Wei Wuxian knew they couldn't use anaesthetic. Wen Qing had tried, but immediately realized it wouldn't work. To keep the golden core intact Wei Wuxian would have to be conscious and sober. She tried to talk him out of it again. Desperately begged Wei Wuxian to reconsider. He couldn't do that. Wei Wuxian remembered the look in Jiang Wanyin's eyes. Jiang Wanyin had lost his golden core. Such a fate was considered worse than death.

'Why? Why Lotus Pier? Why Sect Leader Jiang? Why Madam Yu? Why Jiang Cheng?' Wei Wuxian screamed inside his head. He was demanding answers, but the truth was he already had the answers. Hadn't he already been told? He made trouble at indoctrination. He incurred Wen Chao's wrath, and that wrath fell onto the YunmengJiang sect. The QishanWen sect came asking for him to be punished and Madam Yu obliged.

Zidian, Yu Ziyuan's first class spiritual tool, had crackled with electricity. It burned brightly with her anger as she whipped him. He had never been whipped with Zidian before. It was so much worse than any other punishment he had received. When he was struck with Zidian it wasn't just the force of the strike. It wasn't just the whip shredding through fabric and flesh. Every hit unleashed unbearable pain that lasted long after the strike was over. The violet electricity jumped beyond the point of impact on his back. Each strike sent a violent electrical discharge burning and sizzling, sharp pain pouring through his entire body. With every strike she screamed at him.

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'You reckless brat.'

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'Such impotence.'

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'What have I always said?'

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'Always making a mess.'

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'Always making trouble.'

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'And then my family must clean up after you?'

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'You wretched boy.'

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'You knew it would put our family in danger.'

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'You knew it would put us in danger, but you still did it.'

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'You are the subordinate.'

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'Do the concepts of duty and loyalty mean nothing to you?'

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'You are the subordinate.'

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'Your duty is to protect and serve the YunmengJiang sect.'

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'Your duty is to the Jiang clan.'

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'Your duty is to protect this sect and its heirs.'

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'You are the subordinate.'

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'You should put the wellbeing of the YunmengJiang sect above everything else.'

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'Instead you make trouble.'

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'Instead you embarrass us.'

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'Instead you endanger us.'

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'I've always said your imprudence...'

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'... your recklessness...'

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'... will bring disaster to YunmengJiang sect.'

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'One day you'll be the ruin of our family.'

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Wei Wuxian had thought that was the worst pain of his life. He was wrong. There were so many things more painful than that. Things like seeing the aftermath of the battle. The battle that took place when the QishanWen sect was not satisfied with the punishment. How many times did Wei Wuxian wish that Madam Yu had chopped off his hand like they asked?

Instead Wei Wuxian watched the only home he'd ever known become painted with blood and set ablaze. Instead he saw the bodies of the disciples, all his precious shidi and shimei, piled one on top of the other throughout Lotus Pier. He saw the man and woman who raised him, bloody corpses being mocked, on display as Wen Chao and his mistress drank to their victory. He had to see the despair in Jiang Wanyin's eyes. He had to hear Jiang Wanyin scream for his parents.

Desperately trying to pull Jiang Wanyin away from Lotus Pier. Desperately trying to keep his promise. His promise to protect Jiang Wanyin with his life. Even if it kills him. In his despair Jiang Wanyin punched him in the face like he wanted to break his jaw. Wei Wuxian didn't resist.

'Why did you have to save Lan Wangji?' Jiang Wanyin struck him again.

'Why did you do that?' Another strike to his face.

'I don't care if Lan Wangji or Jin Zixuan dies. Just let them die!' Jiang Wanyin's hands wrapped around Wei Wuxian's throat.

'It's their own business, not ours!' Jiang Wanyin screamed as he gripped Wei Wuxian's throat tighter. Shaking him so that Wei Wuxian's head struck against the ground. Jiang Wanyin's tears fell, landing on Wei Wuxian's face like rain.

'Why? Why? Why?' Jiang Wanyin screamed.

'Go to hell!'

'It's none of my family's business! They should all go to hell!' Wei Wuxian's vision was becoming dark. At that moment he almost wanted Jiang Wanyin to not let go. He would take every hit if it could ease Jiang Wanyin's pain. Jiang Wanyin could have his death, Wei Wuxian didn't mind except that if Wei Wuxian died now he couldn't keep his promise. He needed to protect him. The grip on Wei Wuxian's throat loosened. The world was gray and blurry. He gasped for air that felt like it was on fire as it filled his lungs.

'I want my parents back.' Jiang Wanyin sobbed.

