The Demonic Clan of Yiling (MDZS Fanfic)

Hanging Tree Night Hunt (Pt.8)

Wei Ying crawled his way over to the small group. Coming to a stop next to his son's body. He analysed his condition, taking in every detail of the boy's face while Lan Zhan continued to share his power. Zizhen was sitting next him and Wei Ying could hear the way he was holding in sobs. The poor boy had been through a lot. Wei Ying was honestly surprised they had lasted so long on their own.

He focused his attention back on A-Yuan's condition. Though his skin had its colour back, his veins were still black. There was also a wound on his leg, which oozed thick black liquid that Wei Ying knew was actually blood. He remembered words Wen Qing had said to him several years ago in a similar situation. That this was like a fast spreading infection and that is would be extremely hard to stop...

For a moment it was like Wei Ying was back there... Back at Blood Palace with his dying son in his arms as Wen Ning and Wen Qing ran into the cave looking as terrified as he felt...

"Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan's tone was stern as he called for the other man.

"Shit..." Wei Ying mumbled finally coming back to reality. "Shit! Okay..." He sucked in a breath.

He remembered what Wen Qing had told him several times over for when this situation happened again. If his gums are pink...

"Then get his heart beating again..." Wei Ying mumbled as he pulled up the corner of A-Yuan's lip to check his gums. They were pink, however, this only added to Wei Ying's anxiety. He tried not to show it. To show how terrified he was for the next part. He just focused on what he needed to do then.

"Lan Zhan, keep giving him energy. He's going to need it." Wei Ying mumbled the last part as he placed a fist over A-Yuan's heart and conjured some power. Next to him Zizhen watched nervously.

Slowly Wei Ying raised his fist, small wisps of resentment wrapping around it. He didn't know what to expect. He didn't know what to think. The man held his breath for a moment and in that moment Wei Ying was back there again. Preparing to do the exact same thing to a much younger A-Yuan...

Slam!

Wei Ying could've sworn he felt ribs crack as his fist landed on A-Yuan's chest, but he didn't have time to dwell on that, because within seconds the boy lying on the floor heaved in a breath and began coughing. 

Black blood poured out of A-Yuan's mouth as he rolled onto his side coughing. His head felt fuzzy and his whole body hurt so much he wanted to scream. He was vaguely aware of someone's hand on his wrist and tried to pull free but the hand wouldn't let go. He groaned and opened his eyes, to see Hanguang-jun sitting there. 

This only made him want to get his hand free more and he pulled again, when suddenly someone grabbed his shoulder and rolled him onto his back.

"Stop!" His father said harshly. 

"Baba?" A-Yuan croaked, but as the words left his throat his entire body burned and he gritted his teeth.

Wei Ying looked down on his son. They were running out of time. Now that A-Yuan's heart was beating again, the resentment in his body was spreading faster and his veins were getting darker.

"A-Yuan, I know you're tired but you have to stay awake for me okay?" A-Yuan blinked and then looked down at the his hand Lan Zhan was holding. His eyes seemed to widen when he saw the marks.

"Shit..." He breathed.

"Yeah, shit." Wei Ying replied not really paying attention because he was doing something. After a few seconds there was a ripping sound and the man held up a torn piece of his robes. "This is going to hurt, but if we don't do it now then we're probably not going to be able to bring you back again." Wei Ying explained as he twisted the cloth and carefully put it into A-Yuan's mouth.

The boy didn't seem to question his father's actions and just nodded as Wei Ying kept talking, but Zizhen was terrified.

"What's going to hurt!? He's not fine now!?" He asked, looking at his friend with pure fear. A-Yuan tried to put a thumb up to show that it would be okay, but Zizhen was still panicking. He didn't want his friend to die. He didn't want his friend to be in pain. He just wanted him to be okay!

"What's going on!?" Zizhen practically yelled feeling his heartrate increase.

"Sizhui's golden core has shattered." Lan Zhan explained while Wei Ying continued to fiddle with things. "Wei Ying is going to move the pieces back into place."

Zizhen's eyes went wide and he looked down at his friend who was watching him closely. Shattered core weren't really heard of, especially inside the body. During the Sunshot Campine Wen Zhuliu had melted cores and Wei Wuxian had even removed his core and crushed it in front of him, but never this. Not something like this...

"Will he be okay?" Zizhen asked his voice cracking a little.

"Maybe... I'm not sure what happens when a core shatters twice." Wei Wuxian answered.

"Twice!?" Zizhen gasped, but before he could say anything more Wei Wuxian shot him a glare.

"Questions later, okay kid? We don't have time for this." 

Zizhen froze for a moment, not knowing what to do as Wei Wuxian placed a hand on Sizhui's chest and closed his eyes. That was until he saw the look on Sizhui's face. They had been friends for months now. They had fought together several times and yet Zizhen had never once seem him this scared. Scared to the point his hands were shaking.

He didn't even need to think much as he grabbed the younger boy's free hand in his own and gave him a small, comforting smile.

"I got you." He said and A-Yuan nodded squeezing Zizhen's hand a little. It was his own way of saying he was ready...