Wuyi took a hesitant step, not daring to move too close. The statue was clear that Boluo's emotions were all over the place; even if he did not want to hurt Wuyi, it was not a good idea, Wuyi felt. He still felt the sting of the slap from the morning.
Boluo frowned. "Are you injured?" Wuyi shook his head. "Then come."
Again, Wuyi hesitated. Haowen issued a soft whimper, torn between obedience and dread.
Boluo looked down at him, his thoughts struggling through a mist of the wine he had drunk. His gaze shifted between Haowen and Wuyi, and then a look of realization spread across his face. He rose from the stool, limping slightly as he moved to a corner where an array of old tools and objects were stored. He picked up an object made of wood and leather, stiff from years of non-use. He swung it lightly, the leather lash landing softly against his leg.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked, his voice unusually soft.
Wuyi shook his head.
"It's a hound whip," Boluo explained.
Wuyi stared blankly; he knew what it was but decided to act innocent. Boluo must have sensed their confusion. His expression was warm, but Wuyi felt an underlying tension. Something else was bothering Boluo now, not just the theft; something deep and dangerous was making Boluo afraid.
"It's a teaching tool, Wuyi. When a hound disobeys—doesn't come when called—a few swift lashes will teach him to obey immediately."
As he spoke, he lowered the whip and lightly grazed its lash over the floor. Neither Haowen nor Wuyi could take their eyes off it. When Boluo suddenly tossed it towards Haowen, the hound yelped and scurried to hide behind Wuyi.
Boluo sat back down, his face concealed by his hands. "By the heavens," he mumbled, his voice a mix of regret and resignation. "I suspected something when I saw you running together, but I didn't want to be right. I've never used that whip on a pup before. Haowen had no reason to be scared—unless—" his voice trailed off.
Wuyi felt the tension dissipate as if a storm had passed, leaving the atmosphere serene but heavy. He sat down, and Haowen crawled into his lap, his nose nudging Wuyi's face as if to ask if all was well. Wuyi gently patted him, implying they should wait and see. They sat in silence, both human and pup observing Boluo's still form.
When he finally looked up, his face bore traces of tears. It reminded Wuyi of how his mother might have looked, though he couldn't recall ever seeing her cry. Only Boluo's anguished expression was vivid in his mind. Boluo was in deep pain and fear of something.
Wuyi had single-handedly ruined his free life. It was not Wuyi's fault, much of it was his father's, but nevertheless, Boluo had become a prisoner. Without desiring to, he had to be a guardian to a child not his own. Boluo, at the end of the day, was a good man; he could not dare to leave the child he was given responsibility for. All of this was making him suffer. If Wuyi was just another child, Boluo would not have minded taking care of him either, just like many beasts he cared for, but Wuyi's noble clan brought a lot of complications for the poor beastmaster to handle.
"Wuyi, my boy, come here," Boluo said softly, and the tone of his voice made resistance impossible. The statue gave feedback that it was totally safe.
Wuyi got up and approached him, Haowen trailing behind him. "No," Boluo directed at Haowen, pointing to a spot near his boot. To Wuyi, he gestured to sit beside him on the bench.
"Wuyi," he started but then hesitated. Taking a deep breath, he spoke again. "What you're doing, it's not right. You are high-born, but you are a bastard; you are not allowed to have special powers. Even if you have any bloodline powers, you must not show them. If you use bloodline powers, there will be consequences for both of us, which will not be good for either of us."
His words left Wuyi puzzled, and he could only stare at Boluo. He sighed and tried another approach, "Wuyi, you must understand that your actions have consequences, not just for you but for those around you. If you use your noble blood and show powers or abilities, you risk drawing unwanted attention, and that could be dangerous for both of us."
"You carry special blood in your veins, legitimate or not. You are the son of Xuan, of the Yuanjing lineage. What you are doing is part of your heritage. But that heritage is not given to you yet, and if you try to take it, you, me, and this fort—maybe everyone—will suffer. Understand?" Boluo's voice was tinged with a mix of urgency and despair.
Wuyi shook his head, genuinely not understanding. What bloodline power? All he knew was that he could connect to beasts or people because of the statue in the chamber. What was this about a bloodline?
"See, you don't even speak anymore. You can communicate with the pup like humans, can't you? I am sure you might be able to with any beast or being. That's bloodline manifesting. Every noble clan has some special bloodline power. The Yuanjing have kept their bloodline powers secret for centuries. As much as I know from your father, each member carries a different power; there is something unique about the Yuanjing bloodline. But they are very protective about their bloodline secrets. Now, who taught you this... communion with the pup?" Boluo probed.
He was a beastmaster, a good one at that, but even he could never communicate with beasts so easily. Wuyi, the five-year-old child, could talk to the pup as if he were talking to humans. Boluo had seen it many times but never considered it seriously until today.