The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 47 - Little Brother

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'It was dark. The place he was standing in had no visible bounds and felt endless. A man with no features appears in white. His voice echoes around the empty space and into his mind: "Cultivator, should you find yourself worthy, travel to Nightless City to face judgement by the Earth Deities. When the moon is absent, the truth will be revealed."'

Wangji opens his eyes in shock to see a mirrored expression on Wuxian's face. Wuxian: "I think I had another vision." Wangji looks confused: "I saw it too."

A few seconds later, they hear banging on the door. Wangji gets up to open it and finds a breathless Cheng. He barged in: "I saw a man. He told me to meet him in Nightless City."

Wuxian sits up: "I think all cultivators had the same vision."

Cheng looks confused: "You think that's the snake's doing?"

Wuxian looks helplessly at the two half-asleep men and shrugs: "It sounded like it."

Wangji moves to sit next to Wuxian on the bed and Cheng sits at the nearby table. After a few silent minutes, Wangji takes his soul-bond's cold hand and rubs it: "We need to reach Nightless City in five days."

Cheng was surprised: "You're actually planning to take him there?"

Wuxian sighs in defeat: "We don't have a choice. Earth Deities? Who can run away from that?"

Cheng exchanges a worried look with Wangji then says: "We will go and face it together. Alright?"

Wuxian hums and lays back down: "Go back to sleep brother. We have a trip to plan in the morning."

Cheng nods and leaves. Wangji lays down next to his soul-bond and whispers: "Speak your thoughts."

Wuxian: "I just want this to be over with. I want to go home with you. I miss Apple and the rabbits. I miss my father and Zewu Jun. I haven't even had a chance to see the new Treasure Room!"

Wangji cups his cheek: "All in good time."

Wuxian moves closer to burrow more into his warmth: "People know about my gifts. I cannot be selfish and hide forever, denying them peace and health."

Wangji: "Cloud Recesses is warded and we can regulate who you wish to receive. Rest for now, all will be well in due time."

When the sun finally rises, Wangji takes his leave to prepare for tomorrow's journey. Cheng shows up after that to borrow his brother for a walk. Wuxian notices the solemn look on his brother's face while they walk in silence and questions him: "Jiang Wanyin, why do you look so depressed?"

Cheng turns and looks seriously at his brother: "You've been here for a few weeks and you haven't visited our family shrine. Why?"

Wuxian looks down in shame: "I didn't want to offend you again."

Cheng grabs his brother's arm: "What?"

Wuxian swallows hard then says: "Last time I went to pay my respect, you got mad and said things.. We're in a good place and I didn't want to stir up trouble."

Cheng lets go and sighs: "You know better than anyone else that I don't mean what I say when I'm mad."

Wuxian: "You're mad most of the time. How am I supposed to know what you mean and what you don't?"

Cheng grabs his brother's hand and pulls him along: "Stop saying stupid things. Let's go pay our respects before the trip tomorrow."

Wuxian allows his brother to drag him along. After they paid their respects and bowed to their deceased family, Wuxian gazes sadly at his sister's name.

Cheng: "How long are you planning to avoid her?"

Wuxian: "I don't think I will ever be ready to face Shijie."

Cheng takes out a tassel from his robes: "I took this from Jin Ling this morning."

Wuxian eyes start to water and with an encouraging nod from Cheng, he takes the tassel.

Her voice was soft, just like he remembers: "Axian."

He closes his eyes in pain, hoping that his torturous moment ends swiftly. He feels her hand wiping his stay tears: "Axian, look at me."

He shakes his head so she continues: "Why won't you let me look at you?"

He whispers: "I'm afraid."

Yanli: "Of what?"

Wuxian sobs openly: "Of seeing how disappointed you are of me."

Yanli lets out a soft laugh: "Never. When will you stop running away from me?"

Wuxian opens his eyes slowly and sees the happy look on his sister's face. She cups his cheeks: "You're thinner."

Wuxian lets out a strangled chuckle and she went on to brush the jade ornament on his hair: "I'm glad you found a new home. I knew he would protect you when no one else would."

Wuxian's tears were flowing, his throat blocked from all the emotions he was feeling.

She continued to check his white robes, the tassel on his belt then grabbed his hand to see his ring: "I am grateful that the heavens gave me a chance to tell you what I failed to say before I died."

Wuxian, still speechless nods, so she continues: "The last time you ran from me so fast I didn't have the chance to look at you. Axian.."

She grabs his chin to make sure he's looking directly at her: "I missed you, little brother. You're the most precious thing to me and I know that you would never do anything to hurt me. All I wanted was for us to live happily as a family and I am grateful that even if I'm not here to hold both your hands, that you've grown enough to do it on your own."

Wuxian turns to his brother and holds his hand.

Yanli continues: "I was blessed to have you both in my life and I pray that you'll never be at odds in the future."

Wuxian takes a deep breath and tries to talk: "Shijie.. I.."

His throat was still blocked from all the pent up emotions. Cheng rolls his eyes: "Cry baby."

Yanli smacks his arm while smiling: "Don't tease him."

Wuxian couldn't stop sobbing so he laid his head on his sister's lap.

She strokes his hair and whispers: "Axian.. be strong. More hardship will come but this time you won't face them alone." She turns to look at Cheng and he nods his understanding.

It took a few minutes for Wuxian to calm down and sit up.

He wipes his face and smiles sadly at his sister: "Thank you."

She smiles back and places her hand on his heart: "We are a family. If you need me I will always be here to comfort you."

He nods and lets go of the tassel. His brother wiggles his eyebrows at him: "You cry like a fair maiden before her wedding."

Wuxian pushes him hard and sniffs: "Bully."

Cheng gets up and extends his arm to pull Wuxian up: "Come on. I'll make you Shijie's soup."

Wuxian looked one last time at his sister's name on the family shrine and for the first time in many years, all he felt was her love.

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