Wuji: A Promise Kept

6

Everyone gathered in the Mingshi. Lan Qiren was informed that there may be moments where a healer would be needed. He agreed as it was best for them anyway. Lan Wangji and Xichen had their zither and Xiao out so they could play soul calming music.

"During my travels, I did have a moment with Jiang Cheng. We still have a long way to go in mending our relationship but he gave me back my clarity bell. If you feel that Empathy is too much, use it to call us back," Wuxian said and handed it to Wangji.

"Alright," Wangji responded, taking the bell.

"Grandmaster Lan, are you really sure you want to do this?" Wuxian asked, "my history isn't for the faint of heart."

"I am, I trust you to guide us through this and I am willing to be open minded about what I will be seeing," Lan Qiren replied.

"You also know you will feel everything too right?" Wuxian asked.

"I know how Empathy works," Lan Qiren said. He was starting to notice that Wuxian was stalling. It was actually giving him second thoughts for a moment before sitting down across from Wuxian and they started Empathy.

Wangji and Xichen knew that the two will probably be there for a while as it was a lot of memories to get through. The two Jades sat down in Lotus Position and waited patiently. They kept watch over the two and had the two healers check over the two every once in a while. Soon, Wei Wuxian was crying. Wangji realized that Wuxian was probably at the point of the Lotus Pier Massacre.

"Should we play for a bit?" Wangji asked.

"I think one of us is okay to play," Xichen replied.

"Let me," Wangji said and handed Xichen the bell, "keep watch, hmm."

"I will," Xichen said.

Wangji started to play Soul Calming Music which helped calm them down. It helped only for a little while but Lan Qiren and Wei Wuxian were both in tears. Wangji honestly wished he knew what they were reacting to but at the same time he didn't let his mind get carried away. He had to focus on playing. After what seemed like a good few hours, Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren were finally out of empathy. The healers were more focused on Lan Qiren than Wei Wuxian. Wangji felt a bit angered because there were two healers so one of them could tend to Wuxian. He moved to sit beside him.

"Are you okay?" Wangji asked calmly.

Wuxian nodded, "yes, just a bit tired."

"You can rest soon," Wangji said as he helped him stand up and kept his arm around the man's waist to keep him steady.

"Shufu, are you alright?" Lan Xichen asked.

Lan Qiren nodded as he managed to calm down his thoughts. He then looked over at Wei Wuxian, "Wei Wuxian, you are the most selfless person I have ever met and you survived a lot of things. You may have died but you were brought back for a second chance and you didn't even waste that away. You used it to clear your name. You were never at fault for anything that happened, and you still took the blame for it all. I am so sorry."

Wei Wuxian stared at Lan Qiren for a good minute. He honestly wasn't expecting to hear Lan Qiren speak so kindly about him to his face, "I just wanted to do what my parents probably would have. I wanted to help people and protect them but I failed."

"If anyone failed, it is the sects, not you," Lan Qiren said, "you even took a path that could have harmed you more than it did and you were successful with it. There were moments where I noticed that resentment reacts more with emotions. That was why you took to our music techniques."

"I may not have a core anymore but I am no longer using that path. I am just a normal person, really," Wuxian said.

"I'm sure we can figure out how to help you," Lan Qiren told him, "for now, I want our head healer here, to take a look at you. The pain you are dealing with is due to damage to your solar plexus. The container that held your core never healed properly, and it's what causes you the most pain. If our healers are unable to help you, we will look for someone more professional."

"How can my Solar Plexus be fixed or healed?" Wuxian asked.

"That is for the healer to help you with," Lan Qiren said, "they are more well versed in spiritual practices and healing...Wen Qing...it is a shame that her talents were short lived. She would have been a very good healer. It was her theory of the Core Transfer."

Wuxian nodded, "I tried to do what I could for them, but I was limited in resources."

"You didn't fail them, we did," Lan Qiren said, "Wangji, why don't you take Wei Wuxian to the infirmary to get looked over. He is in a lot more pain than he is making it out to be."

Wangji looked at Wuxian, "you said it was not bad," Wangji said.

"I just know that know one can do anything about it, so why bother? Plus it's something that I have long been used to," Wuxian said.

"It may not be much but we do have medical herbs to help ease pain," one of the healers in the room said, "it will be helpful until we can get a more professional healer. Maybe a more advanced physician."

"I will be looking into that, Xichen will you help?" Lan Qiren questioned.

"Of course," Xichen said and looked at Wangji and Wuxian, "Wuxian should get looked over."

"Wei Ying, you did tell me you would go to a healer," Wangji pouted, "you promised me, even. Are you going to break your promise?"

Lan Wangji was making a face that had Wuxian melt. He couldn't deny Lan Wangji anything as it was, especially now when he was throwing a pouting look at him. Wei Wuxian sighed, "alright, I will go."

Wangji smiled, "good boy," he said and brought him to the infirmary. Wuxian wanted to kick this man as he realized that Wangji knows how to get Wuxian to comply.

After entering one of the exam rooms in the infirmary, Wei Wuxian sat on the cot in the infirmary pouting like a three year old. Wuxian's was to be thoroughly examined by the head healer of the Lan Clan, Healer Lan Lingyun (Lingyun means to carry and/or move clouds). Wuxian promised to get looked over so he was now just complying to it.

"Wei Ying, why does it seem that you either dislike healers or you just don't like being treated?" Wangji questioned.

"Both," Wuxian answered honestly.

Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen were there as well. Lan Qiren seemed to have a better understanding of Wei Wuxian since he ran Empathy on him, "there are a couple factors that add to that," Lan Qiren said, "growing up with a Woman like Madam Yu around, she made it impossible for you to receive proper treatment if you ever got hurt. Most of the injuries were actually caused by her wonderful companion Zidian. The other reason is he had a healer like Wen Qing for a long time. She was a good and strict healer and was the only one who could get Wuxian to comply with her demands. The only thing he fears is her needles, and I can understand why."

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were surprised that Lan Qiren had gained so much knowledge about Wei Wuxian just after that session of Empathy. The two were actually very grateful for it as Wei Wuxian needed someone to help ground him. Lan Wangji has a way to do it but Lan Qiren understood that Wei Wuxian never had a proper parental figure in his life. Lan Qiren wanted to change that. It was also his way of making up for his past mistakes and his behavior towards the young cultivator.

"You figured all that out just from Empathy?" Wuxian asked.

"You are a tough person to crack, Wei Wuxian, maybe harder to get through than Wangji. You carry your heart on your sleeve but you bury your pain so deep that no one would ever know," Lan Qiren said, "that is going to change though. Old habits are hard to break but in time, it will get better."

Wei Wuxian nodded and sighed. He wasn't expecting these sudden turn of events at all. He didn't know if he should be glad, to laugh, or to cry. He knows that he was in good hands but this was all new to him and he was now wondering what he just got himself into.