Chapter Text
If he was small and quiet, they forgot he was there, which most of the time was what Xuanyu wanted. If they forgot he was there, they didn’t go out of their way to scare or hurt him.
Xuanyu was sick with fear, and longed to go home to his mother. Apparently, though he was already late to forming his golden core, so he needed to hurry if he didn’t want to fall behind, and apparently his father didn’t want him to fall too far behind. He didn’t want Xuanyu to be successful either, and no one else wanted him at Carp Tower.
Xuanyu just wanted to go home to his mother, even if auntie Mo was frequently mean. Xuanyu flinched at Senior Xue’s tone as he and Elder Brother argued. Elder brother was Jin Guangyao, and though he smiled all the time he was meaner than auntie Mo.
He was very scary but Sect Leader Jin wanted Xuanyu to learn from him.
Him and Senior Xue.
He smiled too, even when he hurt Xuanyu, especially when he hurt Xuanyu. But he also taught Xuanyu things, scary things. He would whisper about energy, and golden cores, and speculate about his experiments.
Xuanyu frequently heard their screams as he ‘assisted’ Senior Xue on Elder Brother’s orders, men and women who are brought into the deep cellars and closed rooms beneath Carp tower just so that Senior Xue could experiment on them. And so that Elder Brother could more about his ‘demonic cultivation.’
Elder Brother and Senior Xue are hissing at each other, their argument growing more heated and Xuanyu doesn’t dare move or bring attention to himself as they talk about how their plan had failed in every way.
First brother was seriously injured and Wei Wuxian was better protected than ever as the ranks closed around him.
“Huanguang-Jun wasn’t supposed to find him! Even if he’s eliminated, Minshan was seen by too many people!” Elder Brother hissed, his eyes dark with rage, though his smile as placid as ever.
“The fucking bitch should have been better then,” Senior Xue responded, derision on his features. Senior Xue was at his scariest, his eyes distant as if the people in the world around him were just so many shadow puppets to play with and discard. As one of the shadows Senior Xue played with, it was a terrifying look.
“And where were you?” Elder Brother demanded, his smile taking on the look of a sneer. “As a master of Demonic Cultivation, shouldn’t you have been the one to execute the plan?”
“I had other things to attend to,” Senior Xue sneered back, a wide grin spreading over his features. “For example, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve made a breakthrough. Test subjects who once had a golden core are much better vessels than non-cultivators or cultivators.”
“Oh?” Elder Brother asked, an eyebrow raising in interest before his smile too spread. “Well, it’s not the original plan, but I’m certain you have something in mind?”
“I’ll need to run more experiments. All the subjects thus far have reacted with insanity or a complete loss of mind, but they’ve stopped dying so fast,” Senior Xue giggled, and Xuanyu clamped down on the shudder that wanted to move through him.
“Such intriguing possibilities,” Elder Brother agreed, the light in his eyes dark and calculating. “Let’s discuss it over tea. Xuanyu!”
Xuanyu shivered and returned his eyes to the floor as he realized neither of them had forgotten he was there.
“I’m here, Elder Brother,” he said, his voice thick with fear as the words scraped his dry throat. He couldn’t stop trembling as they looked at him, but they weren’t going to hurt him this time.
“Clean up this mess, then get the tools ready for a new crop of guests.”
Xuanyu shivered again, but bowed as they left before turning his attention to the corpses standing nearby, their white eyes trained on him. Feeling safer with the unquiet dead than he had with his teachers, Xuanyu took the first one by the hand and led it to the cells, sorting it according to Senior Xue’s instructions. Into the cells further away from the drugged or otherwise incapacitated ‘guests’.
Once he was done ‘cleaning’, he made sure they were all settled for the night as well before he left to find his own cold dinner at the back of the kitchens.
##
The next several days were busy, with Xuanyu not able to go to bed until well after midnight, and waking up for lessons during the day with the Jin disciples after his morning ‘chores’. He was exhausted, but he finally had a short time after midday meal to sneak away to one of the quiet gardens for a quick nap.
