Sacrifice

Er Ming froze for a moment. "Sister Xiao Wu, what are we waiting for?"

"Wait a few days. Think it over some more." Xiao Wu's voice returned to its usual rhythm, though there was still an unconcealable hoarseness at the end.

"This is too important to decide on a whim. I'm giving you a few days to think carefully. If, after a few days, this is still your decision, then... then Sacrifice."

Er Ming frowned. He wanted to say, "I made up my mind long ago," but Xiao Wu raised a hand and covered his mouth.

"Just a few days." Xiao Wu's tone left no room for negotiation. "For these few days, eat when you should, sleep when you should, cultivate when you should. Stop talking about Sacrifice every day. We'll talk when the time comes."

Er Ming swallowed the words at his lips and nodded gloomily. Da Ming also gave a slight nod and said nothing more.

Over the next few days, Er Ming truly did not mention Sacrifice again.

Every day, he still squatted by the lake to bask in the sun, still went into the water to catch fish, still climbed trees to pick fruit.

But whenever evening came, he would grow quiet and squat atop the tallest rock by the lake, looking at the distant sea of forest stained dark gold by twilight, no one knowing what he was thinking.

Da Ming became even quieter than usual. He remained coiled around the branches of the ancient tree, but his snake eyes stayed open far more often than before.

The tip of his tail lightly traced the lake's surface, sending out fine ripples in circle after circle, as though he were using that repetitive motion to measure something invisible.

Xiao Wu did not urge them during those