Bright red blood fell, drop by drop.

A good deal of it had dripped by now.

Feng Qizheng's chin and neck were stained red with Ning Chen's blood.

Xiao Yanxi's face was full of worry. What if the yang gu never came out, and Ning Chen lost too much blood first?

Suddenly, a beetle crawled out of Feng Qizheng's mouth. It was blood red all over and no bigger than a fingernail.

If you didn't look closely, you could hardly tell the little thing apart from the blood.

This was the yang gu.

The yang gu crawled out of Feng Qizheng's mouth and licked at the blood on his chin.

The old clan head gently opened the small white porcelain bottle in her hand.

Maybe the bottle made a faint sound as it opened, because the yang gu was startled. It spread its wings, about to fly at Ning Chen.

With a flick of the old clan head's finger, a drop of blood shot out and landed on the yang gu just as it was taking off.

The yang gu seemed terrified. It curled up at once and didn't move.

The old clan head took out a section of bamboo tube and put the yang gu inside.

Then she let out a heavy breath of relief. "It's done!"

Xiao Yanxi's eyes reddened slightly, and she threw herself into Ning Chen's arms. "It's done. Ning, dear, you're finally cured. That's wonderful, that's wonderful......"

Lately she'd been so worried she could barely eat or sleep.

Now, at last, she could stop worrying!

Ning Chen held Xiao Yanxi, unable to hide how moved he was.

After a while, Xiao Yanxi pulled free of his arms, red-faced, and hurried to change the subject. "Elder, what was that drop of blood you flicked just now?"

The old clan head said, "Tiger's blood, from a tiger just grown. As pure and as yang as it gets."

"So that's it." Xiao Yanxi bowed deeply, with complete sincerity. "Elder, you saved Ning, dear. I'll never forget your great kindness as long as I live... If the day ever…