He didn’t expect to see the pretty woman in front of the small lotus garden he had come to like so much. He almost left without drawing attention to himself but hesitated when he realized she was weeping.
It didn’t seem right to just walk away as if he hadn’t seen anything, so Xuanyu approached warily. He was ready to retreat if she got mad or seemed mean, but he didn’t think she would be.
“Miss?” he called softly as he approached. “What’s wrong, Miss?”
She seemed a little startled when she looked up, quickly wiping at the tears on her face with her sleeve, and Xuanyu offered a handkerchief quickly.
“It’s okay, Miss,” he said softly, smiling even as she looked more startled.
“Thank you,” she said softly, with a watery smile. “I didn’t realize anyone else would be here today,” she added, and Xuanyu shifted uncomfortably.
“Elder Brother is busy with the visiting Sect Leaders, and Senior is working on his experiments,” he explained. “I like to come here because it’s quiet and smells nice.”
The lotus blossoms weren’t as overpowering as many of the other flowers, and didn’t make his eyes itch if he strayed too close to them. Although any scent was more pleasant than the rotting corpses in their cells.
“Who is your elder brother?” she asked curiously, and Xuanyu shrugged.
“Jin Guangyao. Sect Leader told me to do as he says…”
“Oh… Is… Is Sect Leader Jin your father?” she asked softly, and Xuanyu nodded, embarrassment creeping over him as he hunched in on himself. Almost no one approved of him being here after all… “That makes you one of my little brothers as well. I’m married to Jin Zixuan.”
“I… I’m sorry,” Xuanyu stuttered out, flushing deeply as he looked down. “Sect Leader and Elder Brother said not to bother First Brother,” he explained, hoping she wouldn’t be angry with him. She didn’t seem the type, but Elder Brother could mask truly impressive rage behind his mild smiles.
“It’s quite alright,” she said, though her smile was still watery.
“Miss… you’re sad. What happened?”
“My husband was injured. He woke up today, just for a few minutes, but… it’s such a relief and I’ve… I’ve been so scared since he was hurt. It’s just overwhelming.”
“Will… will he be okay?” Xuanyu asked nervously.
“Yes,” she said, her smile more real now. “He’s going to recover, even… even if he lost his arm he’s still alive and I’m so happy.”
Xuanyu shifted anxiously. “Elder… Elder Brother was really mad that… at what happened,” he admitted softly, fear and anger inside of him warring.
“Very many people are angry that Jin Zixuan was injured so…” she started, but Xuanyu shook his head.
“First Brother was… was supposed to…” he cut himself off, his quiet words stopping as Elder Brother came into view. He felt fear rushing through him both at the conversation he was having, and at being caught slacking off.
“Xuanyu, there you are,” he said, the gentle look on his face not hiding the intense annoyance in his eyes. “You were supposed to be helping Senior Xue.”
“I’m sorry,” Xuanu said quickly, bowing to the woman. “I’m sorry, Miss, I have to go.”
“Call me Elder Sister. I hope we can talk again soon,” the woman said kindly, though Xuanyu saw something in her eyes, something fierce and protective almost.
Elder Brother led him away before he started to scold Xuanyu.
“Why were you bothering Lady Jiang?” he demanded with a sneer, and Xuanyu flinched.
“She’s… she’s pretty,” Xuanyu said, nervously. He didn’t want Elder Brother to know that Xuanyu had spoken about First Brother, and he had a real question. “Do… do you think I’ll be that pretty some day?”
Elder Brother’s face had turned just a little indulgent, and suddenly snapped back to sneering, an angry cast to his features.
“Of course not. You’re a boy,” he snapped, dragging Xuanyu forward by his arm with suddenly rushed strides.
It turned out that all of the Cells had to be thoroughly cleaned out, partially to make way for smuggling in more ‘guests’ for Senior Xue to experiment on.
