The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 112 - The Escape

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Wangji was running. It's been almost a day since Grandmaster Qiren sentenced him and the others to be punished and he was just released. His mind and soul were occupied with one thought: 'My Wei Ying.'

He didn't know how things got so out of hand in such a short amount of time. Since Healer Shi banished him from his room, he immersed himself in work to the point where he couldn't tell what day it was. He figured if Wuxian was truly in danger, the bonding spell would warn him.

He has been feeling drained for the last few days and accredited it to overworking. During his punishment, it became clear that the bond was the cause. His soul-bond was in need and he chose to ignore it. He needs to fix this. Wuxian needs to understand that none of them did what they did out of malice or neglect.

He saw Zewu Jun standing outside their room door, talking frantically to a few disciples. The moment Zewu Jun's eyes landed on Wangji, he did the unexpected. He threw his sheathed sword at his brother and Wangji barely had time to duck before his brother had a hold of his robes and pinned him to the wall: "Of all the stupid things you've done, this is by far the most unforgivable. What were you thinking!"

Wangji was shocked. His brother rarely allows his emotions to guide him and he was clearly angry. Wangji took a deep breath to control his reaction and asked: "Where is he?"

Zewu Jun lets go of his younger brother and steps away: "He's gone."

Wangji starts to panic: "What do you mean?"

Zewu Jun throws his hands in the air in frustration: "I took my eyes off of him for a few minutes and he escaped. We searched every inch of Cloud Recesses. He is no longer here."

Wangji's heart was racing: "How? Grandmaster Qiren said he was poisoned!"

Zewu Jun glares at his brother: "The Phoenix Warrior helped him run away."

On the outskirts of Gusu City, Wuxian was sitting under a tree, resting his eyes for a second. They've been walking nonstop for the past few minutes and he couldn't go any further. Before he left, Wuxian asked Yuxio to take him to see his soul-bond and daughter. He found Hweiru playing near the back mountains with Lan Ran. Yuxio brought her to him and after hugging and kissing his daughter fiercely, he told her that he was leaving for a while. She shed a few tears but didn't make a fuss. What surprised him the most is that she gave him a small white dagger for protection. It was the exact same dagger from his vision that she uses to stab the Slayer to rescue him.

If her tears planted a seed of doubt in his mind, the appearance of the dagger settled his resolve. Apparently, Jiang Cheng gave her this knife as a gift. It was engraved with the Jiang Clan Lotus seal and, according to his brother, belonged to Jiang Fengmian. A sentimental gesture between an uncle and his niece, but a thorn aggravating Wuxian's insecurities about the future.

What hurt him the most was the state he found his soul-bond in. According to Yuxio, Grandmaster Qiren punished four people because of him. He knew that his father was trying to protect him but love should not be forced. You give it willingly, not out of commitment or obligation. He looked from afar at the exhausted faces of his brother, soul-bond, Healer Shi and Wen Ning. They didn't deserve this. His failures are not for them to bear.

After shedding a few tears over their misery, he took off with the help of Yuxio. Da Ziran was restless on his body and he tried his best to calm her. He needed space to think of a plan without putting others in danger and this is the only solution he can come up with.

Yuxio sat in front of the resting man and placed a gentle hand on his knee to get his attention: "Grandmaster, you don't look so good."

Wuxian huffs: "You've been calling me 'beautiful' and flirting shamelessly for months and now that we're alone you change your mind?"

Yuxio frowns: "I'm serious. You look ill."

Wuxian wipes his tired face: "I've been poisoned. We need to find Shenhua Clan before they reach Cloud Recesses so I can get the cure from them."

Yuxio scratches her head: "Healer Shi couldn't fix it?"

Wuxian sighs: "She tried."

Yuxio senses his internal debate and stops her questioning. He chose her for a reason. She trusts him and follows him no matter what. If that's what he needs now, then so be it.

Wuxian grabs her arm: "According to Zewu Jun's plan, Shenhua Clan is scheduled to arrive in a few days. If I were their leader, I would travel ahead of time or send a scout. We must find them before they enter Cloud Recesses."

Yuxio nods: "What's the game plan here?"

Wuxian leans back and relaxes into the tree: "In my previous vision, Da Ziran and I were incapacitated. I thought they might have drugged me or subdued me before the Slayer had a chance to take me away. Now, it is clear to me that this poison is the reason why I was out for the count. So far, all the events happening are confirming that my vision of the fire and kidnapping is still at play. Nothing has changed."

Yuxio: "So you chose to run away?"

Wuxian: "No. I refuse to let fate control me. The deities have cursed me with the ability to see the future because they know I have the ability to change it. I can't do that with so many people at risk. The only option I have to minimize casualties is to take a leap of faith."

Yuxio raised her eyebrow: "You picked me for this task because..?"

Wuxian: "You're the only one I can trust to follow my stupid idea."

Yuxio chuckles: "Damn right! I will follow my beautiful Grandmaster to the depths of hell if need be."

Wuxian opens one eye to glare at her: "This must be a record. You almost went an hour without flirting with me." Yuxio shrugs then leans in to sniff him: "I tried. You're not making it easy with that smell."

Wuxian chuckles, scrunching his eyes when the laughter aggravated his open wound: "We need to keep moving before Zewu Jun sends his snitches."

Wuxian tries to sit up and ends up leaning back when the world tilts around him.

Yuxio: "I'll carry you."

Wuxian's eyes snap open and he pushes her grabby hands away: "HELL NO! I still have my pride."

Yuxio smirks: "What does pride have to do with anything? I'm stronger and bigger than you at the moment."

Wuxian bites his lips, frustrated over the truth behind her words: "Fine. If you tell anyone about this, I will let my father flog you!"

Yuxio winks at him: "It will be our little secret."

She pulls Wuxian's on her back and stands with ease. The snake moves from Wuxian's body to hers, securing him into her back. Wuxian whispers after a few seconds: "You're so warm."

Yuxio smiles: "I am."

Wuxian: "Am I too heavy?"

Yuxio: "Nope. Hweiru is heavier than you."

Wuxian: "Liar."

Yuxio chuckles and moves slowly, careful not to jostle the injured man: "Where are we going?"

Wuxian pulls the hood of his white coat down to reveal his golden hair: "It doesn't matter. They will find us soon anyways."

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