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Lan Xichen knew something was wrong when his younger brother came back home a few weeks later than planned. Or that his brother looked torn between sad or happy. Or the fact that he could see something red peeking from his brother’s sleeve.
But all of that isn’t important. His brother is back, and that’s enough. With how tense the cultivation world has become and how much the Wens has started to pressure other sects, the last thing he wants is to lose his family --his baby brother-- when he just out to do his duty as a Lan disciple.
He hugged Wangji tightly, reassuring himself that Wangji is a solid thing and not just a fragment of his imagination. No one is allowed to blame him for being overly panic. Wangji had gone for over a month, and the last letter he received was three weeks ago. He was already at the gate preparing a search party for Wangji when Wangji landed on his sword. Excess emotion is forbidden, but he was just so glad to see his baby brother safe and sound. A sentiment that Wangji apparently shared as well when he felt that his hug was returned.
Wangji did apologize afterward for the lack of news, as he was nursing an injury --to Lan Xichen’s horror-- in some remote village with no access to the mailing system. Although the rest of the story is history as Lan Xichen ushered him to the Healing Pavillion for a thorough check-up, much to Wangji’s dismay.
And then the Wens happened, so abruptly that they had no way to defend themselves. Even Father came out of seclusion to defend the Sect. But all hope was lost with the fall of Father, who was struck down by an ominous sword that emits such dark energy.
Lan Xichen was there to witness the sword stabbed his father, saw how that sword came from the front, and stabbed through his father’s chest as if he is a lump of meat that people usually serve as food. He saw how easily that damn Wen took back his sword out of his father’s chest, how the blood spluttered out like the waterfall hitting the bottom of the Cold pond, how there was so much dark energy around his father.
He was late to catch his father’s downfall and as a result, his father fell with nothing to cushion his body. The floor underneath had become a bloody pool. Father was unconscious, but still breathing. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Wangji tried to attack the Wens, to push them back from their father. His brain had gone haywire, too panic, too scared, too stressed. He knew he must take his father away and get a healer, but where in the world can he get a healer when everything is on fire?
Everything is blurry. He can feel his eyes burned, how his throat tightened as he carried his father away from there. Wangji managed to strike them down in his fury, and both of them run to find someplace to hide.
They found Uncle Qiren. They saw how Uncle’s face lost all colors when his eyes land on Father’s unconscious body. He thrust a few qiankun bags to Wangji, and a single “Go!” before rushing toward the front gate.
The burn on Lan Xichen’s eyes intensify. Because the possibility of them meeting each other again is close to zero. Because he might be losing his family, his sect, his home. But there is no choice but to run forward, even if it’s the hardest thing to do.
They run away from the back gate and then they fly away as far as they can and hide in a forest. All of that being done in silence and haste, automatically without any thinking. He couldn’t fly far enough as he keeps transferring his qi to Father in an attempt to keep him alive. But even without medical knowledge, he knew that unless Father gets help, he will be gone for good.
In the end, they hid inside a cave.
Lan Xichen was lost on what to do. But not Wangji apparently.
He was surprised when Wangji quickly took off Father’s robe, showing the big stab wounds on his chest, or more like in his chest. And then Wangji took out a talisman, a kind that he has never seen before, he placed it on top of the wound before activating it.
He let out a gasp. It was such a sight when little by little the dark energy around his father dissipated, and how he saw the blood has stopped trickling down.
The talisman burned not long after that though.
He turned to Wangji. “Wangji, what-? What’s that?”
Wangji pursed his lips, eyes still on the burnt talisman. “The doctor that save me before, he gave me one for emergency healing.”
Now he remembered that Wangji said he knew a doctor that resides in Yiling. Wangji told him in a passing that his injury had been looked after by a capable doctor. He assumed this doctor that Wangji spoke of is the same one as the doctor that cared for his younger brother’s injury a few years ago. Wangji didn’t tell much about his journey and Lan Xichen also didn’t have time to ask further before everything go downhill.
But if it’s true, then that doctor is brilliant, to invent a talisman for emergency healing.
Wangji then explained that like its name, it is only for emergency and the talisman can only handle a small amount of spiritual energy being pushed inside. That’s why it can’t be used to completely heal a wound, but it actually can heal till halfway, at least not life-threatening anymore. But the problem with Father is that there is that dark energy that hinders the healing, which already took half of the spiritual energy quota in the talisman and the rest of it could only manage to stop the bleeding.
And again he was made surprised when Wangji took out a medical kit from a qiankun bag before proceed to bandage Father's injuries.
“I was told to always bring a medical kit with me in case of emergency,” he said.
By then, Lan Xichen could only feel shame creeping in. How can he let Wangji, his dear brother, do everything while he can only sit there panicking at the state of his father? He felt so useless, that despite being the older one, he can only depend on Wangji. If Wangji was not here with him, wouldn’t Father has been lost? What’s good is an heir, a first young master, an older sibling, if all he can do is sitting, crying, watching his younger brother do all the work for him? Not only can’t he protect his sect, but he also couldn’t even protect his family, can’t even do anything useful! He felt so disappointed with himself.
“Wangji… Sorry… For being such a useless brother…”
Wangji looked alarmed. “No.” He shook his head. “Not Xiongzhang’s fault.” He stared at Lan Xichen and frowned in concern. Lan Xichen gave him a sad smile.
“Wangji, if you aren’t here with me at this moment, I’m afraid that father…” Lan Xichen couldn’t help but feel despair by what was left unsaid.
“But I’m here.”
Wangji looked at him resolutely. His baby brother truly has grown behind his back, and Lan Xichen can never be more glad for that.
“Yes, you are here. Brother is so glad about that.”