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Wuxian knew what hunger felt like. Several times during his life, he went for days without food and water, ate from someone else's trash or had to beg for his meal. He is the last person to turn down food when offered. But.. right now, he was staring at the food Wangji placed in front of him and could barely look at it without cringing. Healer Shi requested a 'water break' two hours into their journey, which under normal circumstances would've sounded ludicrous. But, since all the people traveling knew Wuxian was deprived of his spiritual energy and the frequent stops are probably for his sake. No one questioned the stupid excuse as long as they stop without making Wuxian feel guilty.
Healer Shi knew that the smaller man had been feeling nauseous. Eating in a moving carriage wouldn't be ideal to alleviate his discomfort. She made sure they stopped to give him a chance to consume his first extra meal of the day. Wuxian swallowed hard, staring at the bowl of rice and sides laid out neatly in front of him. Wangji sensed his hesitation: "Wei Ying, would you like to eat something else?"
Wuxian's eyes widened and he shook his head: "No.. No.. It looks delicious. Thank you."
Wuxian tightened his grip on his chopsticks and took a deep breath. If he ate this fast enough maybe he won't get sick from it.
He chugged his food with gusto and when they started their trip again, he regretted it. Sizhui switched with Wen Ning and was now sitting quietly with him in the carriage. He noticed his father was wincing, covering his mouth from time to time and looked paler than usual. Sizhui: "Father, would you like us to take a break?"
Wuxian shook his head and laid down. Maybe if he napped this disgusting feeling will go away. His mouth tasted like blood even though he hasn't eaten any meat so far today. A few minutes into his nap, he woke up with bile making its way up his throat. He covered his mouth and with urgency slammed his hand on the side of the carriage to make it stop. The moment it halted, he fell off of the wooden box into the ground and threw up all the food he ate for the day.
He felt cold sweat cover his brow and couldn't stop dry heaving when nothing else was left in his stomach. Healer Shi places a wet cool cloth at the nape of his neck while Wangji rubbed his back until he was done. Sizhui handed him water to rinse his mouth and when he spat it out it was filled with blood. Healer Shi turned to look at the stuff that came out of Wuxian only to find that most of it was tinted with blood.
Healer Shi grabbed his chin and tilted his head back: "Open your mouth please."
Wuxian followed her order. Healer Shi frowned: "Your gums are bleeding. You've been swallowing it with your food. That's probably what's making you nauseous."
Wuxian blinked slowly at her then said with a hoarse voice: "How do we fix this?"
They helped Wuxian back into the carriage and she opened the big box and took out a jar of honey: "Take this and rub it into your gums to mask the metallic taste for now. It should help mend them as well."
Wangji looked worriedly at Wuxian when he laid back down and closed his eyes in exhaustion: "You said he shouldn't skip meals."
Healer Shi: "We shouldn't force him when he's nauseous. Maybe after he rests for a bit, he can try again."
They left Wuxian under Sizhui's care once more while he slept. Wuxian didn't feel any better during the first day or the second. He couldn't stomach anything and even when he forced himself to eat, it just ended up a few minutes later back out and on the ground. Da Ziran stopped moving that morning which freaked out Kaoji who was sitting with Wuxian. He whispered loudly, as to not disturb the resting man, out the carriage window to Wangji: "Hanguang Jun, something is wrong with the snake!"
Wangji stopped the carriage to check on Wuxian. He knew that the two were connected and that made him a little bit on edge: "Wei Ying."
Wuxian opened tired eyes to look at his soul-bond: "Hm?"
Wangji: "Why is Da Ziran not moving?"
Wuxian whispered to him: "She said that I don't have enough energy for the both of us so she's hibernating."
Healer Shi wraps the snake in a warm blanket to keep it comfortable as they resume their travel.
Wuxian was reaching the limit of his tolerance. By midday of the third day, he opened his eyes to see Jingyi sitting with him and looking out the window. Wuxian's breath was short and choppy and he could feel his body shake with tremors. He cannot take the constant jarring sensation from the movement of the carriage. He hasn't had anything substantial to eat for three days and has been throwing up blood constantly.
Wuxian grabbed Jingyi's robes and tugged weakly. Jungji turned to him and he whispered tiredly: "S.. stop."
Jingyi asks: "Stop what?"
Wuxian lets out a frustrated sob and lethargically taps the wood under him. He had no more energy to talk. Jingyi nearly gave everyone a heart attack when he yelled for them to halt. Healer Shi jumped into the carriage and checked over Wuxian. She was beyond worried at this point: "Little rabbit, what's wrong?"
Wuxian shakes his head and blinks at her while a few tears made their way out of his eyes. Shi wipes them with sympathy and asks: "The carriage movement is making you feel uncomfortable?" Wuxian nods and closes his eyes. She sighs and goes outside to talk to the rest of the group: "He has reached his limit. We cannot go further until we deal with his nausea and get proper food into him."
