51 Not Enough of a Punishment
Xie Qiang had grown to like the snotty, drooling little devil. AhXin liked to play with his wolf's tail, and the two even took a stroll on the streets now and then. Even though the streets of Tiang'an weren't very appropriate for a child, there weren't many options in the scenery department.
The pewter staff had hovered after them no matter where they went. So Xie Qiang had no other choice but to carry it with him or endure the questioning looks thrown his way. He enjoyed being the centre of the attention, but maybe not this kind of attention.
He was waving the rabbit pendant in his hand at the moment, distracting the little sot. AhXin hadn't cried during the whole three days they've been together. He was a cutie, Xie Qiang had to admit that. A cute pooping machine that caused him much trauma throughout the three days, but Xie Qiang pulled through to his surprise.
He now understood why his father, Su Lang, so wished him and Zhu ZongYing to marry and give him a grandchild. Grandpa wouldn't be the one to wipe the butt.
Among the demon sects, Xie Qiang and Zhu ZongYing were hailed to be a match made in Heaven. They were both beautiful to look at. Both from honourable bloodline and held themselves with grace. Both were also as mind-bogglingly annoying and vain.
Even though Xie Qiang and Zhu ZongYing were friends, meaning they tolerated each other, even they couldn't stand one another that long without dreaming of murdering one another in their sleep.
But at least babies weren't so horrible - "Oh, thank the Heavens!"
Xie Qiang jumped up from the bed as the group barged into the room, looking like they had just returned from a murder spree. YueQin was drenched in blood from head to toe, MingYu was also bloodied and bandaged, PingZe and ZhiYi - looked normal. Xie Qiang didn't bother to question their whereabouts. He thrust the baby in ZhiYi's arms and fled like the wind had caught his tail.
The pewter staff, that a moment ago had stood erect in the middle of the room, lost its posture and fell on the floor with a clatter. No one gave it any attention, as they all gathered around AhXin, sniffing and poking, making sure the child was safe and sound.
After AhXin started giggling from all the attention, ZhiYi gave a soft peck on the baby's cheek before putting him away in his little dwelling in his basket.
"What am I to do now? Where can I go?" YueQin asked quietly. She stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, stinking of blood and sweat. She had picked up the pewter staff and wrung it in her hand nervously.
The three men stared at her, puzzled that a creature like her could hold the pewter staff without a problem. MingYu motioned her to sit down at the table with them.
"We should get you two new clothes," PingZe said as he poured everyone water. "Can't let you wander the streets looking like murderers."
"What am I?" YueQin sat down between MingYu and PingZe, looking down at her drink but didn't touch it.
"That we do not know yet, I'm afraid," ZhiYi said. "We don't know of anyone who was created in the same way as you. Most demons cultivate themselves new bodies, bound to this world purely by their ashes. If our ashes are spread across the seas or the winds, we will cease to exists, even if we have cultivated ourself new bodies. Others, like my daughter, was turned right after their death."
ZhiYi's words pulled MingYu's attention away from the thumping pain in his arm.
FenFen wasn't born a demon?
ZhiYi didn't seem to notice MingYu's stare as he continued,
"Their souls had left their body, but they were forced back by other means. Xie Qiang was born from cultivating animal spirits who, later in life, took on human forms."
"In your case, your creation is resembling that of ghouls," said PingZe. "But you have a soul, which ghouls don't have."
YueQin looked lost, and ZhiYi gave her an affirming smile.
"Don't fear, we will find out together what you are. It is safer to stay with us."
YueQin looked relieved and nodded.
"How did you end up in the Hsu household?" MingYu asked. All three men studied her intently as she frowned.
YueQin was quiet for a moment, before she said, "I don't know. The last memory I have was when I crawled into a quiet backstreet and fainted. The Hsu massacre - I only have blurry snippets. I thought I had been dreaming this entire time."
The three exchanged looks but said nothing more on the matter.
