Work Text:
A Sudden Realisation
Zhou Zishu watched as Wen Kexing ran away from him. Zhang Chengling headed after him, "Chengling, come back, stop. Leave him be," he ordered the teenager.
"But Master," he said, eyes wide and worried as he followed the man with his eyes.
"Just, he needs a moment to himself. He's..." he stopped, thinking back to that time himself. He remembered a lot of his master from then. How the Zhen family had gone to a village nearby while Wen Kexing's father recovered a little. How they would go back in a few months to get Wen Kexing and bring him into the Sect. He was the Da-Shixiong of the Four Seasons, of the next generation. Wen Kexing was the Er-Shixiong. The two eldest, the first two to be brought into the Fifth Generation of the Four Seasons. It has often confused their Generation of why Qin Jiuxiao was the third brother and not the second. The place remained for Zhen Yan. Bi Chengfeng was the last of the Fourth Generation, and seeing him gone had broken what was left of Zhao Zishu. Eighty-one brothers and almost twenty of the Fourth Generation he had lost. After that he wanted to lose himself, it didn't matter if it was lost on the streets or dead in a ditch. He wanted out of the life he was living.
"Master?" Zhang Chengling said, frowning at the man as he walked over, "Are you okay?" he asked, biting his lip.
Zhou Zishu forced a smile, "I am, but I think I need a moment as well. To find out that someone I had thought lost is found once more."
"I understand Master," he said as he turned to find Ye Baiyi walking over to them.
"Let's ge-'' the white-clad man began as he looked around, "Where's the brat?" he asked him.
"He needs a few moments," Zhou Zishu answered, not giving him any details. His mind was stuck in a whirl as he started pulling things together.
"Then let's go and find a good place to camp for the night," Ye Baiyi called out, "he can come and find us," he muttered as he led them away.
Zhou Zishu followed mechanically, ignoring the two as they talked and found a place. He watched them for a moment and then sat down in front of a tree, leaning against it. His thoughts whirling even more now he was resting.
Master Qin always had a heavy heart as soon as he had found the village. He could remember hearing something about Ghosts a few times. Uncle Bi was extremely angry at their mention, talking about how they didn't care who they went after. It wasn't hard for him to start piecing things together.
The ghost had attacked the Zhen family.
Wen Kexing is the son of Zhen Ruyu and Gu Miaomiao, both of whom are dead.
Wen Kexing is alive, but he hadn't been found by Master Qin, who Zhou Zishu knew had gone to search for the child a few times, hoping to find him and bring him home.
Zhou Zishu wondered how he could have survived the way he did. The man knew a lot about things no ordinary person would know. Things that he had learned because he was the Leader of the Window of Heaven. Things that were so secret that even he would have trouble knowing.
Zhou Zishu's eyes flew open as the realisation hit him. His Lao Wen was the Master of Ghost Valley. There was no other thing that he could be. His Martial arts were such that very very few could match them. Even Zhou Zishu at his peak and without Nails wouldn't be able to keep up for long. But that was more because the way Wen Kexing fought was because of survival. He knew how to survive at all costs. He would kill without a second thought and would pit people against each other the same way. The way he talked about those within the Martial Arts world, as though he wasn't a part of it. And in a sense, he wasn't part of it. He was a Ghost, someone that most of the world believed to be dead and long gone.
The man lumped where he sat, "What can I do to help him," he murmured to himself. He had pushed Wen Kexing, continuing to mention a past that was obviously upsetting to the younger man. The small amount of time he had been able to spend with his Shidi had meant the world to him. Now he was back, and not wishing to recognise their connection to each other in such a way. To push him away. It puzzled him for a moment as to why Wen Kexing would have followed him as soon as he figured out who he was. He was a link to a past that hurt the other man. But in that second he also was reminded that they had a lot of fun, the most fun that Zhou Zishu had ever had. He hadn't wished to play after losing his Shidi.
"Are you going to sit there and mope or are you going to help?" Ye Baiyi demanded of him, kicking at his foot.
"Sorry Senior Ye," Zhou Zishu said as he saw that a fire was now roaring.
"Better be, idiot disciple," he muttered as he went and sat down, "Now, tell me what the hell happened?" he asked, "What caused the brat to run off?"
Zhou Zishu was silent as Zhang Chengling said, "He's master’s Shidi," he grinned, "He was called Zhen Yan..." he trailed off when he saw the small glare his master sent towards him.
"It's like this Senior Ye," Zhou Zishu took over and began to explain what he remembered happening when he was a young child. His heart was still heavy and wondering how Wen Kexing had survived Ghost Valley. He looked up after a while of explaining, talking with the three of them. Zhou Zishu spotted Wen Kexing hovering in the darkness, he wanted to smile at the man. To let him know that he knew who he was and didn't care. That he understood a little and wouldn't push him so much again. That he would be by his side and not leave him alone. Zhou Zishu felt he had failed as Zhen Yan's Shixiong, he wouldn't fail him now as Wen Kexing.