The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 146 - Run Away

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Healer Shi was enjoying this rare moment of happiness with Wuxian. The man before her has suffered a lot and seeing small gestures of love between him and his soul-bond makes her long for a similar relationship with Zewu Jun. She prays to all that is holy that Wangji's romantic personality runs in their family.

She was caught off guard when Wuxian's hair started glowing. She knew what to do: She grabbed the small girl from Wuxian's lap and they stayed silent, enjoying the glowing lights coming from his hair. The moment the vision was over, Shi opened her mouth to ask him about what he saw but the small man bolted out the room before she could say a word. She told Hweiru to stay put and went after him.

Wuxian ran all the way outside and collapsed on the snow covered street outside the inn. He kneeled on the ground and started throwing up uncontrollably. Shi managed to grab Zewu Jun on her way out. He knows how to deal with Wuxian better than anyone else. When Wuxian's stomach emptied its content on the street and he began dry heaving, Zewu Jun kneeled next to him and started rubbing his back, whispering: "Brother Wei, I'm here."

Wuxian stopped struggling after a few minutes and he leaned heavily on Zewu Jun while trying his best to catch his breath. Zewu Jun used a cloth to clean up Wuxian's face and gently stroked his cheek: "Tell me what you saw."

A strangled sob escaped Wuxian and he started hyperventilating. Zewu Jun nods to the disciples who heard the commotion and went out to see what's happening. They understood his signal and made a protective circle around them to stop others from seeing Wuxian's emotional state.

Zewu Jun took deep deliberate breaths and said calmly to the smaller man in his arms: "Breathe just like me, Brother Wei. Whatever it is, we can fix it."

Wuxian shakes his head and starts swaying when his breath hitches. Zewu Jun urgently started rubbing Wuxian's shoulder to get him to cooperate but it seems to fail when Wuxian passes out in his arms. Zewu Jun looks at Healer Shi who followed them out: "Did he say anything after the vision?"

Shi shook her head: "Not a word."

Wuxian woke up in bed a few hours later, wrapped in his soul-bond's arms. Wangji was humming their song and gently rubbing Wuxian's back to comfort him. Wuxian was confused for a few seconds until he remembered what he saw and inches closer to Wangji. He whispers desperately: "I want to go home."

Wangji was surprised but didn't want to distress his mate: "We haven't completed our task."

Wuxian breath hitches a little as he starts to cry again: "Everyone dies eventually. What's the point?"

Wangji shushes him until his breath returns to normal: "Tell me what you saw."

Wuxian whispers his vision to Wangji and reality crashes in the taller man's soul. No wonder his mate fell apart after seeing one of his 'kids' dead in his vision.

Wangji leans back to look seriously at his mate's teary eyes: "We can't give up. We can save the boys and Kaoji."

Wuxian sighs: "How? I don't know when or where. I don't know why Jinhai was with them or why Biming decided to kill a bunch of boys."

Wangji: "We know that he only attacks when provoked, threatened or angered. We can find different ways to keep track of him other than the finders."

Wuxian weakly sits up and looks at the sun setting outside his window: "Where is Kaoji? I want to see him."

He hears Wen Ning's muffled response from outside: "I will get him for you."

Wuxian buries his face in Wangji's chest: "Why do I always see horrible things? Why can't the future be something good?"

Wangji pulls the smaller closer by wrapping his arms around him: "I cannot control what you see. I can only support you until we create a world where your visions of the future are no longer needed."

Wangji helps Wuxian up and makes him drink the potions Shi made for him to settle his nerves. Wuxian felt them calm his racing heartbeat and mellow his erratic thoughts. Kaoji knocks on the door and when he opens it, he finds himself once again smothered in Wuxian's hug. He looks fearfully at Wangji, who's sipping tea and not somewhat ignoring them.

Kaoji pats Wuxian's back and whispers with a shaky voice: "Master Wei, his Excellency will kill me."

Wuxian rubs his cheek on Kaoji's: "No one will kill you. I will make sure of it. You just have to stay where I can see you.. at all times."

Kaoji frowns: "What about the finders?"

Wuxian tightens his hold on his kid: "They can come too."

Kaoji chuckles over Wuxian's odd behavior: "We can't all follow you everywhere like lost puppies. Do you know how many finders there are? Last time I counted, in this city alone there are around 50 of them."

Wuxian shakes his head: "I don't care. They will all follow me so I can protect you all."

Kaoji was about to argue some sense into his teacher when he saw Wangji shaking his head. Kaoji sighs and says: "As you wish. I will go ask them to round up the troops back to the inn. Does that make you happy?"

Wuxian nods and lets go: "Yeah.. for now."

Kaoji smiles at him and bows before leaving.

Wuxian whispers: "Wen Ning, can you follow him? Make sure he doesn't confront the faceless man please."

Wen Ning peeks from around the door frame and nods before following the young disciple.

Wangji looks worriedly at Wuxian as he sits back at the table and drinks tea in silence: "Zewu Jun wants to discuss your plan for the decoy fortune teller. He thinks the faceless man will probably seek Liang when everyone else is distracted by the competition."

Wuxian nods and a few minutes later, Zewu Jun joins them. Wuxian rubs his nose and says: "Hweiru told me a story that inspired me to think of a way to guarantee that Liwei is safe and that we get the information we need even if Biming refused to provide it. Liang said that his home, where he welcomes people for readings, has a hidden compartment underneath the main area table. He keeps valuables and books in there and it's big enough for one person to fit in it."

Zewu Jun: "You want to hide someone there?"

Wuxian nods: "Not just anyone. Someone who's good at stealing.."

Wangji frowns: "You want someone to hide underneath the table and steal the prophecy book while Liwei pretends to read his fortune?"

Wuxian nods again: ".. someone strong enough to be a backup for Liwei should Biming discover him or doesn't like what he has to say?"

Wangji asks: "Won't Biming sense their presence?"

Zewu Jun: "I have a talisman that hides one's energy." He turns to look at Wuxian: "It's a good plan. Do you have someone in mind?"

Wuxian groans, pretty sure he hates everything about this choice: "There is only one person crazy enough to do this, strong and knows how to steal.."

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