---
After PingZe bought them new clothes, he accompanied YueQin back over to the Hsu household. ZhiYi had gone out to buy food, leaving MingYu and AhXin on their own. With the brothers present, MingYu had bravely kept the serene facial expression, hiding his pain, but the moment ZhiYi had left, he let out a suffering groan.
The pain was gradually getting stronger. At first, it had felt like pins and needles were poking him. But now, the entire area covered by thick layers of bandages felt like it was on fire. Throbbing pain travelled deep in his bones, burning through his veins up to his shoulder. The blood that had soaked through the white fabric had turned dark, almost black.
A cold sweat broke out over his body, glueing his new clothes to his skin as MingYu leaned over the bed, shivering as if an icy wind was assaulting him. He pulled the blanket over himself, but it gave no comfort. He felt the chill coming from within. Kicking the blanket off, MingYu glanced at his arm. The fingertips had a purple hue to them, the veins on his hand looked darkened, painting clear lines across his palm.
Gritting his teeth, he endured the scorching pain and pulled his travel bag over the bed from the floor. With trembling fingers, he undid the bag with his healthy hand and pulled out his punishment scroll.
This was what he got for playing the hero, MingYu cursed as he rolled the scroll open over his lap. The Wei name was still sizzling, burning bright red.
"Are you kidding with me?" MingYu cried out as he flung the scroll across the room, hitting the door before it settled on the floor in a messy heap. Wei YueQin was alive. He did as Wei LiXue had wished! What more did they want from him?
Tears gathered in his eyes as he took a shaky breath in. He wasn't sure if the tears were of frustration, or pain, or both.
AhXin broke out crying. The sudden slam had woken him up. MingYu hurried over, reaching his healthy hand in the basket to rub the boy's stomach.
"I'm sorry, AhXin. Did I wake you up?" MingYu said, trying to control his sobs. Each movement was like a stab to his left shoulder. He sprawled out on the floor with his back against the side of the bed, hugging AhXin's basket.
The door opened, and ZhiYi stepped in. His eyes became alert as he saw MingYu on the floor, in tears.
"Did you fall? Does it hurt?" ZhiYi tossed the food he bought on the table as he hurried over to MingYu's side, helping him up on his feet.
"I'm fine." MingYu hissed through his teeth as he sat down on the bed. He wiped the tears on his sleeve and forced a smile.
ZhiYi seemed to see through his facade as he took hold of MingYu's arm and looked it over. MingYu flinched at the touch, swallowing back the tears that were fighting to break through his defences.
"Remember what I told you back when we were still young?" ZhiYi whispered as he undid the bandages.
"Mm-hm!" MingYu hissed as the tight bandages eased around his wound, letting the blood flood through the area like a sea of fire.
"It's ok to cry if in pain. I'm right here." ZhiYi tossed the dirtied bandages aside and assessed the wound.
MingYu looked away. He already knew that whatever was left of his arm wasn't salvable. It was only a matter of time before he would lose this arm. He had lost an entire chunk of flesh, showing bone. He couldn't feel or move his fingers.
Something rough was pressed over his injury, and MingYu cried out in pain. Tears fell without restraints as MingYu looked over the wound. ZhiYi had applied the crushed herbs FenFen had gifted him back in Gui. As ZhiYi tightened a new set of bandages around his arm, the pain relieved. When he was done, to MingYu's relief, he couldn't feel his arm anymore.
"The herbs have a numbing effect. It will ease the pain for now." ZhiYi reached over and wiped away his tears with his thumb.
"But it won't heal," MingYu said bitterly. The thought of him still owing the Wei's weighed at his mind, and he threw a hateful look towards the scroll. If losing his arm to YueQin wasn't enough of a punishment, what else could appease the gods?
"We will find a way to heal you," ZhiYi assured as he stood up and brought over the food. He fed MingYu the bread, making sure he didn't have to move his injury. MingYu ate in silence, but he couldn't shake away the feeling of dread that had already settled in his mind.
What did Heaven want from him, exactly?
