Lilium {Mo Dao Zu Shi}

Marigold [Chapter-9]

"Eh..." Yu ZiYuan awkwardly slipped the whip in Wei WuXian's hands, "Thank you for the weapon, Senior Wei."

Wei WuXian flinched. Yu ZiYuan looked at him. And sighed. Then she mumbled something.

"Meet me under the magnolia tree."

Wei WuXian nodded, "Understood."

Since the cover was blown up, there was nothing to do.

Wei WuXian spoke to Lan WangJi, "Lan Zhan, Madam Yu told me to go under the magnolia tree."
Lan WangJi spoke with his deep magnetic voice, "So she is the Violet Spider after all."
"Yes...but her behaviour...it doesn't make any sense...she should be hating me..."
"Wei Ying, she should not. Since you have this opportunity, go talk to her if you want to."

Wei WuXian looked towards the young lass smiling at Jin Ling and talking about something. Then he sighed, "I suppose I should."

Everyone went to their respective quarters.

Wei WuXian stood under the magnolia tree.

Footsteps were heard soon. Wei WuXian looked towards the silhouette of the person and bowed, "Madam Yu."

Yu ZiYuan, for the first time, in her life, bowed back to him, "Young Master Wei."

Wei WuXian spoke as he lifted up his head, "Madam Yu need not call me that. I am still Wei WuXian, and not someone else, even if I am no longer a part of the YunMeng Jiang sect..."
"A-Xian."

Wei WuXian stilled as she looked at the young woman before him. She smiled, "I have no hate towards you. Nor am I upset or angry at your defection from the sect. You must be thinking I hate you. I don't."

She stood in front of him, and then caressed his cheek, "Child, I have hurt you so much in my previous life. Will you forgive me?"

Tears rolled down Wei WuXian's bright silver eyes, the water making his gaze look even brighter than the full moon above the sky. The magnolia tree swayed in the light wind, as if dancing to the joy in Wei WuXian's heart.

Yu ZiYuan frowned, and then wiped his tears, "See how much I have pained you. You are crying at the mere mention of me forgiving you. I have pained all three of you so heavily..."
"No- no it's-"
"It's not fine, child. No parents should be reason for the pain of their children." Yu ZiYuan exhaled a sigh of guilt, "I am sorry I treated you so badly."

Wei WuXian wanted to sob loudly. All these years, he had carried the burden of not being able to fulfill her last orders of protecting the Jiang siblings.

But now, here she was, saying that she was not angry with him. Apologising for her behaviours and treatment towards him.

"A-Xi...no...I don't have the right to-"
"No, please! Do call me that..." Wei WuXian's voice broke.

Yu ZiYuan's own eyes watered at the sheer pain, despair and longing for her love and acknowledgement.

She hugged the other lad suddenly and patted his head, "A-Xian."

Wei WuXian couldn’t keep in his tears anymore, "Au-aunt Yu..."

Yu ZiYuan softly kissed the body's forehead. Wei WuXian would always remain a little child to her, "I am so sorry, so very sorry, on behalf of both me and FengMian, we both failed you, all three of you."
"No! I- I failed you-"
"Shush. You did well." Yu ZiYuan soothed him.

Wei WuXian broke down, more than he ever thought he would. The only other person who saw him in this state was Lan WangJi.

Yu ZiYuan stood up, "Let's go somewhere else. It’s quiet and people will hear us, hmm?"
"Hmm..." Wei WuXian hummed weakly, his voice soft from the trembles.

They went to the dining hall, and closed the doors, attaching a silencing talisman. 

Yu ZiYuan soothed him and coaxed him for a while before Wei WuXian finally came to a somewhat sober and stable state. Yu ZiYuan asked, "A-Xian, I have so much to ask you."
"Yes, Aunt Yu? Ask away please. I will answer to the best of my abilities."

Yu ZiYuan didn’t waste any time, "What happened to your golden core? Not the one in this body, your original one."

Wei WuXian froze, "What...?"
"Ahaha, don’t play dumb. I at least have some information." Yu ZiYuan smiled bitterly. Then she started to list off her theories.

"You invented demonic cultivation and used it for quite a few years. And it’s not possible with a golden core that was as strong as yours. You would have Qi deviated soon, much like Nie MingJue. Not to mention you used a lot more demonic energy than him. Something must have happened to your golden core."

Wei WuXian looked as Yu ZiYuan face turned into one of triumph, because she knew she was going in the right direction. A smile tugged at the corner of her beautiful lips.

Yu ZiYuan carried on, "At first, it was Wen ZhuLiu, but if it was, you would not have kept the secret of your core being missing for so long. Unless..." she looked at him dead in the eye, the other lad gulping, "Yes?"
"Unless, there was a reason you couldn’t tell anyone. You defected the sect to tend the Wen Remnants, because none would. But you lost control of the resentment energy at times, that's...oh gosh, I am sorry." Yu ZiYuan caressed Wei WuXian's cheek. Wei WuXian looked down, but didn’t say anything. Yu ZiYuan sighed, "I am sorry...just...tell me what happened? It was not Wen ZhuLiu who melted your core. What happened to it? Resentment cannot destroy a strong core like yours."

"Aunt Yu...I..." Wei WuXian couldn’t get the words out of his mouth.

Yu ZiYuan suddenly asked, "A-Xian, where is Suibian?"

Wei WuXian answered, "Ah I don’t use it anymore. I don’t have enough spiritual power."
"Yes, but where is it?"
"In...the Jiang sect..."
"Why?" Yu ZiYuan asked.

'She is too smart.' Wei WuXian was worried. 

Yu ZiYuan spoke, "The doctor Wen Qing, she was the greatest doctor of all times, as it was said in the records. You knew her, right?"
"Yes..."
"Did she do something to your core?"
"..."
"A-Xian. Did she destroy your core?"
"No no."

Wei WuXian was getting anxious. Yu ZiYuan put a hand over his, "Calm down. Is it too much to tell?"

Wei WuXian felt really woeful. His aunt was being so affectionate and kind, yet he couldn’t bring himself told tell the truth.

In the end, he slowly nodded. Yu ZiYuan smiled, "Alright. I will not ask you. Tell me when you are ready to?"
"...Aunt Yu..."
"A-Xian, as your aunt, I think I have a right to know. I will not force you, but I do want to know. I want to know why exactly you and A-Cheng have become practically strangers now. And I have a feeling that it has something to do with your golden core."

Wei WuXian flinched a bit. Yu ZiYuan noticed it, but didn’t say anything. In the end, she ruffled his hair a bit, "Don’t panic. It’s fine. Also, don’t blow my cover up in front of others. I will also try not to." she winked.

Wei WuXian chuckled softly, "Ahhhaahahh. Yes, I won't."
"Good boy."

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Note: Marigold represents grief and pain.

A/N: Short chapter, but I wanted this chapter solely for the two of them. :3