Somehow it all still got worse, because he failed. He left Jiang Wanyin alone for a few minutes and Jiang Wanyin was gone. He only managed to rescue him from Lotus Pier because of Wen Qionglin. Wen Qionglin rushed to Lotus Pier as soon as he heard what had happened. He smuggled Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin out of Lotus Pier. He hid them in the supervisory office in Yilling. For a week Wen Qionglin and Wen Qing hid them and treated their wounds.

Now they were helping them again. Helping, because Wei Wuxian couldn't leave Jiang Wanyin the way he was. Jiang Wanyin had lost his golden core when he was captured. For him it was worse than taking his life. It took everything he cared about. Without his golden core he would never lead the YunmengJiang sect. He would never be able to cultivate again. He would never achieve what his parents wanted. As far as Jiang Wanyin was concerned he was no less than nothing. He was useless and worthless, and he wished he was dead.

Jiang Wanyin needed a golden core. He needed to live. He needed to lead the YunmengJiang sect. Wen Qing tried talking Wei Wuxian out of it many times. Tried to refuse him many times. Wei Wuxian would have none of it. As far as Wei Wuxian was concerned there was no decision. He owed everything to the YunmengJiang sect. They rescued him from the streets. They gave him a home. They gave him a family. His actions had brought them destruction beyond anything Wei Wuxian could have imagined. More importantly, he couldn't bear to watch his shidi waste away. Jiang Wanyin was just waiting for his death at this point, and Wei Wuxian couldn't watch that.

Wei Wuxian bit down hard on the stick placed in his mouth trying to suppress his own screams. He could feel Wen Qing cutting into him, but what really hurt was when she started separating the golden core from his body. Wen Qing had to paralyze him before starting so he wouldn't move. The pain was so horrible that Wei Wuxian could not have possibly controlled his body. Without this precaution he would have inevitably jerked and flailed, and ruined any chance of a successful procedure.

Tears of pain poured down the sides of his face while Wen Qionglin held his head and tried his best to keep him focused. He had to stay focused. He had to stay awake. The pain was not limited to his dantian. Every cut seemed to set his essence on fire with pain. Except as it went on, and Wen Qing slowly separated the golden core from Wei Wuxian, it was not heat that Wei Wuxian was feeling. It was a cold burn like frostbite in winter.

Wei Wuxian was one of the most powerful cultivators of his generation. He loved it. He loved competing with his sword. He loved inventing new techniques with which to use his spiritual energy. He worked hard and he excelled. It made him happy. It made him feel like he was worth something. He had been so happy when he became the head disciple. He loved teaching the other disciples. He loved competing with Jiang Wanyin and fighting with Lan Wangji. Nothing made him feel more alive than when he fought with Lan Wangji. The challenge and thrill of competing with someone that he couldn't defeat. Even if it was a tie, or if one of them sometimes won. The outcome wasn't guaranteed. He had to push himself if he fought Lan Wangji, and that made it so much better.

All of that would be gone now. He'd never be able to wield his sword again. He'd never be able to use any of those techniques he invented. He wouldn't have the ability to teach anymore. The sky grew dark. Was it really night? Hadn't it been morning? How long had he been here? Wei Wuxian couldn't tell. It hurt so much. Wei Wuxian couldn't feel the wounds from Zidian anymore, because what Wen Qing was doing was so much more painful. He felt like something was being pulled out of his veins. Something pervasive through his whole body. Something that was not meant to be removed. Now it was slowly being pulled, ripped, torn from him and he could feel it.

He felt everything. Ever cut made. Every step in the separation of his golden core from his body. He felt the spiritual energy leaving him. Spiritual energy was warm and vibrant. It was like life itself. It flowed through you making everything lighter and warmer. It made the world come alive. It made Wei Wuxian come alive. Having his golden core removed. It truly felt like having the life pulled from your body. The thrumming of his golden core became further and further away. That warmth and strength he had worked his entire life for was disappearing. Wei Wuxian screamed and sobbed.

'Please stop! It hurts! It hurts! Please!' He screamed in his mind. Every fibre of his being was begging for it to stop. Screaming in agony for this to not happen. His soul begging to not let go of everything he had worked for, everything that he was. Even under the horrible pain he could still feel the difference as the spiritual energy began fleeing his body. Everything became cold and heavy. Color drained from the world and his senses became dull. Everything inside him became still as the final connection was severed and the golden core was removed.

He lost consciousness. When he awoke again the incision had been bandaged. Wen Qionglin gave Wei Wuxian medicine and supplies. Wei Wuxian didn't want to move, but he had to. He couldn't be here when Jiang Wanyin woke up. He couldn't let Jiang Wanyin know what had been done. Jiang Wanyin needed a golden core. Without it he wouldn't keep living. Wei Wuxian dragged his body down the mountain. His limbs felt so heavy.

