The Wens and Wei Wuxian made their way to Qishan, the journey unfolding over the past two days since departing from Cloud Recesses. As they paused to rest by the roadside, a serene river flowed nearby, and the scent of freshly caught fish permeated the air. The group indulged in their makeshift meal, savoring the flavors of their impromptu feast. Yet, Wei Wuxian, despite being physically present, seemed lost in contemplation as he sat by the fire, his gaze fixated on the dancing flames.
Observing Wei Wuxian's distant demeanor, Wen Chao couldn't resist voicing his curiosity. "What's wrong with you? I thought you were eager to leave. Regretting your decision already?"
Wei Wuxian, tearing his gaze away from the fire, met Wen Chao's inquisitive eyes with a slight shake of his head. "It's nothing."
Unconvinced, Wen Chao persisted, adopting a teasing tone. "So, it has nothing to do with what your sister and Lan Wangji were caught doing?"
Wen Qing scolded her brother sharply, her disapproval evident in her expression. The siblings exchanged stern glances for a few tense seconds. Wen Chao, undeterred, redirected his attention back to Wei Wuxian, a sly grin playing on his face. "Don't tell me that alpha caught your eye," he prodded, a hint of insinuation in his voice.
Wei Wuxian remained silent, enduring Wen Chao's scrutinizing gaze. Unfazed, Wen Chao continued with a teasing tone, "I knew he was up to no good." With that, he nonchalantly finished eating his fish, effectively concluding the conversation. The group lingered a while longer by the riverside before resuming their journey, the unspoken tension echoing in the air.
As they journeyed, Wen Ning, still young and brimming with innocence, delighted in pointing out various animals along their path. He chased butterflies with unbridled enthusiasm and gathered flowers to present to his sister. Wen Qing smiled warmly at her younger brother, ruffling his hair in affection. Witnessing this tender moment, Wei Wuxian was reminded of similar instances with his own sister, where she would smile just as radiantly and playfully tap his nose—an image now tinged with the bittersweet realization that those carefree days were behind him.
Their leisurely walk took an unexpected turn when Wen Chao abruptly halted, his senses on high alert. Gripping his sword tightly, he announced, "Father sent his guards." Wen Qing and Wen Ning swiftly surveyed their surroundings.
"Why has father sent you, Wen Zhuliu? We're already on our way back. There's no need for you to be here," Wen Chao dismissed with a hint of irritation.
Wen Zhuliu, the Wen siblings' father's trusted right-hand man and bodyguard, materialized before them. "Your father wanted to ensure your safe return. With all the rumors circulating, there are likely many who wish you harm." His gaze shifted beyond the Wen siblings to the omega in black and red robes. "Which sect does he belong to?" he inquired curiously.
Wei Wuxian bowed respectfully. "I am Wei Wuxian, and I have no clan. I wish to join your sect."
Wen Zhuliu responded with a mocking laugh. "What makes you think Wen Ruohan will let you enter? Or perhaps," he looked at Wen Chao with curiosity, "are you bringing him as your personal whore, like the other one? What was her name? Oh, yes... Wang Lingjiao."
Wen Chao growled at Wen Zhuliu, who only grinned in response. "As long as he can perform duties like your current bitch I suppose it's fine. Anyways, I'll be supervising from a distance. I don't want to be bored walking back to Qishan with four teenagers. What a bore," he pretended to yawn before departing.
Seething with frustration, Wen Chao stomped his feet and tightened his grip on his sword. Wen Zhuliu's words had struck a nerve. Unsheathing his sword, he unleashed his rage upon a nearby tree. Each strike resonated with his anger, and his pheromones signaled the intensity of his emotions. The air crackled with tension as he vented his pent-up frustration on the unsuspecting trunk. The surroundings echoed with the echoes of his fury.
Wen Ning trembled, seeking refuge behind his sister, who encircled him with a comforting arm. "Let's continue walking, A-Ning," she gently encouraged, smiling down at him. Observing this, he followed closely behind, leaving Wen Chao to release his frustrations.
Their journey led them to the next small town, where Wen Ning's excitement bubbled over. He scampered around, exploring every stall and marveling at the array of treats and toys on display.
