Chapter Text
A piercing scream.
That was the sound heard all throughout Lotus Pier. The disciples were used to this sound, not that they enjoyed it, but what could they do? Madam Yu held all the power, and took great pride in that. Her core was weak, but she wielded a terribly strong spiritual weapon.
The scream came from a little six year old boy named Wei Ying. He wasn’t sure what he had done. He was often used as a punching bag for Madam Yu, and hated every minute of it. He only tolerated it because his JieJie, Jiang Yanlin, told him that it would make him stronger.
Jiang Fengmian, the man who took him in, never hit him to say, but always looked away. It was okay, though. He always apologized and gave Wei Ying a treat.
Wei Ying covered his head as he felt the lash and fury of the woman above him. This woman always had an off and on mode about him, going from complimenting his beauty and thin figure (he was a child, of course he’d have a thin figure.) to being jealous of it and accusing poor Wei Ying of trying to remind her husband of his old love, Wei Yings mother, Cangse Sanren. She restricted meals and always told him off for eating much.
“You BRAT.” She hissed, letting Zidian, her prized weapon, return to the ring on her finger. Her face was an ugly red, border-lining a purple color. “You dare try and upstage my son? The proper heir to the sect?”
Wei Ying cried, and shook his head. He hadn’t meant too. He just used what he learned from the instructors and Jiang Wanyin himself. Jiang Wanyin adored Wei Ying with no doubt, and Madam Yu did not like that.
“This one did not mean too! I’m sorry!” Wei Ying sobbed, crying out as the wretched woman grabbed his hair and threw him onto the ground.
“Leave my sight,” she growled. “Do not let me see you until the morning or I will show you the dogs. You don’t want that, do you?”
Her voice had softened, her face losing that ugly color. Wei Ying shook his head as Madam Yu softly fixed his hair and had sad eyes.
“I would not do this to you if you weren’t so pretty,” she said sadly. Wei Ying nodded his head even if he didn’t understand. “Go now.”
Wei Ying scampered off, limping slightly as his bleeding back and bruised limps colored the pale skin on his weary bones.
As Wei Ying scampered off, Jiang Wanyin had seen the entire thing. His mother was the one who gave his brother all those scars? Why hadn’t Wei Ying told anybody?
Wei Ying sat down at the pier, looking over the water. That was where Jiang Wanyin found him, a sad look on his face.
“A-ying, this one brought bandages for you..” Jiang Wanyin held a guilty look over his face now, as if it was his fault what his mother had done.
“Thank you,” Wei Ying murmured, not making a move to grab them. He seemed conflicted.
“Why.. why do you let my mother do this to you? Why don’t you leave?” Jiang Wanyin asked weakly. If he was in the same position, he would’ve ran away when he got the chance.
“Because JieJie says it’ll make me stronger.. and Madam Yu is nice sometimes, so she just gets angry a little bit.”
Their sister? Why would Jiang Yanli say that? This doesn’t make anyone stronger.. and Madam Yu was never nice. She always had a nasty smirk after Wei Ying would walk away.
“That doesn’t matter,” Jiang Wanyin said instead. He wanted to tell his observations to Wei Ying, but something told him that wouldn’t help. “You should leave and get help. You can only take so much..”
Wei Ying sighed, resting his head in a small and weak hand. His dark hair was not in its usual ponytail, but rested in waves down his back.
“But it’s only one person. Jiang Fengmian is kind to me, and he even took me in. That’s how I met you, remember?”
Jiang Wanyin nodded, taking Wei Ying’s hand with a sudden glint of determination in his eyes. He had an idea.
“A-Ying, if my mother hurts you again, you must have a bag ready so you can leave quickly. Just in case.” He never wanted to see his precious A-Ying get hurt.
Wei Ying was stunned. He slowly nodded and blinked rapidly. He felt warm inside.
“This one will.” He said softly. He got up. “We should return to our sleeping quarters. I will have a bag, just in case.. rest well.”
Jiang Wanyin bade farewell with a hug and smile. Wei Ying watched as he ran off, before slowly trailing to his own room. It really wasn’t that bad, he thought. But he did as Jiang Wanyin suggested and had a bag ready with everything precious to him. His spare set of robes, a small picture of his parents, and a necklace that Jiang Wanyin gave him when he first arrived.
