The most precious medicine

Chapter 2

Lan Xichen was tired and sad, even more so than all that time he had spent in seclusion after the events at the Guanyin temple. He had thought he had somewhat recovered and that he was ready to come out and face the harshness of the world once again. His brother and uncle had encouraged him several times and he had finally listened to their words.

However, it seemed like he had chosen the most unfortunate of times to end his seclusion. He should have probably not agreed to attend a discussion conference right off the bat, even when it had been just a small one held in the Cloud Recesses. He had felt powerless back then, when he could not do anything but sit silently and hope no one would direct any questions at him.

And he was feeling even more powerless and lost now when he stood in the infirmary with his younger brother on his death bed, his uncle completely devastated and Wei Wuxian trying to drive himself sick in an attempt to cure the poison. It was truly way too much for him, especially when his heart was not yet healed from the loss of his sworn brother. Even if that said sworn brother had been the master culprit behind nearly everything bad which had happened during the last two decades.

Still, he could not just stand there and watch. He finally understood the true depth of feelings between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. His brother had after all grieved unconsolably for well over a decade before he finally got Wei Wuxian back. And the former demonic cultivator who as everyone knew by now was completely innocent had apparently also fallen head over heels for Lan Wangji. And was losing him now.

Lan Xichen could understand how that felt. He had after all tried to protect Jin Guangyao too, almost at the cost of his reputation and his own life. But this was simply too much and too hard to watch. He had to intervene if no one else was going to do it. He could not let Wei Wuxian collapse and perhaps miss the last moments with his soulmate. He deserved at least that much. The healer had clearly said that they only had two or three more days at this rate.

As he approached the frantically moving young man, he was still trying to wrap his sluggish and confused mind about what had happened during the conference. How exactly had they ended up in this kind of a mess?

*** Flashback ***

Lan Xichen was sitting in the sect hall in the Cloud Recesses and was trying to keep his expression stony. He had just come out of seclusion and everything felt like too much for him after so many months of silence and meditation. He had forgotten how loud, unthoughtful and even cruel, selfish and power-hungry the cultivation world could be.

The discussion had started quite civilly at first, the present sect leaders had been discussing new developments in the cultivation world. Lan Wangji was sitting in the middle, being the Chief Cultivator, it was his duty and privilege to lead the conference. However, despite not keeping track with what exactly was being said, Lan Xichen could tell that the conversation was going south quickly and that his brother was struggling.

It was at that exact time that Wei Wuxian chose to stop sitting silently by Lan Wangji's side and also join the heated discussion in order to support him. Which, Lan Xichen had to say from where he was sitting, did not help in calming the situation one bit. Although the truth about the war and all the events which followed had been revealed at the Guanyin temple and communicated to every sect, there were still not too few people who judged him and hated him for his use of the demonic cultivation.

As soon as Wei Wuxian spoke, the previous topic seemed to have been forgotten and everyone started arguing if the former demonic cultivator should even be allowed to say anything during a discussion conference. They tolerated him just because the Chief Cultivator would not have it otherwise, but they did not accept him as one of their own. He was not a sect leader and people started pointing out that he had snuck in just ruin the whole conference. That he was just as arrogant as ever.

Of course, hearing this, Lan Wangji's muscles became tense, he was ready to defend his unofficial husband. Unofficial only in name as Lan Qiren refused to give them his blessing, otherwise, they had already been living together for months and had even held a small private ceremony as Lan Xichen knew.

Not everyone approved of their reunion or of Wei Wuxian's presence in the conference and stated that he was still as dangerous as ever. According to them, he should be immediately evicted from the room. He had no right to meddle into the affairs of the cultivation world as he was only a defected cultivator. They feared he would scheme behind their backs and try to take over the righteous sects just as Wen Ruohan had wanted once upon the time.

Voices were rising, everyone wanted to let the others know his own opinion on this subject. Even Lan Qiren joined in and also demanded that Wei Wuxian left the room without delay. Unfortunately, he had never come to like his nephew's soulmate. It was a mess and Lan Xichen had to close his eyes to keep himself from leaving. This was truly too much, he felt overwhelmed.

Could they not see how foolishly they were all behaving? Wei Wuxian was not an evil demonic cultivator; he had never been. They were just as blind as ever, including Lan Qiren.

Lan Xichen's eyes flew open when he heard a sound of a blade being drawn. The situation was escalating quickly. He looked around, but he realized that no one was actually getting ready to fight. No swords were used and not a single glint of metal could be seen in the colourful sea of cultivation robes.

Had he just imagined it? No, there it was! There was one person with a small throwing dagger in their hand. It was an old man in the colours of the Yao sect. He was ready to attack, the blade pointed at Wei Wuxian.

Lan Xichen jumped to his feet. No one else seemed to have noticed the impending danger which was menacing his brother-in-law's life. He was the only one who could act.

Through his headache and dizziness, he heard the new leader of the Yao sect shouting above everyone: "Wei Wuxian! See, even Master Lan does not support you. You may have managed to bewitch the Chief Cultivator, but you will not fool the rest of us. Your demonic cultivation is just like Wen Ruohan's had been, who knows what you are scheming. Who could tell if you are not preparing to take over the cultivation world with your evil tricks? You should be dealt with!"

Everything which happened next had been just a blur to Lan Xichen. He was finally standing, but it was too late. The throwing dagger was already on its way toward Wei Wuxian's back. The former demonic cultivator was not suspecting anything and his back was completely unguarded.

Only upon hearing the sect leader Yao's words did he start to turn around. Too slowly for him to realize that there was a deathly weapon on its way. It was sure to hit its target, directly in the middle of his chest. It seemed inevitable.

"No!" was everything that Lan Xichen managed to get through his tightened throat. He was already imagining how devastated would his brother be if he was to lose Wei Wuxian for a second time.

Luckily, his shout had been heard, by none other than Lan Wangji himself. The Chief Cultivator immediately spotted the danger and threw himself between the weapon and his husband. Bichen was drawn at the speed of a lightning and he managed to change the trajectory of the dagger at the very last moment. Lan Xichen collapsed back into his seat with relief.

However, it had been only short lived. The next second, he heard another loud thud, he was not the only one to fall. He looked up and saw that Wei Wuxian was now kneeling on the ground next to a very pale and laboriously breathing Lan Wangji. There was a small cut on the Chief Cultivator's cheek and his eyes were closed. All colour was leaving his face, too quickly for comfort.

"Poison..." Lan Xichen muttered to himself and was already fighting to get to his feet and go check on his brother. It seemed like it was a very dangerous and fast-acting kind.