Chapter Text
“Lao Wen!” Zhou Zishu whined to Wen Kexing who was jovially sifting through the tall grass foxtail on their way, the sun was high up but his energy was diminishing every minute. It was not really a hot day save for the weimao they purchased passing Tiandu City.
“A’Xu, look look I have never seen foxtails this big and a lot of them.” Wen Kexing picks one and waves it in front of Zhou Zishu’s face when the latter swipes it off his hands.
“We're lost aren’t we?” He narrows his eyes at Wen Kexing who playfully bats the curtain bamboo hat revealing his white pale hands so delicate it feels like it will break at a gust of the wind, the breeze reveals more as it sways the soft linen.
White strands of hair blanketed his pale face although it lacked that luster it still elegantly sways with the wind. His face pale obvious of fatigue painted across it, cheeks a little sunken, eyes red rimmed as if he just cried a while ago, with dark bags underneath in a noticeable sleep deprived constitution.His lips chapped though brimmed blood red like it was the only life he had left in his face. He looked sickly that he would fall any minute. But still the beauty of his vain self is still there. He smiled at Zhou Zishu. It looked like sunrise to others, it looked way eerie on his death stricken face.
“Are not.” He looks sideways bending some of the foxtails towering over them. “It’s the wind blowing me in this direction, who knows we might find the answers here.” Wen Kexing flaps his fan covering his smirk from Zhou Zishu. He knew very well this sorry excuse of travelling no, stalling his pre determined death looming above their heads. He just wants to spend his days travelling and being with his A’Xu in his final happy days.
They’ve been travelling for months now and the strained it left for Wen Kexing is immense, with his qi depleting albeit slowly its noticeable in his appearance and how his mobility is affected, sometimes the simplest tasks leaves him heaving a breath while at other times he is full of energy just like now.
Zhou Zishu had been suspicious since they passed Tiandu City they have been travelling north since leaving the capital and he doesn’t know any masters well known to cure his ailing companion. After their ritual at the armory Wen Kexing had been bedridden for a month, sleeping endlessly Zhou Zishu feared he would never wake up. After making him immortal and leaving him to be sleeping for all eternity he was devastated by the fact that Wen Kexing sacrificed himself just to cure him. He wants to make him suffer the heartbreak bringing him back to life to torture him himself. He went to such great lengths to gather all the healers and masters just to save him from dying. Wen Kexing, much to his chagrin, proposed they go back to the ghost valley, Zhou Zishu went without a word believing they would find cure for his depleting body. What use is his immortal self if he will spend it all alone without him.
But it's been a month now, Zhou Zishu’s thinking that they are going in circles. He is not familiar with this place nor the city they’ve been, heck he thinks that Wen Kexing is deliberately stalling now and he is losing patience with this stubborn man.
What he fears came the night they made camp at the vast fields of fox tail grass. While staring up the stars that were slightly different, two moons that hovered above one full and one crescent. Wen Kexing even joked about it winking mirthlessly at them and their predicament. Lulled to sleep by Wen’s incessant chattering only to be woken up in alarm at coughing and vomiting sounds. Wen Kexing backs heaved deep and no amount of pats to his back can make him stop vomiting blood. It pains him to see Wen Kexing like this, blood splattered all around him, the sleeves of his hem already stained and his hands clutching his chest tightly.
Then he senses something lurking, a wild animal, a beast, something that dangerously aggressive emanating malicious energy. Must drawn by the blood in the air.
“I’m sorry.. A’Xu..*cough.. We.. nee… to leave…” Wen Kexing out of breath, eyes half lidded from coughing a fit.
“I know, can you walk?I’ll carry you, Lao Wen.” Zhou Zishu fears that he can’t protect Wen Kexing and it seems it is attracting a lot of unwanted beings now.Before Wen Kexing can reply he carried him on his back uncaring about the blood dripping from the latter's mouth to his shoulders and he ran and ran hoping his lights steps can save them both from harms way. It made him realize when they were out in the open that three demonic beast were chasing after them a tiger with horns of some sort and four sharp eyes that he had never seen before. Heart pounding Zhou Zishu prays they out run them, Wen Kexing had long been unconscious on his back and he calls for anyone, someone that when he finds a safe space Wen Kexing would open his eyes again.
Eventually he comes across a valley lush with forest green. When he stepped on its lands bordering the prairie and its mountainous steps, he could hear the growls of the beast unable to take a step ahead. It’s eerily quiet with the last snarls of the demonic tigers they retreated into the dark. He sighs breath of relief they are out of danger for now, the valley on the other emits a threatening aura, shrugging that uneasy feeling he needs to tend to Wen Kexing first.
A few more steps he comes across an opening, a cave. He could hear water dripping inside.
“Lao Wen, pray that whatever resides in this cave be as merciful as the deities above.” Zhou Zishu whispers.They had enough misfortunes of a lifetime he would not ask for more.
He found a suitable space on the side of the cave, a small little pond beside them as leaned Wen Kexing on his sides, he took good care for him not to choke on his blood. The water on the pond reflects the moon above as it has a slight opening on top angling directly at the water like it was made to shine on it. It’s crystal clear you can see its shallow depths and stones glistening in it. He scoops a couple to drink for his parched throat and fills his water jug to make Wen Kexing drink as well.
