Who You Are Book 2

Chapter 37 - Empathy with Chifeng Zun pt. 10

His oath was as solemn as could be. However, Nie Mingjue wasn't able to wait the two months.

One day, the Qinghe Nie Sect was hosting a martial arts conference. As Nie Mingjue passed one of the annexes, he suddenly heard the hushed voice of somebody, possibly Jin Guangyao. Yet, a second later, he heard another familiar voice.

Lan Xichen, "Since Brother chose to make the oath with you, it means that he has indeed approved of you."

Jin Guangyao spoke with dejection, "But, Brother, didn't you hear what he said in the oath? Every sentence meant something more. 'Face a thousand accusing fingers, be torn from limb to limb'—this was clearly a warning for me. I... I've never heard of such an oath before."

Lan Xichen replied in a gentle voice, "He said 'if one were to think otherwise'. Do you think otherwise? If not, then why should you worry over it so much?"

Jin Guangyao, "I don't, but Brother has already decided that I do, so what can I do?"

Lan Xichen, "He has always cherished your talent, hoping that you would choose the right path."

Jin Guangyao, "It's not that I don't know what's right and what's wrong, but that sometimes I really can't help. Nowadays, I have it bad no matter which side I'm on. I have to ensure that I'm on everyone's good sides. I wouldn't care if it were someone else, but have I mistreated our eldest brother in any way? Brother, you heard as well. What did he call me?"

Lan Xichen sighed, "His anger was simply too great for him to have thought before speaking. Brother's temper cannot compare to how it was in the past. You must not provoke him again. These past few days, he has been deeply troubled by the saber spirit, and Huaisang has argued with him again. They still have not made up yet, even today."

Jin Guangyao was almost sobbing, "If he could say such a thing when he was angry, then just how does he think of me on a daily basis? Is it that because I couldn't choose my background, because my mother couldn't choose her fate, I'll have to be humiliated by others throughout my whole life? If so, then how is Brother different from the people who look down on me? No matter what I do, in the end, just a sentence and I'm 'the son of a prostitute'."

...

"He's good," Wen Qing said, "I'm sorry, but Meng Yao seems to be one of those people who'd be a toxic friend. It wouldn't be healthy to have such a relationship with him unless he got proper help. I've always noticed he relied on Lan Xichen a bit too much."

"I think you may be right," Lan Xichen said, "he was just someone who couldn't even cooperate with you that well. He just didn't take the help. He just got close to others and used his power to get what he wanted."

"Well said," Wen Qing told him.

...

Jin Guangyao was, at the moment, complaining to Lan Xichen, yet just last night he had been all soft and innocent as he talked with Nie Mingjue, playing the guqin. Hearing how Jin Guangyao spoke ill of him behind his back, Nie Mingjue burned with anger and kicked the door open. The raging flames within his head traveled throughout the entirety of his body.

A thunder-like roar exploded in the air, "How dare you!"

Seeing him enter, Jin Guangyao immediately panicked and darted behind Lan Xichen. Standing between the two, Lan Xichen didn't even have the chance to speak as Nie Mingjue lunged with his unsheathed saber.

Lan Xichen blocked the attack with his sword, shouting, "Run!"

Jin Guangyao dashed out the door. Nie MingJue shook Lan Xichen off, "Don't get in my way!"

He chased outside as well. As he passed a long corridor, he suddenly saw Jin Guangyao stroll toward him. He slashed with his saber and blood splattered out within an instant. But Jin Guangyao had clearly been running for his life. How could he have been walking back with such leisure?

After the strike, Nie Mingjue rushed forward again, staggering. As he arrived at the square, he looked up, catching his breath. Wei Wuxian could hear how rapidly his heart was beating.

Jin Guangyao!

On the square, all of people who walked around had the appearance of Jin Guangyao!

Nie Mingjue had encountered a Qi deviation!

...

"Didn't like it at all," Wei Wuxian said, "it made me feel so dizzy and uncomfortable..."

"My poor husband," Lan Wangji said pulling him into his chest.

Wei Wuxian giggled, "you got me out of empathy though...I think..."

"I believe I did."

...

He was delirious, knowing only to kill, to kill, to kill kill kill, kill Jin Guangyao. He attacked anyone he came across. Shrieks surrounded the area.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian heard somebody wail, "Brother!"

Nie Mingjue shivered as he heard the voice, becoming slightly calmer. As he turned around, he could finally make out a different face from the blurry field of Jin Guangyao's features.

Holding an injured arm, Nie Huaisang dragged his leg behind him, desperately shifting toward Nie Mingjue. Seeing that he finally stopped moving, Nie Huaisang beamed, tears in his eyes, "Brother! Brother! It's me, put down your saber, it's me!"

But, before Nie Huaisang could move over, Nie Mingjue had fallen to the ground.

Before he fell, Nie Mingjue's eyes finally cleared up again and saw the real Jin Guangyao. He stood at the end of the corridor. Not even a trace of blood was on him. He looked over, two streams of tears pouring from his eyes. The Sparks Amidst Snow bloomed wildly over his chest, however, they seemed to be smiling in place of him.