The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 173 - Invisible

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Wuxian stares into the eye of the boy sitting in front of him.

They've been at it for a few hours now and he is starting to lose faith.

Jingyi wiggles his nose when it itches and he cannot move.

A few seconds later, a sneeze rips out of him. Wuxian groans: "I SAID DON'T MOVE!"

Jingyi: "I CAN'T CONTROL MY SNEEZES!"

They returned to staring at each other as they sat cross legged, facing one another.

Lan Ran, who was sitting on the side between them, sighs loudly: "This is not working.."

Wuxian reaches over to smack her arm without taking his eyes off of Jingyi: "Your negativity is affecting my gifts!"

Ran sighs once more: "I have nothing to do with it. Why do you think staring into Jingyi's eyes is going to trigger a vision anyways?"

Wuxian turns to glare at her: "That's how it happened with Yuxio."

Ran rubs her stiff neck: "It's not the eye-staring thing.. Let's move on.."

Jingyi blinks innocently at them both as Wuxian flops back: "I'm running out of ideas! I held his hands, I looked into his eyes.. What do you want me to do? Lick his face?"

Jingyi and Ran both responded at the same time: "Ew!"

Wuxian covers his face: "This is so frustrating! Why can't the deities give me a manual?"

Ran stares at Jingyi, rubbing her chin: "What if Jingyi asks you some questions? It might trigger something.."

Wuxian sits up and looks at Jingyi: "Ask me something."

Jingyi thinks for a second then asks: "What's my favorite color?"

Wuxian: "White."

Jingyi gasps: "How did you know?"

Wuxian closes his eyes, sighing loudly: "All Lan Clansmen like white. It's not that hard to guess."

Ran looks at Jingyi: "Ask him something about the future."

Jingyi sits up in place, oddly enjoying this weird practice session and smiles at Wuxian: "What am I having for Lunch?"

Wuxian glares at him: "Stolen meat."

Jingyi chuckles at Wuxian: "You know me too well.."

Ran groans at the odd goofball before her: "Can't we get someone else?"

Wuxian sighs: "Does it matter? If it works then it works on everyone.."

Jingyi puts his hand up to intervene: "What if it's related to your empathy?"

Ran and Wuxian stares at him for a while.

That was a good point.

Wuxian: "She was feeling emotional when I triggered Yuxio's vision."

Ran stares at the smiling boy before her and whispers: "I wonder how we can test that out?"

They both continued to stare at Jingyi until he started to wiggle in place, feeling uncomfortable: "What?"

Wuxian rubs his nose: "Emotions.. Hmm.."

Jingyi stares at him, not sure what's going on but feeling like he will hate whatever these two have planned for him.

Ran: "What if we stab him.. just a little?"

Jingyi yelps: "WHAT? NO!"

Wuxian hums: "Poison would be better.. It will last longer and make him more emotional.."

Jingyi sits on his knees, ready to bolt: "NO! You can't do that!"

They both smiled evilly at him.

Ran: "It's fine. Healer Shi can fix you later. We just want you to feel a little bit of pain.. They say suffering is the strongest of emotions."

Wuxian pets his snake's head: "I'm sure Da Ziran wouldn't mind helping out. She loves biting people.."

Jingyi puts his hands up, freaking out because he knows that Wuxian is not above doing him harm for the sake of science.

On cue, Wuxian's hair glows, showering them in a mist of sparkling bits..

"Wuxian sees a young version of Jingyi, around Hweiru's age, sitting outside his classroom. He had the saddest resigned look Wuxian has ever seen on a child his age. He watched as the other students ran towards their parents as they passed by to pick them up.. One by one.. They all started to leave.. While Jingyi looks sadly at the empty space they left behind. The scene around them morphed and Wuxian finds himself looking at Jingyi now, walking with other disciples, laughing and enjoying their company. Wuxian felt a little bit better, thankful that his disciple finally found his own family. Suddenly, Jingyi stops walking as the rest continue on.. not noticing that he was left behind. He seems to be screaming for them to stop but Wuxian couldn't hear him and they didn't seem to notice. Jingyi watches as his friends walk further and further away until he no longer can see them. He sheds a few tears as he starts to age.. Growing until he's a man.. People start appearing around him.. Passing by as he keeps screaming for them.. No one seems to hear him.. Jingyi closes his eyes, as more tears travel down his face and he sighs loudly. He slowly grabs the hilt of his sword, unsheathing the invisible weapon and slowly putting it up and aiming it at his heart. He opens his eyes, looking at the people who keep passing by him then gently pushes the sword into his body. Wuxian couldn't see the sword but he saw his student's pain and blood. His suffering was as clear as day."

Wuxian takes a deep breath, trying to center himself after experiencing such a strong emotion.

He opens his eyes to look at the curious ones of his young disciple.

Jingyi notices the sad look on Wuxian's face and whispers: "Is it bad?"

Wuxian reaches out and Jingyi eagerly takes his hand. Wuxian whispers: "I see you."

Jingyi cocks his head, a little confused: "Um.. I see you too?"

Wuxian smiles at him: "Good. As long as you see me, then you will never be alone."

Jingyi turns to share a confused look with Ran then nods: "Ok.."

Ran frowns over Wuxian's odd behavior and asks Jingyi to go fetch Wuxian's lunch. When the boy leaves, Wuxian keeps staring at the door and whispers: "I thought that his sword was invisible because he carries his heart on his sleeve."

Ran: "Is that not the case?"

Wuxian shakes his head and looks at her sadly: "We used fear to trigger my vision. I saw his greatest fear and the future associated with it."

Ran: "What was it?"

Wuxian: "He's afraid that he will be invisible. He felt that way as a child and everything he does is born out of that fear. He seeks attention and fights too hard to gain my favor because he's afraid that if we don't see him.. He will disappear."

Ran frowns: "Disappear?"

Wuxian nods: "It's the future I saw.. Where people no longer see him so he stops seeing himself. As long as I'm alive, I will do everything possible to make sure it never happens."

Ran reaches over to touch his hand: "We will all make sure that he's safe and loved."

Wuxian returns to stare at the door, wondering how a boy as vibrant and as lovable as Jingyi could hide such a dark feeling. He vows that the only invisible thing in Jingyi's future will be his first-class weapon.

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