Opting to dine at a quaint inn, Wen Chao, though still visibly irate, seemed to have regained some composure. As they sat down to enjoy their meal, the ambient calmness was abruptly shattered by a sudden shout, disturbing the previously serene atmosphere.
"Wei Wuxian!" the enraged shout echoed through the inn's entrance, drawing the attention of all patrons. Jiang Cheng, adorned in his distinctive purple robes, stormed in with a thunderous expression. Wei Wuxian, recognizing the voice, swiftly rose and approached his brother, guiding him out of the inn. The air around them crackled with tension.
"What are you doing here?" Wei Wuxian inquired. "How did you find me?"
Jiang Cheng's anger spilled over as he unleashed a barrage of accusations. "You asshole! You left without talking to me about it. You left without even telling me your plan. You left without saying goodbye!"
Wei Wuxian winced at the hurt in his brother's voice. Despite the pain it caused him, he remained resolute, leading Jiang Cheng away from prying eyes toward the outskirts of the town.
Near a towering tree, Jiang Cheng broke free from Wei Wuxian's grasp, folding his arms defiantly. "So tell me. Why are you leaving?"
"Jiang Cheng, I need to do this for myself. You and your family have done so much for me. It's time I do something for myself. On my own."
Jiang Cheng, unwilling to let his brother go, pleaded with tear-filled eyes, "You promised me you'd be my right-hand man. You're supposed to be by my side."
"I can't do that. Have you forgotten I'm an omega? Everyone will just laugh at you for thinking that an omega could protect you," Wei Wuxian said, pulling away.
"That never mattered to you. Don't let what one clan thinks of omegas change your mind. You know we don't care about that. Come on, let's go back." Jiang Cheng grabbed Wei Wuxian's hand, attempting to pull him towards the road, but Wei Wuxian stood firm.
"I told you, I'm going with the Wens." Avoiding direct eye contact with his brother, Wei Wuxian asserted his decision, anticipating the emotional storm his gaze might unleash. "No, you're not! Let's go home!" Jiang Cheng forcefully wrapped his hand around Wei Wuxian's wrist, pulling him, but Wei Wuxian remained unyielding.
"Well, look who we have here. Jiang Cheng. If I remember correctly, you said some rude things to us when we bumped into each other at the entrance of Cloud Recesses." Wen Chao advanced towards Jiang Cheng, his posture imposing, and his alpha pheromones released with ferocity to intimidate. Unfazed, Jiang Cheng stood his ground, meeting Wen Chao's gaze without flinching. A smirk played on Wen Chao's lips as he declared, "He's coming with us, and that's final," pulling Wei Wuxian away from his brother and proceeding down the road.
Jiang Cheng, infuriated, reached out to stop Wen Chao, striking his shoulder and almost making him fall. The two alphas locked eyes, growling, and their intense pheromones saturated the air. Suddenly, emerging from the forest trees, Wen Zhuliu appeared without warning and struck Jiang Cheng squarely on his chest.
Wen Qing covered her mouth in shock, Wen Ning looked frightened, and even Wen Chao seemed momentarily taken aback by Wen Zhuliu's actions.
Jiang Cheng collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest, feeling his energy drain away. "What... did you do?" he asked, weakened and confused. Wei Wuxian rushed towards his brother to help him up, but Jiang Cheng passed out in his arms.
"What did you do?" Wei Wuxian demanded from Wen Zhuliu, concern evident in his voice. "What did you do to my brother?"
"Fuck! Wen Zhuliu! Do you know whose son he is?" Wen Chao's scream reverberated with rage. "He's the son of Sect Leader Jiang! Do you know what you just did?" Anger pulsed through the veins on his neck and forehead.
"What did he do?" Wei Wuxian questioned again, his voice filled with worry. "What did he do?"
Wen Qing swiftly knelt beside Wei Wuxian, who cradled the unconscious Jiang Cheng in his arms. She utilized her magical abilities to check his pulse, her expression increasingly worried as she repeated the examination. Turning to Wen Chao, she shook her head, her distress evident.
"Wen Zhuliu, now you ensured that our heads are on a stake. Father will not be happy about this!"
"What did he do?" Wei Wuxian shouted, his pleas seemingly falling on deaf ears. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"
"He... He destroyed his core," Wen Qing said softly, her guilt palpable.
