Second Time Around

44. Extras 2: Animals to People

"Really?" she scoffed. "You're just going to let him die then? If not the next one, then the one following will kill him. You know that as well as I do. If you tell me what's going on, I can help you."

The younger man sighed sadly. "It involves private matters. I cannot...."

"Will it kill you, too?"

He shook his head. "I'm not... at risk. DaGe is resigned. I... have to respect his wishes."

"His death wish? Such a good younger brother to stand aside and allow his elder brother to die from a very painful and probably preventable death just so he can inherit the sect leadership."

"I don't want that! But.... It's not preventable, Wen Guniang. There's nothing you can do."

"Fine. As you wish."

Having made her decision to leave known, Wen Qing slammed her door and suppressed the urge to scream. That infuriating man. He would rather die than let me fix him. I could solve the qi deviation problem. But no. He has to protect his stupid little secret instead of asking for outside help. He's fine with allowing dozens of his disciples to die every year? And I thought my uncle was a monster! She stuffed her clothes into one qiankun pouch and her medical scrolls into another. "Ass," she muttered. "Just don't bother sending me an invitation to your funeral."

"Why would I want you at my funeral?" Wen Qing started at the thundering voice; she hadn't heard her door opening again. "Dogs don't belong at funerals."

To cover her shock, she smiled sweetly. "This bitch won't attend your funeral. I'll make sure to piss on it later, though."

Nie MingJue sank to the floor at her work table without asking for permission. "You can't heal me. No one can."

"Maybe no one else can," she amended. "You don't know what I can do."

"So leave already!"

Wen Qing looked around to make sure she had everything packed. "As soon as my carriage is ready, I'm gone."

"Good."

He sounded... weary. "What's wrong with you now? Give me your wrist." Wen Qing grabbed his arm as it was being moved to hide behind his back. "Such a baby." His body was tired, heart beating just a tad too fast, and his qi was swirling madly. "You're going to have another qi deviation in a matter of days. You probably won't survive it."

"I know."

"Will you at least tell me what brought this on? Maybe I can save your disciples after your little brother inherits."

"It was a night hunt." Nie MingJue launched into a proud description of how his juniors behaved on the hunt and the creatures they'd killed.

Wen Qing wasn't moved by the tale. "That doesn't explain how you got yourself into this mess."

"There was a rock dragon. Do you know of them?" Wen Qing shook her head no. "They look like wide snakes with legs. They're incredibly fast, blade-sharp retractable claws, longer than I am tall, and eat anything they can fit into their mouths. They spit poison, too, so..."

"Venom," she interjected.

"What?"

"The rock dragons probably spit venom not poison."

"What's the difference?"

"If it bites you and you die, it's venomous. If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous."

"Huh. In either case, they're far more dangerous than a junior disciple should face. I killed it, and then you were there sticking me full of needles again."