The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 49 - Nightless City

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Cheng shows up at his brother's room early morning with breakfast. Slowly, the rest of the group joins and they eat in silence while waiting for Wuxian to awake.

When Wuxian shows no sign of waking up, Cheng goes to shake him: "Wei Ying, you can't possibly sleep the day away. Get up!"

Wuxian hums and blinks lazily at his brother. After a few seconds, he sits up and looks around in confusion. Cheng cups his brother's cheeks to get his attention: "Are you awake?"

Wuxian blinks slowly then nods.

Cheng: "We need to get moving or we won't reach Nightless city on time."

Wuxian nods again. Cheng: "Breakfast?"

Wuxian frowns and shakes his head.

Cheng sighs: "Are you planning to talk soon?"

Wuxian swallows and with a hoarse voice whispers: "Wanyin.. I'm cold."

Cheng looks worriedly at his brother then takes off his cape and drapes it around him: "Better?"

Wuxian nods.

Wangji joins Cheng, looking worriedly at his soul-bond: "Wei Ying, we must leave."

Cheng sighs and turns around: "Come on. I'll carry you."

Wangji helps Wuxian get on Cheng's back. Wuxian tightens his hold around his brother's neck and whispers: "You're so warm."

Cheng smiles while making his way towards the horses.

They took turns holding Wuxian while riding their horses. He seems pretty out of it for most of the day.

He sobered up by nightfall but the coldness didn't go away. Wuxian, who's wearing three capes, was still shaking. When they decided to settle down for the night, Wangji eased a shaking Wuxian from his horse and pulled him close to warm him up: "You're still cold?"

Wuxian: "Y.. Yeah."

Yuxio hopefully yells: "I can warm you up with my affection!"

Wuxian huffs: "I'd rather freeze to death, pervert!"

Jingyi: "I don't know if we should be ashamed or proud of her persistence."

Cheng glares angrily at her: "ASHAMED! Definitely ashamed."

She pouts at them and they all made their way into the inn. The night was uneventful. Wuxian seemed better and rode his own horse for the rest of the journey.

They reached a day early to meet the rest of the clan groups in front of the city. The world has never seen this many cultivators in one place. Young, old, from well known clans and strays all showed up to be judged by the Earth Deity.

Wuxian looks openly shocked: "Woah.. I didn't know so many cultivators existed!"

A maroon colored blur flashed its way through the men guarding him and slams into him: "MASTER WEI! I MISSED YOU!"

Wuxian pets Zizhen's head while he clings to him: "I see you haven't grown one bit."

Yuxio yanks the boy from Wuxian and looks critically at him: "Who's this?"

Sizhui: "That's the first young master of Ouyang Clan: Ouyang Zizhen."

Zizhen glares back at her and looks accusingly at Sizhui: "Who's that?"

Sizhui can feel a headache building up and sighs: "That's a senior disciple from Jiang Clan and the last Phoenix Warrior: Yu Yuxio."

They both stare at each other, sizing one another. Then Zizhen turns puppy eyes at Wuxian: "You replaced me?"