.
Fu Shi was informed about the upcoming trip. Needless to say, she was not pleased. Do these people not understand how delicate this process is going to be? They actually want her to plan the treatment session on the move? Ridiculous.. but doable. She, unlike other healers, thrives on challenge. Her only fear is Wuxian's current declined health will be tough to build on.
Healer Shi made her way to respond to a summons by Zewu Jun. She has never met a man who demands her respect as much as the older sibling of the Twin Jades of Gusu Lan Clan. Her past is the only thing stopping her from courting him.
She announces her presence, enters and bows. Heavens have mercy on her soul. His warm smile almost made her knees buckle. Shi: "Zewu Jun, you requested my audience?"
Zewu Jun: "I have good news. We have a viable candidate. They will be here shortly. If they arrive in the next few days, when will be a suitable time to start the healing process?"
Shi looks pleased: "I have all I need. I will be ready the moment I test the new candidate for compatibility."
Zewu Jun: "Do you have any requests for me as a participant?"
Shi: "Rest and nutrition. This should not affect you at all. Since it's a slow process, the energy required per session is equivalent to a short training session. Nothing more. It will be a weekly event, so the only disruption it will cause is to your schedule."
Zewu Jun chuckles: "My schedule is dedicated to serving the Divine Oracle. It will be my pleasure."
A disciple intrudes: "Zewu Jun, your presence is requested in the Treasure Room. We have a problem."
Zewu Jun gets up and walks in haste towards Wuxian. Healer Shi follows out of curiosity. Today he had four spirit summons and one healing visitor planned to meet with Wuxian. From the case files he read about them, none of them should require his interference.
He enters the Treasure Room's main hall to find the disciples on guard, Wuxian sitting on his chair looking displeased and the man kneeling while glaring at Wuxian defiantly.
Zewu Jun: "Brother Wei, what seems to be the problem?"
Wuxian points to the man: "This man accused me of lying. I told him what the spirits told me. Apparently that's not what he wants to hear."
Zewu Jun turns to address the kneeling man: "Sir, please explain."
The man glares at Zewu Jun: "Your kind always think that you're superior! I came here to find peace of mind and all you provided were lies and deceit!"
He turns and spits towards Wuxian: "HE'S THE SPAWN OF EVIL!"
Wuxian sighs: "How am I evil? I'm just the messenger!"
The man: "You say that you can speak to the dead, where is the proof? Why should we take your word as if it's written in stone!"
Zewu Jun frowns at the man: "Sir, we do not have to prove anything to you. If you're disappointed with what you heard then leave. A blessing is not always well received."
The man ignores him and glares at Wuxian: "I want to see her."
Zewu Jun remembers reading the case file a few nights ago. A man lost his wife a while back and after a few years, his oldest son started exhibiting symptoms of what appears to be a hereditary curable illness. The man's family and his wife's did not pass on these traits so the man came here to seek answers. He's a well known merchant in Jin Sect and has only one descendant.
Wuxian agreed to use his wife's favorite comb to ask her directly. She cried while confessing her affair with the neighbors young son. Her husband refuses to hear her explanation and accuses Wuxian of lying and bringing shame to his family.
Wuxian asks Zewu Jun to come close and he whispers to him: "Lan Ran tried to calm him. I wanted him removed but she said that Jin Clan Leader asked us to indulge him since he's a well known merchant in their sect. I don't understand politics well and I don't want to offend anyone. What should we do?"
Zewu Jun sighs in frustration: "He's angry. I don't want him near you while his emotions are running wild."
Wuxian covers his face with both hands in annoyance: "I just want him gone. Give me a solution."
Zewu Jun turns to address the man and points to Wuxian: "Do you know who this man is?"
The man says in disgust: "The Divine Oracle."
Zewu Jun: "If you choose to show him nothing but disrespect, don't expect us to share his blessings with you. I am his advisor and as a Lan Clan representative, I refuse to allow anyone to treat him with anything less than what he deserves."
The man bows begrudgingly and says: "I'm sorry, Zewu Jun. I mean no harm. What he said enraged me."
Zewu Jun: "He only repeated what your wife told him. If we prove to you her claim, will you leave in peace and never return?"
The man nods.
Zewu Jun turns to confirm with Wuxian and he sighs: "Fine."
He extends his hand to the man and Zewu Jun instructs him to take it.
The wife appears to her husband in tears: "I'm sorry! I honestly thought he was your son! I'm sorry!"
The husband sneers at her: "Tell me everything.."
She tells him the story of her affair until he is convinced. His grasp on Wuxian's hand got tighter as his anger built to a point where Wuxian winced in pain. He held it in, hoping this would end soon. The man abruptly lets go and shouts: "ENOUGH!" Then he storms out.
Wuxian feels loathing welling in his chest. Hate and disgust were boiling his insides. His ears were ringing and he tried to stand up, only to fall on the ground. He opens his eyes to see a worried Zewu Jun. His lips were moving but Wuxian couldn't hear a word he said. Wuxian whispers: "Lan Zhan.. Lan Zhan.." Tears started to spill from his eyes while he tried to fight these foreign dark feelings within him.
He feels his soul-bond's embrace after a while. His hair starts to glow. Wangji and Zewu Jun, joined this time by Lan Ran, each grabbed a strand of hair.
