The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 135 - Cold

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Wuxian never missed his golden core as much as he did at the moment. Winter has come and with it, the complications of being sick and the host to a cold-blooded spirit animal. Da Ziran went into hibernation a few hours into their trip and Healer Shi smothered Wuxian with layers of blankets and furs.

It didn't seem to work because Wuxian couldn't stop shaking. He felt the coldness deep in his bones and he was trying his best not to complain. Taiho looked at his shivering teacher and whispered: "Would you like us to stop? I can make you warm tea. It might help."

Wuxian shook his head, too cold to actually respond verbally. He fell in and out of sleep as the day went by. When he finally opened his eyes, he was no longer in the carriage and Zewu Jun was sitting next to him, using a warm soaked cloth to warm up his arms: "You're awake."

Wuxian cleared his throat and whispered tiredly: "I hate the snow."

Zewu Jun smiles at his childish behaviour: "It cannot be summer all year long."

Wuxian grunts his disapproval then looks around the strange room: "Where are we?"

Zewu Jun kept wiping Wuxian's arms: "A day's worth of travel from Gusu City. We will reach the city you requested to visit in two days, Jin sect in four days."

Wuxian moves his stiff legs: "Lan Zhan?"

Zewu Jun: "He went to get you food."

Wuxian smiles happily at him: "Spicy meat?"

The door opens to reveal Wangji, carrying a tray of food: "Yes, spicy meat."

Zewu Jun helped Wuxian out of bed and they all ate in silence. Zewu Jun finished his meal and said: "Liwei received a message from your disciple Kaoji. Apparently, the faceless man has been spotted near the city we're heading to."

Wuxian nods: "I miss that little rascal."

Zewu Jun: "Liwei says that his disciples like him a lot."

A knock on the door revealed Healer Shi carrying a tray of potion cups. She places it on the table in front of Wuxian and says: "Drink."

Wuxian sighs loudly: "This must be the hundredth potion you are making me drink today."

Shi places her hand on her hip and raises one eyebrow: "You said I can do whatever I want with you after resealing your container.. Now stop whining and drink like a good little rabbit!"

Wuxian grumbled under his breath and drank all the cups forcefully. When he was done, he actually felt dizzy. He blinked a few times to clear his vision but it doesn't seem to be working. He looks at Shi and says: "Did.. did you drug me?"

He realized that something was wrong when she slums on the table and the other two men in the room passed out too. Wuxian pinches his arm to stay awake and weakly tries to reach for Bichen. His voice refuses to cooperate when he tries calling for Wen Ning.

The last thing he saw were a few men entering the room, grabbing his arms, hauling him up and covering his face. Reality slips and the men whisk him away.

Wangji woke up to a splitting headache. He instinctively reaches with his hands for his soul-bond and when they collide with something hard, his eyes snap open. He sits up with urgency and looks around: "Wei Ying?"

He sees his brother stir from his slumber next to him and the scene finally dawns on him. He jumps up and paces around the room: "WEI YING?"

When he receives no answer, he runs outside their room and screams for his mate. It seems like everyone in the inn was drugged with some type of gas and after aggressively searching every nook and cranny of that place he realized that his soul-bond was gone.

Zewu Jun and Leader Ziyang took control of the situation and arranged a search party to spread out and find clues as to where Wuxian would be, who took him and why?

Wangji was freaking out. The snow storm outside was at its peak and the kidnappers did not take his soul-bond's coat. His mate must be freezing.

Healer Shi was pacing like an animal and the only one who was actually calm was Mianmian: "Don't worry. Master Wei can take care of himself."

Shi was agitated: "Not while his snake is here, hibernating and he's recovering from an energy drainage!"

Mianmian: "I've seen him survive worse. Have faith."

Wen Ning showed up an hour later. Apparently, Healer Shi sent him to get some herbs because he's the only one who can travel during the storm without feeling it. Wangji grabs his robes and asks desperately: "Can you find him with your spirit connection?"

Wen Ning closes his eyes and concentrates: "He's not that far away. I can feel him, he is close but I don't know where." Wangji takes a deep breath and says: "That's good enough. Let's go."

They both disappeared before anyone else could follow. The Slayer saw everyone panicking and made his way out. Zewu Jun blocked his exit: "Where are you going?"

The Slayer: "To find the pretty boy. Unlike you all, I always get the job done and he owes me."

Zewu Jun moves closer to threaten him: "You will not harm him."

The Slayer pushes him aside and walks out the door: "I don't work for you, Zewu Jun. Go boss someone else around."

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Wuxian was warm. Uncomfortable, but warm. He felt his arms trapped behind his back and tried to move them when they felt numb. When the realization that he was bound sinks in, he opens his eyes with urgency. A few young boys, the same age range as his disciples, were gathered around a fire next to him, keeping guard. One of them notices his awake state and screams: "The pretty man is awake!"

Wuxian grimaces when his loud voice aggravates his headache. He feels someone pull him up, into a sitting position. Wuxian's arms were bound behind his back with his right hand wrapped with some kind of cloth to immobilize his ring finger. Whoever these people are, they knew about his ring. A man crouches in front of him and smirks, holding Wuxian's jaw a little bit forcefully to get his full attention. He was about to say something then halts, gazing deeply into Wuxian's eyes. He whispers with wonder: ".. it's like looking into the warm sun on a summer day."

Wuxian turns his face to dislodge the man's grasp on him and huffs: "Why am I here?"

The man's smirk returns: "You tell us, Fake Oracle."

Wuxian sighs loudly and rolls his eyes: "Don't tell me you're the weirdos who think I should be killed."

The man shakes his head: "We don't want you dead.. Yet. We have to prove to the world that you're fake before we kill you."

Wuxian glares at the man: "How are you going to do that, genius."

The man's eyebrow twitches. Wuxian's sarcasm is getting on his nerves.

Wuxian notices it and smiles: "Please, enlighten me with your bright ideas. I would love to not be the Divine Oracle as much as you do."

The man pushes Wuxian to the ground and straddles him. The smaller man felt his heart leap in his chest as the suffocating feeling of claustrophobia started to creep in.

The man takes out a dagger and traces it over Wuxian's cheek: "Your wish is my command, Fake Oracle."

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