Qing Li continued to lead the way through the forest while her eyes scanned the surroundings with practiced vigilance as she thought how pathetic his lie was.
At the same time,
Bai Lung walked beside her and his movements were fluid and confident while being soundless.
The forest was dense, the air filled with the scent of pine and damp earth.
"Tell me, Lady Qing," Bai Lung said, his voice low and measured trying to keep the conversation going.
"How did you come to be afflicted by this disease? It's not something one encounters every day, did you have a fight with someone else? "
Qing Li glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly.
She weighed her response carefully not to talk about the curse.
"It was a mission... A sect mission that went wrong," she said,
"An encounter with a forbidden artifact... The details are not important," she added.