Was she wrong?

The kiss was perfect. Wei Ying entangled his fingers in Lan Zhan's hair so even when they stopped to take a breath their lips were still touching. Wei Ying was greedily taking in his lover's face, his eyes…

The sadness in his eyes.

Well, I'm dying. I should not forget it. There was something else I needed to remember, something important to do… What can be more important than kissing the man I love?

He indulged himself by caressing these willing lips. Lan Zhan gently manhandled Wei Ying so that he was lying on him. It was nice.

I should worry about ruining your robes, but I do not. Please, Lan Zhan, forgive a dying man…

"Please, forgive me…", he whispered against his will.

"Wei Ying, there is nothing to forgive you.", his beloved replied solemnly.

"I'm leaving you, again."

"No. Wei Ying will survive.", Lan Zhan nervously checked the makeshift bandages and frowned a bit and said nothing, only applied more pressure on the wounds

"Still bleeding", Wei Ying sighed, "I don't want you to be sad", and suddenly he remembered what he had forgotten, "You must leave. When my spiritual strength dissipates, you'll get lost in crumbling dreams. Please… leave. I love you too much to let you risk losing yourself."

"I will follow Wei Ying. In life or death."

"Stop talking nonsense! You're cute Lan Zhan, but the world doesn't work like this. You're the Chief Cultivator. You cannot just die because of your fiance!"

"Noone will make me live in the world without Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan, be reasonable! Please! You cannot throw your life away!", he exclaimed and suddenly a thought hit him. "What's going on? Why do I still have the energy to quarrel with you?"

Lan Wangji slumped on the ground, never losing his energetic and physical connection to Wei Wuxian. However, he had to be unconscious, as there was no Lan who would have allowed himself to meditate in such an undignified pose.

Wei Wuxian was still deadly pale, the blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth. The healers were changing at his side.

"What has this fool done?!", Jiang Cheng heard the hoarse voice he thought he would never hear again.

"Wen Qing?!"

The woman stood over him. She was wrapped in the blanket and her brother was hovering worryingly at her side.

"What has he done?", she repeated angrily, tears shining in her eyes.

"He closed the energy explosion within himself.", Jiang Cheng said tiredly, "We're trying to keep him alive till Lan Xichen arrives... though I am not sure he'll be able to help."

Wen Qing knelt near the wounded. She checked the energy flow. Jiang Cheng realized that he was observing her with some strange hope in his heart. She did the impossible once, maybe she could work another miracle. He was ready to sacrifice himself for his brother.

"Can you save him?", he asked hopefully.

"I can try, but I need your aid.", she said carefully, "Lan Wangji is stabilizing him in quite an amazing way, however it won't last forever. He won't last forever", she clarified, "Though he is giving us the time we need. There is an excess of a certain type of energy in Wei Wuxian's system. It can be treated like a curse. It must be transferred to someone else. I am pretty sure I can control the process and heal the aim of the transfer. However, to make the process safer I need at least two volunteers. And Lan Wangji doesn't count."

"I am ready", Jiang Cheng replied.

"Count me in", Nie Huaisang declared.

"Good", Wen Qing nodded satisfied.

"And what do you risk? You know, it will be stupid having saved you only to lose you", Nie Huaisang asked the question Jiang Cheng planned.

He cast a furious glance at the other sect leader but the man ignored him completely.

"I won't die. Nor will you.", she replied calmly.

I am simply insane. Have I just volunteered to take over a curse? I am not a hero type. Wei Wuxian's company is clearly unhealthy for me.

Wen Qing spent several minutes talking to the healers. She checked their supplies of herbs and needles, preparing for the operation she planned to perform. Nie Huaisang was observing her with a feeling of uneasiness. He should be satisfied, as her being alive and conscious was partly his doing. After all, he gave some necessary information to Wei Wuxian while they were working on the ritual to free the doctor. However, there was unacceptable collateral damage which they had to manage successfully. Nie Huaisang did not want to be associated with Lan Wangji's demise. He was completely satisfied with killing the previous Chief Cultivator, but it would be disastrous to his Clan if they would be involved in the death of another.

He might not like Lan Wangji, but he respected him and did not doubt his righteousness and honesty. The Second Jade was one of the best Chief Cultivators history had known and he should have this title for much, much longer. All these reasons made the Nie Huaisang decision a wise one, but he needed to remind himself of that. Because the alternative was unthinkable - he could not risk his life or health just to save a friend. He was a responsible sect leader not as hot-headed as Jiang Cheng. Furthermore Wei Wuxian was not his adoptive brother and he did not have a life debt to repay to him.

So it was only pure politics which drove him. Wei Wuxian was simply a significant asset who should be maintained alive… at any cost. Especially when losing him meant losing Lan Wangji.

"Are you ready?", Wen Qing asked aloud. She looked a bit wobbly on her legs but determined.

"Yes. It took you long enough!", Jiang Cheng growled, his eyes never leaving his brother's face.

Wen Qing ignored him and knelt near him.

"Give me your hand", she ordered. Then she painted an array with a herbal dye. She finished her work by stabbing his palm with three needles, "It has to stay like this for the whole operation.", she explained.

Jiang Cheng did not look concerned.

"Your turn", she focused on Nie Huaisang. The man simply extended his hand and concentrated on memorising the symbols she drew. He braced himself for the pain of needles, but to his surprise did not feel any. She caught his gaze and gave him a brief smile.

"It will hurt during the energy transmission.", she informed him.

Then she knelt by Wei Wuxian's side. There was a fond sadness in her eyes when she carefully inspected his pulse and energy flow.

She used another set of needles and Nie Huaisang felt as if his palm was put into boiling water. Then the feeling diminished, but now all his body was sinking in too hot liquid. He was gasping for air and was astonished how such a simple task like breathing had become so demanding.

Am I dying?! She promised we'll survive. Was she wrong?

A/N

Beta'd by Legate_of_Apples.
Sorry for the delay :(