Wei Ying still had that nice, warm feeling in his chest. His silver eyes found the moon, and he remembered his parents.
‘Baba.. mama.. am I doing good?’ A small thought, but he swore he felt a warm breeze brush over him, even though it was nearly midnight, and a small whisper of yes.
Wei Ying laid on his bed to rest, and when he awoke, he realized he had no nightmares. He smiled, and whispered a small ‘thank you’ prayer to the Scrap God. The Scrap God was one he stayed with and thanked for all the food he found whilst living on the streets.
‘Thank you,’ he whispered again. His silver eyes were joyful as he went to join the other disciples, who lit up at seeing the young boy with the energy that they all needed.
As Wei Ying practiced his sword form, he got constant praise for his diligent work which made him smile. The other disciples loved seeing their precious A-Ying smile, as something about it made them feel warm inside. He didn't know what the warm feeling inside him is, but it feels better than when he feels empty and cold, like when he was on the streets. He smiled a close-eyed smile. Which was a bad move, because he did that as he swung down, unable to see where he was hitting. A cry of pain went through the air, putting a sense of panic into Wei Ying, who quickly opened his eyes and saw that he had hit Jiang Wanyin.
"Jiang Wanyin! This one is sorry!" Wei Ying bowed deeply, eyes filled with panic. Jiang Wanyin clutched the hurt arm and tried for a smile, but surprisingly, Wei Ying was strong, and it had really hurt. Jiang Wanyin got up, patting Wei Ying's head, telling him it was okay, but all Wei Ying heard was the furious shout of his name from Madam Yu.
"Wei Ying!" There it was. Somehow, Madam Yu managed to show up whenever her son was involved. Wei Ying paled and immediately bowed to Madam Yu.
"Madam Yu! This.. this one is deeply sorry for hurting your son! Forgive this foolish one!" Such formal words for a formal apology. It was surprising that a six year old knew this. but Madam Ying didn't care and grabbed Wei Ying by the hair shoving him to the floor. She was an ugly purple, causing some disciples to laugh quietly before realizing what she was doing.
*CRACK!* The sound of her Zidian filled the air, making it seem electric near the area. Wei Ying cried out as she repeatedly whipped him, shouting as spittle flew from her mouth. The disciples watched in horror as she eventually stopped (after how long? 10 minutes? 15? No one counted, but it was much too long) and grabbed Wei Ying by the hair and dragged him away. Wei Ying cried and pushed at her hand, knowing exactly where he was going. To the dogs. He hated dogs, especially the ones on the streets. He was thrown into a wide cage, and the smell of dirty dogs filled his nose. He cried and begged to be let out.
"Please! Madam Yu! This one is sorry! No dogs!" He cried, terror filling his voice as the dogs- 4 of them- crouched, ready to attack. Madam Yu turned away and sat to the side, drinking her tea. Soon, painful shrieks and apologies reached her ears as Wei Ying was mauled by the dogs. Wei Ying wanted out. Let him out. Let him OUT.
A bang and glow of light blinded Madam Yu as Wei Ying shot out of the cage and ran. He had just used cultivation. He was running on pure adrenaline as he grabbed his bag and ran, ignoring the wounds and pain all over his body. He heard Madam Yu shout after him, but the disciples decided to step up as they blocked her, yelling at Wei Ying to run. He ran as fast as his little legs would take him.
After who knows how long of running, the sky was dark and Wei Ying was done. He collapsed by a lake, eyes dim and body bleeding out. He felt tears slip out of his eyes as he didn't even know where he ended up. The pain settled in, but he couldn't care. The pain felt faraway. He felt faraway. He shut his eyes and prayed to anyone out there to help him. He knew he was dying. He didn't want to die. He prayed and prayed, and prayed. Nothing. He sobbed, sending one last prayer to the Scrap God.
'Please, help me.. save me.. it hurts so much.. please..' Pure desperation filled the prayer. He hoped it worked.
Wei Ying felt the world slip away.