Thread by @GuardianofJupi1

#xicheng

The revelation that the core wasn't his caused a turmoil within him. The meditations weren't helping. JC knew there was nothing wrong with his body - it was his mind that was slowly poisoning his body to the point the core was *dying*.

And dying core kills its owner.

He couldn't circulate his qi on his own if the core refused to work. His healer had warned of his eventual demise should he unable to find a way to calm his heart.

But how could JC control anything his heart felt? How would anybody know how it felt to be lied for years-

-only to have the secret broken in such manner? To be told off by the ghost general whom had killed JL's father and belonged to a sect that had massacred his whole family? To be told that he'd always be beneath WWX, despite everything he'd achieved, because the core wasn't HIS?!

How was JC to find any resemblance of peace, when his former sworn brother didn't even deign him worthy of any word other than 'sorry'?

JC didn't know how to find his way back. He didn't know how to save himself.

---

When LXC went into seclusion, he was brimming with two-

-frothing emotions. One was fathomless guilt. The other was burning flame of fury.

LXC knew the feeling of guilt intimately - when he fled CR while it was burning, when he allowed LWJ to be blinded by the Yiling Patriarch, when he saw LWJ's scarred back from the punishment-

-when Da-ge died... Guilt accompanied him his whole life.

But this burning fury within him was new. The rage he felt towards JGY over all of the unnecessary killings. JGY had everything he'd ever aspired. The greed, envy, and cruelty showed by JGY were too much for LXC to bear.

When LXC remembered every single trust and kindness shown by him, by Da-ge - oh heavens, *Da-ge* that JGY had killed with such cruelty -, the rage burned and burned that he could feel his spiritual energy was being cultivated uncontrollably. Everything LXC touched was destroyed.

LXC knew if he didn't find a way to temper his flaring qi, he would end up like Da-ge.

---

Two years after the event where JC had barged into Carp Tower and secured Jin Ling's position as sect leader, JL found himself sitting in front of Grandmaster Lan.

Ever since that cursed night, JL was acutely aware of his jiujiu's health was steadily deteriorating. It was not just the fact jiujiu was attending less and less night-hunts, it was also due to the increasing ashen complexion. So, one night, JL cornered JC into his room.

After much persuasion and a tear or two being shed by JL (he wasn't above manipulating JC's soft heart for him), JC reluctantly told his secret.

JL was aghast. His heart squeezed in untold fear of losing his anchor. When JC told him that he was out of option, JL had panickly-

-sent a letter to Grandmaster Lan, requesting his audience. Who else knew about medical ways than CR?

Grandmaster Lan stroke his beard in thoughtful manner. "Sect Leader Jiang's core is not working?"

"Jiujiu said that something'd happened to the core. It's nit generating any qi." JL was squeezing his hands tightly. "Plus, core is dying and if the core died on its own, then-" JL choked back his tears.

LQR softened at the enormity of a nephew's love to his uncle. And the news-

-was indeed worrying. LQR had always had unhealthy amount of familial affection toward JC - the boy who chased after a father's love. It reminded LQR so much of his own nephews.

"Until we can fix whatever causes the core to die so suddenly, JWY needs continual qi transferral."

JL jumped eagerly. "I can do that!"

LQR shook his head, "I don't mean the normal qi transferral for the purpose of healing. I'm talking about *duel cultivation*. JWY needs help in cultivating his core until we can find a more permanent solution."

JL's eyes bulged, "Du- duel

-cultivation? You mean-" And his cheeks went red.

LQR smiled. JL was still young after all. "Hush, what is there to be embarrassed about, sect leader Jin? Duel cultivation has always been an effective way to ascend higher."

JL straightened his back in determination at LQR's -

-kind word. "I will find a matchmaker as soon as possible, so that we could find jiujiu's partner. She must have high cultivation level, right?"

LQR hesitated.

"Grandmaster Lan?" JL frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I have ah- also a similar problem here in CR, sect leader Jin."

"How do you mean?" JL was confused "A similar problem?"

LQR sighed. He never wanted outsiders to discover this problem, fear of political instability. But when JL came forward with JWY's problem, LR suddenly had an epiphany on how to kill two birds with one stone.

It'd so outrageous. And unprecedented. But, at this point, what choice did any of them have?

"Zewu-Jun is not doing well in seclusion," LQR confessed quietly. JL gasped.

LQR plowed through. "ZWJ, however is the opposite of JWY. The rage within him caused qi to burst out in-

-uncontrolled manner. Just two months ago, ZWJ was nearly qi-deviated."

JL's clever mind quickly made the connection. "How- I mean, are you proposing ZWJ and jiujiu--?" JL stammered. He couldn't believe what Grandmaster Lan was suggesting.

"Whether it is fate or not-

-we cannot deny they can help each other. JWY needs huge influx of qi for his dying core and ZWJ needs an outlet to channel his rage and excess qi. Duel cultivation is the perfect mean to do that."

JL couldn't believe how calm LQR was with all this.

Jiujiu and Zewu-Jun... Who-

-could've seen this coming?

"Um.. So," JL was blushing so hard, he feared his head would burst. "...I shall inform jiujiu and have him- um- come to CR?"

LQR's visage darkened. Gone with calmness before, his voice rose in displeasure. "Sect Leader Jin! I would not have you-

-humiliate your uncle in such manner! As if I would ever allow JWY and ZWJ even in an arm's length distance without proper marriage!"

"MARRIAGE?!" JL shrieked.

"Dying or not, LXC will not duel cultivate with sect leader Jiang without official bond between them." LQR glared.

He continued, "Both of them are sect leaders. What would people think if they weren't married?"

JL's head was spinning. How did a trip to CR, asking for a mere advise, turn into this?

What would jiujiu say??!!!

Oblivious to JL internal panic, LQR continued. "Go back and tell-

-JWY about this. LXC and I will come to LP by next week with courtship gifts. We. Are. Going. To. Do. This. The. Right. Way." LQR warned JL.

"But- but Zewu-Jun is still in seclusion..." JL pointed weakly.

LQR hummed dismissively. "Don't worry about that. LXC will agree. He'd-

-always had some sort of softness for JWY, after all. He will agree to this. Especially after he heard JWY needed his assistance."

He did? JL thought light-headedly. Zewu-Jun was sweet on jiujiu? Since when...?

LQR raised his eyebrows. "Sect leader Jin? Are you listening?"

Overwhelmed, JL nodded his head and he flew back to LP.

He went for an advise and he came back with a marriage proposal. Jiujiu would break his legs for real this time...

--TBC--