Partially because some of the sect leaders who had come and gone were starting to complain of the smell that Xuanyu rarely noticed anymore as he was near always near the corpses and the unwashed bodies of the ‘guests.’
He wasn’t expecting Lady Jiang to come find him after his cultivator training with the other disciples a few days later, while many people were still arguing in the main hall.
“There you are,” she said with a kind smile. “I’m going to the kitchens to make soup for my brothers and husband, and I was hoping you could join me.”
Xuanyu hesitated, before shaking his head regretfully. “I cannot, Lady Jiang. I’m expected to do chores now,” he explained, and she frowned slightly.
“Chores? I thought all the disciples had free time after lessons at this time? To let the body recover from training and the mind absorb the knowledge?” she asked, and Xuanyu flushed.
“I’m… I’m not expected to do well,” he said softly, “and Elder Brother has things he wants me to do.”
“No one can do well if they aren’t given a chance,” she states, as fierce and gentle as a legendary goddess of mercy. “Come with me for now, and I’ll discuss things with your teachers and with Jin Guangyao.”
Xuanyu hesitated, but he really wanted to spend time with Lady Jiang, she was very kind and he wondered if his mother might have been like her if she was from a kinder family. Even though he thought Elder Brother and Senior Xue wouldn’t be happy with him, he nodded and went with her to the kitchens.
##
Xuanyu met his brother for the first time a few days later, the Jin Sect heir recovering well from the grievous wound that had almost killed him. His arm was gone completely, and Xuanyu found himself worried for this person he had never before met.
First Brother turned out to be surprisingly kind, with a smile for Xuanyu when Lady Jiang introduced them.
“A-Li told me you were coming today,” he said with a somewhat pained smile as he sat up. He was adjusting to having only one arm still, and it was obvious in the way he moved. Quickly Xuanyu moved to help, too nervous to speak even as he offered to help the other. “Thank you,” First Brother stated, his eyes amused.
“Xuanyu has been helping me in the kitchen for the last few days,” Lady Jiang explained, and there was something that Xuanyu couldn’t quite read in her face as she continued. “It’s quite fascinating to speak with him.”
“Not… not fascinating,” Xuanyu protested, a little uncomfortable though he swiftly fell into the habit of serving Lady Jiang and First Brother from the tray that Lady Jiang had been carrying.
“Interesting then,” Lady Jiang said with a smile. “Xuanyu has been learning so many interesting things. Please tell A-Xuan about the lessons you told me about,” she prompted, her calm happy smile relaxing Xuanyu. “It’s interesting because we never learned any of this at Lotus Pier.”
Xuanyu found himself relaxing and talking like he normally did with Lady Jiang, not forgetting First Brother, but not so nervous as Lady Jiang kept him focused on the lessons he had been learning.
It wasn’t long before he had to excuse himself though, he still had to do the chores that Senior Xue and Elder Brother had assigned him.
“It was good to meet you, Jin Xuanyu,” First Brother stated, and Xuanyu blushed as he bowed to him and Lady Jiang. “Thank you for taking some time to come talk to me.”
“Th… thank you for allowing this one to visit, First Brother,” he answered quietly, bowing again, before he headed out.
He didn’t see the man lingering in the garden near to First Brother’s room, or the angry eyes following him as he dashed to his next chore.
##
Xuanyu didn’t realize anything was wrong until he was cleaning out the cells that evening. Usually Senior Xue and Elder Brother were busy with their own affairs at this time, so when he heard the door close behind him he nearly jumped out of his own skin.
No one else ever came down here, and he felt his stomach clench as he turned and saw both Senior Xue and Elder brother. There was a terrifying smile on Senior Xue’s face, and Elder Brother had an especially cold sneer on his features.
“Senior? Elder Brother?” Xuanyu asked, stepping back from where Senior Xue approached, his grin growing wider as he reached out to grasp Xuanyu’s chin.
“You’ve become a liability, kiddo. That means you’re mine now,” Senior Xue purred, and Xuanyu jerked and tried to get away without success.