Shooting Star [Never Let You Go, Again Book 2]

36: Terrors Unleashed

Wei Wuxian was confused. No, confused was the minimal description of his current state. He was terrorised from the occurrences. From the terrors that had been unleashed. 

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The instant he'd laid his hand on the ruby, his world had blacked out. He woke up in a dark room. The room was dark for it had no lighting but for the strange blood-red filling it up. Wei Wuxian was reminded of the Xuanwu: back inside the Xuanwu this was how it had looked. 

All at once, a loud, monstrous groan crackled.

And that was when he realised this was the Xuanwu.

In seconds, he had been compelled to experience the third-person view of another Wei Ying and another Lan Zhan fighting with the Xuanwu. And then Lan Zhan saving him. And then him treating Lan Zhan's wounds. And all the stupid talk. And inadvertently making Lan Zhan shed a tear over his burnt down home.

From the screams and horrifying wails within the Xuanwu and its sword to the lone tear that slipped out of Lan Zhan's eye... Wei Wuxian had to encounter it all. 

Lan Zhan's lone tear fell to the ground with a minute splash.

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Wei Ying watched as he saw Madam Yu slashing Zidian, felt the scorching heat on his back and the sharp thud as he fell to the floor. Heard the high-pitched cackle of Wang Lingjiao. Saw his younger self and his A-Cheng being sent away on boat. But unlike last time, this time he got to stay behind to see what truly happened. And so he watched helplessly from up on a flaming rooftop as his beloved Jiang Shushu's dead body fell to the floor and Madam Yu killed herself. "Jiang Shushu..." 

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The scene changed again. This time, he found himself watching his Shijie and Jin Zixuan playing with baby Rulan — for two seconds. Two seconds into the happy episode, the atmosphere abruptly changed and grew intense as the chapter of Nevernight unfolded.

It felt too real. Wei Wuxian looked around desperately. "Shijie? Shijie!" He called out, walking right through fighting bodies, miserably calling for his sister. Until suddenly he heard the cry.

"A-Xian!"

Wei Wuxian spun around to see Yanli running towards his younger self, unaware of the approaching swordsman behind her. Wei Wuxian screamed in agony as he tried to block the sword for her but it cut right through his translucent soul and slashed against Yanli's back.

And then when yet another swordsman had aimed to kill the young Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian strived to hold back Shijie's hand from tossing his younger self away — but after all, he was immaterial. Shijie's hand went right through his body and shoved young Wei Ying away to let the gleaming silver sword crash through her heart.

All Wei Wuxian could do was scream.

No, think of the good stuff, think of A-Zhan, be strong, you can NOT cry, Wei Wuxian mumbled under his breath as he gulped back the tears and bit his lip sharply. When a drop of blood fell from his mouth, his seething pain brought him back to consciousness and the setting shifted once more. 

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The Jingshi's door was open wide. Wei Wuxian looked around to find jars of Emperor's Smile scattered across the floor. Emptied and rolling around. Hm? Are these ones I drank? He wondered as he got up from the bed and walked around. The familiar floorboard was there stacked with jars of wine. He walked out the door and around the garden, smiling at the white magnolia and gentians. Yes, this is the good stuff. His smiled broadened as he walked among the flowers towards the back garden.