Wangji: "What do you need?"
Healer Shi scratched her head: "The only natural remedy I know for nausea is ginger, which I do not have."
Zewu Jun: "There are three villages within a few hours of this location. We can send disciples to look for it."
Healer Shi asks the group: "Do any of you know what ginger looks like?"
Wen Ning, Yuxio and Taiho raised their hands. Taiho took Sizhui, while Jin Ling accompanied Yuxio and Wen Ning went alone.
Wen Ning opted to run and jump between trees rather than ride a horse. He was faster this way. Wei Wuxian has given him the power to harness endless energy and trusted him to use it wisely. On the way he saw a trolly filled with wrapped stuff parked on the side. He stopped and sniffed the air and smiled when he found what he was looking for. No one can mistake the sharp smell of a fresh ginger root. He looked around for the owner but couldn't find anyone.
Wen Ning was not a thief but he was desperate. He placed a silver rock on the seat of the trolly and started opening the sacks loaded on it, looking for the ginger. A sword flew towards him from behind and he barely had the time to summon his chains to block it.
A woman appeared between the trees, charging his way: "HOW DARE YOU STEAL FROM ME!"
Wen Ning didn't have a chance to explain. He found himself in a tense fight with an unknown cultivator. She didn't seem to belong to any of the known clans but her sword technique was refined.
Wen Ning was trying his best to deflect her attacks but not harm her with his chains. Her angry strikes and powerful offensive tactics are making it hard for him to restrain himself.
She sneers at him: "The most hateful people in the world are those who bully and steal! I will not allow you to take what is not yours!"
Wen Ning: "I wasn't stealing!"
She tsks while delivering another sword attack: "Then why were you looking through my stuff?"
Wen Ning bites his lip and continues to block her. He didn't have time for this so he used his chains to wrap around her sword and pull it away from her. He didn't predict that she would tighten her grip and follow the sword until their faces were a few inches apart.
She looked at him closely for the first time since the fight started. His pale complexion, the black veins sneaking up his neck.. the chains. Realization washes over her and she asks: "You're the Ghost General?"
Wen Ning sees her shocked face and moves back, releasing her sword. She tilts it down as a sign of temporary surrender and he puts down his chains: "I go by a new title now: The Guardian of the Divine Oracle."
Her face splits into a wide smile: "Wei Wuxian is with you?"
Wen Ning frowns at her. This woman knew his soul-brother: "Who are you?"
She sheathes her swords and bows to him: "Wen Ning, you might not remember me but I remember you. I am Luo Qingyang. I used to be a junior cultivator for Jin Clan Sect in the past."
Wen Ning stared at her for a few seconds. She seems familiar but he doesn't remember her well. He bows to her anyways and explains: "Lady Luo, I wasn't stealing from you. I'm in dire need of the ginger root you had and placed payment for it on your trolly."
She checks and sees a silver rock on her seat and asks: "There is a village an hour from here. Why are you taking mine when you can buy much more with that price from there."
Wen Ning debates whether to share with her or not. He doesn't have time to come up with lies so he settles for the truth: "Master Wei needs it."
Her smile returns and she asks: "So he is with you. I was on my way to Cloud Recesses to meet him. I'll give you all the ginger I have if you take me to him."
Wen Ning nods and they make their way back to where Wuxian and his companions are.
She did not expect the large entourage when they reached the temporary stopping area. Zewu Jun spots them first and is shocked to see her: "Lady Luo! It's been many years."
She bows to him: "Zewu Jun, it's a pleasure to see you again."
The woman next to him seemed in a hurry and rushed towards Wen Ning: "Did you find it?"
Wen Ning hands her a sack filled with ginger and she hastily adds it to the tea she was brewing on fire.
Mianmian looked puzzled by her behavior and asked Zewu Jun: "What's going on?"
Zewu Jung smiles at her: "Brother Wei is not feeling well.That is Fu Shi, a healer from the south who's traveling with us. Excuse her rudeness, she's been stressed the last few days trying to make him feel better."
Mianmian shakes her head: "No offence taken. I was traveling towards Cloud Recesses to meet Wei Wuxian anyways."
Zewu Jun asks: "Is it a normal visit or do you seek him as the Divine Oracle?"
Mianmian looks sadly at him: "I wish it was under happier circumstances. I need his help with something."
Zewu Jun: "Maybe I can guide you in his stead?"
Mianmian shook her head and looked down in sorrow: "Only he can help me."
Zewu Jun: "What happened?"
Mianmian points to the trolly she's been dragging with her and opens the covered sacks. It had many random items that were trivial for a traveler. Zewu Jun looks baffled: "Why are you carrying those items with you?"
Mianmian: "They belong to the dead. Each item was once owned by someone in my village before they all died mysteriously. I need Wuxian to help me find answers to who killed them and why."
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