The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 160 - Did We Win?

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Zewu Jun was having a hard time holding it together. It's been an hour and no one came to update them as the earth underneath them shook a few times. Whatever is happening outside must be big. He expected his uncle to join them but the older man never came. That made him worry even more.

Healer Shi taps his shoulder to get his attention: "We can't stay here for too long."

Zewu Jun frowns: "This is the safest place for Wei Ying. We can't leave until they eliminate the threat."

Shi rubs the cold hand of the sleeping man in Zewu Jun's lap: "He can't handle the cold like we do. He has no spiritual energy to compensate for the lack of heat. We can't start a fire here and we don't have enough clothes to keep him warm. He will freeze to death within half an hour."

Zewu Jun looked worriedly at Wuxian. He hasn't noticed before but the man in his lap has stopped shivering and the nails on the hand that Shi is desperately trying to warm is turning blue.

Zewu Jun watched Hweiru, who's under Shi's order, was rubbing Wuxian's legs. He initially thought that Healer Shi wanted to distract the girl but from the frantic way his future wife was trying to warm Wuxian, this might be a bigger problem that he thought.

A soft voice broke through his racing thoughts: "..s goin on?"

Zewu Jun looks down at the barely awake Wuxian: "Brother Wei, we're in the cold cave."

Wuxian weakly looks around: "Why?"

Zewu Jun tries his best to smile reassuringly at him: "Just a safety precaution. Someone broke our wards and Wangji is checking to make sure that everything is alright."

Zewu Jun visibly sees Wuxian struggle to breathe. The cold is forcing the smaller man to take shorter breaths which is not helping his case: "..s my baby?"

Hweiru sits up near Wuxian so he can see her: "I'm here, Mama."

Wuxian reaches weakly for her and she takes his hand. He asks: "Are you cold?"

She shakes her head: "I'm fine. Healer Shi taught me how to use my golden core to warm up."

Wuxian nods and closes his eyes, leaning closer to the warmth emanating from his brother-in-bond: "..s colder in here than I remember."

Zewu Jun adjusts his hold and Wuxian, helping him lean his head on his shoulder to help with his breathing: "Just hang in there. We will be out soon."

Healer Shi whispers desperately: "We might not have a choice. We need to think of other solutions.. fast."

A groan of pain escapes Wuxian and Zewu Jun rubs his arm worriedly: "What's wrong? What hurts?"

Wuxian scrunches his face: "..s not me. Lan Zhan.. the bonding spell. He's hurt."

Zewu Jun closes his eyes, conflicted with what he should do. His duty is to protect his brother-in-bond and the treasure of their clan. But if the great warrior Wangji was injured then the fight happening outside the cave must be more aggressive than they anticipated.

He looks up at Healer Shi: "Can you go outside and see what's happening? I can't make any decisions without knowing what's going on."

She grabs her sword and nods before heading out.

Hweiru took her place and looked up at Zewu Jun: "I can sneak out too. No one will notice me."

Zewu Jun smiles at her: "I need you here. Someone has to help me take care of Wei Ying."

She nods and silence washes over them as they listen to Wuxian struggle to breathe.

Healer Shi returns after a few minutes: "Wen Ning said that Grandmaster Qiren reinforced the wards and the disciples and Hanguang Jun are pushing the fight outside the gates. I think it's safe to move him out for now." Zewu Jun heaves the smaller man up and they make their way out. Wen Ning joined them as they rushed towards the Treasure Room.

Wuxian didn't know what was happening around him. For some reason, his brain feels foggy and nothing makes sense. He was cold at some point, then he got warm. He knew that he was sitting on Zewu Jun's lap for a while but all he felt right now was the warmth of his soul-bond snuggling close to him.

Wuxian opened his eyes to look at his sleeping mate. He remembers feeling the bond between them hurt while he was sort of out of it. The need to check on his soul-bond overpowered his comfort so he sat up and pulled the blankets back to slowly look for the wound on Wangji's body. He recalls a sharp pain on his right side when their connection flared so he moved Wangji's robes to the side to check that area. He saw a white bandage and was about to pull it to the side to see the wound when Wangji's big hand grabs his smaller one to stop him: "What are you doing?"

Wuxian stares at him: "You're hurt. I want to make sure your wound is ok."

Wangji pulls Wuxian by his hand to his chest and nuzzles his nose in Wuxian's neck: "It's just a flesh wound. It's already healing."

Wuxian listens to his soul-bond breath in his scent for a few seconds then whispers: "I felt it through our bond. Don't lie to me."

Wangji huffs and pulls the smaller man closer: "Then comfort me, my soul-bond."

Wuxian chuckles over Wangji's odd childish request: "What do you need, my clingy mate?"

Wangji places a soft kiss on his exposed neck: "Just stay still."

Wuxian hums then after a few minutes of silence, his curiosity got the better of him: "What happened?"

Wangji sighs: "The rogue faction of the Shenhua Clan attacked us."

Wuxian: "Why?"

Wangji: "They wanted to kill you."

Wuxian's breath hitches and Wangji felt it and sat up in worry: "We stopped them."

Wuxian looks desperately at him: "Did anyone get hurt?"

Wangji cups his worried mate's cheek: "No one died from our clan."

Wuxian sat up to look anxiously at Wangji: "That's not what I asked."

Wangji sighs: "Just a few cuts and bruises. Nothing serious."

Wuxian looks desperately into his soul-bond's eyes: "You're not playing it down to make me feel better?"

Wangji pulls his mate into his arms: "I never lie."

Wuxian leans on Wangji: "Did we win? Are they gone."

Wangji sighs loudly..

Then after a few seconds of silence he whispers: "No.."

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