"What... what do you mean?"
"It's exactly what it means. I melted his core. It's gone. And don't even try to blame me. I'm only here protecting my master's children. If you hadn't decided to tag along, this wouldn't have happened."
Wen Chao seized Wen Zhuliu's robes and slammed him against the nearest tree. "You did it on purpose. You had no reason to use that power. You had no reason!"
Wen Zhuliu growled and pushed him away. "This is why they have made the Wen Sect an easy target. Look at how pathetic you look trying to defend the people who try to hurt you." He adjusted his robes and disappeared into the trees again.
Wei Wuxian was devastated, the weight of guilt pressing down on him as Wen Zhuliu's words echoed in his mind. The consequences of his actions bore heavily on his shoulders. Jiang Cheng now had no core, and Wei Wuxian knew that without it, his brother would spiral into a deep depression. Jiang Cheng's entire identity, his strength, revolved around his cultivation core, and its loss meant he would be left with a profound emptiness.
Wen Qing was slowly getting up when Wei Wuxian grabbed her arm, holding her in place. "You can fix it, right?" he pleaded, desperately searching for a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "You can just repair his broken core, and he'll be back to normal, right?" he begged.
Avoiding his gaze, Wen Qing shook her head. "Once the core is melted, there's nothing left. Not even a trace. All his power is gone."
"NO! You can do something! Please, I beg you." Tears welled up in Wei Wuxian's eyes, his pheromones betraying the depth of his pain and helplessness.
Wen Ning spoke up, "Once the core is melted, there's no reversing it. All the spiritual energy is lost."
Desperation etched across Wei Wuxian's face, he thought about it for a moment. He had always said he wished he could give his core to his brother, hoping to alleviate Jiang Cheng's pain from constantly losing to him.
Without a moment's hesitation, Wei Wuxian knew he would do anything for his siblings, without a second thought. His devotion to Jiang Cheng surpassed any personal ambitions. In a heartbeat, he decided to sacrifice not only his dreams of becoming the strongest cultivator but even his very core, all for the sake of his brother. The idea of creating a new core for himself and enduring twice the effort seemed insignificant compared to what he could do for Jiang Cheng. He felt an overwhelming debt to his brother, a debt he was more than willing to repay with everything he had and more.
"I'll give him mine. You can do that, right?" he asked, determination in his eyes.
"No! I can't do that! That's never been done successfully," Wen Qing protested.
"You have to try! Please!"
"You could end up losing your life."
"It's okay. It's my fault he lost his core. Please," Wei Wuxian insisted, his voice filled with sorrow and determination. Wen Qing hesitated, torn between the urgency of Wei Wuxian's plea and the inherent risks of attempting the procedure. "Please," Wei Wuxian pleaded again, his eyes filled with a mixture of grief and determination. "I can't let him live like this. I can't let him lose everything because of me."
---
Wen Qing kept Jiang Cheng sedated for three days while she and Wei Wuxian scoured every medical book available in the small town's library. The limited selection didn't deter them as they delved into every piece of knowledge they could find.
Wen Chao had returned home on his own, a heavy weight of regret on his shoulders. He understood the potential consequences of bringing Wei Wuxian with them, but the reality of the situation far exceeded his expectations. He made sure to inform his father about the events that unfolded, preparing for any repercussions that might follow.
During these three days, they had rented a small room in the town. On the third day, Wei Wuxian, with a somber determination, instructed Wen Qing to proceed with the extraction. It was a lengthy and painful procedure, and Wei Wuxian needed to be awake for it. Wen Ning, with great reluctance, had to restrain him, chaining him up and placing a piece of leather between his teeth to muffle the inevitable screams.
As Wen Qing made the incision, a searing pain shot through Wei Wuxian's body. He bit down hard on the leather, his cries stifled but not completely muted. Wen Ning held him tightly, providing both physical support and a comforting presence. The pain radiated from his core to his extremities as Wen Qing delicately navigated through his body. Finally, the moment came when he felt the nucleus being pulled away, every inch of his being resisting the agonizing extraction. It felt as if his insides were being forcibly ripped away, and the intense pain overwhelmed him until he mercifully succumbed to unconsciousness.