The most precious medicine

Chapter 3

Wei Wuxian run out of the infirmary as if he had a raging fire on his heels. After such a long time of desperate searching, a possible solution had finally revealed itself. Now he was beating himself over the fact that he had not thought of it earlier. He should have, ever since the Yao sect disciple revealed that the poison he had used on the dagger had no antidote and was extremely lethal to cultivators. It was actually a small miracle that the victim was even still alive after all this time, he had even dared to marvel.

Wei Wuxian could have saved Lan Zhan so much pain and everyone else so much grief. If only he had thought of this solution earlier! Now they were racing against time as his husband only had two days to live.

If the problem was that Lan Zhan's golden core was killing him because of the uncurable poison, then there was really just one way to save him. He needed a new golden core. A risky treatment, but the only one available at the moment. And it just happened that Wei Wuxian knew exactly where they could get a spare golden core to use as medicine.

He had not told anything to the others, afraid to get their hopes up before he confirmed that this approach could work. This was the only way they had found, their last resort. If Wei Wuxian did not act quickly, he knew Lan Zhan would not be able to make it for sure.

Even with a new golden core, it was still not guaranteed that he would be able to recover. No one knew how much damage had been already caused internally. Wei Wuxian chased this thought away as soon as it appeared. He had already known that this treatment would be risky, but they had nothing else to go by. It was either this, or letting Lan Zhan die without even trying. At least this way, if it did not work, they could go away together.

He run as fast as his exhausted body would permit, silently cursing himself for not listening to Lan Xichen. He should have taken better care of himself; Wen Qing had told him in the past that it increased the chances of successfully taking the core out, and also of the donor's survival but that was not something he was putting too much importance into. He had been not too worried back then, she had still managed to give his golden core to Jiang Cheng even when he had not been at the top of his condition.

He did not mind the looks he was getting from all the Gusu Lan sect disciples who saw him running. The sect rules had never been ones to regulate his life, his first or his second. He did not care too much about them when it was not Lan Zhan on whom his behaviour would reflect badly. Yes, there was nothing he should be careful about, his husband was not at his side to be the one scolded.

He all but flew through the gate of the Cloud Recesses and stopped on the stairs just outside of the barrier. He took out his flute and played a few notes. He was silently praying that Wen Ning was close and could come quickly. The fierce corpse would of course hear him wherever it was, but there was no time to wait for him to come back from for example Koi Tower.

He put all the urgency he was feeling in this short summon. Once he finished playing, he tugged his flute away behind his belt and started pacing around. He did not mind the shocked expressions of the Gusu Lan sect disciples on guard duty. He could apologize for ignoring them later, once Lan Zhan would be saved.

It felt like an eternity had passed before there was a subtle rustling of trees coming from the side. Wei Wuxian turned his head in that direction and a part of his extreme anguish was washed away. Wen Ning came.

It was truly lucky he thought that his friend had not gone too far away after being summoned the first time. Only a day or so into Lan Zhan's sickness, Wei Wuxian had come out of the Cloud Recesses to ask Wen Ning whether he did not know any remedy. It had taken a while to convince the elders to let the fierce corpse inside the barrier, but Lan Qiren helped and allowed him entry. Unfortunately, back then, not even Wen Ning could help.

This time though, Wei Wuxian was sure that the young Dafan Wen sect survivor was the only one who could help to save Lan Zhan. He had been present during the operation Wen Qing had done to save Jiang Cheng, he must still remember how to do it.

Wei Wuxian did not waste time on explaining anything and he was already tugging Wen Ning to come inside the barrier. There was no time to lose. They did not know when exactly Lan Zhan would lose his fight against the poison, they could not risk that it would be in the middle of the operation. They had to hurry.

"I have permission to take him inside!" he shot at the young Gusu Lan sect disciples at the gate.

He was not lying as per say, Lan Qiren had given Wen Ning his permission to enter once. He had just not specified if it was valid for that single time or if he could now come and go at his own will. This was however only another one of the things which he would apologize for later. Granted he and Lan Zhan would still be alive at that time.

Wen Ning got over his surprise at being hurried up the stairs to the Cloud Recesses only when they were already half way through. He did not slow down but he asked Wei Wuxian: "Young Master Wei, what happened? How is Second Young Master Lan doing?"

There was worry in his voice even if his face could not mirror it due to its muscles' rigidness. Wei Wuxian was glad that Wen Ning was this kind and so invested in Lan Zhan's wellbeing. It would help with the persuasion.

He did not turn back and started explaining as he was still dragging the fierce corpse forward through the seemingly endless courtyards of the Cloud Recesses: "Wen Ning, we have finally found a possible treatment for Lan Zhan. The poison is now destroying his golden core and that in turn is making him sicker. There is nothing that can be done unless the root of the sickness is taken out a he gets a new golden core to help with the recovery."

At this point, they arrived to the infirmary and Wei Wuxian all but threw the door opened. He was not paying any attention to Lan Qiren's and the healer's scowls. It was not like a little loud noise would worsen Lan Zhan's condition at this point. Lan Xichen only stared at the newcomer in shocked silence.

Wei Wuxian dragged Wen Ning closer to the sick bed and without any further explanation he laid down to a neighbouring one, opening up the robes on his chest and abdomen. He stuffed a part of the discarded clothing into his mouth to serve as a makeshift gag. He was ready, they had to hurry.

It was only at this moment that Wen Ning either finally understood what he was being asked to do or came out of his stupor. He took two steps back as if he was frightened by Wei Wuxian's behaviour and looked around the room, perhaps seeking for help.

Wei Wuxian had hoped it was to ask for proper medical tools for the operation, although he remembered from the past that nothing too fancy had been used. His hopes crumbled when the words which came out of his friend's mouth were of a completely different kind.