'The best merchant in Jin Sect just made a deal of a life-time. A few days ago, he bought a forbidden book from Jin Guangyao who claims it was taken from a secret library out of their sect. The book was emitting some type of spiritual energy and he knew that it would fetch him a good price when he sells it. He was on his way to meet his wife for lunch when a man dressed in black blocked his way. He wants to buy the book. He offered a hefty price so the merchant agreed and the exchange was made. That day, the merchant decided to celebrate by inviting all his neighbors for a feast. He introduced his wife to the old couple next door and their young son. He was too blinded with greed to notice the hunger in both their eyes when they met. His misfortune started because of one book: Darkest of Days.'
Wuxian coughs violently and struggles to breath. He's clutching Wangji's robes, while blood trickles down his nose. Healer Shi rushes in to ease him on the ground on his side to assess his condition while the three who just witnessed the past were still trying to comprehend what they just saw. Zewu Jun was the first to snap into action; he ran out to find the merchant. Lan Ran ran into the library to write down in details what she saw, per Qiren's request. And Wangji stayed near his soul-bond, shushing his whimpers of pain and trying to comfort him until Healer Shi finished treating him.
Healer Shi transferred some energy to his chest and temple to calm him down and regulate his breathing. Wuxian passed out from exhaustion when she was done. Wangji looks at his soul-bond in worry: "Why is this happening? We followed the instructions in your book. I made sure of it."
Healer Shi: "If he only experienced one thing at a time he would've been fine. As I mentioned before, his body is failing. What I suggested are methods that will slow it down, not stop or reverse the damage. That's why he needs the procedure to be done soon."
Wangji frowned and scooped Wuxian up to take him to their room to rest. A few hours later, Wuxian finds himself blinking blurry eyes at a smiling Wen Ning: "I passed out again?"
Wen Ning: "Yup."
Wuxian sighs: "Was it a vision of the past?"
Wen Ning: "Yup."
Wuxian rubs his forehead: "Do you know what they saw?"
Wen Ning: "Nope."
Wuxian narrows his eyes, looking suspiciously at him: "Why do you look so happy?"
Wen Ning: "Someone is here to see you."
Wuxian sits up curiously: "Who?"
Wen Ning: "They're outside."
Wuxian: "Why are they outside?"
Wen Ning: "Hanguang Jun refused to let them into the room."
Wuxian frowns and gets up to open the door and see who it is. The moment the door opens, he's assaulted by what seems like a giant warm bear: "YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"
Wuxian whines loudly while trying to push Yuxio away: "HEAVENS WHY! GET OFF ME! get off.. get off.."
Jin Ling manages to pull the overbearing woman from Wuxian and breathlessly bows to his uncle: "Uncle, it's good to see you again."
Wuxian looks desperately at Ling: "WHY IS SHE HERE?"
She pulls a folded piece of paper from her robes and throws it over Ling's head. Wuxian catches it and reads its content:
'She's your problem now.
You're welcome.
Best brother in the world,
Jiang Cheng.'
Wuxian closes his eyes in frustration: "That jerk!"
Jin Ling addresses his uncle while still blocking Yuxio: "Jiang Cheng said that you need her for some type of procedure and asked me to, and I quote, stop her from embarrassing our clan while staying here."
Wuxian looks at Yuxio who's smiling widely at him: "Do you know why you're here?"
Yuxio claps her hands cheerfully: "To help you heal and protect you!"
Wuxian groans and turns to Wen Ning: "Can you please take her to Zewu Jun?"
Wen Ning grabs her arm and drags her while she tries to look back and catch a few more glimpses of the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.
Wuxian smiles at his nephew: "Welcome back to Cloud Recesses. I hope Yuxio doesn't ruin your stay here."
Jin Ling ducks his head shyly and nods. They sat together while Wuxian drank medicinal tea and Ling told stories of his night hunt adventures. Wuxian smiles at him while watching him use his hands wildly, trying to explain something. They never had the chance to bond like this before and it was making Wuxian really happy. His nephew will be a great leader one day and he needs to get better to help him grow.
Wangji joined them a few hours later. Ling bowed and excused himself a minute after Wangji walked in. Wuxian laughs and says: "I think he is intimidated by you."
Wangji smiles and sits next to him: "How do you feel?"
Wuxian: "I'm fine. The emotional transference this time was too intense. What did you guys see?"
Wangji tells him the details of the vision. Wuxian rubs his nose: ".. secret library?"
Wangji: "Zewu Jun thinks it was stolen with the Collection of Turmoil from our Hidden Library."
Wuxian sighs tiredly and says: "Yuxio is here."
Wangji nods: "I met her earlier. Healer Shi tested her. We have three candidates."
Wuxian groans: "The pervert passed?"
Wangji nods with a look of disapproval.
Wuxian laughs: "She will be staying with us for a while."
Wangji glares at his soul-bond.
Wuxian: "Don't look at me like that. You're not the one receiving her unwanted attention!"
Wangji: "The procedure will start the day after tomorrow to give you enough time to recover from the last vision. Your Treasure and Oracle duties are suspended until Healer Shi clears you after the first healing session."
A flash of sadness paints Wuxian's features so Wangji grabs his hands and peppers them with kisses and whispers between each kiss: "It will be over soon. I will be by your side. We will all protect you. Just concentrate on getting better. Don't let anything else bother you. I love you."
Wuxian moves closer and whispers: "I love you way more."
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