death too thoroughly…", he agreed.
Lan Wangji was motionless at his side but Wei Ying could read the trepidation and despair in his expressionless face and in his fingers crashing his own.
"Lan Zhan, I'm here, I'm alive", he whispered, "You worry too much. I am not an easy kill…"
"Easier than Lan Wangji", Nie Huaisang corrected him, "but this time your death was perceived only as a tool, not as an aim in itself."
"They wanted to destroy me… not to kill me. Dead, I may become a kind of martyr or even try to come back… but damaged, I would only be a burden… a tool to blackmail and destroy Lan Zhan…", Wei Wuxian whispered.
Damaged. Destroyed. It sounds nearly nice. I can get used to it.
"Yes, you're right. But they failed, you're alive and fit to act and to answer my questions.", the Qinghe sect leader smiled and this time his smile reached his eyes.
"How can you torment him with the questions?!", Jiang Cheng could not remain silent, "don't you see how tired he is?!"
"I'm fine.", Wei Wuxian was touched that his brother was ready to defend him even if it was unnecessary at the moment. He was sure Nie Huaisang's questions would not be personal. To deal with complex problems seemed nearly refreshing.
To think, to act, not to feel.
"What do you need to know?"
"They used some kind of demonic cultivation, didn't they? Did they base only on your notes the Jin sect had taken from Burial Mounds, or rather on something else?"
"They bound resentful energy. Blocked me from accessing it. Not exactly wielded it. It's hard to tell you, they were full of resentment.", he chuckled bitterly, '' They activated the talismans with their spiritual power and golden cores. I did not recognize their talismans. They were not created on the basis of my research. Maybe they could have access to Wen Ruohan's knowledge… He played with pain and fear… The Jin sect could take anything they wanted from Nightless City. This Jin Kang probably would not have this knowledge but I am sure that both late sect leaders read everything from Nightless City.", a thought came to his mind, "Maybe the girl had to die for these talismans… I was watching their creation with her eyes so I could not see and feel everything. The energy of her fear, of her pain sealed by her blood and life… I have to check it!"
"How?", Nie Huaisang sounded merely interested while Lan Zhan's glance at Wei Ying with trepidation.
"I remember those talismans. If they require only blood to incapacitate me, they'll work, if not, we'll have an answer.", he started to draw the symbols.
Funny… I am willingly sealing my power using the same talismans my captors did and I am not freaking out while the mere thought of being touched by a body shared with the late Jin sect leader sends me into a panic attack…
He activated the talisman and started to whistle a melody to summon resentful energy. For the moment he could not reach it. A barrier created by the talisman clashed with his will and was slowly breaking. It did not take long to feel the energy within his grasp. He grinned.
"Inefficient. It would not have the power to cut me off for longer. The feeling was similar so I think the symbol is the same. Hmm, we should pay a visit to this Jin Kang. It's been a long time since I sent a Jin in a Qi deviation!", Wei Wuxian summoned his best Yiling Patriarch's mischievous smile, "But first thing first - I have to regain ChenQing. It may tell me something about Jin Kang if he tried to work on her."
A/N
Legate_of_Apples, thank you for betaing.
Sorry for the lecture but Nie Huaisang took over this story.
I was wondering how to define demonic cultivation. I decided that demonic cultivation would mean to use resentful energy to strengthen one's power, to absorb it and use it to something with it - to wield it. It leaves a place for many evil things which can be performed in an "orthodox" way.
However if you have different ideas / it was defined in the novel in the other way - please share with me!