9 Resentful Energy

Previously...

Perhaps he had unconsciously call more than the suppressed spirits in the temple... Wei Ying thought, or perhaps it was just the fate and repayment of the sins.

Wei Ying

The Yiling Patriarch looked back at the coffin, as most of the presents inside the temple did and frowned. The coffin was still and unperturbed, which meant that Nie Mingjue's full body was suppressed inside it and unaffected of his previous whistling, making it clear that the one slowly approaching them was not him... but then, who? That sabre in his hands was unmistakable Baxia, Nie Mingjue's personal one and certainly, the resentful energy it oozed out of it was the same as before... no, that wasn't quite right, it was even stronger than before.

However, that was even more surprising, because they had given Baxia's spirit back to Xichen and the blade itself was missing in the same way Mingjue's body was. He could guess that Xichen had give the spirit of the sabre to Huaisang, but then, who had taken it back to the missing sabre, increasing the resentful energy tenfold?

Then a lightning flashed again in the darkness, finally illuminating the dark figure under the heavy rain and even if the others didn't notice, Wei Ying saw it as clear as day, the well-known face of the only member of his people, back in his time as Patriarch of the Burial Mound.

"That's not Nie Mingjue, it's Wen Ning." Wei said and all looked at him in confusion.

"Wen Ning? Wei Wuxian, what's going on? Why would Wen Ning be wilding Baxia when it had been missing for years?" Jiang Cheng asked completely shocked.

"I don't know. I ask him to stay at the front gate to prevent anyone for getting in, but he wasn't there when Jin Ling sneak in... Sizhui, what happen?" Wei asked to the junior Lan.

"I don't know either. I came looking for you, after you leaved the Lotus Pier, but saw Wen Ning running away in a hurry in the out of town direction and try to follow, but I lose him, then he came back wilding the sabre and full of resentful energy. I try my best to stop him, but... well, it wasn't good enough." Sizhui explained.

"Did he lose control?" Jiang asked again.

"No. It's Baxia... the saber is taking control of him." Xichen added as he looked at the crimson sabre, from where most of the resentful energy came from. Out of impulse, they all looked at Jin Guangyao, expecting it was also something to do with him, but the man still restraining Jin Ling with a string shake his head in negative.

"Don't look at me. Even I know not to temper with the Nie's sabre spirits. All of them are too volatile and dangerous to mess up with." Guangyao said, retreating a few step as he watched Wen Ning coming closer still.

"Didn't you killed Mingjue? Even go as far as to cut his head off?! Why we should believe you now?" Jiang Cheng asked in rage.

"That's up to you whatever to believe it or not. I can't care less." Jin said, fixing his gaze in the possessed Ghost General.

"You bastard!" Cheng yelled, yet in that exact moment, Wen Ning started to run while dragging the saber, making a metallic sound that penetrate deep inside the mind, then jumped pulling Baxia over his head with both hands, to strike both Jin Ling, who was still captive and Guangyao, who's Baxia's resentment was the strongest.

Seen that a death was inevitable now, Wangji acted in a flash, carefully cutting Guangyao's arm with a deadly precision, without hurting the youngest Lanling member. This all happen in a fraction of a second as Wen Ning pulled up the sword, the same as Wei Ying, taking away Lin Jing from the wounded Guangyao, rolling over the floor with him, just in time to save his life.

Losing an arm, Guangyao instinctively moved backwards and fell while stumbling with Su, who had manage to stop the bleeding from his served hand, cutting the flow of blood in his forearm, which had luckily, saved him from been stabbed by Baxia, who stroke the empty floor, shattering it with amazing strength, right where he had been standing a second ago.

"Wei Wuxian! Jin Ling!" Jiang Cheng moved to check on them, but Wei Ying had already take a hold of the shaking youth, hugging him while softly rubbing his back.

"Jin Ling..." Wei whisper, separating from him to have a better look at his bleeding neck.

"I... I'm fine..." Jin Ling manage to said, still half shocked. Wei looked at Wangji, a bit surprised he had taken the initiative, considering Guangyao's relationship with his brother, even if it was all mess up at that moment, but he was grateful, because if he hadn't acted as fast as he did, both of them would have been killed in the spot.

"Clan Leader Jin! Lan Xichen, help him! He was your sworn brother until just hours ago! Even then he didn't do anything to harm the Guso Lan Clan, help him!" Su yelled as he try to cut out his leader blood flow, but his action took the notice of the possessed Wen Ning, who was driven by the resentful energy concentrate in the blood of his target.

Lan Zhan, knew well that the Ghost General was not acting on his own accord and been someone Wei Ying had gone as far as to leave everything behind to save him, he could not allow the man to be lost in a resentful energy that was not his own. Wei Ying had already lose too many of those he had care, protect and love in a unfair and undeserved way to let another one to give him more grief.

So he sat down and summon his zither to try suppress Baxia and free Ning from its hold. Xichen, finally getting out of his shock follow his example and used Liebing to be in tune with his brother zither, playing the rest in peace melody. The sound was calming and relaxing, as it resonate inside the temple, but unfortunately, the resentful energy was way too strong to be suppressed by common means.