“Lao Wen, please. Wake up, drink this it will help soothe your throat” Zhou Zishu nudged his shoulders, but no reaction from the other, he lay leaning on the cave wall.
“Wen Kexing…. “ Zhou Zishu shudders, preventing a sob spilling from his lips, he frantically checks his pulse. Very weak, so slow like a moment strays off his fingers it will fade. He tried sending his qi on him trying to coax it to pulse higher. It doesn’t work and it’s slowly fading.
“Lao.. Wennnn… pleassseee,.. Don’t…” His words strained tears already trailing on his cheeks, his vision blurring for the onslaught as he grips his wrists tighter than he should have. “ Noooo… pleaseee.. pleeaasseee… “ He drags him to his person like a ragdoll, his arms sway falling on his sides, he keeps him close back pressed on his chest as he sends more qi, it thrums in the air. Like Zhou Zishu's heartbeat that is erratically moving.
“Wen Kexing!!Open your eyes please!!pleaseeeee!Nooo.. not now…” He sobs “Lao Wenn..” His cries muffled on Wen Kexing shoulders, his grasps him tighter. It hurts the pain of being thrown into the abyss and hallowed out. He tries to give more warmth to his body that’s getting colder by the minute. He loses it, he scrambling every bit of skin he can to fill it with warmth, he whispers Wen Kexing’s name to his ears calling him out like he would answer anytime.
“It’s alright, it’s okay… Lao Wen, It’s okay.. Everything will be okay.” Zhou Zishu murmmers with a wild look on his face. He breaks, his everything breaks. He’s losing every bit of strength in him.
When he hears a rustle from the deepest parts of the cave. Careful dragging steps and clanking of chains against the ground.
“Do you wish to save him?”
It drawls, voice deep as the depths of the dark cave. It vibrates from the walls as if speaking in different directions from all sides. The cold rushes through him and it chills him to the bones.
“Do you wish to save him?”
It rings fervently in Zhou Zishu’s ears. It’s voice echoes through him.
“Ye..yess.. Please .. anything .. someone please..” Zhou Zishu desperately answers back, hugging Wen Kexing's body, afraid it will disappear from his sight.
“Anythinggggg….. Do not make bargains you can’t keep.” It answers back
“Pleaaseee…” Strained Zhou Zishu begs, anything just to keep Wen Kexing. A bargain from the devil, anything to keep him from slipping off his hold.
The silhouette standing in the dark walks towards them arm stretching to reach over them, Zhou Zishu flinches and tries to curl Wen Kexing to him.
“Give him to me, if you wish to see him open his eyes again.” The figure snarls at him, eyes black narrowed dangerously at him. When he comes to the light he sees his face. Long black hair that stretches to the ground. Pale face alabaster like a statue, lips in a fine line pressed tinged in crimson red like he had just blood smeared on them. Brows in a tight knit as if annoyed at the scene in front of him. His robe shimmers in black and gold with branches stuck to the hems weaved upwards. He is not human.
“Give, now..” He demanded, as his hand stretched on him, Zhou Zishu arranged Wen Kexing take him by the shoulders and sit him upright with his back on the unknown being already sitting in meditation. His palms come up to Wen Kexing's back, Zhou Zishu prays that he is not some beast who would stab his dearest Lao Wen on his back.
“Quiet!! You are thinking loudly! It’s distracting!” He snarls at Zhou Zishu. The latter just looks at him in disbelief.
“Guide your qi in, hold him.” He says, his voice so low it almost lulls him out of concentration.
Zhou Zishu now thinks he is a master, this act feels similar to dual cultivation, passing qi into meridians fixing base core. Now he wonders if it will work as he tried it himself back then as well. Until he feels that strong thrum of relentless qi plunging into his points leaving it hollowed and filling it to the brim, he gasps momentarily as the plunge made him wither in a second grasping to the power that held him high and then plunge him into the depths, he feels Wen Kexing twitch his fingers moving. With Zhou Zishu positioned in front of him both palms placed on his chest, and the unknown being on his back palms flat as well.
They are exchanging qi back and forth through Wen Kexing's body, hollowing it and filling it. The same process that goes on for a while and every moment on Wen Kexing's body does not escape Zhou Zishu’s observant eyes, even the face of the person at his back who had his eyes closed in deep meditation. He knows it’s a taxing job; it strains a whole amount of one’s core to guide, circulate and purify. Pulsing his qi back and forth, he doesn’t even sweat nor a slight disturbance in his calm face.
After what felt like hours Zhou Zishu can see improvement in Wen Kexing complexion, his fingers moving, twitching at each pass. A reaction is a good sign. Even his crumpled brows relaxed in a way that it felt as if he was only asleep dreaming. Then the thrum of energy dies down slowly and everything comes to a dim light again save by the reflection of moonlight by the small pond. The person stands, chains clattering loudly echoing through the cave he turns his back.
“Your name… I.. Thank you..” Zhou Zishu can only mutter as he pulls Wen Kexing head on his lap to lie on, the other breaths soundly calmly asleep.
The person stops and looks over his shoulders, lips turn slightly, eyes judging.
“Li Lun.” he whispers.
And then he walks on disappearing to the depths of the dark cave. He sees leaves scattered from where he sat, lightly glowing in the moonlight and vanishing like embers to the dark.
Zhou Zishu breathes.
“Thank You.”