Who You Are Book 2

Chapter 27 - Empathy With Chifeng Zun Pt. 1

As Wei Wuxian had expected, the final piece of Nie Mingjue's body, his head, was indeed being kept by Jin Guangyao. Nie Mingjue, the one who almost seemed to go into invincible rages during the Sunshot Campaign, was sealed under layers upon layers within such a cramped, dismal room, unable to ever see the light.

If Wei Wuxian simply removed the seal on the head, Chifeng Zun's corpse would be able to sense it and come for it on its own. As he was inspecting the restrictions of the helmet, deciding how exactly to deal with it, he suddenly felt a powerful force of attraction. His weightless paper body had been shoved forward so that he was stuck to Nie Mingjue's forehead.

On the other side of Carp Tower, Lan Wangji continued to stare at Wei Wuxian's face as he sat beside him. A while later, his fingers twitched. With downcast eyes, he touched his lips softly. It was very soft indeed, as soft as how the paperman had bumped into them.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian's hands jerked slightly, clenched into fists. Lan Wangji's expression hardened and helped Wei Wuxian into his arms. Holding his face, he saw that, although Wei Wuxian's eyes were still shut, his brows had knit closely together.

...

"You held me?" Wei Ying asked.

"I felt something was wrong," Lan Zhan answered, "turns out, you were forced into empathy, in a way."

"Yeah, but I got information out of it...I know you probably hated that I was using empathy," Wei Ying said, "I hope in the future, I will consult with you first before using it."

"Well, this one I will have to forgive because you were basically forced into it, but I appreciate that you would do that next time," Wangji said, "thank you."

Wei Ying kissed him quickly before turning back to the screen.

...

Over at the secret room, Wei Wuxian didn't have to time react at all. Those of the deceased who held extreme resentment radiated such hateful energies and projected them onto the living, mitigating their anger and spreading their emotions. This was the cause of most hauntings. In fact, this was also the mechanism behind Empathy. If Wei Wuxian were using his corporal body, a defense line to his soul, resentful energy definitely couldn't touch him if he didn't want it to.

At the moment, however, he was possessing a flimsy piece of paper, which significantly impaired his defense ability. Not only was he close to the head, Nie Mingjue's resentful energy was also unusually strong. Wei Wuxian was affected within just a moment of inattention. One second ago he had been thinking "oh no", and the next he could already smell the scent of blood.

He hadn't come across such a thick odor in years. Something buried in his bones immediately awakened, starting to simmer and stir. As soon as he had opened his eyes, he saw before him the glare of a blade, the shadow of spilled blood, and the head of a man, soaring across the sky, along with its fallen body.

...

"I am sorry to have invaded your personal life, Chifeng Zun," Wei Wuxian said with a polite bow.

"I am honestly okay with it," Nie Mingjue said, "and just like Wangji and Xichen, you can call me Da-De."

"Oh, thank you," Wuxian said, "you can call me Wuxian or A'Xian."

He nodded.

...

The beheaded man wore a robe with the clan motif of flames and the sun. Wei Wuxian watched 'himself' sheath his saber, a low voice coming out of his mouth, "Go get the head. Hang it up for the Wen-dogs to see."