Danm it! It's not working... Lan Zhan thought as he watched Wen Ning slowly walk pass him, closing in to the two men in the floor, backing away from him, in fear for their lives. Come on Wen Ning... get a hold of yourself... for Wei Ying's sake... Wangji prayed, as he keep playing with mastery.

However, the Ghost General screamed out Baxia's resentment and Jin Ling, fearing for his uncle's life, despite everything he had done, he didn't wanted him dead, so he did the only thing he was able to try save him.

"Uncle, run away!" Ling yelled, making the Ghost General to take notice of the smell of blood in his robes, which belonged to Jin Guangyao when Lan Wangji had cut his arm, coming after the young Lanling instead.

Wangji looked in horror as Wen Ning jumped high to strike Jin Ling, but both, Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying stood in front of him protectively. His heart raced like never before, fearing the scene from sixteen years ago to repeat itself and watch so helplessly as the man he had loved so completely for the longest time, was going to be killed by the man Wei Ying had try his best to protect for years before his passing away.

However, as Wen Ning strike down, he guided the blade in between Ying and Cheng, right above Jin Ling, completely taken by the smell of the kid blood that was still fresh in his clothes.

"Wen Qionglin! Wake up!" The Yiling Patriarch commanded and Wen Ning stopped Baxia, just inches from Jin Ling's head.

"Young Master Wei... I... I can't control it for long... get away!" Wen Ning said, finally managing to get a hold of his own consciousness just in time. He grabbed Baxia with his free hand to prevent it from go further down, tainting Wei's black robes with the blood from his bleeding hand.

"Jiang Cheng, take Jin Ling away, now!" Wuxian shouted, looking back to his once brother and seen his silent message, Jiang pull Jin Ling away from the danger at the other side of the room. Then Wei Ying looked back at Wen Ning, determined to help him get rid of the energy he was struggling to control.

"I will help you out... just hang in there for a bit longer." Wei whisper to Wen Ning and with a huge effort, the Ghost General turned to move away from his young master, striking Baxia deep inside one of the pillars of the temple, which helped him keep the saber at bay.

After that, Wei Wuxian begin to whistle again, sure that the piece of the Yin Tiger Seal was hidden somewhere inside the Chief Cultivators robe, which was in fact true, as the piece came free from one of Jin Guangyao's sleeve.

"Young Master Wei..." Xichen said, unsure if he should use dark energy again, but Wangji look at him, clearly telling him not to interfere, with only his gaze, for which Xichen simply sighed and comply with the silent plea of his beloved brother. Seen the silent exchange between brother, Wei slightly smiled, then prepare to whistle again.

"Wei Wuxian!" Jiang yelled before Wei Ying begin and too his surprise, Jiang took out his Chenqing black flute, that he grabbed it when Cheng threw it his way. After his initial surprise, Wei kindly smiled to Jiang, because even if he had loathed him before, deep inside, he was still clinging to a piece of him and Cheng had smile at him back, mending up another small piece of that fissure that had separate them as true brothers.

Feeling more light hearted, Wei looked at Lan Zhan, who also half smiled at him, before he assented his approval to use his dark flute once more, as the situation called for it so urgently. Thus, the Yiling Patriarch dark sound was heard again, as Wuxian took complete control of the Seal.

The rest, all watched at Wei Wuxian masterly guided the seal to Baxia, forcing it out of the pillar with Wen Ning still unable to letting it go. Yet, Wei forced Baxia to move back along with him to the place where it belongs, with its rightful master, inside the coffin.

With each step Wei moved back, Wen Ning moved forward, closely followed by the others behind him. Once at the coffin's side, Wei commanded the dark energy to subdue that of the sabre, suppressing it. Then he tapped the coffin with Chenqing and use a spiritual talisman to release Wen Ning, throwing him away, right into Lan Zhan's, who caught him and steady him.

With the Ghost General secured by his lover side, Wei used the flute again to guide Baxia back to his owner, setting the sabre and the Seal over Mingjue's body. Once the suppression was done, Wei used his energy to put back the coffin's top and sealed completely with his strongest suppressing talisman. The act of using Chenqing, as well as the little energy he had left, make Wei spit some blood, but Lan Zhan was immediately at his side to get a hold on him and support him, just in case he felt too weak.

"Wei Ying... are you alright?" Wangji asked a bit concerned, while softly cleaning the bloody lips with his fingers, which make Wei Wuxian smile.

"Don't worry, Lan Zhan I'm fine. It's over now..." Wei said as he gently hugged Lan Zhan in exhaustion taking in Wangji's calming sandalwood sent, who return it back, getting most of Wei's weight on his own to better support him. But as the lovers hugged each other, happy everything had come to a close, someone else was still unwilling to let it go... just yet...

AN: I'm sorry Wei, but is not over yet. LOL. Thanks for reading, hope this was thrilling, although the next part is going to have a surprise, taking a more AU approach, but equally interesting. Until next time, take care, my darlings. 😙😄😁💖💖💖🌹