For the first time in his life Wei Wuxian felt like a prisoner, trapped within his own skin. His body was heavy chains and walls made of flesh, cold and lifeless. Moving had never been so difficult. It seemed to take everything he had to drag one foot in front of the other. Everything felt muted and far away. The world looked dull, like a hazy imitation of the world he used to see. Sounds seemed muffled and far away. All of his senses had become dull. Was this what the world was like for ordinary people? Lifeless and tasteless. By the time he got to the town he felt so exhausted he could barely stand.

A new pain erupted through his weak and injured body. Wen Chao's voice grated against Wei Wuxian's nerves. The sound of it was painful to his ears. Wei Wuxian was only half aware of what he was saying. His mind was only focused on one thing.

'I have to keep them away from Jiang Cheng.' His words flowed easily, even if he was only half aware of what he was saying. He just needed to make them leave. Whether they killed him and left, or became angry enough to drag him somewhere else to torture or imprison him. It didn't matter. He had to protect Jiang Wanyin. He had to keep his promise.

Wei Wuxian smiled when the group of cultivators mounted their swords. He was being held firmly between two cultivators. Wei Wuxian didn't know where they were going. Maybe they decided to take him back as a prisoner. The air was so cold as they flew. It felt like it passed right through Wei Wuxian and chilled his bones. Wei Wuxian had never liked the feeling of being cold, but he hadn't realized how much he would have to experience it. Spiritual energy was warm, bright, vibrant, and alive. Without its presence to help warm Wei Wuxian, he found himself learning something he should have remembered from his time on the streets. The world is a very cold place.

'Oh. Perhaps they plan to just kill me by dropping me from the sky.' Wei Wuxian speculated vaguely. The group of cultivators had stopped and were hovering in the air. Wei Wuxian's only thought was that they planned to drop him to his death. He was oddly comfortable with that idea. He protected Jiang Wanyin with his life. He could die knowing that. It wasn't such a bad thought. That was what Wei Wuxian thought, until Wen Chao began to speak again. That was what he thought until Wen Chao told him where they were.

They were above the Burial Mounds. Wei Wuxian grew up in Yunmeng, not far from Yiling. He had heard stories of the Burial Mounds. Once it was supposedly a place of great spiritual energy, but it became the site of a brutal and horrifying battle. The land had become so tainted with resentment that the QishanWen Clan had never been able to purify it no matter how hard they tried. It was a mountain of corpses and monstrosities. All that could be done was to seal it, so that the dangers inside couldn't escape. Corpses were still thrown into the Burial Mounds over the years. Corpses, and occasionally prisoners of the QishanWen Clan. Nothing and no one had ever made it out.

The next thing Wei Wuxian knew was that he was falling. His stomach was in his throat as his body raced toward the rocky ground. Resentful energy permeated the air and accumulated around him like a thick smoke. It wrapped him in the chill of death. Coiled around him as he descended into a place that could only be compared to hell.

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He hit the ground. Pain erupted through his body. For a long time he remained on the ground. He stared up at a hazy shrouded sky waiting for death. He wondered if Jiang Wanyin had made it safely down the mountain. He wondered what his shidi would think when Wei Wuxian wasn't there waiting for him. Would he be sad? Wei Wuxian felt tears stinging his eyes. He didn't know if Jiang Wanyin would be sad. In the past he would have been certain that Jiang Wanyin would mourn him. That was before the massacre. Before he cost Jiang Wanyin his parents and his home. Before Jiang Wanyin had drawn a line between Wei Wuxian and the Jiang family.

'It's none of my family's business!' Jiang Wanyin had said. My, not our. Jiang Wanyin was no longer including Wei Wuxian as part of that family. Wei Wuxian shouldn't have been surprised. He was a ward of Jiang Fengmian, but he wasn't adopted. He wasn't actually a part of the family. Wei Wuxian had forgotten that. His Shijie and Shidi had made him forget. Every time they treated him like he was really their sibling. Every time Jiang Fengmian treated him like a nephew or son. How many times did Madam Yu remind him, but Wei Wuxian still forgot. He had still believed himself to be part of the family.

Wei Wuxian thought about Jiang Yanli. Would she blame him? Probably not, he realized. She never blamed him for anything. She'd be sad to never see him again. Wei Wuxian felt tears sting at his eyes. Would anyone else miss him? He had always made friends easily, but he couldn't really say how much he meant to any of them.

'Wei Ying.' Wei Wuxian felt like he could hear Lan Wangji's voice calling him, scolding him.

'Lan Zhan... will you be lonely without me?' Wei Wuxian asked himself with a small mischievous smile. He thought about the last time he saw Lan Wangji. They were trapped in that cave, cold and starving. He remembered that song Lan Wangji had hummed for him. Wei Wuxian could hear growls and screams of fierce corpses in the distance.  His heart rate quickened with fear as he only just now realized something. He didn't want to die.